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Join Us To Tackle Insecurity, Amaechi Tells Journalists

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L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Mr Godknows Igali; Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil and Vice President Namadi Sambo, at a meeting on Power in Abuja, yesterday.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Mr Godknows Igali; Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil and Vice President Namadi Sambo, at a meeting on Power in Abuja, yesterday.

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has appealed to journalists to join his administration in fighting crime and insecurity in the state.
He said journalists could do that by standing on the side of truth against the sponsors and perpetrators of crime and insecurity in the state.
Amaechi spoke Wednesday at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new secretariat of the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt, which his administration is building.
He recalled that crime and insecurity resurfaced in the state when the former state police commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu was deployed to the state.
Mbu, now out of the state, was believed to have provided the breeding ground for sponsors of insecurity in the state.
Amaechi said: “Mr. President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, this state was very quiet and calm until they removed the commissioner of police and brought (Mbu Joseph) Mbu. Not only did they bring Mbu, they brought the criminals back to the streets. They bought them T-shirts to demonstrate but they have forgotten that once you bring them out, you can’t send them back unless you have a very strong commissioner of police who will send them back.
“Immediately they did that, we have since been suffering from kidnapping. As I am talking to you now, nobody can account for where Akas Baba (kidnapped Cool/Wazobia radio presenter) is. I’ve called for an emergency security meeting so that we look at it.”
“So, the same journalists that are seated here that are my friends have not been writing about the fact that if they did not bring out these criminals, we have had peace.
“The same journalists that are seated here write about them and support them for governorship and other election. You can’t bring people that will kill you and you support the people, you can’t”.
He said those who committed crime and were chased away from the state by the police were now back.
“Today, those same people are back into town and they are driving, supported by those people who are desperate to acquire power and our journalists are supporting them.
“When I say journalists, I’m not saying all of you but those people who do support them, what are they? They are journalists, so I have the right to use the word journalist. The journalists must work with us to send these criminals back because you may think that today is Akas (Baba), tomorrow it may be you.
“But I have the responsibility to protect you, the instruments to protect you is what they have taken away from us and you are not fighting back. If you don’t fight back, they will come after you”, he noted.
After performing the ground-breaking for the new NUJ secretariat, Governor Amaechi said he had released all the funds needed for the early completion of the secretariat complex.
He urged the contractor handling the project to speed up work and finish the secretariat complex in a few months’ time.
He said the state NUJ leadership would need to introduce training programmes at the complex to sharpen the capacities of practising journalists to make more meaningful contributions and urged them to use the facility for everyone’s benefit.
Also speaking, the state commissioner for information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari said journalists in the state were grateful to the governor for fulfilling his promise to build a new secretariat complex for the NUJ.
She said Amaechi’s administration recognizes the important roles played by journalists that informed his decision to build the new secretariat complex for the journalists.
“This particular project underscores the importance the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi attaches to contributions of the fourth estate of the realm in nation building,” she said.
Also at the event were the national presidents of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mohammed Garba and RATTAWU, Dr. Abel Yemisi Bamgbose and a representative of president of Nigeria Guild of Editors among others.
National President of the NUJ, Mohammed Gbara thanked Governor Amaechi for choosing to build NUJ secretariat in the state.
“I know that His Excellency (Amaechi) has a very high taste in terms of projects, and I want to believe that this project we are about to commence today will tally with the aspiration and the vision of His Excellency. I therefore want to thank you most sincerely for this, and I want to assure you that the NUJ will ever remain grateful to you for being kind enough to have this structure in Rivers State”.
The state Chairman of NUJ, Mr. Opaka Dokubo also expressed appreciation on behalf of journalists in the state to Governor Amaechi for the kind gesture.
He said the press centre would be used to serve humanity and strengthen democracy across the country.
The new state NUJ secretariat complex will have an email library, conference halls, accommodation facilities, among others.

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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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

 

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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman 

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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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