Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force to be professional in the discharge of their duties to ensure a safe and secured nation.
Wike stated this at the Groundbreaking/Foundation Laying Ceremony of Skills Acquisition Centre by the President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Hajia Hajara Usman Baba at the Igwuruta Divisional Police Headquarters in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, last Friday.
This is as the Rivers State governor, has called on Christians and church leaders to continue in their prayers for the peace, development, and growth of the state.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, observed that, Nigeria needs men and women of the police and military to display professionalism in the discharge of their duties without regard to politics, ethnicity or creed.
Speaking to the President of POWA, who is also wife of the Inspector General of Police, the governor said, “We thank your husband, the Inspector General of Police through you, so far he has tried to be professional in the discharge of his duties. That is what Nigeria needs.
“I urge you to tell him to continue to strive to do so because it is the right way to go. He should remain steadfast and discharge his duties as a professional police officer. You can see that because he is doing his work professionally, it is robbing off on our police officers in the state.
“Our Commissioner of Police is performing very professionally, and you can see the result in the security of Rivers State. At least, every resident of the state can attest to the good security in the state. Rivers State is one of the most secured states in the country today. That is because the officers headed by the CP are doing their work professionally and cooperating with the governor and the state government to ensure safety of all, round the clock.
“I am very impressed with what you are doing here today, particularly that, you are matching your words with actions. We assure you that Rivers State Government will always support you to ensure that these laudable footprints come to fruition.
“We commend all officers through the CP and of cause all wives of our officers. Am sure if you are not giving your husbands the comfort and support they need, they would not be able to do what they are doing. Nowhere in the world is policing an easy job. When the entire family are supportive of the efforts of the officers, you begin to see the result.
“We thank you dear President of POWA, you have a heart of gold to ensure the wives and children of the officers of the Nigerian Police are catered for.
“They say don’t just give a man a fish, but teach him how to fish. This skill acquisition centre is to teach them how to fish. It is very important that the wives and children take education and skill acquisition very seriously. In the advent of emergencies, they should be able to stand and take care of those left in the family.
“The government of Rivers State has always taken steps to ensure that officers and men of the police force and other security agencies who have any problem in the cause of their service are attended to. The government does so to ensure those securing the state do so with confidence knowing that Rivers State Government will always have their back.
“Thank you for ensuring this effort truly manifests not only in the lives of dead officers but also those who are alive, including their wives and children,” he stressed.
In her remarks, the President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) and wife of the Inspector General of Police, Hajia Hajara Usman Baba thanked the governor for his continuous support to the officers and their wives in the state.
She noted that the skills acquisition centre was birthed to provide diverse skills for officers, their wives and children to be self-sufficient and proud members of society, and further encouraged wives of officers to continue being good and to keep the police barracks clean.
The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Mr. Friday Eboka said, when completed, the centre would be of immense benefit to all police officers, their wives and children.
The CP noted that he was not surprised that the welfare of officers, especially junior ones has improved with the IGP on board.
The wife of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Mrs. Chimelum Eboka noted that when wives and children of officers are trained and empowered, they would be able to assist their husbands and contribute meaningfully to the Police Force and Nigeria.
Similarly, Governor Nyesom Wike has called on Christians and church leaders to continue in their prayers for the peace, development, and growth of the state.
Speaking during the Silver Jubilee Anniversary/Thanksgiving of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu, Port Harcourt, last Saturday, Wike acknowledged that the successes of his administration were largely attributable to God and the prayers from Christians.
The governor, who was also represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, further urged Christians not to relent in their prayers, noting that more successes at the end of his administration were very crucial.
According to him: “I call on the clergy and all Christians to continue to support our administration and to pray for us always. Do not rest on your oars. As Ecclesiastes 7:8 says, the end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof. As we move towards 2023, the end of this tenure, your prayers should intensify. Pray that we will end even better.”
The governor thanked the Bishopric for enhancing the educational development of the state through the establishment of the Diocesan Educational Centre to train and retrain clerics and others.
“Every opportunity or position given to you can be a fruit to eat or seed to sow. Governor Wike has used the opportunity to rule the state as a seed. He has sown in the development of our state, the lives of the people and growth of Christendom in the state.
“I thank you for honouring him and admitting him into the Nehemiah Hall of Fame. It is the right thing to do. Even Jesus our Lord, showed us the importance of sowing or investing your seed properly in the Parable of the Talents,” he added.
The Guest Minister and Bishop, Diocese of Enugu North, Rt. Rev. Sosthenes Eze, while delivering his sermon anchored on Romans 1:8-17 and themed: “I Am A Debtor,” acknowledged that all Christians are debtors to God and their fellow human.
Taking the examples of Joseph and Daniel from the Holy Scriptures, he admonished Christians to develop Christlike-character to be responsible to people and the society.
He maintained that a man who recognises that he was a debtor, understands that the call of God on him was to serve, save and preserve the people.
Eze encouraged Christians to make peace with God, be anointed by the Holy Spirit, study the scriptures always and remain prayerful to grow spiritually.
He further admitted that Wike has carried out drastic infrastructural development as everyone who enters the state was aware of the visible good changes, just as he advised that the next phase of Rivers development should be in the area of industrialisation since the state now has a conducive environment.
The Lord Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Budu Ihunwo said the investiture of Governor Nyesom Wike into the Nehemiah Hall of Fame was in recognition of his infrastructural and economic reforms being put in place across the state.