News
Wike Recommits To Promote Peace In Rivers …As RSG Warns LGs Against Illegal Education Levies, Fees
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that no individual would be allowed to compromise the peace of the state.
He stated that his administration would always take decisive steps to promote peace in the state through key interventions in crisis-prone areas.
He spoke, yesterday, during a meeting between Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Mgbuesilaru Community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Wike said: “My interest is peace in my state. Whatever will bring peace; that is where we will stand. Whoever is causing problems, the state will take it up with that person”.
The governor said that in Kula community, he has no business with Shell Petroleum Development Company operating in the area, outside the fact that the Federal Government has renewed their license and an enabling environment must be created for them to function.
He said: “Like I have told the Kula community, I have no business about Shell operating. But if the Federal Government has given Shell the license, I have a duty to make sure that Shell operates.
“If they did not give Shell and they give the license to another person, I have a duty to protect that person. I have no business with Shell. Mine is to do the right thing and to provide the enabling environment.
“Let nobody claim that he has contact in Abuja or elsewhere. I will not shy away from my responsibility to do the right thing”, the governor assured.
Wike said that he took oath of office to make majority of Rivers people happy, protect lives and property and develop the state.
“There is no single individual I cannot protect. Whether you are PDP, AAC or APC, it is my duty to protect you. Where things go wrong, I must come in”, he said.
On the Mgbuesilaru conflict, Wike said that he invited the community leaders and SPDC officials to discuss the issues and resolve the dispute.
He said: “Before I became governor, I do know that there was a problem at Mgbuesilaru community. I learnt that an agreement was to be signed and there was a fracas”.
In his remarks, Eze Oha Okporo Okwurusi Clan, Eze Morgan Nwenenda Amadi said that the Mgbuesilaru community and Shell had an issue of outstanding rent, which led to a legal dispute that got to the Supreme Court.
He said he was invited as a mediator and eventually worked for an out-of-court settlement between Shell and the community, explaining that rather than work with the genuine representatives of the community, Shell politicised the issue, and thereafter, refused to sign the agreement.
He said an attempt to sign the agreement at Hotel Presidential ended in mayhem.
Amadi said that on June 13, 2019, the community requested the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council to intervene and give the council headquarters for the signing of the out-of-court settlement agreement with Shell.
He said that Shell failed to turn up on June 18, 2019, when the community signed the out-of-court settlement.
Amadi urged the governor to prevail on SPDC to honour the out-of-court settlement and pay the community rent money, which was in arrears of 23 years.
Also speaking, General Manager, External Affairs of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr Igo Weli, said that the only interest of the company was to do what was right.
Weli said: “We want our place to grow. We want our place to develop. We want everything to be peaceful”.
He said when the rent issue came up, Shell agreed with Eze Morgan Amadi that it would be nice to settle out-of-court in the interest of the community, adding that the company was committed to the peaceful settlement of the issue.
Meanwhile, sequel to the meetings with local government chairmen, heads of government-owned primary, junior and senior secondary schools and proprietors of private schools, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has warned all LG chairmen and their agents to desist from imposing any other levy or charge apart from tenement rates on private schools across the state.
The governor, who gave the warning in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, in Port Harcourt, yesterday, also directed all proprietors of private schools to shun all demand notices for payments other than tenement rates, insisting that such payment must be paid into dedicated bank accounts for transparency and accountability.
According to the statement, “The general public is hereby notified that all fees, levies or whatever payments in government-owned primary, junior and senior secondary schools have been abolished.
“To this end, the general public is enjoined to report any government school heads or teachers, who make any demands for whatever payments from their pupils/students to the office of the governor via the named dedicated phone lines,” it added.
Danagogo reminded all concerned that, “All cash payments have been abolished. Proprietors of private schools and the general public are enjoined to report any officer or agent of local government council or any organ or agency of the state government, who demands for cash payment to the office of the governor through the said dedicated phone lines.
“The dedicated phone lines are: 0704-544-4471 (WhatsApp enabled), 0704-544-4472, 0704-544-4473, 0705-269-8118 (WhatsApp enabled), and 0909-065-4112”, the statement added.
The statement clarified that, “The Nigeria Police and the DSS have been notified to arrest and prosecute any agent or officer of local government councils or the state government caught in the act.
“Meanwhile, all proprietors of private schools are to submit their applications for approval/re-certification to the Governor’s Office at Room 312, Wing B, Point Block, Rivers State Secretariat Complex, Port Harcourt.
“Such applications should be accompanied with your last approval from the Ministry of Education and the approved Building Plan from Ministry of Urban Development,” Danagogo explained.
“Note that, no fee is payable for this application. It is free of charge,” the statement added.
Similarly, the Mayor of Port Harcourt City, Hon Victor Ihunwo, has once again made it clear that tenement rate was the only revenue collected by the council.
Making the clarification in a statement signed by the Press Secretary to the council, Bob Abayomi in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Ihunwo directed that, “All payments should be a made to the Port Harcourt City Council Account; United Bank for Africa UBA 1007510998”.
According to the statement, “In line with the directive of the Rivers State Government, the Port Harcourt City Council has only approved the payment of tenement rate by proprietors of private schools in the city and all payments should be made to the council’s account as stated above.
“Proprietors of schools should disregard any demand notice purportedly from the council for payment of any levy asides that for tenement rate, and such persons moving with the illegal notice for payment should be apprehended by the law enforcement agencies and prosecuted.
“The council has abolished all cash payment.
“Business owners and those doing business in Port Harcourt City should henceforth desist from patronising cash payments, as the council will not be liable for any discrepancy as a result of any cash payment during the revenue verification exercise of the council.
“Those selling liquor in the city should cooperate with the liquor license committee of the council and obtain their licenses.
“All enquiries should be directed to Dr Ezebunwo Nyeche in the council’s Secretariat, Moscow Road, Office of the Secretary of Council, or call: 08033097907″, the statement added.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Hausa Community in Rivers State has dissociated itself from media reports credited to one MaiwadaAdamu that the Arewa Community in Rivers State has appointed Alhaji Musa Saidu as the acting SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt, following the inability of the former SarkinHausawa, Alhaji Isa Madaki to carry out his functions.
MaidawaAdamu, who is also the spokesman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, had briefed journalists on the change, but in a swift reaction, the Office of Alhaji Isa Madaki, has come out to say that the only recognised body which has the powers to appoint the SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt is the Council of SarkinHausawa in PortHarcourt headed by Alhaji Isa Madaki.
The statement also said Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki is the only recognisedSarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, adding that his appointment follows the proclamation and endorsement by the council members of SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The statement further called on the general public and all authorities concerned to give Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki maximum co-operation and support,as he discharges his duties as SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt.
The Suspended Rivers State Commissioner for health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, has described as baseless allegations in some quarters that she was responsible for the purported disruption of the Nigerian First Lady’s empowerment program in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh, who said this in a statement personally signed by her and a copy made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt also described the allegation as a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers
According to Dr Oreh, “they are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord”
In her words,”the allegations levelled against me, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, regarding the supposed disruption of the First Lady’s empowerment programme on Friday 2nd May, 2025, are entirely unfounded, completely false, and a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers and conflict entrepreneurs.
“They are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord.”
The suspended commissioner challenged those behind the allegation, especially the Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation to show proof of its assertion adding “It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I challenge the “Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation” (assuming such a body really exists) to provide tangible proof to support their assertions.
“It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I have neither sponsored nor will sponsor any activities aimed at embarrassing or disrupting the activities of the administration appointed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee the affairs of Rivers State following his declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, and have rather spent the time of my suspension from office focused on other endeavours and my doctoral studies.
“I reaffirm my commitment to working tirelessly for the progress and development of Rivers State.
“Furthermore, I believe that it is crucial for all stakeholders to promote a culture of truth, integrity, and respect in public discourse.
“Unsubstantiated wild claims undermine trust and hinder constructive engagement, and this is not what the state needs at this difficult and delicate time.
“I urge everyone to focus on issues that unite us and foster a positive, solution-driven dialogue for the betterment of our State, and urge everyone to work together to build a brighter future for Rivers State, grounded in truth, transparency, and collective effort,”she said.
By: John Bibor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called on key regulators, asset owners and other stakeholders to continue to support the agency toward the goal of remediating the Ogoni environment and restoring the livelihoods of the people and building structures for peace.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made the call during the Project’s first quarter meeting with regulators, asset owners and stakeholders in Port Harcourt, urged the stakeholders to remain resolute in supporting HYPREP’s work.
“We particularly expect each regulatory agency and asset owner to deepen their involvement and continue to provide strategic support to the project”, he said, stressing that the quarterly meeting platform remains instrumental in providing a structural avenue for regulators, asset owners, and implementation partners to offer feedback to HYPREP on project performance and deliberate on ideas that move the project forward, as well as strengthen collaboration, deepen synergy and reinforce collective responsibility.
Zabbey disclosed that the socio-economic study of Ogoni has started, as HYPREP has contacted the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation(WHO) to commence in the next quarter a three-year human health biomonitoring in Ogoniland.
He noted that work on several fronts of the cleanup project is progressing steadily, adding that as key project partners, the insights and shared experience of the regulators and asset owners have always enriched HYPREP’s operations.
He said the policy thrust of HYPREP for 2025 is clear, as the Project is intensifying efforts to complete within stated timelines, the various ongoing projects, including remediation works and mangrove restoration, potable water facilities, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and Buan Cottage Hospital, among others.
Zabbey, however, announced that HYPREP would commence new set of shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration and livelihood projects, to sustain the momentum of implementing the Ogoni cleanup, adding that the agency would also conduct detailed site characterisation of the high-risk complex sites, leading to remediation works at the sites.
He noted that HYPREP’s collaboration with Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power and Environment, and civil society organisations remains vital, stressing that the technical and administrative support of all relevant government agencies and funding partners is indispensable in helping HYPREP overcome operational bottlenecks, especially those encountered in interfacing with host communities.
He further indicated that “the people of Ogoni and the nation are looking to us with hope and expectation, and expect tangible results from the remediation initiative”, assuring the participants that the Project Coordination Office is committed to delivering positive results.
“We must, therefore, continue to work with diligence, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose”, he declared, saying, “ the completion and commissioning of projects this year must reflect not only our technical ability but also our collective commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Ogoni.”
During the interactive session, the Project Coordinator briefed the participants on the progress made so far by HYPREP to conclude the distribution of starter packs to the 5,000 Ogoni trainees, and called on contractors who had already collected huge chunk of money for the project, to deliver without further delay.
In all, the regulators, asset owners and stakeholders commended HYPREP for the good works it is doing, and urged it to do more.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Oil Field Assessment, Dr Abam Komommo Omini, while Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, represented the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
The Rivers State Ministries of Water Resources, Power and Environment were represented by Dr Bealo Brownson; Engr K. J. Osele; and Mr James Ordu respectively, while the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA); and the Stakeholder Democracy Network(SDN); among other civil society organisations were also at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi