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Flooding: FG To Support Affected States With N3bn
The Federal Government says it will support states affected by flood with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of the menace.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, disclosed this while interacting with journalists at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that the minister spoke shortly after inspecting some areas affected by flood in Kebbi.
Edun said: “I will announce here that the National Economic Council has been proactive and has taken action in order to support all the states of the federation and the FCT with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of flood this year.
“That will put many states like Kebbi in a good position to be able to prepare their farmers for the all important dry season farming, which we anticipate will be successful, well planned and well implemented.”
This, he said, would lead to success, paving way for food availability at reasonable affordable prices, adding that it would lower inflation and help to further stabilise the economy.
He expressed President Bola Tinubu’s willingness to assist them to maintain its level of security, resilience and to improve and increase its productivity and become the food basket of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the flooding had affected many local governments beyond what he saw when he visited the areas recently.
He, however, commended the resilience and confidence of Kebbi people, assuring that they would be mobilised to do better during the dry season farming.
The minister said that apart from the N3 billion, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund that would be used for funding, among other things, the Badagry – Sokoto road.
“Kebbi is going to host the longest stretch of that road. Equally, irrigation and dams are important feature of that renewed hope infrastructure fund.
“So, irrigation facilities are going to be expanded along the whole stretch of the 1,000 kilometer road and significant part of the irrigation support will be in Kebbi,” he said.
On his part, Gov. Nasir Idris, pleaded with the federal government to assist the state in view of the fact that many rice farmlands in the state had been submerged by the flood.
He said: “They have gone to Wacot Rice Mill in Argungu and they have seen things by themselves. They also visited Matan Fada in Argungu and they have seen how the flood affected rice farmlands.
“Kebbi is the leading rice farming state in the country, because it is an agrigarian state.”
The governor appealed to the two ministers to discuss with the president on how to assist Kebbi, saying that the state had the capacity to feed the entire nation and beyond.
According to him, in an effort to boost national food security, the state government has distributed fertilisers, seedlings, solar pumps, and CNG pumping machines to over 35,000 farmers free-of-charge.
He, however, said the rainy season came with a lot of challenges, with flood destroying farmlands.
“Therefore, we want the federal government to come to our aid because rice season farming is approaching.
“Already, we have started mobilising our farmers that immediately after the wet season harvest, the government is always ready to assist them to go back for dry season farming,” he noted.
The Tides source reports that the entourage also visited Dukku Water Treatment Plant in Birnin Kebbi.
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.
