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Essence Of Governance Is Citizens’ Wellbeing -Wike

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has asserted that the whole essence of governance was to make the people happy, and to make sure that their economic activities thrive.
Wike made the assertion while inaugurating the 14km Yaikyo-Tse Poor- Terwase Agbadu Road, renamed Ayum Num Road, and the extension of rural electrification projects within Ugondu community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, last Monday.
The Rivers State governor noted that with the additional 14-kilometer of road in Benue State that was considered the food basket of the nation, the people can find it easier to move their agrarian produce to where the market was located.
“Benue is the food basket, it is an agrarian state, and if when you produce, you don’t have roads to take your produce to the city, it makes no sense.
“But with this 14-kilometer road and rural electrification, you (Ortom) have made life simple for the people of this part of the area, and that is what good governance is about.”
Wike commended his Benue State counterpart for committing to the tenets of good governance and providing dividends of democracy to his people.
“And so, Dr. Ortom, we want to say, we are very proud of you that you have not abandoned your people to whom you made promises. And to this, we want to say: it is promise made, promise fulfilled.
“I am sure, your wife will be happy that you did not disappoint her. We are also happy that you did not disappoint us. So, we are glad that just today, five major projects are to be commissioned. It is not easy. I want to tell you, do not relent. Continue until May 29, 2023.”
In his speech, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said his administration had been prudent as it deployed scarce resources of the state judiciously to improve the living conditions of the people.
He mocked those who had said no development project can be provided for the people because of the extent of insecurity visited on the state by bandits.
Ortom said the roads and the rural electrification projects would add value to the life of the people in the benefiting communities.
On his part, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, inaugurated the 7.7-kilometer Tse Poor-Apir Poor Road, renamed Chief Sule Abigah Road, and the extension of electricity project.
Ikpeazu asserted that the roads and the electricity projects would enable the people of the benefitting communities advance their economic activities with ease.
Also, Enugu State Governor, Hon Ífeanyi Ugwuanyi, inaugurated the 2.0-kilometre NKST Yina-George Akume Way, renamed Chief J. A. O. Waku Road.
Ugwuanyi described Ortom as a gift to Benue State for his commitment to improving the value of life of Benue people.
The former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswan, inaugurated the 2.1-kilometer Kanga-Akaya-Lucy-Aluor-Otukpo Road, renamed Nyesom Wike Road.
Suswan, who performed the inauguration on behalf of Ortom, said Wike was a great Nigerian and a bosom friend of Benue State.
He noted that there was no better way to reciprocate friendship other than naming the road after Wike.
Suswan commended Ortom for judiciously applying the scarce resources of the state for the development of the state.
On his part, the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, inaugurated the 1.3-kilometre Federal Low Cost Housing Estate-Bambam community road, renamed to J. C. Obende Road, and noted that anywhere road goes, development follows.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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