Rivers
Rivers HOS Inaugurates Staff Verification Committee
A 12-Member Staff Verification Committee to comprehensively ascertain the actual number of staff and pensioners in the Rivers State Civil Service has been inaugurated.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee last Thursday in her office, the Head of Service (HOS), Mrs. Esther Anucha charged members of the Committee to take their assignment seriously and deliver on time, pointing out that the outcome of their assignment would determine the implementation of enhanced benefits to civil servants in the state.
She noted that inspite of the fact that several of such committees had been set up in the past, the issue of ghost names in payment vouchers still persists in the state civil service and urged them to do a thorough job to ensure the total eradication of ghost workers in the system.
The terms of reference, according to the Head of Service, include to identify all ghost names sin the nominal roll and payment vouchers of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Board, the Post Primary Schools Board, and the Hospitals Management Board, and to identify names of officers who have retired or no longer in the service, but whose names are still in the payment vouchers as well as those earning double salaries.
The committee is also to carry out a rationalization of all staff employed after 2007 without due approval, identity the actual number of pensioners and those who are late but whose names are still listed as recipients of monthly pension, and consider other matters related to the terms of reference.
Mrs. Anucha also urged members to suggest ways of recovering accumulated monies paid into salary accounts in banks that have remained unclaimed over the years, stressing that the objective of their assignment was to save valuable funds to enable government improve on the provision of welfare and other services to civil servants.
The Head of Service, who expressed confidence in the composition of the committee to deliver on their assignment, enjoined them to carry out their task with dispatch and submit a report within one month.
Responding on behalf of the members of the Committee, the Chairman, Mr. Gift Chima Ake, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the Establishments, training and Pensions Bureau, thanked the Head of Service for the opportunity given them and promised to do an exhaustive job and present a report that would proffer solutions for the complete eradication of ghost names in the system.
Other members of the committee include Directors from the MDAs and the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Chris Oruge.
Judges of the High Court, Rivers State state Port Harcourt have resumed their normal Court sitting on Wednesday 30th April 2025 after spending fifteen days this year’s Easter holidays.
It will be recalled that the State High Court Judges had proceeded on Easter vacation on Monday April 14 to 29th ,2025 on the approval of the state chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi.
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar, High Court Rivers State, Port Harcourt, David Ihua _maduenyi, esq said the judges are to resume court sitting on Wednesday 30th April, 2025 in line with the earlier directives from the state chief judge and urged the general public to take notice of the resumption date.
“This is to inform the general public that the judges of the High court of the Rivers state shall resume normal Court sitting after Easter vacation on Wednesday, 30th April, 2025.
“Recall that the chief judge of Rivers state, Hon justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi had earlier directed that judges of the high court of Rivers state, should proceed on Easter vacation from Monday, 18 April 2025 to Tuesday, 29th April, 2025.”
“The general public should take notice:the High court of Rivers state shall resume sitting on Wednesday, 30th April 2025.”
The Management of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, has approved annual free medical checks for all staff of the University. The move is to promote staff sound health and productivity at work place.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, disclosed this during the third edition of the “Walk for Life” health, wellness and fitness exercise, held last Saturday.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the new health policy will enable every staff member of the University to undergo free comprehensive medical check-up on their birthdays, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to promoting the health and wellbeing of staff members.
Professor Zeb-Obipi emphasized that regardless of whether a staff member’s birthday falls on a weekend, the initiative applies to all Rivers State University employees, expressing optimism that the Health Services Department has the required manpower and facilities to manage the novel health policy.
To achieve the policy, the VC said that the Establishment Division will liaise with the Health Services to compile the birthdays of all staff and send notification two or three days before the days their birthdays fall, reminding them to go for their free medical check-up.
Highlighting the importance of active leadership, the Vice-Chancellor stated that leadership requires direct engagement with the people, a principle he called “management by walking the floor,” rather than managing from behind closed doors. He emphasized that policies should be crafted from direct engagement with employees to understand their challenges.
He noted that this edition of the “Walk for Life” health fitness programme serves as a practical example of this management style, allowing him to interact with members of the university community and observe firsthand the need for regular health checks. He described the walk as a “worthy exercise,” pointing out that since most university work is sedentary, periodic physical activities such as the Walk for Life are crucial for the health and productivity of the staff.
The Vice-Chancellor also noted that this month’s “Walk for Life” coincides with the World Malaria Week, underlining the University’s commitment to supporting global health initiatives with the pledge that “Malaria must end with us.”.
Earlier, the Director of Health Services Department, Dr. Dagogo Cookey-Gam, charged the university community to visit the Medical Centre for testing before treatment of malaria. He said parents should watch out for children under 5 years because they can come under severe malaria attack, adding that pregnant women should also be mindful not to be exposed of having malaria due to their low immune system.
Dr. Cookey-Gam noted that malaria can be prevented by maintaining a clean environment and using mosquito nets.
On his part, the Director of the University Sports Unit, Prof. Joseph Vipene, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the monthly “Walk for Life” initiative, assuring that the programme which has come to stay has placed the University in an enviable position for others to emulate.
The Police Command in Rivers State has confirmed the commencement of an investigation into the death of a police officer who allegedly took his own life in Port Harcourt.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
“We received a report about an officer who allegedly killed himself.
“However, we are currently investigating the report to ascertain what transpired”, she stated.
Iringe-Koko reported that the Commissioner of Police in the Sstate, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for a thorough investigation.
According to viral reports Monday, Insp. Maxwell Zabu, formerly a security detail to Victor Ihunwo, a former Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council, allegedly shot himself at Ihunwo’s residence in Eagle Island, Port Harcourt.
A source familiar with the incident said the matter was reported to the Azikiwe Police Division in the area.
“Following the report, detectives from the division visited the scene as part of preliminary investigation procedures”, the source added.