Features
The Reality Of Amnesty
There was a reported rush by militants in the Niger Delta to surrender arms in the last few days preceding October 4, the expiry date of the amnesty granted them by the Federal Government. Not a few Nigerians were surprised by the development, considering the cynicisms that greeted the amnesty deal when it was first mooted. By the time arms surrendering was completed, some of the most ferocious influences in the creeks of the region, including Ateke Tom, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as “Tompolo” and Farah Dagogo had turned in their arms. Prominent in the amnesty process has been Amnesty Panel Media Coordinator, Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, and Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva. But, perhaps, the most remarkable figure, in the views of some observers, has been the former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, now special adviser to President Umaru Yar’Adua on Niger Delta affairs. He had personally staked his reputation in his undertaken with the President as well as the militants to successfully oversee the conclusion of the amnesty deal. It appears that Alaibe has good reasons to celebrate except that, as former Petroleum Minister, Tam David-West, has warned, celebrating would be the most ill-advised thing to do at the moment. Reason: over 10, 000 restive young men are waiting to be reintegrated and profitably engaged by the Federal Government. As analysts have pointed out, this alone ought to make the government restless, considering that they may not have appropriated the required resources to accomplish the engagement of the ex-militants. If the resources are there, the government’s legendary snail-speed, some other Nigerians have remarked, would ensure there is wild-spread disenchantment before anything useful is done. If this turns out to be the outcome of the amnesty, Alaibe would truly be on the spot.
Alaibe became a media subject when he took charge of affairs at the NDDC, courtesy of the goodwill of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He had served as vice president of Cosmopolitan Bancshares in 1994, and later as general manager, Corporate Banking and Investment at Societe Generale Bank (Nig.) Ltd. Coming straight from the financial sector, he brought to bear upon the highly politics-tinted administration of the NDDC a certain sense of accountability. According to reports, a major part of the success of the NDDC in addressing the daunting neglect of the Niger Delta region, as well as in reducing the agitation and violence prevalent in the region before the establishment of the NDDC, lies in Alaibe’s great compassion, brilliance, foresight, natural problem-solving and people-savvy skills.
Along with his colleagues on the board and management of the NDDC, he successfully set in motion a coordinated response mechanism to the short-term and long-term challenges of the Niger Delta comprising, as key ingredients, an integrated regional development master plan, interim action plan for key projects in the states as well as skill acquisition programmes, a re-orientation and empowerment of youths.
Not many Nigerians had expected much to come from Alaibe’s appointment as go-between for the Federal Government and the militants.
Alaibe is from Bayelsa State and was the third managing director of the NDDC, succeeding Emmanuel Agwariawvodo, the commission’s second managing director, from Delta State. Godwin Omene from Delta State had been the first to occupy the office, following the establishment of the commission in 2000.
Alaibe’s primary assignment was to work with the Presidential Committee on Amnesty and Disarmament of Militants in the Niger Delta to ensure that its overall objectives are speedily achieved in line with Yar’Adua administration’s agenda for peace, stability and rapid socio-economic development in the region.
Alaibe reports directly to the President and also serves as Special Presidential Negotiator on the Amnesty process. He has put the immense goodwill which he enjoys among stakeholders in the region to good use in driving the amnesty and disarmament process forward to a positive conclusion within a specified period.
So momentous was the acceptance of amnesty – signified by the big haul of surrendered arms from the militants, that Amnesty Declaration Panel Chairman, Lucky Ararile, declared the exercise a huge success, saying “a lot of arms have been evacuated from the region and this will pave the way for peace, security and development in the region.” Then he enthused: “I am happy for Nigeria; I am happy for the Niger Delta.”
Koripamo-Agary, acknowledged that there was a rush to surrender weapons between Saturday and Sunday and reiterated that the post amnesty programme has begun.
“We are still documenting the number of militants who surrendered and the size of weapons surrendered,” she confirmed. As for the post-amnesty plans, she had this to say: “We are documenting them but they are going to the reintegration camps to start the reorientation programme. They have the choice to make and that will be done at the reorientation camps. They will need to tell us what they want to do and they will be trained in that field.”
Koripamo-Agary described the disarmament as a huge success because militant leaders and their unknown underlings came out of the creeks and surrendered. “It was a huge success beyond my imagination. Big names like Tompolo, Ateke Tom, Fara Dagogo, Buster Rymes, Osama Bin Laden, and thousands of the small foot soldiers that we did not really know about, all came out and surrendered. With the quantity of arms turned in, we have a safer country. This atmosphere will lead to the development of the Niger Delta, not just by the federal and state governments, but by potential investors.”
The story was different in some parts of the region, especially among some ethnic groups, which had seen the fight of the militants in the light of the entire struggle of people of the region to get the attention of the world towards their struggle against the determination of the Nigerian state to drive them into extinction. These groups expressed disappointment at the capitulation of the militants, arguing that they had compromised the struggle for equity, fairness, and development. They had regarded the militants as heroes, but now they lament that the battle has been lost. An Ijaw youth leader was reported as saying “we now agree that these militants were fighting for their selfish interests and not for us.’’
Earlier in September, as the amnesty deadline drew close, Alaibe had assured the nation of fruitful negotiations with the militants against a groundswell of skepticisms.
“The consultations were fruitful, the Niger Delta militants as a whole, especially Tompolo and Ateke Tom, whom we met, indicated that they are 100 per cent for the amnesty programme and they accept the amnesty wholly, but they have also made some requests to the President,” Alaibe had said in an interview in Abuja.
He also identified the post-amnesty challenge: “Human capital development via capacity training; sustainable programme; provision of scholarships; genuine rehabilitation programme for freedom fighters; giving the youths the opportunity to manage the security of our region in order to avoid criminal elements sabotaging our sincere efforts; allowing slots for marine equipment and general supply for the companies which will create harmony among the community and the multi-nationals, thus stopping the art of vandalising oil pipelines and bunkering.”
A senior commander of the main armed group Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Farah Dagogo, surrendered his weapons in the oil city of Port Harcourt, on the eve of the expiry date of the amnesty. In a typical manner, Dagogo had declared: “I Farah Dagogo, overall field commander for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta accepts together with field commanders in Rivers State, the presidential offer of amnesty to militants who lay down their weapons. We are surrendering all weapons under our direct control.”
Ateke Tom and around 5,000 militants disarmed at a beach ceremony in the same city while Tompolo accepted the amnesty offer during a meeting with President Yar’Adua late Saturday. In accepting the amnesty, Tompolo promised Yar’Adua his support “to achieve the dreams of this country”. Tompolo was the third key militant leader linked to MEND who have taken up the government offer for unconditional pardon in a bid to end the unrest in the oil producing region.
Dagogo’s acceptance of amnesty not withstanding, some 232 members of the Niger Delta People’s Salvation Front (NDPSF) and the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), under the leadership of Mujahideen Dokubo-Asari, have rejected the amnesty offered by President Umaru Yar’Adua which expired on Sunday. They also sued the Federal Government.
A suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by their counsel, Festus Keyamo, asked the court to determine if Yar’Adua can grant pardon to a person under Section 175 of the Constitution without specifying the offence the person has committed.
The group also wants the court to decide: Whether it is not a violation of the principle of fair hearing as in Section 36 of the Constitution for Yar’Adua to unilaterally decide that someone is connected with an offence, refuse to state the pertaining Section of the law breached and grant pardon to such a person, and as such be the accuser and the judge.
The court was also to determine whether Yar’Adua can grant pardon to a person under Section 175 of the Constitution without the person concerned with or convicted of the offence applying for pardon to the President.
The group has claimed that members did not commit any offence known to law to warrant the grant of amnesty to them and insisted that they were freedom fighters and would continue their legitimate fight for freedom and self-determination in line with the United Nations Charter.
In a recent interview, David-West drew attention to the significance of this group of dissenting militants, including MEND’s announcement that it would fight on. He said: “I hope and pray that we’ve seen the end of the whole thing. Why I say this is that it will serve no useful purpose for everybody and the country if the fundamental issue raised is not addressed. And this is simple-justice. Without justice, what we’re doing will be empty. You cannot have peace without justice.”
He has raised what analysts consider very fundamental questions concerning the surrendered weapons. Hear him: “It is an indictment on the intelligence and security outfits of this country if after many months of surveillance and fighting in the territory they could not recover all these weapons and armoury by themselves. The big question is, are these all the guns in their (militants) possession? Is this really the end of it? Is it 100 per cent? They (security forces) don’t know, we don’t know, and that is the danger because they didn’t recover them by themselves!”
The don saw what appears like opportunism in the manner Bayelsa State Governor Timipreye Sylva and Alaibe had conducted themselves through the disarmament process. As he put it: “They (Sylva and Alaibe) are trying to please and impress Yar’Adua, like two wives in a polygamous family, to get him to support them for 2011 governorship. So, where is the soul of the amnesty? Americans would say: where is the meat in the hamburger?”
After the ceremony, what next? That is the question on the lips of the vocal majority of commentators who have continued to insist that the ceremony will not last long given the insinuations that the government might not be forthcoming on their promises just as the restive youths still have access to large depots of armoury buried in the creeks. One of their refrains during the disarmament was “we have dropped the arms, but not the struggle.” It is not yet clear, what new forms the struggle will take in the days ahead as there are no indications that the causes of the agitations are being or would be redressed.
Austin Oboh
Features
Contributory Pension Scheme: Time For Review
For decades, Nigeria grappled with a pension crisis that left countless retirees in financial insecurity and despair. The unfunded pension system led to delayed payments and inadequate retirement funds, especially for public sector employees. In response, the federal government, under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, enacted the Pension Reform Act of 2004, introducing a contributory pension scheme (CPS) designed to overhaul the system and secure a dignified retirement for Nigerian workers.
According to the Pension Reform Act, 2004, Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is an arrangement where both the employer and the employee contribute portions of an employee’s monthly emolument towards the payment of the employee’s pension at retirement. The CPS covers employees in the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory, States, Local Governments and private sector organisations with three or more employees.
Only Judicial Officers, members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence and Secret Services of the Federation; retirees under any pension scheme existing before 30 June 2004; and employees who had three or less years to retire as at June 30, 2004 were exempted from the scheme.
The objectives of the CPS according to Section 2 of the Pension Reform Act, 2004, are to ensure that every retiree of the Nigerian Public Service receives his/her retirement entitlements as and when due; assist an improvident person to save against old age; and ensure a uniform set of rules and regulations on issues relating to the administration and payment of pension to retirees.
According to Section 85 of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, which effectively repealed the 2004 Act, “All contributions made under this Act shall be invested by the Pension Fund Administrators with objectives of safety and maintenance of fair returns on amount invested”.
Analysts and some retirees have questioned the usefulness of this section of the Act when the retirees are kept in the dark about the investments made with their contributions and hardly reap the dividend of the investment. A group of retirees known as Contributory Pensions Retirees Forum, recently described the CPS as a “modern day slavery; an instrument of economic annihilation of workers to death in abject poverty after retirement.”
According to them, the CPS denies retirees of a lump sum of their money after retirement and dispenses a paltry monthly pension to retirees across the board. They narrated the case of a retiree who served the Federal Government from July 15, 1981 and retired on July 15, 2016 on salary grade Level 14, having worked for a mandatory period of 35 years and attained the maximum age of 60 years.
For all the years he put in, the total balance standing to his credit was N6,745,823.34. Out of this, he was paid 25 per cent which amounted to N1,686,455.84 while the balance of 75 per cent was retained by Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for investment in the capital market and other large institutions. The retiree has been receiving a paltry sum of N26,703.15 monthly since 2016 till date despite the huge profits declared every year from the investment.
“Unfortunately, the sad part of this is that every day prices of goods and services are on the increase. While workers and retirees under the old scheme – Defined Benefit Scheme had their salaries and pension increased across all levels, we in the CPS are abandoned to our fate. We do not get increase”, lamented a retiree.
A public affairs analyst, Bonny Harrison, described such treatment of the retirees, who spend their active years serving the country as unfair and inconsiderate, noting that such attitude will discourage the people still in service from putting in their best. “They may be lured into bribery and corruption, knowing that the country will not cater for them when they retire”, he opined.
Section 7, Sub Section 1, Paragraph (a) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 provides that unlike the former Defined Benefit Scheme, the CPS is to be jointly funded by both the employer and the employee. Each worker has an individual Retirement Savings Account (RSA) with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).
It also made provision for state governments to migrate to the CPS and stipulates that employees contribute eight per cent of their monthly earnings, and employers add 10 per cent, totalling 18 per cent of the employee’s monthly income. The funds are managed under the oversight of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability.
Two decades down the road, getting the state governments to key into the scheme has been a Herculean task. Reports show that only about five out of the 36 states in the country have fully complied with the CPS Act. Some have not even enacted their CPS laws while some enacted the law without contributing anything to their workers’ RSA. PenCom and Pension fund operators have reportedly made frantic efforts to have them key into the scheme since 2014 but that yielded little or no results.
A recently retired civil servant in Rivers State narrated that the past governments in the states did not key in fully into the scheme. While the eight per cent of the employees’ salary was deducted, the government failed to contribute its own 10 per cent, thereby making retirees from the state ineligible to benefit from the CPS scheme.
The retiree was however glad that the total amount he contributed over the years was paid to him without any deduction and that the State government has put keying into the CPS on hold. He advised that the state government should not be part of the CPS as it is confusing and not favourable to government workers. “Contributory Pensions Scheme cannot work in our states where the governors run the states like their personal businesses. A governor today may decide to contribute and another governor tomorrow may choose not to. What happens to the retirees in such a situation? He queried.
Low compliance in the informal sector has also been noted as one of the challenges of the scheme. The informal sector, which represents over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce, often lacks the structure or financial stability to commit to monthly contributions. Many informal workers are unaware of the benefits of joining the scheme, highlighting a gap in outreach and education.
Analysts have also observed that fluctuations, especially inflation, often erode the value of retirement savings. Although PFAs invest in various assets, ensuring inflation-adjusted returns remains challenging, impacting retirees’ purchasing power, they said.
They therefore, canvassed for a halt of the CPS or reforms and initiatives to make it effective and worth the while. These include:
Expansion of CPS outreach programmes and incentives, such as flexible contribution options to increase informal sector enrollment; improved awareness and education which will drive greater participation among self-employed and informal workers; increasing transparency in fund management and imposing stricter penalties for misconduct so as to improve public confidence; introducing innovative investment options like green bonds and infrastructure development projects to help pension funds achieve better returns.
Others are: a more aggressive investment strategy that offers inflation-protected returns, benefiting retirees in the long term by PenCom in order to mitigate inflation’s effects, and PenCom offering financial education to pensioners so as to help them manage their funds effectively. PenCom should offer financial planning resources, ensuring that retirees fully understand the structure and benefits of the CPS.
Analysts have also argued that for CPS to succeed and live up to its objective of being a cornerstone of economic stability and prosperity, embodying the hope of dignified and secured retirement for all, PenCom must wake up to her duty of ensuring that the retirees are not short-changed by the pension administrators and that non-complaint employers (that fail to make deductions) as stipulated in PRA 2014 are duly punished.
Calista Ezeaku
Features
Good Governance: Gov Fubara’s Eyes On The Ball Amid Distractions
The administration of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, commenced on May 29, 2023, after the symbolic swearing-in ceremonies at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt. From that day, Governor Fubara hit the ground running to provide Rivers people strong, focused, purposeful and responsible leadership, prioritising the well-being of the State and its people with a renewed push for economic growth, people-centred infrastructure projects and social services.
The Governor promised pragmatic steps to improve the ease of doing business and sustain a congenial fiscal policy to attract local and foreign direct investments to stimulate greater economic activities, partner with private sector to revive or establish viable industries to create jobs and wealth while encouraging commercial agriculture to achieve food sufficiency, security and improved living standards for residents of the State. He promised to invest in capital infrastructure projects, provide electricity supply and social housing to those in need, partner private sector to develop integrated multimodal public transportation system to advance mass mobility and access to socio-economic opportunities across the State, prioritise healthcare, education, and empower youth with relevant skills and opportunities to become economically active, productive and prosperous.
The Governor also promised to initiate policies to improve earning capacity and incomes of workers; ensure regular payment of wages, pensions, and gratuities; intensify training and promotion of civil servants; support and motivate security agencies to maintain law and order and keep communities, roads, neighbourhoods and waterways protected, safe and secure for businesses, residents, and visitors; while remaining bold and ambitious in decision-making, and resolute in defending, protecting and promoting the collective interest of Rivers State.
Indeed, Governor Fubara has shown capacity through meticulous leadership by diligently fulfilling his promises to Rivers people in all spheres of governance. For instance, in May, 2024, Rivers State Government held Economic and Investment Summit, the first of its kind in Nigeria. The summit subsequently birthed the signing of Executive Order No. 002 of 2024 empowering the establishment of Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to give impetus to an Investment Agency that will coordinate the barrage of enquiries and business interests expressed by investors who now consider the State a destination of first choice.
Following the signing of the Executive Order, Governor Fubara established Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to serve as one-stop-shop to handle all-related activities seamlessly for the prosperity and good governance of the State. It is not in doubt that the gains of the Economic and Investment Summit have started yielding results, given the array of investment inflows to the State of recent. Notable among them are the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between the Rivers State Government, INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies as well as Senendib Capital Limited. The MoU with INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies is for the development of a $300million Waste-to-Wealth project, 200megawatts power plant, smart e-mobility, 20 tons of carbon capture and storage, and other innovations with a view to converting waste to wealth, generate electricity, boost employment opportunities as well as increase the State’s revenue base.
That of Senendib Capital Limited is for the protection and preservation of mangrove forest and ecosystems within the State, and the establishment of a Blue Carbon Credit Partnership, which will aid in tree planting, biochar production with a view to bringing about transformative shift in environmental and socio-economic gains aimed at increasing the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), leveraging the State’s potentials in the Blue Economy. Indeed, there are other private sector investments in such area as agriculture, tourism, culture and arts, among others. Take the ongoing work on Songhai Integrated Farms; Port Harcourt Tourist Beach; and the move to revive Rex Lawson Cultural Centre, as some of those big initiatives.
However, in spite of these laudable achievements, enemies of the State have continued to spin negative media propaganda with the intent of demarketing the State and pitching Governor Fubara against President Bola Tinubu. Only recently, the social media space was awash with malicious reports that Governor Fubara has shut down the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and other oil companies’ operations in apparent retaliation for a Federal High Court judgment in respect of statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts to the State. This deliberate propaganda was published by an online platform: jeestauglahity.net, titled, “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria”. What a hack job!
As if that was not enough, another social media report reared its ugly head, that Governor Fubara has imposed curfew on the State, as a result of the purported death of at least eight Nigerian soldiers in an imaginary gun battle between military personnel allegedly sponsored by former Governor Nyesom Wike, and the ‘forces’ of Governor Fubara, who were protecting Government House from Wike’s invaders. This time, the fake news was concocted by an online platform: https://africachinapresscentre.org, titled, “Heavy shooting, deaths reported as armed men attempt to seize power in Rivers”, authored by one Ikenna Emewu, and also credited to a mainstream newspaper “Daily Trust”. Another hack job, and deliberate attempt to distract, cause panic and chaos.
It is crystal clear that the negative media narratives are from the enemies of the State, who have been working as part of the propaganda machine of detractors of the Governor to paint the State Government in bad light, cause anarchy and destabilise the State. No doubt, these enemies of the State have been recruiting agents to use the media as tool to manipulate public opinion and perception, while also fabricating lies to create the impression that the Governor is at war with the Federal Government, and indeed, President Bola Tinubu, at a time the Governor has been working assiduously in synergy with security agencies to crush illegal oil bunkering, artisanal refining of crude oil and the scourge of pipeline vandalism, in order to help improve oil production for the nation to meet its crude sales obligations as well as continue to maintain the peace in the State.
But despite the negative media spinning and distractions from several litigations, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate leadership by remaining focused with his eyes on the ball, delivering good governance in line with his promises to Rivers people.
Governor Fubara has been playing the game in line with the axioms of Tony Robbins: ‘’the more focused you are, the more successful you will be’’. He has surrendered his faith to God, focusing on delivering democratic dividends to Rivers people. Because his eyes have been focused on the ball, the Governor had completed the 10.9km Aleto-Eteo-Ebubu Road; 15.24km Emohua-Tema Junction (Kalabari) Road; 21.5km Egbeda internal roads; 23km Omoku-Egbema dualised road; 27.5km Andoni section of Unity Road; 8.168km Emoh/Iyak/Ighom/Elok and Emoh/Egbolom roads; over 3km Chokocho-Igbodo road; despite the distractions. Conservatively, more than 121.308km roads have been completed and handed over to communities for public use without noise making.
And he is doing more! Only recently, during routine inspection of projects dotted across the State, the Governor gave construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, a marching order to complete the 9.7km Ogbakiri Town road which will connect about six communities in Emohua Local Government Area within the stipulated timeframe of eight months. The project is valued at about N15billion. Already, 30 per cent mobilization fee has been paid. Also, the 33.5km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku dual carriage road with a river crossing bridge linking Ikwerre-Emohua-Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas is also progressing.
Two major signature projects: the 50.15km Port Harcourt Daul Carriage Ring Road that traverses six local government areas, namely Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Eleme, and Okrika, is ongoing at six sections of the road; and the 12.5km Trans-Kalabari Road project, is also ongoing. Both projects had been evaded by previous administrations because of their complex and difficult terrains and huge costs. Work is now progressing on both.
Other legacy projects include the over 3km Opobo Ring Road; 12km Okehi-Eberi-Omuma road; 5km Okania-Ogbogoro road; 14.6km Eberi-Umuakali-Omodu Road linking Rivers and Abia states; 13.3km Bori internal roads; and 17.5km Egbeda/Omerelu Road. These have been completed. The Kalaibiama section of the 5.2km Kalaibiama/Epellema Road with spurs has been completed while work is ongoing on the Epellema section with bridge.
Also, the 16.5km Rumuokurusi-Igbo-Etche Road; 25.4km Ahoada/Omoku Dual Carriageway (Phase 2); 15.2km Uyakama/ Obodhi/Ozochi Road; 13.52km Ngo Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road with spurs; and 6.5km Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery link road with 200 meters bridge and many other road infrastructure projects are advancing, even with the distractions. Indeed, the people have high hopes because the contractors have promised to deliver on schedule. More than 257.64km roads are under construction, and almost all are funded from state revenue (IGR and FAAC allocations) without borrowing.
In his bid to decongest the City of Port Harcourt and extend municipal activities to other parts of the State, Governor Fubara, had in August, flagged off the construction of the New Port City in Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area. The New Port City, which is akin to a mega smart port city, is a joint venture between the Rivers State Government and Rainbow Heritage Group Limited geared towards realigning the State with modern developmental realities. This is in addition to the 20,000 housing units project for low-income earners, being executed by the Rivers State Government and Pricewise Home Nigeria Limited/TAF Africa Global at Mbodo, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area. The project is progressing smoothly and aims at meeting the Governor’s aspiration to provide affordable homes for low-income earners under the social housing policy of the Government.
Governor Fubara is also keeping to his avowed promise to civil servants in the State. In October, he graciously approved the sum of N85,000.00 as Minimum Wage to workers under the State Government employ, and promised that implementation will take effect November, 2024. As civil servants were receiving alert for their November salaries, the new minimum wage was boldly implemented, and the whole State has been in a jubilation mood since then. In fact, the Governor was the first in the nation to pay the new minimum wage to workers, and the impact has been monumental on the lives of Rivers people.
This is as the promotion of civil servants for 2023/2024 is ongoing after the initial promotion that saw Rivers civil servants being promoted to their current grade levels after over 10 years of stagnation. Pensioners are also not left out in the scheme of things as the Governor had increased the N1billion monthly allocation to offset the backlog of pension and gratuity to retired civil servants to N2billion. The move is to clear the backlog as well as ensure effective implementation of payment of gratuities and pensions to retired civil servants. How else do you describe good governance?
Also recently, Governor Fubara donated 100 vehicles to the Rivers State Command of Nigeria Police Force, with the aim of tackling insecurity and boosting response time to emergencies. Sister agencies such as Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others, including military and para-military formations have also received support from the Government. This is in fulfilment of the Governor’s promise to support and motivate security agencies to deliver on their mandate to the people of the State.
Of course, Governor Fubara is keeping to his oath never to renege on his promise to deliver only the best projects to Rivers people and provide standard social services, while utilising scarce resources judiciously for the betterment and overall interest of the people. This is because, since assumption of office, he has, through meticulous and frugal management of State resources, embarked on impactful projects aimed at fulfilling his social contract with Rivers people without the usual pomp and pageantry, and noise making as some publicity-conscious public officials do. Even the BudgIT 2024 Fiscal Performance Ranking put Rivers tops among 35 other states in transparency and accountability, a testament to the Governor’s prudence and diligent application of scarce resources in delivering good governance to Rivers people.
Amid the noise and political distractions, Governor Fubara has truly had his eyes on the ball. He has been focused. He has been committed to the Rivers First project. He believes and is working to achieve a brighter future for Rivers State.
Nelson Chukwudi
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, and writes from Port Harcourt.
Features
Will Drug Trafficking Ever End ?
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
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