Rivers
Rivers LG Auditor-General Lauds Council Boss On Achievements

By: Theresa Frederick & Wokoma Emmanuel
The Auditor General of Local Governments in Rivers State, Mr Bema Friday, says he is impressed with the achievements of Emohua Local Government Council under the watch of Dr. Chidi Lloyd, describing as unprecedented the array of infrastructural projects executed by the Chairman within the past one year.
Mr. Friday stated this when he led a team of auditors to Emohua Local Government Area on a ‘Value For Money Audit Exercise’ on the programmes and activities of the council.
He said the value for money audit is a credible and professional exercise organised to ascertain the effectiveness and efficiency of the application of public funds by local government council administrations in Rivers State, with a view to promoting accountability and effective service delivery in the third tier of government.
Acknowledging the improvement in local government administration in Rivers State under the present dispensation, the Auditor General commended Governor Nyesom Wike for building a system that promotes effective service delivery, stressing that the present crop of council chairmen were able to change the narrative about local government administration in Rivers State because of the State Governor’s penchant for service delivery.
The Chairman of Emohua Local govyernment Area, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, who conducted the Auditor General and his team round the project sites across the LGA, said he was very happy to receive the team of auditors because his administration had left visible footprints within the past one year.
The council boss attributed the achievements of his administration to the non-interference of Governor Nyesom Wike-led Rivers State Government into funds accruing to local governments in the state from the federal allocation.
Dr. Lloyd said his administration is not indebted to any financial institution or individual, stressing that the infrastructural revolution witnessed across Emohua LGA under his administration was occassioned by his deliberate effort to reposition the LGA, to stand out in the comity of LGAs not only in Rivers State but across Nigeria.
The Auditor General and his team joined the council Chairman to the recently commissioned 1 kilometer Evekwu road, the Elele-Alimini magistrate court complex, and the Emohua local government vigilante services secretariat building, for an evidence-based investigation of the already in use projects, all conceived and completed by the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd within one year.
The council Chairman also took his visitors round Emohua local government council secretariat for an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing transformation of the council secretariat as conceptualized by his administration.
Already completed and commissioned projects visited within the council secretariat include the local government primary healthcare center, the council chapel and marriage registry, the 20,000 litres braithwaite water reticulation project, the Titan Trust Bank ATM Gallery, council convenience, the council canteen and the electrification of the council headquarters.
Ongoing projects sites visited include the Emohua local government council secretariat (administrative building), the local government legislative council complex, the 350 capacity ICT studio, the 500 seater pavilion, the council office complex, the fencing and security tower building at the police divisional headquarters and court complex in Rumuji town, the one kilometer Ubimini road, 1 kilometer Chief Nyesom Wike Drive and Akpabu braithwaite water reticulation project in Akpabu Community.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chidi Lloyd has disclosed his administration’s readiness to complete the 1.5 kilometer Ukeli road project in Rundele before the end of August.
He said the contractor handling the project is expected to commence surface preparation for asphalt laying on the road in the coming days, to deliver the road ahead of the 2nd phase of project commissioning in the area.
Other projects earmarked for completion ahead of the next phase of project commissioning include the council administrative building, Chief Emeka Woke ICT Studio and the Chief Nyesom Wike Drive.
The council chairman was accompanied by the Vice Chairman of Emohua LGA, Hon Mrs Edna Nyeche, the head of local government administration, Mr Ben Taol, and other principal officers of the council.
Rivers
Bieye Emerges New IAUE Senior Staff Club President
A medical doctor with the Health Centre at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Dr Briggs Bieye, has emerged as the new President of the institution’s Senior Staff Club.
He polled a total of 120 votes to beat other candidates who contested keenly with him at the Staff Club last Friday.
The closest to him at the election was Mr Minikwu Donald, who secured 117 votes, followed by Mr Ngeribara Aribibia, who got 102 votes, while Dr Edwin Ajoku garnered 42 votes to come at the rear, with nine votes void.
In the same vein, Mr Nwachukwu Harrison of the Department of English and Communication Art emerged the Treasurer of the Club.
He secured 180 votes to beat Mr George Telema who got 123 votes, while Mr Wali Innocent got 74 votes,with twelve void votes.
Also, Deputy Registrar and Head, Legal Unit, Barrister Chris Didia, emerged the Bar Manager of the club.
He clinched the position with a total of 268 votes as against his opponent, Mrs Gloria Emesiobi, who got 112 votes, with ten void declared void.
A total of 390 teaching and non-teaching staff were accredited and voting started from 12noon and ended by 2pm.
Announcing the winners, the Chairperson of the Electoral Committee Dr. Chikanele Asuru, who also swore in the elected members, advised them to work as a team to achieve a greater goal.
She also expressed hope that the club will witness remarkable transformation during their tenure.
In his acceptance speech, the new President, Dr, Bieye Briggs, commended the Electoral Committee for conducting a transparent election and expressed appreciation to both those who voted and did not vote for him, emphasising that his tenure will witness an inclusive policy.
He added that the club will wear a new look during their tenure and operate in tandem with what obtains elsewhere.
Others such as Wahua Ndamavu (Vice President), Dr. Taylor Tamunosaki (General Secretary), Dr. Franklin Ekweme Apelu (Financial Secretary), Okidim Samuel Horsfall (Assistant Secretary), Mr Dawariboko Parker (Provost), Moudyn Tariah (Public Relations Officer), and Jonathan Regina Jonaba (Sports Secretary) were unopposed.
The Executive will run the affairs of the club in the next two years.
Rivers
NDDC’s Youth Employment Initiatives Impresses RSG
Rivers State Government has expressed excitement over the vision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) youth development scheme tagged “Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Programmes for Engagement (HOPE), otherwise known as “Project Hope”.
The Government said the project was in consonance with the vision of the State Ministry of Youth Development tagged, “A Preparedness Plan for Rivers Youth paradigm shift from Unemployability to Resourcefulness”.
The State Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Chisom Kenneth Gbali, stated this, Wednesday, during a facility tour of the Rivers State Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre in Port Harcourt by the NDDC management led by its Managing Director, Dr Charles Ogbuku.
Gbali stated that the State Government through the Ministry of Youth, in partnership with NDDC as critical stakeholders, would go a long way to encourage Rivers Youths to believe that both State and Federal Government are ready to pull them out of their limitation.
The Commissioner further stated that Rivers State Government over the time have been sustaining the state in different spheres, especially on youth affairs.
He opines that with this initiative the Federal Government will help to encourage and arouse the curiosity of the youths on the need to become self-reliant through the acquisition of modern skills.
According to him, the Ministry of Youth Development in the state has created a level playing ground required to attract opportunities that will change the narrative of the state to that level of employability and resourcefulness which is the theme of the Ministry’s sensitisation/advocacy campaign.
Dr. Gbali noted that since the ministry took the sensitisation programme to the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, there has been a rise in progressive reasoning from the reaction of the youths in the media, and behavioural change on social vices has significantly reduced.
He said that the Ministry of Youth Development will liaise with the Federal Ministry of Youth on how to explore opportunities that will benefit the youth in the State.
The State Government, he continued, “is optimistic that the Brand innovations adopted by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the state will give youths the needed footing to become self dependent and employers of labour”.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, commended the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the partnership, and granting the commission access to use the State’s ICT facility for the programme.
Dr. Ogbuku noted that one of the major priorities of NDDC is to ensure that Niger Delta became a Tech- Hub, additing that the State ICT Centre would be an added advantage to encourage the commission achieve their vision.
He emphasised that a perfect knowledge of technology was key for guarantee youths to work in multinational companies and become not just self-reliant, but also employers of labour.
Also speaking, the Project Manager, NDDC, Amb. Blessing Fubara, explained that the NDDC Youth Development scheme, “Project HOPE”, is focused on empowerment, employment and Development of Niger Delta youths.
He disclosed that 185 supervisors have been employed, one each from the 185 LGA’s in the Niger Delta region, stating that more 185 collation officers will be employed for database collection.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Rivers
Church Inducts 30 New Knights, Others
The Methodist Church of Nigeria has inducted 32 new knights into the knighthood of the Archdioceses of Ikot Ekpene and Port Harcourt Churches.
Also inducted were 18 members into the order of Wesley (OOW), and 17 persons into the Member of Order of the Wesley (MOW) category.
Speaking at the Recognition Service and Award of Merit 2023, held at the Banham Cathedral Diocese of Port Harcourt, Tuesday, the prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Oliver Ali Aba, while congratulating all the recipients, urged them to maintain the Christian virtues for which they were chosen.
Aba stated that they were chosen because of the various contributions they have made to the development of the church and humanity, adding that the church expects nothing but more commitment and services to the growth of the church.
Earlier in his sermon at the service, titled, “Contending for Faith”, taken from Jude 3, the Bishop of Diocese of Kano, Rt. Rev. Ibrahim K. Chindo, urged Christians to strive to contend the Faith of the body of Christ, adding that the Christian faith was being attacked.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Council of Knights, Port Harcourt, Sir I. Uwakwe, urged the newly invested knights to strive and remain worthy of their calling,warning that anyone found belonging to any secret societies or cult groups would be derobed as a knight.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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