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RSG Approves N80.8bn For Elele-Omoku Road Project
The Rivers State Executive Council yesterday approved the sum of N80,886,404,836.45 for the construction of the Elele-Omoku Road project.
The 33.5km road project will traverse three local government areas of the State, namely; Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Executive Council at a meeting presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu in attendance, also approved a 24-month completion period for the project.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Engr. Atemea Briggs, said the project would be funded from the savings made from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State Government.
Explaining the specifications of the project, Briggs said, “The project starts from Elele to Umudioga, Egbeda and Ubumini to Omoku. The total length of the project is 33.5 kilometers. There is an existing road there which is just 7.3 meters width, but the government wants to dualise this road.
“The proposed road width now is 7.8 meters to be asphalted fully with a road shoulder of 2.5 meters width. I will like to mention that along this road, we have several kilometers of low land, wherein to build a road shall require replacement, filling of the ground by more than 3 meters high.”
Briggs further said, “This, the contractor can only achieve through hydraulic sandfilling and using laterite. And you know how costly these are.
“The road is also having a bridge of 99 meters long to be built side-by-side the existing one between Egbeda and Omoku. The cost of the project is N80,886,404,836.45k only. It is awarded to Craneburg Construction Company. The delivery period is 24 months.”
Also briefing journalists, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joseph Johnson, reiterated that the 33.5km Elele-Omoku Road project will be funded with savings from the Internally Generated Revenue, a payment method that will also be adopted for the phase two of the Trans-Kalabari Road project.
He stated further that, “Council also will be setting up a five-man committee made up of commissioners of Agriculture, Urban Development, Permanent Secretary of Lands and Surveyor-General of the State to deal with the issues of land grabbing.
“All that will be put together within the week, and Council will also provide all the necessary requirements for that committee to conclude its job within record time.
“It is important that I mention that the money for the construction of the 33.5km Road is from our savings. This is important because most people will be asking what we are doing with our IGR.
“These are money we will use, accrued from our savings. This approach is what this Government will be adopting to fund the phase two of Trans-Kalabari Road project, which will soon commence.”
In her clarification, Acting Director-General of the State Bureau of Public Procurement, Engr Ine Briggs, said that all the road projects being undertaken by the Government scaled through due diligence and quality assurance and had been certified for delivery to Rivers people.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, who briefed journalists on the Health sector, said the Council was briefed on the success of the accreditation exercise conducted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NWCN) at the State College of Nursing Sciences.
She explained that the State School of Nursing was recently upgraded to College of Nursing Sciences with an admission capacity now increased by 142 per cent, and 400-capacity classroom block being constructed for both midwifery and nursing students.
Dr. Oreh further explained that with a robust primary healthcare system because existing facilities in the State are upgraded, and their functionalities enhanced, gaps are being addressed in access to requisite services.
She disclosed that Rivers State also emerged as South-South zonal winner of the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge convened by UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
The commissioner said there is also a new partnership between the State Government and UNICEF that is donating an oxygen manufacturing plant and equipment for the new born neonatal unit at the Eleme General Hospital, which will be handed over soon.
According to her: “Another update to note is His Excellency’s approval of the implementation of Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme, which is the State Health Insurance Scheme.
“The Federal Government has been notified, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare have all been notified, so that all processes needed for the enrolment of the citizens and residents of Rivers State in the health insurance, scheme, especially our vulnerable population can immediately commence.”
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.