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RIVERS FIRST LADY PRESENTS N10M CHEQUES TO 20 WOMEN FARMERS
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, has presented cheques of N10million to 20 women farmers in the State who are the first batch of beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Women Agricultural Support Programme.
Lady Fubara handed over the dummy cheques at an event organised at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday where the beneficiaries were told to commit the money to boosting their agricultural yields.
Wife of the State Governor explained that the exercise was to flag-off another critical phase of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in Rivers State, which is a pet project of Her Excellency, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
She said, “I, therefore, bring you the felicitations of the Founder of this initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who is working assiduously to bring smiles to the faces of families in our dear nation.
“In the recent past, the Renewed Hope Initiative, through its Rivers State Office, has flagged-off its support for the elderly; presented exercise books to school children, through the Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); and some measures of support to ease the burden of families.
“A son of the State has also benefited from the Belarus RHI International Scholarship. This gesture, no matter how little, has been greatly appreciated by the recipients, and I cannot thank Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, enough for her foresight and commitment to this vision.”
Lady Fubara, noted that aside the cheques presented to the first batch of 20 beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative Women in Agriculture Support Programme, 80 more beneficiaries will be accommodated in subsequent phases of the programme as directed by the board.
She reminded the beneficiaries that the money given to them now may not represent all they needed to boost their investments in the sector but added that it represented the efforts of a genuinely caring mother who did not want to sit back and allow her children suffer.
She said, “It is a seed investment in your agricultural businesses that is backed by the prayers of the founder for you to succeed. So, I urge you to make the best use of it”.
Lady Fubara further said: “You owe it as a sacred duty to ensure that these investments lead to increased and improved harvests from our farms in the next few months.
“I urge you to be frugal in the use of this seed money, and see it as a call from the Wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to assist in building a strong support base for the agricultural revolution in Nigeria.”
Lady Fubara said the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara has commenced the review of agricultural policies to mitigate the challenges experienced in the sector.
She emphasised that the State Government is also committed to reviving State-owned agricultural intervention schemes such as the Songhai Integrated Farms, with encouragement to private investors to participate in the ongoing transformation in the sector.
The First Lady added, “I, therefore, urge you to also be agents of this transformative process in your little way. I am aware that you are facing challenging times but I urge you not to yield to any pressure that will make you invest this seed money into other ventures.
“As a believer, I am convinced that this money is only a sign of better things to come your way in 2024, and the years ahead.
“Do the women proud by making this seed investment to have multiplier effects in the government agro-economic transformation,” she emphasised.
In her goodwill speech, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu, said Rivers women are blessed to have Lady Fubara, who has continued to champion causes that are geared towards improving the living condition and economic status of women in the State on an all-inclusive basis.
She noted that if the beneficiaries commit the money into their agro- businesses, they will eventually impact the State positively while their personal lives, families and communities will greatly benefit also.
Also speaking, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of the Rivers State University, retired Justice Mary Odili (JSC), commended the wife of the Rivers State Governor for linking up and working cordially with the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who has vast experience, to attract diverse benefits to women and youths in the State.
Justice Odili also advised the beneficiaries to ensure that they deployed the grant given to them in agricultural ventures in order to improve their stakes, while also ensuring that when evaluations are made, Rivers State will not be scored as having misused the privileged support that it got for women farmers.
Delivering her welcome address, Rivers State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Mrs Tonye Briggs Oniyide, said the presentation of the cheques marked another milestone in the actualisation of the vision of the initiative.
Mrs Oniyide stated that the financial grant is targeted to the not-too-privileged persons in the society, adding that 20 women have been lucky for the first phase to mitigate the challenges that they faced in growing their agricultural yields for lack of funds.
She charged Rivers women to continue to support the First Lady of the State and the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to propel thd State to greater heights in prosperity and progress for the benefit of the people of the State.
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.