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Rivers NCSU Tasks New National Officers On Performance …As President Extends Olive Branch To Aggrieved Members
The Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Rivers State Council, has expressed delight over the emergence of new national officers to pilot the affairs of the union in the next four years, with a charge to them to surpass the achievements of the immediate outgone leadership of the union under the watch of Chief (Comrade) Lawrence Uchechukwu Amaechi.
This is even as the new National President of the union, Comrade Oluwole Adeleye Sunday has extended the olive branch to some aggrieved members of the union as a way of fostering peace, unity, oneness and harmony within the union.
The Rivers State Chairman of the union, Comrade Chukwuka Osumah, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt said the 12th delegates conference of the union last Tuesday in Abuja, which threw up the national officers was a consensus exercise, and thanked God for enabling the union to successfully hold the conference inspite of some initial challenges.
While expressing confidence in the capacity of the new elected national officers to effectively discharge their duties, Osumah enjoined them to surpass the achievements of their immediate predecessors, stressing that the union does not expect less from them.
According to him, all the NAC members are well known to him as he could also vouch for their capabilities.
The union leader, however, asserted that the Comrade Amaechi-led National Administrative Council left worthy legacies which the present NAC members need to emulate and even surpass.
He went ahead and cited as an example a massive estate constructed for members of the union by the former leadership, and called on the present NAC to emulate the footsteps of the remarkable performance and achievements of its predecessor.
Osumah further expressed gladness that a son of Rivers State in the person of Comrade Peaceman Horsfall was elected as the National Auditor of the union, describing his choice as a great privilege bearing in mind that not all the 36 States in the country were lucky to be so elected to be part of the present NAC, and expressed optimism that the National Auditor was going to make Rivers people proud.
The NCSU Chairman extolled the sterling leadership qualities of the immediate past National President of the union, Comrade Lawrence Uchechukwu Amaechi, describing him as a true father indeed, who has listening ears.
He further indicated that it is rare to see a leader like the former National President, whom he said carried all the union members along, and equally took phone calls of everyone even at the risk of his own comfort.
Osumah also enjoined other states in the country to emulate the good example of the Ondo State Government, which he said sees industrial unions and workers as partners in progress rather than members of opposition political parties.
According to him, the Ondo State Government had expressed its readiness to host the NCSU’s delegates conference and equally foot the bills.
On his part, Rivers State Secretary of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuma Ofoegbu paid glowing tributes to the Comrade Amaechi-led NAC, and congratulated the new national officers on their successful election.
Ofoegbu expressed happiness that the union was able to successfully organise the conference which threw up the officers, and charged them to always toe the path of peace and harmony as well as carry all members along in the scheme of things, in order to truly make the union strong and formidable.
He particularly commended the National President Emeritus for his exemplary leadership qualities, which ensured that the union was able to achieve set goals during his administration.
In his acceptance speech, the new National President of the union, Comrade Oluwole Adeleye Sunday commended the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba for his solidarity and fence-mending efforts towards the union, describing the beginning of the struggles which finally culminated in his emergence as a long walk to victory, contending that “ God was and is still the bedrock of the collective struggle and our collective emergence.”
The National President, while extending the olive branch to all aggrieved and dischanted members of the union, pleaded with them to come back home for an amicable resolution of issues as a one big family, and assured that the present NAC would via legitimate means pursue peace by bringing everybody on board in a way that would not jeopardise the administration’s collective vision and mission for the union.
He also promised that his administration would ensure that the rights and privileges of members are restored in the interest of peace and oneness, contending, however, that the union today needs urgent and immediate measures to bounce back and take its place of pride in the comity of unions, assuring that the new leadership would run an open door administration as well as welcome constructive criticisms and vibrant engagements from altruistic and sincere members.
Among other officers elected at the conference included Comrade Okechukwu Egwumba, National Deputy President; Comrade Jibrin K. Bancir, Deputy National President, Comrade Ibrahim A. Bomoi, General Secretary; Comrade Jerome A. Ilokwu, National Vice President (South-East); Comrade Alice Odjeri, National Vice President (South-South); and Comrade Peaceman Horsfall, National Auditor.
Others are Comrade Kabiru Kwaru, National Auditor; and Comrade Lydia O. Agaji, Chairperson, Women Commssion; among others.
Top dignitaries who graced the occasion included the President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba; Representative of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi; and the Registrar of Trade Union, among others.
By: Donatus Ebi
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.11per cent in the first quarter of 2022.
The NBS made this known via its Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report Q1 2022 released, last Monday.
According to the report, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.11per cent year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter of 2022.
The NBS noted that the development showed a sustained positive growth for six consecutive quarters since the recession witnessed in 2020 when negative growth rates were recorded in quarter two and three of 2020.
It added that the first quarter 2022 growth rate further represents an improvement in economic performance.
The NBS stated: “The observed trend since Q4 of 2020 is an indication of a gradual economic stability.
“The Q1 of 2022 growth rate was higher than the 0.51per cent growth rate recorded in Q1 of 2021 by 2.60per cent points and lower than 3.98per cent recorded in Q4 of 2021 by 0.88per cent points.
“Nevertheless, quarter-on-quarter, real GDP grew at -14.66per cent in Q1 of 2022, compared to Q4 of 2021, reflecting a lower economic activity than the preceding quarter.
“In the period under review, aggregate GDP stood at about N45.317million in nominal terms.
“This performance is higher when compared to the first quarter of 2021 which recorded aggregate GDP of about N40.014million, indicating a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 13.25per cent.
“The nominal GDP growth rate in Q1 2022 was higher relative to the 12.25per cent growth recorded in Q1 2021, and higher compared to the 13.11per cent growth recorded in the preceding quarter,” the report read.
The Rivers State Government has launched the state COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (RIV-CARES) Programme.
The state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike performed the launching at the NBA Secretariat in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor said the programme was to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poor and vulnerable households and support micro and small-scale enterprises as a means of stimulating economic growth post-COVID.
According to the State Chief Executive, “the state government had signed in for the programme, made provisions in the 2022 Budget for Result Areas and signed Funds Release Policy, which is an assurance to the World Bank that funds shall be released for the implementation of the programme”.
Wike said the launching of the RIV-CARES Programme would create awareness for the people of the state and engender expression of interest by beneficiary households, communities and operators of micro and small businesses (SMEs).
The governor, who encouraged the Rivers people to take advantage of the opportunities provided by RIV-CARES to enhance their means of livelihood and reduce the spate of poverty in the communities, commended the World Bank and the Federal CARES for their support to the state.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Titilola Kuna Cline, said in a bid to check the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods, food security and micro and small businesses, the World Bank in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the state governments, introduced the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme.
She said the state scaled through rigorous preparatory stages and qualified to participate in the programme whose objective was “to expand access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms”.
According to her, the stages include, signing of subsidiary loan agreement and fund release policy by the government.
Others include the establishment of the RIV-CARES Steering Committee, establishment of State- CARES Coordination Unit domiciled in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and preparation of work plan.
“The NG-CARES, after domestication of programme implementation manual now known as RIV-CARES programme has the State Coordination Unit (SCU) saddled with coordinating implementation of RIV-CARES programme in the state and reporting to Federal-CARES supporting unit and the World Bank in Abuja.
“It is also a bridge between the delivery platforms and the State-CARES Steering Committee and for delivery platform under three Results Areas (RA1-3).
Cline listed the three areas to include cash transfer unit, labour intensive public works and community-driven development social (CDD-S) Plus.
The rest are, FADAMA and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Also speaking, the representative of the World Bank, Mr. Aso Vakporaye, said the programme must succeed in order to kick out poverty from the state in view of the fact that failure to kick out poverty would make life difficult for the entire citizenry.
He, therefore, thanked the governor for making it possible for Rivers State to participate in the programme.
Similarly, the World Bank and the Federal Government have rated Rivers State high in the implementation of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus scheme by the state government.
Representative of the World Bank Task Team Leader, Mr.Aso Vakporaye said this, yesterday, in Port Harcourt at the official flag offand implementation of the Rivers State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (RIV-CARES) Programme in the state.
Vakporaye, who is also the chairman of the Federal Government’sFederal-CARES Technician Committee,confirmed that Rivers State has met the requirements for the implementation of the programme.
He said alot still remains to be done,adding that the state needs to release more money for the implementation of the programme.
Also speaking, theTechnical Head of State CARESCoordinating Unitand Secretary,RIV-CARESSteering Committee,Mrs Imaonyeni Ephraim, said the programme would improve the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable people in the state.
She said the programme, which runs for two years,was open to many beneficiaries.
The flag off was performed by the state Deputy Governor,Dr.Ipalibo Harry Banigo, onbehalf of Governor Nyesom Wike.
By: John Bibor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State, last Monday, held its primary election to elect candidates who will fly its flags for the Senatorial election in 2023.
The election, which took place at the three senatorial headquarters of the state, saw the emergence of the state Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, as the candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District, Chief Allwell Onyesoh won the primaries for Rivers East Senatorial District while Senator Barinaada Mpigi secured a return ticket to represent Rivers South East Senatorial District.
Speaking before the deployment of electoral officers and materials for the election, the state PDP Chairman, Amb Desmond Akawor, welcomed members of the electoral committee from the PDP National Headquarters, and briefed them on the successes so far recorded in the state House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries.
Akawor said though some form of consensus had been reached concerning the senatorial aspirants, the party would still observe due diligence by ensuring that proper primary election was conducted at the three senatorial district headquarters, urging the electoral officers to be discrete in handling their assignment.
Chairman of the PDP Electoral Committee for the Senatorial Primary, Hon Donatus Etim, commended Governor Nyesom Wike for the enormous work done in strengthening the electoral process in the state, thereby making it possible for successful primaries to be held in the state.
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