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RSG Begins Reconstruction Of School In Amaechi’s Village …Seizes Private Property In School Premises
In a move to take education to rural communities of Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike last Saturday flagged off the reconstruction of Community Secondary School, Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The school sited in the village of former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi had been abandoned for several years without any form of upgrade.
Performing the flag-off, Wike recalled how the former Rivers State Governor stopped the rehabilitation of the school in 2014.
He said: “As the Minister of State for Education, I tried to intervene and rehabilitate this school. But the former Rivers State Governor drove away the contractors on the ground that the Federal Government cannot intervene in a school in the state.
“But God’s time has come. As governor, I now have the opportunity to turn around the fortunes of this school. I also call on the Federal Government to intervene in projects in this state, even though, I know they will never do so”, the governor said.
Wike said that the reconstruction of the Community Secondary School, Ubima will be completed in five months, as the funds have been deposited in the account of the state Ministry of Education.
The governor charged the people of Ubima to work with the contractors for the scheduled delivery of the project.
He explained that the state government was tackling the security challenge in Ubima by checking the excesses of kidnappers and cultists in the community.
Wike announced the process for the revival of electricity in Ubima, with the donation of a transformer.
He directed the Commissioner for Health, Prof Princewill Chike to commence the process for the rehabilitation of General Hospital, Ubima, while he stated that the road leading to the Community Secondary School, Ubima will be constructed.
Also speaking, the former Rivers State governor, Sir Celestine Omehia thanked Wike for remembering Ubima, which was forgotten by Amaechi, an indigene of the community.
Omehia said that Wike has made history by his decision to reconstruct the Community Secondary School, which was built through communal effort in 1980.
Former Chairman of the Governing Council of Kaduna Polytechnic, Chief Sergeant Awuse regretted that the ex-governor of Rivers State would exhibit so much hatred for his people.
Awuse wondered why President Muhammadu Buhari was harbouring Amaechi, who has no political relevance, aside the sponsorship of violence in the area.
Senator George Thompson Sekibo praised Wike for taking development to Ubima, even when their own son neglected them.
Rivers State Education Commissioner, Dr Taminosisi Gogo-Jaja said that new facilities such as administrative block, modern classrooms, laboratories, hostels and staff quarters would be built as part of the reconstruction efforts of the government.
Meanwhile, government’s hammer has finally hit some persons encroaching on public school land as the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, last Friday, declared all buildings in the premises of Western Ahoada County High School, as government property.
The governor announced this during the flag-off of upgrading/remodelling/reconstruction of Western Ahoada County High School in Ahoada-East Local Government Area of the state.
The governor directed the state Commissioner for Education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja to immediately commence the fencing of the entire school premises, and challenged those who developed properties in the school to go to court.
He equally appealed to parents in Ekpeye land to warn their children to stop forthwith from harassing or disturbing the contractors doing work in the school compound as the state government would deal decisively with anyone caught in the act.
Wike, who expressed disappointment that in spite of efforts by the government to turn around the fortunes of the school, said some direct beneficiaries of government’s gesture from the area were rather frustrating the plan, and stressed the determination of his administration to reconstruct the school.
The governor said the flag-off ceremony was in fulfilment of his promise to the people, and disclosed that the fund for the project has been set aside.
“I’m committed to keeping our promises to the Ekpeye kingdom. The fund for the rehabilitation of this school has been set aside”, the governor said.
Wike explained that the remodelling of the school was part of his administration’s effort of bringing back boarding system, and urged the people of the area to support the contractors handling the job to complete the project within scheduled time.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, while giving description of the project, said it has four hostels, new well-equipped classroom blocks, administration block, various laboratories, sick bay and council lounge, among other modern facilities.
The Eze Igbu-Upata 111, Dr Felix Otuwarikpo lauded the governor for keeping to his promise to the people of Ahoada-East Local Government Area.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.