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Bayelsa Plans Book On Azazi, Boro, Dapa-Biriye …As Amaechi Honours The Late General
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson has disclosed plan to begin work on a book to document the life and times of late Ijaw heroes including General Owoye Azazi, Isaac Adaka Boro, Harold Dappa-Biriye, as well as other living and dead eminent sons of Ijaw.
The Governor also announced plans to immortalise late General Azazi by sponsoring an award, chair or prize dedicated to excellence in his honour in a reputable institution in the country, and directed his Deputy retired Rear Admiral John Jonah to liaise with the leadership of the Nigerian military to work out modalities to achieve the purpose.
Governor Dickson also said a befitting edifice would be named after the late General in addition to a periodic memorial lecture that would be sponsored by the state government in his honour.
Extolling the qualities of the former National Security Adviser, the Governor noted that no amount of honour bestowed on Late Azazi would be considered too great in view of his monumental contributions to the state and country in general.
Describing the deceased as quintessential Ijaw man, a patriotic Nigerian and an accomplished military leader, the State Chief Executive challenged the youths to emulate General Azazi’s sterling qualities.
Hon. Dickson, who was full of appreciation for former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Musa Yar’ Adua for the roles they played in the Late General’s illustrious career, also expressed gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan for rising above blackmail and petty propaganda to appoint Azazi as National Security Adviser at the most trying period of the country’s history.
In his tribute, President Goodluck Jonathan described General Azazi as a good Nigerian who believed in merit and competence.
The President who called for attitudinal change, stressed that if only 50 percent of Nigerians should behave like the departed hero, the country would be a better place.
According to him, most of the issues bedeviling the country have nothing to do with corruption and that his administration has been fighting against the problem through different anti-graft institutions.
In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika said late Azazi spearheaded the transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He said, as a colonel several years back, he and others adopted the deceased as a role model both in the service and private life.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, eulogised the former NSA as a fine officer and gentleman, lamenting his demise as a great loss to the Ijaw Nation.
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia Rtd and President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, emphasised that Azazi stood for integrity, adding that, “greatness is not what you have but what you do with your greatness”.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Gorum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has named the Nkpogu Road (now under reconstruction) after late General Owoye Andrew Azazi for his numerous contributions to nation building and his sterling qualities.
Amaechi spoke at the Funeral Service, Saturday in honour of late General Owoye Andrew Azazi in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
“Looking at the numerous contributions and sterling qualities of late General Azazi to this nation, and his love towards me, whom he usually calls my younger brother, I am left with no option than to name Nkpogu road after him by Monday”.
While expressing the deep pain of the death of late General Owoye Andrew Azazi before the bereaved families and the people of Bayelsa State, Governor Amaechi said, his relationship with the late retired General had been close and private.
“Most time when I get to Lagos and Abuja, I eat in late General Azazi’s house, we have a private relationship, but now, he is gone, who will call me my younger brother, where will I eat when I visit Lagos or Abuja”, Amaechi lamented.
“He is a true detribalised Nigerian. It was my wife, Dame Judith Amaechi that first called my attention on phone that, shortly after she had left Bayelsa State, information reaching her indicates that there had been an helicopter crash, it could be the helicopter carrying late General Azazi, I called his (Azazi) line twenty (20) times to confirm the unfortunate incident, but no one answered”, Amaechi explained.
Speaking further, Governor Amaechi assured the people of Bayelsa State of his administration’s commitment to support the bereaved families whenever his attention was needed.
“If there is anything that you want me to do for you (the bereaved families), in the form of support or assistance, please, kindly call my attention”, Amaechi said.
Amaechi also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience, and the Bayelsa State Government for the befitting burial accorded to late General Owoye Andrew Azazi.
“I wish to thank President Goodluck Jonathan, and his wife, and the Bayelsa State Government for the befitting burial accorded late General Azazi”, he said.
Also speaking, President Goodluck Jonathan commended the decision of Governor Amaechi to name the Nkpogu road after late General Azazi, describing it as a welcome development.
“I commend Governor Amaechi on the decision to name the Nkpogu road after late General Azazi, it is indeed a welcome development”, Jonathan said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.