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N96bn Fraud: Wike, Rivers Leaders Set To Meet, Decide Amaechi, Cole, Others’ Fate

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Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has said that leaders of the state would meet to decide on whether to commence criminal prosecution of the former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, over the alleged fraudulent sales of some valued state assets and diversion of state funds.
The governor said those whose fate would also be decided during the meeting, would include, Tonye Cole, Sahara Energy Ltd, and former Rivers State Commissioner for Transport, George Tolofari.
Wike, who gave this indication during a media parley attended by Rivers elders in Abuja, last Friday, said the Supreme Court judgement that dismissed Amaechi’s appeal to frustrate investigation into activities of his administration, has vindicated the Rivers State Government.
He explained that on his assumption of office in 2015, the state government set up judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the activities of the former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.
The judicial panel was mandated to investigate the sale of the 150MW gas turbine in Omoku; 360MW Afam gas turbine; 136MW Trans-Amadi gas turbine; and 75MW gas turbine in Eleme; Monorail Project; the sale of Olympia Hotel; and non-execution of the contract for the construction of Justice Karibi-Whyte Hospital after the Amaechi administration paid $39.2million to the contractor.
Wike said the judicial panel at the end of its investigation submitted its report and recommendations to the state government.
According to him, this necessitated the state government to come up with a White Paper Report.
“So many people were indicted by that report, and so, we didn’t go to court to file charges against those that were indicted because some people went to court, particularly, the former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. And as those who obey the rule of law and have respect for the court, we said we will not take any step further until the court decides.
“At the State High Court, the Rivers State Government won. The former governor went to the Court of Appeal, the Rivers State Government won. And then, he appealed to the Supreme Court to set aside the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and the White Paper of the government.
“To the glory of God, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed his appeal against the judicial panel of inquiry report and the government White Paper Report.”
Wike said the state government has been vindicated by the Supreme Court judgement because those indicted by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry were given the opportunity to defend themselves, but some of them chose not to appear before the panel.
“If you see that report, as a Rivers man, you will cry. Nobody who loves Rivers State will see that report and will not cry. Now that the Supreme Court has come up with their judgement, the leaders of the state will decide what next step to take. It is not for only me. Yes, I am a governor, I can’t do it alone. If the leaders of the state say we must prosecute them, I have no choice.”
He further added: “The money that was collected by Sahara Energy Ltd and Tonye Cole, it is for the leaders of the state to say:‘should we go ahead and file charges against Rotimi Amaechi and his cohorts, or should we allow it to be. It is for the state elders’. The state elders will meet and agree on what next to do. But the point is, let the world know that nobody who will see that report and not be angry.”
The Rivers State governor narrated how the sum of $50million was diverted from the state account and paid to Sahara Energy Ltd for inexplicable reason.
According to him, there was no evidence of any transaction indicating that the state was indebted to the company.
“What did Sahara Energy do for us? What is the transaction that we paid $50million for? You said Sahara Energy bought our gas turbines, if they bought our gas turbines, why are we paying them $50million? Did we borrow money from them? Where is the agreement to show we borrowed money from them? Nothing!
“People will come out and begin to sing ‘we are innocent’. I thank God we have been vindicated. We did the right thing. It is for Rivers people to decide the next line of action. If they decide today that they will file criminal charges, I have no choice than to direct the Ministry of Justice to file charges against Rotimi Amaechi, Sahara Energy, and Tonye Cole.”
The governor said due to the corruption allegation levelled against Amaechi, he was not supposed to be cleared by the Senate to become a minister, but the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government prevailed on the lawmakers to gloss over the matter.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Awaji Ibani, said the apex court’s judgement was a victory for the government and people of Rivers State.
He charged those saddled with the responsibility to superintend over public funds to always bear in mind that the funds belong to the people.
Similarly, the former president, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C. J. Okocha (SAN), commended the governor for always defending the interest of the state.
He said leaders of the state would make a decision and give honest advise to the governor on the way forward.

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Group Doles out N13m To Market Women In Isiama 

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The peaceful Town of Isiama in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State was at the weekend agog with activities following the donation of over N13million to market women by Engr. Justus Ngerebara in partnership with Fast Track Development Initiatives, a non-governmental organization, as part of its first phase empowerment programme.
According to Justus Ngerebara, who is also the Executive Director of the organization, the women, numbering 108, will receive various sums based on their business proposal.
He stated that the organization will carry out an annual review of the performances of the beneficiaries, with a view to rewarding those who put the money into good use.
According to him, the initiative was a collaborative effort between himself and his wife, Dr. Unyime Ngerebara, in partnership with Fast Track Development Initiative (FDI), an organization committed to youth capacity building and community development.
He said the family believe deeply in the transformative power of women’s empowerment as a catalyst for economic growth, especially in rural communities.
“As the saying goes, when you empower a woman, you empower a community. This truth resonate strongly with us, knowing that empowered women uplift households and inspire generational change”, he stated.
Ngerebara described the programme as the beginning of more things to come and urged the beneficiaries to view the gesture “as a reflection of our deep love for the community and our commitment to easing the burdens of economic hardship.
“We encourage you to invest wisely, channel these resources into your business not frivolities.
“We will continue to follow up with each participant to monitor progress and Offer guidance.
“It is our goal to see thriving business, creative solutions to households hunger and a ripple effect of prosperity through Isiama.
“We also call on the men to stand beside their spouses, offering support and encouragement to ensure these resources are maximized for growth”, he said.
In an interview, Ngerebara said the second phase of the empowerment programme will start very soon, stressing that since inception the organization has done so much for the community.
He listed some of the programmes carried out by the group in the community to include the installation of solar powered lights, and solar powered water.
While declaring the event open, a former coymmissioner for Works in Rivers State, Engr. Sampson Ngerebara, described the event as the first of its kind in the community.
Engr. Ngerebara said the programme will go a long way to improve the conditions of not only the beneficiaries, but also the entire Isiama Community.
He also charged them against wasting the resources on frivolities, adding that their success will attract more of such empowerment programme to Isiama community
Giving a brief talk on women empowerment, a lecturer at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr. Awajimogobo Felix MacLean, warned the beneficiaries to justify the effort of the donor by avoiding wastages.
Dr. MacLean also urged them to be consistent in their line of business as well as avoid unnecessary competition.
She also stressed the need for them to network among themselves, while working out ways of helping the community to develop.
Guest of Honour at the occasion, Professor Uriah Oboada Alafonye, said Engr Justus Ngerebara, the initiator of the programme, has set a standard for present and future generations of leaders both in the community and the rest of Andoni to follow.
Prof Alafonye who is of the department of Arts Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, also appealed to the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity provided by the programme to reduce poverty in the community.
Speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Hebron Mercy Fyneface, a crayfish seller and an interior designer, said it was the first time she was receiving such gesture from any organization or government.
She thanked Engr Justus Ngerebara for remembering the women of Isiama and urged others to emulate him.
By: John Bibor
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Fubara’s Return Excites NCSU … As Hope Rises For Civil Servants 

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The umbrella body of civil servants in Rivers State, the Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has expressed delight over the lifting of emergency rule in the State and the return to office of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Nma Odu and members of the State House of Assembly, saying, the development portends good omen for workers, the people and the State.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who gave the indication in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the return of the Governor to office portends good omen and better days for civil servants in particular, stressing that the union heartily welcomes the Governor back to office, to resume his good works in the State, after six months of the emergency rule, as well as his deputy and members of the House of Assembly.
He noted that civil servants in the State are not only elated over the development but are also full of hope that the Governor would start from where he stopped in attending to their welfare needs.
He contended that the political crisis that recently engulfed the State and the six-month emergency rule had for over one year pulled the State backwards, but expressed delight that a permanent solution has been found to stem further political upheavals in the State, and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making this possible; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and leader of the State, Chief Nyesom Wike; Governor Fubara; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule; members of the House; and other stakeholders for agreeing to amicably resolve all contending issues.
The labour leader said this is the right time for all political gladiators in the State to bury the hatchet, work together and embrace peace and genuine reconciliation in the overall interest of the State.
He described as too hasty the resolution of the House, mandating the Governor to present a supplementary budget to it, and pleaded with members of the House to be calm, to tread with caution, and harmoniously work with the Governor.
He said the return of democratic governance in the State would fast-track progress and development in the State, and enjoined the people of the State, particularly civil servants to continue to give their support and cooperation to the Fubara administration.
Osumah expressed optimism that Governor Fubara would give prompt attention to challenges facing civil servants in the State, being a former civil servant himself, stressing that the workers truly have hope, now that the Governor has returned to office, and knowing the kind of Governor he is.
According to him, he is going to look into the controversial and contentious contributory pension scheme; rehabilitation of the State Secretariat Complex; recruitment into the state civil service; extension of service and retirement years for civil servants; provision of vehicles to industrial unions; as well as provision of befitting staff quarters for civil servants; among others.
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NDDC Organizes ADR Capacity Building for Staff

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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has organized a one-day sensitization program for its personnel on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approaches to promote workplace compliance on transparency and due process.
The workshop, themed “Promoting Transparency and Due Process in the Workplace using ADR Approaches in Building a Culture of Accountability and Integrity,” aimed to equip staff with the skills to resolve disputes effectively.
Declaring the event open on thursday in port Harcourt,The NDDC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, emphasized the importance of using ADR mechanisms to resolve conflicts in the workplace.
Dr. Ogbuku  represented by his chief of staff,Rev Omeya Oworibo,noted that ADR approaches can encourage a culture of honesty, fairness, transparency, trust, and reduce conflicts among staff, ultimately promoting efficiency and productivity.
He averred that those disputes and quarrels if not proper resolved can derail the vision and objectives of the commission to the people, noting that the commission must as a team and unity as service provider in order to render a profitable service delivery to the people.
 “ADR approach will encourage culture of honesty,fairness, transparency ,trust  and reduce back bitting and the workforce, noting that such tendency would in turns promote efficiency and increase results in workplace.
 when integrity and honesty becomes the operandi of an organisation and employees begins to trust that their matters will be handled with fairness it will breed team work and increase in productivity.”he stated
He commended the department of DCR for organising the workshop and urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity and imbibe the culture of tolerance, integrity and teamwork in workplace.
Also speaking,the NDDC acting director of DCR ,Mr Godwin Ayewumi Ogedegbe noted that the theme of the captures the core of what the commission seeks to achieve a workplace where every action is expected to be guided by openness, fairness, and a steadfastness commitment to due process, where conflicts are not merely resolved, but prevented through structured,principled processes , and where accountability and integrity are not aspirational ideals but every day practice.
In his  keynote presentation on the theme “workplace Ethics and alternative Dispute Resolution Correlation,
Prof. Sylvester Odion Akhaine of the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, delivered a keynote presentation on “Workplace Ethics and Alternative Dispute Resolution Correlation.” He stressed the importance of due process, transparency, integrity, and accountability in the workplace, noting that these values are essential for productivity and organizational goals.
The workshop aimed to promote a culture of accountability and integrity in the NDDC workplace. By equipping staff with ADR skills and promoting transparency and due process, the commission can build a more efficient and productive work environment.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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