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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.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has indicted a new generation bank, six Fintechs and some microfinance banks in major financial scams by allowing fraudsters to launder huge sums of money.
Director of public Affairs of the Commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, made this known at a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.
According to him, the compromised institutions allegedly allowed cryptocurrency transactions worth N162 billion to pass through without proper due diligence within the 2024/2025 financial year.
He said that the financial institutions clearly compromised banking procedures and allowed the fraudsters to safely change their ill-gotten gains into digital assets and move them to safe destinations.
“A total sum of N18.1 billion was moved through the financial system without due diligence of customers by the banks.
“It is worrisome that investigations by the commission showed that cryptocurrency transactions to the tune of N162 billion passed through a new generation bank without any due diligence.
“Investigations showed that a single customer maintained 960 accounts in another new bank and all the accounts were used for fraudulent purposes.
“That is bad news but the good news is that following our intervention the commission has been able to recover N33.62 million, which has been returned to some of the victims.”
He explained that the scams were in two categories, adding that the first was a syndicate of fraudsters that employed an airline discount scheme to lure their victims.
He said that they advertised a discount system for the purchase of flight tickets of a particular foreign carrier.
“The payment module is designed in such a way that the victims’ payment is actually made into the account of the airline.
“After payment is made the passenger’s entire funds in his bank account are emptied.
“Investigations showed that more than 700 victims have been scammed so far, with a loss of N651 million,” he said.
According to him, investigations show that the scheme is being masterminded by a foreign national; the commission has so far recovered and released N33 million to victims of the fraud.
He said that another scheme involved a company named Fred and Farid Investment Limited, simply called FF investment, which lured Nigerians into a bogus investment arrangement.
“More than 200, 000 victims have been defrauded in this regard. A total sum of N18 billion was raked in through nine companies offering diverse investment packages.
“The companies are: Credio Banco Limited; Deliberty Rock Limited; Liam Chumeks Global Service; Ngwuoke Daniels Technology; and Icons Autos and Import Merchant.
“Others are : Newpace Technology Services Limited, Primepath Ways Ventures Limited, Kaka Synergy Network Limited and Sunlight Tech Hub Services Limited.”
He said that foreign nationals were behind the schemes, while there are three Nigerian accomplices who have been arrested and charged to court.
He said that the masterminds were on the run and efforts are being made to bring them to book.
“The Commission is calling on regulatory bodies to bring financial institutions to compulsory compliance with regulations in the areas of Know Your Customers (KYC), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and others.
“Deposit Money Banks, Fintechs, Micro Finance Banks found to be aiding and abetting fraudsters should be suspended and referred to the EFCC for thorough investigation and possible prosecution.
“Negligence and failure to monitor suspicious and structured transactions by banks should no longer be allowed,” he said.
While cautioning members of the public to be wary of these actors, he said that the EFCC would continue its works against money laundering by fraudulent actors.
Uwujaren urged financial institutions to firm up their operational dynamics and save the nation leakages and compromises bleeding the economy.
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