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We’re Ready For Dialogue With Militant Groups –FG
L-R: Chairman of the Exhibition, Pastor Tony Aduroja, Pastor Joy Amenkhienan, representative of Rivers Governor, Mr Tex Warriboko and Regional Pastor, Christ Embassy, South-South, Nigeria, Rev. Tom Amenkhienan, at the Christ Embassy's 2012 LoveWorld Exhibition in Port Harcourt, on Monday
The Federal Government, has reiterated its
readiness to dialogue with the members of Jama’atu Ahli Sunna lid Da’awati wal
Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram and other aggrieved groups if only they
ceasefire and embrace dialogue.
The Vice President Namadi Sambo made this
call yesterday in Abuja at a National Symposium, organised by
Nasirul-Lahi-Faith Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) with the theme: “Islam and
Peaceful Co-Existence in a Contemporary Multi-Religious Society.”
He said, “it is clear today that the
terrorist attacks are clearly against all segments of our society, which is
uncalled for. I must seize this opportunity to call on all the groups to
ceasefire and come forward for dialogue. Government is ready to discuss.
“History has proven that even wars that are
fought for decades, at the end, are concluded only by dialogue. I am not aware
of any religion in the world that encourages unprovoked and relentless attack
on other people,” he said
He said President Goodluck Jonathan
led-administration was doing what was humanly possible to tackle the menace of
insecurity occasioned by the activities of militant groups across the country.
Sambo gave the assurance that the activities
of militant groups in the country would not jeopardise government’s effort at
stimulating Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs)
“Our desire to propel Foreign Direct
Investment cannot be jeopardised Insha Allah. We are therefore extending our
hands of friendship to our foreign friends with genuine intentions to come and
do business in Nigeria.
“Such gesture will not only be appreciated,
but will go a long way in strengthening the cordial relationship mutually
shared by our countries.
The vice-president commended the organisers
of the symposium, saying that it would help educate the public on the Islamic
view of peaceful co-existence and the concept of Jihad.
He enumerated the milestone the Goodluck
Jonathan-led government had made toward ensuring the success of the
Transformation Agenda, to include improved electricity supply; education and
transportation system.
In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr.
Sa’ad Abubakar, averred that the search for peace and mutual coexistence
remained one of the greatest challenges facing the country.
According to him, impunity has become the
order of the day, while the values of tolerance and moderation which provided
the bedrock of Nigeria’s religious and collective existence are being trampled
on.
“Much worse, the disregard for human life
has not only become rampant, but is increasingly glamourised. “
The Sultan enjoined the Muslim Ummah to
strive at all times to discharge their responsibilities seriously and
effectively and to promote moderation and toleration in the society.
“We must equally open effective channels of
dialogue with all segments of society, including those who hold contrary
opinions to that of our own.
“We must endeavour to resist the urge for
exhibitionism and brinkmanship.
“We must, as a nation, develop a collective
consciousness where the pain of any member of our society regardless of creed
and ethnic origin, shall be the collective pain of all of us.”
He commended NASFAT for its laudable
socio-economic activities in the country.
The National President of NASFAT, Alhaji
Sheriff Yussuf, had earlier explained that the symposium was being organised to
help find solutions to the current security challenges in country.
“Just as NASFAT responded in 2005 with a
National Discourse on Corruption when our collective image as a people was
being soiled by the scourge, this platform today is intended to cleanse the
seeming public mindset that the orchestrated scheme of terrors had been a
campaign being perpetrated by Muslims to impose Islam on the country or as a
mark of hatred against people of other faiths. “
Following the Federal Government’s decision
to dialogue with Boko Haram, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwabbo has
declared that his administration was ready to dialogue with the religious sect,
Boko Haram for the sake of peace in the country.
He made the revelation yesterday when some
national officers of the party visited him to sympathise with the state over
the incessant attacks by the sect on north-eastern states.
National Organising Secretary of the party,
Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha led the team. Governor Dankwabbo noted that it would
be imperative to dialogue to guarantee peace and development of the state and
the zone.
‘’A lot of lives were lost which are
irreplaceable, property were destroyed and many more challenges. I want to
thank you on behalf of the good people of Gombe state for the concern and to
assure our party, the PDP, that we will do everything possible to shun
violence; we would do everything possible to tolerate dialogue and call on
whoever is ready to dialogue with us in line with the principle of PDP, to
bridge the gap of misunderstanding, so that there would be peace, there will be
progress and there will be development.
I also want to assure you, that we have
taken measures to ensure that some of the victims that lost their property, we
have taken measures to support them, but those who lost their lives, it is most
unfortunate, lives are irreplaceable. But those who lost their property we have
taken some remedial actions to ensure that they didn’t lose, completely’’.
In his remarks, Borno State Governor,
Kashim Shettima warned that the entire north would become inhabitable in the
next five years, if nothing was done urgently to stem the menace of Boko Haram.
‘’For now, we have to do it in our enlightened
self interest, because nobody would stay in northern Nigeria; believe me in the
next five years! Believe me, nobody!! None of us here is prepared to. Somebody
was telling me that he went to greet the Sultan of Sokoto, when he came out,
the area boys came and knocked on his car and were asking for money. If you
refuse to give them, they will scratch your car.”
Another friend was telling me that his wife
and driver were driving in his Prado jeep in Kano. Some boys came and broke the
windscreen and said,’’ that you bastards, you are enjoying the comfort of an
air conditioned car and we are suffering!’’So, the bottom line is poverty”.
National Organising Secretary of the PDP,
who led the team to the two states, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha equally restated
the call for dialogue with the sect, to find lasting solution to the violence
threatening peace in the north.
‘’We believe security is everybody’s
concern; without it, there will be no meaningful development, investors will
never be encouraged to come and put in their fund and the unemployment trend
will then persist, with its associated crime. So, we ask people of goodwill to
come together and dialogue. Even during wars at the end of it all, people must
come round and discuss and we believe that’s the only way out.
The PDP as a party condemns in totality,
violence and terrorism and call on all those, whose responsibility it is, to
take all steps necessary to bring this to an end. We believe enough is enough.
We have been saying that Nigeria deserves to be among the top twenty countries,
by the year 2020 and this would be a mere dream, as long as peace isn’t with
us.’’
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.
