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Tag: Rivers State

  • Minimum wage: I will pay whatever FG approves – Wike

    Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike on Friday said he would comply with the provisions of the new minimum wage law as approved by the National Assembly and recently ratified by President Mohammadu Buhari.

    Wike who spoke through the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, said, Rivers state Government will pay whatever is approved by the Federal Government.

    The Governor had earlier in various fora in the State unequivocally announced that the State will be the first to pay whatever was finally settled for as the new wage.

    Read also: Edo promises to pay minimum wage

    President Buhari recently signed into Law the N30, 000 new basic wage earlier approved for by the National Lawmakers.

    It is expected that the Implementation will begin shortly after the inauguration of new administration in the country,  on May 29, 2019.

  • FG sues for peace ahead of clean-up in Ogoniland

    The Federal Government has called on the people of Ogoniland to remain peaceful and avoid taking actions capable of delaying the clean-up in oil impacted communities in the area.

    Dr Marvin Dekil, the Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in the Federal Ministry of Environment, made the plea on Friday in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers.

    Dekil, who spoke at a sensitisation and town hall meeting with stakeholders in the area, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the clean-up exercise.

    He said that peace was needed in the area to enable contractors to commence clean-up of decades-long oil spills in the area.

    “Ogoni people will recall that HYPREP had in January presented and handed over the sites to contractors who were tasked to carry out the remediation works in the communities.

    “Our meeting today would have been to inform the people of the level of work achieved by the contractors working in the communities.

    “But, regrettably, we do not have any report to give. The reason is not far-fetched as restiveness affects people and activities in which the clean-up exercise is not an exception,” he said,.

    He, however, said that remediation works had fully commenced in Eleme local Government Area with youths in the area engaged by the contractors.

    Read Also: Oil firms advised on post -Ogoniland clean-up

    “In Eleme, contractors have mobilised to site; equipment is on ground and work has fully commenced in most of the sites.

    “To this end, youths in these communities are engaged at different levels in each of the sites,” he said.

    Dekil said that youth engagement and empowerment was a critical component of the clean-up project as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

    He said that 15 Ogoni youths were recently trained on fabrication of cassava processing machines at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Onne, Rivers.

    According to him, the agency was in advanced stage to train another set of 400 youths in line with the UNEP recommendations.

    “So, we are urging the youths of Ogoni to give peace a chance; support the clean-up project and take full advantage of the opportunities that the clean-up brings,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Council, Lateh Loolo, commended HYPREP on its commitment toward the remediation exercise and assured of the council’s support.

    Loolo said that poverty and unemployment among Ogonis youths were factors responsible for the restiveness in some parts of the area.

    “We are confident that HYPREP will deliver on its mandate and we assure it that we will give all the necessary support needed to ensure success of the project.

    “We appeal that HYPREP initiates more developmental programmes for our people such as skills acquisition training as well as human capital development,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ogoniland covers four local government areas consisting of Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai.

    NAN

     

  • Breaking: Wike suspends 12 council chairmen

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Thursday announced the suspension of 12 Local Government Council chairmen for insubordination.

    The suspended Council Chairmen are:  Okrika,  Emohua,  Abua/Odual,  Degema, Khana, Gokana,  Ahoada East,  Ikwerre, Eleme, Andoni,  Omuma and Ogu/Bolo Local Government Areas.

    Read Also: APC to Wike: leave Amaechi alone

    Nwakudu said the affected Chairmen were sanctioned for failure to participate in state official functions, which were not mentioned.

    Details shortly…

     

  • Rivers to tackle cult-related killings

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the government will tackle cult-related killings in the state.

    A statement by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said the governor spoke yesterday when the Council of Traditional Rulers visited him at the Government House to congratulate him on his re-election. He promised that his government will take the fight to cultists.

    He said: “We will not allow these cultists who want to paint the state black continue to cause mayhem. We will take the fight to them. Enough is enough; these people cannot continue to kill our people.”

    Governor Wike hinted that he met with the State Security Council on Sunday night and modalities were worked out on how to rid the state of cult-related killings.

    He urged the monarchs to support the government in the fight against cultism, saying prompt information will be useful in tracking down the criminals.

    “I am a total, unrepentant Rivers Man. I will continue to jealously guard the interest of the state,” he promised.

    Read also: INEC delegation visits family of late ad hoc staff in Rivers

    Wike thanked the monarchs for the visit, but regretted that some of them were involved in politics despite his advice that they stay off the political terrain.

    Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers and Amayanabo of Opobo King Douglas Dandeson Jaja said they were in the Government House to congratulate Wike for a deserved victory.

    He thanked the governor for extending the olive branch to his opponents, and urged the opponents to accept Wike’s offer.

    The monarch lauded Rivers women for the wonderful role they played to defend votes across the state, especially standing firm to resist the invasion of Collation Centres by the Army.

    King Jaja prayed God to grant Wike the capacity to lead the state in the right direction.

  • Wike pledges to tackle cult-related killings

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reiterated his commitments to fight cultists  and  cult-related activities, killings in parts of the state.

    Wike spoke when members of the state Traditional Rulers’ Council paid him a congratulatory visit at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Monday.

    He vowed his administration’s readiness to fight the hydra-headed monster to stand-still, appealing for the supports of the natural Rulers.

    Wike said: “We will not allow these cultists who want to paint the state black continue to cause mayhem.

    “We will take the fight to them. Enough is enough.  These people cannot continue  to kill our people “.

    He disclosed that he has already met with the State Security Council on the matter;  and modalities have been worked out on how to rid the state of cult-related killings.

    He urged the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers to support the State Government in the fight against cultism, saying that prompt information will be useful in tracking down the criminal elements.

    Governor Wike stated that he will jealously guard the interest of Rivers State and ensure further development of the State.

    Read Also: Southwest Ohanaeze greets Wike

    “I am a total unrepentant Rivers Man. I will continue to jealously guard the interest of the state”, he said.

    Governor Wike thanked the Traditional Rulers for the solidarity visit,  but regretted that some of them were involved in party politics,  despite  his advice that they should stay off the political terrain.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Council who is also the Amayanabo of Opobo, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state, HRM.  King Douglas Dandeson Jaja said they were in the Government House to congratulate Governor Wike for a well deserved victory.

    He thanked Wike for extending the olive branch of peace to his opponents and urged the opponents to accept the governor’s offer.

    He lauded Rivers women for the wonderful role they played to defend votes across  the state, especially  standing firm to resist  the invasion  of Collation Centres by the Nigerian Army .

    In his royal blessings, King Jaja prayed God  to always grant Governor Wike the capacity  to lead the state in the right direction.

  • Breaking: PDP wins Rivers supplementary elections

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has won the four  House of Assembly supplementary and re-run elections in Rivers state.

    The elections were conducted in Abua/Odual, Ahoada West, Gokana and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled the March 9, 2019 Assembly elections in the areas following electoral violence.

    Read Also: Supplementary polls: PDP leads in Rivers

    INEC on Sunday declared Sokolo Solomon, winner of the Abua/Odual constituency with 55, 944 votes.

    In Ahoada West LGA, Okpokiri Nwanaka polled 32,574, to clinch victory.

    Also, Dumle Maol of Gokana constituency was declared winner after scoring 55,319 votes.

    The House of Assembly seat for Opobo/Nkoro constituency was won by Adonye Diri after he had scored 7,713.

     

     

  • Low turnout mars Rivers supplementary polls

    Low turnout of voters on Saturday marred the supplementary elections in Abua/Odual, Gokana, Opobo/Nkoro and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State for four constituencies in the state’s House of Assembly, which could not be concluded on March 9 as a result of violence, militarisation and thuggery.

    It was gathered the voter apathy was as a result of fear of violence experienced across Rivers state during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly polls.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the supplementary elections in Gokana constituency with 129,086 registered voters, Opobo/Nkoro constituency with 7,344 registered voters; Ahoada West constituency with 36,692 registered voters and Abua/Odual constituency with 88,561 registered voters.

    INEC’s Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Edwin Enabor, described the supplementary elections as peaceful and smooth.

    He stated the electoral materials arrived at the various polling units on time without any hitch, while lauding security agencies to doing the needful.

    Read also: Bring perpetrators, sponsors of cultism in Rivers to book, AAC’s Awara tells FG

    Enabor noted that since the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Rivers refused to release youth corps members for the exercise, the electoral commission made use of its permanent staff and some students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) as ad hoc staff.

    He also noted that on March 9, the House of Assembly elections were inconclusive in Opobo/Nkoro and Ahoada West state constituencies by margins of lead with the election disrupted in Gokana constituency.

    But in Abua/Odual state constituency, supplementary election held because there was no deployment of electoral materials and men on March 9, indicating that there was no election at all in the LGA.

    As at the time of filing the report, results of the elections were still being collated.

  • Wike to Amaechi, others: let’s unite

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on Transportation Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to join hands with him to develop the state.

    It was the end of the road yesterday for the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) in its battle to unseat the Governor Nyesom Wike-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the Southsouth state.

    The Supreme Court struck out three appeals filed by the APC, its candidate in the governorship election Tonye Patrick Cole and members of his faction.

    The governor, in a state broadcast to mark the landmark ruling by the apex court waved the olive branch. He said the state stood to benefit more if all leaders are united.

    The governor specifically urged Amaechi, the leader of the APC in the state, to team up with him in developing the state.

    He said: “Although the present politics of acrimony and bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I still believe that we shall be better if standing and working together for our state and our people.

    ”I therefore appeal to the APC and the Minister of Transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state forward. We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us from henceforth seek the common ground instead of allowing our differences to be exploited to retard our march to progress.

    ”I appeal to our people to eschew all acts of acrimony, criminality, unrest, and violence throughout the state. I wish to recommit myself to continue to do all that is humanly possible to ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all our people, irrespective of political affiliation”.

    Wike directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal cases linked to politics before the 2019 elections and make necessary recommendations to promote reconciliation.

    He said: “I hereby direct the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal proceedings filed against any person by the state and directly related to political activities prior to the 2019 general elections and make appropriate recommendations to me for necessary action to promote reconciliation among us.”

    The governor pledged to run an inclusive government aimed at promoting the state.

    He said: “Today, I recommit myself to be the Governor for all the people of Rivers State for the next four years. Accordingly, we shall form an all-inclusive government to advance the collective interest of all our people, irrespective of party, ethnic or religious affiliations.

    “We have come a long way in the last four years and accomplished a lot to be proud of. But there’s still a lot more to do to advance and realise the ultimate vision of our founding fathers for a truly united, secure, and prosperous State and we need the support of all our people to realize this bold vision.

    “We salute the opposition for their courage to fight within the confines of the law to the end. Now that the legal battle is over, the task of building the State must take precedence over all other considerations.”

    Wike expressed gratitude to God for the Supreme  Court judgment, assuring the people that with the judgment all legal tussles have come to a close with the people having nothing to fear.

    Read also: 2019 elections: Reps probe killings of Poly lecturer, others in Rivers

    He said: “Few hours ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria struck out the consolidated appeals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tonye Cole for lacking in merits.

    “With this decision, all legal issues regarding the fielding of candidates by the APC for the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers State have finally and permanently been put to rest.

    “What this further means is that the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates in the 2019 National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections is legally safe, secured and protected.

    “I wish to assure you that there is nothing else to fear or be worried about, as there is nothing more the APC or any other person can do to deny us the victory you freely gave to the PDP and its candidates.

    “Let me also express my deepest gratitude to the people of Rivers State for the opportunity to serve you as your Governor for another four years. I am truly humbled by your continued trust and I will not take this support for granted.

    “For me, the collective interest of the people of Rivers State is the reason I am in politics. When you gave me the mandate about four years ago, I committed myself to be the governor for all the people of Rivers State and stayed through to that commitment.”

    Also yesterday, Rivers PDP Chairman Felix Obuah echoed the governor’s call on APC members to join hands with him.

    According to him, yesterday’s ruling by the apex court once more heightened the dignity of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.

    Obuah, said in Port Harcourt, noted that having exhausted all avenues of defusing the choice of Wike by the mass of Rivers people, the APC had no choice but to acknowledge the obvious fact that the governor’s re-election had divine endorsement.

    He hailed the wisdom and maturity exhibited by Wike, urging the governor to continue to see the state as one united and indivisible stock of God’s people.

    Obuah said: “Members of PDP in Rivers State are delighted and will forever remain grateful to God for seeing them through all the stress and above all, granting the Rivers PDP undisputed victory at last.

    “Today’s (yesterday’s) judgment of the Supreme Court striking out the consolidated appeals by the APC and Tonye Cole (the party’s governorship candidate) has ended the litigation by APC to put a wedge in the wheel of democratic governance in Rivers State.”

     

  • 60-year-old widow remanded over alleged lover’s death

    A chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has ordered the remand in prison custody of a 60-year-old widow, Priscilla Ikenga over the death of her alleged lover.

    Ikenga allegedly pushed the victim, Eziwhuo Ejuh an alleged drunk,  during an altercation and he fail to the ground on his forehead and died.

    A police document obtained from the court alleged that the deceased visited the suspect while drunk on February 23, 2019 and in the bid to resist him from gaining access into her house mistakenly pushed him.

    The incident the Police said happened in one of the communities in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

    The two-count charge of murder preferred against him was not read to her; hence she did not take any plea.

    She had no legal representation in the sitting.

    Read Also: Widow seeks justice from Buhari

    The presiding Chief Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and ordered that the original case file be duplicated and remitted to the office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    Jaja ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

    He adjourned the matter till May, 9 2019 for Report of DPP’s advice.

  • Police arrest suspects over death of three in Rivers cult clash

    The Police Command in Rivers State on Monday said some suspected cultists had been arrested in connection with the death of three persons in Mgbodohia, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

    The command’s spokesman, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP), confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

    Omoni, however, could not give a specific figure of the arrested suspects.

    He said that the three persons were killed on Saturday during a fight for supremacy between two rival cult groups – Iceland and Deybam in the community.

    The police spokesman said that preliminary investigation into the clash had shown that the fight resulted from disagreement over who should collect a certain illegal levy in the community.

    NAN reports that the illegal fee collected from those buying land in the community is known as “bush entering or marching ground” in the state.

    Read Also: Six accused of killing police officer

    It will be recalled that Gov. Rotimi Ameachi’s administration abolished the levy, making it illegal and punishable on conviction.

    According to Omoni, the investigation showed that the two cult groups had the history of clashing over who should collect the illegal levy.

    He however said normalcy had returned to the community due to the deployment of police personnel to the area.

    The command’s spokesman urged the residents who had fled the community due to the crisis to return home.

    “I appeal to the residents of the state to furnished police with meaningful information on the activities of the hoodlums in their areas,’’ he said.

    NAN