Rivers
We See Renewed Vigour In Ogoni Clean-Up—Reps
Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, have said that there is renewed vigour on the part of the Federal Government and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in the clean-up of Ogoniland in Rivers State.
The committee members, who dropped the hint during an oversight visit to some remediation sites, water and project sites in Ogoniland recently, said the clean-up project is still work in progress.
The Chairman of the committee, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, while addressing newsmen on behalf of the members, said after visiting some of the project sites, they have seen renewed vigour in the delivery of services to the Ogoni people.
According to him, the clean-up project is so far, work in progress.
While stressing that the visit of the project sites by the members was done in exercise of their oversight functions, as provided in the Constitution and the rules of the House, Dekor commended the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal Abbas and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey and their team for the good work done so far.
He noted that having been around as a former member of the House Committee on Environment; and chairman of the House Committee on Host Communities for the second time, the lawmakers can spot the difference in what was being done in the past and today.
Dekor said the committee would encourage the Federal Government and the HYPREP team , adding, however, that they should not see the committee’s position as a pat on their back, because, according to him, “we have also spotted some gaps, there are some contractors that may have to do some explanations while there are others we have to commend at the end of the exercise.”
The federal lawmaker further indicated that generally, what the committee had seen at the sites visited conformed with what they had expected, saying, “We did not believe that we would get this far.”
The committee chairman said the Ogoni people had long been deprived and had suffered degradation of their environment for a very long time, and called on the Federal Government and HYPREP to do more for the people, saying he was happy that the Project Coordinator had told the committee members that every Ogoni community would be provided potable water.
He expressed delight that young Ogoni people are engaged at the various project sites, and urged them to be shining examples, grow themselves and be more creative, since there is no free lunch anywhere, as Manna no longer falls from heaven.
Dekor also used the opportunity to appeal to the youths to shun cultism, illegal oil bunkering, crime and criminality, and embrace what is happening in Ogoniland.
He equally promised that the committee and the National Assembly would work with HYPREP and the Ogoni Board of Trustees to ensure that the Federal Government, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited pays its counterpart funds for the clean-up project.
According to him, the International Oil Companies(IOCs), especially the Shell Petroleum Development Company are trying in fulfilling part of their own bargain, assuring the people that the committee would ensure that all those who are yet to pay the counterpart funds do so.
He disclosed that what was being used for the clean-up project are take- off grants, which he said, are almost completely spent.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey, while also addressing newsmen, said the Project was excited over the visit of the lawmakers to some of its project sites, saying, “We have taken note of their concerns and commendations. They are motivating us to do better.”
He reassured Ogoni stakeholders that HYPREP, under his watch, would give the people of the area the best.
The members of the committee visited the barricaded remediation site in Ogale Community; and Lots 3, 11 and 15 in Eleme Local Government Area; Kpoghor/Gio water scheme in Tai Local Government Area; Ogoni Specialist Hospital; Buan Cottage Hospital; Buan water project; Kwawa remediation site; and Bieere water scheme; among others.
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor
