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Tag: Rivers State

  • Rivers to sponsor UTME of indigenes and non-indigenes

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the government will henceforth pay the form fee of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for all indigenes and non-indigenes.

    This will start in 2020.

    Wike spoke on Thursday when Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof. Ish’aq Oloyede visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    The governor said the government is committed to ensuring that indigent students are not denied the opportunity of sitting for the examination.

    He said: “From 2020, UTME forms for indigenes and non-indigenes will be paid for by the government. It is important for us to ensure that children of the less privileged don’t bear this burden. This offer is to ensure that no qualified candidate is denied the opportunity to write the UTME. For some parents, the fee is nothing, but there are families that cannot afford the fees.”

    The governor also announced the allocation of land at the Greater Port Harcourt City to JAMB for the construction of its Zonal Office.

    Read Also: JAMB withdraws UTME results of four candidates

    He allocated a block of offices to JAMB as its temporary office, following the dilapidation of the current office, and also donated an operational vehicle to the outfit.

    Prof. Oloyede praised Wike for his commitment to the development of education, especially his abolition of fees for secondary and primary schools. He appealed to governor to allocate a temporary office to JAMB for its daily operations as the current office was totally dilapidated.

    Oloyede added that in view of the number of candidates writing UTME in the state, JAMB requires land to build a mega computer based test centre. “There are only 12 computer based test centres in Rivers State. This number is grossly inadequate. We urge Your Excellency to allocate land for JAMB to build a mega computer based test centre for at least 500 candidates.

    “You are the closest governor to JAMB. Rise and help us. Funding is no longer our problem. We retain N2 billion annually from our Internally Generated Revenue,” Oloyede said.

  • Rivers to sponsor treatment of HIV/AIDS patients

    NO fewer than 210,000 persons live with the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease (HIV/AIDS) in Rivers State, it was learnt on Wednesday.

    Dr Tedd Ellerbrock, leader of the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDCP), stated this on Wednesday when the team visited Governor Nyesom Wike at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    Ellerbrock hinted that of the 210,000 persons currently infected with the disease, only 40,000 are on anti-retroviral treatment.

    According to him, the centre would launch a new programme that would place about 110,000 infected persons on free anti-retroviral drugs to stem the spread of the disease. He appealed to the government to take over the payment of user-fees for infected persons who want to take anti-retroviral treatment.

    He said: “The United States government is funding the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria in this effort. The US government will be deeply involved in all the 23 Local Government Areas. We will appreciate it if you will help us with the user-fees. We have found out that if there are user-fees, people are discouraged from coming forward to seek treatment. We are providing the anti-retroviral drugs and the US government is paying for the programme.”

    Wike announced the abolition of payment of user-fees for infected persons who want to access treatment at state-owned health facilities. He said the government will take over the payment of the user-fees to encourage more people to seek treatment.

    Read Also: Lagos takes HIV/AIDS campaign to religious leaders

    Wike said: “We will stop all fees collected as user-fees for persons under the HIV/AIDS Treatment Programme. This is our contribution to the partnership with the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

    “We will take over the payment of the HIV/AIDS user-fees for public health facilities. The Deputy Governor will be in charge of the programme since she is a medical doctor. We are committed to working with the United States to tackle this disease.

    “The government will support efforts of the United States Centre for Disease Control and prevention and Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria in the programme against HIV/AIDS. All the necessary support will be extended to the agency as they work in different locations of the state.”

  • ‘How to tackle unemployment in Nigeria’

    THE Project Lead of Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYEP), Emeka Ile, has stated that to tackle unemployment in Nigeria, there is need to innovate and do things differently.

    He noted that the challenge of unemployment in Nigeria was not about not trying, but not adopting the right approach and not effectively utilising the available opportunities.

    Ile stated these on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, at the second dissemination workshop and roundtable with the private sector organisations by NDYEP, a project of the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND).

    The project lead of NDYEP, PIND Foundation, said: “Where there are new opportunities, those are the places that we go. We train young people in skills that are market relevant.

    “We need more partners and we need to use more market-relevant approaches. PIND Foundation is also focusing on peace building and economic development. Emphasis must be placed on training the youths in market relevant areas and skills, providing support and have linkage.”

    Read Also: Tackle unemployment, insecurity, ULC urges govt

    Ile also said the PIND Foundation, a Nigerian non-profit organisation, which was established in 2010 by Chevron Corporation, had been placing emphasis on building partnerships for peace and equitable economic growth and development in the Niger Delta, thereby contributing to reducing poverty and conflicts in the region rich in crude oil and gas.

    The Project Coordinator of NDYEP, PIND Foundation, Mrs. Yvonne Jonah, stated that the young people were a force to reckon with, stressing that to change anything in the country, it must start with the youths.

    Jonah also admonished the youths to always utilise the opportunities that came their way to excel, stressing that restiveness was because the youths were not being properly engaged.

    In his goodwill message, a Director of Agriculture in the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Morris Ogolo, said: “You cannot get it right, if the youths are not with you. If we do not employ or engage the youths, how will they be gainfully busy?

    “Agric sector is so wide and can absorb everybody, while it cannot be finished in twenty years. Any employment generation without agriculture cannot be said to be on the right track. Crude oil will soon dry up. It is time to move on and focus more on agriculture, with many youths to be fully involved.”

    The Head of Employment Generation in the Rivers Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Elemchukwu Onuotu, in his remarks, stated that focus should be on skills’ development, for the youths and others to be employers of labour, rather than seeking non-existing jobs and be wasting their time.

    Onuotu stressed that the energies of the youths should be channelled in the right direction, in order for them not to miss their paths in life.

    A retired Permanent Secretary in the Rivers Ministry of Lands and Survey, Pastor Christopher Briggs, while also speaking, noted that the decision of the Federal Government to henceforth allow local government councils nationwide to directly take charge of their funds was a step in the right direction, thereby ensuring commensurate development of the grassroots and empowerment of the people, especially the youths.

    An official of the Directorate of Youth Mobilisation in Rivers Ministry of Youth Development, Rev. Christian Amadi, insisted that the minds of the youths must be trained and reorientation emphasised.

    The Volunteer Executive Director of Keeping It Real Foundation in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Bitebo Gogo, called for market-driven training of the teeming qualified youths.

  • Police rescue three abducted Lebanese in Rivers

    Rivers Police Command said it has rescued three Lebanese who were abducted at a construction site in Andoni Local Government of Rivers on June 8.

    The command Spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) confirmed the rescue in a statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    “The three Lebanese abducted on June 8 about 7.40am at a construction site in Andoni have been rescued unhurt.

    “The victims were rescued as a result of intense pressure mounted on them by the police and strategic role played by Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area (LGA), Lawrence Paul.

    “The victims are Tony Stephan, 63, Chandy Lahoud and Emile Skaff.

    “Meanwhile, efforts have been intensified to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of the crime,” Omoni said.

    Read Also: Southwest governors plot against kidnappers, robbers

    Omoni added that the rescued workers had been debriefed and were currently receiving medical attention in an undisclosed hospital.

    The spokesman, however, did not provide details of how the workers were rescued or where they were kept before their rescue.

    According to him, the kidnappers are yet to be arrested but assured that efforts have been intensified to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

    The trio who are contractors handling the “unity Road” linking the riverine Andoni/ Opobo/ Nkoro local Government areas of the state to another neighbouring Ogoni axis by land were kidnapped at the boundary between Andoni Kuana LGA, early this month.

  • ‘Policemen fired shots that caused explosion’

    A youth leader in Kom-Kom, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, who witnessed last Saturday’s pipeline explosion, has blamed the accident on policemen who “came to collect bribe from the vandals”.

    According to him, the policemen fired the shots that ignited the fire but immediately disappeared from the scene.

    The vandalised pipeline, which belongs to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), supplies petrol and other refined petroleum products from the Port Harcourt refinery to Abia State and other parts of the Southeast.

    Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said the Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, had ordered an investigation into the matter, particularly the alleged involvement of some policemen.

    Omoni insisted that the allegation was still at the realm of speculation, noting that the report of the investigation would rest the speculation. He, however, stressed that anyone found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

    Spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Akin Oguntuase, said: “Reports reaching me shows that our men have found some casualties. I may not be able to state the exact number now, for there may be other casualties from other parts.”

    It was gathered on Monday from that a couple, an expectant mother and two brothers were part of the victims.

    Read Also: Trader assaults two policemen

    A community leader, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “Besides the couple, expectant mother and brothers, another family also lost three of their teenage sons and some children under 10.

    It was also learnt that some bereaved families had buried their dead.

    A community leader, who spoke in confidence, said: “Besides the couple, pregnant woman, two brothers of the same parents that lost their lives to the pipeline explosion, another family also lost three of their teenage sons and some children under 10.

    “The pipeline was actually leaking so the vandals connected hoses to it and built a barricade around it to stop the leakage. But the leakage overflowed the barricade last Saturday and this attracted more scoopers.”

    It was also gathered that the new surveillance contractor, UTM, who was engaged about three weeks ago, was about reporting the leakage to PPMC when the explosion happened.

  •  Forgery allegation against me frivolous, ill-motivated, says Rep

    THE member of the House of Representatives representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency in Delta State, Mr. Nicholas Mutu, has reacted to allegations of forgery and impersonation leveled against him by Mr. Collins Eselemo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area in the February 2019 general election.

    Mutu, who won the election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the allegations as frivolous and ill-motivated, adding that they were aimed at damaging his hard-earned reputation.

    The conventional and social media have been awash lately with allegations of certificate forgery and impersonation against Mutu by his main opponent in the election.

    But Mutu, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Ebitimi Ogbomah, said the allegations bordering on certificate forgery and impersonation had been “rubbished by the responses of the appropriate authorities, including all the schools he (Mutu) attended and the National Assembly, where he had been a member since 1999, courtesy of the good people of Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.”

    On the allegation that Mutu’s West African Examinations Council ((WAEC) Ordinary Level School Certificate/General Certificate of Education (GCE), issued by the management of Rivers State School of Basic Studies, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, now known as Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, was fake, Ogbomah said the letter written by the Registrar of the institute, Mr. Chris Woke, on the matter had cleared Mutu of any wrongdoing.

    In the letter, he said, Woke confirmed that the school was not only recognised but was a centre for WAEC and GCE in 1986 when Mutu sat for the examination.

    Woke, who attached the certified copies of the master list/computer printout of candidates who sat for the examination in the centre in 1986, said Mutu was one of the candidates, with 21648/094 as his examination number.

    Woke in the letter, which was sequel to an enquiry made by Mutu’s solicitors, stated: “I write to confirm that the former Rivers State School of Basic Studies, Rumuola, Port Harcourt (now Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic), was a recognised school and centre for West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Ordinary Level School Certificate/General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examinations as at May/June 1986.

    Read Also: Why President replaced Baru with Kyari

    “The then Rivers State School of Basic Studies, Port Harcourt, functioned as a recognised school/centre for May/June WAEC/GCE Examinations from 1977 to June 1987 and continued with November/December General Certificate of Education(GCE) up to 1990 before it was discontinued, following the introduction of the 6-3-3-4 education system in Nigeria.

    “The master list/computer printout of the candidate, 21648/094, Mutu Nicholas Eboma, amongst other candidates that sat for the May/June Examinations in 1986, is certified, attached hereto and marked as Annexure 1”

    “The former school of Basic Studies established in 1977 by the Rivers State Government was changed to Rivers State College of Arts and Science in 1991 (vide Annexure 2), Port Harcourt Polytechnic in 2016 (vide Annexure 3) and now Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”

    Ogbomah also said the degree certificate awarded to Mutu by St. Clements University was authentic and genuine, adding that contrary to Eselemo’s claim, his boss was awarded a Bachelor of Arts and not Bachelor of Science degree in Business Organisation by the reputable institution.

    He said that instead of Eselemo visiting the website of the school or write to it for clarification on the genuineness of the certificate in question, he opted to assassinate Mutu’s character and smear his good image.

    “For the records, St. Clements University Certificate is genuine and anybody can go to the university’s website, write or visit the school to confirm that Hon. Mutu Nicholas indeed obtained his degree from the school,”’ he added.

    On the allegation that Mutu used a fake name in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003, Ogbomah said the records were available on the National Assembly’s website for verification.

    He said: “We expected the petitioner to visit the National Assembly Website or write the National Assembly, but he decided to rely on a faceless magazine report.

    “But to set the record straight, it is Hon. Nicholas Mutu’s profile that has been in the National Assembly website from 1999 till date.

    “It is also on record that Hon. Nicholas Mutu has won all his elections from 1999 till date and certificate of return has always been issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his name, with which he does his documentation in the National Assembly at all times.

    “It is worthy of note that nobody can do his or her documentation in the National Assembly and be sworn-in without a certificate of return.”

    Ogbomah stated further that “to demonstrate that Eselemo is on campaign of calumny to smear my boss, he also alleged that the Hon. Mutu played pranks in his age declaration. This is arrant nonsense.

    “This is the true account: Hon Mutu’s father did his age declaration with his thumbprint. Coincidentally, his elder brother bears the same name as his father. While his father name was Agbede Mutu Senior, his elder brother’s name is Agbede Mutu Junior.

    “Let Collins Eselemo also tell us the name of Hon. Mutu’s father since he now knows him better than his son. Let Collins Eselemo also tell us whether the thumbprint is that of Hon. Nicholas Mutu’s elder brother and whether his elder brother has the same thumbprint as his father.

    “And we ask also if it is possible for the elder brother to have the same thumbprint as his father. The answer is no.”

     

  • Wike: Rivers won’t tolerate vandalism

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has vowed that the government will not tolerate shutting down of oil facilities.

    Wike said under no circumstances should communities take laws into their hands by preventing oil companies from working.

    A statement by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said the governor spoke at a meeting with Chairmen of Cluster Development Boards in Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas, oil companies and security agencies at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    The governor directed the immediate revival of the State Steering Committee on Cluster Development Boards.

    He said: “I will not support any company which does not perform its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) to its host communities. However, communities must not take laws into their hands; they must not stop production by the operating companies. Such actions will negatively affect the finances of the Federal Government, the state and the local government areas.”

    According to the governor, where companies fail to act within the expectations of the communities, the government will mediate through the Steering Committee on Cluster Development Boards.

    Read Also: I’ll put Rivers first, says Wike

    “It is important that we do not allow crisis to occur in the communities. The Aeroton rig in one community was seized; that rig should be allowed to work. I called this meeting because of concerns raised by the operating companies in the area,” Wike added.

    The governor regretted that most problems in the Niger Delta are caused by oil companies who patronise and engage with criminal elements to the disadvantage of host communities.

    Former Commissioner of Environment Samuel Horsfall noted that “the oil companies know the right thing to do but they will never take the right steps”. According to him, the firms even refuse to recognise Council Chairmen who are the direct links to the respective communities.

    An official of one of the Cluster Development Boards, Charles Sekibo, denied seizing the rig of an oil firm. According to him, his community has always provided the needed support for the company to engage in production.

    Managing Director of Aeroton Mr. Ebiaho Emafo said nobody has the right to stop the production of oil companies. He noted that the company has spent about N3 billion on community development and the company is struggling to make ends meet.

     

     

  • Wike: God gave us victory in election

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said God personally intervened in the electoral turbulence to give the state a desired victory.

    A statement by the governor’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said he spoke at the Government House in Port Harcourt during a solidarity and thanksgiving service by the Anglican Bishops of the Province of Niger Delta.

    Wike said he saw the mighty working hand of God during the elections.

    He said: “We give God the glory for what has happened. During the turbulence, the Church prayed and God heard. God came down and intervened on our behalf. Our thanksgiving to God will never be enough. But for the intervention of God, there is nothing anyone would have done.

    “All the conspiracies and gang-ups were heavy, but God showed his presence. When you have challenges, then you know there is God.”

    The governor urged the clergy to pray for God to give him the wisdom to appoint officials who will be committed to the development of Rivers State in his second term.

    Read Also: Wike appoints SSG, Chief of Staff

    “I need your prayers for God to bring to me the right people who will work with me; people who will work with me for the good of our state. People do all manner of things these days to manipulate the system. We need God’s guidance for people who will be sincere to work for the state,” he added.

    Archbishop of the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta Rev. Tunde Adeleye said they were in the Government House to thank God for giving Wike victory following their prayers.

    According to him, God intervened in the face of the several plots against Wike because the governor works for the growth of Christianity.

    He said: “We prayed intensely because God revealed to us the battle ahead. You fought, but the Lord was on your side and you were on the side of God, and the battle was won.”

    The cleric said the Church was concerned because “Wike has always identified with it, by professing Christianity at every point”.

    He urged Wike to remain vigilant as he receives goodwill messages, and prayed God to give him the spirit to know the right direction to lead the state.

    Wike on Wednesday inspected ongoing projects in Port and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.

    He inspected the ongoing construction of Rumuepirikom Internal Roads, where he directed the contractors to intensify work.

    The governor inspected the progress of work on Birabi Street, which is the route to the Headquarters of the Salvation Ministry. He also monitored the level of work at the judges’ quarters where the contractors are putting finishing touches to the 20 duplexes.

    The governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, Head of Service Rufus Godwins, Attorney-General Zaccheus Adangor, Commissioner for Finance Isaac Kamalu, project contractors and officials of the Ministry of Works.

  • Five injured in Port Harcourt mall explosion

    Five persons were injured after an explosion rocked Port Harcourt Mall, popularly called Spar, beside the Government House in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The injured have been admitted at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).

    The explosion happened on the first floor of the two-storey edifice, with valuable property worth billions of naira destroyed. Before fire fighters arrived, efforts were made by in-house fire fighters and other workers to quell the fire.

    Read Also: Wike and Ortom meet in Port Harcourt

    About 6.30pm, the front and back gates were locked and no one was allowed in.

    Two security men, who pleaded for anonymity, said the explosion happened about 3:30pm but there were no casualty as at the time our reporter left the mall at 6.45pm.

    Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said the injured were receiving treatment at the Rivers government-owned hospital.

     

  • Rivers Assembly confirms two commissioners

    The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday confirmed two commissioner-nominees for appointment into the State Executive Council.

    The commissioners are the immediate past Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Dr. Zaccheus Adangor and a former lawmaker and one time caretaker committee chairman for Eleme Local Government Area, Isaac Kamanu.

    Read Also: Wike inaugurates Rivers Assembly

    The two were screened following an executive directive by Governor Nyesom Wike.

    While Kamanu was allowed to take a bow and leave, Adangor was seriously quizzed on issues pertaining to criminal justice system among others, and how he will facilitate speedy delivery of justice.