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US Hails Wike For End To Militancy …Says Only Nigerians Have Solution To Nation’s Problems
The United States Consul General, John Bray has commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for putting an end to militancy and also bringing pipeline vandalism to zero level in the state.
Bray also said that Rivers State would be safer and preferred destination for investors soonest, if election violence was put in check.
The Consul General stated this, yesterday, when he visited Belema Oil on the sidelines of the second edition of the two-day Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Conference of Emerging Entrepreneurs organised for super young entrepreneurs at the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS), University of Port Harcourt.
Bray noted that Nigeria was going into a very serious political period in its history as the momentum for the 2019 general elections gathers steam.
He said that the months ahead would test the ability and capacity of Nigerians to overcome the many challenges that the 2019 elections may throw up.
The consul general counselled the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to ensure free, fair, transparent and non-violent elections in the state as a veritable means of attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs) to the state, adding that the world was waiting to see this achieved in Rivers State.
“When I was speaking with Governor Nyesom Wike last night, I said ‘if you want investors to come, let’s have free, fair, transparent and non-violent elections in Rivers State. Let the world see that’.”
Bray noted that some of the most terrible cases of election violence in the past were reported in Rivers State, adding that if this negative notion about the state changes, then investors may be willing to come back to the state to do business.
The US consul general said that by 2030, Nigeria was going to be one of the countries with the highest rate of unemployed youth based on available statistics, adding that what was important in the lives of the people of Rivers State, especially the youth and graduates was how and where to secure meaningful employment to withstand the stress of overpopulation.
He charged Nigerians to turn their challenges into opportunities that would better their lives, family members and the society at large.
Meanwhile, the United States Government has stated that only Nigerians have solutions to the avalanche of challenges confronting Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, insisting that the United States has no solution to Nigeria’s problems.
Speaking during the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) second edition of the Conference for Emerging Entrepreneurs at the Institute of Petroleum Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, yesterday, the Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, Lagos, Darcy Zotter noted that those looking up to the United States for solution to Nigeria’s problems were missing the point, as according to her, Nigerians hold the key to all the challenges besetting the country.
She stated further that Nigeria has all its takes to have a positive and progressive future, adding that all that was required was to put the right tools, skills and ideas in place.
“As a foreigner, people always ask how do I feel about the future of Nigeria in terms of security challenges and economic down turn, among others, but we believe that with the right tools in place, Nigeria has a positive future.”
According to Zotter, “when people try to point out or remind me of the negative things about Nigeria and Nigerians, I refuse to accept or agree with them; rather I prefer the positive sides of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
She explained that the American Consulate was training emerging entrepreneurs from Nigeria because the United States sees huge potentials in Nigeria and Nigerians.
Zotter pointed out that America believes that with the right tools and skills, Nigeria has a bright future, and disclosed that the success story of the first edition of the conference held in Lagos influenced the decision to replicate the conference in Port Harcourt.
She said with the success story of last year’s training, the consulate has confidence that it could work with the right partner to successfully raise entrepreneurs.
“The United States and Nigeria have a long standing relationship and the position of American Government is to celebrate Nigeria’s economic potentials as well as amplify her potentials,” she noted.
Also speaking, the US Consul General, John Bray assured the young entrepreneurs at the two-day training programme of the support of the US Government to enable them build the networks needed to launch their businesses.
Bray also noted that there was growing evidence that entrepreneurs the world over were drivers of job growth, either by creating micro, small or medium enterprises, adding that entrepreneurs contribute to creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities.
He emphasized that since the launch of YALI in 2010, it has been investing in the next generation of African leaders in business, government and civil society.
“After being aware of the ongoing number of people in Africa, the Department of State decided to commit significant resources in order to enhance African youth’s leadership skills and bolster entrepreneurship.”
He, therefore, charged “the super young entrepreneurs to brace up to the yielding entrepreneurial trend, by dreaming big, explore, discover and to do more, adding that they were assets to Nigeria as well as stakeholders and creators of Nigeria’s future.
In his remarks, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said his government has provided conducive environment for entrepreneurial motivations in the state.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor said through its Microfinance Agency and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Rivers State Government was providing soft loans to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
He said the state government has also provided interest-free government-backed bank loans to 25 private medical institutions, stressing that the government was also harmonising taxes in the state to provide an enabling environment for growth and stability of enterprises.
According to him, the state government has approved a Rivjobs Project, aimed at tackling the prevalent challenges organizations face in finding quality talents to recruit, while job seekers find it difficult to get notification on job openings within the state.
The platform the governor said, would also provide online training that exposes our youth to entrepreneurial skills, stressing that government have also approved the development and launch of Rivers Creek Tech, to serve as a habitat to support tech entrepreneurship and innovation.
Earlier in her remarks, founder of the Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy, Ms Omawale Ogunrinde said her organisation has a verifiable success story as the academy builds businesses that support the family and communities.
She said that products of the conference have become employers of labour because entrepreneurship was all about knowing how to generate wealth and to solve problems.
The Tide reports participating 120 emerging entrepreneurs were selected from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network members across Nigeria.
The YALI Network in Nigeria has more than 150,000 registered members who have access to free online courses and events to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Resource persons at the conference include Tonye Cole of Sahara Group; Stella Okoli of Emzor Pharmaceuticals; Zizi Cardow, an award winning designer, Iyin Aboyeji of Andela, among others.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
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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