News
Train Children For Better Society, Justice Nyesom-Wike Tells Parents
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Hon. Justice Suzzette Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, has charged parents to make their homes virile platforms that mould the right attitude in their children.
Such right attitude, she noted, are built upon tenable values and manners, which structure their personality type so that they can influence situations and other people positively as they contribute their quota to make society better.
Justice Nyesom-Wike gave the charge, last Sunday, when she visited the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) to felicitate with the baby boy born on Christmas day.
The baby boy, delivered at 9.30am, is born to the family of Dr. and Mrs Sotonye Asikimabo-ofori, who hail from Okrika.
She also shared gifts to other children and parents in the medical ward that was visited.
The wife of the governor said the home was the first social platform available to every child.
She urged parents to deliberately nurture their children to become self-respecting, considerate of others and well mannered.
“Parents are every child’s first teachers. You don’t need to be an educated parent to pass on worthy values.
“You just need to have a mind to impart. Be conscientious, be sensitive. Be somebody that thinks about others. Teaching and learning good manners is very easy.
“Children draw their strength from their parents. They learn values, and manners from home. So, we learn how to relate with people.
“Home is the first social platform every child has. It will teach you how to talk to people.”
Speaking further, Justice Nyesom-Wike harped on the need for everybody to ensure that they are learning what would help them in their personal life, which would better the larger society.
She pointed out that, often, people missed the opportunity to learn moral, and other social values in their various homes, but that should not mean they should become social misfits.
The wife of the governor said what such person should do was to be open minded so that he or she can learn good values from what was seen happening around and from other people.
“If you miss it (learning) there (home), you can always learn along the way. But home is where it starts.
“So, whatever you are not taught at home, as you go around and you meet other people, learn from them. Learning is a continuous thing. It never ends.
“Every day is new opportunity to learn something new. As far as you have breathe; you will learn something that is different every day.”
Justice Nyesom-Wike emphasised that, “We learn as we meet people, relate with other people. We learn new things and that should add to our character.All you need to do is put yourself in other person’s shoes.”
Speaking on Christmas, Justice Nyesom-Wike admonished Christians not to forget the essence of the season, which is Jesus Christ, given as gift to humanity to save it from sin.
She remarked that with Christmas, God has shown mercy on mankind by sending his only begotten Son to live and be killed by men in fulfilment of scriptures, so that the redemptive plan will be actualised.
“We should not forget the essence of Christmas. Yes, we celebrate it; we eat and drink but that is not the beginning and end of Christmas.
“The whole reason of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. That is because God chose to show us mercy, to salvage us by giving us his only Son on to come and live amongst men and be killed by men, to save us from sin. We should never forget that it is about salvation.”
In his remarks, Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron, who conducted the wife of the governor to the Christmas baby, thanked her for visiting to share in the joy of the parents and the hospital community.
He described the visit as an honour done to both the new born baby boy, the parents and the entire hospital community.
Aaron particularly noted that even if it is a traditional visit, Justice Nyesom-Wike offered a peculiar message on salvation, which is the essence of Christmas, and it serves to encourage everybody.
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.