Niger Delta

Monarch Hails Fubara Over Traditional Rulers Council Chairman’s Appointment, Projects Delivery

Published

6 months ago

June 24, 2024

The Nne-Nwe Eli Emohua and President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Eze(Barrister) Godspower Onuekwa, has poured encomiums on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State for the recent appointment of the Paramount Ruler and Eze Oha of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo as Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers by the Governor, describing the gesture as a right step in the right direction and a welcomed development.
Eze Onuekwa, who gave the indication while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, said the appointment of the Obio/Akpor monarch was well-deserved, going by his sterling leadership qualities.
He said the appointment is not only a stabilising force but a healing process for the traditional institution in the State, that would steer it away from unnecessary parochialism, redundancy and controversies, to a direction of unifying and harmonising traditional rulers in the State, as dependable and reliable partners and allies of government in the development of the State.
While further commending Governor Fubara for his timely intervention in rescuing the traditional rulers council from drifting to the abyss of despair and hopelessness, Eze Onuekwa said the Governor has by such an appointment given the traditional rulers a new sense of purpose and direction, and therefore, enjoined the new council chairman to justify the confidence reposed in him by not only carrying along all members of the council but also taking the traditional institution to glorious and enviable heights.
He said the removal of Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse as chairman of the traditional rulers council is particularly instructive, and appealed to traditional rulers in the State to remain apolitical and abstain completely from politics so as to win back the respect they used to have back in the days before they became political appendages to government, as they are seen today.
Eze Onuekwa, who described the removal of Ohna Awuse as the chairman of the council as good riddance to bad rubbish, noted that the appointment and elevation of the Emohua monarch in the first place were mired in dire controversies and disputations, stressing that all the chieftaincy positions the former chairman had occupied were only got through political patronage from the benevolence of Chief Nyesom Wike, who was his protege while growing up.
“The truth remains that Ohna Chief Sergeant Awuse was undemocratically foisted on the council without consideration to due process, and for this, some members had abstained from the council since the day he was pronounced till date,” he said, and described the new chairman of the council as a competent, cerebral and mature jolly good fellow, who he said is capable of rewriting the ugly chapters of the council for good.
He said he was duly elected the Nne Nwe Eli Emohua by the Mgboh Royal Ruling House on January 29, 2022 while his installation to occupy the stool and throne of his father and forefathers was allegedly truncated by a former Governor of the State.
On the strength of this, the chartered insurer and legal luminary described himself as a traditional ruler of repute, and appealed to Governor Fubara to help him reclaim his stolen stool.
Eze Onuekwa also applauded Governor Fubara for his peaceful disposition and the monumental achievements recorded by his administration in the past one year, especially in the execution and delivery of people-oriented projects.
He also used the opportunity to tell the world that there is peace in Rivers State, contrary to the pictures being painted by certain persons in the State who are calling for a state of emergency to be declared in the State.
While denouncing the purveyors of such ugly narrative, the monarch said the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the State has continued to encourage businesses and investments to thrive and flourish, describing the calls for a state of emergency as self-serving and mischievous.

Niger Delta

Bayelsa, Rivers To Establish Joint Anti-Vandalism Taskforce On National Grid, Others

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

The Governments of Bayelsa and Rivers States have resolved to jointly work towards strengthening security architecture to protect power and other critical national assets in their border communities.

This decision, The Tide learnt, followed the outcome of a meeting between the Acting Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, at the Brick House, Port Harcourt.

In his remarks, Senator Ewhrudjakpo underscored the importance of effective collaboration between the two states to tackle power outage and its attendant socio-economic losses occasioned by criminal activities of vandals.

Lamenting that it cost Bayelsa so much political and financial capital to have power restored after a four-month period of blackout, the Acting Governor stressed the need for urgent and drastic measures to forestall the recurrence of such harrowing experience.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo seized the opportunity to thank the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his Deputy, Prof Odu, for showing concern over the Bayelsa plight and indicating readiness for collaboration to curb the menace.

“For the past four months, the transmission lines between Bayelsa and Ahoada in Rivers State have been vandalized almost three times. And to fix it, TCN was telling us one story after another.

“So, we decided to take it upon ourselves to make sure we fix the line. But having fixed it, what we need to do is to have a team that provides surveillance for that facility so that it will not be easily vandalized again.

“We believe if we have this kind of joint collaboration, it will be easier for our communities to protect the facilities. So we need to have a joint committee that will monitor the line between Rivers and Bayelsa”, the Bayelsa Ag. Governor said.

Earlier, the Rivers State Deputy Governor had assured the Bayelsa delegation of her state’s preparedness to contribute meaningfully towards the fight against transmission lines vandalism.

“We must do something about it because you don’t leave your problems or sweep them under the carpet. If you sweep them under the carpet, they remain there. You have to bring them out and find the strategy that works best to solve them”, Prof. Odu said.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, and her Rivers State Local Government Affairs counterpart, Prince Charles Beke, disclosed that both states had resolved to establish anti-vandalization taskforce committees that will work jointly to check the activities of power vandals.

Mrs. Koku-Obiyai, who emphasized the need for active community engagement in the security arrangements, informed that Bayelsa had already constituted and inaugurated a 10-member anti-vandalism taskforce, which has since commenced operations in the state.

Government officials who accompanied Senator Ewhrudjakpo to the meeting which was at the instance of the Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers State were, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Hon. Peter Akpe, and the Commissioner for Power, Engr Kumoko Kharin.

Others included the Commissioner for Community Development, Hon, Watson Belemote; the Mayor of Yenagoa City, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiware; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, CP Agberebi Akpoebi (Rtd); and the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Anti-Vandalization Taskforce, CP Mary George (Rtd).

The Chairman of Ahoada West, Mr. Iyekor Ikporo, and that of Ahoada East, Mr. Chibudum Ezu, were part of the Rivers team, while the Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was represented by Engr Juliet Ndidi at the meeting.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

C’River Magistrates Threaten Indefinite Industrial Action

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

Magistrates in Cross River State have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike last Monday over alleged poor welfare and other conditions of service.

This is contained in a release jointly signed by the State Chairman of Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Godwin Onah, and his Secretary, Solomon Abuo.

The Tide’s source reports that the Magistrates noted that the strike will not cease until their demands are met by the government.

They had earlier embarked on a 3-day warning strike to press home their demands and also warned that they will commence an indefinite industrial action should the government fail to meet their demands.

They said the government has failed to implement their promotions and see to their overall welfare and working environment.

According to the statement dated December 8, following the expiration of the warning strike, the magistrates have decided to embark on indefinite strike from Monday, December 9.

“Furthermore, sequel to our letter to the Governor of Cross River State dated 11th November, 2024, where the notice of strike, was extended to Friday 22nd November, 2024 to enable the State Government to attend to our demands, and having failed to do so till date, we hereby issue this bulletin.

“In line therefore, with our congress resolution to proceed on a three days warning strike is hereby declared by the state chapter of the Magistrates.

“This action in the first instance, will be effective from 6am of Wednesday, 27th November 2024 to Friday , 29th November, 2024.

“If the State Government fails to meet our demands, an indefinite strike shall be embarked upon until all our demands are fully met”.

Before the warning strike, the magistrates had earlier in November issued a seven days ultimatum to the state government to effect promotion for its members that have remained stagnant since 2015.

The magistrates also decried the payment of N15,000 as monthly impress to magistrates in the state when compared to magistrates in neighbouring states that receive between N200,000 and N250,000 monthly.

While also demanding for the rehabilitation of magistrate courts across the state, the association further condemned the government for none provision of official vehicles to it members.

It further demanded immediate implementation of promotion and regularisation of magistrates in the state with necessary financial benefits across all cadres as well as the implementation of all accrued arrears.

Niger Delta

NSCDC Holds Walk Against National Assets Vandalism In Edo

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo State has staged a walk to educate the public on the importance of protecting national assets and infrastructure from being vandalised.

State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Gbenga Agun, who led the sensitisation walk, said it was meant to intimate the public of its role in ensuring the protection of the assets at all levels.

“It is to sensitise the people on the importance of guiding our properties, that is, critical national assets and infrastructure from being vandalised”, he said.

Agun noted that protecting national assets was a collective responsibility because it encompassed everyone.

According to him, vandalism can be natural or man-made, and that the economic situation in the country can push some people to engage in destructive activities.

The NSCDC boss, however, encouraged the public to report cases of vandalism at any of the divisional offices in all local governments or the outpost stations.

Also speaking, the Head of Department, Critical National Assets and Infrastructure of the command, Mr Sule Muhammed, called for intelligence sharing on vandalism of any national assets for prompt action.

The Tide’s source reports that the walk, which featured the distribution of leaflets to motorists, shop owners, and passersby, began from the command headquarters at the Blessed Avenue in Benin and covered several major roads in the city.