Rivers
Amaechi Warns Youths Against Harassment Of Companies
Rivers State Government has again warned Community Youth bodies to desist from harassing companies operating in the state.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who handed down the warning, Friday, while addressing protesting Rebisi Youths at the Government House gate in Port Harcourt, said government has outlawed the system in which Youths and Community Leaders harassed companies operating in the state with demands.
The governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Magnus Abe, warned that youth bodies should desist from approaching companies for whatever reason as the government has instructed the firms not to listen to any demands from such bodies.
He explained that the Bill prohibiting such harassment from Community and Youth organisations would soon be forwarded to the State House of Assembly, and the law when passed, provides for three years imprisonment without an option of fine for anyone convicted.
“You can no longer go to companies to squeeze them, we would not allow it and we would fight it to the end,” he declared, and advised the youths to look for something meaningful to do.
He said any community or group that has any grievance against any company, should channel such matters to the relevant ministries for prompt attention.
While noting that time has come for youths in the state to do things differently, he emphasized that what the youth groups can do now is to organise themselves positively, so as to benefit from government’s laudable programmes such s scholarships.
Governor Amaechi continued that companies operating in the state must be allowed to work without any hindrance, to enable them expand their business and employ more Rivers people, rather than impose staff on them, adding that the government was working hard to provide a conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish.
He promised to look into the allegations raised by the protesting youths against the company.
Earlier, the Secretary of Rebisi Youth Progressive Alliance, Mr Edward Odum, said Weatherford Nigeria Limited terminated the employment of 18 indigenes of their community, and replaced them with non-Rivers People.
Mr Odum said the company rebuffed efforts to hold dialogue with the youth body, and appealed to the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the maltreatment of Rivers indigenes in the company.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.