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RSG Presents Food Items, Other Relief Materials To Flood Victims …As IDP Camp Welcomes First Set Of Twins
The Rivers State Government Task Force on 2022 Flood Management has distributed trucks load of food items and medical supplies to victims of flood disaster in the Orashi region.
A statement signed by the Chairman, Rivers State Government Flood Management Task Force 2022, Dr. George Nwaeke, in Port Harcourt, said that, “With the flood situation not abating, more people have been displaced.
“Worse hit communities are in Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua-Odual and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government areas”.
Nwaeke said that the water level has continued to rise, forcing people out of their communities.
“Trucks load of relief materials were conveyed to the camps where they handed over, each camp getting its share, expected to provide immediate succour to the people”, he said.
Nwaeke had delivered the relief items to the camps that house flood victims from Ahoada West and Ahoada East local government areas.
Their various council chairmen were present, including the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie.
Nwaeke, who is also the permanent secretary, Special Services Bureau in the Office of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, assured the inmates of the best support they can be offered to cushion their sufferings.
The task force chairman said what had been brought include food items, drugs and the mobile clinic.
He told the victims that the committee would set up of sick bay in each camp to would cater to the immediate health needs of everybody in the camp.
Nwaeke explained that there would be sanitary officers posited to each camp.
The sanitary officers, he explained, would work on shift basis daily to help ensure that the camps had the best sanitary conditions to forestall any outbreak of diseases.
Nwaeke urged the coordinators of the various IDP camps to ensure that the inmates live healthy communal life.
They should also endeavour to make everybody get the relief materials, he advised.
“Of importance is the issue of security of each person in the camp,” he said.
He directed for proper documentation of inmates so that infiltrators would be identified and apprehended.
Nwaeke also said, “To the Glory of God, a pregnant woman was delivered of a set of twin right inside the Ahoada Camp 1 last night with the help of medical team of the flood committee.
“The chairman of the team presented a cash gift and directed for the immediate relocation of mother and her children to a better government health facility for better medical attention with all bills on the Rivers state Government Flood Committee.
“The overjoyed 21 years old mother could not hold back her excitement”.
Nwaeke stated that this was the beginning of what the state government was going to do for its people, adding that the government would stop at nothing to restore hope to the people.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, HonEdisionEhie, said they were grateful to Governor NyesomWike for his leadership and love in sending relief materials that would provide succour to the people.
On his part, Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government, Hon Ben Eke assured that, as a council, they would be upbeat in securing the camps and make life bearable for the inmates.
Internally displaced persons in the Ahoada East Camp I and II in Ahoada town and Ihuike Primary School along East-West Road, respectively, benefitted from the paliatives.
Items given the victims ranged from bags of rice, bags of garri, tubers of yam, cartons of pasta, cartons of tomatoes and other cooking ingredients and items.
The Ihuike, Ahoada camp houses majorly, flood victims from Ahoada West.
This is largely because Ahoada West is completely submerged.
Also visited was an IDP camp right inside the Community Secondary School, Upata 1, Edeoha.
A quantum of food items were also presented to the victims in the camp.
Recall that the four Orashi LGAs are adversely affected by the flood, and her people completely displaced from their ancestral homes.
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.