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We Deliver Projects To Solve Critical Problem -Fubara
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will continue to deliver projects that impact positively on the people directly while also empowering them to live better lives.
The Governor stated that the Egbeda Internal Roads project has been accomplished to both satisfy the needs of the people by making them happy and solving the perennial flooding problems experienced in the area.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance at Egbeda Community Secondary School field, venue of the inauguration of Egbeda Internal Roads project in Emohua Local Government Area, yesterday.
The Governor acknowledged the support of the people before, during and after the elections, and said what his administration owe them is the dividends of democracy that included projects and social service delivery.
He said, “One thing is awarding a job, another is delivering in record time. I want to appreciate the contractor for standing by his words.
“Let me also thank the great people of Egbeda, and by extension, the Emohua Local Government Area for your support before, during and after the elections. You have shown so much support.
“And for us, what do we owe you? We owe you the dividends of democracy. And what are the dividends of democracy? Service to our people!”
Governor Fubara further said: “There is nothing wrong in rebuilding a road, there is nothing wrong in promising to develop an area. But what is important is when you want to do those things, do them to the satisfaction of the people.
“And what we have done here in Egbeda today is not just building the internal roads, but meeting your needs, solving your flood problem, that is what we have done.
“So, I want to also thank you for your support, because you cooperated with the contractor, that is why he delivered in record time.”
The Governor reiterated that the projects people are seeing were accomplishments of four months because his administration actually started taking decisions, and confronting governance in February, 2024.
Governor Fubara insisted that good governance, service and projects were being delivered at a cost-effective rate.
He said, “We are just starting but I assure you more attention. If in four months, we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time, two years of our own record time, Rivers State would have experienced something different from the regular governance.
“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February, 2024. That was when we started taking decisions, when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.
“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost effective way.
“Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.
“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record keeping; so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.
“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision,” he said.
In response to the request made by the Egbeda community, Governor Fubara granted the extension of work on the road from Egbeda to Omerelu, and promised to upgrade the Community Secondary School without inclusion of boarding facilities.
He said, “I have heard your request. You want an extension of the Egbeda-Omerelu road? We are going to do it for you. You want an upgrade of your traditional stool? I am not going to decide on that today. I will come for a town hall meeting, and we will discuss it. Whatever we decide, after consulting with all of you, we will grant your request.
“Thirdly, you also mentioned about your school, we are going to upgrade the school. But we are not going to give you boarding facilities in the school. You know the security challenges we are facing in rural communities across the country,” he said.
Performing the inauguration of the project, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, said he drove with Governor Fubara on the road while accessing the venue of the event, and can testify of the commitment of his brother governor to sustain infrastructure development in the State.
He said, “This road project at Egbeda bears true testimony of the commitment of the Rivers State Government towards fulfilling its promise of sustainable infrastructure development of the State.
“It is reassuring that these all-season roads will economically empower, not only the people of Egbeda, but the entire Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“With these roads, the people will enjoy better socio-economic empowerment and integration between the local government and the rest of the state,” he added.
Providing the description of the project, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Engr. Atemea Briggs, said the construction of the Egbeda Internal Roads project was delivered within schedule and fully paid for.
Engr. Briggs explained that the internal roads were initially awarded by the immediate past administration on March 9, 2023, to Monier Construction Company Nigeria Limited (MCC) at a cost of N3.87billlion.
“Later on November 27, 2023, the contract was reversed to include additional roads to better serve the Egbeda community. As a result, the reverse contract sum was increased to N12billion.
“Before our Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara took office on May 29, 2023, only N1.5billion of the contract sum had been paid by the previous administration,” he said.
Engr Briggs said the roads entailed an increase of the total lanes from 9.32 kilometers to 21.5 kilometers, and the total drainage length to 25.4 kilometers.
On his part, Chairman, Board of Directors of Monier Construction Company (MCC), Senator John Azuta Mbata, expressed gratitude to the Governor for giving them the honour to handle the project.
He said the project shows the commitment of Governor Fubara towards extending urban development drive to rural communities, and particularly addressing the perennial flood-related problems in the area.
In his welcome address, a former commissioner, State Ministry of Works, Emmanuel Omah, said Egbeda land is made up of the largest number of indigenous natives in nine communities, adding that the people were grateful to Governor Fubara for completing the reconstruction work on the internal roads with drainages in the area.
Highpoints of the event were the offering of prayers by the leaders and traditional rulers of all nine Egbeda communities and presentation of kola nuts, and others gifts to Governor Fubara as well as the cutting of the tape by Governor Oborevwori to commission the project.
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
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.