News
Boko Haram Ceasefire Excites Sambo …As Ebitu Ukiwe Kicks Against Dialogue
Vice President Namadi Sambo at the weekend commended the recent Boko Haram ceasefire, saying the government was making consultations on the best approach to the matter.
Sambo stated this when he paid a visit to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State in Maiduguri, the state capital.
“We are happy about the ceasefire pronouncement.
“But the Federal Government is consulting on the best approach to the matter so that we can achieve lasting peace in Nigeria,” he said.
Sambo said the government was also working towards reviving the Maiduguri-Port Harcourt train service to boost economic activities in the country.
“Work on the rehabilitation of the Maiduguri- Port Harcourt rail is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
“We are hoping that the Maiduguri-Port Harcourt train service will commence immediately after the completion of the work,” he said.
Sambo commended Shettima for his numerous achievements in spite of the security challenges facing the state.
In his remarks, the governor requested the assistance of the Federal Government to create jobs for the hundreds of unemployed youths in the state.
Shettima pointed out that the Boko Haram problem was caused largely by extreme poverty and unemployment.
“The World Bank has described parts of the North East Nigeria and other nearby areas as most poverty endemic in the world.
“We will appreciate Federal Government’s support in fighting poverty in the state. In fact, we are begging for your support,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s former Chief of General Staff, Retired Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe has kicked against any dialogue with the Boko Haram sect by the Federal Government.
Retired Commodore Ukiwe stated this while speaking with selected journalists at the 4th Triennial State Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Rivers state council held at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, recently.
He said the Boko Haram sect is a faceless organisation deberving of no dialogue with constituted authority as the Federal Government.
He urged the federal government to rather intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges posed by the activities of the Boko Haram sect.
On the issue of the recommendation by former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo that the Federal Government adopt the carrot and stick approach in handling, the Boko Haram insurgence the former Chief of General Staff said, such concept cannot be fully comprehended by Nigerians.
He advised the federal government not to listen to such advice, adding that the government needs to be committed and focused in providing adequate security to all Nigerians and foreigners living in the country.
On the issue of rotational presidency among the geo-political zones of the country, the retired Navy officer said, he does not believe in zoning the position of the president of the country.
He said, “ I believe the president of this country can come from any geo-political zone, adding that what Nigerians needed was a performing president not zonal president.
He said the Igbos had right to be president of this country in the future, stressing that the Igbo nation needs to support the Goodluck Jonathan presidency for now.
Philip Okparaji
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
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.