Rivers
Ex-INC President, Others Endorse Okrika CTC Chairman
Former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Atuboyedia Obianime, Pro-Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, and the women leader of the Simplified Movement in Okrika Local Government Area, Opuerembo Bertha Dede, have all endorsed the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Okrika Local Government Council, Princess Ibiene Ogan, for the forthcoming local government elections in the State.
They said this at the second phase of empowerment programme of the local government council.
Prof Obianime described Ogan as showing exceptional qualities, adding that it was the first time since the creation of the local government area that Okrika people are feeling the impact of good governance.
He said it was his wish that Princess Ogan be allowed to come back as a chairman in the forthcoming local government elections.
Also speaking, Chief Amiesimaka said the caretaker chairman has shown capacity in the administration of the council.
“I’m glad that I endorsed her candidacy and I’m very proud to say that she has not disappointed me.
“She has done marvellously in terms of empowerment, and as you can see I’m very glad. I’m also requesting her not to rest on her oars. She should rather do better”, he said.
Chief Amiesimaka, who called on the people of Okrika to interrogate other candidates before voting for them, expressed surprised that some of those who have come to him for endorsement did not even know the functions of local government councils.
“Some of them came to me to lobby for endorsement in the forthcoming election and I asked them one question, what are the statutory responsibilities of local government chairman, most of them don’t have a clue.
“It should no longer be business as usual. I have asked the people to ask questions, look at the candidate”, he said.
He said the empowerment initiatives will act as a stimulant to rejig the private sector, adding that this will make many people to be self dependent instead of depending on the government every time.
Amiesimaka also described Governor Fubara as an exceptional leader, stressing that the Governor has identified with the people.
“He is the peoples Governor. The Governor is sensitive to the plights of the ordinary people and, as we all know, this is not just a political statement, it’s a reality”, he said.
She said “the people, not just the women, will be happy if the State Governor will consider bringing Princess Ogan back as Executive Chairman of Okrika Local Government Area.
“Tody, we are here for empowerment, our CTC Chairman is empowering her people. I’m so happy for what she is doing, because it has not been done in the local government, since all the time Chairmen have been leading I have not seen this progress. But since this lady came, so many things are changing.
“If the Governor will return her back, we will be so happy”, she said.
She enumerated some of the achievements of the LG boss to include constant power supply, provision of water, empowerment of the women folk and regular cleaning of drainages.
Other stakeholders who spoke with newsmen also endorsed her for the election.
Meanwhile, Princess Ogan has described the second phase of the empowerment programme as another phase in her administration’s attempt to economically empower the people.
Ogan, who stated this in her welcome address at the occasion, said it was inline with her “Concerned About Prosperity (CAP) project”, that essentially covers all aspects of empowerment.
In her words, “Today marks another chapter in our march to deliberately empower the people of Okrika Local Government Area.
“Recall that while inaugurating my Caretaker Committee members, I had unveiled the Concerned About Prosperity (CAP) project that essentially covers all aspects of our needs and hopes.
“Since then, we have been working along this trajectory to give assured sense of ownership to our people”.
She said her Administration has embarked on several people-oriented programmes to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
John Bibor & Idris Marvellous
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