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RSG, UBEC Procure Vehicles, Motorcycles To Boost Education

As part of concerted efforts to ensure qualitative education system in the state, the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Rivers State Government have procured vehicles, motorcycles, ICT equipment to boast basic education in the state.
The UBEC procured 17 motorcycles and one Toyota Hummer bus, while the state government bought two Hilux pick up vans to compliment the efforts of the Federal Government.
Our correspondent reports that the flag-off of the equipment at the River State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB) headquarters in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, was to herald the full implementation of quality assurance policies and programmes to advance the development of basic education as well as ensure daily supervision and monitoring of schools in the state.
Speaking at the commissioning of the equipment at RSUBEB Office, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Abuja, Dr Hamad Boboyi, said the equipment were procured from the 2 per cent portion of UBEC Consolidated Funds as approved for the state Universal Basic Education Board to boost its quality assurance programme in line with the UBEC policies.
Represented on the occasion by the state UBEB Coordinator, Mr Isaac Ichenwo, said the items commissioned would help the board monitor schools in the rural areas, especially those in the coastal areas.
He commended the efforts of teachers in the state for their dexterity in the discharge of their duties, adding that the SUBEB was the first among other states in the country to adopt the quality assurance policy of the commission.
“Our teachers are doing well here, especially in the quality assurance area as schools in the state can be accessed from anywhere.
“The girl and boy child at the rural areas need to be accessed, while our teachers must be supervised to see how they are doing their duties in order to justify their salary”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Ven Fyneface Ndubuisi Akah, commended the Federal Government and state government for the value attached to the monitoring and evaluation policy of the board through the release of funds for the procurement of the various equipment.
Akah noted that the world over, quality assurance has become the key for the development of education, adding that everybody must cue into the concept in order to know how to do things differently.
He expressed happiness with the Federal Government support through the UBEC and that of the state government in complimenting the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring that the quality assurance programme of the board works effectively.
“The essence of quality assurance is for us to show our quality content. So, we need men and women who will devote their time for this great task. So, staff of Quality Assurance Department and those for monitoring and supervision of our schools must rise up to this task”, he stated.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the RSUBEB Director in charge of Quality Assurance, Mr Ibama Owukio, had said the quality assurance policy has ensured the sustained inspection and supervision of schools, adding that quality assurance unearths the strength and weakness of schools.
He averred that quality assurance was the heartbeat of the policy, adding that whatever provision made must be thoroughly monitored to yield the expected results.
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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