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Wike Signs Three Bills Into Law …Insists Rivers’ll Elect Those Who’ll Solve Problems
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has noted that most socio-economic and educational problems linger in the country because Nigerians elect people who cannot solve problems.
Wike made the observation at the signing into law three bills passed by the State House of Assembly at the Executive Chamber of Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The three laws are; the Rivers State Prohibition of the Curtailment of Women’s Right to Share in Family Property Law No. 2 of 2022; Rivers State Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Law No. 3 of 2022; and the Rivers State Pension Reform (Amendment) Law No. 4 of 2022.
Speaking on the law to prohibit the curtailment of women’s right to share in family property law, Wike expressed displeasure at how most cultures, particularly in Rivers State, do not encourage what engenders growth among the people.
He wondered why women are deprived from sharing in the inheritance of their families when they were often the most useful members of the society in comparism to most male children.
Wike asserted that the law is important to the development of the state, because it would enable its people to actualise their potentials, as women would be allowed by law to inherit their entitlements.
“I don’t know why it’s a taboo; because you’re a girl, because of this is a woman, you’re not entitled to inherit what belongs to your father.
“It is not you who decides whether you will have a girl or you’ll have a boy, it is God. So, put yourself in their shoes today where, by the mercy of God you have three children and they’re all girls and you struggle in life to see what you can keep for your children.
“Tomorrow, one of their uncles comes, and say, my friend, girls don’t inherit their father’s property. With all your efforts in life, somebody comes to discriminate against them, why? We have even found out that women are more useful to us than even the men.
“The day, you’re getting old and dying you’ll know that you need more daughters than men. They will leave their husbands house and come to take care of you.”
Wike urged women not to be afraid of any threat from members of their families concerning inheritance.
He asked them to stand up for their rights and challenge any discrimination against them in court, using the law in order to access their entitlements.
Speaking on the pension reform law, Wike said, when pensioners protest, it was because they do not quite understand the good intentions of government.
He explained that because of paucity of funds, government must prioritise its spending in order to have funds for the provision of services, projects and also pay workers’ wages.
“The government has good intention and wants to do it at its own time. Only government knows when it can carry out this responsibility. Government will pay when it will pay.”
He further added: “Government cannot carry everything at the same time. Whether you like it or not, huge chunk of our resources goes into the civil service.”
Concerning the law on compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots, Wike stated that within the confines of the law, any victim of gunshot would be required to be properly identified, so that such person can be traced should the person run way after treatment.
The governor, however, explained that the law was in furtherance of the responsibility of government to protect life because even the criminal needs to be alive to be tried and made to suffer for his crime.
Speaking further, Wike said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was right in what it was demanding from the Federal Government.
However, the governor said any government that releases this kind of money that ASUU requires, given the current economic reality, will crumble.
He counselled that both parties should rather seat at the table and make concessions within no winner, no loser context in the interest of the students.
“The problem didn’t start today. It has been there. Again, it is that we elect people who cannot solve problems.”
Wike also acknowledged receipt of a report from the State House of Assembly on the revocation of ownership of the land currently occupied by AIT in Ozuoba, Rivers State, because they do not have requisite titled documents.
The governor said the days of Rivers being seen as a Father Christmas is gone, because nobody can illegally acquire what belongs to the state.
Wike also directed the state Attorney General to take appropriate action and act on the report.
Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, said the healthy synergy between the Executive and the Legislature exemplifies what was expected of a true democracy.
According to him, while the executive commits to delivering high quality and people focused projects, the legislature was also delivering people focused high quality bills which serve the need of the state and its people effectively.
Leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule,explained that while Hon. Michael Chinda, representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II initiated the bill on prohibition of curtailment of rights of women; the bill on treatment for gunshot victims was introduced by Hon. Samuel Ogeh, representing Emohua State Constituency.
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor