News
Rivers Marks World Community Dev Day …Harps On Legislative, Executive Harmony
Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has said community participation is an integral part in providing sustainable development and “an engine of societal growth.”
Governor Amaechi made this remark, yesterday, during the 2012 World Community Development Day celebration with the theme: “Self-Help: Panacea to Underdevelopment in Communities”, held at the Community Development Training Centre, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Represented by his Deputy, Engr Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi said no investor would come to a community where people were confrontational in their approach, and making un-necessary demands, stating that “for our community to grow, the individual in the community must live to their responsibility and create an atmosphere devoid of violence and acrimony”.
The State Chief Executive called on community leaders to begin to look inwards because “every community has one resources or another deposited by God”, that needed to be harnessed for the development of the community, rather than engage in unproductive ventures and wait for government to do everything for the community.”
Speaking, the Chairman of the occasion and former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Sampson Agbaru, said there were abundant yet untapped resources in the rural areas, which if well developed would go a long way in creating jobs for the teeming youths in the state, and called on all hands to be on deck for the development of the community.
In his address, the organizer of the event, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr Charles Okaye, said the programme was aimed at rekindling the zeal and role of community leaders for people to come together at the community level towards achieving common goals of transforming their community through self help intervention.
In a paper titled, “Making Self Help A Reality,” chairman, Nigeria Institutie of Public Relations (NIPR), Rivers State, Barr Karibi George, stressed the need for communities to adopt the self-help approach, which “dates back to mythic times, when governments had not been structured as they are today,” urging government to come up with incentives, ranging from grants and awards to communities, which have the best self-help project, adding that “self-help remains the platform for protecting the establishment and sustenance of government projects in communities.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, George Feyii, says it is essential for the legislative and the executive arms of the government in the state to work together.
He spoke when the chairman, Hon. Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani and other members of the State House Committee on the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Establishment and Pension visited him Tuesday in his office as part of their oversight functions.
The SSG said, “for the success of governance it should be seen and registered in any place in the state like ours that collaboration between the legislature and the executive is absolutely essential. There are no reasons why we should see it otherwise. Only those who cannot appreciate the complexity of governance will feel otherwise.
“All of the institutions of governance have been established to achieve specific purpose within the overall process of governance. If you are placed in charge of any particular duty and there is no need for somebody to ask you how have you done this, there are things that you will take for granted, there are things that you will do which otherwise you wouldn’t have done,” he added.
Continuing, the SSG said, “So, there is need for checks and balances at all times and the role that the legislature plays is crucial because it is the role the legislature plays that brings about order. You make laws with which business of governance is carried out. If those laws were not there, there would be no order in the way that things are done, so we quite appreciate the role that you play”.
Feyii also thanked the House Committee members for the visit.
Speaking earlier, the House Committee Chairman, Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani said, “we are here for a simple reason that as legislators it behoves on us given the mandate as assigned to all State Assemblies to carry out or perform some oversight duties on other arms of government and I think that in democratic societies, if institutions are allowed to run on their own and do what they are supposed to do, you find out that governance becomes easier.
“Once an institution is so established and there is a system in place, it means the institution has grown beyond an individual in which case it will run and perform its duties and functions as assigned. So we are only vehicles through which such duties will be carried out and as a vehicle, as a means to achieving that if you don’t want to live up to your responsibility as assigned in some cases you find lapses and decay,” he said.
Hon Ibani said the State Assembly would not be confrontational with the executive. He said there would always be cordial relationship between the state’s legislature and the executive.
“So I think that if we actually need development for our people, we want our people to prosper, there should be that synergy between the executive arm and the legislative arm of government so that we should always be on the same pace of policies, programmes and implementation and I think principally that’s what we are doing,” he concluded.
News
Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf
Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.
The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.
CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.
The students, led by Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.
According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.
The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.
Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.
He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.
Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.
The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.
He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.
CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.
He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.
Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.
The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.
The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.
According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.
The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.
Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.
He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.
CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.
News
College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates For 2027 Polls
The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.
International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.
Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.
He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.
Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.
“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.
Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.
He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.
According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.
Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.
The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.
Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.
By: John Bibor
News
Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.
Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.
The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.
He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.
Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.
On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.
The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.
Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.
On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.
The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.
Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.
By; King Onunwor
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