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Amaechi Rejects N150m Offer From Gokana Council
Th Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, had turned down a N150 million offer from the Gokana local government area chairman, for the rural water project in the area.
The money, which was a voluntary contribution from the Gokana chairman to the state government, was meant for the actualisation of the Gokana water project for the 17 communities of the local government area.
Governor Amaechi who announced the return of the N150 million to the local government area’s coffers Saturday, said the decision which was made by the State Executive Council in their last sitting, was in recognition of the Chairman’s performance as one of the four best performing local government area chairmen in the state.
“As an honour for his efforts in the development of the council area, the State Executive Council had decided to fund the Gokana water project, and so the N150 million contribution from the council, is hereby returned to them”, Governor Amaechi said.
He used the occasion to call on other council chairmen to justify their election by embarking on projects that have direct bearing on the lives of their people and emulate the Gokana Loacl Government Chairman to deliver the dividends of democracy to the grassroots.
Governor Amaechi, who was in the Local government area for commissioning of projects executed by the council hinted that leaders seeking re-election must show their performance as a testimonial, and congratulated Chief Victor Giadom for the construction of an Ultra Modern market, roads and the Skills Acquisition Centre for the use of the people.
Governor Amaechi said his administration would continue to recognise and encourage the third-tier of government to deliver quality services to the people, stressing that more modern primary schools and health centres would be built in the state next year.
The State Chief Executive also used the opportunity to warn youths of the area, particularly those living around the Bodo axis, who engage in illegal bunkering, to desist from the act as security operatives would soon clamp down on them.
He explained that the illegal activities had polluted the waters around the area, and it would ultimately affect those engaged in fishing as a means of livelihood.
Speaking as Chairman at the reception, Justice Peter Akere (Rtd.), said the people were impressed with the leadership of Chief Victor Giadom especially with his quarterly rendering of accounts to the people and embarking on projects that touch more lives.
Justice Akere also urged the state governor to remain steadfast, courageous and focused because his administration has set a new agenda for infrastructural development in the state.
In his welcome address, the chairman of Gokana Local Government Area, Chief Victor Giadom, said the newly commissioned market has 300 shops and stores, complemented with facilities like sick bay, fire office, and toilets.
Chief Giadom also noted that his council has embarked on the training of 1,140 youths in various skills acquisition programmes to empower them to be self-employed and earn legitimate income, which was officially flagged off by the wife of the Governor, Lady Judith Amaechi.
The Gokana Local Government Chairman said the people of the area are satisfied with the policies and programmes of Governor Amaechi’s government and pledged their unalloyed loyalty to the present administration.
The State governor, accompanied by his wife, Dame Judith Amaechi, had earlier paid a courtesy visit on the Gberemene Gokana Kingdom, King Barnabas Bagia.
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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.
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