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Wike Inaugurates Task Force On Street Trading

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Last week, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, inaugurated the State Government Taskforce on Street Trading, Illegal Market and Motor Parks, with the charge to the members to sanitise streets in Port Harcourt
The Governor, while inaugurating the Taskforce last Wednesday in the Banquet Hall of  the Government House, Port Harcourt, said the ultimate aim is to return Port Harcourt city to its glorious Garden City status.
Wike lamented the negative impact of street trading, in spite of public markets built by the government within Port Harcourt city and its environs.
“When we build roads, before you know what is happening, the roads are taken over by street traders and illegal motor parks.
“The taskforce has the responsibility of cleaning up the streets and ensure that nobody trades on roads “, he stated.
The Governor said that the taskforce members were screened by the Department of State Services and the Police to ensure that cultists were not recruited.
He warned them against extorting offenders but to make arrest and charge them to mobile courts in each zones for prosecution.
According to the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, 20 taskforce members were recruited from each of the 23 local government areas summing up to 460. However some failed the security screening and would be replaced.
The Governor appointed Mr Bright Amaewhule as Special Assistant to the Governor and Coordinator, of the Taskforce.
Also last week, Governor Wike inaugurated a 25-man committee  to organise the First 100 Days in office for hiovernments second term. It is headed by the Secretary to Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo.
He charged the committee to work hard within the short period and organise a befitting event that the people of the state would be proud of.
The Governor further urged the committee to look at the numerous projects by his administration and select completed ones for commissioning and to also consider personalities  across the country and select those to commission the projects.
Chairman of the committee and Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, thanked the Governor for reposing confidence in members and assured him that the committee would do its best to organise a befitting event.
Also last Tuesday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, visited Governor Wike.
The Ambassador said the United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria as it works to reduce and ultimately eliminate the scorge of HIV/AIDS amongst her people.
Symington explained that the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) administered by the US Centre to Disease Control, US Dept of Defense and US Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing an Anti-Retroviral Treatment surge programme in Rivers State to identify and provide treatment to approximately 180,000 Persons Living With HIV who have not previously received such.
He noted that US government $75 million budget increase for HIV control measures in Nigeria with about $25million allocated for ART would make people with the virus leave healthy  and productive lives till the cure for the virus would be found. He commended Wike for his administration’s plan to eliminate User-fee for PLWH.
Wike commended US Government for partnering with Rivers State Government to fight HIV/AIDS and assured that his administration would continue to fund programmes aimed at reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS.
Wike noted that education and health are key interest of his administration.
Cult clashes that  resulted in loss of lives and wanton destruction of property in some Ogoni communities attracted the attention of the state governor.
Wike led the State Security Services  Commanders to some of the troubled communities to restore peace.

 

Chris Oluoh

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Atiku Quits PDP, Says Decision Heartbreaking

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Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Alhaji Abubakar disclosed his intention to leave the opposition party in a letter addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Jada, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state.
Alhaji Abubakar described his departure from the PDP as “heartbreaking”, saying the party has strayed from the ideals on which it was founded.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the Party,” Alhaji Abubakar said.
“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.
“As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.
“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for.
“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.
“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future”, he added.
Alhaji Abubakar’s resignation from the PDP comes days after the opposition coalition politicians adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their political platform for the 2027 elections.
Among the coalition leaders are Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election; Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor; and John Oyegun, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others include Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State; Uche Secondus, former PDP National Chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State; Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State; and Liyel Imoke, former Governor of Cross River State, among others.

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2027: Group Vows To Prevail On Diri To Dump PDP For APC

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A group, ‘Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF),’ has intensified calls on the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CBSF which comprises members of various political parties, non-partisan citizens and residents of the state also has non-indigenes and people from different religious organisations as members.
Speaking at a world press conference held in Yenagoa, the State capital on Tuesday, the group, through its convener who doubles as Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media/Public Affairs, Snr. Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, passed a confidence vote on Governor Diri, commending his selfless service to the State and the Ijaw nation.
Mr Ikuli averred that there was need for the state to align with the federal government. Citing the benefits of having a government at the centre that can attract development to the state, he noted that the PDP at the national level  had been long enmeshed in crisis.
“The current leadership of the PDP under whose platform the governor is leading the state has been hijacked by few individuals. This poses threats to the interest of the state.
“Presently, our state is standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of the South South region. The above may not be too much an issue. The greatest challenge here is the hijack of the PDP by few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsa in 2027, particularly those that intend to fly the flag of PDP.
“There are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform. So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP.
“The ongoing Coalition is also an embodiment of people who conspired to deny Bayelsa State and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation, a second term at the Presidency in 2015. Thus, the coalition can never be an option.
“ It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show southern solidarity with other southern governors who are with Mr. President”, the group said.
“But as we move forward, one of the greatest priorities in the alliance with the centre should be the actualisation of the Agge Seaport that will help to boost the state economy and also bring about unimaginable transformation and prosperity.  In the next few days we shall begin a daily rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on His Excellency to do the needful.
“Finally, His Excellency should ignore all opposing voices against his defection. We say this because they are all fighting to protect their individual political interest without prioritising that of the state and the entire Ijaw nation.
“ We wish to reassure His Excellency that vast majority of Bayelsans are with him and together, we shall move forward”, the CBSF added.
The group thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Ijaw sons and daughters into key positions, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), amongst others.
Meanwhile, the CBSF has also charged Governor Diri to prioritize the actualization of the Agge Deep Seaport project, saying it will boost the economy of the state and bring about transformation and prosperity, noting, however, that plans have reached advanced stages for the CBSF to hit the streets of Yenagoa with rallies with a view to prevailing on the governor to defect to the APC.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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Nasarawa Speaker Advocates Conducive Executive/Legislature Relations 

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The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, has called for a good working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of the State for development to thrive at the grassroots level.
The Speaker made the call on Wednesday while hosting councillors from the 13 local government areas of the State in his residence in Lafia, the state capital.
Rt Hon. Jatau said that a good working relationship among the arms of government at the council level was key to development, hence, the need for his call in that direction.
He appreciated the councillors for condoling with him over the death of his younger sister, Hajaratu Jatau, and prayed to God to bless them abundantly.
“I started as a councillor, and today I am the Speaker. There is the need for a good working relationship between you and the elected chairmen for development to thrive at the grassroots. It is in view of this that I want to call on you to give your elected chairmen all the necessary and needed support to succeed. For development to thrive at the grassroots, you must embrace one another and see yourselves as team players,” the Speaker said.
Rt Hon. Jatau also called on them to coexist peacefully among themselves and continue to drum up support for Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration to succeed.
Besides, he assured them that the state government would soon organise training for them to deliver effective service.
Rt Hon. Jatau also assured them that the state government would pay them their furniture allowance, as well as other benefits, to enhance their legislative work.
Earlier, the chairman of the Nasarawa State Councillors Forum, Mohammed Madaki, who is the Leader of Lafia LGA Legislative Assembly, said that the visit was to identify with the Speaker over the death of his sister.
The leader of the delegation urged the Speaker to see the death of his sister as an act of God and bear the irreplaceable loss.
Mr Madaki assured the Speaker of their loyalty and support at all times.
The chairman, however, appealed to the Speaker to intervene in the training of the councillors as well as the payment of their furniture allowance.
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