News
Tam-George Tackles Rivers APC …As PDP Calls For Amaechi’s Job
The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to yet another scurrilous statement by the Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike had a hand in the judicial scandals that have engulfed Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transport.
Governor Wike categorically denies any role in Amaechi’s disgraceful plight.
Governor Wike had refrained from making public comments on this subject, because the people of Rivers State feel sadly vindicated by these latest scandals swirling around the Transport Minister.
In the run up to his screening by the Senate for the post of Minister in the federal cabinet in 2015, Nigerians were warned about Amaechi’s egregious antecedents in public office.
As governor of Rivers State, Amaechi left a shameful record of waste and dysfunction. His thoughtless policies and mismanagement of public funds literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State.
After his tenure in Rivers State, Amaechi was indicted for stealing public funds by a court-approved panel of inquiry.
Amaechi has of course always protested his innocence. But even chieftains of his party, the APC, including serving governors, have publicly praised Amaechi for bankrolling the party’s presidential campaigns in the 2015 general elections, and for sponsoring candidates in that election.
Amaechi’s financial contributions to the APC, estimated to be in billions of Naira, constitute serious financial crime against the people of Rivers State.
The allegations made against the Transport Minister by the justices of the court are therefore hardly surprising, because the scandals fall within a pattern of his moral turpitude in public life.
Rather than blame others for Amaechi’s woes, Nigerians expect the APC to ask the Minister to step down from office, in order to allow for a dispassionate inquiry into the serious allegations against him.
All the federal anti-corruption agencies have so far treated the serious allegations against Rt Hon Amaechi with the moral timidity of Lucifer’s wife.
Meanwhile, The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that for President Muhammadu Buhari to convince the nation that he is fighting corruption, the state’s former governor and current Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi, must be arrested and prosecuted over corruption charges.
The government spoke in reaction to the allegations made by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to the effect that Wike and some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) big wigs, were the ones who asked some judges to implicate Amaechi.
It would be recalled that the APC Chairman in the state, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, had accused Wike, former Akwa Ibom State governor and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, Incumbent Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmmanuel, and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, of conspiring to allegedly tell judges to frame up Amaechi in the judiciary corruption scandal.
Two of the Supreme Court judges, John Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta, whose homes were raided by the operatives of the Directorate of State Service (DSS), had fingered Amaechi, as being responsible for their travails, for allegedly refusing to yield to his (Ameachi) bribe offer, for the purpose of influencing judgments, in two states, in favour of the APC.
Reacting to Ikanya’s statement, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, said, “the attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to yet another scurrilous statement by the Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike had a hand in the judicial scandals that have engulfed Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport.
“Governor Wike had refrained from making public comments on this subject, because the people of Rivers State feel sadly vindicated by these latest scandals swirling around the transport minister. But all the federal anti-corruption agencies have so far treated the serious allegations against Amaechi with the moral timidity of Lucifer’s wife.
“In the run up to his screening by the Senate for the post of a minister in the federal cabinet in 2015, Nigerians were warned about Amaechi’s egregious antecedents in public office.
“As governor of Rivers State, Amaechi left a shameful record of waste and dysfunction. His thoughtless policies and mismanagement of public funds literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to emulate the judiciary by asking ministers accused of corruption to step aside for proper investigation.
The party made the call in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, at the weekend in Abuja.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) had last Thursday announced its decision to suspend justices facing corruption charges.
The justices are Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Mohammed Tsamiya, and Kano State High Court Judge, Justice Kabiru Auta.
Others are Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja; Justice I. A. Umezulike, former chief judge of Enugu State, and Mu’azu Pindiga of Federal High Court, Gombe.
The PDP publicity secretary said that Justices Ngwuta and Okoro had alleged that they were the targets of a witch-hunt because they refused offers of inducement and bribes from two ministers.
They had named the ministers as those of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and his Science and Technology counterpart, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
He said the ministers allegedly tried to offer bribe to the judges to subvert the course of justice in appeals against the decisions of lower courts in election petitions in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti and Rivers.
“In order to allow for a fair and independent investigation, it is incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to ask these ministers to step aside pending the conclusion of investigation into the allegations.
“The judiciary has set a very good example in its quest to fight corruption,” Adeyeye said.
“It has proven that it is ready to reform itself, and we commend the NJC for taking this bold step.
“Likewise, we call on the administration of the president to emulate the NJC,’’ he said, adding that anything less would confirm the belief that the administration considered itself as “above the law’’.
Adeyeye added that it would be a wrong signal, if the ministers were retained in the face of the serious allegations against them.
According to him, if such action is not taken, it will imply that the entire judicial corruption saga was a deliberate attempt to blackmail that arm of government.
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.