Business

Rivers Produces Four New SANs …As Lawyers Defy NBA President’s Boycott Order

Published

15 years ago

August 31, 2011

Against the order of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),Joseph B. Daudu (SAN), urging all lawyers to boycott last Friday’s swearing-in of newly appointed Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the event went on as planned.

Among the SANs sworn-in were three from the Port Harcourt branch of the Bar in Rivers State, namely Faye Dikio, Granville Abibo and David Ezega while the fourth, Morrison Ibinabo Quaker also of Rivers origin, is from the Lagos Bar.

Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, shortly after the opening ceremony of the NBA conference last week, the NBA President,Mr Joseph B. Daudu had directed lawyers to boycott the planned swearing –in of the SANs in protest against the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The NBA President had condemned the alleged refusal of the NJC to receive court summons served them by the High Court saying that the judicial council headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) Justice Katsina-Alu acted far below the high expectations of their revered calling.

The NBA President dismissed as subjudice, the recommendation by the NJC for the suspension and subsequent retirement of the President of the Court of Appeal, stressing that the CJN’s action and the decision of the NJC have brought shame to the judiciary.

It was to protest these, that the NBA President directed lawyers to boycott the swearing in of SANs in Abuja last Friday.

But a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Barrister Arnglad Imabibo in an interview told The Tide that the boycott order was not necessary as it was the personal opinion of the NBA president.

In a related development, the Alliance for Truth in Defence of Freedom described as partisan and parochial, the hue and cry over the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.

In an advertorial published in the Guardian of Sunday, August 28, 2011 and signed by Alhaji Ramonu Obalowu, the alliance stated: “The National Judicial Council shall have power to –(b) recommend to the President the removal; from office of the Judicial officers specified in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph and to exercise disciplinary control over such office (paragraph 21 of the 3rd Schedule to the 1999 Constitution as amended).

The alliance stated that on February 5, 2009, the NJC suspended a Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Chudi Nwokorie, sitting at the Owerri Division, the NBA, ACN and others said nothing; on February 24, 2011 the NJC suspended Justice Idris Habib of Bauchi State High Court, “the NBA, ACN and others did not say anything; on May 26, 2011 the NJC recommended the removal of Justice Ibrahim Ana of the Zamfara State High Court, “ the NBA, ACN, ASUU and others did not do anything, and now, the NJC suspends Justice Ayo Salami of the Court of Appeal and all hell has been let loose”.

“ ACN and its partners have been stage-managing outrage to protest a breach of the rule of law” the Alliance said, and asked; “is this a confirmation of the relationship between Salami and ACN”?

‘They say NJC no longer has power to suspend judges. This is politics taken too far. Enough of the orchestrated campaign to destroy discipline in the judiciary, Nigerian is bigger than any individual” the Alliance statement noted.

Soye Wilson Jamabo

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.