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Tag: Rivers

  • PDP members defect to APC in Rivers

    PDP members defect to APC in Rivers

    Many members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Omoku, hometown of the Rivers State Chairman of PDP, Chief Felix Obuah.

    A chieftain of the APC, Prof. Henry Arinze Ugboma, who is chief medical director (CMD) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), receiving the defectors at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, ONELGA (Omoku), on Saturday, promised that APC will produce the governor in 2019.

    He said Governor Nyesom Wike had not shown commitment to development of the state.

    Ugboma, an indigene of Ndoni in ONELGA, where a ex-Governor Peter Odili, also hails from, promised that the 2019 elections will be devoid of violence, killings and rigging.

    The CMD  said: “I am happy I am a member of the APC family. Something different is beginning to happen in ONELGA. The over 100 PDP members that have just joined APC in ONELGA, you will not regret the wise decision. About two years ago, I stood on this ground (the playground of Federal College of Education (FCE), Technical, Omoku) and I declared for the APC. I did not make a mistake joining the APC. Today, my story is different. Your stories shall also be different. Your lives shall change for the better. God shall use you to rewrite the stories of your families. You are not making a mistake by joining the APC. You have taken the golden steps to victory.”

    Speaking with reporters, Ugboma, the chief facilitator of the programme, said that Wike was deceiving Rivers people with his Mr. Project claim.

    He said: “When the Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was governor of Rivers State, the roads that Wike claims to be constructing, were created by him (Amaechi). Wike is just wasting the money of Rivers and cajoling some people to siphon resources of the state. For political reason, Wike is destroying legacies, programmes and capital-intensive projects of Amaechi’s government that can provide employment opportunities for the teeming qualified youths.

    One of the defectors, Mrs. Queen Azubuike, said she and others decided to join the APC, because they were tired of the killings in ONELGA.

  • Rivers, UNICEF to partner for development

    Rivers, UNICEF to partner for development

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the government will partner United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to ensure the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

    Speaking yesterday during a visit by the UNICEF Country Representative, Mr. Mohammed Fall, to the Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike directed government agencies to step up activities.

    He said his administration had established structures to ensure improvement in immunisation, children and maternal health care and sanitation.

    The governor lamented that his administration is yet to attain 100 per cent immunisation coverage.

    He said the Ministry of Health and agencies had been directed to work towards success.

    “Anything pertaining to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals will be prioritised for the benefit of our people.

    “We must improve in the areas where we are yet to attain 100 per cent. We must take steps to ensure we move at a pace where everyone will be happy,” Wike said.

    He added that the government will engage in advocacy in breastfeeding and immunisation.

    Fall hailed the governor for paying the counterpart funds for United Nations  programmes.

    He advised partnership with the government to increase areas of cooperation.

    Fall sought reduction in child and maternal mortality, as well as improved immunisation and breastfeeding so that the state will be a reference point in Nigeria and Southsouth.

    He said statistics in maternal mortality, child mortality and access to primary education were not encouraging.

    Fall said if Nigeria attained Sustainable Development Goals, it would impact on the continent.

  • Rivers Assembly okays 15 for CTC chairmanship 

    Rivers Assembly okays 15 for CTC chairmanship 

    The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday screened and confirmed 15 persons as  Caretaker Committee (CTC)  chairmen.

    This followed the request by Governor Nyesom Wike to lawmakers to screen them for the position.

    The local governments are  Abua/Odua,  Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West, Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpo, Ogu/Bolo, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo and Port Harcourt City.

    Presenting the request at plenary yesterday, the Speaker, Ikunyi Ibani said: “I have before me the request of his Governor  Nyesom Wike for the screening and confirmation of chairmen and members of caretaker committees from 15 local government councils.

    “Representing the aforementioned local government areas are Magidi Dickson, Beatrice Awala, Frank Rodgers Ogiri, ThankGod Lelee, Tabotamuno Dick, Cyril Hart, Godwin  Abbey Olor, Gearshon Awunanya, Sunny Woricom, Nobel Amadi, Francis Ebenezer, Tande Ewunchu, Bama Brown, Ugochukwu Ijiri and Orukwem Amadi.”

    The persons were screened and confirmed after a voice vote at the end of questioning and debate.

    House leader Martin Amehule, who led the debate, urged the nominees and members to serve their people diligently.

    Ibani urged the Port Harcourt City Chairman, Erukwem Amadi, to ensure that the state is kept clean.

    He said: ‘’Answers given by the nominees are considered by members of the house satisfying, the nominees for the Port Harcourt council represent the entire nominees from various caretaker committees, I will urge you that proper things should be done and that Port Harcourt LGA should always assist to make other community clean, it is proper and fit for council to do what it is suppose to do in ensuring  there is clean environment and residence conform to law, you must always show leadership to other caretaker committee,

    “What you do today will speak for you tomorrow and I urge you to do your best’’.

     

  • Retired professors to Rivers govt: pay us

    Retired professors to Rivers govt: pay us

    Over 200 retired professors of Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt, have urged the Governor Nyesom Wike administration to pay their salary arrears for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 sessions.

    The retired professors, under the aegis of Contract/Adjunct/Sabbatical Professors and Other Academic and Technical Staff, said that the arrears ranged between eight and 23 months.

    While addressing a news conference yesterday in Port Harcourt, the capital, Coordinator of the group Prof. Sunny Amadi pleaded with Wike to  intervene to put an end to their predicament.

    He said: “We wish to draw attention to the painful plight of the above categories of staff of Rivers State University, who are currently burdened with outstanding arrears of salaries in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 academic sessions, ranging between eight and 23 months.

    “This disclosure is coming on the heels of series of earlier appeals to the authorities to address the unfortunate situation and bring the travail of the affected staff to an end.”

  • Police bust notorious kidnapper’s camp

    Police bust notorious kidnapper’s camp

    •Arrest two, recover arms, ammunition •Rescue 17 -year-old SS 3 girl

    Men of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) at the weekend burst a notorious kidnap gang camp in Etche communities of River State and Ukwa area of Abia State.

    The police operatives cracked the gang, led by one Uchenna Okere (a k a Togo), which engaged in kidnapping, armed robberies, cultism and killings.

    The monitoring unit led by Ben Igwe, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), also rescued a 17- year- old daughter of a traditional ruler in Etcheland, who had been in the criminals’ custody for more than two weeks.

    The men also arrested a member of the gang and recovered arms and live bullets.

    Speaking to our correspondent shortly after parading the suspects, Igwe said it was the first time security agencies would come to the rescue of the communities since the uprising of Togo and his notorious gang.

    He expressed delight the exercise would bring about relative peace and security in Etched and its environs.

    He said: “If you know the joy if the people over the raiding you will understand that they have been living in great fear of insecurity in the place.

    “Following the outcry, we left for the community about 1am this morning (yesterday).

    “When we located their hideout, he engaged the police to a gun battle but we overpowered them. They escaped and we went in to arrest one of them (Gift) and rescued the victim and recovers two guns and ammunition”

    He however vowed that the unit will not rest on its oars until Togo and other members of his gang are apprehended and peace restored to the area.

    “It is not yet over. We will continue to comb the area until the kingpin and his members are arrested.

    “They have run away but relative peace has returned to the communities around there as well as every part of Ukwa area of Abia state where he held way.

    “He is referred to there as governor and harvests levies from all the markets in that axis on each market day.

    “We must make sure that his illegal reign in the area comes to an end and people there are liberated,” Igwe stressed.

    One of the suspects, Gift Nnodim, said: “I am from Umuokom Etche. I am 21 years old. I live at Umuokiri Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state. I am training in welding.”  He denied having anything to do with the notorious gang leader, Togo aside from being a kinsman.

    “If my phone was here, you would have dialed Togo’s mobile and confirm whether or not it is stored in my phone. At least if I have any dealings with him, his number will be on my phone,” he stated.

    Another suspect, Chidiadi James, 22, a barber, said he was arrested without being told his offence.

    Narrating her ordeals in the hands of her abductors, the victim said she was beaten, tied up and left in the custody of armed men but said she was not sexually violated.

    According to her: “I was coming back from school when they accosted me with a motor bike and took me away to far away village from where I was kidnapped.

    “There were 15 of them.  They were taking me from one house to the other, one village to another. They did not take me to their camp in the forest but one of them pointed to me the direction of their camp.

    “When we got to the first house, they asked me to release the contact number of my father I told them I am an orphan. They now said then you will be here and be cooking for them.”

    Asked if all she was doing in the over two weeks she was with them was to cook, she said she was not untied anyway to cook.

    “I was beaten severally, blindfolded at some point and threatened with death. Some of the boys also threatened to rape me.

    “This sparked heated argument among them that they almost fought each other but they later did not touch me,” she said.

     

  • Reps probe Benue, Rivers, Kaduna, other killings

    Reps probe Benue, Rivers, Kaduna, other killings

    Military service and intelligence chiefs are to face the House of Representatives over killings in Benue, Rivers, Zamfara and other states across the country.

    The service chiefs are to avail the lawmakers with details of their intervention and strategies aimed at preventing future occurrence, it learnt yesterday.

    The lawmakers, however, expressed concerns over a stereotypical attribution of every killing to a particular group, irrespective of where they took place.

    They said such conclusions hinder paths to enduring solutions to the challenge.

    Speaking at a news briefing yesterday, Chairman of the ad hoc committee mandated to carry out the investigation Pally Iriase said the House was not unaware of a number of efforts and approaches by other organs and agencies of government to tackle the problem.

    Iriase, who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, however, regretted that the efforts, while still ongoing, were being impacted by “strait – laced narratives, political innuendos and ethno-religious distrust”.

    He said: “In fact, some of these strait-laced narratives have tended to ascribe all killings to a single cause, thus jettisoning the need to rigorously interrogate the happenings with an open, unbiased and nonpartisan mind.

    “The seven-man Committee is bipartisan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious in composition and we are enjoined to approach this important national assignment with an open mind and adopt an intelligence gathering focus.

    “To achieve our goal in this onerous task, we have adopted a proactive approach that will see us embark on visitation and interaction with victims by visiting a number of carefully selected areas that have been attacked severally, interact with the victims, survivors and other critical stakeholders.

    “We will also interact with the security chiefs, in addition to our foreign partners.”

    Iriase added: “To assure Nigerians that it is going to be an all – inclusive engagement, a public hearing that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to air their grievances and proffer solutions will also be conducted.”

  • Reps to investigate killings in Benue, Rivers, others

    Reps to investigate killings in Benue, Rivers, others

    Worried by the killings in Benue, Rivers, Zamfara and other states across the country, Nigerian military service and intelligence chiefs are to face the House of Representatives over killings across the country.

    The service chiefs are to avail the lawmakers’ details of their intervention and strategies aimed at preventing future occurrence, it emerged Tuesday.

    The lawmakers however expressed concerns over a stereotypical attribution of every killing to a particular group irrespective of where they took place.

    They said such conclusions hinder paths to enduring solutions to the challenge.

    Speaking at a press briefing Tuesday, Chairman of the ad hoc committee mandated to carry out the investigation, Pally Iriase said the House was not unaware of a number of efforts and approaches by other organs and agencies of government to tackle the problem.

    Iriase who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of the House however regretted that the efforts, while still ongoing, are being impacted by strait – laced narratives, political innuendos and ethno-religious distrust.

    He said: “In fact some of these strait – laced narratives have tended to ascribe all killibgs to a single cause, thus jettisoning the need to rigorously interrogate the happenings with an open, unbiased and nonpartisan mind.

    “The seven-man Committee is bipartisan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious in composition and we are enjoined to approach this important national assignment with an open mind and adopt an Intelligence gathering focus.

    “To achieve our goal in this onerous task, we have adopted a proactive approach that will see us embark on visitation and interaction with victims by visiting a number of carefully selected areas that have been attacked severally, interact with the victims, survivors and other critical stakeholders.

    “We will also interact with the security chiefs, in addition to our foreign partners.

    “To assure Nigerians that it is going to be an all – inclusive engagement, a public hearing that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to air their grievances and proffer solutions will also be conducted.

    “It must however be emphasized that intelligence gathering is going to be our major focus because the aim is to identify the remote and immediate causes of these killings enable us proffer solutions from informed position”.

    Saying that the approaching 2019 electioneering activities would not affect the commitment of the Committee members, Iriase noted that the issue is more important to the country.

    “2019 election and activities towards its prosecution will not affect us because it is only in an atmosphere of peace that election can hold.

    “To us this assignment is more important than the election and this is the reason why the House will make the report available to Mr President when we are done,” he added.

  • Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa paid highest motorcycles fair in January – NBS

    Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa paid highest motorcycles fair in January – NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS ) says residents of Ondo State, Rivers and Bayelsa paid the highest per drop fares to commercial motorcycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’, in January.

    The NBS made the disclosure in its “Transport Fare Watch” report for January 2018 posted on its website.

    According to the report, residents of Ondo State paid N200.76 per drop, Rivers paid N200.12, while Bayelsa residents paid N193.75 per drop fares in the period.

    The report stated that states with the lowest journey fares by commercial motorcycle per drop were Bauchi, N65.00, Jigawa, N68.82 and Katsina N70.00.

    It said that the average fare paid by commuters for journey by commercial motorcycle per drop increased by 6.97 per cent month-on-month.

    It also said that the average fare paid by commuters for journeys in the month increased by 27.37 per cent year-on-year to N120.01 in January 2018 from N112.19 in December 2017.

    The report covers the following categories – bus journey within the city per drop, constant route and bus journey intercity.

    It also covered air fare charge for specified routes single journey, journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop and water way passenger transport.

    The bureau said that average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 7.31 per cent month-on-month and 49.69 per cent year-on-year.

    It indicated that the fares increased to N183.86 in January 2018 from N171.34 in December 2017.

    It stated that states with the highest bus journey fares within city were Abuja FCT, (N380), Cross River (N303.57) and Abia (N250.00).

    It also reported that states with the lowest bus journey fares within city were Bauchi (N96.67), Anambra (N112.67) and Borno (N120.00).

    According to the report, average fare paid by commuters for intercity bus journey increased by 10.11 per cent month-on-month and 32.09 per cent year-on-year.

    This, it said increased to N1, 889.69 in January 2018 from N1,716.26 in December 2017.

    The report said that states with highest intercity bus journey fares were Abuja FCT (N5,625.00), Adamawa (N3,358.57) and Borno (N3,000.00), while the lowest were Yobe (N1,150.00), Bayelsa (N1,122.73) and Katsina (N1,114.29).

    The average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey decreased by 0.99 per cent month-on- month and increased to 7.34 per cent year-on-year to N33,055.01 in January 2018 from N33,386.09 in December 2017.

    States with the highest air fares were Abuja FCT (N49,000.00), Edo (N41,000.00) and Lagos (N40,500.00), while states with the lowest air fares were Osun (N25,714.89), Taraba (N26,000.00) and Nasarawa (N26,000.00).

    The report indicated that average fare paid by passengers for water way passenger transport increased by 1.03 per cent month-on-month and 7.65 per cent year-on-year to N638.04 in January 2018 from N631.55 in December 2017.

    It stated that states with highest fare by water way passenger transport were Bayelsa (N1,962.50), Rivers (N2,100.00) and Cross Rivers (N1,877.78).

    The report indicated that states with lowest fare by water way passenger transport were Abuja FCT (N250.00), Gombe (N180.00) and Borno with passengers paying N152.00.

    NAN

  • ‘Rivers people will not return Wike to power

    The Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that the people of Rivers State will stop Governor Nyesom Wike in 2019.

    He spoke during the inauguration of Free Rivers Development Initiative at Bori, headquarters of Ogoniland, at the weekend.

    Peterside noted that Wike’s administration had underdeveloped the 23 councils.

    The governor earlier accused the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor, who was also at the Bori rally, Peterside and their allies of attempting to create crisis in the state.

    Peterside, yesterday in an online statement by his media office, said: ”I had the privilege of seeing the Rivers State government’s records last week. They claimed by their records that they had spent N450 billion executing projects in two years and 6 months. Even by their own records, they spent less than N50 million in Khana LGA (with Bori as headquarters) out of N450 billion. There is no other sign that he (Wike) hates us with passion. We are going to stop him in his tracks.

    “You all know that I grew up here (Bori). You know my house in Court Road. You know my house at Kenule Street. You know my house at CPC Road.”

    The NIMASA chief added that when Amaechi became governor, he was appointed commissioner for Works and was given one mandate: to build all roads in Bori, stressing that Amaechi wanted to build a new city in Bori.

    He said: ”Amaechi built schools in Ogoni, he built health centres in Ogoni, his mandate was that his successor would build the new town. Somehow in words we cannot explain, somebody (Wike) came. A man who is an agent of arrested development.

    “Our leader (Amaechi) represents the vision of the legendary Ken Saro-Wiwa. I had the privilege of participating in all rallies of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and I can tell you that what Wike and his cohorts are doing do not represent the spirit of Ogoni and they do not represent the spirit of the founding fathers of Rivers State. All Progressives Congress (APC) represents the vision of Saro-Wiwa. We represent the vision of our founding fathers.

    “We have made a commitment to you as a party that we will represent accelerated development for Ogoni people and accelerated development for Khana people. All you need to do is to queue behind our leader (Amaechi) and from May 30, 2019, you will see accelerated development in Ogoni.”

    As the Bori rally was on, the representative of Rivers Southeast, Senator Magnus Abe, an indigene of Bera-Ogoni, and six APC lawmakers were, in Port Harcourt, holding a thanksgiving and reception to celebrate their victory at the legislative elections and Court of Appeal, after the 2015 polls and rerun.

     

  • Ex-militants warns against removal of Mowarin

    Ex-militants warns against removal of Mowarin

    Ex-militants from Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo and Delta states, have kicked against alleged plot by unknown persons to remove Head of Onshore Education Unit, office of the Amnesty Programme, Major Hassan Kesiena Mowarin (rtd).

    The ex-militants said there have been improvement in the scheme since Morawin assumed office and his appointment showed that the ruling party meant well for the people of the Niger Delta region.

    Spokesman for the ex-militants, Mr. Atangbala One, who spoke to newsmen in Benin City said some few individuals want Morawin removed because true beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme are now selected for the scheme.

    Atangbala alleged that the few cabal in the system placed fake beneficiaries in schools and subsequently force them to remit the sum of N30, 000 to N40,000 monthly to them

    According to him, “Major Mowarin has been fighting feverishly against the commercialization of admission process for amnesty sponsorship which was supposed to be free for the genuine delegates for the program.

    “But a cabal hijacked it and sell the beneficiary codes of the poor children of the Niger Delta to their cronies.

    “The few cabals who do not mean well for the people of the region have gone as far as paying for on-line media, smear publications and also  paying some uninformed persons to stage protest against him all in attempt to remove him and continue with their blood money business.”