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2nd Term: We’ll Rely On Leaders Within System -Wike …Deal Decisively With Cultist, Kidnappers -Dokubo
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stated that his second term administration would feature leaders from within the state structure, with a few new officials drawn from outside the system.
Speaking during a Special State Luncheon for members of the Rivers State Second Term Inauguration Committee at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, Wike assured that he would always involve those who worked hard for the success of the administration, especially those who served in the committee.
Wike said: “Most of you or some of you must still be part of the government, the cabinet and other parts of the administration.
“Those of you who are prayer warriors should continue to pray. Generally, it cannot be outside this area. It cannot be. It will be people within the system and some from outside.
“Don’t feel that we have abandoned you. Not at all! Government House is still open to you”, he enjoined members of the committee.
He commended members of the Second Term Inauguration Committee for delivering a world-class transition from first to second term for his administration.
Wike expressed happiness that the committee worked tirelessly and religiously to deliver quality programmes that shaped the commencement of his second term.
“After the successful second term inauguration, the deputy governor and I decided to host the committee for the wonderful inauguration.
“We were filled with happiness, particularly on the day of the second term inauguration. The only day we had a challenge was the day of the Thanksgiving Service. But the committee made amends”, he said.
Responding, the Chairman of the Second Term Inauguration Committee and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Austin Opara, thanked the Rivers State governor for the opportunity given them to serve the state.
He formally recommended all members of the Second Term Inauguration Committee for different responsibilities in the forthcoming administration, saying that they lived up expectations.
Opara thanked the Rivers State governor for monitoring the preparations and activities of the committee, which ensured that the members delivered.
Also speaking on behalf of other committee members, Prof Ngozi Ordu, expressed gratitude to Governor Nyesom Wike for the opportunity to serve.
She said that members of the committee went the extra mile to ensure the transition into the second term was successful.
It would be recalled that members of Governor Wike’s Second Term Inauguration Committee were drawn from the former Rivers State Executive Council, former Special Advisers, former and re-elected State and National Assembly members, the academia, top class professionals, members of the business community, local government council chairmen, party chieftains, youth groups, women leaders, opposition party leaders and non-indigenes.
Meanwhile, the former militant leader, Alhaji Asari Dokubo says the scourge of cultism and kidnapping ravaging Nigerian society should not be handled with kid gloves but rather, government should deal decisively with those involved.
Dokubo stated this, last Tuesday, in an interview with correspondents in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The activist expressed opposition to the approach of offering amnesty to cultists by government, saying “instead of treating them as criminals”, which they are, “government is encouraging them by rewarding terror merchants through amnesty.
“My advice has always been that cultism and gangsterism have never helped. The root cause of this is the amnesty programme that was introduced.
“How can you pay money to people who are not working? When they brought this amnesty, I rejected it. This amnesty programme is a bad omen.
“Your father’s salary who has been working is N50,000. He has worked for 30 years, his salary is N50,000. Then you, who has refused to go to school, you are a rapist and a common thief, government will now reward you for being a rapist and a common thief, and pay you N65.000, and ask you to stay at home”, he complained.
He stressed that reward for criminality has discouraged people from embracing hard-work and the dignity and reward that go with it since other youths would emulate those who committed these crimes and ironically get sustained reward through amnesty.
Dokubo regretted that the situation has degenerated to the point that before you build house or embark on any project in the communities, you see group of youths asking you to pay them, such that people have abandoned villages as they take refuge in the cities.
“It is so disgraceful that you wake up in the morning, and you see severed head of a fellow human being decorating our streets”, he said, and urged government not to leave any stone unturned to cleanse the society of the evil of cultism and kidnapping.
He advised government to end the present era of entitlement to criminality in the form of amnesty, stressing that those behind the persistent kidnapping, which he called, ‘stealing of human beings’, and cultism were very few in number, and should be decisively dealt with.
“The government should work with the various security agencies concerned with maintaining law and order to make sure that these people who are few are dealt with.
“Once you cage these few people, the society will be very free, and let us not reward terror merchants.
“Our society today is rewarding terror merchants, and people see them as role models, and also follow suit to make money from criminality”, he said.
He noted that until government does the right thing, the scourge would persist, adding that some traditional rulers that attempted advising the cultists and kidnappers against what they do have become victims.
However, the former freedom fighter noted that his community has not faced the effects of criminality because it has a mechanism that checks criminals, and advised other communities to put in place such needed mechanism to check miscreants, instead of the use of entitlement.
“We have told them that this entitlement mentality, forget it, it is not going to work.
“In my community in Oboma, it doesn’t happen. There is no ‘kpo fire’, there is no one stopping you from building house. Government project comes and nobody stops them; everybody is happy, because there is a mechanism to control these people.
Chris Oluoh
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.