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RVHA Threatens Arrest Of Halliburton’s MD …Moves To Review Abattoirs’ Laws
The Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA), yesterday, threatened to issue warrant of arrest on the Managing Director of Halliburton Energy Services, in the Trans Amadi area of Port Harcourt, if he, again, refuses to appear in person before the House.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi- Owaji Ibani, who gave the warning at the Assembly’s plenary session in Port Harcourt, also rejected the request of the representatives of the managing director of the company led by one Engr. Ferdinand Abara, to brief the House on behalf of the company.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State House of Assembly, over two weeks ago, had summoned the managing director of Halliburton Energy Services to appear before it to explain the alleged systematic marginalization against indigenes of the state in the company.
The Tide learnt that the managing director has turned down the invitation severally without reasons.
The speaker, who described the attitude of the managing director as an insult, alleged that it was a deliberate attempt by the managing director not to appear before the legislative arm by sending a representative to the House.
According to him, the House has nothing to do with any representative of the company on such a serious matter that concerns the livelihood of indigenes, who were alleged to be treated as slaves in the company.
In a motion to discharge the representatives of the company from the plenary session, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, expressed dismay over the managing director’s negligence to the Assembly.
Amawehule said the attitude of the MD showed that the management of Halliburton did not have any respect for the state government.
Amaewhule also vindicated the petitioners against the company, saying that the tricky tactics of the Halliburton’s management toward the state government showed that the company was culpable.
It would be recalled that the Majority Leader of the 8th Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, had presented a petition from some of the employees of the company over what they described as systematic marginalization of Rivers indigenes in the company.
In the petition, the employees accused the management of denying them redundancy benefits, as well refusing to give permanent employment to many indigenes of the state in the company.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) has stated its readiness to update the state Abattoirs’ Laws to include prohibition of tyres in roasting meat for consumption in the state.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, made this known, yesterday, at the Assembly’s plenary session in Port Harcourt, while addressing the two commissioners and Permanent Secretary summoned to explain the reason behind the continued use of tyres by butchers in abattoirs in the state.
According to him, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Ominim Jack, and Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs Caroline Wali were invited to appear before the House to explain their level of implementation of relevant laws on abattoirs operations, especially the use of tyres in roasting meat for consumption.
He said, the Assembly expected firsthand knowledge on the level of compliance by the abattoirs to the rules and regulations guiding their activities, and the challenges they face in the implementation of the laws.
The speaker, who noted that there were less reactions by the relevant ministries and agencies regarding the use of tyres in burning meat, expressed optimism that the meeting with the commissioners would proffer solution and policy framework for a workable legislation on the issue.
Briefing the House, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Caroline Wali, stressed the need for the Assembly to pass legislation to prohibit the use of tyres in roasting meat for consumption.
She said the existing law guiding the abattoirs does not include prohibition of tyres in roasting meat.
According to her, the main law being implemented presently was the Meat Inspection and Sale Law, which she said the ministries and the relevant agencies lack the powers to enforce, especially when it comes to the arrest of those using tyres for roasting meat.
The commissioner said over 33 abattoirs operating across the state often use tyres in roasting meat despite several measures applied by the ministry to stop the practice in their different locations.
On her part, the state Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya, admitted that it was obvious that the use of tyres in roasting meat has serious implications on the environment and the health of the people.
According to her, tyres contained zinc, sulphur oxide, carbon dioxide, among other elements, which she believed to be dangerous to health.
She urged the Assembly to give legal backing to the operations of the abattoirs regarding the use of tyres in roasting meat.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs Nemi Jack, said the 83 veterinary doctors deployed to take charge of over 33 abattoirs in Rivers State always have positive reports from their places of assignment on the health implication of the animals slaughtered for meat.
The permanent secretary also noted that some of the abattoirs violated the rules by slaughtering animals before inspection by the ministry.
She said, some slaughtered their livestock in the midnight before the arrival of the inspection team, which she described as one of the impediments in the proper compliance to the rules and regulations guiding their operations.
She supported the call for a new law to prohibit the use of tyres in roasting meat at abattoirs.
Enoch Epelle
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
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.