News
Oyigbo Group Seeks Wike’s Intervention Over Demolished Market Shops
To avert social disorder and crisis in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Oyigbo Eke Market Traders’ Association (OEMTA) has passionately appealed to the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene in the lingering crisis between the association and the local government council authorities with a view to resolving the lingering impasse over allocation of shops at the rebuilt market complex in the area.
The group threatened that they were ready for a show down with the council authorities, if the Chairman of the council, Hon Okechukwu Akara, continues to ignore their appeals in the allocation of shops at the market.
Speaking to journalists at the International Human Rights Protection Initiative office in Port Harcourt, over the weekend, the Coordinator of the association, Comrade John Ihua, said the action of the Oyigbo council chairman was appalling and undemocratic, adding that the appeal to intervene in the matter became necessary following the inhuman was the council authorities were handling their grievances.
The human rights advocate said that over 200 members of the association have been subjected to untold hardship as a result of the inability of the council to honour an agreement it entered into with members of the association before the reconstruction of the market.
According to him,the Oyigbo Local Government Council, in 2012, under the administration of Chief Felix Nweke, entered an agreement with the Eke Market Traders’ Association, where a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was reached that each trader should pay the sum of N2,000 as commitment fee for the rebuilding of the market,adding that any member who paid the amount was meant to get back his or her shop upon completion of the market.
Ihua told newsmen that upon the completion of the first phase of the project,the council failed to allocate the shops to the original traders but promised that it would be compensated in the second phase.
“Now,the second phase is nearing completion at the reserved area in the market by the present administration led by Hon Okechukwu Akara. But rather than heeding to the pleas of the traders, he has started selling forms to new applicants, ignoring the original owners of the shops who hadcommitted their hard-earned money into the project for the past 13 years”, he stated.
The human rights advocate appealed to the state chief executive to order the Oyigbo council chairman to do the needful and honour the agreement entered into with the traders in other to avert looming crisis and civil unrest in the area.
In their various emotional speeches,Chairman of the Oyigbo Eke Traders’ Association, Mr Okorie Nwero, and a female trader, Mrs Janneth Nweze, said life has not been easy with them since they lost their shops.
They appealed to the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to come to their aid, and save them from the present sufferings and hardship,adding that their children have been prevented from going to school due to lack of money.
“We borrowed this money with interest, and the interest is still running.Some of our colleagues have passed on”, they lamented.
When contacted on phone,the Legal Adviser to Oyigbo Local Government Council,Barrister Stephen Nweke, urged the traders to be patient as the matter was before a competent court of jurisdiction,adding that the council would abide by the outcome of the court decision on the matter.
By: Akujobi Amadi
News
Mba Seeks Closer Synergy To Check Road Accidents
Worried over the high rate of accidents on Nigerian roads, resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands of people, the Governor of Enugu State, Barr Peter Mbah, has called for closer synergy and cooperation among security agencies to check the ugly trend and ensure safety on all the roads within the country.
Governor Mbah, made the call in an address at the Graduation Ceremony of Senior Course 2 of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Command and Staff College, Udi near Enugu.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Chief Aka Eze Aka, governor Mbah noted that closer security and intelligence sharing on incidents on roads within the country by various security formations and agencies both military and para-military would lead to greater security and safety of lives and property on roads.
He stated that the state government had keyed into the FRSC vision of reduction in road crashes and fatalities, adding that it had equipped the state traffic officers with the same set targets.
“As an administration, we are making all efforts to fix and improve on all roads and road infrastructure within the state; while we are calling on the Federal Government to do the same.
“Our partnership with the FRSC for training and retraining of our road traffic officers will continue and be strengthened so that as a state it will also build its own capacity to deal with road traffic issues and challenges,” he said.
Governor Mbah, however, congratulated the graduating participants of the course, while commending the FRSC management for being in the forefront of raising the standard and quality of its staff.
According to him, “my administration will continue to partner with the FRSC and strengthen existing engagements of mutual benefits”.
Earlier, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, said that the event was significant to the Corps as it marked its commitment to continuously improve its educational and operational standard and capacity.
Biu, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) Bisi Kazeem, who is in-charge of FRSC Training, said that the Corps was building resiliency and increasing its service delivery capacity by equipping its officers with quality and international standard training.
By: Canice Amadi Enugu
News
PDP Opobo/Nkoro Hails Fubara On Peace, Projects
Stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Opobo/ Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State have commended the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his disposition that has fostered peace in the State.
Rising from an expanded stakeholders meeting last Saturday in Opobo Town, the body in an eight-point communique signed by its Chairman, Hon. Benneth Daminabo, Chairman of Council, Rt. Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam and LG party Chairman, Warisenibo Godwin Pepple commended the governor for linking Opobo/Nkoro LGA to the national grid.
In addition, it lauded the effort of the governor in pursuing the 50.15 kilometre Dual Carriage Ring Road, Elelenwo internal road, Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo Road in Eleme and Andoni Road projects.
Despite the distractions, the stakeholders said they were impressed that the governor had equally done projects in health-the unveiling of Prof. Kelsey Harrison Hospital, Agric projects at Tai and Oyigbo and improving welfare of civil servants.
In their words, “members reaffirmed their unalloyed loyalty and implicit confidence in his administration.”
Condemning the unfriendly and discourteous utterances of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Tony Okocha in different fora in the State, the forum urged the duo to desist from such action in order not to heat up the polity.
The forum pledged to stand by the governor through, “thick and thin”, the stakeholders acknowledged the contributions of women, who through prayers for the government has impacted positively in the direction and posture of the governor.
Finally, the forum unanimously expressed gratitude to the Simplified Movement and other bodies that have thrown their weight behind the governor to ensure that the administration is stable and successful.
By: Kevin Nengia
News
‘Rivers People Are Now Breathing Fresh Air Under Fubara’
Aformer Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Council of Rivers State, Hon Elamo Arogu, says under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the people of the State are now breathing fresh air.
Hon Arogu said Governor Fubara has given Rivers people hope, considering the impactful and people-oriented projects being carried out by his administration.
The former CTC chairman made the assertion during the Simplified Movement’s thanksgiving service and rally held in honour of Rivers State chief executive last Friday in Abua .
Arogu said under Governor Fubara, the Abua/Odual people have the confidence that the dividends of democracy will definitely get to them.
He noted that the Governor has the strong will to change the narrative in Rivers State, being the reason he is receiving massive support across the State.
“The people of Abua/Odual are strongly behind him. Our doors ate open for everyone because there is government in place to attend to the needs of the people. I believe that he will develop Abua/Odual and other Rivers council areas, hence, the massive support. This government is business- oriented and we are ready to encourage him succeed and invest in our land. The issue of a bank; road networks and other necessities of life bordering on development as demanded by the people will be considered by Governor Fubara”, he said.
He called on the opposition to team up with Governor Fubara to build a stronger, united and viable Rivers State.
He maintained that ward nine under his leadership is Simplified.
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