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RSG Biometric Capture 44,435 Workers …Drags 5,342 Firms, 101,500 Individuals Into Tax Net …As Wike Uses ICT To Boost Service Delivery, Create Jobs

Published

6 years ago

June 28, 2019

Two years after deployment, the Rivers State Government developed online portal, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’, has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries, departments and agencies.
The portal, which works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system, also identified 1,031 civil servants as having retired between January and May this year.
The government further said that the essence of the platform was to build an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) backbone to boost service delivery and create jobs for teeming unemployed youth in the state.
The media consultant working on the project, Maple Dappa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, added that the scheme was a conscious and deliberate effort geared towards creating a knowledge-based economy, designed to improve service delivery, create jobs and opportunities for the teeming youth population.
Dappa said these investments have basically centred on the development and deployment of database management and administration system in the areas of public service, tax collection, the education sector, court-related processes and activities as well as the development and deployment of an employment portal.
He said ICT has long been identified as having the potential to better the lots of developing countries like Nigeria, if fully maximized, especially in driving business opportunities, pushing for inclusion, fostering transparency, and impacting areas like healthcare, the financial sector, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Dappa named the tax collection system in the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) as a major area of breakthrough where maximum impact has so far been achieved.
He said the RIRS was about managing most of its tax processes and tax clearance certificate process online.
According to him, “For years, Rivers State was plagued with stories of multiple taxation, tax evasion and avoidance, tax refunds, poor tax administration.
“To tackle this, the government introduced the Rivers State Tax Management Information System (RivTaMiS), an online platform that provides taxpayers and tax administrators a convenient and effective means of paying and managing taxes and tax information.
“It also enables task payers to own and have their task records.
“Set up as a collaboration between the Rivers State ICT Department and the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RSIRS), by May this year, the platform had registered 5,342 tax-paying organizations and 101, 500 individual taxpayers.
“Out of this number of paying organizations, 2,800 have filed annual returns and 408 making tax clearance certificates via the RivTaMiS platform”, Dappa said.
On ghost worker syndrome that has bedevilled the system over the decades, Dappa said: “The government developed an online portal called, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’. The portal works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system.
“Since it came into effect two years ago, the system has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries and 1,031 of them identified as retired between January and May this year”, Dappa says.
Dappa said the ICT scheme has also helped to change the narrative of the creeks of the state.
“Riv-TechCreek is poised to deliver quality ICT innovations (products and services) through learning, creating and connection in the Niger Delta region and beyond,” says Dappa.
Dappa says since last year, TechCreek has trained over 4,000 people in total, including children during holidays, young adults, teachers, young professionals and civil servants. Training focuses on areas such as database administration, coding, animation, designs, robotics, as well as third-party trainings hosted at the TechCreek facility housed inside the Rivers ICT department building in Port Harcourt.
In education, the Rivers State Education Information Management System (RivEMiS) was set up to remove a hitherto existing manual system that made the management of the sector rigorous, the government said.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nyesom Wike on ICT, Ibifuro Asawo, said, “At present, RivEMis is used to manage the procedures for registering a new school, renewing existing registrations, schools’ inspection and approvals, transfer certificates, registration for state-wide examinations like the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and certificate printing. Beyond that, it tracks the registration of private and public schools, enrolment of pupils and students in both private and public schools”.
According to him, “the result has been the tracking of 4,335 schools, with 2,618 being private schools while 1,717 are public.
“About 67,523 candidates who have registered for state’s 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination in 867 private and public schools across the 23 local governments of the state have been captured using the system.”
He talked about employment scalability, adding that over 19,000 job seekers were trained.
The state’s ICT team created RivsJobs, an online portal that serves as a convergence for employers of labour and jobseekers.
“Upon appropriate research and findings, the Rivers State Jobs (RivJobs) website was developed and deployed as an online platform that connects job seekers with prospective employers.
“The key agenda is to create a robust online portal that connects employers to talents and serves as the dashboard for monitoring job creation and employment activities in the state.
“The RivJobs portal enables employers and companies to register and advertise for available jobs while allowing job seekers to find suitable opportunities for employment. To further improve the chances of getting job seekers their preferred jobs, various employability trainings were conducted for registered jobseekers,” says Asawo.
Asawo, added that digital developments underway to be deployed include: Rivers State Health Management Information System (RivHMiS), Rivers State Court Management Information System for the judiciary (RivCoMiS), Rivers State Integrated Lands, Urban and Housing Management Information system (RivILUHMiS), a state website, portal and a digital application for information dissemination, a policy to oversee the use of ICT in the state and a ‘Linkage and Partnerships’ initiative that would basically work to partner with technology giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft on ways to empower youths and create opportunities.

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RSG Commits To Workers’ Welfare …. Calls For Sustained Govt, Labour Partnership

Published

4 days ago

May 2, 2025

The Tide

The Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has assured the commitment of Rivers State government to workers’s welfare and industrial harmony in Rivers State.

The Sole Administrator gave the assurance after meeting with leadership of organized labour unions at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Ibas reaffirmed government’s policy of prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees, stating that all local government employees are not receiving the approved minimum wage.

He disclosed that approval has been given for payment of newly employed staff at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the Judiciary, while medical workers in Local Government Areas will now receive correct wages.

Ibas explained that, Government is reviewing implementation challenges of the Contributory Pension Scheme ahead of the July 2025 deadline, adding that Intervention buses have been reintroduced to ease workers’ transportation ,with plans to expand the fleet.

He said specialized leadership training for top civil servants will commence within two weeks, while due consideration is being given to implementing the N32,000 consequential adjustment for pensioners and clearing outstanding gratuities.

Ibas commended Rivers State workers for their dedication to service and called for sustained partnership with labour unions to maintain industrial peace.

“This administration recognizes workers as critical partners in development. We remain committed to addressing your legitimate concerns within available resources,” he stated.

The State NLC Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, thanked the Administrator for the steps taken so far with regard to workers welfare while appreciating his disposition towards alleviating the transportation problem faced by workers.

He also expressed appreciation for the government’s openness to dialogue and pledged continued cooperation towards achieving mutual goals.

The Rivers State Government assured all workers of its unwavering commitment to their welfare and called for continued dedication to service delivery for the collective progress of our dear State.

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Labour Unions In Rivers Call For Improved Standard Living For Workers

Published

4 days ago

May 2, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers Council, has called for policies that will improve the economic situation of the country in order to ensure enhanced living standard for workers.

The State Chairman, Mr Alex Agwanwor, made the remark on behalf of the unions affiliated to Labour Congress during the 2025 workers day celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Agwanwor highlighted the demands of the Unions which included the immediate payment of pension arrears, implementation of the N32,000 minimum wage for pensioners, and payment of gratuities and death benefits without further delay.

“We are calling for the regulation and protection of e-hailing drivers, implementation of increments and promotions, and resolution of long-standing issues in the polytechnic sector,” he said.

Agwanwor on behalf of the unions appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

He stressed the importance of democratic governance and good working relationship with elected representatives.

According to him, the unions expressed disappointment over the imposition of taxes, increase in electricity tariff, and high cost of goods and services, which have further worsened the plight of workers.

“We urge the federal government to take measures to alleviate the suffering of citizens,” he said.

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Tinubu committed to unlocking Nigeria’s potential – Shettima

Published

4 days ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.

Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.

He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.

The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.

“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.

” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”

He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.

According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.

Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.

“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”

The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.

” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.

The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.

Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.

” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.

“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”

Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.

“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.

“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.

Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.

The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.

He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.

Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.

He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.