Nation
Buhari, Mark Mourn Mantu
President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with family of former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, joining Plateau State Government and indigenes in mourning the passing of the renowned politician.
President Buhari, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, yesterday in Abuja commiserated with leaders and members of the National Aseembly, friends and political associates of the deceased.
The president noted that Mantu dedicated most of his life to service of his people.
According to him, Mantu’s legacy of reconciliation and promotion of peaceful co-existence will always be remembered, especially in bringing more harmony in his state and the country at large.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed.
The late Mantu was born in Chanso village, Gindiri District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau on Feb. 16, 1947.
He attended the Gindiri Demonstration Primary School from 1955 – 1961 and obtained the First School Leaving Certificate.
He worked with the Public Works Department (PWD) Jos, as a Stores Requisition Clerk from 1962 – 1963 before proceeding to the Gindiri Teachers College in 1964.
On leaving Gindiri in 1967, he joined the Nigerian Tobacco Company, Zaria in 1968 as a Quality Checker.
He moved to BEAM, a division of UAC Nigeria as a Kalamazoo Specialist Salesman in 1971.
Mantu holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Political Science from the Washington International University.
He was awarded Honorary Doctorate Degrees of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Jos, Madonna University, Okija and University of Applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Benin Republic.
Politics
Mantu joined politics in 1978 and was elected Deputy State Chairman of NPN in Plateau in 1980.
He was a founding member of the Liberal Convention.
Mantu’s contested for the National Chairmanship of the N.R.C. in 1990 but lost.
In 1993, Mr Mantu was the Director General of National Republican Convention Presidential Campaign Organisation.
In 1998, he was elected the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct UNCP and was later elected senator on the platform of the same party.
This election was truncated by General Abdusalam Abubakar’s regime. In 1999, Ma
On inauguration in 1999, Mantu was appointed Chairman Senate Committee on Information, the position he held till August 10, 2001, when he was elected Deputy President of the Senate.
He was appointed Chairman, Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee from 2001 to 2003 and 2003 to 2007 respectively.
Similarly, former President of the Senate, David Mark, has expressed shock and sadness over the demise of former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu.
Mark, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Paul Mumeh, yesterday in Minna, said Mantu’s death was a devastating loss to the political class.
He noted that the former lawmaker died at a time when his wealth of experience, wisdom and services were most needed to navigate through the murky political terrain.
Mark described Mantu as a flamboyant leader, who brought panache, character and sagacity to the political space.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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