Rivers
Don Sets Agenda For Rivers Governor-Elect
The Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law, Rivers State University, and Professor of Energy and Comparative Environmental Law, Prof Samuel Chisa Dike, has expressed delight over the successful election of Sir Siminialayi as the Governor-Elect of Rivers State.
He, however, outlined the fundamental areas which the incoming administration should give priority attention to when sworn in on May 29, 2023, to enable it succeed and even surpass the excellent achievements of the Governor Nyesom Wike administration.
Dike, who spoke in an interview in Port Harcourt, said it was good to set agenda for the incoming Governor so that he would have a full grasp of what the people expect from his administration, stressing that the outgoing administration has performed creditably, particularly in the area of infrastructural development, among others.
He noted that he was particularly elated over the emergence of Sir Fubara at the governorship poll, because, as he puts it, “the agitation and demand by Rivers people for power shift, from the upland to the riverine, have been met, to actually guarantee justice, equity and fairness in power sharing in the State”.
Dike said the next administration would be able to take development activities to the riverine areas of the State, and expressed joy that the Governor-Elect, who hails from Opobo Town, was a core civil servant and technocrat before “dabbling into the murky waters of politics”.
He also said this is a welcome development as he would be able to prudently manage the resources of the State, and address the welfare needs of both civil and public servants in the State.
The lecturer admonished the incoming administration to shift and improve on other areas the outgoing administration could not handle since, according to him, governance is a continuum, and identified the first area the incoming administration should focus on as human capital development.
He said, “this area is key and pivotal in the overall development of the State, since it could affect development in several other sectors like information, health, agriculture and commerce”, and advised the Governor-Elect to begin to galvanise his capacity towards this direction.
Dike noted that the administration could record monumental milestones in this area through aggressive scholarship policies and programmes, stressing that local and overseas undergraduate and graduate scholarships could go a long way to bolster the human capital needs of the State, describing himself as a product of scholarship.
To this end, he said giving a target response to human capital development is much expected of the new administration.
Dike noted the empowerment of Rivers people, adding that the new government’s aggressive policy on empowerment would also go a long way to remove loafers and miscreants on the streets, thereby reducing criminality in the State.
According to him, “there should be a conscious effort by the incoming administration to decongest Port Harcourt, as doing so would provide a whole lot of benefits to the people”.
He also stressed the need for the administration to improve the state government’s relationship with multinational and other companies operating in the State, and cited Siat Nigeria Limited, where the State Government has a stake as an example, saying, doing this would enable the State to create a thriving industrial hub for the State.
In environment, Dike suggested that the Garden City status of Port Harcourt can be restored by the new administration “by embracing a deliberate policy of planting of trees and flowers on major roads”.
He advocated a re-introduction of the school-to-land policy of the Fidelis Oyakilome administration to boost agriculture in the State, since, according to him, “all life is tied to the soil”, saying, “activating a robust policy on agriculture would assist the State”.
Dike, therefore, urged all political parties in the State to bury their hatchet and rally round the Governor-Elect, saying, “let the existing peace in the State continue. Acrimony does not pay”.
He advised the incoming administration to run an inclusive government by carrying all Rivers people along irrespective of party affiliation.
He described the Governor-Elect and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, as an amazing and wonderful combination that would take the State to glorious heights in the next four years.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament says it will adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance informed deliberation, optimised legislation, and strengthen parliamentary oversight.
The regional bloc made the remark recently at the Second 2025 Extraordinary Session which held in Port Harcourt.
The theme of the session was, “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Parliamentary Efficiency, Ethical Governance and Development in the ECOWAS Region.”
Fourth Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Billay Tunkara, while closing the session on AI efficiency, said lawmakers would deploy appropriate tools to strengthen internal regulations.
He said the AI revolution was irreversible and had become a paradigm shift, redefining the region’s economies, societies and governance.
According to him, AI had moved from the realm of science fiction to a powerful global force driving major advances across sectors.
“Therefore, the use of AI in the ECOWQS Parliament will result to informed deliberation, optimised legislation and strengthened oversight.
“It offers us the means to make our work more efficient, transparent and closer to citizens’ expectations.
“So, it is up to us, parliamentarians to appropriate these tools, to train our collaborators and to adapt our internal regulations to accommodate this new intelligence”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom in Rivers State, HRM King Ateke Tom, has pledged support for government efforts to sustain peace in the Niger Delta.
He gave the assurance when he received a delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament, led by its Speaker, Mrs. Hadja Ibrahima, at his palace in Okochiri, Okrika Local Government Area.
Tom, a former Niger Delta agitator, said he once took up arms to draw government’s attention to the plight of people in the oil-rich region.
“The agitation brought the Federal Government’s focus to our challenges.
“It was the agitation that created the opportunity for our people to be remembered, and for Goodluck Jonathan to become President”, he said.
He stated the struggle highlighted environmental degradation, poverty, and hardship endured by the Niger Delta people despite oil profits from the land.
The traditional ruler added that he later played a key role in disarming agitators and facilitating peace in the region.
“Today, the benefit of that peace is becoming evident”, he noted.
Tom urged the ECOWAS Parliament to use its platform to advocate for the development of the Niger Delta region.
The President-Genera (PG)l of Ogoni Youth Federation, Mr. Legborsi Yamaabana, has praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the effort to resolve the dispute that stalled oil exploration and production in Ogoni land.
The Tide’s source recalls that oil exploration and production were suspended in Ogoniland in the early 1990s with Shell forced out by 1993 due to persistent unrest by the locals’ spear-headed by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP).
The source further notes that the dispute involved the Federal Government, oil multinationals and Ogoni people.
Yamaabana in a statement issued to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Hycienth Ana, in Port Harcourt, said Tinubu’s government had been able to resolve the dispute.
He described the ongoing peace process as sincere, timely, and commendable.
Yamaabana noted that the resolutions reached hold great promise for addressing the longstanding challenges of poverty and unemployment in Ogoniland.
The PG, a former Federal House of Representatives aspirant for Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, used the medium to commend Tinubu for the national honours to the “Ogoni four.”
“President Tinubu’s extension of recognition to these Ogoni thirteen is a long-awaited gesture of justice and inclusivity”, he said.
He further applauded the President for bestowing a national honour on renowned Ogoni rights activist, Mr. Ledum Mitee, describing the recognition as a befitting tribute to his contributions to the struggle for justice and equity.
Yamaabana said resuming oil operations in Ogoniland with fairness and environmental responsibility would be a landmark achievement for Tinubu’s government in Nigeria’s socio-economic history.
He also commended the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee led by Prof. Don Baridam, for their roles in facilitating the dialogue.
The Ogoni youth leader reaffirmed commitment to supporting the federal government’s initiatives for economic growth and sustainable development in the area.
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) Rumuolumeni, Rivers State, has been declared the state winner of the ongoing National Campus Debate 2025.
Following this victory, IAUE will represent Rivers State at the zonal face-to-face debate competition, scheduled to take place from September 15 to 22, 2025.
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, congratulated IAUE on its achievement and wished the university continued brilliance in the next phase of the competition.
A statement from the institution’s Public Relations Office said the debate competition, which focuses on the topic “Unity in Diversity: Designing National Identity in Nigeria’s Multicultural Society”, aims to strengthen youth engagement, promote education, and foster national values and dialogue among students.
The competition offers significant rewards, with the national winner set to receive ?50 million, while the first and second runners-up will take home ?30 million and ?20 million respectively.
According to the statement, the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Professor Ibiere Ken-Maduako, and the Coordinator of IAUE Debate Council, who is also the Director, Ideas, Creativity, and Innovation, Professor Samuel Amaele, trained the team that made the University proud.
It furrher stated that the university’s achievement reflects its commitment to intellectual excellence, civic engagement, and nation-building.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
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