Rivers
Rivers CP Urges Officers To Fish Out 2Baba, Others
Determined to win the war against crime and criminality, the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Tunji Disu, on Wednesday gave a marching order to Police combatant operatives posted to Ahoada communities and their environs to ensure that the dreaded 2Baba and his gang members are arrested and brought to book as soon as possible.
CP Disu gave this order when he led the management team and other tactical commanders of the River State Police Command to visit the troubled Ahoada East Local Government Area of the State facing security challenges, to see things for himself and also psych up the combatant officers in the area.
This visit by the CP underscored his avowed commitment and dedication to service and determination to win the ongoing war against criminality, cultism and kidinaping in the State.
The State Police boss, while addressing the officers and men at the Ahoada East Police Area Command on Wednesday, told the officers that he was aware of how difficult it is for them to go into those difficult terrains in the area to look for the criminals .
He assured them of his administration’s resolve to support them with all the required logistics that will enable them win the battle.
“I want you all to know how important we take your job. My first assignment was to come here and see you, to tell you how important you are to us, and to encourage you and stand with you all.
“Give me success by arresting the culprits. Nobody will kill a Police officer and go away scot free, and also keep safe to avoid injuries and fatality”, he stated.
The State Commissioner for police and his entourage later visited Odieremenyi Community to ascertain the level of protracted security challenges in the Area after gunmen killed five indigenes on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Disu, before visiting the troubled community, had assured the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Ben Eke, that the Command under his watch would do everything possible to bring lasting peace to the local government area and ensure that all the criminal elements terrorising the area are arrested and made to face justice for their crimes committed against humanity.
CP Disu, while commending the council chairman for all he is doing for the Police in the area, said his visit to the LGA was his first assignment on assumption as Commissioner of Police in the State.
Responding, the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Council, Hon Eke, expressed appreciation for the visit and his team upon resumption, saying it clearly demonstrates that he has Rivers State at heart.
“I must tell you the truth, the Police is trying. Several arrests have been made. What happened days ago is just a display of frustration and they want to blackmail the government.
“I must commend the Police and the Police too should not be deterred at all. As a government, we are ready to provide the necessary support to ensure that those hoodlums are arrested and that the proper thing is done.
“We will give you every support to ensure you succeed as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State. For the Area Command, Division and other security agencies in the area, we will give them the necessary support so that at the end of the day, we will get the culprits.
“Knowing again that the Yultide is just around the corner, if the culprits are not arrested and brought to book, our people will not come home. People are leaving the area”, Eke said.
CP Tunji Disu assumed office as the 45th Commissioner of Police in the state.
In a brief remark during his assumption of office, CP Disu promised to work with people and for the people, noting that his posting to the State was a “home coming”, having worked in the State before.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Rivers
PHCCIMA Breaks Down Rivers 2025 Budget
The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) has given its breakdown of the Rivers’ 2025 budget.
The PHCCIMA President, Dr. Chinyere Nwaoga, gave the breakdown in a statement on Tuesday, saying the budget will unlock trapped N500 billion tax revenue from trapped or recovered assets.
She recalled that PHCCIMA had on December 31, 2024 lauded the appropriation bill of 2025 as presented by the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and promised to analyse the budget.
“We promised to analyse the budget and share our position after extensive research and analysis.
“We set up a think-tank committee to review the monetary policy with the private sector practitioners and we have come up with a position”, she said.
Nwaoga noted that the 2025 total budget approximates N1.2 trillion to be N388 billion higher than the 2024 figure of N800 billion.
However, she noted that when adjusted for inflation, “the Net Present Value of the current budget is approximately N1.1 trillion”.
She explained that the naira’s depreciation by 90 per cent year-on-year from January 2024 has reduced the budget’s net value to about N700 billion.
According to her, this further illustrates how the fiscal policies at the centre can impact even the best run states.
She commended the Rivers government’s plan to spend N678 billion on capital expenditure, which is roughly 30 per cent more than the operating expenditure.
“The plan to allocate N31 billion to Agric and support programmes for youths posits a strategy for genuine empowerment”, she stated.
The PHCCIMA President also advised the government to create a credible youth and women database for articulated disbursements and monitoring.
She said: “There may be need to update or recreate a strategic state wide enumeration targeted at Rivers State population”.
Nwaoga also suggested that the government should consider allotting a percentage of accrued funds to an investor guarantee programme to attract investment funds aimed at commerce.
She noted that “the policy to explore counterparty funding with the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to support education is smart”.
The PHCCIMA boss commended the government’s plan to source and save funds for the budget through various means, including FAAC, IGR, statutory allocation, mineral funds, VAT, refunds, and others.
According to her, the budget demonstrates financial prudence and less emphasis on bank borrowing.
She suggested that the government should re-enact the Rivers State Statutory Savings Account and ensure that assets do not deplete in value.
Nwaoga recommended that “we estimate an additional N100 billion, and the expansion of the under-declared and undeclared revenue sources with corporates”.
She stressed the need for the government to emphasise attracting new investments and unlocking value from existing assets.
“Rivers State Government should emphasise attracting new investments and unlocking value from existing assets”, she said.
She, however, urged that the government should continue to pursue clearing the backlog of pension liabilities and consider implementing a revised salary structure to motivate the workforce.
Rivers
RSG Seeks Stakeholders’ Collaboration For Women, Children Improvement
The Rivers State Government is seeking the collaboration of relevant stakeholders to improve the conditions of women and children.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, disclosed this during a stakeholders engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as part of activities to mark the 50th birthday anniversary of Governor Siminalaye Fubara organised by the Ministry in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Uranta also stressed the need for a network of agencies and organisations working to improve the conditions of women and children across the state.
The Commissioner said the present administration under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara has initiated policies towards improving the conditions of women and children in the State.
According to her, the present administration is ensuring that women and children have acess to quality health care and education.
She said the stakeholders’ engagement was to seek their views and opinions towards fashioning out policies and programmes that will further improve the conditions of women and children in the State.
Also speaking, the founder of Truvine Women International Ministries, Pastor (Mrs.) Ene Secondus, commended the Ministry for its commitment towards improving the conditions of women and children in the State.
Mrs. Secondus also commended the Ministry for the meeting, adding that it would provide opportunity for the various organisations to review their activities for the outgone year and also plan ahead .
She said her organisation,Truevine Women Ministry International, had visited several charity homes across the country and Internally Displaced Persons ( IDP) camps to assist them in various ways, calling on other groups to do same.
Also speaking, the Royal Father of the day, King Emmanuel Owurong, called on the Ministry to embark on sensitisation campaigns across schools in the State with a view to educating the girl child on the importance of education.
He said this would check the rampant cases of teenage pregnancies across rural communities in the State.
Earlier, the Director, Women Affairs, Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Camelita Agborubere, said the Ministry is now more concerned with gender development and equality in the society.
Agborubere said the mandate of the Ministry is to bring about equality and an inclusive society where everyone, irrespective of gender, will be equal.
The Director, however, said empowerment remains the only way out for women emancipation.
The meeting was attended by various non-governmental organisations across the state.
John Bibor
Rivers
Holy Ghost Rally, Source Of Blessings-Fubara
The Rivers State Government says the Port Harcourt Annual Holy Ghost Rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has been a source of blessings to the State.
The Stae Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, stated this during the 2025 edition of the Port Harcourt Holy Ghost Rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt last Sunday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said the RCCG has been of global impartation to all those who have faith in God Almighty, stressing that he believes the good Lord would touch everybody in their different areas of need.
“I believe that Rivers State will experience an unprecedented peace after this gathering and we shall move from victory to higher victory and also move from glory to higher glory to the manifestation of God Almighty”, he said.
In his sermon, titled: “Divine Manifestation”, drawn from Jeremiah 32:27, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, said “Divine Manifestation refers to God showing who He is, by action”, stressing that most times God introduces Himself by His actions.
According to the cleric, the first time God introduced Himself to man was in Genesis 17:1, describing Himself as Jehovah Elshaddi, which means “the God who is more than sufficient”.
He urged the Christian faithful to call on God, especially in difficult times to receive solutions.
Earlier, the Intercontinental Youth Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Belemina Obunge, expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Government for their support over the years, while praying for God’s guidance and blessings over the State.
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