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RSG Releases N78bn For Completion Of Projects, Award Of New Ones
The Rivers State Executive Council (SEC) has considered and approved the release of N78billion for the completion of various ongoing projects across sectors and flag-off of new ones.
The approval was given at its meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike at Government House in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic planning, Dr Isaac Kamalu, said the approval was made to ensure that ongoing projects were not left uncompleted by the contractors for lack of funds.
“The Rivers State Government has released the sum of N78billion for payment of ongoing projects and flag off of new projects across all the local government areas in the state.
“Again, the government has specifically released the sum of N1.8billion, representing 80percent of the capital provisions for the Judiciary in the 2022 budget for the services of the Rivers State Judiciary.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, said the ministry was not left out among ministries to benefit from the release of the funds.
According to him,the contractor handling the Dr. Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Diagnostics and Treatment Centre, has been fully paid.
“You remember in June last year, (2021) N26billion was earmarked for that contract. It’s been completed, well furnished with the most modern medical equipment for the attack of different types of cancers.
“And the other thing that the health sector benefitted is the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital where we have Basic Clinical Faculty and the Clinical Faculty as well as the Renal and Dialysis Centre and the House Officers Quarters, which have also been completed and will be commissioned.”
Chike also said there were other ongoing projects being funded by the state government, including the Kelsey Harrison Hospital, which was at an advance stage as well as the Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital in Port Harcourt, all of which were also at advance stages of completion.
On his part, the Commissioner for Special Projects, Deinma Iyalla, said the ministry had its memo presented to the council approved, and also ratified the sale of the remodelled Riv-Bank Insurance building.
“Currently, the building is known as Senator John Azuta-Mbata House. Access Bank offered to buy the building for the sun of N3.8billion. It cost us N2.8billion to remodel it.
“The essence of the sale of this building, Access Bank promised that they are going to use it as their regional office, which means they will create employment and impact positively on economic activities within Port Harcourt.”
Iyalla also listed other projects to benefit from the released fund to include, the sand-filling and reclamation of 20hectres of land in Ogu town.
According to him, the fund would also serve for the completion of the University of Port Harcourt Convocation Arena, Ataba Secondary School reconstruction and furnishing, Rivers State University Staff Quarters buildings at Ahoada, Etche, Emohua and the main campus.
Other projects for completion are the 13.8km Rumuodogo 1 and 2 Roads, Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery Road, Hostel A and B, and the auditorium at YanagoaCampus of the Nigerian Law School, Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, Federal Judicial Service Commission liaison office building, South-South in Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner of Education, Prof. ChineduMmom, also addressed journalists, saying that projects under his ministry wouldfurther benefit the people.
The projects, he said, included the Government Secondary School, Eneka; Government Secondary School, Emohua; and the Government Secondary School, Imago in Abua/Odual Local Government.
Other projects include the reconstruction and remodelling of the Kalabari High School, Buguma;Kalabari National College (KNC),Buguma; the external works and furnishing of Western Ahoada High School; Government Secondary School, Ogu that is 90percent complete; and the Community Secondary School, Okoronudo that was 60percent complete.
On his part, the Commissioner for Works, Dr.DakorinamaAlaboGeorge-Kelly, said the council awarded new contracts and approved payment for on-going projects.
“The projects spread across local government areas and senatorial districts of the state. Some of which were approved today by council and some were ratified.”
He said the council approved the contract for the construction of 8.168km Abua-Emoh-Iyak-Ighom; Emoh/Egbolom access road and the 9.2m km Ekagho-Ogboloma-Adada link road in Abua/Odual Local Government Area.
George-Kelly explained that some other new road projects include the Alode-Onne road and Agbonchia-Ogale-Ebebu-East/West road, Alode internal roads in Eleme council; Eneka roundabout-Igbo-Etche link road in Obio-Akpor/Etche councils; Akpabu-Egbeda-Elele-Omoku link road; Akpabu-Odidi link road; Nkpor-Mgbuodohia link road; Elele internal roads; Elekahia internal roads, among others.
The commissioners of works, who reinstated the resolve of the Wike’s administration not to abandon any project it started, further disclosed that the council has approved payment for the on-going Ahoada-Omokudualization project; Omoku-Aligwu-Kirigeni road, Omoku-Egbema road, Okochiri internal roads, Ogoni-Andoni Unity road, Chokocho-Igbodo road, flyover 11 and 12, dualisation of Bori-Kono road and several others.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, said Wike had approved the appointment of 7,000 Justices of Peace to help ensure the prevalence of peace, law and order within their jurisdiction.
“I am pleased to inform you that the state governor has just approved the appointment of 7,000 Justices of Peace. It has been an all-round approach to development for which our people will be eternally grateful to our hard working governor.”
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.
News
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.