Rivers
RSG Explains Deductions In Workers’ Pay
The Rivers State Government has explained that shortfall in the salaries of civil servants last month was due to resumption of deductions of Contributory Pension Scheme, National Housing Fund (NHF) and the implementation of the new tax regime.
The Head of Service, Barrister Samuel T. LongJohn, who said this Monday at the opening ceremony/award of the 2013 Civil Service Week in Port Harcourt, further explained that some civil servants had their salaries deducted because of land purchase transaction.
The Head of Service said that because of the alleged anomalies in the salary payment structure, a salary verification committee was set up to look into the issue and take steps to ensure that the right thing was done.
“The work of the committee which is still on-going, has so far discovered gross irregularities in the application of some of the salary structure.
For instance, he said “in a ministry of 330 staff, over 154 of them earned salaries of over N500,000 whereas only 10 of such staff are entitled to a salary of about N350,000,” he said.
Barrister LongJohn also said that training and retraining will be given a boost both locally and internationally and commended the state governor for setting aside 300 housing units for public servants at the RIVTAFF Gulf Estate under construction.
The chairman of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Sir Ngo Martyns Yellowe described the theme of the celebration “The Public Service And The Age of Open Governance” as apt in view of the current thinking across the country.
Yellowe said that the service is presently being positioned to enhance productivity while efforts are being made to address all matters relating to welfare of civil servants.
The commission chairman commended the Head of Service for his various innovative measures and thanked him for being responsible for the suspension of tenure policy.
Yellowe also disclosed plans by his commission to commence another round of staff promotion exercise and decried the incessant case of age falsification and dereliction of duties among civil servants.
Rivers
Okrika Administrator Seeks To Connect Okujagu Ama To National Grid … Donates 30 Life Jackets To Okujagu Ama Boat Drivers
Rivers
Woji DPO: ‘A Police Officer With Impeccable Character’
The people of Woji Community in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area said CSP Peace Ibekwe, the Divisional Police Officer?(DPO) of Woji Police Station has consistently maintained her professionalism and unwavering commitment to the safety and peace in the Community and Obio/Akpor Local Government Area at large.
A section of Concerned Woji people said this in reaction to what they tagged a biased and unfounded report believe to be sponsored by some detractors and enemies of peace , when they spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Despite circulating claims of misconduct at Woji Police Station, they people said she maintains a very high standard as a Public Servant.
“It is a cooked story, her office is open to everybody. They have given her award as outstanding DPO”, they said
They pointed out that she was focused on keeping Woji crime?free, stating that the community is now calm.
According to them, the Woji DPO has a clean slate in relation to her core profession.
“She is a straightforward somebody. Her tenure as DPO is characterized by impartial policing rather than personal gain”, they said.
They noted that during tensions in Woji Market in April 2025, CSP Ibekwe played a constructive role in restoring order.
They recalled how she worked collaboratively with His Majesty , the Eze oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom Nyerisi Eli Woji Eze Woji XII Chairman Supreme Forum of Ikwerre Government Recognized Traditional Rulers King Leslie N Eke (JP) Eze Gbakagbaka and his Council of Chiefs, the Woji Youth Council, to de-escalate conflicts and reaffirm law enforcement’s peacekeeping role .
“The calls for transfer that followed from some residents reflect a community desire for clarity, not confirmed wrongdoing. CSP Ibekwe has encouraged any concerns to be escalated to higher authorities for fair investigation”, they said.
They however, vehemently exonerated the DPO from all manners of shady deals, and added that is transparent and open in handling official complaints.
While residents have voiced fears and rumors, CSP Ibekwe’s track record reflects professionalism, community engagement, and recognition from peers and leaders.
The allegations remain unverified and baseless and added that the people are confidence with her conduct in the area.
This publication gathered that the sponsors of the fake report resorted to such clueless move when their attempt to solicit for illegal assistance at some quarters hit the bricks
Rivers
Macobarb CEO Cries Out, Says No Indigenous Contractor Can Win Case Against NLNG Or Oil Majors in Nigerian Courts …As Justice Nwogu Throws Out Macobarb’s N5.74bn Claim
Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the Port Harcourt High Court has thrown out the N5.74bn claim filed by Macobarb, an indigenous contractor, against the NLNG for breach of contract and accumulated losses.
Shedrack Ogboru, the CEO of Macobarb International Limited, who filed the claims since 2022 as one of the claimants, in suit number HC/2013/CS/2022, has however cried out, saying the fate of indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts is doomed.
Ogboru told newsmen outside the court after the shock ruling that the judge abandoned the crux of the matter and the terms of the contract to deny Macobarb the claims.
Showing anger and frustration, Ogboru said he felt he presented tight case to the court to show that the NLNG breached terms of payments and that the breaches caused slowdown of the execution of the contract, but regretted that the judge did not agree with any of his arguments.
Saying many indigenous contractors have died as a result of injustices in the hands of the oil majors, he said only abroad do communities and local contractors get some form of justice, never in Nigeria.
Justice Nwogu had ruled that the NLNG did not breach its contract with the contractor and that the gas company did not unlawfully deny Macobarb payments.
The judge said work executed by Macobarb did not amount to ‘work done’ as stated in the contract terms except the NLNG approved it as so, and that the provision mandating the person recognized as ‘contract holder’ nominated by the NLNG as the one to authorize any dealings with the contractor did not mean that he alone could act for the NLNG as relied upon by the contractor. The judge ruled that the ‘contract holder’ was a mere day to day overseer of the project, and that any official mandated by the NLNG can terminate the contract.
The judge also ruled that the contract did not provide for ‘standdown payment’ and that the NLNG did not cause delays in the execution of the contract as claimed by the contractor.
The judge also ruled that the payment failures by the NLNG that the contractor claimed affected the contract did not amount to an offence or breach of the contract but that the contractor misused the loan he obtained from banks.
In the end, the judge ruled in favour of almost all the grounds submitted by the NLNG and none of the grounds by the contractor, and even tongue-lashed the contractor in most of his rulings.
Reacting, Ogboru said: “My case is presented 100 per cent, the NLNG’s case is zero; but surprisingly, the NLNG has rather been upheld, and Macobarb denied. I pity indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts. We are doomed.”
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