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Omehia Advocates RSG, NIESV Synergy To Dev State
Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, has restated the willingness of the state government under the leadership of Chief Nyesom Wike to partner stakeholders in the development of the state.
Omehia made this known at the formal opening ceremony of the 52nd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
In his speech, the former governor said that the state was open to ideas and contributions by individuals and groups towards the improvement of Rivers State and its cities.
According to him, “The government of Rivers State is ready and willing to join hands with any institution, anybody in the development of the state”.
He went on to say that the development of the state and city is not in the hands of one person and that the outcome of the conference would be historical.
“It will go down in history that decisions, plans, ideas and efforts to elevate Nigerian cities to a higher level of cities like New York and other cities of the world are taken here in Rivers State by NIESV under the presidency of Emmanuel Wike”, he said.
He further challenged the institution to play active role in the development of the state.
“Your role is enormous and it is needed in the development of the state. As a body, you can go beyond the task given to individual members to correct the ills in the development efforts in the state. The body has the right to either advise government or take legal action against persons defacing the city or building on waterways”.
Also speaking earlier, the outgoing president of the body, Emmanuel Wike, expressed delight over the fact that the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in about 53 years of its existence has promoted the general interests of the profession, while maintaining and extending its usefulness for the public good by advising members of the public, government departments, statutory bodies, local governments, associations, institutions and such like bodies on all matters coming within the scope of the profession, whilst also initiating and supporting any legislation relevant to the objects of the institution.
He added, “We have also made valuable contributions to the development of the nation in the areas of Policy Formulation, Land Administration, Asset Management and Administration, Housing and Project Development. We have positively impacted the Nigerian landscape with several achievements and contributions, so numerous to mention here.
“We are gathered here for the very important purposes of promotion and sharing of knowledge, acquisition of competencies, expansion and deepening of professional development. Conferences provide opportunities for these. Let us, therefore, make a good use of this great opportunity to learn, acquire and share with one another new ideas and new techniques of practice, especially in this fast changing world”, he told members.
“The depth of knowledge, competencies and exposure of the resource persons who have been invited to share ideas with us in this epoch gathering tells me loud and clear that we are in for exciting moments. I sincerely appreciate your presence here. I enjoin my noble colleagues who registered for the conference to attend the plenary and all the other sessions, physically or virtually as the case may be. It’s going to be highly impacting and enriching. Ensure that you learn, unlearn and relearn many things at this conference”, he added.
The conference, with the theme, “Cities of the Future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability”, which began last Monday, ended on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the newly elected president of the institution (NIESV), Johnbull Amayaevbo, said that his tenure would be predicated on four-point agenda of rebranding, research and development, capacity building and welfare of members.
He stated this Port Harcourt shortly after being inaugurated as the 25th president of the NIESV alongside other executive committee members.
Amayaevbo promised to take the Institution to a different level, anchored on the rule of law and order, while insisting that discipline would be the watchword.
According to him, “We will run our tenure based on law and order, with strict compliance to discipline. If you cannot substantiate any fact, there will be consequences for it.”
He revealed plans to roll out programmes and policies that would advance the cause of the institution in diverse ways, whilst soliciting the support of all to succeed.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
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.
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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.