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Adequately Fund Security Agencies, Wike Tasks FG Tells Legionnaires To Use Realised Funds Prudently

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Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stressed the need for the Federal Government not to abandon its responsibility of catering to the welfare of men and officers of the security agencies to the states.
Speaking at the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) Emblem Appeal Fund Launching ceremony, last Wednesday at Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike said the state governments are only providing necessary support.
He assured that his administration would not relent in its support to men and officers of the Nigerian military who have fought tirelessly in keeping the country united at great cost of their life.
Wike noted that though January 15th every year was the Remembrance Day in particular, the Emblem Appeal Fund Launch was organised earlier to raise money to support the Nigerian Legionnaires.
“What we are merely doing is to support. What is the federal government doing for you? So, everything should not be left in the hands of the state.”
Wike, in reaction to the request for the provision of secretariat for the Nigerian Legion, wondered what the leadership of the legion does with the monetary support that they receive each year.
According to him, it remains puzzling that the legionnaires in the state are unable to provide some basic operational facility like a secretariat for themselves.
The governor said the Rivers State Government alone, within the last six year of his tenure has donated not less than N150million to them annually, and if the resources were well managed, would have provided them a secretariat without going hand-in-cap to government.
“If you check for the six years, I’ve launched this emblem with not less than N20million in every year. And check each January 15th, I have given you not less than N150million. So, when you calculate, you can have your own secretariat.”
The governor urged the Federal Government not to abdicate its responsibility to fend for security agencies to the states.
“The military is under the Federal Government, the police are under the Federal Government. So, don’t shift responsibility of the Federal Government to states. What we are merely doing is to support.”
In his welcome speech, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo said every year, this event is organised to honour, appreciate and support war veterans and their dependents for their various levels of sacrifice that they made as a duty to the nation.
He noted that as officers and men of the military, they gave their best to ensure that the civil populace continue to enjoy security and peace.
Danagogo stated that while Wike and the Rivers State Government have continued to support the welfare of the legion, it was also important that well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies also lean their support.
“We may not know them all but certainly, we owe them all. That is why the governor of Rivers State has always supported them in every way possible.
“But whilst he is always supporting them and doing everything possible for them, it is not enough that only government or the governor is supporting them. It is a responsibility and duty for each and every one of us to appreciate them and to support them.”
Rivers State Chairman of Nigerian Legion, ACG Justice Chichi, said patriotic citizens are gathered to consider how to continue ameliorating the harsh and unfriendly challenges that confront legionnaires.
According to him, these war veterans; some have been living with hurts and others have died while fighting to keep the flag of freedom flying.
He urged Nigerians to spend the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in sober reflection of those sacrifices and renew commitment to the welfare of the veterans, widows and dependents of the fallen heroes in Rivers State.
“Your Excellency Sir, after an in-depth arithmetic of the immeasurable support which we are enjoying of your administration as the governor of Rivers State and our patron, I am led to, with humility and respect, that, I know of no one who has contributed more than you to the welfare of the legionnaires.
“The gift of giving for the welfare support of the needy has earned you the admiration of everyone.”
The Rivers State Government launched the emblem with the sum of N20million, the 23 council chairmen collectively launched it with N23million, while the state Legislature and Judiciary did same with N2million each, respectively.

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Bonny-Bodo Road: FG Offers Additional N20bn, Targets December Deadline

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The Federal Government has agreed to offer additional N20.5 billion for the completion of the Bonny-Bodo road project in December.
The government, however, said if the construction company, Julius Berger, was not ready to accept the offer, the contract will be terminated.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said this during a meeting with the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Lars Ritcher and members of Bodo-Bonny Road Peace Committee, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The reports that Julius Berger had requested asking for a N28 billion variation on the 82 per cent completed project.
The company hinged its request on the rise in exchange rate, construction materials, and diesel among others.
Umahi, however, said the government was willing to provide N20 billion out of the N28 billion that Julius Berger requested for.
According to him, the Bonny-Bodo road contract which was initially awarded at the cost of N120 billion in 2015, was later varied at N199 billion with a completion dateline of December 2023, which has since elapsed.
The Tide’s source recalls that in 2017, an agreement between the Federal Government, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Julus Berger on modalities for funding the project cost of N199.923 billion, without any further increase.
“If you do not accept the Federal Government’s offer by Friday and resume work on the site, the previously expired 14-day ultimatum for termination of project will be enforced.
“I want to let you know that we are the client. No contractor will dictate for this ministry, and there is no job that is compulsory that a particular contractor must do.
“We give you an offer. If you do not like the offer, you walk away. You don’t force us or we don’t force you.
“Agreement of contractual relationship is a mutual understanding,’’ the minister said.
Umahi said that had Julius Berger adhered to the project timetable, the project would have been completed on schedule before the impact of foreign exchange.
“Our position is very simple, we reject the conditions of Julius Berger totally and we ask Berger to please go back to the site to complete the project based on our offer.
“Our offer is unconditional and we say, accept or reject, so you cannot subject our offer to your conditions ,’’ he added
Umahi said the company should be humble in its dealings and exhibit solidarity during challenges.
Earlier, Richter had explained that the company suspended work on the site to seek some clarifications from the ministry.
According to him, the company asked for the augmemtation of N28 bilion because as at the time the contract was awarded the exchange rate was N305 to a dollar and diesel was N350 eor litre.
“We will still require some outstanding materials; that means that the initial agreement can’t fly because the variation of project is not sufficient and the exchange rate is also not in our favour to compensate the additional costs.
“That is why we decided to go back to our original proposal of the augmentation. Augmentation is a very normal process for all contracts,” the managing director said.
Chief Abel Attoni, Palace Secretary, Bonny Kingdom, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the decision to complete the Bodo-Bonny road project.
Attonu urged the parties to be patriotic and make the necessary sacrifice for the actualisation of the project.

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Court Vacates Arrest Warrant Against Ehie, Five Others

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The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, set aside the warrant of arrest against Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rivers State, and five others.
Justice Emeka Nwite stated this while delivering his ruling in an application seeking to vacate the warrant of arrest which he issued on January 31, 2024.
The Judge said he was misled by the police in ordering the arrest of Ehie in connection with the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly on October 30, 2023.
The Police, had told the court that Ehie and five others masterminded the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a plot to impeach Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The five others are Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, alias Rambo.
Justice Emeka Nwite while setting aside the warrant said it has now become a mere academic exercise.
The judge further granted same to the 2nd to 5th Defendant/Applicant in same suit.
Femi Falana, SAN, and Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, who appeared for the defendants in separate suits, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to have granted the order.
While Falana filed a motion seeking an order to set aside the January 31 order by Justice Nwite, Aladedoye applied for a stay of execution of the arrest order.
In a motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2024 dated February 2 and filed on February 7 by Falana, Ehie sought two orders, including “an order setting aside the order made on January 31 for want of jurisdiction.
“An order of this honourable court staying the execution of the order made on the 31st January 2024, pending the hearing and determination of this application.”
Giving six grounds of argument, Falana argued that the complainant had not filed any criminal charge or motion before the court.
The senior lawyer argued that the court lacked the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the ex-parte application as the alleged offences of conspiracy, attempted murder, murder and arson took place in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“He submitted that the court lacked the vires to grant an application to arrest and declare his clients wanted in respect of the alleged offences.
“The complainant/respondent (IG) did not adduce evidence of terrorism in the affidavit in support of the application.
“The complainant/respondent did not cite any section of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013 (as amended) alleged to have been contravened by the applicants,” he argued.
Aladedoye in a motion on notice dated and filed February 9, on behalf of the five defendants, sought two orders, including
“an order staying execution or further execution of the order(s) of this honourable court made on the 31st of January, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed by the applicants.
“An order of injunction restraining the complainant from carrying out or further carrying out the orders of this honourable court made on the 31st January 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed by the applicant in this case.”
Giving a three-ground argument, Aladedoye said that a notice of appeal had already been filed against Justice Nwite’s orders.
According to the senior lawyer, the notice of appeal contains grounds that challenge the jurisdiction of the honourable court.
The Inspector-General had, in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, arraigned the defendants on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on terrorism and murder.

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13 Students Bag First Class, 182 PhD As IAUOE Graduates 5,550, Today

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The authorities of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), Rumuolumeni, in Rivers State, have stated that 13 students will be graduating with first class while 182 graduands will bag Ph.D during the 42nd convocation ceremony of the university billed to hold today and tomorrow.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, disclosed this during pre-convocation press briefing held in his office, yesterday, to unveil the programme for the convocation ceremony.
Onuchuku said that the 13 students were among the 4,653 graduands expected to graduate for the 2022/2023 academic session with first degree, while 897 students will be graduating with postgraduate degrees.
The Acting Vice Chancellor while giving the breakdown stated that 13 students made first class, 890 students bagged second class upper while 2,739 students had second class lower for first degree.
He further stated that 182 graduands bagged PhD, 667 got master’s degree and 48 got postgraduate diploma, adding that the convocation ceremony will hold today and tomorrow for first degree graduands and postgraduate graduands respectively.
He said that a total of 47 programmes out of the 54 programmes being undertaken at the first degree levels had been given full accreditation by the National University Commission (NUC) as well as all the programmes at the postgraduate school.
“We have ensured that our programmes both at the first degree and post graduates are in line with the NUC stipulated guidelines and speculations. We have also ensured that we are in line with both our academic and administrative policies,” he said.
Prof. Okechukwu urged the graduating students of the institution to always remember to use thier positions to help their alma mater as well as project the institution in a good image in the larger society.
“Try to ensure you finish any project you want to do, evaluate it first and avoid unfinished or abandoned projects. We will be graduating first degree graduands on Friday while Saturday will be for postgraduates, “he added.
Prof. Onuchukwu also said his administration had achieved a lot since he assumed office as Acting Vice Chancellor, stressing that his administration had improved on the welfare of the staff and the students.
“There are a lot of projects completed in the school; we have also given scholarship to some students and also encouraged departments to do same. We also impacted positively on our host communities”, he said.

Akujobi Amadi

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