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RSG Approves N200m Support Fund For EU Water, Sanitation Projects …Begins Enforcement Of Dev Control Law
In line with the State Government’s plan to improve the living conditions of Rivers people and enhance access to safe, adequate and sustainable water supply and sanitation, the Rivers State Government has promised to pay its 30 per cent counter-part fund contribution for the European Union Niger Delta Support Programme (EU-NDSP)- sponsored component 3 for Water and Sanitation Project.
This assurance was given by the Rivers State Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Chief Ibibia O.Walter at a workshop on information sharing for Rivers State beneficiaries on the project status held in Port Harcourt.
Walter assured the Eu-NDSP Technical Assistant Team Leader, Mr. Albert Achten and the benefitting Communities in Akuku—Toru and Opobo/Nkoro Local |Government Areas that the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike was committed to the provision of potable and clean water for every Community in the state.
The Commissioner stated that the states counterpart contribution of N200 million, which is a prerequisite for the European Union’s 70 per cent contribution of N500 million, would be released in the shortest possible time to enable the project commence.
The Water Resources and Rural Development Commissioner, however, commended the benefitting communities for their resilience in contributing their 5 per cent maintenance contributions, which was an indication that they were more than willing to take ownership of the projects, once completed.
Earlier at the workshop, the Team Leader of the Technical Assistant Team of the EU-NDSP project, Mr. Albert Achten, had said that the project must comply with EU standards on project funding.
Representatives of the benefitting communities’ Water Consumer Associations (WCAs) spoke on the level of the communities’ preparedness for the project.
The benefiting communities include Abissa, Abonnema, Kula in Akuku-Toru LGA and Kalaibiama, Opobo and Nkoro in Opobo/Nkoro LGA.
In his remarks, representative of the Secretary to the state Government and Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, commended the Ministry and EU-NDSP for the initiative, which is geared towards the provision of adequate water for Rivers people while reiterating the state government’s readiness to fulfill it’s campaign promises.
Dignitaries at the workshop were representatives of the Commissioners for Youth, Women Affairs and Budget and Economic Planning.
Others are the benefitting Communities and other dignitaries amongst who was the Amanyanabo of Opobo and Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja.
It would be recalled that the European Union signed a five-year contribution agreement worth #20.6 million to boost rural water and sanitation projects in the Niger Delta region.
Meanwhile, barring any last minute changes, the Rivers State Government will today commence the enforcement and implementation of development control law in the state after a weeklong state wide orientation and enlightenment campaign by the state Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning.
The Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Hon Chinyere Igwe, who stated this last week while sensitizing the public on reasons why they should build according to plans, warned that traders who sell their wares along the streets and operators of illegal motor parks would be arrested and prosecuted according to the law.
Igwe reiterated the Nyesom Wike-led government’s commitment to restoring the status of the state capital as the Garden City, stating that the ministry will enforce the urban development control law to the letter.
He also warned those involved in mounting illegal billboards to desist from the act, stating that if arrested, the government would look at the laws and deal with them, accordingly.
He regretted that traders abandoned markets and moved to the road side to sell their wares, thereby obstructing traffic and risking their lives and that of other road users.
According to him, “Most of the markets are abandoned by traders only to move to the roads to operate. During our enlightenment campaign last week, we found out that the Rumuokoro market was deserted. The market was empty, all the traders relocated to the road side. We also experienced the same thing in all the motor parks visited in the state capital, where all the vehicles operate from the road, and allow traders to take over the parks.
‘’We are not saying they should not sell or operate, but they should move back to the markets and parks built for that purpose instead of operating illegally and defacing the city. The state government encourages small and medium scale businesses but they should operate within the confines of the law’’, he said.
He also appealed to the public to always seek approval for their building plans before building, warning that any structure that does not get approval from the ministry would be demolished.
Igwe warned the contractors in charge of the construction of Air Force stores by Market Junction in Port Harcourt to contact the ministry immediately, stressing that some of the billboards mounted, fall short of the law.
The commissioner assured that his ministry will maintain the development plans of the city, as he urged developers to cooperate with the government in realizing its aim and mission to restore the state capital as the Garden City.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.