Rivers
We’ll Continue To Support Religious Bodies, Barasua Assures Bonny People
By: John Bibor
The Chairman of Bonny Local Government, Dame Anengi Barasua, has reiterated her resolve to support religious organisations following their enormous efforts at instilling moral values on their parishioners, which by extension, reduces anti-social activities in Bonny.
Barasua gave this indication when leaders of The Eternal Sacred Order of The Cherubim and Seraphim, Bonny Special Area paid her a courtesy visit, at the Council Secretariat, Bonny, pledging some logistical support during the first ever visit of its prelate to Bonny.
She further called on the church to continue in its prayers and moral transmission towards sustaining the peace and development of Bonny LGA.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Provincial Chairman of The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, Bonny Special Area, Senior Apostle Emmanuel Abariso, who was also joined by the Councillor representing Ward 11 in the Bonny Legislative Assembly, Hon Patience Green, commended Barasua on her efforts in transforming the fortunes of the LGA.
She added that they were out to inform the chairman of the forthcoming Ordination Tour of the Prelate of Cherubim, Dr. David Bobmanual, who would be visiting Bonny for the first time, requesting for the assistance of the LG authority to achieve set goals.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Bonny Local Government, Dame AnengiBarasua has granted audience to the Non-Indigenes’ Association, Bonny, at the Council Secretariat, Bonny, where she noted that non-indigenes were an integral part of Bonny where they peacefully reside and contribute to the economy of the area.
She said that since they live and work in the area, they were eminently qualified to benefit from the good of the land.
Barasua recalled how they have been supportive, peaceful and contributing to the LGA for many years, urging for more support going forward.
She assured that their stake in the Island would not be tampered with, adding that those of them that were verified residents of Bonny would be prioritised in terms of consideration for employment opportunities.
Speaking through its Bonny Chapter President, Henry Kala-Tamuno, the Non-Indigenes Association, which commended the chairman for insisting that they benefit from the quota allotted them at the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC), however, expressed worry over the invasion of new entrants in Bonny in the area of employment.
He pleaded for consideration to be given to non-indigenes resident in the area who have been unemployed for years, promising to stand by the government through every possible way in the years ahead.
Rivers
PHCCIMA Breaks Down Rivers 2025 Budget
The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) has given its breakdown of the Rivers’ 2025 budget.
The PHCCIMA President, Dr. Chinyere Nwaoga, gave the breakdown in a statement on Tuesday, saying the budget will unlock trapped N500 billion tax revenue from trapped or recovered assets.
She recalled that PHCCIMA had on December 31, 2024 lauded the appropriation bill of 2025 as presented by the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and promised to analyse the budget.
“We promised to analyse the budget and share our position after extensive research and analysis.
“We set up a think-tank committee to review the monetary policy with the private sector practitioners and we have come up with a position”, she said.
Nwaoga noted that the 2025 total budget approximates N1.2 trillion to be N388 billion higher than the 2024 figure of N800 billion.
However, she noted that when adjusted for inflation, “the Net Present Value of the current budget is approximately N1.1 trillion”.
She explained that the naira’s depreciation by 90 per cent year-on-year from January 2024 has reduced the budget’s net value to about N700 billion.
According to her, this further illustrates how the fiscal policies at the centre can impact even the best run states.
She commended the Rivers government’s plan to spend N678 billion on capital expenditure, which is roughly 30 per cent more than the operating expenditure.
“The plan to allocate N31 billion to Agric and support programmes for youths posits a strategy for genuine empowerment”, she stated.
The PHCCIMA President also advised the government to create a credible youth and women database for articulated disbursements and monitoring.
She said: “There may be need to update or recreate a strategic state wide enumeration targeted at Rivers State population”.
Nwaoga also suggested that the government should consider allotting a percentage of accrued funds to an investor guarantee programme to attract investment funds aimed at commerce.
She noted that “the policy to explore counterparty funding with the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to support education is smart”.
The PHCCIMA boss commended the government’s plan to source and save funds for the budget through various means, including FAAC, IGR, statutory allocation, mineral funds, VAT, refunds, and others.
According to her, the budget demonstrates financial prudence and less emphasis on bank borrowing.
She suggested that the government should re-enact the Rivers State Statutory Savings Account and ensure that assets do not deplete in value.
Nwaoga recommended that “we estimate an additional N100 billion, and the expansion of the under-declared and undeclared revenue sources with corporates”.
She stressed the need for the government to emphasise attracting new investments and unlocking value from existing assets.
“Rivers State Government should emphasise attracting new investments and unlocking value from existing assets”, she said.
She, however, urged that the government should continue to pursue clearing the backlog of pension liabilities and consider implementing a revised salary structure to motivate the workforce.
Rivers
RSG Seeks Stakeholders’ Collaboration For Women, Children Improvement
The Rivers State Government is seeking the collaboration of relevant stakeholders to improve the conditions of women and children.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, disclosed this during a stakeholders engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as part of activities to mark the 50th birthday anniversary of Governor Siminalaye Fubara organised by the Ministry in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Uranta also stressed the need for a network of agencies and organisations working to improve the conditions of women and children across the state.
The Commissioner said the present administration under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara has initiated policies towards improving the conditions of women and children in the State.
According to her, the present administration is ensuring that women and children have acess to quality health care and education.
She said the stakeholders’ engagement was to seek their views and opinions towards fashioning out policies and programmes that will further improve the conditions of women and children in the State.
Also speaking, the founder of Truvine Women International Ministries, Pastor (Mrs.) Ene Secondus, commended the Ministry for its commitment towards improving the conditions of women and children in the State.
Mrs. Secondus also commended the Ministry for the meeting, adding that it would provide opportunity for the various organisations to review their activities for the outgone year and also plan ahead .
She said her organisation,Truevine Women Ministry International, had visited several charity homes across the country and Internally Displaced Persons ( IDP) camps to assist them in various ways, calling on other groups to do same.
Also speaking, the Royal Father of the day, King Emmanuel Owurong, called on the Ministry to embark on sensitisation campaigns across schools in the State with a view to educating the girl child on the importance of education.
He said this would check the rampant cases of teenage pregnancies across rural communities in the State.
Earlier, the Director, Women Affairs, Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Camelita Agborubere, said the Ministry is now more concerned with gender development and equality in the society.
Agborubere said the mandate of the Ministry is to bring about equality and an inclusive society where everyone, irrespective of gender, will be equal.
The Director, however, said empowerment remains the only way out for women emancipation.
The meeting was attended by various non-governmental organisations across the state.
John Bibor
Rivers
Holy Ghost Rally, Source Of Blessings-Fubara
The Rivers State Government says the Port Harcourt Annual Holy Ghost Rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has been a source of blessings to the State.
The Stae Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, stated this during the 2025 edition of the Port Harcourt Holy Ghost Rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt last Sunday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said the RCCG has been of global impartation to all those who have faith in God Almighty, stressing that he believes the good Lord would touch everybody in their different areas of need.
“I believe that Rivers State will experience an unprecedented peace after this gathering and we shall move from victory to higher victory and also move from glory to higher glory to the manifestation of God Almighty”, he said.
In his sermon, titled: “Divine Manifestation”, drawn from Jeremiah 32:27, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, said “Divine Manifestation refers to God showing who He is, by action”, stressing that most times God introduces Himself by His actions.
According to the cleric, the first time God introduced Himself to man was in Genesis 17:1, describing Himself as Jehovah Elshaddi, which means “the God who is more than sufficient”.
He urged the Christian faithful to call on God, especially in difficult times to receive solutions.
Earlier, the Intercontinental Youth Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Belemina Obunge, expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Government for their support over the years, while praying for God’s guidance and blessings over the State.
-
Rivers4 days ago
CSOs Seek Restraint On Planned Oil Extraction Resumption In Ogoni
-
Featured2 days ago
I Won’t Allow Spoils Of Office To Change Me – Fubara …As Rivers People Mark Gov’s 50th Birthday With Prayers
-
Business2 days ago
Nigeria Losing $40b Annually From Maritime Sector – NIMENA
-
News4 days ago
JAMB Introduces Mock UTME For Underage Candidates
-
Business2 days ago
Expert identifies UNICEEF’s NLP As Spring Board To AI In Benue
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Commissioner Hails RSHA Speaker Over Promise Of Constituency Projects To Ogu/Bolo
-
Rivers4 days ago
Bonny Protest Neglect, Seeks CSR MoU Implementation
-
Politics2 days ago
Presidency, APC React As El-Rufai Criticises Party, Urges United Opposition