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We Know Candidates Who Don’t Mean Well For Nigeria, Wike Declares …Promises To Remodel GSS, Eneka …As Ariolu Appeals To RSG To Fix SARS Road

Published

2 years ago

August 31, 2022

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that some politicians canvassing for votes to win 2023 presidential election do not mean well for the country.
The governor maintained that he is in a privileged position to know better, and will reveal their identities at the appropriate time so that Nigerians can use their votes to reject them.
Wike spoke at the flag-off of internal roads at Rumuesara, Eneka town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, held last Monday.
“Some other people are busy, putting themselves together on how they will take over leadership in Nigeria to loot the remaining ones this other people have already kept.
“I’m privileged to know and at the appropriate time I’ll tell you who these people are. You need to know what is happening in Nigeria. Forget about all these people running around saying they want to rescue or save you (Nigeria). Just watch to see what is going to happen next.
“All of us should be calm concerning what is happening in PDP. In fact, nothing has happened yet. But by the grace of God, something will happen.”
Wike, pointed out that while his administration continues to flag-off and inaugurate projects for Rivers people, detractors keep sponsoring negative media campaigns against him.
The governor stated that despite such negative media comments, his administration has not relented in offering good governance to strengthen the relationship with the people of Rivers State.
“Look at us concentrating in giving our people good governance. What is good governance? Good governance is making the people to be happy. Good governance is providing infrastructure for the people. Good governance is not about party. Providing good governance is about leadership. We are here every day flagging off projects, commissioning projects, even though our tenure is coming to an end.”
Wike noted how difficult it would be for seasonal politicians who have never done anything to better the lot of Rivers electorate to come to them and solicit their votes.
“Now that I have come to Eneka to provide this basic infrastructure, I can come back to Eneka and ask you to follow me, let us go there or let us stay here. Do they have what it takes to come and talk to you? Can they come and talk to you?
“It is somebody that hears from you that you have also heard from. This one you’ve not provided anything for my people, you’ve not asked them what they want, then, you want to tell them where to vote.
“So, it is us that will come and meet you and say see where you’ll vote. And I know based on our relationship, since we have not deceived you, we have not told you lies, you will follow us at the appropriate time.”
Speaking further, Wike said Eneka fills a strategic place in his educational and political success story, which was why he could not abandon its people.
“My life, my political story cannot be complete without mentioning Eneka. Those who know me very well know that Educationally, Eneka has impacted me, politically, Eneka has impacted me. Your son, Senator John AzutaMbata was the person who sponsored me first to be chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council.
“It was the Chairman of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Authority, VenFinefaceAkah, who drew my attention to the deplorable state of the roads in Rumuesara Community. I promised to construct these internal roads. Today, we are starting it, by the grace of God, we will come back to commission it in five months’ time,” the governor added.
The Rivers State governor also used the occasion to announce that Government Secondary School, Eneka would be remodelled by his administration next month.
“If there is one school that should be transformed into a standard school in this state, that school is Government Secondary School, Eneka. Just go home and sleep, what you will see in this coming month in GSS Eneka will shock you,” he said.
Wike promised that his administration will soon commence reconstruction work at the secondary school in a bid to transform it into a modern standard learning facility.
He urged those who have encroached and developed structures on the land to vacate the premises to avoid the wrath of the state government.
The governor used the occasion to rename the Igwurata-Eneka Road to Sam AzutaMbata Road, and promised that the state government would accord due recognition to the paramount ruler of Eneka before the end of his tenure in 2023.
Providing the project description, the state Commissioner for Works, Dr.DaxAlaboGeorge-Kelly, explained that the road project would be 5.3km long with approximately 9km of drains.
“This road project will be 5.3km long, out of the 5.3km, 4.7km will be purely flexible pavement with an asphaltic concrete. About 700m will be a composite pavement, that is a combination of rigid and flexible pavement because of the core geotechnical characteristics of the soil.
“The project will have approximately 9km of drains because there are areas where we will have two side drains. Where we have a minimum of 9m width, we will have two sides drains, where we have less than 8m width, we are going to have one side drains.
“The completion period for this project is 5 months and we expect that the contractor will be able to deliver as scheduled with the specified quality,” the commissioner added.
In his remarks, Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Barrister George Ariolu, thanked Wike for extending such road infrastructure to Eneka people, which will invariably boost socio-economic activities in the area.
Ariolu called on the Rivers State Government to intervene in the deplorable state of the SARS Road in Rukpokwu to further ease free flow of vehicular movement and improve economic activities in the area.
He said the rehabilitation of the road would reduce gridlock on the ongoing flyover construction along Rumuola-Rumuokwuta and Mgbuoba-Location Junction.
Ariolu said the SARS Road, when rehabilitated, would serve as a veritable link road to ease traffic for people living within the Rukpokwu and Eneka axis of Obio/Akpor.
He described the governor’s visit to Eneka as homecoming, adding that the community through the construction of the road would be enlisted as one of the beneficiaries of the dividends of democracy that the governor has given to the people of the State.
According to Ariolu, the chronicle of Governor NyesomWike’s educational attainment cannot be complete without mentioning Government Secondary School, Eneka, and entire Eneka town.
He explained further that the school in no small measure contributed to the growth of the Rivers State governor in the political affairs of Nigeria, adding that the construction of the Sam AzutaMbata link road was deserving of the Eneka people.
Ariolu, who expressed joy over the construction of the road, commended Wike for the tactical display of his wrestling prowess during his days at Government Secondary School, Eneka.
Appreciating the governor’s efforts, Ariolu explained that the road construction would boost economic activities in the area as well as ameliorate the perennial flooding that has bedevilled the community.
The managing director of L & D Nigeria Ltd, the contractor handling the project, thanked Rivers State Government for finding them worthy of such task.
He assured the governor that the project would be completed in line with the specifications.
The groundbreaking ceremony had in attendance top government functionaries, political leaders, traditional rulers and religious leaders.

News

Fubara Attends PDPGF Meeting In Asaba …..Back Court Verdict On National Secretary Position

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, last Friday, attended the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The Rivers State Governor, who is the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, attended the meeting, alongside 10 other Governors of the party’s controlled states across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The first PDPGF meeting in 2025, was held at the Government House in Asaba, at the end of which a seven-point resolution was reached.

Reading the communique at the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to put every machinery in place to ensure a hitch-free NEC meeting on March 13, 2025.

The communique stated:

“The Forum, having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC, advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13Th) of March 2025.”

The Forum further noted the Court of Appeal judgment affirming Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the party, saying that as a party that believes in the rule of law, it will respect the position of the Appellate Court on the matter.

“The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.

“While commending the country’s valiant and patriotic Armed Forces and Security Agencies for maintaining the frontline in securing the country and the gains of our gallant personnel against bandits in parts of the country, the Forum viewed with deep concern, the resurgence of brazen non-state actors. It, therefore, calls for the strengthening of the nation’s security architecture.”

Governors in attendance include: H.E Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Bauchi State); H.E Sir Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State) – Vice Chairman; H.E Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State) – Host; H.E Dr. Agbu Kefas (Taraba State); H.E Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa State); and H.E Dr. Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State).

Others are H.E Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun State); H.E Senator Douye Diri (Bayelsa State); H.E Pastor Umo Eno Ph.D (Akwa Ibom State); H.E Dr. Peter Mbah (Enugu State); H.E Barr. Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State);

and H.E Bayo Lawal (Deputy Governor, Oyo State), who represented Governor Seyi Makinde.

News

NGO Implants Free Pacemakers Into 22 Cardiac Patients In PH

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2025

The Tide

A United States based Non Governmental Organisation, Cardiovascular Education Forum, in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), has successfully implanted free pacemakers into 22 patients with different cardiac cases in Port Harcourt.

This is in a bid to save lives and encourage patients with low heartbeats to live longer.

The implantable device, which costs $20,000 each, was inserted free of charge on the selected patients.

Speaking during a Special Hospital Ground Rounds at the UPTH with its Theme, “Recent Advances in Cardiac Pacing,” a cardiac Physiologist, Dr Neil Grub, said the NGO was in Nigeria to improve training and learning on cardiac issues and help patients with cardiac problems.

Accompanied by a team of experts comprising a cardiologist and cardiac device implanter, Dr Jagdeep Siagh, and UPTH interventional cardiologist, Dr Edafe Emmanuel, Dr Grubb said pacemakers were inserted on patients with low heartbeats to boost their heart rates.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director, UPTH, Prof Henry Arinze Ugboma, said each of the implantable devices cost over $20,000.

Ugboma, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UPTH, Prof Datonye Alasia, said the partnership between UPTH and the foreign NGO was to build networks, and improve services in terms of healthcare delivery, training and learning.

According to him, there is now a ray of hope in terms of treatment of patients with cardiovascular cases in the hospital.

He said the UPTH started the collaboration with Cardiovascular Education Forum in 2018 to boost health, training and learning on cardiac health.

He assured that, “in coming years, the scale of our collaboration with the mission will be higher.”

Chinedu Wosu

News

FG Unveils National Broadband Alliance To Drive Internet Access

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Broadband Alliance, a new initiative aimed at transforming the nation’s digital infrastructure and boosting connectivity across the country.

The initiative was unveiled yesterday in Lagos by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who was represented by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Aminu Maida.

In his address, Tijani stated that NBAN would significantly enhance broadband penetration, which has grown from just six per cent in 2015 to approximately 42 per cent as of October 2024.

To support this agenda, he said the government was leveraging a Special Purpose Vehicle to deploy 90,000 km of fibre backbone across the nation, connecting underserved and rural communities to high-speed internet.

According to him, the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises innovation, technology, and collaboration as key drivers of national prosperity.

Tijani stated that the expansion would not only improve access to reliable broadband but also empower Nigerians, particularly in rural areas.

“While the progress made in broadband penetration is commendable, we recognise that much more needs to be done to ensure every Nigerian can enjoy the benefits of reliable, high-speed internet,” Tijani said.

The minister also emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships with donors, investors, and other key stakeholders in achieving the goals set out in the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025).

He said these collaborations would be essential in overcoming infrastructure development challenges and making broadband affordable and accessible for all Nigerians.

“These targets reflect our unwavering commitment to ensuring that broadband is accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all Nigerians. However, we are also aware of the challenges ahead,” he added.

Tijani stressed that achieving the government’s targets—70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, a minimum internet speed of 25 Mbps in urban areas, and broadband access for 80 per cent of the population by 2027—will require sustained efforts.

“Achieving these goals will require more than just the efforts of the private sector. It will require a holistic approach that includes strategic partnerships with donors, investors, and other key stakeholders in accelerating the rollout of critical infrastructure,” he said.