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Explosion Kills Four In Kogi …As Buhari APC Has Delivered On All Electoral Promises To Nigerians
An explosion has rocked the ancient city of Okene, the headquarters of Kogi Central Senatorial District, the home town of Governor Yahaya Bello.
The explosion at the governor’s home town occurred a few hours before the expected historic visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Kogi State, yesterday.
Controversy has, however, trailed the explosion.
While some persons attributed it to a bomb blast, others said it was a transformer blast.
Three persons were reportedly killed in the explosion that happened just a few meters from the Ohinoyi’s palace at Kuroko Street in Okene.
The governor had been in Okene since Wednesday waiting for the first visit of the president to the state since he took over power on January 27, 2016.
Buhari was expected to first touch-down in the same Okene where he was scheduled to hold a town hall meeting, and commission some projects in the senatorial district before he moved to Lokoja, the state capital to continue the commissioning of other laudable projects.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has assessed the seven and a half years administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre with a claim that the ruling party headed by him has delivered on all electoral promises made to Nigerians at all levels.
Speaking, yesterday, at the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, which he also inaugurated as part of his one-day official Visit to Kogi State, the president also said Governor Yahaya Bello had performed creditably in his two terms as governor.
According to him, “We are an administration that prides ourselves in the fulfillment of our electoral promises to the Nigerian people, at both national and sub-national levels. This is why I am glad that we have an impressive array of legacy projects through your own state government as proof of our stewardship of Kogi State.
“The APC administration has indelible footprints in Kogi State. Among the many projects executed by the Federal Government are the Itakpe to Okene bypass, the Obajana to Kabba concrete road built by Dangote Industries Limited under our ‘roads for taxes initiate’ (Executive Order 7) and the Itakpe to Warri railway service, among others.
“I am very pleased to be here today to commission several projects executed by the administration of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello.”
Buhari also spoke of the determination of his administration to position Kogi State as an industrial hub, as well as a solid mineral power base.
He took time to explain how the Federal Government achieved the resolution of all legal entanglements that had bogged down the progress of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, adding that the project stands to benefit the people of the state immensely.
The president said: “No other single project holds the key to unlocking this vast potential as much as the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, which we inherited as a long moribund complex strangulating under a tangle of local and international commercial disputes.
“I am glad to report that as we begin to round off in office, we can genuinely say that our administration has rescued Ajaokuta from all legal disabilities and it is now ready for concessioning to a private investor with the right profiles to put it to work for Nigeria in general and Kogi State in particular.
“The process has cost this Federal Government over $400million so far, but I consider it money well spent as we move closer to achieving our objective of transforming Kogi State into Nigeria’s iron and steel powerhouse.
“The benefits of getting Ajaokuta Steel Complex working again are numerous. It would provide over 500,000 estimated jobs and more than $1.6billion in annual income to the Nigerian economy.
“Nigerians can rest assured that I remain committed to seeing this process to a logical conclusion before the end of my tenure in office.”
Buhari added that Kogi State also stands to benefit in diverse ways when the 614 kilometres (384 mile) AKK gas pipeline which traverses the state starts operations next year.
He commended Bello “for rising up to the occasion in many sectors especially security. We are proud of him and I encourage the people of Kogi State to continue to support him and his team as they are working hard to ensure peace, security and development in the state”.
Projects inaugurated by the president included: the Reference Hospital Okene, which boasts of the first ever hyperbaric treatment chamber in Nigeria and the fleet of ambulances attached to it; the new Ohinoyi’s palace at Okene; the Ganaja Junction flyover and interchange at Lokoja; the GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo, Lokoja; the MuhammaduBuhari Square (Civic Centre) at Lokoja; and a fleet of high–tech security vehicles to combat crimes and criminality.
Earlier in his welcome address, the state Governor,YahayaBello, thanked the president for showing leadership and for the various programmes and interventions which had positively impacted on the state and her people.
These, the governor said, included the Itakpe-Warri rail line, which he noted, had brought relief to travellers and business owners in the state.
Bello informed the president that the projects inaugurated were in response to his commitment to serve, stating that since his swearing-in on January 27, 2016, his administration constituted a multi-sectoral committee that went round the nooks and crannies of the state, identifying the needs of the people.
“This document has been our guide,” the governor stated.
While acknowledging the commitment of Buhari towards the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, the governor thanked the president for his unrelenting interest in the project.
Bello also stated that his administration has a cordial relationship with the traditional institution in the state, adding that the new Ohinoyi’s palace inaugurated by Buhari was a testimony to this.
Earlier, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Ibrahim Ado, represented by the Ohi of Okengwe, Alhaji Mohammed TijjaniAnage, on behalf of the traditional rulers of the Central Senatorial Zone of the state, thanked Buhari for his support to Bello’s administration and for being the first sitting president of Nigeria to visit the state on a working visit.
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.