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Tag: Rivers

  • Insecurity: Rivers, APC in verbal war

    Insecurity: Rivers, APC in verbal war

    The Rivers State government and the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have engaged in fresh war of words over alleged campaign of anarchy in Rivers.

    The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, in a press statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, claimed that he was aware of leaked plans by the state’s APC to launch a campaign of anarchy in the coming weeks.

    The APC, through its Rivers Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, in its reaction, admonished right-thinking people of the state and other Nigerians to ignore Tam-George’s mischievous, senseless, childish and shameless allegations, described as fiction from his infantile and degenerate mind.

    Rivers information commissioner said: “The APC may be working in close coordination with little known ‘civil society’ organisations and other faceless groups to instigate crisis in Rivers State.

    “The plans include a series of state-wide riots, in apparent protest against the Rivers State government and Governor Nyesom Wike’s role in challenging the impunity by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), during the midnight invasion of the home of a federal judge in Port Harcourt last weekend.

    “The objective of the APC may be to create a climate of lawlessness, which can lead to bank robberies, attacks on strategic state assets, random assaults on young women in the streets and scare mongering in places of worship.

    “An attack on the Port Harcourt Prison facility, in order to set prime suspects and die-hard criminals free, is central to the emerging APC plans.”

    Tam-George also alleged that the first wave of the planned APC riots might begin in the streets of Port Harcourt and quickly spread to other parts of the state, such as Ogoni, Abua, Emohua and Oyigbo.

    Rivers information commissioner claimed: “Heavy monetary inducement for coordinators of the riots in each ‘flash point’ or location is also being planned.

    “I call on the security agencies to closely monitor the activities of Rivers State APC’s leaders in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt, in order to forestall the breakdown of law and order in the state.

    “Rivers State is safe and the government will continue to work with the security agencies to keep it safe. I urge residents of the state to be vigilant, as they go about their lawful businesses.”

    Tam-George also called on Nigerians and the international community to hold the APC and its surrogates responsible for any sudden and coordinated outbreak of violence and robberies in the state.

    In its reaction, the Rivers APC said: “The statement (by Tam-George) is the most fictional, puerile and outlandish story ever to come out of the infantile and degenerate mind of any living being anywhere on mother earth. Everything about the statement suggests that the author is planning a big scam on his principal (Wike) for monetary reward.

     “The APC is worried that an adult could plot to obtain funds from his principal by contriving an imaginary scenario and cook up a false story, in order to justify his next financial proposal to his principal, at the expense of the name of APC.

     “Sadly, we hear that the trend now within the Wike decrepit government is for officials to pull one scam or another on the governor for monetary reason. We cannot find any other reason for the fictional statement Tam-George shamelessly concocted and distributed to the media.

     “The APC has no tradition of causing chaos in Rivers State and the PDP government in the state knows that as a fact. Tam-George should not use the name of APC to retire fictitious expenses of allocation of Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications. Neither should he use the name of our party to pass fake financial proposal to Wike.”

  • Cervical cancer: Rivers govt partners medical women to vaccinate 1,000 girls

    Rivers State government is to partner the state’s chapter of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) to vaccinate about one thousand Rivers girls against cervical cancer, before the end of this year.

    Rivers Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, made the disclosure while speaking at the opening ceremony of the week of MWAN at the Rivers House of Assembly Complex, Port Harcourt.

    She stated that the Rivers government, under Governor Nyesom Wike, would soon launch a healthcare financing scheme, in a bid to boost healthcare delivery in the state.

    Harry-Banigo restated the commitment of the Rivers government towards the provision of affordable, accessible and available healthcare delivery for the people, assuring that primary and secondary healthcare services were to be made more functional, for optimal benefit.

    Reflecting on this year’s International Day of the Girl Child celebration, Rivers deputy governor decried the absence of accurate data on violence perpetrated against women and children, stressing that it had impeded any plan of action to remedy the situation.

    She said: “I was pleased, when I worked with the observatory on violence against women and children and found that most of the time, we do not have enough data on how much gender-based violence is going on and when we do not have enough data, we cannot really plan to remedy the situation.”

    Harry-Banigo also lauded MWAN for rendering humanitarian services to the people and encouraged the body to continue its good work.

    In his keynote address, the Regional Community Health Manager of Shell for Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. Akinwunmi Fajola, stressed the need for Public Private Partnership (PPP) in healthcare delivery, noting that healthcare financing was not all about resources, but about resourcefulness.

    Earlier in her welcome address, the President of MWAN, Rivers branch, Dr. Rosemary Ogu, stated that the focus of the association was to provide health information on the various health challenges facing the people and commended the Rivers government and other corporate organisations for their support towards ensuring the success of their week-long event.

  • ‘Rivers govt promoting access to quality healthcare’

    ‘Rivers govt promoting access to quality healthcare’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s wife, Justice Suzzette, has stated that access to quality healthcare being promoted by the Wike-administration will improve life expectancy in the state.

    Declaring open the 2016 Week of the Medical Women’s  Association of Nigeria, MWAN, Rivers State Chapter on Tuesday, Justice Nyesom-Wike noted that the Rivers State Government gives priority attention to the health of the masses.

    She urged the people of the state to adopt healthy lifestyles which will promote their physical and mental well-being.

    The wife of the Rivers State Governor noted that several non communicable diseases would easily be prevented if people adopt positive lifestyles.

    She said: “We must regulate what we eat, so that we leave healthily and prolong our lives. I commend MWAN for focusing on the health of the people as part of their 2016.

    “We shall continue to partner with female medical doctors to improve the health of the people of the state.”

    Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo noted that developments in the heath sector have been sustained by the Wike administration since May 29, 2015.

    In his address, Rivers State Health Commissioner, Dr Theophilus Odagme said that the State Government is expanding the Brathwaithe Memorial Hospital to create more access to tertiary healthcare in the state.

    He called on resident doctors and the management of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital to resolve their differences so that the doctors can suspend their strike.

    In a lecture titled: “Healthcare financing in a poor resource setting—a tool for universal health coverage”,  Regional Community Health Manager of Shell in Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr Akinwunmi Fajola noted that community health financing will assist more people access to quality health services.

  • NAF destroys illegal refineries in Rivers

    NAF destroys illegal refineries in Rivers

    Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Helicopters on Monday destroyed several illegal refineries and barges filled with petroleum products in Rivers State.
    The operation which is part of Operation Delta Safe was a concerted effort to stop illegal bunkering and criminal activities in the Niger Delta.
    The refineries and barges were sighted by NAF Diamond 42 aircraft on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission in Bille Community of Rivers State.
    Thereafter, an Mi-24V helicopter gun ship was called-in for attack.
    Director Of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Group Captain Ayodele FamUyiwa said a similar operation was carried out in the same location two days ago.
    “These are clear signals to criminals operating in the South-South region, as well as other parts of the country, that it is no longer business as usual,”he said.
  • Gunmen kidnap two nurses in Rivers

    Gunmen kidnap two nurses in Rivers

    Gunmen yesterday abducted two nurses, Mr. Awaji-Owa Ntendeng Hebron and Mrs. Nwikina Felicia, working with the Erama General Hospital in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government (ONELGA) of Rivers State.

    A source at the hospital said Mrs. Nwikina, who was brutalised with her colleague, escaped from the gunmen, bleeding.

    The source said the victim told the gunmen that as a woman, she would not pose a problem to them, and they relaxed security around her, helping her to escape from the forest.

    Narrating how the gunmen abducted the nurses, Mr. Obi Gentle Welly, a nurse working in the hospital, said the kidnappers broke into the hospital, and abducted the nurses.

    Welly, the general secretary, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), said before the victims were kidnapped, the gunmen attacked them with guns and machetes.

    He said they demanded N5 million ransom, adding that the kidnapped nurse, like his colleagues employed the same year, had not been paid by the government for more than three years following issues relating to their employment letters.

    Welly appealed to his abductors to free him because of his poor financial condition.

    He said: “About 1:30 am yesterday,  eight armed men broke into Erama General Hospital. They asked for money, and kidnapped two of our colleagues.

    “The hoodlums stole our phones, laptops and other valuables. That was after beating the nurses. We thank God that Mrs. Nwikima has escaped from their den in the forest. We plead that our other colleague be freed.

    “The gunmen have contacted us, demanding N5 million ransom. How can we raise such a huge amount? Our hearts are in pains as we do not know the state of our abducted colleague. The nurses in Erama General Hospital and ONELGA unit of NANNM are weeping, calling for the release of our colleague.”

    Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said: “We are yet to get details of the kidnap.”

  • Rivers moves to mitigate flooding

    Rivers moves to mitigate flooding

    To get communities in Rivers State involved in the efforts of the state government to mitigate flooding, the Ministry of Environment has given award to Awalama Community in Rumuokoro, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

    Commissioner for Environment Prof Roseline Konya, who initiated the award, explained that “it is for their consistency in carrying out de-silting of drains in their community.”

    Konya, who spoke in Port Harcourt at a one-day workshop organised for stakeholders in the state by her ministry in collaboration with Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) on Flood Awareness, also appealed to other communities to emulate Awalama Community Youths “so that at the end of the day, we shall all be beneficiaries of a clean environment”.

    At the workshop, which was themed: “Preparedness and Response to Predicted Flooding in Nigeria, Challenges and Way Forward, The Rivers State Case”, the commissioner recalled  that in 2012 the  flood  which engulfed Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni was caused by Benue River over-flowing into Lower Niger.

    “This, in turn over, flew its bank into Orashi River, River Nun and other rivers and banks in the state and this explains why there is need for de-silting and dredging of River Niger, Orashi rivers.;   Sombreiro and other creeks as they have already been  silted over the years,” she said.

    Konya also said that there should be embankments of rivers and creeks especially at points close to affected communities.

    She also called on people to stop acquiring land and building on wet lands, adding that indiscriminate or illegal dumping of refuse around drainage paths and waterways were not the best.

    Road sweepers, Konya warned, should desist from sweeping sand and refuse from the roads into drainages.

    While commending Governor Nyesom Wike for addressing the perennial flooding problems at St Johns Bus stop/Oroworukwo and First Bank by Rumuomasi Junction as well as that of Waterlines Junction all on Aba Road, Port Harcourt, the commissioner urged the ministries of Lands and Survey and that of Works to always collaborate with her office during construction works to know how to channel drains to discharge points for flood elimination.

    The Sole Administrator of Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWMA) ,Brother Felix Obuah, said his agency identified disposal of refuse in public drains as a major cause of urban flooding.

    To this effect, RIWMA has “commenced an awareness campaign and enforcement programme aimed at enlightening the public on the need to properly dispose waste at approved receptacles and in bags,” to reduce the waste found on waterways which cause blocked drains and flooding.

    Obuah, who is also the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party in the state, saidWike has consistently paid refuse contractors, sweeping contractors and de-silting contractors on a monthly basis since he assumed office.

    “As a result of this, the agency has ensured that contractors handling the smaller drains have consistently been engaged in evacuation and cleaning of all blocked culverts and gutters that drain water to major canals in Port Harcourt,” Obuah said.

    Also speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo described the workshop as “a wakeup call aimed at changing and reviving our aged long environmental dilapidated psyche for a better, safer and sustainable environment.”

    Ahiakwo said several communities in Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni are currently battling with flood stating that “ the continuous blocking of natural ways by waste and constant invasion of wetlands also contribute to flooding.”

    The lawmaker also lamented that the Nnta-Wogba Creek in Port Harcourt that gathers water from many areas of the metropolis has been turned into refuse dump by inhabitants of the area.

    While proffering many ways of checking flooding in the state, Ahiakwo called for attitudinal change, promising that the state assembly would provide the necessary legal frame work to ensure that flooding is mitigated in the state.

    Making his remarks, the Leader of SDN, Mr Chris Newsom recalled that the Nigeria i Meteorological Agency  (NIMET) has already warned that flooding might be worse this year.

    The effects of flooding, Newsom said is not something one would wish away and therefore, he advised that “no time should be wasted in commencing flood mitigation.”

    Wike, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, stressed the importance of the workshop, pointing out that “it is to ensure that we are not taken unawares.”

    He also said Rivers state being in a very high risk area, it is important that stakeholders imbibe the lessons of the workshop, expressing the belief that the lessons of the event would help the state to ensure that every LGA and communities is aware of what to do to check flooding.

    The Director General of NIMET, Dr Anthony Anuforom through an official of the agency, Mr Joseph Alozie, presented a paper titled: “Preparedness and Response to 2016 Flood Prediction in Nigeria” in which he reviewed the 2012 flood disaster that hit Rivers State, advising that serious efforts be made to avert it this time around.

    Similarly, the Director General of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Mr Moses Beckley who was represented by Rev, Michael Nwabufor presented a paper titled: “2016 Flood Prediction: Mitigation and Prevention Measures: Hydrological Area V (Rivers State).”

  • Rivers politics and glorification of gangsterism

    There is a tragi-comedy going on in the country, especially among the political class.

    A villain is always playing the part of the victim, shouting himself hoarse of a plot, from imaginary enemies, to undermine his or her office.

    Pitiably, this malaise is now rearing its ugly head in our dear state, Rivers.

    Not that Riverians thought the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike would do anything to alleviate their suffering but they didn’t know the situation would be so bad as we have it today.

    There is a popular saying that some people will leave leprosy unattended to and be looking for ringworm medicine.

    This saying is apt to the maladministration going on in the state.

    Recently, an article by a paid writer took on the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the April 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside.

    Among others, the writer accused Peterside of meddling in the affairs of the state government.

    He also advised Peterside, the Director-General (D-G) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to wait till 2019 before challenging Wike.

    Honestly, there is nothing sane Nigerians will not see or read in this country.

    If the truth must be told, it is not Wike’s megaphone that will tell Peterside if he is interested in the 2019 governorship race or not.

    The writer also criticised Peterside’s statement at the Rivers APC East Zonal mega rally held in Okehi, Etche, ahead of the rescheduled Rivers rerun poll that Riverians are tired of the Wike administration.

    But Peterside was only saying the obvious because people are really tired of Wike and his administration. With due respect, the governor is behaving like ‘a dictator’, sacking and suspending commissioners at will, dissolving councils when he feels like.

    And describing Peterside as a bad loser was the height of insensitivity about political and economic happenings in our state.

    Of course, everybody knows what happened during the governorship election in Rivers last year.

    The question to ask Wike is: Must you rule by force?

    Today, the ‘gangsterism’ in Rivers State is unprecedented.

    The number of those killed for political reasons, the latest being the popular Port Harcourt lawyer and activist, Ken Atsuete, is unprecendented in the annals of the state.

    It is not an exaggeration to declare that Rivers is already a theatre of war.

    Election that should have been conducted has to be postponed by INEC again because of insecurity.

    This is a governor that openly boasted that electoral officers should write their Wills if they are coming to the state to conduct election.

    By saying that Peterside’s statement ‘is capable of overheating the Rivers State polity’, the writer must be told that it is not Peterside that is overheating the state. Wike has already done that.

    Rivers is now known in the country as ‘one week, one trouble’.

    That is why Peterside, a Christian, must follow what is in the biblical book of Isaiah 58:1 which says: ‘Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions’

    Nobody is safe again and they want Peterside to keep quiet and not tell Riverians and Nigerians when Wike errs? Arrant nonsense.

    What they don’t know is that Peterside is not waging war. He knows that Rivers is strategic to the economic well being of the country and when the governor is doing everything to undermine the economic potential and security of the country, he must be called to order.

    Since Wike took over on May 29, 2015, it has been one crisis after the other in our dear state.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous, Wike has done everything possible to undermine democratic institutions in our oil-bearing state.

    Despite the fact that tenures of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and Rivers State Judicial Commission (RSJC) are guaranteed by law, the first thing he did was to announce their dissolution. And, pitiably, a few hack writers defended this action, telling some gullible Nigerians that as governor, he has the power to dissolve any constitutional body.

    To the governor, anything goes as long as he has his ways.

    To summarise, Wike has not fulfilled his electoral promises. He has not solved social problems. Investors are running from the state because of the level of insecurity.

    At the Okehi, Etche rally, Peterside raised some posers to the governor entitled ’10 important questions Wike must provide answers to Rivers people’.

    Today, Rivers has become the number one kidnapping state in Nigeria. Rivers people cannot be deceived by lies and propaganda, no matter how well-crafted.

    An end to this malfeasance is near. Under Wike, Rivers is not working. And Peterside will not stop talking.

    • Brown sent this piece from Port Harcourt
  • Rivers can rescue Nigeria – Wike

    Rivers can rescue Nigeria – Wike

    The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how the Niger Delta state can help the Federal Government to exit the current economic recession.

    He noted that with Rivers State, as Nigeria’s investment hub, especially in view of oil and gas activities, it had the potential to help the nation survive the recession, stressing that Rivers is critical to any plan to revive Nigeria’s  economy and to  put an end to the cries and pains of the people.

    Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, spoke yesterday, after he led members of the state Executive Council and the state’s elder statesmen on a tour of the N140 billion GreenGas Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility being constructed by Grenville Nigeria Limited in Rumuji, Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

    He said: “Despite the negative propaganda being sponsored by opposition politicians in the state, investors have continued to troop to our state. This GreenGas LNG facility, which will serve different states in the South and North has attracted over N140 billion worth of investment to the country.

    “I am happy that our investments in the security agencies have continued to yield fruits, with greater investor confidence. For us, we will continue to provide the enabling environment for foreign investors to bring their funds to Rivers State.”

    The governor also stated that the project had already started generating employment for the people of the state, noting that the cumulative effects, when it is completed would further expand the economy of Rivers state.

    Wike urged the people of Rumuji to cooperate with the investors, assuring that they would always benefit from the GreenGas LNG facility.

    He said: “Rivers State is key to the development of this country. Foreign investors know this fact. There is no reason why anyone who wants to develop the economy of this country will ignore this State.

    “Today, the $1.5 billion Indorama Fertiliser Plant is on stream (at Eleme in Rivers State) and now we are in the process of having the N140 billion GreenGas LNG Facility.”

    The Chairman of Greenville Nigeria Limited, owners of GreenGas LNG facility, Eddy Van Den Broeke, had earlier said: “We are in Rivers State to form a partnership with the state government for necessary economic growth.”

    He disclosed that the project, which covers 42 hectares, would employ between 3000 and 3500 workers upon completion, revealing that presently, there are eighty workers daily at the project site.

    Broeke stated that on completion, 250 trucks would be loading from the facility, while it would generate 150 megawatts of electricity to serve Rivers and other states of Nigeria.

    The Chairman of Greenville Nigeria Limited also noted that the gas produced at the facility would help other parts of the country to produce 600 megawatts of electricity.

  • Navy in Rivers trains 45 students

    Navy in Rivers trains 45 students

    The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has trained 45 students, aged between 5 and 15 years, in golf to represent the country in future championships.

    The Base Operations Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Navy Capt. Victor Choji, at the closing ceremony of the maiden Children Golf Holiday Championship in Port Harcourt, stated that the benefiting students of primary and secondary schools, were drawn from various communities in Rivers state.

    Choji disclosed that the championship was organised to achieve three purposes: maintaining and improving civil-military relations; boosting security and discovery of talents.

    He said: “The golf championship seeks to engage children constructively, especially during holiday period and also to introduce them to the game of golf.

    “We believe that most criminal acts are perpetrated by the youths. If we catch kids young and we make them develop interest in sports, the country will be better for it.

    “If this is done, the children will have more positive and constructive activities to engage themselves as they grow up, rather than involving themselves in criminal activities.

    “The programme is also designed to win the hearts and minds of our host communities, while hoping that some of the kids will go on to represent Nigeria in future golf championships.”

    Choji also stated that the naval headquarters had similar sporting activities to keep officers and ratings fit, while improving their proficiency in various marine operations ongoing in the Niger Delta.

    The base operations officer of NNS Pathfinder gave an assurance that the golf championship would be sustained, while urging more students to be available in the next edition.

    The Managing Director of an oil and gas firm, Amnipet, Ishiaku Malik, in his remarks, stated that lack of investment in grass-roots sports was partly responsible for poor showing of Nigeria in major tournaments.

    He said the golf championship would give the students the opportunity to develop interest in sports and become great athletes.

    Malik said: “In the past, inter-house sports competitions were taken seriously, but these days, you hardly see such programmes designed to discover young talents.

    “This event will help to discover and possibly harness talents that will represent and make Nigeria proud in sporting competitions.”

    Managing director of Amnipet also urged the navy to engage corporate organisations to expand the championship, in order to accommodating more children.

    Prizes such as laptops and textbooks were presented to the participating students.

  • Rivers to partner Deeper Life for spiritual renewal

    Rivers to partner Deeper Life for spiritual renewal

    Rivers State government has promised to partner the Deeper Life Christian Ministry in a monthly crusade to uplift the people spiritually.

    Governor Nyesom Wike, who addressed the faithful at the ‘Double Portion Crusade’ in Port Harcourt at the weekend, with Pastor William Kumuyi ministering, said the crusade would transform the state.

    He said Kumuyi and other leaders would intercede on behalf of the state.

    The governor noted that investing in the spiritual growth of Rivers was necessary for development.

    He said: “No man can provide security, except God. Only God can move this state forward. We have worked hard and we seek God’s grace to consolidate our efforts.”

    The crusade, Wike said, would present a happy moment for the people, as the state marked a new beginning.

    He said he declined to host the Super Eagles versus Tanzania match because Rivers needed blessings from the crusade.

    The event was witnessed by thousands of people from the 23 local governments.