News

FG To Immortalise King Jaja Of Opobo

Published

11 months ago

August 7, 2024

The Federal Government has inaugurated a technical committee to implement the King Jaja of Opobo Cultural and Historical Centre in Opobo, Rivers State.
The project aims to immortalise the legendary king and showcase the cultural heritage of the people.
Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for taking concrete steps towards the project.
He said this when the technical committee for the implementation of the King Jaja of Opobo Cultural and Historical Centre, Opobo, Rivers State was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Bar. Hannatu Musawa in her office, Abuja, yesterday.
Abiante who was a lead lobbyist for the project said it would enhance and give exposure to and immortalise the great leader through deeper research, letting the world know the heritage of the people.
He also noted that the project would enhance research, create jobs, and promote tourism in the area, adding that Nigerians in general stand to gain a lot from the project.
The Rivers lawmaker said, “As a servant of the people, anytime you’re sent to do a job and at a point where there’s success, of course, you should be very happy, you should be elated. That’s exactly how I feel today.
“This is a project that has taken us seven years, when the other people who were there didn’t share the same vision with us, but we’re very happy. I am glad that a Minister came, and bought into the vision and today, we’re starting the actual journey to making people know exactly what our intentions were, expanding beyond even what we’ve conceived. We are glad.
“It will lead to the immortalization of the great leader through deeper research, letting the world know who we are, bonding people together. It will also create jobs. Is it in the area of tourism, a lot will open that area up, we expect a lot to be achieved, and a lot to be gained.
“That axis will now become a hub of tourism in Rivers State and even in the South-South if we harness the things that are there properly.
“We have the aquatic splendour behind the oceans, we have a neighbouring Local Government Area which has elephants, if those elephants are conserved at this period, you can imagine what that could bring to us. There’s the wide beach beside the Atlantic Ocean, there’s a lot. What about the blue economy, it’s going to be a part of it”.
The minister, while inaugurating the committee, said the project was key in the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
“This project signifies a milestone in our collective resolve to take Nigeria’s Art & Culture to enviable heights. Permit me to add that one of the Ministry’s core mandates is immortalizing past heroes by promoting national heritage and values.
“Therefore, today’s event is a testament to our readiness to partner with any State, community, individual or group that desires to immortalize persons of proven capabilities whose immense contributions had helped in shaping and projecting the uniqueness of our cultural values, norms and artifacts as a people,” the minister said.
According to her, the project as captured in its concept note, is designed to be a historic tribute to cultural renaissance as well as a clarion call for cultural preservation.
“It is a step to encourage our nation’s quest for cultural tourism and a boost for diplomacy in international affairs. I would like to reiterate that the establishment of the Centre is in tune with Nigeria’s vision of utilizing the Art, Culture and Tourism Sectors to create job opportunities for the teaming youth as well as contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Similarly, the establishment of Cultural and Historical Centres engender peace, unity, and national cohesion as well as mutual understanding among Nigerians and the International Community resident in the Country,” she noted.
The minister charged members of the Technical Committee to regard their selection as a clarion call to national assignment.
He said “Let me remind you that you are expected to play critical roles in the realization of this onerous task at hand. Your assignment will require you to serve as a liaison between the Federal Government (represented by the Ministry), the State Government and the Host Community.
“You will also be required to come up with a Work Plan for the project and draft the strategy on the implementation, detailing the timeline as well as suggest other terms of reference that are considered germane to the success of the project”, she said.
Leading the Rivers State delegation was the paramount ruler of Opobo, His Royal Majesty, King, (Dr.) Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Jeki V, Treaty King, Natural Ruler, the Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom.
The monarch also appreciated the Federal Government.
He said, “This is the time when God decreed that this project will take off because we’ve been agitating for the federal government to do something to immortalize King Jaja of Opobo for all his contributions to the emancipation of the blacks, and especially, the independence of this country. Save that in 1955, a merchant ship was named after King Jaja, but that merchant ship has been decommissioned.
“Since then, the Federal Government has not done anything to immortalize King Jaja, so this is the first time the federal government is taking steps to do something concrete in his name; build a centre where people will come, read about his contributions to commerce, his contributions to the defence of his kingdom, and the impact on Nigeria’s history.
“This is the first time the government is doing this, and we’re thrilled.”
On the acceptability of the project by the people, he said “This is a project we’ve wished for, for over seven years, and it is a project that we called the attention of the government to, and luckily, we’ve seen also the concurrence of our state government, prepared for the immortalization of King Jaja”.
Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, emphasized the project’s significance in preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage. She charged the technical committee to work diligently to ensure the project’s success.
The paramount ruler of Opobo, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, also appreciated the Federal Government’s efforts, stating that this was the first time the government had taken concrete steps to immortalize King Jaja.
The project is expected to promote cultural tourism, create job opportunities, and contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The technical committee will work on a work plan, timeline, and strategy for the project’s implementation.

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

News

Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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.