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Recreate Rivers Economy As Best Investment Destination, Fubara Charges RSIPA Board

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12 months ago

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has restated that the resolve is stronger now than ever to create the climate conducive for growth of agriculture, manufacturing, small and medium enterprises, and key services because they are the productive sectors that will put Rivers’ economy on a competitive pedestal.
The Governor, therefore, charged members of the maiden Governing Board of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (GBoRSIPA) to streamline their activities in such a manner that will attract real investors across critical sectors so that the State can become self-sustaining, comparatively.
Governor Fubara gave the charge when he inaugurated members of the six-man Board at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Those inaugurated are: Lawrence Fubara Anga, SAN, as Chairman; Dr. Chamberlain Peterside as Director-General; and Mrs Tamunoibuemi Life-George, who is to serve as Secretary.
The rest include, Mr Goodliffe Nmekini, Barrister Havey Ideozu, and Baritor Lenusikpugi Kpagih as members.
Governor Fubara explained that Rivers State used to rank first in the comity of states in terms of productive economic activities, which attracted various business interests and made the State a well-groomed investment haven.
But, he expressed regret that the attendant expansion and population growth were not maximally managed because the challenges overwhelmed those who superintendent over business activities then, lamenting that the expected blessings were wrongly channelled, which left the State in very pitiable economic situation.
Governor Fubara said: “We might be celebrating, that yes, we have a very fat allocation. We have been able to improve our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), but we still have a lot to do; and, that has to do with this agency.
“The purpose of this agency is to give our people – to assure them, that Rivers State can still come back to that enviable position that it once occupied. Those people that were doing business in Rivers State that left, for one reason or the other – that they can still come back.
“We want to see people who intend to come back and invest because Rivers State is blessed – it has oil, the most important item for development today, which is gas, in abundance.
“Look at what is happening in Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout: We can make Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout come back to what it used to be. We can develop the resources that we have in Onne Town. We have Ogba-Egbema gas hub. These are part of the promises we made during our campaigns, and we must fulfill those promises,” he said.
Governor Fubara emphasised that the agency is established to rigorously harness tenable economic and human potentials abundant in the State that can be translated into making Rivers the economic gateway and one-stop- shop for productive economic activities.
The Governor said: “We have waited for this moment for a long time. It is a moment we all have been praying for because we want to leave a State that will be remembered: Rivers State that can compete, and Rivers State that can stand the test of time as a proud State.
“People that are coming here would begin to know that Rivers State is now serious. Rivers State is not about coming here and saying I want to take the side of maybe, I am interested in 10 percent or 20 percent of what you are coming with, that is not the purpose now”.
He explained that Rivers State is about genuine business interactions that will be mutually beneficial to all parties in a sustainable way, insisting that investors desirous of gaining value from their stakes should boldly come to the State for partnerships that will work in the interest of all stakeholders.
He said, “The purpose is to build our State. The purpose is to grow this State economically in such a way and manner that even if we don’t get federal allocation anymore, for example, we can still sustain ourself (as a State) with our IGR.”
Governor Fubara acknowledged that in discharging its responsibilities, the Board will encounter challenges and stiff opposition from those who abhor change but urged the members to brace up and be forthright in their quest to achieve their mandate.
The Governor clarified that the board should not be preoccupied with people who are only interested in real Estate, which seemed to be the current drive now.
Governor Fubara said: “Not just issues of people coming to build houses and other things. I want your concentration to be more on agriculture, (manufacturing).
“Look to find people who are coming in to invest. People that are coming to build factories because it is only when we start production that employment issues will be resolved, (and we will witness economic boom).
“So, please, those things that will solve the problem of unemployment, and promote creation of wealth for the State should be your focus,” he advised.
Governor Fubara further said: “The responsibility of this agency is going to be very challenging because I know they will want to fight back. But, I know that these crop of men and woman have what it takes, and I am very convinced that they are going to lead Rivers State to where we want the State to be.
“The Chairman of this agency is a private legal practitioner and a businessman that has made his name. Let me say it here: let it be on record that I had to beg him to accept the offer. I even had to send emissaries to him to plead with him.
“He said he doesn’t want to get involved with any political thing. I said this is not about politics. You live in Lagos, you have made your name in Lagos. Please, come and help us. We need help, Rivers State needs to be salvaged.”
Governor Fubara charged them to approach their task with an open mind to make a difference, adding that he nurses no doubt that they will make the State proud with the results they will achieve.
The Governor also assured that his doors will remain open, should they require his attention to tackle any challenge in order to get the necessary support to ensure success.
In his acceptance speech, Chairman of the Governing Board of Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (GBoRSIPA), Lawrence Fubara Anga, SAN, said they consider their appointment as an opportunity to serve among other Rivers people who are willing to be so appointed.
Anga noted the enormity of the task before them but expressed appreciation that even the Governor understands it so, which is why he consulted widely to gather very distinguished, proven and tested personalities, who depict his foresight.
He said: “Your Excellency, we have heard, listened very attentively to your charge, and that charge resonates, I believe, with everybody in this room.
“This is the time, whether we like it not, to many people, it is a time to want to despair. It is a time of problems, and it is also a time of challenges. And everybody has an option: your cup can either be half-full, or half-empty.
“But Your Excellency has decided that the cup of Rivers State shall be completely full. For every challenge, there is an opportunity. And what His Excellency has done is to tell us: go and look for those opportunities.”
Anga reaffirmed that Rivers State, known and still is the ‘Treasure Base of the Nation’, noting that the charge before them is to make that appellation march the reality of what prevails, desirably.
The chairman assured that they shall offer their best by delivering on their mandate but solicited support to work in strong synergy with other organs: ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government, to succeed.
This, he noted, will reduce unhealthy competition and bureaucratic bottlenecks that often frustrate genuine development efforts because of what he described as likely policy inconsistencies.
He said, “The charge is to restore it (State) to be the ‘Treasure Base of the Nation. The charge is to make Rivers State economy probably the 10th or 12th largest economy in Africa, standing on its own. The charge is to turn Rivers State into the Dubai of Africa. That is what you have told us to do.
“It is not going to happen overnight. It is not going to happen just through us as individuals. It is a collective effort. But, we are convinced that with your support, and with the kind of leadership that you have already provided, it is very possible in the shortest period of time to start the transformation to change the narrative. And once the ship has left the port, nobody can stop it.”
Anga further said: “Your Excellency, investors’ monies have choices. No matter how potentially attractive a business proposition is, where there is insecurity, where there is confusion, where there is bureaucratic bottleneck, investors will run away because they have choices.
“And, one of the things your administration is trying to do is to restore security, safety of lives and property; security of tenor, when you buy land, you know that your title is secured because without security of tenor, you can’t get a loan.
“These are the things your administration is doing, which will go a long way to achieving the goal you have set. I am happy, this is a brand new agency, and we don’t have any excuse. What comes out; we are the ones that will shape it,” he emphasised.
Anga also reassured that: “This board will try its best to provide oversight. This board will try and provide the policy guidance. This board will try and use the rich connections it has to reach out locally and internationally (to attract investments).
“But, in all of these, our youths should stop being applicants. We want to create an environment where the unemployed become entrepreneurs, they become employers of labour. We want to triple the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State from our home grown businesses.
“We are not just looking for people to bring their money from outside. It’s been proven time and again that if the owners of the place don’t invest, outsiders will not come to invest. And so, your charge to us is to make Rivers State attractive for Rivers people. And when Rivers people invest, the whole world will come and invest. That is our task, and we will strive to achieve it,” he assured.
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RSG Commences Revitalization Of 200 Health Centres 

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2 days ago

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August 22, 2025

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The Rivers State Government has  commenced the revitalization of over 200  primary health care centres across the state.
Senior Special Adviser to the Rivers State Administrator on Health Matters, Professor Chituru Orluwene, disclosure this during an enrollment sensitization campaign organised by the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) at Ogale in Eleme Local Government Area of the State.
He said the government was also equipping all zonal hospitals as well as revitalizing all General hospitals across the state.
Orluwene said the ongoing programme was in line with the promise by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd), to bring affordable and quality health care services to the door steps of the people.
According to him, the programme will not only increase the average lifespan of the people but also reduce poverty and sufferings.
The Special Adviser called for mass enrollment into the RIVCHPP, and listed some of the benefits to include free and affordable health care services, among others.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, RIVCHPP, Dr (Mrs) Vetty Agala, disclosed that over 108,000 persons have so far enrolled with the RIVCHPP within the last one year.
Dr Agala said the programme which started during the administration of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, also has the backing of the State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd).
She noted that lack of access to quality health care had not only affected the average lifespan of Rivers people but increased poverty and suffering.
The Executive Secretary who stressed the need for the people to embrace the programme, said free medical treatment would be given to those who enrolled with it, adding that registration will guarantee free and affordable health care services to the people
According to her, government is also ensuring that all vulnerable groups including those with disabilities, widows, pregnant women, the aged, children and the downtrodden benefit maximally from the programme.
She said her team would move round the 23 Local Government Areas of the State to sensitize the people on the benefits of the programme.
The Sole Administrator of Eleme Local Government Council, Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah, announced that the council would sponsor over 2,000 less privilege persons from the area for the RIVCHPP programme.
She said the enrollment of 100 persons out of the 2,000 will start immediately.
According to her, the 2,000 beneficiaries will include people with disabilities, pregnant women, the aged, and children.
Dibiah further promised to assist the would-be beneficiaries to get their National Identity Numbers as soon as possible to enable them register for the programme.
She said the sponsorship was part of her administration’s commitment to improving the health care needs of the people of Eleme, and commended RIVCHPP for choosing Eleme to flag off the sensitization programme.
John Bibor
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Nigeria Accounts For 70% Of 11m Illegal Arms In W/Africa

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1 week ago

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August 15, 2025

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The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,

Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.

Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”

He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.

Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.

He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.

“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.

”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.

He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.

The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.

Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.

”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.

”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.

“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.

Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.

He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.

“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.

Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.

He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them

According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.

”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.

”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.

“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”

 

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NLC Threatens Strike, Issues Seven-Day Ultimatum

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1 week ago

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August 15, 2025

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over its failure to constitute the governing board of the National Pension Commission.

 

The Labour Centre also accused the government of diverting workers’ funds through the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.

 

According to a communiqué signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the Central Working Committee of the NLC met on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, to deliberate on urgent issues affecting Nigerian workers, the trade union movement, and the nation at large.

 

The meeting addressed the leadership crisis in the Edo State Council of the NLC, what it described as alarming developments in the NSITF, the governance vacuum in PENCOM, and the broader state of the nation.

 

The communiqué noted that the CWC expressed outrage at the ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights through the Federal Government’s diversion of 40% of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as “revenue,” describing it as a flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.

 

“Equally condemnable is the new administration’s false claim of ownership of the NLC National Headquarters, a property owned by Nigerian workers; the resort to cyber and media bullying of the trade unions and leadership, coupled with covert moves to amend the NSITF Act in a manner that would disenfranchise workers and give the government full control over the funds.

 

“The CWC warns that these actions represent a direct attack on workers’ rights, hard-earned resources, and the principle of tripartite governance enshrined in international labour standards.

 

“The Congress affirms that the NSITF belongs to the Nigerian working class and will mobilise all legitimate means to ensure workers’ interests are protected,” Ajaero said.

 

On the steps to be taken, the NLC president stated, “The NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven working days from today.

 

“The PENCOM board must be properly constituted in full compliance with the law within seven working days from today.

 

“The Pension Commission must submit to the NLC a full status report of the funds within the same period.

 

“If at the end of these seven working days, nothing is done, the NLC will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the sector.”

 

 

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