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Wike Presents Certificate Of Recognition To Oba Of Ogbaland …Tasks NDDC To Adopt Regional Dev Approach
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has presented certificate of recognition and staff of office to the Oba (Eze Ogba) of Ogbaland, Dr. Nwachukwu S. Obuoha.
The brief presentation ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Wike said the king was long recognised by the state government, the day he was crowned as Oba of Ogbaland.
He stated that the presentation event was mere ceremony to affirm what has been done.
Wike charged the king to use the opportunity of being the traditional father over Ogbaland to foster unity, promote peace and harmony among his subjects.
The Rivers State governor noted that the throne, while the former King Chukumela Nnam Obi II was alive, commanded honour, respect and candour across Nigeria.
Wike advised the king not to indulge in any act that would bring the throne to disrepute.
The governor also charged the Oba of Ogbaland to dissuade the youths in his domain from any act of violence that would disrupt the peace among the people and threaten economic activities in the area.
Wike recalled the dark episode of December 31, 2017 breaking into 2018, when some youths under the guise of unknown gunmen, killed innocent persons in Omoku, the headquarters of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
Results of some of those criminal activities, Wike said, scared off financial houses, and killed the bustling business climate in Omoku.
Wike warned against any act that would return the area to such situation because the state government had done so much after then to restore peace.
The governor pointed to demands that youths put forward to operators of International Oil Companies (IOCs), and said it should be done in concert with his palace and the state government.
Such synergy, Wike insisted, would ensure that nobody takes the law into their hands, and the demands would be pursued to logical conclusion.
Wike also berated those who have subjected the Eze Ogba stool to litigation and attempting to bring it to disrepute.
The governor assured Eze Obuoha necessary support to ensure that the revered stool is not ridiculed.
In his speech, the Oba (Eze Ogba) of Ogbaland, Dr. Nwachukwu S. Obuoha as Obi III, said only God makes kings in Ogbaland, and he was grateful to be on the saddle to serve the land and its people faithfully.
Obuoha thanked Wike for the support given to his family since their father died.
He also acknowledged the astute leadership Wike has provided the state by giving meaning to governance and made its fame to travel across the world.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has advised the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to do things differently.
Such difference, Wike maintained should be the adoption of a regional development approach that would strictly commit to the holistic development of Niger Delta states.
Wike gave the charge when the new Chairman of NDDC Governing Board, Mrs. Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie, led other members of the board, on a courtesy visit to him at Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The governor urged the board to embrace the conceptualisation and implementation of projects like the construction of highways with bridges to link states.
Such projects, he opined, would serve as economic corridors to ease interstate movements and promotion of socio-economic integration within the region.
“I read what you said that things will be done differently. I want to believe that you’re sincere. Sometimes, I feel ashamed where I come from. We talk about underdevelopment, but look at the amount of money that has passed through NDDC, then look at the projects on ground.”
The Rivers State governor said when projects are awarded; they should not be given to portfolio or political contractors, but to competent ones who would stick to delivering quality and enduring projects.
“There is what we call regional development projects that can link up two states, those are the kind of things NDDC should go for, and give it to competent contractors. Leave these political contractors out. Leave all these portfolio contractors out. Leave them alone. You have come to my state, and you have seen what I have done.
“If I didn’t use Julius Berger, and had used these political contractors, you won’t have seen anything here. Of course, you know how expensive Julius Berger is. From 2019 till now, we have done 12 flyovers by Julius Berger. You know how much we are talking about, and you can replicate that. Even though they are expensive, but you’ll see the value.”
Wike envisaged a situation where NDDC could devote huge sums annually, for example, to execute projects in each state of the region without distorting existing development master plan.
The governor said it was shameful to see the unproductive model NDDC had operated, serving as mere cash cow to politicians, and spending about N10billion in futile attempt to rig the 2019 elections in Rivers State.
“NDDC has become a cash cow for politicians. Look at the money NDDC lost in this state just to win election here. N10billion wasted. N10billion you could have used to construct a mega project in the state!”
Wike noted how NDDC, often, entered and awarded projects in states, including Rivers State, without recourse to existing development master plan.
According to him, what turns out eventuallywas duplication of projects.
He pointed to how such practice had contributed to the wastage of trillion of Naira that has passed through NDDC.
He also faulted the use of political contractors who do not have the required competence to deliver quality projects.
This, he regretted, sees the NDDC accepting all kinds of projects nominated to it that include the construction of roads that terminate at the gates of residences of politicians.
The governor noted how NDDC fraudulently claimed to have reconstructed the Chokocho- Igwuruta Road, and signed off the money when, in actual fact, the road was reconstructed and delivered by his administration.
Wike also demanded that NDDC pay up its partnership and contractual obligation of N2.5billion, which was half of the N5billion mutually agreed between it and the Rivers State Government for the reconstruction of the dualised Eastern By-pass Road leading to NDDC Headquarters.
The governor said NDDC had entered into similar agreement for the construction of the Mother and Child Hospital, collected the money paid by the Rivers State Government, and refused to pay up theirs.
He said his administration eventually jettisoned the agreement, funded and completed the construction of the hospital.
In her address, the new Chairman of NDDC Governing Board, Mrs. Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie, said they visited to formally introduce themselves to him as the governor of their landlord state.
Onochie noted the remarkable quality of infrastructure delivered by Wike administration that had transformed the entire landscape of Rivers State.
“It has been an exciting moment for all of us here, and particularly myself being that I lived briefly in Port Harcourt before my youth service, and I wedded in Port Harcourt. Then, thereafter, I kept coming back and Port Harcourt was still Port Harcourt.
“But, I have come back now, and I cannot believe my eyes. I can’t recognise anywhere. The development that has taken place in Port Harcourt, let me speak about the one I have seen, is amazing, and it’s brilliant. And I want to thank you.”
She said they came to ask for guidance and seek the governor’s advise on how best the new board could break away from the provision of poor services and projects known for NDDC, and replicate his quality project delivery mantra across the region.
“We are here to ask for your guidance. You have said it, and you have spoken about the poor services that NDDC had been known for. Trillions of Naira had been pumped into this commission, and we have little or nothing to show for it. We are here now, very determined to do things differently.”
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.