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State Thanksgiving: Pray For Better Leaders In 2015 -Amaechi
Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has enjoined the people of the state to pray for better leaders in 2015.
Speaking at the annual State Thanksgiving and Dedication Service, which attracted citizens from all walks of life to the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre last Monday in Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi said he was afraid that politicians jostling for power were all doing so for their selfish ends.
“We need a government that is God-fearing to put things right, these people have no fear of God,” he warned.
Amaechi, who used the service to warn Rivers people of a foretaste of what will happen if this crop of opposition succeeds in producing the next governor of the state said, “we must pray to God to protect us from PDP,” adding that “virtually everything we had put in place for the people, PDP is taking them away, including 42 oil wells from Soku. We need to pray God to stop such persons.”
The governor lamented that before the political crisis started a year ago, the state economy was at the top competing with Lagos, but with the current crisis, the fortunes of the state has nosedived.
Urging every citizen and cleric to pray for the state, Amaechi hinted that henceforth, the thanksgiving service will be made an annual ritual, as the next one will be held at the Modern Conference Centre being constructed by the state government.
Governor Amechi, who said the inspiration to have a day set aside for Christ came to him some years back while he was on a trip to Ghana.
In a message to mark the day, the General Overseer of Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunwa, reminded residents and participants that challenges were part of life, and admonished them to always put their trust in God in every situation.
The annual thanksgiving dedication service is usually observed every 27th of January to commit the affairs of the state into the hands of God for the rest of the year.
It is usually marked with prayers and soul lifting renditions by various religious groups as well as inspirational messages from renowned men of God.
Highlight of the service was the dedication of the state and the entire nation to God by Rev Steven Akinola of the Redemption Ministries, who read from the book of Isaiah 11:1-10.
Among dignitaries at the thanksgiving service was the Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, who took the second reading of the day from the book of Psalms 46:1-11.
Other personalities include heads of parastatals, traditional rulers and members of the State Executive Council and members of the state House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has emphasized the need for the state thanksgiving and dedication service to be gazetted as an annual event in the state.
He said the annual event will pave way for ministers of God to intervene in the administration of the state through continuous prayers and thanksgiving to God.
Speaking on Monday at the 2014 Rivers State Thanksgiving and Dedication Service at the Main Bowl of the Alfred Diette-Spiff Complex in Port Harcourt, Amaechi urged ministers of God and Rivers people to be persistent in prayers to put an end to the political crisis rocking the state.
According to him, “shortly after I took over office in 2007, my wife has been worrying me to set aside a day for Thanksgiving and Dedication Service to God. So, I want to charge the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to Gazette 27th January of every year to be set aside to glorify God and dedicate the state to God Almighty, believing that even after my tenure, the event continues as a custom.
“I thank the ministers of God for their continued prayers. Rivers people must join the men of God and Christians to stop the thieves from coming back to power. This is the time men of God must go back on their knees to pray and protect the state from selfish and self-serving politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, Amaechi said.
Governor Amaechi also decried some of the wrongful measures taken by the Federal Government against the state resources, especially the ceding of oil wells in Soku and Etche communities in the Akuku-Toru and Etche Local Government Areas respectively to Bayelsa and Imo states.
“It is true that virtually everything we have, the PDP has taken them all, especially the 42 oil wells in Etche and the oil wells in Soku.
Amaechi while recalling the recent violent attack in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area by hired political thugs against the rally organized by the Save Rivers Movement that is saddled with the responsibility of sensitising and mobilising the people, said there was need for Rivers people to resist the evil machination of greedy politicians against the interest of Rivers people, especially the upcoming election in 2015.
“If you recall what happened at the rally organised by the Save Rivers Movement in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, where hired political thugs resorted to violence, you will agree with me that we are going back to the days of shooting and maiming of innocent citizens in the state. So, we must stand up and face them by voting them out in the upcoming 2015 election”, Amaechi said.
“I met the former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), who asked me what motivated me to take the model schools to the village children to be trained.
And I said, I am addressing poverty, because it is now a place of learning where the rich man’s son or daughter will meet the poor man’s son or daughter. I see it as eradicating poverty in our society. We have also built primary healthcare centres to take care of the health needs of the poor”, Amaechi said.
In his exhortation, General Overseer of the Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunwa urged Rivers people to put their trust in God through consistent worship in order to allow peace return to the state.
Highlights of the event was the offering of prayers and dedication of the state to God by the General Overseer of Redemption Ministries, Reverend Steven Akinola, as well as sing songs, praise and worship.
R-L: Deputy Governor, Rivers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru, flanked by Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, wife of the Governor, Dame Judith, SSG, Mr George Feyii, at the 2014 Thanksgiving and Dedication Service in Port Harcourt, last Monday.
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
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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