News
S’South Govs Back Power Devolution …Demand 13% Derivation
The governors of the South South geopolitical zone have taken a firm position to support the growing demand for the restructuring of the country, true federalism and devolution of power.
Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, said that the governors agreed to back the calls to restructure and return the country to its founding principle of true federalism.
A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as having said that the Forum also agreed to support the calls for devolution of power because of the excessive concentration of power at the centre
The governors, according to him, also resolved to oppose the recent bill on the management Water Resources describing it as offensive and obnoxious.
He said that the governors were unanimous in opposing the idea of a centralised control of water resources as the nation was already contending with issues associated with over centralisation of power in the country.
The Forum’s Chairman said further that the governors called for immediate withdrawal of the bill and advised further consultations on the issue.
He said, “First of all, everyone is aware of the ongoing clamour for devolution of power and a return to the essential founding principles of this country.
“And we in our meeting resolved as we have been speaking individually over time that we associate fully with the clamour for restructuring, true federalism and devolution of powers that are so concentrated at the centre to the federating unit’s.
“And we have agreed to support the ongoing moves in that direction by working with like-minded Nigerians who mean well for our country so that we can all have a stable prosperous and peaceful nation.
“We also discussed the bill currently making round in the National Assembly which we understand is an executive bill on the management of water resources.
“We are of the view that the provisions of that bill are offensive and obnoxious. We disagree with a centralized control of water resources because we are already dealing with the problems associated with over centralization of power in our country.
“So, we have agreed that that bill should be immediately withdrawn by the Federal Government and further consultations be made on that.”
Meanwhile, the South-South governors have formally demanded 13 percent derivation from the Federal Government on the $1billion to be withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to fund national security matters.
In attendance at the meeting were: Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel and Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon Philip Shaibu.
Briefing journalists after the meeting of the South-South Governors Forum (SSGF) at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday night, Chairman of the forum and Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson stated that the governors resolved to officially communicate to the appropriate authorities for the constitutional provision of 13 per cent derivation to be applied and respected.
Seriake said: “We took the collective view that with respect to the Federal Government’s effort to withdraw $1billion for national security; our position in this zone is in line with the constitutional provision on derivation.
“While we have no objection to the Federal Government spending money on security, including security of this zone, we believe the constitutional provision on 13 per cent derivation be applied and fully respected.
“We will communicate that to the appropriate authorities so that whatever amount that is withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account, being proceed of crude oil sale is subject to the 13 per cent derivation principle enshrined in the Constitution,” Dickson said.
The South-South Governors Forum also called for the withdrawal of the Executive Bill forwarded to the National Assembly, wherein the Federal Government seeks to control the management of waterways.
The South-South governors declared: “We also agreed that the bill currently making the rounds in the National Assembly, which we understand, is an Executive Bill on management of water resources; we are of the view that the provisions of the bill are offensive and obnoxious.
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.
News
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.