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FUBARA RESTATES PRIMACY OF PEACE TO DRIVE GOVERNANCE, DEV
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has advocated the need for peace to propel conducive environment to deliver good governance and greater development of the State and the nation.
Accordingly, he has assured of his administration’s readiness to continue to promote peace in the State for the overall benefit of all living and doing business in the State.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received members of the International Association of World Peace Advocates, Eminent Peace Ambassadors, Rivers State Chapter on a Road Walk to commemorate the 2024 International Day of Peace at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Saturday.
Represented by the Head of Service, Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara, emphasized the need for residents to continue to preach the message of peace in the State and Nigeria at large, particularly at this time when the nation is at crossroads.
He thanked members of the association for embarking on the road walk to mark the International Day of Peace, and also identifying with the peaceful disposition of the present administration under his leadership.
He said, “Thank you for identifying with the Governor and the special qualities he possesses. Like you said, he has the capacity, but he refuses to fight back. That shows innermost strength, and that’s a very important ingredient for peace. Our Governor possesses it in exceeding volume.
“So, I want to thank you for marking today: the International Day of Peace. We need to preach peace to all corners of our State. We need to preach peace in our families, especially in this season that we find ourselves as Rivers people and as Nigerians'”, he asserted.
He assured that, “Our administration will continue to act in a way that will bring peace to the State, and at the end of the day, we will all be beneficiaries of the outcome of that peace advocacy.”
Earlier, Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates, Eminent Peace Ambassadors, Rivers State Chapter, Juliet Wokocha, had said that the road walk is part of activities by the United Nations body to mark the 2024 International Day of Peace with the theme: “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.”
Wokocha, who noted that peace cannot be kept by force, but can only be achieved by understanding, stated that they were in Government House to show solidarity with the Governor for his peaceful disposition, pledge their support, and also urge him to sustain the peace so far achieved in the State.
She said, “We have notified the Governor through our letter that we will be undertaking a road walk to mark the day of peace, because we want to let people know that the answer to every situation is peace.”
According to her, “Our Governor is the best Governor as far as peace is concerned in the world, not Nigeria. His tolerance level is too much. Anybody with his capacity would have taken powers into his hands, and caused situations that would trigger unrest and affect the citizens. But he is not like that. He is saying, let us maintain peace, whether justice is done or not, let us maintain peace.
“And so, this association that is affiliated with the United Nations has come to say, we are supporting him. We have come here to tell him that we are pledging our support. We will keep supporting him, and we are also urging him to keep maintaining peace” for the good of the State.
She added, “Right now, as we are commemorating here in Rivers State, different parts of the world as far as you are UN affiliated in this association, are commemorating the peace in their areas. But we decided to do road walk so that people will see us and key in.
“So, please, let us maintain peace in this State. We need peace to survive, as peace promotes development, allows for growth, and every good thing the citizens would want from our present Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,” she noted.
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Let’s Approach Regional Development Issues Differently – Fubara …As S’South Govs Host Fubara To 50th Birthday Celebration
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sued for a change in the current approach adopted by South South Governors in their pursuit to achieve holistic regional development and economic prosperity.
The governor insisted on de-emphasis in vested individuals’ political interests while looking at the bigger picture of achieving enduring regional integration that will strengthen unity of purpose to change the trajectory of development in the region.
Fubara made the appeal during the meeting of Governors of South-South States, under the auspices of BRACED Commission, at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yanagoa on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.
BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta.
He said: “I want to appeal that if we have to succeed in this drive, we need to keep our political differences aside and understand that the struggle, as at today, is for posterity, for the development of our region.
“It is really sad that in Niger Delta that is the economic base of this country, the construction of a road that you tagged ‘East-West Road’ could be an issue, that we need to beg, protest, and complain to get it fixed. I don’t think it is proper.”
Governor Fubara stated that it is not that the federal authorities do not understand that Niger Delta needs the road but quickly added that they have seen that even the people of the region do not take themselves seriously.
The governor said the moment Niger Delta people stopped playing to the gallery, and place value on themselves, outsiders will have no option than to accord the region and its people due regard.
Fubara said: “On my part, I want to say this: This is not the first time we are meeting. For me, I followed the course of the region meeting in a forum that we tagged “BRACED Commission.”
“BRACED Commission is also one of the bodies that was constituted at that time to support and work out development strategies for this region. But what I am seeing today is just limiting this meeting to only BRACED COMMISSION.
“We need to widen the scope where other leaders of the region should be part of the discussion of the development of the region, and I think this is the direction that will help the region.”
Reading the Communique of the meeting, the new Chairman of the Forum of Governors of South-South States, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said they support the Federal Government Tax Reform Bills, and urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing percentages to oil and gas derivation.
He stated the Forum’s request to the Federal Government to urge relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend remediation of polluted environment ongoing in Ogoni land to other impacted communities and States in the region.
Governor Diri also said that the Forum resolved to establish a structural regional security network to enhance safety and security, foster stable Niger Delta region conducive for economic growth and prosperity.
Highlight of the event was the hosting of Governor Fubara to a surprise 50th Birthday celebration by the Governors of South-South States at the Government House in Yenagoa.
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Fubara Lauds Tinubu For Setting Up Education Load Fund … Vows To Ensure Rivers Benefit Maximally From Scheme
The Rivers State Government has applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for conceiving the idea of setting up the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which has opened up opportunities for youths to acquire tertiary education irrespective of their financial status.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, gave the commendation while playing host to a delegation from NELFUND who came on an advocacy visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said in developed countries it is common for people to go through school with loans which they sometimes pay all throughout their lives, noting that “for us, it is more accessible and more friendly because you would be required to pay back the loan two years after your National Youth Service.
“It is a win-win situation; it is a situation where the youths in Nigeria should not say because my parents are poor or passed away I cannot improve on my educational growth. This offers them a golden opportunity and I am glad you came for this advocacy.”
The governor urged NELFUND to intensify its advocacy to let the people know how they can benefit from it, adding that it is more important when talking about vocational institutions.
“If you look at the developed countries it is people that went to the vocational schools that make so much money, because it is pricey to get somebody to do anything, we need to instil this into our people, our youths, because people sometimes tend to look down on people that went to vocational schools, it should not be,” he said.
Fubara expressed delight with the NELFUND programme and assured that the State Government would do whatever it can to ensure Rivers State benefits maximally from the scheme.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Dr. Akintunde Sawyer, informed the governor that they were in Rivers State to seek the support of the State Government towards the loan, stressing that President Tinubu has directed them to ensure no Nigerian student who has the ability and desire to get educated at tertiary level is denied the opportunity due to lack of funding.
He explained that the scheme provides interest-free loans to students who apply, adding that these loans are not repayable until two years after their Youth Service when they must have gotten a job.
A British-Nigerian politician, Florence Eshalomi, has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy to Nigeria.
Her appointment makes Eshalomi the second Nigerian to hold the position.
Confirming her appointment on X on Tuesday, she wrote: “It is an honour to have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
“I’m looking forward to building on my close ties with Nigeria to promote a strong and flourishing economic relationship between our two great nations.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the UK’s relationship with Nigeria to explore shared growth and opportunities for both countries.”
Announcing the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, said the decision was aimed at attracting investment into the UK and boosting economic growth.
“I’ve launched a new team of trade envoys who will use their experience, expertise, and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, attract investment into the UK, and ultimately drive economic growth,” Reynolds said.
Eshalomi, 44, is an MP representing the Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University.