News

Security, Key In Attracting FDIs, Buhari Insists

Published

5 years ago

June 11, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari says security is key in attracting foreign investment to the country and that his administration is committed to ensure that.
The President gave the assurance in an interview on the ARISE TV, monitored by The Tide in Port Harcourt, yesterday, in Lagos.
Buhari urged that the general public should ensure that infrastructures being put in place are protected and not destroyed.
“Security is paramount and very important as no one will invest in an unsecured environment.
“Nigeria is resourceful and God has endowed us but no one will bring investments into the country if it isn’t secured enough.
“I told the executive council, which comprised of members from every state of the federation, to go and speak with their governors and the people on how paramount security is to the development of the country,’’ Buhari said.
In scaling up the security architecture, the President said that he has ordered the country’s military and the Police to be ruthless with terrorists in the country and deal with them in the language they understood.
“You can’t kill innocent people and say God is great.”
Buhari said the order to the Military and the Police will yield the expected results in a “few weeks time”.
According to him, if the terrorists keep people away from their farms, the country may soon have food shortage and scarcity.
The President also noted that the Nigeria – Niger Republic railways would help in strengthening bilateral relations between both countries.
“We have so many neighbouring countries and we must also thrive in helping them.
“I had visited Niger, Chad and Cameroon so as to boost our relationship with them.
“If we were not in a good relationship with them, Boko Haram would have done worse.
“Our border between Niger and Nigeria is 1,500 kilometres, so we cannot isolate or cut them off.
“They have discovered oil in Niger Republic; so the railway is important in that regards because we don’t want them to go through Benin Republic while exporting; they should come through Nigeria.
“If we can make this work, it will help the country to compete with Benin Republic in terms of trade,” the President said.
He reiterated his commitment toward improving infrastructure in the country.
“From 1999 to 2014, our production of oil was 241 million barrels per day at a cost of $100 per barrel, but the state of infrastructure in the country is terrible.
“The roads are bad, power supply and railway are also bad.
“So, tell me, which country can develop without proper infrastructure and that is why we are committed toward improving that.
“We have built and are still building several railways across the nation to ease transportation burdens.
“We have also improved the power sector,’’ he said.
The president urged Nigerians to be fair while assessing his administration.
“In terms of the legacy I would leave behind, I would allow Nigerians to be the judge and hopefully, they would be fair to me,’’ he said.

News

HoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries

Published

18 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Head of Service (HoS) of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, has commended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, for approving befitting accommodation for Permanent Secretaries in the state.

This commendation was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

According to the Head of Service, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate uncommon commitment to the welfare of civil servants in Rivers State, stressing that such gestures underscore his people-oriented leadership style. She urged civil servants across the state to remain supportive of the governor’s administration in order to sustain good governance and effective public service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Brown congratulated Governor Fubara on the occasion of his 51st birthday, describing him as “a Governor who leads by serving.”

She further praised the governor’s service-driven and people-centred leadership approach, noting that it has significantly contributed to institutional stability and improved efficiency within the state’s public service. Special appreciation was expressed for the approval of a befitting accommodation complex for Permanent Secretaries, which she said reflects the governor’s commitment to staff welfare and enhanced productivity.

As part of activities to mark the governor’s birthday, the Body of Permanent Secretaries announced the sponsorship of 329 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for indigent students across the state.

A breakdown of the initiative shows that 319 forms will be distributed across the 319 political wards in Rivers State, while five forms are allocated to non-indigenes and five forms to persons living with disabilities.

Interested applicants are advised to contact the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, for further details.

The Body of Permanent Secretaries wished Governor Fubara continued good health, divine wisdom, and greater accomplishments in his service to the people of Rivers State.

By John Bibor

News

Allegation of Disrespect to President Tinubu Unfounded — Rivers Government

Published

19 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), purportedly authored by one Bestman Innocent Amadi, alleging that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, removed the official portrait of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government wishes to categorically state that there is no policy, directive, or intention on the part of the government or the Governor that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government.

On the contrary, the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, currently enjoys a robust, cordial, and collaborative relationship with the Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Renewed Hope Agenda—a partnership that is already yielding positive and tangible benefits for the people of Rivers State.

Consequently, the insinuation that the Governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” is misleading, irresponsible, inflammatory, and entirely unsupported by verifiable facts, and should therefore be disregarded by the public.

It is regrettable that a body expected to promote youth unity, peace, and responsible engagement would resort to incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated claims capable of overheating the polity at a time when Rivers State requires calm, dialogue, and mature leadership.

The Rivers State Government therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public, particularly its esteemed and hardworking youths, to disregard and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups bent on advancing divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Rivers State belongs to all of us. Political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, peace, and the collective pursuit of progress.

Members of the public are further urged to remain vigilant and avoid lending credence to inflammatory statements or the activities of fifth columnists pursuing dubious agendas aimed at sowing discord.

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News

Rivers Government Dismisses Allegations of Disrespect to President Tinubu

Published

19 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded and misleading allegations that Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara removed the official portrait of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House in Port Harcourt.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government reacted to claims credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), describing the allegation as false, irresponsible, and unsupported by any verifiable facts.

The government clarified that it has no policy, directive, or intention that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government. It emphasized that Governor Fubara maintains a cordial, respectful, and collaborative relationship with President Tinubu and the Federal Government.

According to the statement, the relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government has grown stronger under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with tangible benefits and positive impacts already being felt by residents of the state.

The Rivers State Government described insinuations that the governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” as deliberately provocative, noting that such claims are capable of misleading the public and unnecessarily heating up the polity.

It further expressed concern that an organization expected to promote youth unity and peace would engage in what it termed incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated accusations at a time when the state requires calm, dialogue, and responsible leadership.

The government called on well-meaning members of the public, especially the youths of Rivers State, to disregard the claims and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups spreading divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and progress, the state government stressed that political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, and the collective interest of the people.

Members of the public were also urged to remain vigilant and not give attention to inflammatory statements or individuals described as fifth columnists bent on causing division within the state.