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Your PVC’s Your Power, Banigo Tells Kalabari Electorate …As Woke Warns Degema People Against Leaving Mainstream Politics
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr.Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has informed the people of Degema Local Government Area that their Permanent Voter Card (PVC)was their power.
Banigo stated this during the collect and protect your PVC sensitisation and mobilisation rally, organised by the Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI) at the Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry Stadium in Degema, last Sunday.
The deputy governor, who insisted that the PVC was key in the 2023 General Election, advised eligible voters to collect and keep their PVCs safe in order to vote candidates of their choice that would provide democratic dividends.
In his address, the Gubernatorial Candidate of the PDP in the state, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, informed the people that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was done with registration of eligible voters, adding that they were now in the era of PVC collection.
He expressed gratitude to the people of Degema, for the solidarity and show of love for GDI, especially the elders of Degema, noting that this means the leaders of the areawere doing well.
Fubara clarified that the gathering was not for political campaigns or to canvass for votes for any political party but to stimulate GDI members to go and collect their Permanent Voters Cards to be able to take part in the 2023 elections.
“We are not asking you to vote anybody here now because we know when it is time for vote you people know what to do. Our duty here is to ensure that every single PVC belonging to the GDI and PDP members from Ward 1 to Ward 17 of Degema is collected. That is the main reason for our coming. When you collect the PVC ensure they are kept safe”.
He also spoke highly of the turnout of GDI members and other indigenes of Degema for the rally.
“We are not campaigning, we have come to encourage our supporters here that have stood with us even in the face of the political drama when people are saying that GDI is no longer in this axis of the state.We have come here today to see with our own eyes. Like our chairman used to say, the human beings I am seeing in Degemaarelike ‘sand’. That is what I’m seeing. It means that GDI is strong here in Degema. If GDI is strong, it means PDP is also strong”.
He thanked the people of Degema, especially the aged for their show of love, support and solidarity.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Desmond Akawor, who spoke through his Deputy, Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron, informed the people that it behoves on them to make efforts to collect their PVCs in order exercise their franchise in 2023.
Akawor, who is also the chairman of Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC), commended the people of Degema for turning out in their numbers for the rally, arguing the colourful crowd showed that GDI exist in Degema contrary to what was being speculated.
On his part, Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Emeka Woke, told Kalabari people not to allow few self-styled leaders in the area to deceive them.
He said that over the weekend, a group of people who claimed to be South-South elders, women, youths and student leaders from Kalabari had alleged that they have adopted a governorship candidate, but wondered how only Kalabari would decide on the issue of governorship for the entire South-South which is made up of six states.
He expressed optimism that Kalabari people would not isolate themselves from mainstream politics, especially against the backdrop of what Governor NyesomWike has done for the people.
“The administration of NyesomWike has impacted positively on the Kalabari ethnic nationality, if not for anything, the appointment of a Kalabari daughter as deputy governor. The era of ethnic politics in Rivers State is over. I know that SiminialayiFubara is a Kalabari son”, he said.
Earlier, the President General of GDI, Hon. Bright Amewhule, had said that on the day of election, all eligible voters should come out and cast their votes for candidates of their choice and ensure that the results are transmitted at the polling units, in order to forestall manipulations.
The rally, which attracted people from various walks of life, including the PDP Governorship candidate, Sir SiminialayiFubara; the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, who is also the candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District; Deputy Governorship candidate, Prof NgoziOrdu; Chief of Staff, Government House, EngrEmeka Woke; local government chairmen; former and serving commissioners; some members of the National and State Assembly; and candidates of both legislative chambers.
Others are GDI and PDP members led separately by President General, Chief Bright Amaewhule, and the party’s Deputy Chairman,Chukwuemeka Aaron, who represented the State Chairman, Amb Desmond Akawor, traditional rulers, women and youth groups.
The event, which featured solidarity speeches from stakeholders of Degema, dwelt on PVC collection and security of the voting instrument as well as gyration dance by GDI members from the 17 wards that make up the LGA.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
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.