News
Kpakol Justifies Choice Of Wike To Lead Ogoni Dialogue With FG
Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol, has said that the choice of Governor Nyesom Wike, to lead a multi-consultative forum to discuss with the Federal Government on the possible resumption of crude oil exploration and production in OML 11, was in the best interest of Ogoni people.
Kpakol said that Ogoni stakeholders strategically chose the governor to lead them because he was one of the most recognised voices in Nigeria that cannot be ignored.
The commissioner stated this while appearing as a guest on Nigeria Info ‘Crossfire’ monitored by The Tide in Port Harcourt.
It would be recalled that Kpakol was one of the prominent Ogoni leaders who visited the governor, last week, at Government House, Port Harcourt, to brief him on the outcome of the meeting between Ogoni stakeholders and President MuhammaduBuhari in Abuja, last month.
He said the issue of resumption of crude oil production in Ogoniwas a very sensitive one, especially because the Ogoni struggle for justice and access to the proceeds from oil and gas from their land had claimed the lives of a generation of prominent Ogoni leaders like Ken Saro-Wiwa, Edward Kobani, Albert Badey and several others.
The commissioner said it was in recognition of the above salient fact, that Ogoni stakeholders comprising of all serving national and state legislators, four past vice chancellors of universities of Ogoni extraction, all four Ogoni council chairmen, and the presidents of MOSOP and KAGOTE, decided to get the state government involved in the multi-consultative process to avoid a possible breach of peace in Ogoni.
“These are all key stakeholders that can speak on behalf of the Ogoni, but they realised that they cannot do it alone. We must have to relate with the (state) government,” he said.
The commissioner described as heartrending attempts by some disgruntled persons to politicise the choice of the state governor to lead a delegation that would negotiate with the Federal Government on the issue of resumption of oil production in Ogoni.
According to him, the governor, who has always been a proponent of community participation in oil exploration activities, is more suitable to lead the process because he understands the ordeal the Ogonis have been through.
Kpakol said the Ogoniethnic nationality would not achieve much dealing alone with the Federal Government, hence, the decision to bring in the state government.
“I want us to differentiate between Governor NyesomWike as a person and as the governor of Rivers State. The governor of this state owes to us the duty of care, and we recognise that position. Governor NyesomWike is the governor of this state and he accounts for the security and peace of this state.”
He said the people of Ogoni desperately need a selfless and compassionate leader like Wike to serve as a catalyst to bring everybody together and speak with one voice.
Kpakol urged Ogoni people to be wary and resist those who were trying to bring political colouration to the genuine effort of stakeholders who nominated the state government to lead the negotiation process.
“When you talk about oil and Ogoniland, it is a very sensitive issue. So, we don’t jump into it or talk about it with any ethnic colouration or with any political bias,” he stated.
By: John Bibor
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
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
News
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.
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