Niger Delta
A’Ibom Targets 600,000 Households For Intervention Programmes
The Akwa Ibom State Government says about 600,000 households have been captured in the social register for its various intervention programmes aimed at ameliorating economic hardship.
The Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr Emem Bob, said this during the ministerial briefing in Uyo on Monday.
The Tide’s source reports that the ministerial briefing is tagged; “ARISE Score Card’’, with the theme “Food Sufficiency and Security: The Intervention and Sustainability Strategy of Governor Umo Eno”.
Bob said though the state Social Register had increased to 2.3 million people, government was reaching out to the vulnerable poor through 600,000 households captured in the social register.
“The social register is well-structured. It’s structured in such a way that we have broken the villages, wards and Local Government Areas.
“These make up the state social register and the total number of people we have in the social register is 2.3 million.
“When you talk about households, we have about 600,000 households in the social register and that is what we have been using for various interventions in the state”, Bob said.
The Commissioner said the process for selection into the social register was very clear and transparent.
He said the social register had been there for the past eight years, saying that the Governor only ordered that it should be expanded to accommodate those who had fallen under the poverty line.
“How people are selected for the social register is very clear. It is a very transparent process in the sense that there is what we call ‘Community Based Targeting’.
“Don’t forget that anything that involves the World Bank is very transparent; they are thorough.
“Community Based Targeting is what was used for social register and we have State Organising Coordinating Units which work with the National Social Safety Nets Coordinator Unit in Abuja.
“They work together and they have staff across the local governments. They go to villages, meet with village heads to pick these people”, he said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, DrOffiongOfor, said the State Government had put in place a lot of intervention programmes to boost food production and reduce the prices of foodstuffs in the state.
Offor urged the people to heed to the governor’s call and return to farming, saying that farmers should form themselves into cooperative groups for easy accessibility.
“Food sustainability remains the priority of Gov. Eno’s administration. The first thing is that the Ministry of Agriculture merged with the Ministry of Rural Development which also has a component of cooperatives.
“This was deliberate because the cooperative system is the system that is driving food productivity anywhere in the world”, Offor said.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Rt Hon Evans Bipi, has eulogised Gen Gabriel Asabuja over his recent birthday celebration in Port Harcourt.
Bipi said Asabuja is worth celebrating following his numerous contributions and support to the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He described Asabuja as a strong pillar of governance in Rivers State, adding that the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning is happy working with him.
He noted that Asabuja’s position as a team leader of the Ministry’s taskforce has been amazing, saying the Ministry is proud associating with him.
The former lawmaker hinted that since Asabuja assumed office as leader of the taskforce, the Ministry has witnessed tremendous improvement.
Bipi said the Ministry will always stand by him to ensure that the dreams of the Governor Fubara-led government are achieved.
On his part, the celebrant, Gen Gabriel Asabuja expressed gratitude to God and the Commissioner for the honour done him.
Gen Asabuja also commended Governor Fubara for his tremendous and good leadership in the State, saying his group will continue to give the Governor maximum support in order to achieve more for Rivers people.
Gen Asabuja described Rt Hon Evans Bipi as one of the best brains working with the Governor, saying under Bipi, the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning has shown capacity to leverage on the Governor’s mantra of Rivers First.
He said both the personnel of the Ministry, the Directors and adhoc staff are happy with his style of leadership.
The Joint Provincial Council, East of the Niger, Anglican Communion, held its 2025 Annual General Meeting at St. Michael’s Church, Rumuomasi Deanery, Diocese of Evo from Saturday 15th — Sunday 16th February, 2025.
The meeting which had the theme, “Kept By His Mercies”, with text from Lamentations 3:22-23, had the Archbishops, Bishops, their wives, Chancellors, Financial Secretaries and Synod Clerical Secretaries of the 58 Dioceses as delegates.
At the opening ceremony on Saturday, the Dean of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Chairman of the Council, Most Rev Blessing Enyindah, charged delegates to stay focused and committed to the matters for discussion and implement decisions reached for the growth of the Church in the region and the advancement of the business of God’s Kingdom.
Most Rev Enyindah, who is also the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province and Bishop of the Diocese of Ikwerre, lauded the Diocese of Evo for the giant strides recorded in just 15 years of existence while tasking the leadership not to rest on its oars but to strive further to complete the work of the Kingdom in their hands.
Addressing the council in his welcome address, the Bishop of the Diocese of Evo and host of the Joint Council, The Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, welcomed the delegates, and reminded them that the theme is apt and fit as it reminds the Church of God’s inexplicable and instructible mercy towards mankind, which supersedes His righteous judgements.
Bishop Ordu further lamented the many challenges bedeviling the country, such as skyrocketing cost of living, ravaging sicknesses and ailments, proliferation of harmful drugs, natural disasters, high level corruption in public offices, inept political leadership, amongst others, which he said could not consume mankind because of God’s mercies.
In their separate speeches, delegates saluted the Diocese of Evo for willingly accepting to host the council and the comfort they enjoyed during their stay.
Earlier, the council appointed the Synod’s Clerical Secretary of the Diocese of Evo, Rev (Canon) (Dr) Ebenezer Owhor as the Assistant Secretary of the Joint Council.
Also, before the commencement of plenary, the women of St. Michael’s Church, Rumuomasi Deanery thrilled delegates to good traditional tunes and dance steps while His Royal Highness Eze( Sir) Raymond Chinda led the chiefs and elders of Rumuomasi community in Oropotoma Kingdom, to appreciate the council for choosing the community to host the meeting.
They solicited for prayers of peace, unity and development from the council.
The meeting ended on Sunday evening while the Archbishops and Bishops worshipped in various churches in the Diocese of Evo.
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