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Chibok Girls Protesters List Posers For FG; Direct Your Protests To Terrorists, Not Govt -Jonathan …Abduction: A National Embarassment -Amaechi
Protesters under the “Bring Back Our Girls” banner, have raised ten questions to the Federal Government relating to the resolution of the Chibok girls abduction saga.
Posing the questions to a delegation of more than 10 ministers and many Presidential Advisers who received them at the Federal Secretariat Abuja,on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, the protesters among other issues, tasked government to establish the authenticity of the abduction.
They also tasked the Federal Government on the need for regular update on the rescue process. The group also asked questions on the actions taken after the president returned from France, the effectiveness of the state of emergency and whether government would negotiate with Boko Haram.
The group requested to know the level of collaboration between the Federal and state governments in the rescue efforts and what government was doing to protect schools from attacks.
However, receiving he protesters, President Goodluck Jonathan admonished them not to politicise their protests in the country.
The protesters, numbering about 150 and led by a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, were demanding the release of the abducted school girls in Chibok, Borno State.
Jonathan was represented by a delegation of Ministers and Presidential Advisers led by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
In the address read by Olajumoke Akinjide, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jonathan said the campaign was just and government identified with it.
Jonathan said that because he identified with the protest, he had sent such a delegation of more than 10 ministers and many presidential advisers to receive the protesters.
He, however, cautioned against the possibility of hijacking such protests for political and selfish motives.
The President added that protests on terrorism should be directed at the terrorists and should not be used as a blame game.
He emphasised that there must be a united movement for the release of the girls, which should be turned to a united action against terrorism.
He said: “We appeal to your group and others that your genuine patriotic zeal is matched with the realistic understanding of the situation in expressing concerns and sentiments on this matter and other matters of terrorism.
“Government believes that we must all come together to fight terrorism and that protest should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our daughters and deprived them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country.
“When terrorists see Nigerians turned on each other in blame, it gives them a huge morale boost.
“We must never lose sight of the fact that the terrorists are the real enemies.
“We must not politicise the protests.
“When a bomb detonates in Baghdad, Kabul, Afghanistan, the people there do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists.
“When a bomb blows up in Nigeria, we must all unite to fight the terrorists.
“This is the task of this generation.”
Jonathan said contrary to perception in certain quarters, his administration responded swiftly to the kidnap of the girls by the immediate deployment of security after the abductors.
He said: “Government has mobilised resources, military and diplomatic, in the search for the girls who had suffered so much trauma in captivity.
“Government took action the very day the kidnapping occurred by deploying security services to go after the abductors.
“The president meets with the security chiefs almost daily and it is in constant consultation with regional and global partners on the kidnap.”
Jonathan also underscored the need for Nigerians to encourage the military and stop castigating them.
He said: “Our security forces are among the best trained in Africa and they are making so mush sacrifices in the fight against terror.
“As we sleep daily, they are in the field confronting the enemy.
“They need our support, not attacks and discouragement.
“They are also losing their lives for us.”
Jonathan encouraged civil society groups to use their influence to encourage Nigerians to supply useful information to security services using the emergency number 112.
The President appreciated the orderly manner they organised the protest and thanked all local and international groups that had protested the senseless abduction.
He noted that with the protest, the right of assembly had not been violated but protected.
Earlier, one of the leaders of the protest and wife of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Maryam Uwais, had read a letter dated May 11 and directed to the President.
In the letter, they underscored the need for government to double its efforts at rescuing the girls and made proposal on solution to terrorism.
The letter was handed over to the SGF for onward delivery to the president.
The protesters also took turns to ask 10 questions from the delegation.
In a related development, Rivers State Governor ,Chibuike Amaechi has said that the continued stay of the abducted school girls in the hands of their abductors one month after, has become a national embarrassment.
The governor stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt, when members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) lead a protest to Government House, Port Harcourt to register their grievance over the abducted school girls.
The governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Fortune Oguru urged the teachers to be patient as he assured them that the kidnapped Chibok girls would soon regain their freedom.
Amaechi expressed sympathy with families and teachers over the abduction said, “ my heart goes to the parents and I know how they would be feeling now. I know how I would have felt if my daughter was involved.”
Since the matter has become an international issue with the support and intervention of world powers like the USA, France and China, he expressed optimism that terrorism will be adequately tackled,”
We are hoping that in the next few days solutions will be found to this tragedy. It’s a national embarrassment and we don’t know what to say …Please, take heart, we know how the teachers are feeling.”
He lauded the union for showing concern, and urged to remain law abiding.
On his part, Chairman of NUT in the state, Comrade Wogu Geofrey said the union wants to use the protest to agitate for their over 173 colleagues, who lost their lives in the terror unleashed in the North-East part of the country.
He called on the government to compensate those families of teachers who died in course of duty while urging both the national and international community to do everything possible to get the abducted girls out from the hands of their abductors.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had on Wednesday directed its various chapters nationwide to carry out protest over the abducted Chibok school girls.
At a press conference in Abuja, the President of NUT, Comrade Micheal Olukoya, stated that the union had resolved to hold #BringBackOurGirls rallies, simultaneously, across the 36 Nigerian States of the federation and in Abuja.
According to Mr Olukoya, all schools nationwide shall be closed, as the day will be NUT’s day of protesting the abduction of the girls, as well as the heartless murder of 173 teachers.
Olukoya said that even they mourn the death of colleagues, they will start and continue with the protest until our girls are brought back safe and alive. “The perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book,” he added passionately.
Lamenting the killing of 173 teachers from both Borno and Yobe States, he implored the government to show concern to the plight of the deceased teachers by compensating their families.
Chairman,Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Gbenemene Tai, King Godwin N.K Gininwa (left), explaining a point to President General, Ogoni Democratic Movement, Hon Godwin Bazari, during a courtesy visit to his palace, recently.
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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.