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Group Condemns Move To Remove NDDC Boss
The Orashi National Congress a socio political organisation in Rivers State has said that the appointment and subsequent swearing in of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was inline with due process.
The president of the congress, Mr. Emeni Ibe who said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt also said that Mr. Ugwuoha is competent and qualified to handle the affairs of the NDDC, stressing that the NDDC boss has performed creditably well within the short period he has been in the commission.
His words: “To the best of our knowledge Mr. Ugwuoha, MD of the Niger Delta Development Commission has performed creditably well in the discharge of his duties within the short period he assumed office as the MD of NDDC”.
The Orashi congress boss also said that the NDDC managing director has also empowered thousands of Rivers youths within the short period in office, noting that all the contracts awarded by the NDDC boss within the period under review also followed due process.
Comrade Ibe who described as wicked act calls for the removal of Ugwuoha, urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to succumb to the calls to remove the NDDC boss.
Also speaking, the secretary of the congress, Sir Tony Edmond also commended the NDDC boss for the proposed training of youths in the Niger Delta and urged those bent on removing the NDDC boss to desist from it.
Similarly, some Niger Delta Youths under the agies of Enlightened Coalition of South South Youths (ENCOSSY) have said that they need of more of the likes of the managing director of the NDDC Mr Chibuzor Ugwuoha.
Speaking with newsmen Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the chairman of the youth body, Hon. Chinagorom Nwakwo, said that the allegations against Mr Ugwuoha are false and politically-motivated.
Nwankwo, noted that technocrats like Ugwuoha are mostly needed at this critical moment of the nations life when all hands are on deck to assuage the feelings of marginalisation of the people of the Niger Delta Region.
He has also called on Niger Delta youths not to allow themselves to be used by anyone against the NDDC boss.
The youth leader, hinted that it was high time the youths drew the line between true agitation and criminal struggle saying that the fight against Ugwuoha has some political undertone aimed at “paving way for some faceless individuals”.
Also speaking, the secretary of the organisation, Barrister Destiny Ajumogobia said that the embattled NDDC boss has all it takes to bring about the much needed development of the Niger Delta region.
King Onwunor
News
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
News
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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