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Rivers Government House Honours 44 Retirees, 17 Deceased Staff
Seventeen staff of Rivers State Government House who died in active service between 2007 and August 2009 have been honoured alongside 44 others who duly retired after a credible career in the State Civil Service.
Also honoured with them were three Permanent Secretaries; Mr Emmanuel Ichoku, the only Permanent Secretary to have retired from Government House, Dr Anthony Nwiador and Mr Chinorum Aya.
Speaking during a send forth ceremony organised for them last Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Oguru Fortune Oguru said he decided to introduce such recognition in the system to appreciate staff who served meritoriously.
Mr Oguru, who explained that it was not usual in Government House to assemble retirees and families of deceased staff for any form of appreciation, promised that henceforth those who do their jobs creditably would be honoured to encourage others.
He said families of deceased staff were invited to let them know that the contributions of their breadwinners to the governance of the state were greatly appreciated.
The Permanent Secretary lauded them for their exemplary service and wished them well in their future endeavours, saying “God will guide you through and through”.
In his speech, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, described Government House staff as those who make things happen at the seat of power saying that the ceremony was put together to let them know that they are important.
The Chief of Staff, who was represented by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Ethics and Good Governance, Mr Chuma Chinye remarked that the present administration as a responsible government would always cater for the welfare of workers.
He advised civil servants to be transparent and show commitment to duty so as to retire with good record of service, adding that what they need to leave behind for the children is good name as money was nothing without integrity.
Also speaking, the Chairman,’ State Civil Service Commission, Chief Anthony Egobueze lauded the Permanent Secretary, Government House, for the initiative, pointing out that to retire as a civil servant after 35 years of service is worth thanking God for.
Chief Egobueze who said that retirement is a blessing, stressed the need for civil servants to retire when due so that they can have the strength to run around for other things that are useful.
He also enjoined them to try to do the right thing in service because when they retire, they would have cause to go back to those they left, and cautioned against acts that would demean their contribution to governance.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, Mr Emmanuel Ichoku thanked Governor Amaechi for approving the gathering to honour them as well as all those who contributed towards making the ceremony possible.
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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.