News
Our Achievements Propelled By Wike, Nwanosike Insists
Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Engr Samuel Nwanosike has attributed his successes to the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, for charging him and other council chairmen to deliver dividends of democracy to their people.
Nwanosike made this known at Omagwa during the commissioning of the 1,000-capacity seating town hall built by his administration for the Omagwa, last Monday.
The commissioning ceremony was performed by the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja.
Nwanosike said, “Sir, we have a leader in Rivers State who is not just providing infrastructure for the people of Rivers State but he is building young men and women across the 23 local governments and 319 wards in Rivers State because he understands that leadership is transient, and when a set of leaders move up, vacuum should not be created. He has made us to understand that you do not just go and make promises because you believe politicians should make promises and deceive people to get into public office. He believes that when you make promises, do everything to fulfil them. The people have given us the opportunity to manage their resources, so we must provide results in the forms of dividends of democracy to justify the confidence reposed in us as leaders.”
He asserted that all the other local government chairmen were working on the same page in terms of delivering dividends of democracy to their people at the third tier.
Nwanosike praised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governments across the nation for delivering dividends of democracy to the people, saying that All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal and state governments have failed woefully.
“Today, the APC-led administration has borrowed more than what we can imagine as a people. So, they have not only destroyed the security architecture, they have destroyed the rule of law because this Federal Government does not obey any law in Nigeria. They don’t obey court orders”, he said.
Nwanosike urged the public not to worry themselves again because PDP was about to give them a leader who would manage the country properly.
According to him, “Our father, we are happy that time is a healer of all wounds. We have told our people not to worry, by October 30 to 31, the Peoples Democratic Party will elect a leadership at the national level to pilot the affairs of the party round the 774 local governments in Nigeria and provide true leadership that will be able to manage our diversities and resources”.
The Ikwerre LG chairman said that the person eminently qualified to lead Nigeria has been found in Rivers State, saying that he is Governor Nyesom Wike.
He clarified that Wike has been able to manage Rivers State, which is a mini-Nigeria with people of different languages, culture and religion, adding that he has delivered numerous projects in the state which prompted the vice president to name him ‘Mr Project’.
Nwanosike pleaded with the monarch to lead a delegation to Wike and beg him to come and rescue Nigeria by agreeing to become the president of Nigeria come 2023.
He praised staff of Ikwerre LGA for supporting him to work for the people.
“Today is a wonderful day. When I was coming into this arena, I saw love, I saw appreciation, I saw joy and smile in the faces of Omagwa people. In my culture, my royal majesty, when you come home and your people lay on the floor this expensive george for you to walk upon, that means you have achieved a great feat.
“This feat wouldn’t have been possible without the civil servants headed by the HLGA, Dr Mrs Nne Okah, the treasurer of council, the Head of Personnel Management, council engineer and all other civil servants who said enough is enough, let’s work for the people of Ikwerre Local Government”, Nwanosike said.
The project commissioning is one of the activities lined up to mark 100 days in office of the second tenure of Nwanosike.
While commissioning the 1,000-capacity seating hall built for traditional rulers by Nwanosike in Omagwa, the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, described the project as marvellous, and urged other council chairmen to emulate the Ikwerre LG chairman.
Douglas Jaja said, “What we are seeing here is marvellous in our eyes. What we have heard too is something we have to take home, is something we should ask other chairmen of local governments to emulate”.
He stated that Nwanosike was one of the chairmen that stand out like a colossus in the affairs of local governments in Nigeria.
“I know that he is man who has touched the lives of everybody. The traditional rulers have asked me to thank him very much because of what he has done in this local government. He has touched lives”, he added.
In his welcome speech, the Councillor representing Ward 9 at Ikwerre Legislative Assembly, Hon Samuel Oboni, said that Nwanosike has done more than enough for the people of the ward, saying that they would continue to stand with him.
While making their solidarity speeches, the Leader of PDP in Ward 9, Hon K. K. Aribodor; the President of National Union of Omagwa Students, Comrade Joe Moses; Mrs Rachel Dan-Wachukwu, amongst others; noted that Nwanosike was a worthy son who has brought development to his people, saying that their happiness and joy knew no bounds.
The commissioning was witnessed by the Vice Chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Mrs Rejoice Ifeoma Nyenwe; the wife of Ikwerre LGA Chairman, Mrs Silver Nwanosike; the member representing Ikwerre Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Anslem Oguguo; the Leader of Ikwerre Legislative Assembly, Hon Nwobuisi Chikwe-Tasie; Rivers State PDP Women Leader, Hon Mirian Ogbonna; members of Ikwerre LGA Government Recognised Traditional Rulers, Owho holders, opinion leaders, political leaders, councillors, political appointees, amongst others.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
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
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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