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Nigeria Destined For Greatness -Mark …Tambuwal Cautions Leaders Against Unguarded Utterances
Senate President, David Mark, yesterday urged Nigerians to have faith and remain steadfast in promoting peace and unity no matter the challenges.
Mark in a goodwill message to Nigerians to mark this year’s Independence Day anniversary said the indivisibility of our nation is not negotiable because there’s no better place than Nigeria.
He recalled the nation’s chequered political history since 1960, during which Nigeria went through 30 months old fratricidal civil war, various ethno-religious conflicts and assured that our crisis are surmountable.
The Senate President in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissed as untrue the insinuation in some quarters that Nigeria has not made progress, since independence.
He said, “Let us cast our minds back a little and see the number of road networks, schools, universities, health institutions, telecommunications and a host of others.
“We may not have been where we want to be but we have made appreciable progress and we can do more. All we need to do is to strengthen our unity as one people with one mission and purpose.
“The stable democracy has offered us opportunity to harness our abundant resources for good. Nigeria has passed through many challenges in the past and we came out of it.
“The security challenges; this Boko Haram can be defeated if we unit to fight them. I believe the Boko Haram, terrorism or insurgency is alien to us as a people. We have the capacity to defeat them and confined them to the dustbin of history.”
He promised that genuine complaints and agitations among Nigerians arising from the structure of our polity can be addressed by government but noted that the perceived imbalances cannot be corrected by taking up arms against each other.
Mark said, “We must therefore continue to shun individuals or groups that encourage, preach and practice division among our people. We must shun every harbinger of hate and bound together as a people of common interest and destiny.
“As legislators we will continue to do our part to wit; provide the needed legislative framework for the Executive Arm of Government to continue to deliver of the dividends of democracy to our people.
“Let me use this occasion to remind our fellow country men and women that as 2015 elections approaches, we must not lose sight of the fact that election should not be seen as war. We must play the game according to the rules.”
Mark advised politicians to restrain themselves from making inflammatory and treasonable statements or actions.
He said, “Our collective or individual ambitions are subordinate to the national interest. We must therefore, always consider the primacy of our national interest. After all, it is a trite fact that for us to even actualize our various political visions, our nation must first exist.”
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday asked political leaders to be mindful of utterances that could heat up the polity.
He called on political office holders to play politics by the rules as the country headed for the 2015 general elections.
In a statement in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 54th independence anniversary, his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Imam Imam, quoted Tambuwal as also advising Nigerians to fight for their democratic rights and ensure that good governance and democracy thrived.
“Tambuwal appealed to the political elite to moderate their utterances and be mindful of their responsibility to the country.
“He said with elections scheduled for early 2015, all leaders must avoid acts that heat up the polity,” part of the statement read.
The speaker assured Nigerians that the House of Representatives would work to uphold the unity of the countryý.
His Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, said the country would overcome its current security challenges to “claim her rightful place in the international community.”
However, to restore the country’s past glory, he urged leaders to be patriotic, whileý calling on the followers to defend the country’s unity.
“Though there is much that is desired to bring our country to its place of pride, there is also much that is being done to move the country forward.
“Our number one priority and commitment in the House of Representatives is always to move Nigeria forward through progressive legislation and other legislative interventions that will bring succour to Nigerians from all walks of life irrespective of tribe, creed or political affiliations”, Ihedioha added in an independence message issued on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Oke Epia.
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.