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RSG Won’t Allow Illegal Markets On East-West Road, Wike Vows

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The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has ordered the demolition of illegal sprawling market along the axis of Elele-Alimini and Ahoada towns on East-West Road in the state.
He has directed all engaged in illegal activities in the area to quit because every standing structure at the affected places would be demolished with effect from Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
Wike gave the warning during the flag-off of construction works at the Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University, and the dualization of Ahoada-Omoku Road in Ahoada Town, last Tuesday.
“Let me tell you, the state government has not authorised any market from that Ahoada Junction on East-West Road, keeping to your right and going back to Port Harcourt. Everything there are illegal structures.
“It doesn’t matter who own them. Whether you come from the South, East, West or North, if you have any of those illegal market structures, from that junction down to Elele-Alimini, I will bring all of them down.
“I did not authorise any market and nobody can build market on the road. Not even a local government can do that. So, all of you who have been going to them to collect tolls; be prepared. No market must be on the East-West Road.”
Wike also warned trespassers who have built private residences within the Western Ahaoda County High School, Ahoada, to await the demolition team from the state government on Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
“I have warned you severally and most of you think that nothing will happen. From next week’s Wednesday, anybody that has private residence built within the Western Ahoada County High School, I will bring it down. The land belongs to government and we will not pay any compensation.”
Speaking further, Wike described as shameful the news of some traditional rulers who sell employment chances meant for their subjects to satisfy their selfish interests.
“I cannot bring develop to this place and criminality will be on the increase. We want companies to come to Ahoada but how will you get employment without companies? Every day, you cry of unemployment when the few companies that have come, you’ll not allow them to stay. You and your traditional rulers will chase them away with your demands.
“You even sell chances of employing your own people. Woe betide that traditional ruler that I will catch one day, that is selling what belongs to (his) your people because you want to collect money, I will dethrone that traditional ruler that day.”
Wike also warned one ‘Comasi’, a notorious criminal terrorising entire Ahoada axis, to note that he cannot continue to kill people and go unpunished because time was up for him.
The former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, who performed the flag-off of the Ahoada-Omoku Road, described the event as historic, propelled by Governor Wike’s love for the Ekpeye people.
According to him, what matters in politics is the sense of value the people enjoy, and it is bad when it is about putting people down instead of lifting them up.
Similarly, while performing the flag-off of the Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University, former Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, commended Wike for using the multi-campus system to drive educational and community development that will also create access to education.
He urged the governor to transform the state university into an entrepreneurial institution where the products of teaching and researches will be developed to provide ready employments.
“I want to thank you for bringing a campus of the university to Ahaoda. Like I hinted, universities today have gone beyond teaching and research to entrepreneurship.
“The operators of universities today are able to transform the products of research into goods and services to contribute to development of start-up companies to employ more people to develop the economy. I will plead that for the remaining part of your tenure, try and transform the Rivers State University to an entrepreneurial university.”
Earlier, the state government and Julius Berger signed the contract for the dualization of the Ahoada-Omoku Road Phase 1 at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Wike noted that though the Ahoada-Omoku road ought to be a federal project, the state government cannot to sit and watch her citizens suffer.
According to him, work is progressing rapidly on the Egbema-Omoku section of the road.
In his remarks, Julius Berger Director of Finance, Martin Brack, thanked the Rivers State Government for awarding the job to the company, and promised it will be completed within 12 months.

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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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 

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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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