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INEC Flags-Off Voters Registration In Rivers ’Morrow …Be Impartial, PDP Tells Electoral Body
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will flag-off the continuous voters’ registration exercise in Rivers State, today, by 9.00 am.
The commission, in a statement, stated that the exercise will commence by 9.00am at the INEC office in Port Harcourt Local Government Area by CFC.
The statement, signed by the Administrative Secretary, Dr Richard Ntui, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, indicated that the exercise is in line with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), adding that the voters’ registration will commence simultaneously in all the 774 local government areas of the INEC offices nationwide.
He explained that the exercise is for citizens who have attained the age of 18 years or were not previously registered.
Ntui said registered voters who have not collected their permanent voters’ card can use the opportunity to do so, appealing to citizens to avail themselves with the opportunity to do what is right.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced, last week, that it will commence a nationwide continuous voter registration on April 27 across the 774 local government areas of the federation.
The Commissioner in charge of Operations, Mrs Amina Zakari, who disclosed this in a statement, last Wednesday, after a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECS) and Administrative Secretaries from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, stated that the exercise would take place from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays (Mondays to Fridays), excluding public holidays.
Zakari said the registration centres shall be the local government offices of the commission or such other suitable locations as would be made public by the state offices of lNEC.
She also stated that the decision was taken at the meeting following INEC consultations with stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organisations and the media, explaining that the exercise was intended to enable citizens who have turned 18 years of age since the last registration exercise as well as those who did not register during the last exercise to register as voters.
According to her, “It also will allow those seeking transfer of their registration from one state to another or within a state from polling unit to another to do so.
“The exercise also intends to enable the distribution of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to those who could not collect them before or since the last general elections.”
Zakari also explained that the exercise will also enable citizens who have the Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) but whose names are on the register to collect their PVCs, advising those who were already registered not to do so again as it was an offence to register more than once.
“The commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to consolidating our democracy. This we are going to do by ensuring that citizens are given the opportunity to register as voters on a continuous basis as enshrined in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) well before elections.’’
Meanwhile, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), gets set to commence the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration, tomorrow, across the 774 local government areas of the federation, the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Rivers State chapter, Bro Felix Obuah, has called on the commission to ensure the exercise is transparent and devoid of discrimination, manipulation and intimidation.
Obuah also welcomed the INEC exercise, believing that it would improve the data base and increase voters’ participation in the forthcoming general elections, only if it is done without bias by the handlers of the process.
He particularly called on INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu as well as the INEC National Commissioner, Mrs Amina Zakari not to see the exercise as another opportunity to demonstrate their preference and ‘loyalty’ to a particular political party and section of the country, as kinsmen to the President. But should rather prove to Nigerians that they are detribalised, apolitical, and objectively carrying out the mandate of a federal and ‘independent’ commission.
He believed that the voter registration exercise offers the commission another opportunity to correct its already battered image, by doing the right, and to ensure that all units and wards in the 774 LGAs in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are accurately covered in terms of fresh registration and distribution of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The PDP chairman observed that apart from helping to consolidate the nation’s democracy, the success of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration would greatly impact on the conduct of the forthcoming elections, and therefore, put the commission on test as it engages in the exercise.
The party, therefore, called on all eligible citizens, particularly all those who have turned 18 years of age since the last registration, as well as those who did not register during the last exercise, to come out enmass to the various registration centres and ensure they are duly registered.
The PDP also urged all its members and eligible electorate who have the Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) but whose names are on the register to ensure they collected their PVCs to avoid it being issued to impostors by unscrupulous elements and agents of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), as witnessed in previous elections.
The Rivers PDP chairman further charged all relevant security agencies and institutions to commit themselves more to ensuring that the voter registration exercise was not manipulated by the ruling party, or compromised by officials of the commission, as every qualified Nigerian has the right of participation in the exercise, as contained in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) without being intimidated, denied, or coerced by any superior power or authority.
“It’s important that the commission ensures its staff involved in the registration exercise are always at their duty post during the hours of the exercise, and not hoard the PVCs/TVCs. They should also allow equal, free access to all potential registrants, no matter the sex, political affiliation, state of origin, or religions background”, Obuah emphasised.
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.
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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.