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Fubara Vows To Curb Sea Piracy In Rivers …Advises Residents To Give Accurate Information To Security Agencies
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has frowned at the attacks on boat operators and sea travellers by pirates on sea routes in the State, and warned that his administration will no longer tolerate such criminality.
The Governor reassured the commitment of his administration to the security of lives and property of all residents, indigenes and non-indigenes alike, by making sure that they can go about their genuine and productive activities without fear of molestation.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance when he received a delegation of the Rivers Commercial District of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), who came to Government House in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, to formally draw the attention of government to their plight and seek immediate intervention.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara commended them for performing their civic obligation by reporting criminality in their places of business to the authority.
Governor Fubara reiterated that his administration is deeply interested in ensuring proper policing of every part of the State, which is why, he explained that the Rivers State Government has placed priority on peace, security of lives and property of residents.
He said, “The security of human beings and their property is one singular agenda of government that this Governor has never joked with, and he is willing to do anything, even for the umpteenth time, to ensure that it is provided.
“The Governor is interested in proper policing of our State. But, you know the community policing that you hear about; people think that it is for us to form police in communities. No.
“Every person here is a community police. Whatever you see, you report, and whatever you think that is not very right, you give information to the right places. So, what you have done now is a civic responsibility, and I want to tell you that it will not be taken lightly,” he assured.
Governor Fubara insisted: “So, to me, what you have done, you call it a protest, but it is not a protest. It is a civic responsibility, showing that having observed something; you are reporting it to the appropriate quarters.
“I want to assure you that this government will not leave any stone unturned to bring security to every person that is in this State.”
Governor Fubara considered the catalog of complaints that they made and said, no right thinking Rivers person will be happy about the wickedness of pirates on the sea routes they have listed.
The Governor said the criminal elements perpetrating those crimes, are well-known, and live in communities among the people but nobody has been very brave enough to provide information on them to the appropriate authority that will help in their arrest.
Governor Fubara said: “Maybe, you are not sure that when you report, you will be safe. But you have to help the security agencies too with appropriate information.
“Bring information to government, tell us about those people. This government does not condone bad habits. We do not harbour criminals in our midst.
“I don’t know the problems that may be on the waterways, but you know the flashpoints because that is the route you follow. Provide information about those flashpoints, we will do our best.
“Every Simplified Rivers person knows that one of the things that we don’t want to hear is violence. We aim to totally destroy violence in Rivers State.”
Governor Fubara said his administration is not resting on its oars to provide good governance, and infrastructure that will promote quality service delivery to every resident(s) in the State.
He said: “I want to thank God that something is being done, which you may not hear all of them in the news, but just give some time, you will find out that Rivers State will still become one of the best destinations for people to come, even for tourism”.
In his address, Chairman, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Rivers Commercial District, Comrade Israel Waribo Pepple, said there has been incessant piracy attacks on members of the union on the waterways, adding that their nefarous activities have given them sleepless nights and held their operations hostage.
Comrade Pepple stated that sea pirate attacks on the union’s members often lead to most of them or their passengers taken hostage or killed while carting away personal belongings, including member’s boats.
Specifically, Comrade Pepple said: “On Thursday, August 22, 2024, a boat sailing from Bonny to Port Harcourt was attacked by unknown gunmen, who took five (5) passengers to an unknown destination.
“Bille Boat was attacked, the attackers went away with the boat and engine, with other
valuables belonging to the passengers.”
Comrade Pepple also said: “On Auqust 24, workers’ boat coming from Bonny to Port Harcourt was attacked by unknown gunmen, and two passengers were taken away, and till date, they are still under captivity.
“Recently, at Tourist Beach Unit, Port Harcourt, we also recorded the captivity of a driver, deckhand, occupants in the boat with two police officers on escort.
“The unknown gunmen are demanding N10million as ransom for their release. These and many more are taking place in other units like Okrika, Kula, Bakana, Oyorokoto, Abonnema, etc,” he emphasised.
Comrade Pepple expressed displeasure over what he described as the inability of security agencies to do the needful to protect lives and property of law-abiding citizens operating on the sea routes.
He stated that, what they do, rather, is to focus attention mostly on Multinational Oil Companies (IOCs), their equipment and workers due to the economic advantage they derive there from.
Comrade Pepple said: “To this end, we call on the Governments to save the souls of our teeming members, whose means of sustenance have consistently been threatened, and have lost so much to sea pirates and men of the under-world.”
He added, “We urge the Government to ensure the release of kidnapped passengers onboard our boats recently. We also seek the provision of gun/house boats at strategic locations for random patrol on the waterways in the State.
“Provision of financial support to the affected passengers and boat operators have suffered great loss due to the unforeseen tragedy,” he pleaded.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

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.
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