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RSG Awards N27.6bn Trans-Kalabari, Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Roads’ Contracts

The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the construction of the Trans-Kalabari and Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono road projects at the cost of N27.6billion.
These two major road projects are expected to be completed within the next fourteen months.
Briefing journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike, last Wednesday, the Commissioner of Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, said the Trans-Kalabari Road will be 13.599 kilometers long and will be executed by Lubrik Construction Company.
He explained that the road will connect several communities amongst them Krakrama, Omekwe-Ama, Angula-Ama, Mina-Ama and some other communities in the Kalabari area of the state.
“The project will cost N13.6billion and will have 14 months duration, financed by irrevocable standing payment order drawn against the State Internal Revenue, meaning that every month the contractor will be paid N1billon and there will be no delays.
“This will guarantee the project is not stalled and completed within the time frame stipulated and agreed with the state government. This I believe will be useful to the people in the area and ease their transport.”
Tasie-Amadi also disclosed that the council approved the construction of the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Phase 2 Road project which starts from Bori to Kono.
“It is a 17 kilometer road and the cost of the project is N14billion. Construction time is 14 months. Payment will also be secured by an irrevocable payment standing order of N1billion monthly drawn against the State Internal Revenue.”
The commissioner said the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono contract will be executed by the same the company that executed the Phase 1 of the roa , Chinese Civil and Engineering Construction Corporation.
He stated that the reason why the cost of the Trans-Kalabari road which is 13 kilometers long and 9.3 meters wide is almost the same as that of Bori- Kono 17.1 kilometers and 24 meters wide road with street light, is because the terrains are different.
“You see the cost of building in the riverine area is nothing less than twice the cost of building on solid soil. So, the government is going through huge trouble to see that these roads are built. People will wonder why the cost are like that, the terrain determines the cost. So, it (Trans-Kalabari road) is far more expensive to build.”
The Commissioner of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim said the award of the Trans-Kalabari road by the Wike’s administration is historic.
He explained previous government had awarded the Trans-Kalabari road to indigenes of the area who later abandoned the project for inexplicable reasons.
Nsirim said the Wike’s administration is not only desirous that the project kicks off, but that it is completed as scheduled.
“With the kind of payment plan, this project will not be abandoned, but completed.”
Nsirim said these two major roads which are located outside the city centre is a further testimony that Wike has remained steadfast in spreading development to every nooks and crannies of the state.
The two major road projects are expected to be completed within the next fourteen months.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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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.