Rivers
N’Delta Stakeholder Hails Wike’s Giant Dev Strides …Begs For Support, Royalties
An elder statesman, renowned activist and Niger Delta stakeholder, Rev(Dr) Sokari Soberekon, has applauded the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for the giant development strides of his administration especially in the area of infrastructural development within the past seven years of his administration.
This is even as the activist appealed to the Governor to provide some grants and financial support to him as a way of rewarding his efforts and contributions over the years as an exponent and champion of the 13 percent oil derivation principle which states in the Niger Delta, among others, are enjoying today.
Soberekon, who gave this indication in Port Harcourt said the Governor Wike administration has not fared badly in the area of infrastructural development particularly against the backdrop of the recent award of the contract for the construction of two additional flyover projects in the state by his administration, thus, bringing the total number to 12. He thanked the governor for doing what the Federal Government could not do for the state, in terms of road construction, saying it would have been disastrous without Wike.
According to him, this is unprecedented infrastructural strides in the history of the state. He however urged the Governor to also develop the people.
Soberekon said he was appealing to the Governor to remember his contributions to the growth and development of the state against the backdrop that he single handedly confronted former President Shehu Shagari in 1981 in Port Harcourt over the need for him to approve oil derivation for Niger Delta states which are producing the resources with which the country is sustained today.
This request, he said has become imperative as he is preparing to celebrate his 80th birthday on September 24, contending that it is more rewarding and honourable to celebrate the heroes of our struggles while they are alive.
He said his claim that he championed the approval of the oil derivation principle could be attested to and confirmed by people like the first Military Governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff; former Deputy Governor of the state, Sir Gabriel Toby; and former Governor of the state, Chief Rufus Ada-George, among others.
He said he did not champion the oil denvation for monetary gains then, but for the love of the Niger Delta, insisting that now that he is old, he wants all the states that are benefitting from it to pay him what he described as royalties to enable him celebrate his 8oth birthday so as to continue his humanitarian works.
“I made President Shehu Shagari to approve the oil derivation in the presence of the then Governor of Rivers State, Chief Melford Okilo, then Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Rufus Ada-George and the then Permanent Secretary, Sir Gabriel Toby. You can ask these persons who are alive today to confirm the authenticity of how the oil derivation was approved”, he said.
Soberekon also picked holes in the recent change of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) by President Muhammadu Buhari to a public limited company, and queried the composition of its Board of Directors.
According to him, a situation where Directors of the company are predominantly Northerners is unfair, unjust and inequitable.
While demanding justice for the people of the Niger Delta, Soberekon said he is disgusted that only one of the directors is from the Niger Delta region in spite of the area contributing the bulk of the nation’s resources.
He also condemned the recent hike in the price of fuel in the country, saying such an increase was not supposed to be enforced and implemented in the Niger Delta, an area where petroleum products are produced.
Soberekon recalled that over 40 years ago, he threatened to personally commit suicide when the price of petrol was increased from a paltry 9.5 kobo to 15 kobo per litre, and stressed the need for the people of the Niger Delta to be treated fairly.
By: Donatus Ebi
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
