News
Fubara, Assembly Eulogise Late Lawmaker At Funeral, Promise To Support Family
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described late Hon. Adonye Kelly Diri, who died at age 56, as a good man who lived a peaceful life and impacted his community positively.
Fubara spoke at the funeral service organised in honour of a former Rivers lawmaker representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency in the State House of Assembly, late Hon. Adonye Kelly Diri, which held at St. Marks Anglican Church, Kalaibiama in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.
The governor expressed sadness that his first official visit to Opobo Town, his country home, was to attend the burial of one of his strong political supporters and a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and pledged not to abandon the surviving wife and children.
Fubara harped on the need for people to use their time while on earth to build positive relationships and leave lasting impact on people, which is a more enduring legacy than accumulation of material wealth.
He enjoined the church to put the bereaved family in continuous prayers, and called on friends and political associates of the former lawmaker not to abandon his family.
Fubara noted, “Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places, which other people do not see. Adonye was a beautiful product. It takes only those that are humble, who search for truth, to see the quality of this young man.”
In his exhortation, the Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt Rev. Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, urged the congregation to conduct their lives as sojourners on earth with consciousness of preparing for eternal life, which requires of them to amend their ways and to live life that pleases God.
While receiving the remains of the late lawmaker and former transitional committee chairman, late Hon. Adonye Diri at the Council Secretariat, Opobo Town, Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Dr Enyiada Cookey-Gam, said that the late chairman was a man of the people, and grassroots mobiliser.
Speaking at the valedictory session in honour of the late legislator, Cookey-Gam, described the deceased as an astute politician, a man who has left an indelible mark on the sands of time, and a dedicated party man who single-handedly organised and put the party in a good shape in 2013/2014 during the formation of GDI in the state.
He said that Diri contributed immensely to the growth and development of the LGA in various ways and in different capacities as chairman and a lawmaker.
The chairman said that the council under his administration would erect an edifice to immortalise the name of the deceased in the LGA.
He said that Diris’ death remains a great loss not only to his immediate family, but the entire LGA.
He, however, encouraged the bereaved family to take solace in God, while praying for the peaceful repose of the departed.
Late Diri was a former Transitional Committee chairman in 2016, and also contested and won election to serve in the state House of Assembly in 2015.
While his case was in court, majority of people in Opobo continued to show support for him.
He later reclaimed his mandate at the Appeal Tribunal, and served as state Assembly member from (2015 -2023).
Earlier, the Rivers State House of Assembly at its 73rd sitting, last Friday, had held a valedictory session in honour of the former member, who represented Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency in the Eighth and Ninth Assembly. Speaking at the valedictory session, serving and former members extolled the humane and philanthropic qualities of their late colleague which they said endeared him to many.In his eulogy, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, described late Diri as an easy-going former colleague, whose kind and peaceful disposition was most appealing.The Speaker recalled that he served in the Health Committee with the late Diri in the Eighth Assembly, and was very pleased with his amiable work ethics and panache; adding that the late lawmaker would be greatly missed by his family, former colleagues and friends.Amaewhule prayed for the family, and urged them to take solace in God, as their loved one makes his final journey.Many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful, leaders, legislators, government functionaries and dignitaries, friends, family and well-wishers attended the funeral service.
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.