Politics
Wike Begins Payment Of Pensioners
Activities in Government House, Port Harcourt began last week with the inauguration of the Committee for Accreditation and Approval of Private Schools in Rivers State.
At the event which took place last Monday the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, charged the committee to carry out a comprehension reassessment of schools with the objective of reviewing the standard of education.
The governor urged the committee members not to allow themselves to be swayed by prominent persons, especially politicians, noting that the state government carefully selected tested academics to carry out the assignment because it wants good result.
He further stated that his administration jettisoned the use of the Ministry of Education because most private schools have contacts at the ministry, where they compromise the accreditation and approval process.
Stressing the importance of basic education in the sector, Wike charged the committee members to make sure they visit all the schools that have applied for accreditation adding that they have one month to submit their report.
The committee chairman Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, thanked Governor Wike for his determination to improve the quality of schools in the state through the right accreditation scheme.
Also last week, Governor Wike commenced payment of pensioners under the contributory pension scheme in fulfillment of the promise he made after signing into law, the Rivers State Pension Reform Law N0 4 of 2019.
Head of Service of Rivers State, Barrister Rufus Godwins who disclosed this to newsmen, said about 800 pensioners who have completed their biometrics have been paid.
According to him, further biometric capture of other pensioners under the contributory pensions scheme has been scheduled by the state government in line with Governor Wike’s directive.
The Head of Service who expressed the strong commitment of the Wike-led administration towards ensuring that civil servants and pensioners are catered for, explained that the present administration had to follow due process to amend the law and create the platform for payment of those under the contributory pensions scheme.
Within the week under review, the State Chief Executive played host to the Senate Ad-Hoc committee on Kom-Kom Pipeline Explosion.
The committee was in Government House, Port Harcourt last Thursday and Governor Wike was represented at the event by his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo.
The governor expressed hope that the findings and recommendations of the committee would put an end to such tragedies in the country. He urged the committee to interact with stakeholders and engage authorities concerned to ensure that the damaged pipes were replaced and to also reach out to those who were affected by the explosion.
He commended the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and members of the committee for the visit and noted that the visit was a demonstration of concern for the people of the state.
In his remark, the leader of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, said that senate at its sitting on the 3rd of July 2019 considered a motion sponsored by Senator George Sekibo on Pipeline Explosion in Kom-Kom, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State which informed the setting up of the ad-hoc committee.
He said the committee had the mandate to condone the government and people of Rivers State and also to investigate the cause of the incident to avert future occurrence.
Another major event last week in Brick House was the official flag-off of the state government’s waiver of user free for person living with HIV/AIDS as promised by Governor Wike.
The event took place at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt last Thursday and Governor Wike was represented by his Deputy Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
He said that the state government has made significant progress in curbing the HIV epidemic in the state and expressed commitment towards meeting the health care needs of the people of the state.
Chris Oluoh
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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