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These People Will Take No Prisoners
It is clear that our state is in a battle for its soul. A battle, which no sane person would wish for. Last week, someone published an article in The Guardian, asking Governor Amaechi to go and make peace with the President. Good advice I guess but the bigger question is, is Governor Amaechi fighting the President? Can he even do so?
What really are the issues under contention? It may be necessary to throw them out and let Rivers people honestly judge for themselves.
The first issue that appears to have caused contention is the demolition of buildings around a primary school at Ayungibiri in Okrika Local Government Area. The incident occurred in 2010 when Governor Amaechi had received Her Excellency the wife of the President and she had spent a night in Port Harcourt. The next morning she headed to Okrika and the Governor out of regard for her person and position and because she is a Rivers daughter and our pride, decided to show her some of his work. She took offence when he showed her the primary school and mentioned that he would like to buy the adjoining properties to enable government demolish them and create grounds for the primary school. He was still explaining the rationale behind this and the children’s safety when Her Excellency grabbed the microphone and thoroughly berated him for daring to suggest or even give a thought to buying up the properties to create a better learning environment for the children. There were many witnesses at this event and there is a recording of the same, which thankfully, Mr. President is privy to. Governor Amaechi did not respond to this abuse but dutifully waited until the reception in the First Lady’s honour was over before leaving Okrika. The school in question stands today in Ayungibiri smack in the middle of those living houses. In deference to the first lady who comes from that local government area, NOT ONE HOUSE was brought down. For the sake of peace, the children lost.
The second issue is that of the oil fields in Soku. Soku is a riverine community in Rivers State. The people of Soku are Ijaws. The fight between Soku and neighbouring Nembe in Bayelsa is an old one. In October 2012, the Kalabari National Forum, an interest group of communities from the Kalabari area of Rivers State protested against what they termed “ the malicious and unconstitutional intent to balkanize and excise oil producing communities in Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State and annexing them to be part of Bayelsa State.” Governor Amaechi’s electoral and constitutional mandate is to protect and secure the lives and properties of Rivers people and of Rivers State. As a Rivers son now privileged to defend his state; he must be able to rise to the occasion. He refused the stealing of Kalabari oil wells just as he defended the rights of the Andoni, the Etche and the Ndoki whose oil wells have also been ceded to neighbouring Akwa Ibom and Abia states. Refusing to bribe his way through, but preferring, instead, to the instrumentality of the courts in defending what is rightfully Rivers people’s commonwealth, he has become a pariah and erroneously tagged anti-Jonathan and anti-Ijaw. He defended the rights of the Kalabari people to oil on their land. He stood for them and not against them. He is not Ijaw by ethnic orientation but he is fighting an Ijaw cause similar to the cause for self-determination and resource control. This is his offence and one for which he also has come under persistent attack – for saying that the oil wells belong to Rivers State and that the National Boundary Commission should stop the travesty of justice of paying to one party monies that had been erstwhile held in an escrow account awaiting determination of its rightful owner by the courts of the nation.
The third issue for which Governor Amaechi has come under attack is the matter of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the allegation that he was using the Forum to attack the presidency. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Governor Amaechi is one man out of 36 chief executive officers of their states. He does not have the wherewithal to order them around. As chairman of the NGF he can merely speak the governors’ minds after a decision has been reached. Why then is he being singled out for persecution? The decisions reached by the forum are the decisions Governor Amaechi announces. Isn’t this a question of killing the messenger rather than the message? The same issues, the NGF talked about were the same issues raised by the PDP Governors’ Forum. Underneath this accusation lies the bigger one that Governor Amaechi is using the forum to prepare to run in 2015 as vice president. But everyone knows that no one contests for vice-president anywhere in the world and there are very few presidential candidates that would pick a strong and prominent character as their vice-presidential candidate. Besides, there are more politically savvy ways to court a perceived opponent in a democracy.
Last week, a new dimension to this entire drama unfolded. An accusation that neither Governor Amaechi nor his wife condoled with the wife of the president on the loss of her foster mother. It was the most shocking and embarrassing statement any publicist could have sent out, especially in the face of a widely publicised visit to the family home of the first lady where she was indeed receiving visitors and where a register was opened for condolences. This new twist has come despite press statements of both Governor Amaechi and his wife Judith to that effect? There couldn’t have been a more classical case of giving a dog a bad name just to hang, nay, out-rightly kill it.
Governor Amaechi has endured much bashing because he has chosen to tread the path of peace. When the incident occurred in Okrika, he briefed his older brother, Mr. President. Thereafter, he worked assiduously for Mr. President’s election. Rivers State was not a burden at all to Mr. President all through the campaigns and preparations for the 2011 elections. Indeed, to date the Government and people of Rivers State continue to mourn our brothers and sisters who shed their blood at the Elekahia Stadium just to ensure Mr. President’s victory. The NGF was also a united front and gave support to Mr. President during that re-election bid.
Before the NGF elections he met with many leaders of the party explaining his position and his desire to contest. After the NGF elections, he sought audience with Mr. President and was denied access. When the Commissioner of Police hurled insults at him, he protested to the authorities. When there was a breakdown of law and order and insecurity loomed in the state he sought audience and met with the President and Commander-in-Chief. He has repeated at different times he holds the person and the office of the President in high regard. So, why has he been declared public enemy number one?
For me, the answer is simple. People are using the name and office of Mr. President to fight a proxy war. People who are determined to seize the soul of Rivers State and send us down the beggarly road of “ruler-centric” rather than “people-centric” government. People who fear that Governor Amaechi in office till 2015 may put paid to their attempt to get at the purse-strings of Rivers State and the draw-strings of the Brick house.
These are the people goading Mr. President on and feeding him with lies that have been allowed to fester for so long, that they are beginning to seem like the truth. People who shudder to think of the day there might indeed be peace between Mr. President and Governor Amaechi and, therefore, who would stop at nothing to foment trouble and continuously fan the embers of the furnace of hatred. Thus, the reason these people increase the tempo of the sabre-rattling of war each time the President and Governor Amaechi meet to forge a way forward. For them a resolution portends political demise and the end of their hopes. Peace means the exact opposite to their ambition. These people are those screaming to Mr. President “share the child, share the child”, because they hold no good intention for or claim to the child.
But Governor Amaechi is determined to finish this race well. Rivers people deserve to enjoy the benefits of the wealth that God has put in their soil. Free education, free healthcare, good infrastructure, new opportunities, human capital development and saving for future generations. Amaechi’s work is evident and that is why those who oppose him are panicky.
The problem is that in their panic, they are sowing the wind. For sowing the wind, the bible promises them the whirlwind in full measure.
As for Governor Amaechi, I think he knows this already, because it is his mantra: “Once has God spoken, twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.”
Mrs Semenitari is the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.