Features
Boundary Commissions And Peaceful Co-Existence
Literally, “boundary disputes” which is conflict over how to draw border lines; or “territorial dispute” which covers conflicts over larger tracts of land or water have been a pain in the neck of many States and communities in the country.
In fact, boundary disputes account for a significant proportion of conflicts, and wars between Communities and States with attendant loss of lives and properties.
Boundary and territorial disputes are products of materials and/or cultural claims, sometimes they may also emerge as a result of fundamental changes in domestic and international environments.
In certain circumstances, boundary and territorial disputes may evolve into geographical power rivalry and competition.
To stem the unpleasant challenges that characterise boundary disputes, the Federal Government established the National Boundary Commission to look into disputed areas. And the commission was replicated in the other two tiers of Government: State and Local Government Areas.
According to the Director – General of the Commission, Mr. Adamu Adaji, the National Boundary Commission has intervened in 86 interstate boundary disputes presently with a determination to create a peaceful atmosphere within the boundary corridors.
“The Director – General who made this known at a Forum in Abuja also reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensure a peaceful boundary regime among communities, States and between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries”.
“We have been intervening in them (boundary disputes), and we can say we have been able to resolve about 30 of these cases though in some cases not fully.”
The resolutions may be partly, some grey areas are still pending and we will look into them as we make progress.
Several States and communities are locked in age-long boundary conflicts that have resulted in loss of lives and properties. Some border communities in disputed areas have been displaced and the inhabitants refugees.
In the words of Adamu Adaji, “there are so many other boundaries that are still in dispute and we are trying our best to ensure that these disputes are reduced to the barest minimum by trying to resolve them as quickly as possible”.
He listed the interstate disputed boundaries flashpoint as: Between Abia and Cross River, Abia and Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi, Benue and Taraba, Benue and Ebonyi, Ebonyi and Enugu, Anambra and Kogi, Anambra and Abia.
While disclosing the commission’s efforts to show limits through its Integrated Boundary Management System, Adaji emphasised the need to demarcate the boundaries physically on ground to become visible.
According to him, the definition and demarcation of these boundaries physically on ground is important so that it can be very visible.
“Our aim is to ensure we have a very peaceful boundary regime to have people appreciating boundaries for what they are: there are near administrative arrangements to show limits”.
“Over the years, we have been trying to define these boundaries in such a way that it can be understood but for people to appreciate it properly; it has to be physically established on ground”.
“We have an integrated System of management of these boundaries and at the Federal level is the National Boundary Commission, boundary committees at the State and Local Government levels to determine the local government boundaries”.
“They should work in synergy towards establishing and determining our boundaries and resolving all boundary issues that may arise.”
On the cooperation of States to the activities of the National Boundary commission, the Commission’s helmsman said, “The states have been cooperating so far but not without some obstacles.
There are some uncooperative attitudes from time to time occasioned by the communities’ resistance to some of our activities because of their wrong perceptions of what boundaries really should be. So, we try as much as possible to sensitise these communities through the state boundary committees for them to buy into our activities and appreciate the extent and essence of boundaries, generally”,
On the basis for effective, and result -oriented demarcation, the Director – General stated that the commission relied on legal instruments inherited from the colonial masters, records, gazettes, treaties, agreements, maps, chats, inscriptions among others to define the boundaries.
According to him, “where some of these instruments are deficient, we resort to the principle of ground to paper.
It is a principle we had to create whereby we go on ground and rely on the communities and the states to show us what is agreeable.
We take it from the ground and transfer it to paper, try to make recommendations, analysis and description for the government to accept as a boundary between affected communities and States, as the case may be”.
However, a conflict resolution therapist, Dr. Soibim MacGregor commended the essence of the creation of the Boundary Commission. He expressed disappointment on the Commission’s lack of will to enforce boundary demarcation and adjustment in as some cases.
According to MacGregor, the commission seem to not have substantial independence from the government as those close to government involved in boundary influence the commission to do their bidding.
“Another issue that seems to dent the credibility of the Commission is the covert move to work against subsisting judgements of competent courts of law.
“No Technical Committee on Boundary dispute nor Boundary Commission has the locus to make recommendation or act in any manner that is repugnant to the judgement of any competent court in Nigeria on a disputed area.
“But, in some cases because of corruption or interests some boundary commissions have taken decision, made recommendation that undermines court judgement. In fact, when a matter is in court it is subjudice and contempt for the commission to act on such matter,” he said.
He decried what he described as crisis situation arising from the Commission’s lack of will to address dispute because of interest or financial inducement, even in the face of substantial facts on the matter.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for the creation of Local Government Boundary Committees, most local governments have no boundary committees.
The unfortunate situation cuts across most States of the Federation. The absence of the functional committee at the Local Government level has heightened the challenges associated with boundary disputes in Local Government Areas.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat decried the absence of functional committees to curb the incessant cases of communal clashes.
While stressing the importance of the National Boundary Commission while receiving a delegation of the commission on a sensitisation and advocacy visit to the State, Hamzat said creating boundary committees at the Local Government levels would aid easy identification of boundaries and go a long way in attending to communal boundary matters before they degenerate into crisis.
“There is no need for communal clashes if all States and Local Government Areas in the country know their boundaries”, Dr. Hamzat said.
He stressed the need for a functional pillar emplacement on interstate boundaries by the commission for proper identification to stop communal clashes among States.
On the Rivers and Imo States boundary, the Director – General of the commission, Adamu Adaji said the Commission had already commenced field work on the border communities of the two States following the judgement of the Supreme court on ownership of 17 oil wells located in boundary communities between the two States.
The National Boundary Commission had in the Nigeria Administrative map, 10th, 11th, 12th and other maps delineated the two communities in which the 17 oil wells were located in Imo State.
But Rivers State citing decree No.14 of 1967, Decree No.12 of 1976, the White papers/conclusion of the Federal Military Government on the Irikefe and Nasir Boundary Commission/Boundary Adjustment Commission, amongst others claimed ownership of the disputed communities.
Some of the local government areas in Imo and Rivers being affected by the field work, according to the Director – General are: Oguta, Ohaji/Egbeme, Owerri West, Ngor-Okpala, Ndoni, Emuoha, Ikwerre, Etche, Egbema, respectively.
“They will pass through the affected local government areas of Oguta, Egbema and Ngor-Okpala in Imo State, and in Rivers State will be Egbema, Ndoni, Emohua, Ikwerre and Etche”, he said.
Boundary related disputes are identified as one of the causes of deep seated resentment, crisis and wars among border Communities and States across the country. The Aguleri and Umuleri boundary disputes, the protracted border dispute between Ebonyi and Enugu States communities that have resulted in occupation of the disputed areas by the Nigerian Army, the Ebonyi and Cross River, etc are instances where development has stalled as a result of absence of peace.
Recently, about 15 bodies were recovered as Benue and Ebonyi communities located at the boundaries clashed over farmland.
According to media reports, the Ojiogu and Okpochiri Ukwagba Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State suffered loss of properties worth millions of naira, “Many people were found dead, many missing and injured”.
Similarly, Effuim and Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area have also claimed many lives and created a refugee situation.
Unconfirmed reports said at least four persons were killed and over five houses were burnt.
To address boundary disputes in Rivers State, the State Boundary Commission (Establishment) Act, 2006 which empowers the Deputy Governor of the State to serve as the Chairman, was established.
The act also makes provision for other statutory members to serve in the commission. According to the official website of the New Rivers State on Boundary matters, the State Boundary Commission is empowered by the act to carry out the following thirteen functions:
To deal with inter and intra-Local Government Boundary disputes within the State; To define and delimit inter and intra-Local Government Area or Area council Boundaries in accordance with the delimitation instrument or document established for that purpose; To liaise with the Zonal Liaison officer of the commission in the State and the Federal; To identify and intervene in areas of potential disputes in the State; To hold meetings at least once in every quarter, to ensure maintenance of peace and order in the border areas; To liaise with the State Boundary Commission of neighbouring States with the view of taking joint measures that shall promote good inter-community relationship; To arrange with other State Boundary Committees for joint utilisation of shared resources and facilities along their common borders; to encourage and support peace organs within the State for the purpose of promoting peace and harmony between communities involved in boundary disputes; To monitor the activities of the Local Government Boundary committees within the State, and deal with disputes which cannot be settled by the Local Government Boundary committees; To evolve measures for joint utilisation of amenities along Local Government Boundary within the State;
To be cont’d.
To encourage negotiated settlement of boundary dispute in preference to litigation; And to carry out awareness and enlightenment campaigns amng the people in the State on the essence of boundaries in order to foster peace and harmony among the people living along boundary lines.
Consequently, the present administration headed by Chief Nyesom Wike, through the Office of the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has left no stone unturned in ensuring that communal and local government areas boundary disputes are promptly addressed through meetings with affected communities and other stakeholders, setting up of Technical Committees to consider critical areas and making recommendations to the State Governor.
Dr. Banigo, whose office is saddled with the responsibility of handling boundary matters has kept faith with the confidence reposed in her. And she has intentionally committed to the resolution of boundary related disputes.
Some of the intra-State disputes under consideration, according to information obtained are: Barako/Nweberra.
A technical committee to demarcate the boundary in line with the Supreme Court Judgement was set up on 18th of August, 2016. The committee was headed by HM King Kaleh Obuge and its report was presented to the Rivers State Boundary Commission on the 8th of June, 2017. The technical reports after due consideration by the commission were retrieved by the technical committee for amendments. The reports were resubmitted on the 1st of August, 2019 for consideration.
Bukuma/Tombia boundary dispute also received consideration by the Rivers State Boundary Commission. The technical committee setup to demarcate the boundary in line with the Supreme Court Judgement in Suit No. SC/97.1919 using plan Nos. SL/25/74 and UR/433/74 as a guide found it difficult to do so because a point identified on the footpath cannot describe the entire length of the boundary and therefore recommended that a Dispute Resolution Committee be set to negotiate an acceptable boundary. The committee inaugurated on 11th February, 2016 was headed by HM. King Dandeson D.Jaja, Jeki V to look into the dispute as recommended by the Technical Committee.
The committee however, could not reach an amicable settlement and consequently recommended that the two communities should return to the Supreme Court for proper interpretation of the Judgement, even as they were made to enter into an undertaking to keep the peace, among others.
The Tema/Ifoko Communities in Asari Toru Local Government Area Technical Committee was inaugurated on 10th May, 2018. The Committee was headed by Pst. Paulinus Nsirim, then Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Information. It submitted its report on the 20th of December, 2018.
The Tai/Ogu-Bolo (Norkpo/Ogu) Boundary dispute Technical Committee headed by Chief Dr. Silas Eneyo was inaugurated to resolve the dispute on 14th September, 2017.
A technical committee also headed by Chief (Dr) Silas Eneyo was inaugurated on 13th October, 2016 and re-inaugurated on the 22nd February 2018 to consider the Eleme/Oyigbo Boundary Dispute. The Committee has concluded its assignment.
For Obete/Seme-Leuku Boundary Dispute, the Rivers State Boundary Commission, set up a technical committee to resolve the disputes on the 12th of April 2018. The committee was headed by Chief Sir Fynface Ihunwo JP, the committee concluded its assignment and report submitted to the commission on the 20th of December, 2018.
Another boundary disputes that was considered was that of Oyigbo/Tai (Afam Ukwu in oyigbo Local Government Area and Korokoro community in Tai Local Government Area). A Technical committee was set up to resolve the dispute, on the 13th of October 2016. The committee chaired by Chief Sir Fyneface Ihunwo (JP) submitted its report on the 23rd of February, 2017 with a recommended boundary for demarcation.
No doubt the Rivers State Boundary Commission under the leadership of the State Deputy Governor, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo has intentionally and consistently worked to ensure the resolution of the boundary to keep the peace.
Other States Boundary Commissions are doing their best to live up to their purpose of creation but their best may not have been good enough, hence the cases of incessant violence culminating in loss of lives and properties.
Another crux of the mitter is the status of technical committee on matters already decided by courts of competent jurisdiction, even the supreme court with clear judgement.
Do technical committee have the locus to set aside and make recommendations which pre-suppose a setting aside of the subsisting judgement of court of competent jurisdiction as alleged by a people of Aguleri in their dispute against Umulere?
An effective and functional boundary committee at the national, state and local government levels holds the wands for peaceful resolution of boundary disputes if matters were considered dispassionately, with the fear of God and without favour.
By:
Igbiki Benibo
Features
Contributory Pension Scheme: Time For Review
For decades, Nigeria grappled with a pension crisis that left countless retirees in financial insecurity and despair. The unfunded pension system led to delayed payments and inadequate retirement funds, especially for public sector employees. In response, the federal government, under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, enacted the Pension Reform Act of 2004, introducing a contributory pension scheme (CPS) designed to overhaul the system and secure a dignified retirement for Nigerian workers.
According to the Pension Reform Act, 2004, Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is an arrangement where both the employer and the employee contribute portions of an employee’s monthly emolument towards the payment of the employee’s pension at retirement. The CPS covers employees in the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory, States, Local Governments and private sector organisations with three or more employees.
Only Judicial Officers, members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence and Secret Services of the Federation; retirees under any pension scheme existing before 30 June 2004; and employees who had three or less years to retire as at June 30, 2004 were exempted from the scheme.
The objectives of the CPS according to Section 2 of the Pension Reform Act, 2004, are to ensure that every retiree of the Nigerian Public Service receives his/her retirement entitlements as and when due; assist an improvident person to save against old age; and ensure a uniform set of rules and regulations on issues relating to the administration and payment of pension to retirees.
According to Section 85 of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, which effectively repealed the 2004 Act, “All contributions made under this Act shall be invested by the Pension Fund Administrators with objectives of safety and maintenance of fair returns on amount invested”.
Analysts and some retirees have questioned the usefulness of this section of the Act when the retirees are kept in the dark about the investments made with their contributions and hardly reap the dividend of the investment. A group of retirees known as Contributory Pensions Retirees Forum, recently described the CPS as a “modern day slavery; an instrument of economic annihilation of workers to death in abject poverty after retirement.”
According to them, the CPS denies retirees of a lump sum of their money after retirement and dispenses a paltry monthly pension to retirees across the board. They narrated the case of a retiree who served the Federal Government from July 15, 1981 and retired on July 15, 2016 on salary grade Level 14, having worked for a mandatory period of 35 years and attained the maximum age of 60 years.
For all the years he put in, the total balance standing to his credit was N6,745,823.34. Out of this, he was paid 25 per cent which amounted to N1,686,455.84 while the balance of 75 per cent was retained by Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for investment in the capital market and other large institutions. The retiree has been receiving a paltry sum of N26,703.15 monthly since 2016 till date despite the huge profits declared every year from the investment.
“Unfortunately, the sad part of this is that every day prices of goods and services are on the increase. While workers and retirees under the old scheme – Defined Benefit Scheme had their salaries and pension increased across all levels, we in the CPS are abandoned to our fate. We do not get increase”, lamented a retiree.
A public affairs analyst, Bonny Harrison, described such treatment of the retirees, who spend their active years serving the country as unfair and inconsiderate, noting that such attitude will discourage the people still in service from putting in their best. “They may be lured into bribery and corruption, knowing that the country will not cater for them when they retire”, he opined.
Section 7, Sub Section 1, Paragraph (a) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 provides that unlike the former Defined Benefit Scheme, the CPS is to be jointly funded by both the employer and the employee. Each worker has an individual Retirement Savings Account (RSA) with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).
It also made provision for state governments to migrate to the CPS and stipulates that employees contribute eight per cent of their monthly earnings, and employers add 10 per cent, totalling 18 per cent of the employee’s monthly income. The funds are managed under the oversight of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability.
Two decades down the road, getting the state governments to key into the scheme has been a Herculean task. Reports show that only about five out of the 36 states in the country have fully complied with the CPS Act. Some have not even enacted their CPS laws while some enacted the law without contributing anything to their workers’ RSA. PenCom and Pension fund operators have reportedly made frantic efforts to have them key into the scheme since 2014 but that yielded little or no results.
A recently retired civil servant in Rivers State narrated that the past governments in the states did not key in fully into the scheme. While the eight per cent of the employees’ salary was deducted, the government failed to contribute its own 10 per cent, thereby making retirees from the state ineligible to benefit from the CPS scheme.
The retiree was however glad that the total amount he contributed over the years was paid to him without any deduction and that the State government has put keying into the CPS on hold. He advised that the state government should not be part of the CPS as it is confusing and not favourable to government workers. “Contributory Pensions Scheme cannot work in our states where the governors run the states like their personal businesses. A governor today may decide to contribute and another governor tomorrow may choose not to. What happens to the retirees in such a situation? He queried.
Low compliance in the informal sector has also been noted as one of the challenges of the scheme. The informal sector, which represents over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce, often lacks the structure or financial stability to commit to monthly contributions. Many informal workers are unaware of the benefits of joining the scheme, highlighting a gap in outreach and education.
Analysts have also observed that fluctuations, especially inflation, often erode the value of retirement savings. Although PFAs invest in various assets, ensuring inflation-adjusted returns remains challenging, impacting retirees’ purchasing power, they said.
They therefore, canvassed for a halt of the CPS or reforms and initiatives to make it effective and worth the while. These include:
Expansion of CPS outreach programmes and incentives, such as flexible contribution options to increase informal sector enrollment; improved awareness and education which will drive greater participation among self-employed and informal workers; increasing transparency in fund management and imposing stricter penalties for misconduct so as to improve public confidence; introducing innovative investment options like green bonds and infrastructure development projects to help pension funds achieve better returns.
Others are: a more aggressive investment strategy that offers inflation-protected returns, benefiting retirees in the long term by PenCom in order to mitigate inflation’s effects, and PenCom offering financial education to pensioners so as to help them manage their funds effectively. PenCom should offer financial planning resources, ensuring that retirees fully understand the structure and benefits of the CPS.
Analysts have also argued that for CPS to succeed and live up to its objective of being a cornerstone of economic stability and prosperity, embodying the hope of dignified and secured retirement for all, PenCom must wake up to her duty of ensuring that the retirees are not short-changed by the pension administrators and that non-complaint employers (that fail to make deductions) as stipulated in PRA 2014 are duly punished.
Calista Ezeaku
Features
Good Governance: Gov Fubara’s Eyes On The Ball Amid Distractions
The administration of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, commenced on May 29, 2023, after the symbolic swearing-in ceremonies at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt. From that day, Governor Fubara hit the ground running to provide Rivers people strong, focused, purposeful and responsible leadership, prioritising the well-being of the State and its people with a renewed push for economic growth, people-centred infrastructure projects and social services.
The Governor promised pragmatic steps to improve the ease of doing business and sustain a congenial fiscal policy to attract local and foreign direct investments to stimulate greater economic activities, partner with private sector to revive or establish viable industries to create jobs and wealth while encouraging commercial agriculture to achieve food sufficiency, security and improved living standards for residents of the State. He promised to invest in capital infrastructure projects, provide electricity supply and social housing to those in need, partner private sector to develop integrated multimodal public transportation system to advance mass mobility and access to socio-economic opportunities across the State, prioritise healthcare, education, and empower youth with relevant skills and opportunities to become economically active, productive and prosperous.
The Governor also promised to initiate policies to improve earning capacity and incomes of workers; ensure regular payment of wages, pensions, and gratuities; intensify training and promotion of civil servants; support and motivate security agencies to maintain law and order and keep communities, roads, neighbourhoods and waterways protected, safe and secure for businesses, residents, and visitors; while remaining bold and ambitious in decision-making, and resolute in defending, protecting and promoting the collective interest of Rivers State.
Indeed, Governor Fubara has shown capacity through meticulous leadership by diligently fulfilling his promises to Rivers people in all spheres of governance. For instance, in May, 2024, Rivers State Government held Economic and Investment Summit, the first of its kind in Nigeria. The summit subsequently birthed the signing of Executive Order No. 002 of 2024 empowering the establishment of Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to give impetus to an Investment Agency that will coordinate the barrage of enquiries and business interests expressed by investors who now consider the State a destination of first choice.
Following the signing of the Executive Order, Governor Fubara established Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to serve as one-stop-shop to handle all-related activities seamlessly for the prosperity and good governance of the State. It is not in doubt that the gains of the Economic and Investment Summit have started yielding results, given the array of investment inflows to the State of recent. Notable among them are the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between the Rivers State Government, INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies as well as Senendib Capital Limited. The MoU with INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies is for the development of a $300million Waste-to-Wealth project, 200megawatts power plant, smart e-mobility, 20 tons of carbon capture and storage, and other innovations with a view to converting waste to wealth, generate electricity, boost employment opportunities as well as increase the State’s revenue base.
That of Senendib Capital Limited is for the protection and preservation of mangrove forest and ecosystems within the State, and the establishment of a Blue Carbon Credit Partnership, which will aid in tree planting, biochar production with a view to bringing about transformative shift in environmental and socio-economic gains aimed at increasing the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), leveraging the State’s potentials in the Blue Economy. Indeed, there are other private sector investments in such area as agriculture, tourism, culture and arts, among others. Take the ongoing work on Songhai Integrated Farms; Port Harcourt Tourist Beach; and the move to revive Rex Lawson Cultural Centre, as some of those big initiatives.
However, in spite of these laudable achievements, enemies of the State have continued to spin negative media propaganda with the intent of demarketing the State and pitching Governor Fubara against President Bola Tinubu. Only recently, the social media space was awash with malicious reports that Governor Fubara has shut down the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and other oil companies’ operations in apparent retaliation for a Federal High Court judgment in respect of statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts to the State. This deliberate propaganda was published by an online platform: jeestauglahity.net, titled, “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria”. What a hack job!
As if that was not enough, another social media report reared its ugly head, that Governor Fubara has imposed curfew on the State, as a result of the purported death of at least eight Nigerian soldiers in an imaginary gun battle between military personnel allegedly sponsored by former Governor Nyesom Wike, and the ‘forces’ of Governor Fubara, who were protecting Government House from Wike’s invaders. This time, the fake news was concocted by an online platform: https://africachinapresscentre.org, titled, “Heavy shooting, deaths reported as armed men attempt to seize power in Rivers”, authored by one Ikenna Emewu, and also credited to a mainstream newspaper “Daily Trust”. Another hack job, and deliberate attempt to distract, cause panic and chaos.
It is crystal clear that the negative media narratives are from the enemies of the State, who have been working as part of the propaganda machine of detractors of the Governor to paint the State Government in bad light, cause anarchy and destabilise the State. No doubt, these enemies of the State have been recruiting agents to use the media as tool to manipulate public opinion and perception, while also fabricating lies to create the impression that the Governor is at war with the Federal Government, and indeed, President Bola Tinubu, at a time the Governor has been working assiduously in synergy with security agencies to crush illegal oil bunkering, artisanal refining of crude oil and the scourge of pipeline vandalism, in order to help improve oil production for the nation to meet its crude sales obligations as well as continue to maintain the peace in the State.
But despite the negative media spinning and distractions from several litigations, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate leadership by remaining focused with his eyes on the ball, delivering good governance in line with his promises to Rivers people.
Governor Fubara has been playing the game in line with the axioms of Tony Robbins: ‘’the more focused you are, the more successful you will be’’. He has surrendered his faith to God, focusing on delivering democratic dividends to Rivers people. Because his eyes have been focused on the ball, the Governor had completed the 10.9km Aleto-Eteo-Ebubu Road; 15.24km Emohua-Tema Junction (Kalabari) Road; 21.5km Egbeda internal roads; 23km Omoku-Egbema dualised road; 27.5km Andoni section of Unity Road; 8.168km Emoh/Iyak/Ighom/Elok and Emoh/Egbolom roads; over 3km Chokocho-Igbodo road; despite the distractions. Conservatively, more than 121.308km roads have been completed and handed over to communities for public use without noise making.
And he is doing more! Only recently, during routine inspection of projects dotted across the State, the Governor gave construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, a marching order to complete the 9.7km Ogbakiri Town road which will connect about six communities in Emohua Local Government Area within the stipulated timeframe of eight months. The project is valued at about N15billion. Already, 30 per cent mobilization fee has been paid. Also, the 33.5km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku dual carriage road with a river crossing bridge linking Ikwerre-Emohua-Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas is also progressing.
Two major signature projects: the 50.15km Port Harcourt Daul Carriage Ring Road that traverses six local government areas, namely Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Eleme, and Okrika, is ongoing at six sections of the road; and the 12.5km Trans-Kalabari Road project, is also ongoing. Both projects had been evaded by previous administrations because of their complex and difficult terrains and huge costs. Work is now progressing on both.
Other legacy projects include the over 3km Opobo Ring Road; 12km Okehi-Eberi-Omuma road; 5km Okania-Ogbogoro road; 14.6km Eberi-Umuakali-Omodu Road linking Rivers and Abia states; 13.3km Bori internal roads; and 17.5km Egbeda/Omerelu Road. These have been completed. The Kalaibiama section of the 5.2km Kalaibiama/Epellema Road with spurs has been completed while work is ongoing on the Epellema section with bridge.
Also, the 16.5km Rumuokurusi-Igbo-Etche Road; 25.4km Ahoada/Omoku Dual Carriageway (Phase 2); 15.2km Uyakama/ Obodhi/Ozochi Road; 13.52km Ngo Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road with spurs; and 6.5km Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery link road with 200 meters bridge and many other road infrastructure projects are advancing, even with the distractions. Indeed, the people have high hopes because the contractors have promised to deliver on schedule. More than 257.64km roads are under construction, and almost all are funded from state revenue (IGR and FAAC allocations) without borrowing.
In his bid to decongest the City of Port Harcourt and extend municipal activities to other parts of the State, Governor Fubara, had in August, flagged off the construction of the New Port City in Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area. The New Port City, which is akin to a mega smart port city, is a joint venture between the Rivers State Government and Rainbow Heritage Group Limited geared towards realigning the State with modern developmental realities. This is in addition to the 20,000 housing units project for low-income earners, being executed by the Rivers State Government and Pricewise Home Nigeria Limited/TAF Africa Global at Mbodo, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area. The project is progressing smoothly and aims at meeting the Governor’s aspiration to provide affordable homes for low-income earners under the social housing policy of the Government.
Governor Fubara is also keeping to his avowed promise to civil servants in the State. In October, he graciously approved the sum of N85,000.00 as Minimum Wage to workers under the State Government employ, and promised that implementation will take effect November, 2024. As civil servants were receiving alert for their November salaries, the new minimum wage was boldly implemented, and the whole State has been in a jubilation mood since then. In fact, the Governor was the first in the nation to pay the new minimum wage to workers, and the impact has been monumental on the lives of Rivers people.
This is as the promotion of civil servants for 2023/2024 is ongoing after the initial promotion that saw Rivers civil servants being promoted to their current grade levels after over 10 years of stagnation. Pensioners are also not left out in the scheme of things as the Governor had increased the N1billion monthly allocation to offset the backlog of pension and gratuity to retired civil servants to N2billion. The move is to clear the backlog as well as ensure effective implementation of payment of gratuities and pensions to retired civil servants. How else do you describe good governance?
Also recently, Governor Fubara donated 100 vehicles to the Rivers State Command of Nigeria Police Force, with the aim of tackling insecurity and boosting response time to emergencies. Sister agencies such as Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others, including military and para-military formations have also received support from the Government. This is in fulfilment of the Governor’s promise to support and motivate security agencies to deliver on their mandate to the people of the State.
Of course, Governor Fubara is keeping to his oath never to renege on his promise to deliver only the best projects to Rivers people and provide standard social services, while utilising scarce resources judiciously for the betterment and overall interest of the people. This is because, since assumption of office, he has, through meticulous and frugal management of State resources, embarked on impactful projects aimed at fulfilling his social contract with Rivers people without the usual pomp and pageantry, and noise making as some publicity-conscious public officials do. Even the BudgIT 2024 Fiscal Performance Ranking put Rivers tops among 35 other states in transparency and accountability, a testament to the Governor’s prudence and diligent application of scarce resources in delivering good governance to Rivers people.
Amid the noise and political distractions, Governor Fubara has truly had his eyes on the ball. He has been focused. He has been committed to the Rivers First project. He believes and is working to achieve a brighter future for Rivers State.
Nelson Chukwudi
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, and writes from Port Harcourt.
Features
Will Drug Trafficking Ever End ?
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
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