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RSPAC Seeks Withdrawal Of Security Aides From Monarchs, LG Bosses
The Chairman of the Niger Delta Dialogue Policy Advocacy Committee in Rivers State, Rear Admiral Nicolas Bakoo says 80 per cent of traditional rulers and stakeholders that should be a point of call on security issues do not stay in their communities, and urged the commissioner of police to withdrawn security agents attached to such individuals.
He made the call when he led members of the committee to pay a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan at the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
He also emphasised that 80 per cent of local government chairmen do not reside in their localities but rather stay in Port Harcourt, adding that the officers have failed to provide security in their domains because they were hardly available to get needed information as the first point of contact in the local government areas.
He solicited that the commissioner of police withdrawn all security aides from those affected, and assign them to those who were ready to stay in their localities and take the issues of security seriously.
He explained that because such traditional rulers and LGA chairmen were hardly available in the localities, it was usually difficult for them to tame any ugly developments on time, thereby causing escalation of crisis and insecurity in the communities.
Bakoo also alleged that while the local vigilante group under the auspices of OSPAC was doing very well in checking criminalities and violence in the communities, most of them were involved in extra-judicial killings, which he pleaded, should be quickly checked to forestall breakdown of law and order at the grassroots.
In his response, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, called on all stakeholders to be pivotal vessels of security in their various localities.
Mukan said the traditional rulers, local government chairmen and other stakeholders, as first point of call in the communities, should key into the community policing agenda in other to achieve conducive peaceful environment.
The CP said as part of security measures, the operation of all formations of OSPAC would be streamlined to prevent breakdown of law and other.
Highlight of the visit was the presentation of the report of the committee on security to the commissioner of police by the chairman of the group.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan says the constabulary who were undergoing training at the police camp in Nonwa community in Tai Local Government Area would be integrated into the communities after their training.
Mukan, who made this known in Port Harcourt, noted that as part of the strategy by the Inspector General of Police on community policing, the communities have nominated 16 persons each from the 23 local government areas to be trained in other to facilitate the smooth gathering of information and intelligence while ensuring the security of lives and properties.
He said all their operations would be in line with the police policy, and called on traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and stakeholders in the localities to key into the policy by supporting the constabulary that were undergoing training so as to curb insecurity in the state.
He assured that all information given to the police would be treated with confidentiality, although, he said, he was aware that a lot has negatively affected the ability of the public to give information to the police.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
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
News
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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