Politics
Sustainable Youth Engagement: Rivers Dep Gov’s Example
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, DSSRS is a humane and God-fearing leader and mentor who has a burning desire to lift young people out of poverty and misery.
With a rare combination of beauty and brains, her milk of human kindness which is non-discriminatory has given succour to lots of people across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, in the form of mentorship, scholarships to indigent students, funding of Start-ups for young people in ICT, mentoring of girls in Science, Mathematics and Technology, the list is endless.
However, in consonance with the adage that says charity begins at home, the Deputy Governor, has written her name in gold, in the three Kalabari speaking Local Government Areas, of Asari Toru, Akuku Toru and the mother Local Government Area, Degema, through the establishment of a Cottage Industry at the Degema Consulate.
It would be recalled that Dr. Banigo had earlier brought back Banking Operations in Degema which a lot of people thought was impossible in the past. This singular feat greatly improved commercial activities in the area to the delight of the citizenry.
She also facilitated the establishment of an Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force which has helped to improve the protection of lives and property in the Kalabari and the Emohua axis of the State.
This Jewel of the Niger Delta who says she adopted Skills Acquisition Programme as a deliberate strategy to keep the youths gainfully engaged and reduce social vices in the society, fully funded a one month special skills acquisition programme in January, 2020 where over three thousand five hundred youths (3,500) drawn from the old Degema Local Government Area benefitted in collaboration with Redemption Ministries who added a Christian religious component to the training. At the end of the programme youths did not only acquire skills but were led to Christ .
According to Dr. Banigo, beneficiaries of the programme are expected to be self-reliant with intent to contribute meaningfully to the micro- economy of their respective Local Government Areas and the State at large.
As a follow up, another set of trainees made up of one thousand one hundred and sixty youths (1, 160) also benefitted in collaboration with Region 5 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
She empowered beneficiaries with starter packs to enable them set up their businesses, she also encouraged them to set up co-operative societies to enable them access loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Industry, etc, to boost their businesses which she facilitated and signed as their guarantor. A good number of them have succeeded in carving a niche for themselves in their chosen skills set.
Mr Adokiye Omuaru a Master’s Degree holder who hitherto had no job was a beneficiary of the Deputy Governor’s free skills acquisition programme. He acquired shoe making skills and has since set up his own factory and is now an employer of labour.
Encouraged by Mr. Omuaru’s enthusiasm and commitment to expand his business, the Deputy Governor provided the funds to procure a generator set, various industrial machines, original leather and other shoe making accessories to enable him operate on a commercial scale.
Mr. Eze Abinami Sunday is a diligent and hardworking young man, who is determined to carve a nitche for himself in ICT but did not have the resources to fund his training. However, the Free Skills Acquisition Programme of Dr. (Mrs.) Banigo provided the rare privilege for him to get trained at no cost to him, and today, he has started earning a living from the skills and is also a trainer of other young people like him.
Miss Rasidu Tamunotomba Fakorede, hails from Bille in Degema Local Government Area. Prior to her admission into the Skills Acquisition Programme she had no skills and was jobless. However, she had a life line and succour when she enrolled into Her Excellency’s Skills Acquisition Programme. She ventured into tailoring and things have now turned around for good in her life.
As part of deliberate efforts to ensure that the youths continue to acquire skills to be self-reliant, the Harvard trained Public Health Physician, (Dr. Mrs.) Harry Banigo has set up a cottage industry in boat building and shoe making in Degema.
For continuity and sustainability, the Deputy Governor has committed huge financial resources to completely rehabilitate and upgrade facilities in the Degema Local Government Council to accommodate the Cottage Industry.
The complete makeover of the structures by the Deputy Governor with her personal resources underscores the importance she attaches to the project which is now a legacy project for posterity.
This human capital development project would no doubt lift thousands of people out of poverty that would ultimately outlive the tenure of Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
The Cottage Industry commenced operations on the 3rd of June, 2021. So far, a total of one hundred and twenty trainees have registered and are undergoing training. Seventy five of these trainees are for shoe making while forty five registered for boat building in the intensive programme which holds from 9am to 4 pm each day with theoretical and practical sessions.
The Deputy Governor is indeed a trail blazer when it comes to helping young people to succeed in life; she had always said her passion is to lift up young people from poverty. This she has continued to do whenever the need arises.
At a meeting with the Acting Regional Manager of the Bank of Industry (BOI) Mr. Pacqueens Irabor in Port Harcourt, on Friday 23rd October, 2020 Dr. Banigo said “we must lift up our young people and young adults out of poverty, financial, physical, spiritual and mental poverty. We want to give them the mind-set that they can do it”.
Dr. Banigo who is the Chairman of the Ease of Doing Business Council opined that a country that is not able to manufacture what they are using can never really develop which, according to her, is the bane of the nation.
She vowed to continue to encourage youths to be creative, using what the Almighty God has deposited in them, adding that the setting up of the Cottage Industry would engender the spirit of self-reliance in our youths.
“ It is not all about Government work and politics, they have so much that God has put in them that they can use for themselves and others, to be a blessing to their community and to be a blessing to others.” Dr. Banigo quipped.
Just like the Chinese proverb which says “teach a man how to eat fish he will eat but once, you teach a man how to catch a fish, he will eat for ever”, Her Excellency, the Deputy Governor, has taught the youths how to catch a fish, through the setting up of the cottage industry in boat building and shoe making in Degema. Of course this is apt because the people in the area are predominantly fisher men who also harvest sea food like periwinkles, oysters, clam, crabs etc, which makes the boats in very high demand as a critical asset.
The shoe making industry is also viable with a ready market as the people of the area are very fashionable with a rich cultural heritage which makes a high demand for quality shoes.
Dr. Banigo has done her part, it behoves on the youths to take advantage of this unique opportunity to better their lives. The ball is in their court.
Benebo is the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
By: Owupele Benebo
The Red Chamber passed the bill last Wednesday after more than two-thirds of senators voted in support.
In a statement issued yesterday by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele described the bill as “a child of necessity and not of political expediency as well as a product of national consensus and not of cynicism.”
The senate leader said the proposal to establish state police was a matter of urgent public importance that could not be delayed because of political interests, given the country’s security challenges.
He explained that the proposal did not originate recently but emerged from memoranda submitted to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the proposal underwent extensive consultations and rigorous scrutiny because of its sensitive nature.
Bamidele said the National Assembly consulted widely with the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, the leadership of the Nigeria Police and other stakeholders before passing the bill.
He added that during the public hearings conducted across the six geopolitical zones in July 2025, participants overwhelmingly supported the creation of state police.
“At each level of our consultation, nearly all stakeholders embraced the State Police Bill in the light of stark realities we are facing today,” he said.
The Senate leader noted that recommendations from the Nigeria Police contributed to the bill, particularly on accountability and oversight mechanisms aimed at preventing abuse of state police by political actors.
According to him, the police’s support for the proposal underscores its national significance in tackling insecurity at the state and local levels.
Bamidele also said the bill received broad bipartisan backing in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“Even though the APC is the majority, there are members of opposition parties — PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party — that exercised their discretion in favour of the Bill, mainly in the national interest and not on parochial basis.
“In the Senate, for instance, 84 out of 109 members voted clause by clause in support of the Bill. This accounted for 77.06 per cent approval at the Senate alone,” he said.
He argued that national security should transcend political affiliations, saying political actors in other countries often set aside partisan interests to support initiatives that strengthen security.
Bamidele called on opposition parties to contribute constructive ideas that would promote peace and stability, adding that they have a responsibility to offer alternatives that would strengthen the country.
“Even when they disagree on some grounds, they are under obligations to provide credible and useful ideas that can make our nation better and greater. Unfortunately, they have not passed this critical test of opposition democracy,” he said.
The group also urged the National Assembly leadership to ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted where sufficient admissible evidence exists, while all diverted or unaccounted public funds are recovered and paid into the treasury.
In a letter dated June 27, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the allegations were contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 Annual Report, published on September 9, 2025.
The organisation disclosed this in a statement signed and released by Oluwadare, yesterday.
SERAP also asked Akpabio and Abbas to disclose the identities of contractors and companies, including their shareholders and beneficial owners, that allegedly received constituency project funds but failed to execute the projects.
It gave the National Assembly seven days to act on its recommendations, warning that it would institute legal proceedings should the legislature fail to respond.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest,” the letter stated.
It said, “The allegations involve several federal ministries, departments and agencies, including the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON); the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Volm; the Federal Polytechnic, Udana; the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP); and the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
“The Auditor-General identified numerous cases of payments into private bank accounts, contracts awarded without due process, payments for contracts not executed or services not rendered, undocumented expenditures, inflated contracts, procurement irregularities and failures to account for public funds, recommending in each case that the funds be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
“According to the 2022 audited report, contained in pages 367 to 396, the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON or Council) Abuja paid over ‘N22 million [N22,944,565.16] into the private account of some members of staff of the Council from the Constituency Projects Fund Account.
“There ‘was no evidence of the utilization of the funds and no explanations on the purpose for the payment of such amount into the individual accounts.”
SERAP added, “The Council (EHORECON) also in 2021 ‘awarded suspicious consultancy contracts of over N12 million [N12,030,818.29] for the development of Modern Abattoirs in Kebbi State and the supervision of 7 projects in Kebbi, Jigawa, and Headquarters Abuja.
“The money was to ‘produce bills of quantity, architectural design, structural design, mechanical design, and electrical designs for the contracts and supervision.’ But ‘the ‘items could not be found.’”
Altogether, SERAP said the Auditor-General’s 2022 report alleged EHORECON paid more than ?1.8 billion in constituency project funds through questionable transactions.
For the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, SERAP said the institution “in 2022 reportedly ‘paid over N279 million [N279,700,500.00] to 3 contractors to empower and train youths in selected vocational areas in Borgu and Kontagora, Niger State, train women and youths in entrepreneurship in Niger East Senatorial District and to train youths and women in agro production and self-reliance in Barki Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, Plateau State.
“But the money was paid to the contractors without any document.’”
Other irregularities involving the college include another ?279.7 million in mobilisation fees allegedly paid without documentation, and more than ?629.4 million paid to unqualified contractors for various constituency projects without evidence of due process, contract advertisements or details of the contractors.
SERAP further alleged that the Auditor-General’s report identified multiple financial irregularities involving the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, including over ?407 million allegedly paid as mobilisation fees without supporting documents, more than ?399 million paid to unqualified contractors, contracts allegedly inflated by over ?192 million, over ?279 million paid for projects not fully executed, ?50 million allegedly paid for an unexecuted borehole project, and more than ?83 million disbursed without the required documentation or approvals.
It also alleged that NAPTIP reportedly irregularly awarded contracts worth over ?21.8 million, paid more than ?176.8 million for logistics and consultancy services without supporting documents, and disbursed over ?89.6 million and ?4.4 million for projects that were allegedly not executed.
The report also alleged that NILDS failed to submit audited financial statements for 2012 to 2022, did not remit over ?15 million in stamp duties, and spent ?1.6 million without authorisation from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
SERAP said the report recommended the recovery of the affected funds and their remittance to the treasury.
It argued that corruption in constituency projects disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable Nigerians by diverting resources meant for public services and development.
It added that the National Assembly, in exercising its oversight responsibilities, should demonstrate leadership by ensuring accountability in the management of constituency project funds.
The organisation further argued that the allegations, if established, would amount to breaches of the Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and the Public Procurement Act 2007, which require transparency, accountability and due process in the management of public resources.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.
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