Politics
RSG Releases N16.6bn For RSU’s Upgrade, New Campuses
Last week was unique in the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt. Unique in the sense that some issues with far-reaching impacts in the life of the people of the state were taken.
The state Government, last Thursday, released a whopping sum of N16.6 billion for the upgrade of facilities in the Rivers State University (RSU).
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who disclosed this to journalists, said N9billion out of the amount will serve as take-off grants for the establishment of three new campuses of the university in Etche, Emohua and Ahoada local government areas.
Each of the new campuses has N3billion to construct faculty buildings, hostels, offices, lecture halls, libraries among other take-off facilities.
Nsirim further disclosed that N7.6 billion was released to enable the College of Medical Sciences establish the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Pathology building.
Also last week, Rivers State Government agreed with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to address all pending labour concerns in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, who disclosed this last Friday, after a meeting between the State Government and Labour in Port Harcourt, said an agreement on the implementation of the National Minimum Wage of N30,000.00 which took effect from 1st January, 2020 has been executed.
He said a tripartite Committee which would commence sitting this week, had been set up to have a detailed discussion of all outstanding issues.
According to the SSG, “ Rivers State Government has agreed and commenced implementation of the payment of check-off dues and the payment of arrears of salaries of Health Workers in the State Public Service who participated in the sympathy strike of 2017 under the auspices of JOHESU.
“Other issues which were raised by Labour such as: Need for payment of arrears of minimum wage, promotion of civil servants from 2012, payment of arrears of salaries to some civil servants who weren’t paid their February and March,2016 salaries due to the aborted 2016 biometric verification exercise etc”.
The sports community in the state also had reasons to celebrate as the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, last week in Brick House released some mouth- watering motivations to Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Rivers Angels including their technical crew as well as the supporters club.
Governor Wike who presented a state- of- the -art Yutong luxury buses, ambulances to both Rivers United FC and Rivers Angels FC, promised a donation of coaster bus to the supporters club.
He challenged players of Rivers United to make the state proud by winning the forthcoming Confederation of African Football ( CAF) tournament, assuring them that the state government would change their lives.
Governor Wike also charged Rivers United to win their match against Enyimba, adding that as they return, a bonus of N20million awaits the team.
“ Henceforth, for the Rivers United, any match you win away, you will have a bonus of N10million. The same amount applies to Rivers Angels”, Gov Wike said.
Another major event in Brick House within the week under review was the courtesy visit by the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
Governor Wike accused NDDC of defrauding Rivers State Government in a failed partnership to build a Mother and Child Hospital in Port Harcourt.
He also expressed displeasure that Governors of the Niger Delta region were being sidelined in the affairs of the commission because they belong to the opposition party.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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