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Chiefs Council Raises Alarm Over Rivers Chieftaincy Act

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12 years ago

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The Ahoada East Local
Government Council of Chiefs has raised alarm over what it described as obnoxious provision in the recently passed Rivers State Chieftiancy and Council of Chiefs Bill 2014 with a call on the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, not to assent to the bill because of its dangerous implications in the administration of the grassroot areas.
Making reference to Section 33 (4) as contained in the passed version of the bill, the chiefs council said there is an importation of strange clause which is contrary to what was discussed and accepted without objection at its public hearing.
It said Section 33 Sub-Section 3 of the draft of the Rivers State Chieftaincy and Council of Chiefs Bill, 2014, as presented and discussed at the public hearing of the said draft Bill, held at the Main Hall of the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, stipulated that, “1% of the 5% shall be paid to all paramount rulers of recognized communities as stipends, who are members of the local government council of chiefs”.
“Sadly, however, this wonderful clause has been surreptitiously withdrawn for inexplicable reasons and has been replaced by Section 33 Sub-Section 4 of the passed Bill, which states that ‘payment from the 5% allocation for the upkeep of recognised traditional rulers are to be paid only to co-opted members of the area council of traditional rulers, who are unrecognised”, no legal provision is made anymore for paramount rulers/chiefs, who are neither recognised nor co-opted”, it said.
A statement presented after a media briefing organised at Ahoada, the council said the first version raised excitement that chiefs in all the chieftaince communities in the state would have a taste of the 5% monthly stipend as of right and under the law and no longer a charity, giving every stakeholder in the chieftaincy institution in the state a sense of belonging, only to have their hopes dashed by what was passed as Bill.
Noting that the present Section 33 Sub-Section 4 was never part of the Bill presented  and discussed at the said public hearing, the Ahoada East Local Government Chiefs Council said the obnoxious section never even featured in the Report/Observation of the Adhoc Committee of the House.

 

Chris Oluoh

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VC Charges Students On  Exam Malpractice, Other Vices … As IAUE Matriculates 8, 735

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16 hours ago

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March 3, 2026

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The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charged matriculating students to live a life devoid of examination malpractices and other social Vices in order to take their studies seriously.
The VC, who gave the charge during the 17th matriculation ceremony on Saturday, encouraged the matriculant to form study groups, learn together, and explain critical topics to one another for better understanding.
”One way to study seriously is to learn together, form study groups, and explain things to each other,  explain the subject matter to each other.
“I know that from experience, some students learn faster from their fellow students”, he stated.
The Vice Chancellor further adviced the matriculating students to make maximum use of the new library in the school to develop their skills and knowledge on different areas of research.
He noted that the total applications for admission received for regular students were 16, 237, while the total number of registered regular students were 8,248.
“For part time students, he said, total applications received were 1, 733 and total number of candidates admitted were 1,321, and 800 were cleared, while a total number of registered Part time student’s (matriculated) were 383.
“Total applications received from the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) was 220, while number of registered students from the IDL are 104”, he explained.
The VC, mentioned that the Institution has seven (7) Faculties namely , Faculties of Administration and Management Sciences, Agriculture, Education, Humanities, Natural and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences and Vocational and Technical Education.
The Faculty of Administration and Management Sciences has eight (8) Departments namely Accounting, Banking and Finance, Marketing, Management, Office and Information Management, Entrepreneurship, Employment and Human Resource Management and Hospitality and Tourism Management.
‘The Faculty of Agriculture has six (6) Departments namely Agriculture Economics and Extension, Animal Science, Crop Science, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Soil Science and Forestry Wild Life.
‘The Faculty of Education on the other hand has thirteen (13) Departments namely Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, Educational Foundation, Educational Management, Educational Curriculum, Educational Technology, Adult Education, Special Education, Primary/Early Childhood Education, Business Education, Social Science Education, Human Kinetics and Sports Science and Health and Safety Education.
He stated  further that the Faculty of Humanities has eleven (11) Departments namely, English and Literary Studies, Fine and Applied Arts, Foreign Languages and International Studies, Theatre and Film Studies, History and Diplomatic Studies, Music, Religious and Cultural Studies, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mass Communication, Linguistics and Philosophy.
The Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences has thirteen (13) Departments namely Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Integrated Science, Geophysics, Industrial Chemistry, Software Engineering, Statistics, Micro Biology, Zoology and Information Technology.
He said that the Faculty of Social Sciences equally has nine (9) Departments namely; Economics, Geography, Political Science, Sociology/Social Studies, Social Works, Petroleum Economics and Policy Studies, Public Administration, Library and Information Science and Environmental Management.
 According to him, the university which was established in June 13, 1971 as an Advanced Teachers Training College (ATTC) noting that the institution attained the University status in October 2009.
He, however, urged parents and guardians to support their children and wards by paying their school charges promptly, and endeavour to always monitor the academic performance of their children and wards.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
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Experts Urge Youth To Harness Talents For Global Success

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2 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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The convener of the Fasthire CareerFest 2026, Richard Okiasi, has called on Nigerian youths to transcend local limitations and harness skills, visibility and innovation to thrive globally.
Okiasi made the call on Saturday during a career development and job creation event in Port Harcourt.
The event, held at the Celebr8 Event Center, Olu Obasanjo Road, attracted 944 participants, including 131 Corps members, five career coaches, aspiring entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts and career builders under the theme, “Borderless – Empowering Talents to Compete, Create, and Collaborate Globally.”
The visionary lead of Fasthire said in a world where borders are increasingly irrelevant for ambitious professionals, it is important for young talents to transcend local limitations and harness skills necessary to compete and thrive globally.
“If you want to provide value globally, start locally, don’t be idle while dreaming of Apple,” he advised.
Okiasi said the Fasthire CareerFest 2026 was organised with a view to equiping the youth with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries.
“Our goal is to equip the next generation with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries,” he said.
He emphasized how the festival bridged the gap between Nigerian potential and international opportunities.
The event featured a stellar lineup of resource persons, each bringing decades of expertise to inspire and educate.
Keynote speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Africa Technologies, Ajah Excel, delivered a compelling presentation on “Building Careers and Businesses Without Borders.”
Excel, who is also the convener of SMfest, and founder of the World Scholarship Forum, stressed the importance of proactive positioning.
“You must be willing to step out and meet opportunities,” he told the participants at the event.
He stated that ideas travel freely without visas, urging participants to let their names precede their passports through online visibility.
Excel said the youth could relocate financially without physical relocation by building bridges early and positioning as a global entity from the start.
The Managing Director of Xavina Consulting Limited, Catherine Kadiri, who delivered a lecture on “Building the Mindset to Create, Compete, and Collaborate on the Global Stage”, advocated intentional actions and curiosity as the foundation of creativity.
“You can never be fully ready, start before you are ready,” she advised.
Kadiri urged attendees to build connections with cultural intelligence, humility, and align applications with genuine skills and embrace slow but intentional growth.
The recruitment section had Airtel Nigeria, Xavina Consult, Elasot, Toppearl, Vodina West, and Aidela Africa in attendance.
The festival’s interactive depth shone through two panel sessions, fostering dialogue on practical strategies for borderless success.
The first panel session touched on “Positioning for Global Opportunities”, featuring the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aidela Africa, Atat Charles, as lead discussant, and Group Managing Director/CEO of Arrowconn Group, High Chief Emeka Ezekwe, as co-discussant.
While Charles warned of the power of social media and advised meticulous profile management, Ezekwe defined strategic positioning as “deliberate engineering of relevance,” cautioning that opportunities often appear disguised.
“What you post can build you up or pull you down,” Charles warned.
“Your certificate is just paper, skills and know-how differentiate you,” Ezekwe said.
The second panel session, which centered on “Work Smarter, Not Harder – Using AI Tools to Thrive in a Borderless Workplace”, explored AI’s role in enhancing productivity and global competitiveness.
Founder and Lead Consultant at Marach Consul Limited, Amarachi Stanley-Duru, who led the panel discussion, encouraged maximizing current opportunities through foundational skills.
“Learn and leverage AI to remain relevant,” she urged.
The Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Money University (KMU), Mr. Emeka Nobis, who delivered a paper on “From Skill to Income: Turning What You Know into Value”, advised identifying God-given gifts and translating them into buyable services.
“Start with what you have, where you are, and your unique story,” he advised.
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LANGUAGE BARRIER :STAKEHOLDERS URGES NSC TO FUND MULTILINGUAL STAFF AT BORDER STATIONS

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2 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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The National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) management to fund multilingual personnel to tackle language barriers at border posts, particularly among traders in the ECOWAS corridor and other frontiers.
Stakeholders, during a meeting held on Wednesday in Badagry, Lagos, also hailed the economic port regulator as Africa’s top Shippers’ Council, citing its sustainable facilities across the region.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Salami Nasiru Alasoadua, Special Adviser to NACCIMA’s National President and a stalwart of the West Africa Road Transport Union (WARTU), noted that language remains a major barrier for cross-border traders.
He added that the NSC has the capacity to address this if it funds personnel fluent in multiple languages.
Alasoadua stressed the need for the council to hire staff who can speak Yoruba, Hausa, French, and Fulani effectively to resolve these challenges.
Apparently determined to assist in tackling this deficiency, the trader explained that cross-border traders are eager to engage NSC officials at border posts, but many businessmen and women cannot speak English fluently, creating a significant obstacle to getting things done.
Cross section of Stakeholders and staff of NSC at the meeting held in Badagry Lagos on Wednesday
Alasoadua, who also serves as Vice President of the West Africa Cross Traders and Managing Director of Alsana Global Ventures, commended the council for sustaining its officers at Nigeria’s border posts., while adding that funding multilingual personnel would boost trade across international frontiers.
He lamented that most traders lack awareness of Border Information Centre (BIC) requirements.
According to him, “For the council to maintain its relevance in the borderless alliance, I want to thank the Nigerian Shippers’ Councilit’s number one across Africa, from East to North and West Africa.
“None of the other Shippers’ Councils have working border officers except Nigeria’s; most have been abandoned.”But the NSC needs to source funds.
“If you have a BIC at Seme border post and the manager cannot speak French, English, Egun, Fulani, or Yoruba, it’s a problem.”We need to resolve the challenges facing SMEs, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has a critical role to play,” he added.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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