Focus
Best Governor, Grassroot Development In Nigeria: How Wike Emerges
Yesterday, Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike’s landmark achievements got an international recognition in far away New York, United States of America.”The Best Governor, Grassroots Development In Nigeria Award’ conferred on the Rivers State Governor by the United Kingdom based Africa Leadership International Magazine bears eloquent testimony to Wike’s uncommon development strides in Rivers State in the last 16 months of his administration.
Like a proverbial gold fish that has no hiding place, Wike’s stewardship in the last few months has caught the fancy and admiration of many Nigerians including members of the opposition parties.
Yesterday’s international recognition was therefore the icing on the cake of a man who has been variously described as an actualiser, ‘talk-and-do governor’ and a grassroot politician.
In the last 16 months of his stewardship as the Rivers State governor, Wike has left no one in doubt that he is a good testament to good governance especially the judicious application of lean resources. Besides his direct connection and interface with the ordinary people on the streets which makes him a man of the people, the Rumuepirikom-born politician has positively touched the lives of Rivers people through his uncommon transformation of the State.
What perhaps made Wike’s achievements more noticeable and outstanding was the state of hopelessness Rivers State had become before the present administration came on board. Besides the State’s economy that was in shambles, and a comatose social infrastructure, poverty was also pervasive. No thanks to a litany of abandoned and unexecuted projects, backlog of workers’ salary arrears, the captive state of the State’s legislature and judiciary for an unprecedented period of over one and half years and a huge debt left by the immediate past administration in the State.
In spite of the parlous state of affairs he inherited and the paucity of funds occasioned by the dwindling federal allocations to the State, Governor Wike has continued to keep his promises to the electorate. Today, Rivers State has regained its status and commanding heights among other States in the country. Hope, the common elixir, is also gradually returning to Rivers people.
One area that obviously keeps Wike ahead of other governors is ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE.
In spite of the near empty treasury and a huge debt inherited from his predecessor, the governor has turned Rivers State into a huge construction site. Besides the Operation Zero Pothole progamme which has seen to the delivery of more than 130 roads in Obio/Akpor, Eleme, Port Harcourt and Oyigbo, the Works Ministry under the Wike administration has delivered 150 kilomeres of roads in the last 15 months. The more than 100 roads are spread across six local government areas, while many more will soon follow. Most of these were strategic roads and bridges that were abandoned by the previous administration but which are of huge benefit to Rivers people.
Within the first seven months in office, Wike’s administration completed two federal roads that are critical to economic development of the State, namely: the NPA Industry Road and the Eleme-Onne junction section of the East-West Road.
The Igwuruta-Chokocho-Okehi highway which is another federal road is near completion and expected to be commissioned before the end of this month. The 6.6 kilometre highway serves as a link to two local government areas of Ikwerre and Etche, but had been abandoned for decades.
The State roads are not left out. The Iloabuchi-Eagle Island Link road that was abandoned by the last administration was completed and commissioned in January, this year. The road serves as a major link between Mile One in Diobu area of Port Harcourt and Eagle-Island, and also connects other parts of the State such as Agip, Ada George and Rumueme. It has since decongested traffic on Ikwerre Road.
Same goes for Abuloma-Woji Link road. The road which is worth N13 billion was also completed and commissioned by Governor Wike in January, this year.
Other abandoned road projects completed and commissioned by Wike’s administration include Oyigbo Market Road, Abonnema-Obonoma Link Road with a new bridge, first phase of the NLNG-Nkpogu Road and the first phase of Odili Woji-Akpajo Link road. The second phase of both the NLNG – Nkpogu Road and Odili-Woji-Akpajo Link road is currently undergoing construction and expected to be completed soon.
Meanwhile, the dualisation of 16 km Sakpenwa-Bori-Kono Road which straddles three local government areas of the State is on-going. Ditto for the East/West-Airport (Prof Tam David West) Boulevard; the Igwuruta-Etche Road, the Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout Road, Elelenwo-Akpajo Road, Rukpokwu-Eneka Road, Rumualogu-Alakahia Road, Rumuolumeni-Iwofe Road, Elioparanwo Road, Elimgbu Road, Nkpolu-Rumuigbo Road, Rumuagholu-Oroigwe Road, Ozuoba-Rumuosi Road, Ozuoba-Rumuokparali-Choba Road, Igbogo-Choba Road, Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo Unity Road, the Kalabari Link road and Nkpogu-Trans Amadi Link Bridge, Woji-Elelenwo bridges, among others.
Contrary to allegation by a frontline member of the opposition party in the State, Senator Magnus Abe that the Sakpenwa-Bori Road does not meet international standard, the road, according to Governor Wike is being constructed by the CCECC, an internationally recognised company that executed the Abuja-Kaduna Light Rail Project. The road which traverses three local government areas in Ogoniland and also leads to Opobo-Nkoro and Andoni Local Government Areas, when completed, would boost economic activities in the State as well as assuage the sufferings of users.
Meanwhile, work has commenced on the completion of the Kpopie-Bodo City Road which was allegedly abandoned by Senator Magnus Abe after allegedly collecting over N4 billion from the immediate past administration in the State .Other strategic areas that have received attention of the State government in the last 16 months are the Kalabari Land Reclamation that is meant to rejig rural development, the Marine Jetty at Okrika that facilitates marine transportation and economic activities in the area and the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park.
The construction of the on going multi-million naira Pleasure Park in Rumuola by a construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, was initiated by Wike to provide Nigerians, especially citizens and residents of Rivers State with a world class recreation facility. It is scheduled to be completed in December, this year.
Education is another sector that has received a boost under Wike’s administration. The governor’s passion for quality education has led to the completion of the Model Primary School at Rumuodomaya, the Law Faculty Complex of the State-owned University of Science and Technology (RSUST); the establishment of College of Medical Science at RSUST, procurement of science equipment and examination materials for senior secondary students in 247 schools in the State, and the payment of outstanding debt owed Ambassador Nne Kurubo Model School, Eleme by the last administration, among others.
Meanwhile, the Wike-led government, in a bid to develop a world class educational system in the State, is currently undertaking an upgrade of 11 old secondary schools in three senatorial districts in the State. The upgrading is meant to restore full boarding system that ceased in the 1980s. Work has since commenced at Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta and Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori which are among the pilot schools selected for the re-introduction of boarding school system in the State.
Governor Wike hinted of the vision behind the remodeling of the 11 schools and the re-introduction of boarding system in the State.
“Our people deserve the best. Therefore, we’ll give them the best education. We are developing a boarding school system that will produce students who can compete globally,” the governor said.
At the same time, the Wike-led administration is about to commence the rehabilitation of technical schools in the State.
According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Education Matters, Prof. Israel Owate, the rehabilitation of technical schools such as the Government Technical School in Trans-Amadi, Government Craft Centre on Aba Road and the newly established School for Craft and Vocational Training at Port Harcourt Primary School in Old GRA would soon take off.
The decision of the State government to revive these schools is in fulfillment of Governor Wike’s promise to rejig technical education in the State, as well as arrest the dwindling level of technical manpower in the State and Nigeria in general.
Governor Wike also facilitated the upgrading of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science to a polytechnic via the executive bill he sent to the State House of Assembly. The bill has since been passed and the college is now a full-fledged polytechnic.
Water Supply. This is another sector that has received a revival pill under Wike’s administration which inherited only two percent functional water supply facilities in the State. To change this trend, this government set a target to increase functional water supply in the State by 80 percent, and has massively invested in it.
The State government started with the construction of five water schemes in five local government areas of the State, while also upgraded some of the existing ones.
Also recently, the Wike administration commissioned a 50 km network reticulation water project located at Alasa and Agbonicha booster stations to boost-water supply in the areas. In the same vein, the rehabilitation of water scheme in Okrika Aleto is on top gear.
The State government has also entered into partnership with the European Union, UNICEF and other agencies for the provision of potable water in Opobo town, Kalaibiama and Nkoro in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, and in Abonnema, Kula and Abissa in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
Health. In the area of health, Wike has left no one in doubt that health is wealth. He has established a framework for equipping major General Hospitals in the State. His government has awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of General Hospitals in Abonnema, Ahoada, Ikwerre and Isiokpo, while the health centres across the State are also receiving government attention.
Under Wike, the new phase of the Integrated Medical Industries (IMI) is near completion with all the necessary facilities and equipment fabricated by manufacturers in Europe.
According to the governor, the IMI project when completed, would create 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in the State, as well as conserve foreign exchange and stop the importation of some key medical consumables.
The new phase of the medical company is expected to be the biggest in the country with the capacity to produce one billion syringes and other vital medical equipment that will stem the tide of importation and give Nigerians access to high quality medical services.
As part of efforts to boost health service delivery in the State, Governor Wike recently inaugurated the Rivers State Private Hospitals Intervention Scheme. The scheme is to assist private hospitals to provide, quality healthcare for the people of the State. The first phase has 25 private hospitals owned by non-indigenes as beneficiaries.
Security: Being his primary responsibility to the people of Rivers State, Governor Wike does not take the issue of security lightly. Although there was heightened sense of fear and anxiety in the State, occasioned by high wave of kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and assassination prior to the present administration, the trend has considerably changed since Wike took over the affairs of the State, last year.
Besides assisting the security agencies in tackling crimes and other related activities, through provision of operational vehicles fitted with modern communication equipment for the police, the State government has also taken the war against crimes to the criminals’ den
Recently, the State government took the war against kidnapping, cultism and other crimes to a new level by demolishing property allegedly owned by some kidnappers. Governor Wike also offered amnesty to kidnappers and cultists who would submit their arms to security agencies and commit themselves to honest living.
To give legal backing to the fight against cultism in the State, the governor sent an executive bill to the House of Assembly. The bill which sought an amendment of the Rivers State Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law of 2004, has since been passed into law, and will serve as a legal instrument to ensure that culprits, apart from being subjected to the prescribed penalty of jail terms, will also forfeit to government, all their properties acquired through acts of kidnapping.
Today, Rivers State is safe both for social and economic activities. Night life is booming in Port Harcourt and its environs, while economic activities have been at a peak, resulting in the rise of internally generated revenue of N5 million under the immediate past administration to the present N10 billion per month.
Several events that took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital in the last few weeks, such as the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) Conference, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention, under peaceful atmosphere and without a record of kidnapping, murder or assassination have confirmed Governor Wike’s remarks that the tagging of Rivers State as insecure and unsafe for economic and political activities by the opposition is a farcical political contraption.
Workers’ Welfare: At the time Governor Wike assumed office, the State civil servants were being owed three months salary arrears. Within the first one month of his administration, Governor Wike cleared the backlog of the arrears. His government is also up-to-date in payment of salary.
It was in appreciation of the governor’s love for the State civil service that thousands of civil servants in the State staged a rally on Thursday, January 28, 2016 in Port Harcourt, to celebrate Wike’s electoral victory at the Supreme Court.
Governor Wike has also succeeded in other sectors, such as housing where his government has completed over 50 units of two and three bedroom flats at the Iriebe Housing Estate; Judiciary where he initiated the construction of the on-going new ultra modern Law Centre for the NBA at the cost N498 million, as well as the re-construction of the Federal High Court.
Wike’s achievements in the last 16 months have attracted wide applause from many prominent Nigerians, including some key opposition members in the country who visited the State to witness, first-hand, the definition of good governance.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, while giving testimony after inspecting some projects embarked upon by Wike’s administration, recently said, “Any person from any part of Nigeria can come here and reside with access to the good things of life. I have seen street lights, good roads and vibrant economic activities everywhere with new houses springing up. Government is working here.”
The Deputy Senate President was not done yet. He added that “Governor Wike has restored faith in government as far as Rivers State is concerned. In other places, people are losing faith in government. Here in Rivers State, you can see the dividends for the votes cast for the PDP.
“I believe that once other States emulate what is happening in Rivers State, Nigeria will be better.”
Hundreds of lawyers, who were in Port Harcourt towards the end of last month for their national convention also testified to good governance in Rivers State. The lawyers under the auspices of NBA, took the time off to inspect some of the projects executed by the Wike government, such as the NBA Law Centre, Federal High Court, Dr.Nebo Gram-Douglas Faculty of Law at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Pleasure Park, second Nkpogu Bridge, Elelenwo Akpajo Road and the second Woji-Akpajo Bridge. They commended Governor Wike for the pro-people projects and particularly for executing projects that promote legal practice in the country.
Key members of the opposition party are not left out in the commendation of Governor Wike’s stewardship. A frontline leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal could not hide his feelings after commissioning some of the projects completed by Wike’s administration. While unveiling the refurbished and expanded Okrika (ATC) Land Jetty in Okrika town, Tambuwal who was the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, described Governor Wike as a man of the people.
“I see that Governor Wike is a man of the people who is committed to the development of the State,” Tambuwal said.
The Best Governor Award conferred on Wike in far away New York, yesterday, is a confirmation that the vote of confidence recently passed on the Rivers State governor by over 300 frontline editors from all mainstream and online media organisations across Nigeria was not in error.
The editors who were obviously held spell bound by the level of unprecedented infrastructural development they saw in the State, and the level of security measures put in place, came to the conclusion that Rivers State is a safe haven, contrary to the salad of lies and half-truth being dished out by members of the opposition party in the State.
“Based on careful observation of the state of affairs in Rivers State, the Guild commended the government and people of the State for the level of security and infrastructural development, as well as for the step being taken to promote agriculture in the State,” the NGE stated in a communiqué.
Given several commendations the governor has received in a couple of months from various stakeholders including a vote of confidence recently passed on him by 29 political parties in the State, there is no doubt that Wike is not just a leader of the opposition party in the country, he is a testament to good governance and of course, a shinning advertisement for his Peoples Democratic Party.
The “Best Governor, Grassroots Development in Nigeria Award conferred on him, yesterday in New York, United States is, therefore, a well deserved honour that should be celebrated by all Rivers people.
Boye Salau
Focus
Differentiation And Learning Strategies As Tool For Desired Learning Outcome
What is differentiation? Differentiation refers to the learning experiences in which the approach or method of learning is adjusted to meet the needs of individual learners with a focus on the how of personalised learning.” (Culottes, R. 2016). It is a process that helps learners who are struggling and help gifted learners learn faster, this way, teaching becomes easier for the teacher and makes it easier to achieve the desired learning outcome. In differentiation, the learning objective is the same but the means through which it is achieved may be varied. It is like having a destination and arriving there through various means, by road, rail, water or air. It is one of the three elements of individualised learning which involves changing the instructional approach so as to meet the various needs of students.
Differentiation could also entail designing and delivering instruction by using different teaching styles and also giving the learners various alternatives for taking information. It provides flexibility to both the teacher and the learner but the learning objectives must be clearly defined to enable learners work their way towards achieving it. We should not mix up differentiation with learning styles. Learning style presumes that a learner learns better in a certain way, be it visual, auditory, or hands on. Although a learner might find a particular learning style useful for a particular topic, it does not mean that the particular learning style will apply to all other topics, for instance, if a learner learns a topic through songs, it does not mean that the same learner will learn every other topic through songs. Learning is not always as straight forward.
How a teacher can use differentiation in the classroom.
When practising differentiation in the classroom, a teacher can teach a particular topic using various teaching techniques that meet the needs and interests of the learners, a teacher can decide to put learners in groups based on their ability or interest and at the same time has to vary the content of the lesson to meet the needs of the learners. In differentiation, the teacher considers the learner’s personalised learning style and ability when the lesson is being taught. According to Carol Tomlinson, differentiation can be done through the following:
Content: Here differentiation can occur in the learning activities which have to meet the interest and need of the learner. Bloom’ s taxonomy levels of remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating, which involves different levels of intellectual behaviour from lower to higher level thinking come into play. The teacher applies these in planning the lesson so that various interests and learning styles are taken into consideration. Bearing in mind the objective of the lesson, the teacher then provides the learners with options on the content and together they study to achieve the set objective.
Process: These are methods which a teacher employs in presenting learning materials to keep the learner’s interest. Learners may need different levels of support, some work better on their own while others prefer to work in pairs or in small groups. Grouping can be done depending on the learner’s readiness or as a way of complementing each other. Support can also be given to learners depending on their individual learning styles and so the teacher has to prepare a lesson plan that caters for visual, auditory, kinesthetic or those who learn through words.
Product: At the end of the lesson, the learner shows mastery of the lesson by the product the learner creates. It can be in form of a song, quizzes, tests, a story, an art project or any other activities the teacher may deem fit. All these are to assess how the learner has mastered the concept.
Learning environment: The classroom environment affects learning and so the physical and psychological conditions of the learning environment have to be right such as the furniture, classroom arrangement and classroom management. The learning environment has to be safe, conducive and supporting in order to sustain the interest of the learners. Learning environment can also involve changes to habits and routines such as recess time, circle time, lunch time or outdoor learning.
What are the Importance of Differentiation in Learning?
Differentiation is important in the classroom because it caters for all types of learners, whether high ability learners or additional needs learners. It gives learners the opportunity to learn in diverse ways so as to meet learning objectives the best way they can. Differentiation helps instructors to connect with the different learning styles depending on which works best for the learners. All learners may not respond well with a game, a song may work better for others or reading for others.
Differentiation is a great learning instruction for learners with additional needs.
Differentiation provides a platform for learners to strive to achieve set learning objectives.
Differentiation motivates learners to learn in a manner that meets their interest and personalised learning style. We know that all learners do not learn the same way and so the teacher has to employ various learning styles to know which best resonates with the learners. What Experts say about Differentiation in Learning? According to Carol Tomlinson, differentiation is a way of honoring the reality of the learners. They maybe energetic, outgoing, quiet, shy, confident or self-doubting, they could be interested in a particular thing or in a thousand things, could be academically advanced or struggling with cognitive, sociological, economic or emotional challenges. Many speak a different language at home and learn at different rates and styles and they all come together in our academically diverse classrooms. Carol Ann Tomlinson (William Clay Parrish, Jr. Professor and Chair of Educational leadership, Foundations, and Policy).
Differentiating instruction is really a way of thinking, not a list of strategies. Many times, it is making decisions in the moment based on this mindset. It is recognising that “fair” does not always mean treating everyone equally. It is recognising that all of our students bring different gifts and challenges, and that as educators, we need to recognise those differences and use our professional judgment to flexibly respond to them in our teaching.” Larry Ferlazzo (award-winning teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California, who writes a teacher advice column for Education Week.
Another expert, Lisa Westman posits that all teachers want their students to succeed, and all teachers try to make this happen, that is all differentiation is. She writes that we complicate differentiation by not allowing ourselves to be provisional with how we apply the foundational pieces of differentiated instruction. Instead if we address these four questions in our instructional planning, differentiation will always be the result: what do my students need? How do I know? What will I do to meet their needs? How do I know if what I am doing is working? Lisa Westman (instruction coaching, differentiation, and standards-based grading consultant and professional development facilitator). “Differentiated instruction is dynamic and organic. In a differentiated learning space, teachers and students learn together. Students focus on learning the course content, while teachers tailor their instructional strategies to student learning styles.” Alexa Epitropoulous (media and author relations specialist at ASCD). How to apply Differentiation in Learning. To apply differentiation effectively, the teacher has to do the following:
i.Do a baseline test for all students in order to find out where they are and to device strategies to help each learner achieve the desired objective using appropriate means to deliver the content.
ii.Explain the learning objectives clearly and what the standard for success is, this is the key for differentiation to thrive, a classroom environment where learners work towards a clearly defined goal. Here, the need of the student is very important and the teacher has to identify them and create a supportive environment where differentiation is accepted by the learners themselves and for their peers.
iii. Know the individualised needs of their learners in order for teaching to be effective so that cognitive as well as academic outcomes can be achieved.
What is a learning strategy? A learning strategy is a way a learner organizes and uses certain skills to learn the content of the curriculum and to complete tasks effectively be it in the classroom or outside the classroom. Learners depend upon their senses to process information and many learners make use of one of their senses more than others. There are basically four types of learning strategies and they are as follows:
1. Visual strategies: here learners learn and retain knowledge better when the content is presented in the form of pictures for example, charts, diagrams and symbols. To apply this strategy in a classroom environment, the teacher needs to do the following: Make use of a lot of; colourful visual aids like charts, pictures and diagrams which must be well explained. Use different handouts for various concepts and leave spaces in them so learners can write in them. If using multimedia, screens have to show clearly.
2. Auditory strategies: this involves creating learning experiences where talking and listening take centre stage. These instructional methods can be employed in the following ways: Start a new topic with a background information of the concept to be learnt. Use activities like story-telling and group discussions to encourage vocal collaboration. Learners are encouraged to read aloud the questions. Conclude by giving a summary of the lesson
3. Reading and Writing: this makes use of the traditional ways of learning such as copying of notes, reading textbooks or handouts and taking notes. They seem to learn better by doing the following in the classroom: Provide written information on worksheets and other resources. Students are to rewrite notes. Convert charts and diagrams into written text. If using multimedia, use bullet points. Learn to reference written texts.
4. Kinesthetic strategies: this is also called tactile learning since it has to do with the sense of touch. This is the most physical of the learning strategies because kinesthetic learners learn best through instructional methods that involve movement, motion and touch. These learners are able to sense body position and movement in the classroom environment. Tactile learning is achieved through activities like moving, touching and feeling things. Below are some of the strategies to use: Engage learners in physical movement such as dance. Make use of flash cards when teaching. Students are to draw images of information as part of formative assessment. Provide learners with hand-on experiences. There is no single learning strategy that works for all learners because it’s not a one size fits all, as such it will be impossible to devise a generalized strategy that works for the whole class. The teacher has to apply the different learning strategies in a classroom learning environment so as to meet the needs and interests of the learners because a blend of these strategies will most likely produce the desired learning outcome and also motivate learners to have a deeper understanding of the concept taught.
Tassie, a curriculum development specialist resides in Port Harcourt.
Focus
#END Bad Governance: He Spoke Peace Tense, Protesters Understood!
Compact with meekness. Compassionate. Empathetic. Never of him to trample under foot, humans and their concerns. He listens; attentively. He shows genuine understanding; with humbling humility. So, he is endeared, not just to a few but to many.
And truly so, Governor Siminalayi Fubara is a political liberator. In him, Rivers State has a championing, new order, albeit, movement of renaissance: Berthing the people at a new coast of fresh breathe; freed from political manipulations, strangulation and enslavement. This is why ‘Rivers First’; call it a mantra, is not a mere catchy phrase, but a propelling commitment, and indeed, a reflection of the embodied resolve to work the better for Rivers State.
Here, the nationwide #EndBadGovernance street protest also took place, peacefully.
Nigerian youths planned and staged it to last 10 days, from August 1 to 10, 2024. And it was so, even if it fizzled out so quickly, lost steam so early in the State – did not last beyond four days. The intervention of Governor Fubara through his strategic crisis management approach anchored on more inclusive engagements, obviously assuaged frayed nerves.
The organisers tagged it #EndBadGovernance protest. It was their chosen channel. With it, they voiced their pains amidst economic challenges: Of heightened hunger, soaring cost of commodities and unbearable living conditions. They looked to President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to be more strategic. And he is doing so, nonetheless. More and more time is but solicited to see his policies being implemented, come through, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, in driving the national economy out of the woods.
Much more in that regard is known of Rivers State, several cushioning measures are being implemented to address the burden of excruciating economic realities on the people. Which is why Governor Fubara spoke up against the protest early enough. His position was firm. It was without a mincing of words, to the youths and to any other segment of the society. He made it clear that though, it is their fundamental right, the time they chose to stage the protest, is not right. This remained his counsel. The backdrop was to forestall a truncating of the prevailing but cherished sanity, peace and safety of lives and property that thrive here.
Street protests, unguarded, and when allowed to be hijacked, could bring tales of woes, such as the destruction of public facilities and personal property that took many years to bring to fruition. He insisted that if it must be staged, then ensure, nothing hampered the safety of lives and property. Just keep it peaceful: Give no room to political detractors. That reflected the message of Governor Fubara.
But political detractors always lurk around. If they are unable to hijack a thing, they become dramatis personae of what they conjecture. In fact, the hue and cry, baseless and meaningless hypes made by the then embattled Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tony Okocha in Rivers State, is a characteristic decoy. Mischief is central in his chosen political macabre dance. Otherwise, why dramatise a staged attack on APC billboard in front of its factional secretariat along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway in order to put himself in a position to curry public pity, by playing the victim. So cheap. Sorely despicable. What was he thinking? That people around will not notice the drama play out? Even security details who monitored the protesters from Artillery to Pleasure Park never raised any red flag on their conduct around any property within that circumference!
You see, his kind, at such opportunity, raise false alarm without solid evidence to substantiate the veracity of the claimed attack at the weakest police interview. At best, what the public knows is calculated acts, wherein his hired folks, at his instruction, torn down the flex section of the billboard, which was performed before sponsored camera lenses. Even the Police authorities had disowned the incident, insisting that no office of any political party was attacked in Rivers State during the days of the protest. Come to think of it, even the protesters who marched from Artillery Junction to Pleasure Park never took notice of his antics and playbook. In fact, credible reports abound that nobody’s property, not even a politician’s residence in the State was attacked by the protesters. It is on record!
Thus, largely so, the protest was not destructive in nature in the State. Why? Governor Fubara had stepped in proactively. He doused the tension and anger. He identified those strategic groups, maybe not all but those possible contacts, and affiliates to the organisers who were tipped, maybe to coordinate the street demonstration in Rivers State. Governor Fubara engaged with them as individuals and collective. The security reports were of leading nature. So, eventually, representatives of those groups of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), stakeholders of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Rivers State ethnic and youth groups, Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Women Groups, Artisans and Traders, and the Ikoku Branch of Port Harcourt Motor Spare Parts Dealers Union, were brought together into one venue for dialogue; for mutual understanding of why the protest should not hold.
Heads of the security agencies in the State were also in attendance. At that meeting, held on July 31, 2024, Governor Fubara told them: “You are already aware of the political situation of our State, where people are looking for every avenue to destabilise this State. We don’t need to give them that opportunity to carry out that act. And that is the reason why, I, representing the Government, and the service commanders here, have always been in touch with you all, pleading that we should shelve this protest. And even if you have to do it, we should do it in a way and manner that it will not get out of control. I have information that you don’t have. I am aware of the people that are being hired to come into this State to cause mayhem. If anything happens here, we are going to be the greatest losers. Our property will be destroyed. Our economy will be destroyed. And when they finish, they will go back to their states.”
Those words were passionate. They resonated with the various groups amidst robust discussions. So, arising from that meeting at Government House in Port Harcourt, reason prevailed, positions aligned, and it was agreed that as groups, they will not participate in the protest.
In any case, some protesters still stormed the streets on August 1, in Rivers State. Not deterred, Governor Fubara went out and met with the group of protesters who stopped by at the gates of Government House. Standing amongst them unscathed, he addressed them, showing a glaring example of leadership: Courage. Acceptance. Endearment. Goodwill. He was the first so to do! Other elected representatives and political leaders had been overwhelmed by apprehension, and they unwittingly ran into hiding. But Governor Fubara showed his stuck as a leader when he made himself available to engage with the protesters, not done in a hurry, desperate impulse.
Because the moment was critical, he said: “I am one of you. I feel your pains, and in our Government here, we are doing everything to make life easy for our people. Our youths, I agree with you that there is hunger, but because we preach good governance, we are committed to make hunger disappear very soon. I am not against your protest, but we will not support any violent protest. We will not support anything that will destroy our State. We will not join forces with the enemy of progress (to destabilise our State). But if it has to do with the (peaceful) protesters, I don’t have any fears. Their demands are germane. I can understand them: hardship, bad governance, high cost of living, rent, medical bills. But we are coming from somewhere very bad. And we must start from somewhere to make things right,” he appealed.
With those words, his mien and presence, he inspired hope in them. He raised their downtrodden spirit to high heavens. It was organic. Surely, hope is enlivening. It strengthens the mind to trust in a blissful tomorrow. The protesters saw him as truer as a leader because he leaned his heart into the crisis, goodly too, to fully engage, motivate, and inspire them to expect greater accomplishments in the immediate or in the near future. It is this imbuing hope that kept the protesters peaceful, largely in the State.
And when a patch of the protesters saw his convoy pulled past Rumuobiakani Roundabout on the third day of the protest, they showed more excitement, cheered and chanted the praises of their most deserving people-centric Governor. The crowd of #EndBadGovernance protesters at the intersection of Trans Amadi Industrial Layout in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area waved Nigerian flag and green leaves while chanting: “Our Governor, carry go. Our Governor, we are solidly behind you and your government,” “We’ll support Governor that empowers the Youths”. The Governor came out of his car, waved back at them, and they cheered, their joy knowing no bounds. Thereafter, the Governor had easy passage as he continued his journey to attend the funeral ceremonies of late mother to the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Khana Local Government Area in Kono Community.
At Kono on August 3, he took opportunity of the ambience to re-echo the need for peace. He urged the protesters to give government time to implement policies and programmes already designed and being rolled out to address the challenges facing the people. He asked for patience, understanding!
At Eleme on August 6, for the commissioning of the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Plant built and installed by UNICEF in partnership with Federal Government, Rivers State Government, Canadian Government and HIS Towers, the Governor re-emphasised the primacy of peace and stability of the State as veritable tool for sustainable development. As he spoke peace and patience, the people cheered and chanted songs of support and cooperation.
Come to think of it: the Governor’s consistent emphasis on peaceful conduct of every resident of the State, and patience to allow the policies of government deepen their positive impacts on the people did not just resonate with the protesters alone. It also resonated with other well-meaning Nigerians both here at home and in the Diaspora, who were not part of the protest. It resonated with anchors and discussants, including lawyers, politicians, professionals from all walks of life, on major television and radio channels in the country and elsewhere. And it resonated with lawmakers across the country, including National Assembly.
In fact, the House of Representatives Technical Sub-Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) said so on August 15 during an audience with the Governor in Government House, Port Harcourt. The sub-committee was in Rivers State to perform its oversight functions as mandated by law.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman, Hon Miriam Odinaka Onuoha, commended the Governor for his wisdom and leadership in the effective management of the protest, by ensuring that while not denying residents their fundamental rights to peaceful assembly, procession and freedom of expression, he made sure that they exercised their rights in very peaceful manner without infringing on the rights of other Nigerians.
What to appreciate was that Governor Fubara did not speak politics to the protesters. He spoke to what they knew and had seen implemented by his administration. In meeting the expectations and challenges of Rivers residents as a measure embedded in his policies, he also showed them that he supports what the Federal Government is already doing. He reminded them that his Government was the first to release palliative buses, operating up until now, to ease transportation costs on students and all residents of the State, effective just few days after President Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy on petroleum products.
Governor Fubara also reminded them that his Government was cushioning the increasing cost of living with the N4billion single-digit interest loan he floated for traders and small businesses in the State. It is a facility that is helping traders: mothers, fathers, and youths in the business line to grow their business capital base. These are added to the ongoing implementation of deliberately crafted policies and programmes that are ensuring the delivery of quality infrastructure in the health and education sectors to eventually provide affordable services to all residents in the State while also laying the groundwork that will make agriculture attractive to more people than usual in order to achieve food sufficiency and meaningful employment for the youths.
In all, it is indisputable that Rivers State is in good hands, and those who plotted to use the protests to cause anarchy and chaos, destroying critical State assets that had taken years to put in place, failed, even more woefully, this time.
Like the wise men keep saying, “God does not make mistakes”. The God we serve didn’t make any mistake when He choose Sir Siminalayi Fubara to govern the State and liberate its people from the clutches of desperate, self-seeking buccaneers, at this time in the life of Rivers State. Thus, as long as Rivers people come first in his calculations and decisions, Governor Fubara has come to stay, because he has the people’s back, always!
Nelson Chukwudi
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor.
Focus
Re-Igniting Rivers Agricultural Stakes
Let us agree on this: prima facie, in many parts of the world, Nigeria and Rivers State inclusive, agriculture has not been maximally harnessed. This is so because, what we have seen happen in the sector has not contributed to fulfilling the vital function of feeding the people sufficiently. It has also not provided basic commodities as required, or helped desirably, in the generation of stable income too.
But this is not what it should be, neither should it be allowed to be so. This is why productive hands should not remain idle and germane efforts merely wished away when deliberate and consistently implemented policies can coordinate robust agricultural activities, necessarily so, to ensure support for human survival and promote enduring well-being. Perhaps, this is what sane leaders do in any society that plans to grow and also feed its people.
administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is in such ranking: forward-looking and mindful of those things to do, that can help real growth of all facets of the society, howbeit, agriculture. It has taken decisions on what must be done in order to increase attention for agriculture, and mobilising requisite resources that will support in refocusing the interest of majority of Rivers youths, and indeed, agro-actors, towards harnessing agriculture potentials in Rivers State.
Nigeria has, regrettably remained a consumption-dependent economy, and Rivers State is a part of this quagmire. The reason for this is clear: age-long, chronic and troubling lack of holistic attention to public policy implementation on a consistent basis to achieve sustained progress. But pulling off from such stance, the Governor Fubara-led administration is resolved to strengthen the comparative advantage of Rivers State in the agriculture value chain. It is a herculean task but not impossible because the potentials are glaring. So, there has been careful examination of what should be done, and how it should to be done to achieve an agricultural growth status that will make the State stand out.
To start, Governor Fubara has taken a critical look at the level of existing support previously offered by the State Government to promoting agriculture before he assumed office. Books may not lie, even when there could be disparities in what is recorded and what can be seen on ground. That, in itself, does offer a bearing. So, at least, what is clear is that such support was often driven by the quest to achieve economic development, promote key target interests, set out the prescriptions and requirements that would boost agricultural production.
With mind set on the mantra of “Consolidation and Continuity”, vital decisions are being taken, arising from those critical scrutinies, not necessarily to undermine what existed but to establish a path for continuity. With a policy direction that should stimulate commercial farming, and let it signpost the level of awareness that should be created in achieving food security in the State, there has been a determined posture secured without ineluctably falling to the trappings of incoherence and poor coordination most policy initiatives had suffered.
So, to have a holistic perspective for the required results that are expected, the decisions being taken took into cognizance: the need to identify support or collaborations where none existed, commence one, and gear up efforts in seeking requisite and workable collaborations to achieve success. In areas where such support did exist, but were incongruous, a review has been streamlined to give a new direction. Where there was abandonment of any process, a revitalization has been decided and production capacities of endeavours of agro-actors strengthened.
There is also a focus on small holder farmers because their concerns are in keen consideration of what the administration intends to do in the sector. These farmers belong to the brackets of small and medium enterprises that do need greater opportunities facilitated for their agribusinesses in other for them to access credit that would enable them expand their portfolio. More efforts are being harnessed with a search for an effective synergy within favourable environment to attract investors and financial institutions into funnelling credit to farming endeavours and the process of having an updated databank is being formalised. Regardless, the Rivers State Government has brokered partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI) in the disbursement of N4billion to small scale entrepreneurs in the State. This is an initiative that should impact on the sector, nonetheless, if the beneficiaries were true to tact.
But of note is the review embarked upon by the government concerning its agricultural investment in the Songhai Integrated Farms. This farm is located in Bunu community, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Songhai Integrated Farms sits on a vast expanse of land measuring 314 hectares. Where it sits was, in 1985 established as part of the School-to-Land Farms project. But it was repurposed in 2011 to become Songhai Integrated Farms.
It had distinct production sections that included livestock production, crop cultivation, fisheries, forestry, engineering services, agro-industrialization, and the training of aspiring farmers. The farm started off with an environmentally-sustainable agricultural production system that harnessed a holistic value-chain approach to ensure higher incomes for farmers and processors, as well as other agro-actors to guarantee social and economic prosperity.
It was set up to operate a self-driven zero waste farming model designed to protect the natural environment by mitigating the impacts of climate change. So, each production section was made up of different units, overseen by specialists who work in synergy. Within the production line, nothing became discard-able waste since the finished products/byproducts were sent from one production unit to another in a sequential manner to further transform them into other useful products for human use. It was a continuous circle, and consistently so to promote sustainable economy.
Those features had been carefully enumerated to have a proper understanding of the venture that was to make Rivers economy bigger and more progressive. But either by commission or omission, it became lame because it was driven into despicable condition, or rather, because it was abandoned. Every facility became decrepit as a result. For almost a decade, it remained so, and nothing was operational there. The hope that once soared, about all the potentials and contributions it was to make towards food security, and to provide gainful employment for the teeming Rivers youths, died, albeit, for the time it was in limbo.
Also, laid in waste were all the structures, those that were constructed with concrete, metallic, or wooden, and others that were installed, over the ground and underground. Most office equipment were stolen too, and carted away by vandals. The entire premises of the Songhai Integrated Farms became overgrown with short and tall grasses. And it was dangerously bushy too.
Those were the sorry sight that Governor Fubara beheld when he visited the farm on Saturday, October 7, 2023. The billions of naira in Rivers tax-payers’ money that was invested in the Songhai Integrated Farms project by the State Government went down the drains. So, the visit availed Governor Fubara the opportunity to do an on-the-spot assessment of the present condition of the farm, and ascertain what possible ways to bring it back to production stream again. On that visit, the Governor was conducted round the facility by the Manager of the Songhai Integrated Farms Project, Dr. Tammy Jaja. The revitalisation works to be done looked massive and very demanding but nothing is insoluble with political will, wisdom and courage.
In his explanation, Governor Fubara asserted the urgency that is required in restoring and repositioning the State for sustainable economic growth and development. With his visit, arising from the resolution reached when they last had the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where they had considered the exigency of diversifying the nation’s economy and harped on the need to cushion current economic hardship experienced by the citizenry, he was determined to kickstart the version for the State. In his words, Governor Fubara said: “In our last National Economic Council meeting, because of the present situation of our economy, which you are aware; the issue of removal of fuel subsidy and other economic bites affecting everyone, everybody was advised to diversify. The other option is agriculture, and we were all advised to see what we can do to improve on food sufficiency.”
The Governor had assured that his Administration was determined to use the Songhai Integrated Farms as a launching pad to revolutionise agriculture in Rivers State. To achieve that, everything would be done to revamp the Songhai Farms. And when revitalized, the economy of the State could then be diversified, providing foundation for the people to be engaged meaningfully while also increasing the food sufficiency capacity of the State.
Governor Fubara assured: “As I leave here now, we are going to bring in all the stakeholders to discuss the way forward. What I am seeing here will require long-term planning and going back to the site to reinstate the installed facilities that have become desolate. The State Government will not just do that, we will bring in people who have the resources, expertise, strength and commitment to partner with us to bring back this place to life. The advantages to be derived when this place comes back to life include food sufficiency and employment generation. It will also address issues of youth restiveness.”
That process has begun. The people who had been identified to have the strength and commitment to partner the State Government were already in touch, and brought to the negotiation table. The talking has been extensive and intensive. The best among them with more enduring approach and sustainable model are at the verge of being engaged. Songhai Integrated Farms must be revitalized. That is the commitment and it remains unwavering.
While the discussions were ongoing, the farm has been repossessed by the Government. It would no longer be accessed freely as thorough fare to members of the public as it was in the days of abandonment. Gradually, the clearing of the short and tall grasses and trees are ongoing, and would be concluded, eventually. What shall be done with that project would be devoid of a lack of clarity and the adopted plan, nothing of abrupt disruption is anticipated. For this farm, the level of independence with which it would operate would be such that it could remain dogged, contest its place within the sector and drive food sufficiency process at a pace more sustaining and enviable for the State.
Another investment that is of critical concern to the Government is the 45,000-metric tonnes Rivers Cassava Processing Company, which is located in Afam Community, Oyigbo Local Government Area. This is a multi-billion-naira investment that was engineered as a public-private partnership (PPP) venture between the Rivers State Government, Shell, Vieux Manioc BV of the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Embassy. Understandably, the motivation for establishing this processing factory was to address the challenges of value addition of the cassava crop in the value chain sub-sector. So, the factory was inaugurated on May 28, 2021, as a company that will support the economy of Rivers State to earn more revenue from the cassava value chain. The company then had a board of directors in place, which helped in the preliminary stages of preparations leading to its inauguration. But barely within the first two months of start of production, the subsisting administration then dissolved the board, which left the company without adequate supervision to help it actualize its core mandate.
Things remained so until March 7, 2024, when Governor Fubara visited the factory. The visit, the Governor explained, was propelled by the desire to see the level of effectiveness and efficiency of the existing production line. He explained that the team managing the factory, led by the Managing Director of the Rivers Cassava Processing Plant, Ruben Giesen, had requested financial support, in a letter sent to him. This, the team said, would enable them complete two more production lines at the factory to increase capacity utilisation in order to churn out more products.
Governor Fubara said: “I got a request from the people who are managing the cassava processing plant that we need to extend our support for them to complete two production lines that will give them a standard that they can start to supply in earnest to a lot of distributors who need the products from this plant. And I felt it would be proper for me to see what we have already invested, the stage they are at, so that it will encourage us to give more support.”
Governor Fubara further said: “From what I have seen here today, it is really impressive. I can assure them that we are going to give the financial support to ensure that the production lines are all completed. This is to encourage them to go into full supply of the products with international standards to anywhere in the world.”
The promise given by Governor Fubara to inject more funds is with the aim of revitalising this mega cassava processing factory in order to ensure that the finished products meet internationally accepted standards. Of course, these are well intended responses, and the drive is to ensure an increase in quantum of food production capability and attain the level of sufficiency while also creating gainful employment for the growing youthful population of the State.
It is obvious that the Governor Fubara-led administration clearly understands that Nigeria is the largest cassava producer at the global level. It is on record, that Nigeria accounts for about one-fifth (20%) of total cassava production worldwide. Indeed, Rivers ranked among the Top Five Cassava Producing States in Nigeria. It is, therefore, of necessity and thoughtful of a Government that cares for its farmers, to keep keen interest on this factory, and ensure that it is supported to enhance value addition, and guarantee employment for the people.
In fact, Governor Fubara knows that this factory would also promote adoption and the use of 10 per cent high quality cassava flour (HQCF) in bread and confectionery businesses, so as to reduce wheat importation and conserve foreign exchange earnings to meet other needs. Indeed, cassava is one of the defining ingredients of our family lives in this region, and it is a valued crop in Niger Delta and in other parts of Nigeria. So, this factory, with the promised support from the Governor Fubara-led administration, will attain full operational status. This will further be propelled by feedstock from about 3,000 farmers within the farming communities and other far away farmers in neighbouring communities.
What the people need to understand is that, as long as this factory’s capacity is not fully strengthened, it will be difficult for it to receive uninterrupted supply of raw materials from the thousands of hectares that could be cultivated to service it. By extension, this means massive waste of hundreds of jobs its prospect assures, particularly the over 20,000 farm families that will earn income to enhance their livelihoods and improve their standard of living.
Even as the threat to food security continues to alarm watchers in Nigeria with food inflation rate rising from 33.93% in December, 2023 to 35.41% in January, 2024, and not yet abating, these efforts of the Rivers State Government are to ensure that people do not spend more money before they can afford enough food for themselves and their families. Instructively, if there is no change in focus and the required actions are taken, guided by well-thought-out policy and implemented with the right political will, the threat to acute food security will be reversed.
It is possible that at the end of the day, these measures geared towards building sustainable food systems will feed everyone, everywhere, and every day. The cry of hunger is loud and palpably so. And Governor Fubara understands that only a focused attention on finding enduring solutions through strategic investments in boosting agricultural yields and increasing its value chain would address the needs of the people. This is why the Government sees the initiatives as a task that must be done. The Governor’s eyes will remain on the ball, until desired results are achieved with maximum impact. That is a promise he made to the people, a SIMple promise he has vowed to fulfil without fear of intimidation or favour.
By: Nelson Chukwudi