The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rivers

  • Lassa fever kills one in Rivers

    One life has been lost to the renewed Lassa fever outbreak in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    A 33-year-old trader in building materials has been reportedly killed by the fever in Port Harcourt.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, disclosed this in a state-wide broadcast to the people of the state yesterday. He said the victim died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).

    Parker regretted the loss and appealed to residents to report early to hospital when presented with serious fever.

    He said the state has made adequate preparations to ensure no further lives are lost.

    The health commissioner described the disease as a fast killer, saying that it is highly communicable.

    He, however, assured that it could be treated if reported early.

    Parker said a special ward has been prepared for adequate and efficient treatment of anyone found with the disease. This is the second time the state is being hit by the infection within one year interval.

    It was among the 11 states of the country where the disease was reported last year.

    Some lives, including that of a hospital nurse and a youth corps member posted to the state, were lost at last year’s attack.

    The commissioner said the germ is found in rodents, especially the multi-mammal rats; and could be contacted by direct contact with the rat droppings (faeces, and urine).

    “Lassa Fever is a viral disease of animals which infects man through rodents.

    “It is spread by direct contact with infected feaces/urine of rats and inhalation of their infected aerosols. Persons to person contact through infected urine blood, semen and aerosols of the infected individuals is also well documented.

    “The common symptoms which manifest after about 6-21 days incubation period include fever, rigor, cough, muscle pain, sore, throat, facial swelling, weakness, diarrhea, constipation, seizures, deafness and unexpected bleeding. When identified early in the symptomatic state, individuals chances of recovery with antiviral treatment are very high.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ogonis hail Amaechi’s leadership

    Ogonis hail Amaechi’s leadership

     

    The  Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State consisting of Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas have expressed their support for the administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi .

     

    The stated their commitment to the administration and passed a vote of confidence in the governor  when they paid a solidarity visit to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

     

    Led by  King G.N.K. Gininwa, who is also  the chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, the  Ogonis  thanked  Governor Amaechi for his development strides and commitment to the welfare of their community and other parts of  the state.

     

    In the address read by Justice Peter Akere (Rtd), the  Ogonis said they would continue to support and stand by the Amaechi administration and would resist all attempts to short-change the people of the state.

     

    “In the 2011 elections, the people of Ogoni ethnic nationalities delivered an overwhelming vote towards your re-election as the Executive Governor of Rivers State and thereby gave you a mandate to take Rivers State to enviable heights in development. That mandate confers on you the leadership of the people. That mandate is incontestable, incontrovertible and irrevocable. It is in this light that the people of Ogoni ethnic nationalities are awakened by current developments in the polity of this nation to challenge the efficacy and sustainability of the mandate of leadership that the people of Rivers State through God bestowed upon you. We have therefore come to reiterate that the Ogoni ethnic nationalities have resolved to support and stand by you in your pursuit to bring development to Rivers State and Ogoni and resist all attempts to short-change the people of Rivers State and Ogoni.”

     

    They hailed the governor’s efforts to better the lives of Rivers people, supporting the recovering of the state oil wells and called on the Federal Government and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to expedite action on the East-West Road which traverses some parts of Ogoniland to ease the transportation difficulties in affected areas.

     

    “Today, we are in the threshold of history experiencing state governmental interventions in the life and development of the people in a way that is unique and profound. We are indeed very proud of the tremendous achievements recorded by Your Excellency in Ogoniland and Rivers State so far. The State Model Primary and Secondary Schools are first of their kind in the country. The Songhai Farm in Bunu-Tai and the Banana plantation in Khana are contributing to food security in the state and creating jobs for our youths. We are gladdened by the fact that the model secondary school in Eleme is now in full operation, while the one in Tai is almost near completion. Healthcare has been taken to the door steps of all Rivers people. The Rivers State sustainable Development programme is indeed a success story of youth empowerment and sustainable development which has also benefited the Ogoni ethnic nationalities.”

     

    Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked the people of Ogoni for their solidarity visit and reiterated that he would continue to provide good governance for the people of the state. He urged them to  continue to  support  in monitoring and evaluation of the numerous projects sited in the Ogoni areas of the s

     

    “I have to say that I received massive support from the Ogonis and therefore you need to have me deliver the services that made you ask me to stay in this place. I must thank you for that vote and I thank you for all the support,” Amaechi said.

     

     

     

     


     
  • Rivers varsity rewards students with laptops

    Rivers varsity rewards students with laptops

    To encourage fresh students of Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt to be focused on their studies, the management incorporated an awards ceremony as part of the 31st matriculation of the institution.

    The awards tagged: “Vice-Chancellor’s Special Award to Best Performing First Year Students in the faculties”, were presented to seven 200-Level students who returned impressive Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPA) during their first session.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae presented laptops to each of the students.

    He said the award has become an annual tradition, urging “those matriculating today to strive to be winners next matriculation ceremony.”

    In his speech to the 3,817 fresh students, Fakae charged them to start working hard early on their studies to make proper use of both material and human resources at their disposal, which he said are comparable to those in other countries.

    He further stressed that those of them interested in leadership positions must make a minimum CGPA of 3.5 in line with a new policy in the university.

    “Only those with a minimum of second class upper division cumulative aggregate (i.e. 3.5) can be part of Student Union leadership and such leadership position should not be held in the student’s final year of study. This is the same for leadership of faculty associations and fellowships because academia is the primary reason for being in this university,” Fakae said.

    Listing a litany of don’ts that exist in the university now, the VC warned them not to engage in despicable activities such as cultism and examination malpractice as they attract serious consequences.

    “The Senate of the university frowns at such anti-social behaviour and will not fail to show the way out to all bad eggs from the system,” he warned.

    Fakae advised the students to be ICT compliant and “ensure that you save a copy of all your online transactions both as electronic and printed hard copies at all times as evidence of your dealings as most businesses in the school are done online now.”

    He also informed the students of the ban of unapproved text books, handouts and levies.

     

  • Rivers’ college swears in freshers

    The Cross River State College of Education (CRSCOE), Akamkpa has matriculated over 1,600 freshmen admitted for the 2012/2013 academic session. It was the fourth matriculation ceremony of the institution.

    The event, which was held at the college’s pavilion, began with a procession of the matriculating students, who were followed by the body of the college’s principal officers. The freshers beamed with smiles as they filed into the expansive pavilion. They were clad in ceremonial gowns.

    In his address, the Provost, Prof Anthony Owan Enoh, congratulated the freshers for scaling through the selection regulation of the admission process. The college’s helmsman remarked that the institution had recorded landmark achievements in different areas in the last four years of its establishment.

    According to the Provost, the institution was popular for vices such as cultism and examination malpractice among others four years ago. He stated that the fortunes of the institution had been turned around through the efforts of the state government and college’s management.

    Prof Enoh urged the freshers to take their studies seriously, advising them to explore all avenues towards achieving self-realisation, self-discovery and opportunities.

    Administrating the matriculation oaths on the freshers, the Registrar, Barrister Uno Ogban, advised the students to denounce activities capable of ruining their academic careers, stating that they should adhere strictly to the terms of the oath.

    The Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Prof Offiong Offiong, who was represented by Mr Emeka Inaku, Secretary of State Advisory Committee on Private Schools, challenged the management not to rest on its oars in developing the institution, saying the government was determined to see the college competing favourably with its peers in the country.

    He said: “While the government will not rest on its oars for the development of the institution via acceptable standards as exemplified in the recent accreditation exercise of the college’s various programmes, the management of the institution should do its own assignment to attain the best standards in the institution’s academic pursuits by eschewing any form of malpractice.”

    In his vote of thanks, Dean of School of Education, Dr Ayang Mbeh Akwa, thanked the guests for turning out for the ceremony, praying for journey mercy back to their respective destinations.

    One of the freshers, Elizabeth Adie, thanked God for her admission, promising not to betray the confidence of her parents.

  • Rivers 2015: Who succeeds Amaechi?

    Rivers 2015: Who succeeds Amaechi?

    Ahead of the 2015 general elections, politicians have returned to the drawing board. Can the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State? BISI OLANIYI examines the intrigues and power-play by members of the ruling and opposition parties competing for the Government House, Port-Harcourt.

     

     

    The Brick House, Port-Harcourt, is an enviable seat of government. For 13 years, it has been occupied by the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the four political parties that have formed the All Progressives Party (APC) are now challenging the ruling party to a duel. Will power shift to the opposition in 2015?

    Following the birth of the new party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have swung into action. They have been sensitising their members to the significance of the merger and its implications for the 2015 general elections in the state.

    However, governorship aspirants from the four parties will now the eyeing the number one seat under one party. Thus, the leadership of the new party may have to contend with a fairly large number of governorship aspirants.

    To the ACN, the merger would end misrule and disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria. The Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Jerry Needam, noted that ahead of the 2015 general elections, said the new party has ended one-party system in Nigeria.

    The politician also believed that APC will install a credible leadership and foster prudence and accountability in governance.

    “The merger will further bring about healthy political competition in Rivers State that will produce exceptional office holders and end PDP’s style of handpicking mediocres and political jobbers as government officials.

    “The merger family in Rivers State, which constitutes 75 per cent of the population of the state, shall swallow the inconsequential number of opportunists, who have been mismanaging the state’s economy,” he said.

    However, PDP chieftains disagreed with him. Its Publicity Secretary, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, said that the ruling party had nothing to fear, in view of the impressive performance of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    He went down memory lane, saying that mergers, alliances, and fusion of parties are not new. Ukwuoma-Nwogba said that efforts by the opposition to unseat the PDP have failed since the begining of this political dispensation.

    “PDP in Rivers State has nothing to fear because we are fully on the ground. Governor Amaechi has done very well and has given Rivers people the cause to be with the PDP. Jerry Needam should concern himself with and dispense his energy on the outcome of the merger, to know whether he will still survive as the publicity secretary of the APC or not, ” he added.

     

    Can APC produce a

    consensus candidate?

     

    With the merger, the opposition politicians in Rivers State are restrategising ahead of 2015. Sources said that they may be compelled to present a formidable front, especially with the “civil war” in the PDP, over who succeeds Amaechi, whose term of office expires in two year’s time.

    In the spirit of the merger, it is expected that many opposition aspirants would have to work together. The main opposition aspirants in the state; Dr. Abiye Sekibo of the ACN and his APGA counterpar, Sir Celestine Omehia, were “defeated” by Amaechi during the April 26, 2011 governorship election. Before the merger, they planned to contest in 2015.

    With the latest development, either Sekibo or Omehia, who is Amaechi’s cousin, will step down. Party sources said this is necessary so that other aspirants can be mobilised to support a consensus candidate.

    Amaechi’s deft moves

     

    Amaechi ‘s deft moves may also affect political calculations. Initially, the governor was said to be warming up for the senatorial contest in his native Rivers East Senatorial District. Sources said that Senator George Sekibo, who is representing the zone, is to be compensated with a key appointment, if he concedes the slot to him.

    The calculation may have now changed as the governor is said to be interested in becoming a running mate to a Northern presidential candidate. In fact, it is being speculated that if the Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, is running for President, Amaechi may emerge his running mate. This may ultimately pitch him against his Niger Delta kinsman, President Goodluck Jonathan, who is seeking re-election in 2015. But, like many politicians would do, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has denied the ambition.

    Already, Jonathan’s men are turning the heat on the governor. He has been accused by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, of poor performance, misuse of state funds and neglect of the infrastructure battle. But he promptly replied the minister, saying that he is a failed Niger Delta Affairs minister.

    Besides, Amaechi listed some of his achievements in roads.

     

    Can PDP retain power in Rivers?

     

    To many, PDP relies on Amaechi’s achievements to seek the renewal of the PDP’s tenancy in the State House. The party believes that he has briought honour to the state as its former House of Assembly Speaker, two-time governor and Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairman.

    Amaechi, observers believe, performed well during his first term, especially in education, health, agriculture and power sectors. But Rivers people now complain that he has relaxed. They said the governor has stopped his surprise routine inspection of projects. Others said that he has been distracted by the NGF assignment and national politics.

    Most of the roads rehabilitated, reconstructed or dualised in Rivers State are now bad, after about six months, especially in Port Harcourt. Contracts are executed by politicians through incompetent contractors, residents college.

    Although he has not said he plans to run for any office, the popuplar thinking is that Amaechi is concentrating on his 2015 ambition because he wants to be relevant politically in post-2015. This posture contrasts sharply with his earlier intention to return to his alma mater, the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to take up a teaching appointment.

    Amaechi recently told his Ikwerre kinsmen to forget about the governorship in 2015, stressing that it would amount to selfishness. He explained that the position should be filled by another ethnic group, in the spirit of fairness and equity.

     

    Contenders and pretenders

     

    When the governor canvassed for power shift to another ethnic group, it was believed that he was sending a warning signal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom community, who is eyeing either the governorship or the senato- trial slots.

    Wike, a lawyer, was the Chief of Staff in the Rivers Government House. During the electioneering, he was the Director-General of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, before becoming the Minister of State for Education on July 14, 2011.

    Wike was elected twice as the chairman of Obio/Akpor council. He was also the President of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum (CLGF).

    In 2012, his wife, Eberechi Suzzette, was appointed a judge.

    Sekibo is also interested in succeeding Amaechi. But the governor is not supporting his ambition. This has led to a division in the party. Sekibo is said to be relying on his closeness to the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, who hails from Okrika, Rivers State, to get the PDP’s ticket. But the race will be tough for all aspirants.

    Another contender is the 42 year-old chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside. He is from Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area. He was Works Commissioner. Considering the upland/riverine dichotomy, which has often played a role in the emergence of the governorship candidate, he is said to be favoured by the party.

    Senator Magnus Abe, who represents Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, wants to make history as the first Ogoni man to rule the state, since it was created on May 27, 1967.

    Abe stood by Amaechi and remained loyal to him when things were tough for the former Speaker, before the Supreme Court ruled that he should be sworn in as the governor on October 25, 2007. Abe, who was a chieftain of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), was at that time the Information Commissioner in the Odili Administration. Between 1999 and 2003, he was the Minority Leader of the House of Assembly.

    Following his assumption of office, Amaechi appointed Abe as the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), the position he held before moving to the National Assembly.

    Observers say that if Abe, who hails from Bera, Ogoni, Gokana Local Government, emerges as the next governor, it may be a set back for the agitation for the creation of the Bori State by the people of Ogoni.

    Also in the race is the 2007 governorship candidate of the Action Congress (AC), Prince Tonye Princewill, who defected to the PDP after losing the election. He is very close to Amaechi.

    Princewill is the son of the paramount ruler of Kalabari Kingdom, King Theophilus Princewill, who is the former chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers. Since the state was created, no Kalabari person has been governor of Rivers State. But the prince said that he will break the jinx.

    Amaechi’s deputy, Tele Ikuru, an engineer, who hails from Ikuru, has been quiet on his 2015 ambition, but he may not be ruled out of the governorship or senatorial race.

     

  • Rivers to promote on merit

    The use of geographical spread and seniority in appointing directors in the unified local government service in Rivers State has been stopped.

    This was made known yesterday in Port Harcourt by the Chairman of the Rivers Local Government Service Commission, Azubuike Nmerukini, at the closing of a three-day workshop for junior staff in local governments in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

    Nmerukini, who was represented by a commissioner in the commission, Jonah Tamuno, said henceforth, the appointment of directors in the unified local government service would be based on hard work and productivity.

    He said: “Gone are the days when appointments are based on geographical spread and seniority, which have not encouraged increased output in the service.

    “If you want appointment, you must prove it by the way you perform your duties and how you fare in other positions given to you in the past.”

  • JTF impounds vessel in Rivers

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta has impounded a vessel suspected to be carrying 1, 000 tonnes of crude oil off the coast of Bonny Island in Rivers State.

    The Commander of the 2 Brigade and Sector Two of JTF, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, paraded nine suspected crew members of the vessel before reporters in Bonny yesterday.

    Buratai, who was represented by Maj. Michael Etete, the 2 Brigade Army Public Relations Officer, said the Nigerian registered vessel was arrested while illegally siphoning crude oil from a pipeline.

    He said the nine male crew members, who were arrested, were Nigerians.

    “Following military intelligence report on December 29, troops of Sector two deployed in Bonny, arrested a vessel registered MT Atlantic Star illegally siphoning crude oil from a pipeline.

    “At the time of the impoundment, the vessel had loaded about 1, 000 tonnes of stolen crude oil and nine crew members on board the vessel were also arrested.

    “Further investigation is on-going and the suspects will be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

    “JTF restates its commitment toward stamping out oil theft, oil bunkering and other criminal activities within its area of responsibility in-line with its mandate,” he said.

    Buratai called on the public and organisations to provide information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of oil thieves in 2013.

    The captain of the vessel, Rauf Rasak, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was hijacked by six gunmen, who threatened to kill the crew members, if he refused to cooperate.

    Rasak claimed that the gunmen immediately took over the vessel and anchored it in Bonny and loaded the vessel with the illegal crude oil.

    “The gunmen had threatened to kill us if we didn’t cooperate; we had no choice but to obey.

    “While loading the vessel with the crude oil, men of the JTF approached us and the gunmen fled the scene,” he said.

    The captain said the crew was innocent of the charges brought against them by the JTF.

     

  • 23 expatriates released in Rivers

    The 23 Greeks arrested by naval officers for illegal bunkering on November 13 have been released with their vessel, MT Aegean Horizon.

    It was learnt yesterday that the expatriates were not guilty. This prompted the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, to order their release.

    The Greeks were arrested at Ibot terminal, Akwa Ibom State, with their vessel, loaded with 900,000 barrels of crude oil, during the Navy’s fleet evaluation operation, titled: “Exercise Farauata.”

    The Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, Capt Chukwuma Okafor, said the vessel and the 23 crew members were arrested because they gave unsatisfactory answers on their documents.

    Okafor noted that after thorough investigation by Naval authorities, it was discovered that the vessel obtained relevant documents from duly-authorised Nigerian authorities.

    The commanding officer then lauded the suspects for their cooperation during the investigation.

    The captain of the vessel, Kanellopoulos Ilias and 22 others were elated on their release.

    The representative of the vessel, Gregori Esiri of Bluesea Maritime, was grateful to the Navy, for speeding up the investigations and ensuring their release.

     

  • Rivers to spend N490b next year

    The Rivers State Government has proposed to spend N490.32billion next year.

    The proposed budget is N52.32 billion higher than the N438 billion appropriated for the out-going fiscal year and which translates to 11.9 percent increase in the budget.

    Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who spoke yesterday at the House of Assembly, said: “The proposed figure was reached after a careful consideration of project submissions, options and factors that are needed to achieve our developmental targets in view of the challenges facing us as a state.”

    Amaechi said the proposed budget would be funded by Statutory Allocation (FAAC) of N245 billion; Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), including Social Levy of N80 billion; the balance from the out-going year which is N48.32 billion; bond proceeds of N100 billion and World Bank/African Development Bank (AfDB) credit of N17 billion.

    The Capital Expenditure is N314.30 billion as against N323.70 billion in 2012 while N176.02 is being proposed as recurrent spending. This is higher than the N114.25 billion.

    These proposed expenditures, the governor said showed a sharp increase of 54.06 per cent in Recurrent Expenditure and a decline of 2.92 per cent in Capital Expenditure compared to the 2012 Budget respectively.

    Capital Expenditure projection is 64.10 per cent of the total budget while Recurrent Expenditure is 35.90 per cent of the budget.

    The education sector was given special attention as new recruitments including the hiring of additional 13,000 teachers to strengthen the sub-sector would be implemented.

    Adequate provisions were equally made for the Monthly Pension/Contributory Pension Scheme, bond issuance related costs and loan repayment in 2013.

    These provisions, which amounted to N92.19 billion, Amaechi said is responsible for the obvious increase in the proposed Recurrent Expenditure.

    He also said the government would approach the capital market in the first quarter of 2013 and conclude the first bond issuance for N100 billion.

    The governor said the bond proceeds would be applied only forspecific projects.

    These would include: The Greater Port- Harcourt M-10 Highway; the construction of M-1 Highway; new campus of Rivers State University of Science and Technology and funding of monorail project.

    The breakdown of the capital budget shows that the economic sector take N93.09 billion with Works gulping N93.09 billion while energy and natural resources takes the least with N160 million.

    Under the social sector which N64.50 billion, education would gulp N47.81 billion while social welfare and rehabilitation would take the least amount of N500million.

     

  • ‘223 died in Rivers fire incidents’

    No fewer than 223 people were killed in various fire incidents in Rivers between January and November 2012.

    The state Director of Fire Service, Mr. Oshogharhe Powa, made this known in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    Powa said that 84 persons were rescued from the fire disasters, while it saved property worth N17.37 billion during the period in review.

    He, however, said that property worth N1.26 billion were lost in the incidents, adding that Port Harcourt city and Obiakpo Local Government Area top list of places with high fire outbreaks.

    According to him, the fire occur more in residential buildings, especially houses built with woods and zinc, from electrical spark caused by illegal connection.

    “Some residents also caused the fire by refilling kerosene in their cooking stove and lanterns while they were on and some used candle light without holding it with the right stand,’’ he said.

    Powa urged the people to be fire-safety conscious, advising that they should always adhere to fire-safety rules.

    He observed that industries and companies in the state were always safety-conscious and had always engaged the service on time to fight any outbreak.