Rivers
NCSU Lambasts Rivers LawmakersOver LG Reforms
Apparently taking a cue from some opposition members in the House of Representatives, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has vehemently opposed the moves by some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to veto and override the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara on controversial bills to reform local government administration in the State, as well as extend the tenure of serving Council Chairmen and Councillors in the State.
The union said the action of the lawmakers is unknown to any extant law in the country and therefore is condemnable and unacceptable.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who gave the indication in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the lawmakers must now tread with caution in order not to incur the wrath of Rivers people who have risen stoutly in defence of the Governor in the wake of the current political crisis in the State.
According to him, the action of the lawmakers is a recipe for chaos, anarchy and lawlessness, and goes contrary to the peace accord brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that in spite of the fact that Governor Fubara had taken steps to abide by the terms of the peace accord, and has continued to preach peace, the lawmakers and their co-travellers have rather continued to stoke the ambers of chaos, violence and needless bloodletting in the State.
Osumah, therefore, opined that if the lawmakers fail to retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the union would without hesitation, in conjunction with other labour unions in the State mobilise workers across the country to storm Rivers State, in order to call the legislators to order.
He regretted that the lawmakers have in a hurry forgotten that by virtue of their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), they had ceased to be elected members of the State House of Assembly, and advised them to purge themselves of the tendencies of taking the laws into their own hands.
He said the time has come for the National Assembly to take over the functions of legislating for the Rivers State House of Assembly since majority of the state lawmakers had lost the mandate and legitimacy to continue to perform their legislative functions for their constituents and the State, by virtue of their defections.
While describing the moves by the lawmakers to amend the Local Government Law of the State without recourse to the Governor’s assent as legislative rascality, Osumah said civil servants in the State can no longer fold their arms and watch while some individuals take pleasure in insulting the Governor with impunity and denigrating the office of the Governor.
He maintained that the civil servants are united in their unalloyed support for the Governor Fubara administration and would continue to support the Governor to succeed in office as one of their own. This is even as he called on all civil servants in the State to continue to support and pray for the Governor and be prepared to march out whenever they are called upon.
Osumah also appealed to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to take keen interest in what is happening in Rivers State, particularly when one of its members in the person of Governor Fubara is being haunted and maligned.
He called on the Governors to rise up in defence of their colleague, by sending a strong message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Governors should be reminded that there is an adage that says, ‘wetin reach old pot must surely reach the new pot’. If this rascality is allowed to thrive, any one of them could be the next victim. Folding their arms and sleeping while one of them is being maligned is dangerous. It could spell disaster”, he said.
Osumah also condemned the recent call by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Governor Fubara to publicly face the press, describing the comments by the Minister as infantile, unnecessary and frivolous.
According to him, Governor Fubara should be left alone and be allowed to concentrate on governance.
The labour leader expressed optimism that Governor Fubara would put smiles on the faces of civil servants in the State as Christendom prepares for this year’s Easter celebrations.
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor