News
RSG Warns Chiefs, CDCs Against Harassing Contractors, Disrupting Projects
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has threatened to depose any monarch and Community Development Committee (CDC) leaders that attempt to extort money from companies handling government infrastructural projects.
He issued the stern warning, last Wednesday, at the flag-off of the construction of the Rumuepirikom Flyover in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The governor stated that any monarch from Rumuepirikom and other communities in the state who summons contractors handling government projects to his palace for the purpose of demanding for inducement would be deposed.
He also warned youths in the state to resist the temptation of disrupting government projects in their communities.
According to him, the era when government winked at such act is over.
The governor has meanwhile advised Julius Berger and other companies handling construction work to ensure implementation of the local content component of the project.
The governor noted that Rumuepirikom was less known for criminal activities because the leadership of the community has sufficiently enforced good conduct among the residents.
“Now, I’ll not be a governor that will go and meet somebody in 2023 when I leave to complete my village road, no, I won’t do that. Every road in my community, I must do it now. I am not forgetting any road. Julius Berger must go back and complete all the internal roads in Rumuepirikom. You must also put street lights.”
“So, when you are coming to us to campaign, don’t come and tell us that you’ll do roads for us. You have not one to do. Don’t come and lure us with roads because I am doing every road now.
“Some people say why are you doing flyover here, why won’t I do flyover? Anybody who uses this road would know how congested this place is. If you’re going to airport you’ll follow here; whether it is Ignatius Ajuru University or the Rivers State University you must pass here. So, how can anybody who loves Rivers State say the flyover here is needless.”
Speaking further, Wike hinted that he will move the Slaughter Market to the waterfront of Rumueme.
He also announced that appointment into boards of government parastatal will be after the ongoing project flag-off and inauguration.
According to him, women will be favoured with such appointment, particularly in Rumuepirikom.
The governor declared that, when it comes to winning elections, no electoral ward in the state can match the voting strength of Ward 9 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Wike, therefore, urged those nursing the ambition to run for governorship of Rivers State to learn how to curry the favour of voters in Ward 9 of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to benefit from its strategic electoral role.
“For all of you that are queuing up, saying that you want to be governor, hold on, Let me finish: let my community finish its turn. Allow us to enjoy the spoil of office while we are still in office. Thereafter, you can set your own agenda when you come into office.”
Performing the flag-off, former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C. J. Okocha (SAN) described the Rumuepirikom Flyover as a very important project that will offer utility service beyond the improved aesthetics and ease of movement it affords.
“This flyover traverses what I should say the third most important entry point into the city of Port Harcourt. Before we used to have the Ikwerre Road and Aba Road, now, we have this Ada George Road which takes you into the city.
“This is a landmark project, it is the 9th Flyover project conceived by the governor. The last one, I’m told will be at the Rumuokwurushi-Igwuruta Road/East-West Road Junction. All of us are proud and we commend you for your remarkable and landmark achievements as our governor.
“Development experts and road policy analysts would tell you that flyovers and good roads help to improve not only the aesthetics of the city but also improve the easy movement of goods and persons.”
Providing the description of the flyover, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi said “the Rumuepirikom Flyover will be 820m long with a 293m suspended section, an approximately 30m wide carriage way and a total cross section of 44m.
“In plain terms, it will have 8 lanes like all our other flyovers; 4 lanes above ground measuring 14.6m wide and 4 service lanes of same dimensions with 2 meters added for lay-bys It will be well lit. This project will be commissioned within the next 12 months.
“It will solve traffic challenges; drastically shorten travel time to and from the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.