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Why We Won’t Succumb To Pressure From Criminals To Lift Curfew -Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike says the curfew imposed in the wake of dastardly attacks on security formations in Rivers State would remain in place despite sponsored criticisms against it.
The governor, who reiterated that he was not unmindful of the traffic difficulty experienced by residents of the state, particularly in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor while trying to beat the 8:30pm curfew time, argued that it was better to suffer inconveniences and be alive.
Wike defended the efficacy of the night curfew while speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of the federal lawmaker who represents Rivers South East Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Barry Mpigi in Port Harcourt.
The governor said, “Some criminals, who have not been succeeding in kidnapping, have been sending people to go on radio to say the governor should be reasonable, and that they don’t want the curfew again.”
He further said, “Criminals are the ones who are doing that. I will not agree. Life and property is important for me. All those criminals who have been sending people to go on radio to say that they are suffering, and that we should extend the curfew to 12midnight, to enable them kidnap people from 7pm, will not succeed. Don’t waste your time.”
Wike explained that the imposition of the curfew was based on security advise by law enforcement agencies, as a precaution to prevent further attacks on security formations in the state.
He enjoined residents and people of the state to learn how to make sacrifices, suffer the inconveniences of today to achieve a better tomorrow.
According to him, “I want all of us to be alive to take care of our children.”
The governor also disclosed the cheering news that approval has been given for a Nigerian Law School campus to be sited in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“We have gotten approval to have a Law School in Port Harcourt. It is not about me, it is the legacy you leave. This was a Law School that was given to Port Harcourt, but the previous government rejected it, and it was sent to Yenagoa.
“Today, we have that approval that there must be a Law School in Port Harcourt. And I can assure you that in six months’ time, our Law School will be the best Law School in Nigeria”, the governor said.
He also announced that a Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded $1.1billion to the state in a lawsuit against the Federal Government.
The $1.1billion is entitlements of Rivers State based on the subsisting decision of the Supreme Court over production sharing contracts arising from the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts, and urged the Federal Government to release the total sum now to sustain the infrastructure development momentum in the state.
Wike thanked God for His grace and benevolence towards Mpigi and his family.
The governor, who recalled that his relationship with Mpigi dates back to when they were both council chairmen, urged the senator to remain a steadfast Peoples Democratic Party stalwart.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and former President of the Movement of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Barrister Ledum Mitee, thanked God for the life of Mpigi, whom he described as a politician with grassroots appeal.
Responding, Senator Barry Mpigi said he decided to celebrate his 60th birthday specifically to thank God for life, sound health and his reuniting with Wike.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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