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Build On Dafini Gogo-Abbey’s Legacies, Nsirim Charges RSTV Mgt

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim has charged management and staff of the Rivers State Television (RSTV) to build on the legacies left behind by the deceased General Manager, Pastor Dafini Gogo-Abbey, who passed on recently.
Nsirim gave the charge while speaking as special guest at the Night of Tributes organised by the management of the Rivers State Television in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
“A day will come when we will all give account that we passed through Rivers State Television, so, the challenge I will like to pose to my dear colleagues in this station is to ensure we build upon the legacies of Sister Dafini”.
He warned against unnecessary bickering and divisions among staff of the organisation.
“If we see ourselves as members of one family in Rivers State Television, then, surely, we are going to do better than what she left behind.”
The commissioner, who drew inference from the Bible book of Ecclesiastics Chapter 7, verses 1 and 2, reminded the management and staff of the station that posterity would judge all those who would work to destroy the legacies of the late general manager.
Nsirim tasked the staff not to see their assignment as mere avenues to earn wages but should see themselves as stewards of the manifest blessings of God that will be accounted for.
He recalled that while alive, late Dafini Gogo-Abbey had the vision of making the Rivers State Television the best in the country, and urged the workers to keep the dream alive.
“Sister Dafini will be the happiest person if she finds out that her dreams and vision to make Rivers State Television a modern station comes to reality and what that entails is that you must be united,” he said.
He conveyed the condolences of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to the staff and family of the deceased, admonishing the people to use the occasion for sober reflection of the kind of life they live in other to bequeath a good legacy.
Delivery a sermon from the book of Acts Chapter 9, verses 36 to 42, the preacher, Bro. Kontein Trinya, emphasised on the need for people to strive to leave good legacy that would attest to them after death.
Giving example of how Biblical Dorcas’ philanthropy to widows spoke for her on the day of her death, Trinya admonished the gathering to do good always knowing that one could only be remembered for the works done while alive.
Earlier, the Director of Administration of the Rivers State Television, Mr. Victor Gorgor had extolled the good qualities of the late Pastor Dafini Gogo-Abbey in running the affairs of the station as general manager.
The only Bible reading taken from the book of 1 Corinthians 15:52-57 was read by the first daughter of the deceased, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia.
Dignitaries including top government officials, traditional rulers and media executives converged at the event to honour the departed.
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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
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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.