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Be Agents Of Peace, Wike, Others Urge Fathers
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has felicitated with fathers on the occasion of the Fathers Day, urging them to be agents of peace, discipline, uprightness and development.
In a message on the celebration of the 2017 Fathers Day, Wike advised fathers to work with mothers to build homes that will contribute meaningfully to the growth of the state and humanity.
He charged fathers to be worthy role models to their children, pointing out that their role remains critical to the peace and development of the state.
The governor assured all families in the state that his administration will continue to implement projects and programmes that will empower them to cater for the needs of their children.
He appealed to fathers to use the occasion of the 2017 Fathers Day to re-dedicate themselves as fathers, meditate on the significance of their paternal duties, and strengthen their family structures for the sake of their children.
He said as a father himself, he will continue to live an exemplary life that will serve as an encouragement to other fathers in the state.
In a statement earlier, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, called on fathers not to shirk their responsibilities to their families no matter the challenges that may confront them.
According to Banigo, fathers were supposed to be symbols of discipline and mentorship in homes, stressing that the family becomes dysfunctional when a father fails to play his role.
She said unruly behaviour, truancy, cultism and gangsterism amongst young people can be traced to the absence of a fatherly figure in their lives, and urged fathers to ensure that they direct their children to the right path at all times.
The deputy governor, who quoted Proverbs 22 verse 6; “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it”, said it behoves on fathers to be up and doing in the upbringing of their children.
“I remember with nostalgia how I was groomed by my father during my formative years, and today, I am a public health physician and a deputy governor,” she said to underscore the importance of fatherly tutelage.
She enjoined fathers not to renege from training their female children, adding that, “It is because my dad was determined to train me to my fullest potential that I have been able to succeed in life today”.
Banigo, who felicitated with the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on the Father’s Day celebration, said despite being a young man, he has continued to discharge his responsibilities creditably as the father of the state.
Similarly, a cleric, Rev. Maxwell Onyia, has urged fathers to promote love and understanding in homes through closer family ties.
Onyia gave the advice, yesterday, while delivering a homily at a Fathers’ Day Service held at the Anglican Church of Ascension, Enugu.
He said that the disciplining of children should be done with love, adding that a father should also show understanding to his spouse in the home.
The cleric said that most fathers had scattered their homes through meanness and lack of love to their wives and children.
“That fathers are losing out in the household communication and communion is a known fact.
“Today, in most homes even where fathers are providing the needed daily bread and necessities, they are still seen as highly rigid and unapproachable.
“Children today confide more in their mothers that listen to them.
“Thus, fathers are largely isolated and left out of affairs and the sharing found in most homes.
“This scenario has made most fathers to stand alone in their homes,’’ he said.
The cleric therefore urged fathers to start cultivating closeness to the children by ensuring that a child clearly understood why he or she was being scolded.
“The present computer-age child is no longer attuned to the authoritarian stand of some fathers, especially when they want to assert their authority as a man without any cause for it,” he said.
Onyia also urged fathers to spend more time with their families, instead of hanging out always in joints with friends and peers.
“Fathers should return home and strive to understand their homes.
“They should understand the individual differences in their children, which make them unique from one another in terms of characters and their view points,’’ he said.
One of the leaders of fathers’ fellowship in the church, Chief Temple Udeh, said that the fellowship was meant for spiritual upliftment and interaction among fathers.
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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