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Tag: Rivers

  • Rivers youths happy with oil firm over 520 jobs for host communities

    The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State chapter has thrown its weight behind an indigenous oil company, Belemaoil, for providing jobs to members of its host communities.

    The youth council thanked Belemaoil for engaging 520 youths.

    Belemaoil on June 1 acquired some oil blocks belonging to American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited.

     Speaking at a news conference yesterday at Rivers State Youth Council Secretariat in Port Harcourt,  the NYCN Chairman , Rivers State chapter, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, thanked Belemaoil for showing that indigenous company were capable of operating oil mining licences.

    Sukubo said: “Our visit to the office of the owner of  Belemaoil has made us to speak authoritatively. He has assured us that the company is currently working with its overseas partners and Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) to launch a 30,000 barrels floating refinery.

    “And LPG unit, scalable floating power generating barges of 135mw in phase 1 to 650 in phase 2. These loadable projects made the youths to pass vote of confidence on Belemaoil. Don’t forget that over 80 percent of the recently employed staff are youths.”

  • Rivers rerun: Why we shunned INEC peace meeting, by APC

    Rivers rerun: Why we shunned INEC peace meeting, by APC

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the party will no longer engage in talk shows that produces no results.

    Its Chairman, Chief Davis Ibiamu Ikeanyi, was commenting on the party’s absence at the Rev. Cannon Chris Eze-led “Peace Mediators Meeting” in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on the inconclusive legislative rerun in the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on March 19, conducted a rerun on the vacant seats in the National and Houses of Assembly across the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The results of the election in most of the local government areas were cancelled, following cases of violence and alleged malpractices.

    The INEC, last week, indicated plans to conclude outstanding rerun in various states, including Rivers, before the end of July.

    But the commission noted that political parties and the state government must ensure peace to conduct the rerun.

    Following the condition, no date was fixed for the rerun in the state.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikiowak, last Tuesday, organised a stakeholders’ forum for parties and their candidates in the rerun.

    It intimated them of its readiness to conduct the remaining polls, if they were ready to shun all forms of electoral violence.

    The two main parties – the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – traded blames on who the actual trouble makers were.

    The APC, through Ikeanyi, absolved its members and supporters of any blame in the violence.

    The chairman insisted that until electoral violence offenders were brought to justice and their fraudulent victory annulled, there would be no peace in the state.

    He recalled that scores had died in the state before, during and after the elections.

    According to him, nobody is taking responsibilities or being held responsible for the dastardly act, neither is anyone being prosecuted for the crime, even when the names of suspected perpetrators were reported to security agencies.

    Instead, the chairman said, some contestants were declared winners amidst the violence with their “fraudulent victories” upheld by INEC and were sworn in.

    Ikeanyi condemned the attitude, saying his party insisted that electoral offenders must be punished to serve as deterrent to others.

    No agreement was reached on his submission. APC said it shunned the peace meeting to show its anger.

    Contacted on phone, Ikeanyi said the party could not continue to participate in peace meetings that did not prescribe the punishment for electoral offences.

    The chairman recalled that several peace meetings and accords were signed by political parties in the state before last year’s general election but a particular party violated the pact and stirred violence.

    He said the violence resulted in the death of individuals and families, adding that no one was held responsible.

    Ikeanyi asked rhetorically if the same path would be taken during the rerun.

    The chairman expressed APC’s readiness to participate in the concluding rerun, but expressed fears of possible voter apathy, if those who caused trouble in the past were not apprehended, detained and punished.

    He said voters would only be confident, if fraudulent victories were cancelled to end electoral violence in the state.

    Ikeanyi said: “The APC agreed at the stakeholders’ meeting by INEC at the Police Officers’ Mess last week that unless punishment is meted out to the perpetuators of electoral violence in the state, merely calling people to come and do peace talk is not the solution to the electoral problem.

    “In the past, several memoranda of understanding (MoU) were signed by parties to be of good conduct during elections. On each occasion, the PDP violated the agreement and snatched election boxes and sensitive materials at gun point. Yet, the party was allowed into those elective positions.

    “For us, a mere MoU does not work. It is the PDP that has always flouted the MoU we have been signing. I want INEC to make a commitment to punish whoever is involved in electoral violence. People are dying.

    “We are ready for election any day, because we are sure that we will win. But the issue is that our voters will not be allowed to come out and cast their votes. PDP thugs will take over the polling units and voters will be afraid to come out and vote, if this issue of punishing those who made trouble during past elections are not punished.”

    Ikiowak maintained that no date would be given for the election until the parties reached an agreement to allow a level-playing field for all candidates and parties.

    The REC said INEC’s efforts to make politicians understand the need for peaceful conduct of elections had always collapsed.

    He insisted that the free, fair and peaceful elections would only be achieved if politicians allowed such.

    Ikiowak said INEC was ready for that.

    The REC said the Peace Mediators from Abuja were invited to also speak to the parties on the essence of peace.

    He believed the parties would listen to them and allow the rerun to be conducted in peace.

    Addressing reporters, Rev. Eze said the essence of the meeting was to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections in the state.

    Eze believed that meetings and interventions by INEC and other mediators had not yielded fruits because men of God had not made any input.

    The cleric hoped that things would to change for the better because God-fearing persons had stepped into the matter.

    But the Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Inter-Party Affairs, Rev. Chris Itamunola, denied the allegation that the PDP was behind electoral violence.

    Itamunola addressed reporters in Port Harcourt.

    He said: “I am very sure that Governor Wike, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, will always do everything within his powers to ensure that there is decorum as far as election and electioneering issues come the eight local governments are concerned. He has pledged for that.

    “The challenge of having peaceful elections is not on the part of the ruling party in the state or any other party but on INEC and security agencies, to do due diligence. They are expected to be umpires, not ‘participants’.

    “What we expect them to do is to ensure that some of those negative activities we saw during the March 19 rerun will not recur. INEC has a great responsibility; the political parties also, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC), which must know that the electorate – and the electorate alone – must be allowed to determine the fate of any candidate.

  • Kogi election: More rivers to cross

    Last week, the youthful Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello began a Hercules-like triumph in the series of judicial mines placed to test his validity as the number one citizen of the Confluence State. For some, the governor’s serial victory at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal where his major petitioners suffered bloody noses is confirmation of Dino Melaye’s hypothesis of Divine involvement. At the inauguration of Bello on January 27 in Lokoja, the senator representing Kogi West had pulled a rude joke that though Kogi people voted for another candidate, God overruled them and voted for Bello. Thus, as Justice Halima, who claimed to be under malaria parasite’s attack threw out the petitions one after the other, many simple folks were convinced that God must have indeed, voted for Bello who was not even a candidate in the November 21, 2015 election. However, for others, the tribunal judgements are an added spice to Kogi’s reputation as a land where absurdities are normal – a theatre where nothing is impossible.

    They may be right. After all, the State has attained notorietyas the experimental guinea-pig for modern Nigerian politics and law. We do not need to go far to provide proofs of this fame. It is a pioneer on many fronts: First state where a governorship election was annulled by a tribunal and upheld by an Appeal Court. The first to be ruled by an Acting Governor; first to go through a re-run poll; it holds the record as the only state where two persons were sworn into office one as governor and the other as acting governor the same day.

    Even as you read this, at least two persons are still laying claims to the speakership of the state House of Assembly! MomohJimohLawal supported by 14 of his colleagues and armed with a High Court judgement insists he is the Speaker. But Imam Alfa, leading a group of five members is the one recognized as Speaker by the executive. And the mother of all oddities: the first state to produce a governor from supplementary election- a strange phenomenon under the Nigerian law and customs.

    The controversial and supplementary nature of the election that produced Bello as governor has been the bane of his mandate. The Kogi governorship poll held November 21 last year. It was however declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. As the votes poured in, and collation got underway, it was clear that Prince AbubakarAudu, then candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC and his running mate, James AbiodunFaleke were coasting to victory. They were leading their closest rivals, incumbent Governor Idris Wada and Deputy Yomi Awoniyi of the People’s Democratic Party PDP with about 41,000 votes having polled a salivating 240,000 votes to Wada’s 199,000 votes. However, a legal technicality prevented the victory from being announced on the spot.

    Some 49,000 votes, a little more than the margin of defeat were still outstanding. The Electoral Act, which moderates the conduct of all elections into public offices in Nigeria makes it mandatory that the yet to participate 49,000 registered voters must not be disenfranchised. Consequently, the Returning Officer invoked this legal provision and declared the election inconclusive. A new date for the conclusion was yet to be announced when news of Audu’s death filtered in.  The APC, the state under which the late Prince was winning the election, came in to claim all the votes leaving none for his rattled political patrimony.

    From a shaky start, the party went to its archive and awarded the disputed votes to Bello who came second in the primary that produced the fallen Audu. Fortunately, it had an ally in a restive and partisan Attorney General and Minister of Justice who admonished the party to bring a new candidate in the middle of an election. The supplementary poll that held on Saturday December 5, 2015 was a walk-over for Bello. He shored up the APC total votes to about 247,000 with his 6,000 supplementary votes and thus became the first person in humanity to win public office on the strength of a make-up election. When he was inaugurated in January, he did not have a deputy governor as Faleke who was retained on the INEC documents as running mate vehemently rejected the offer. He then approached the tribunal to agitate for his declaration as governor.

    It then appeared that Bello’s governorship was imperiled from the start. Faleke felt terribly short changed by his party and INEC. He reasoned that Audu had already won the election before he died; He urged the tribunal to compel INEC to declare him as winner since he was on a ‘joint ticket’ with Audu. In his opinion, the supplementary election was completely unnecessary and an illegality. The simple question he wanted the tribunal to answer was whether INEC was right in declaring the November 21 election inconclusive. The tribunal failed to answer that question but instead threw out his case for lack of merit.

    Tribunal chairman Justice Halima Mohammed held that since Faleke did not participate in every stage of the election, he lacked locus standi to bring the petition before it. It resolved that since the. election was declared inconclusive, the right to challenge its outcome had not accrued to Faleke. The tribunal declined jurisdiction to question the party’s internal process that led to the nomination for Audu’s replacement. It appeared that the tribunal spoke from both sides of the mouth. The question of what constitute ‘every stage’ of the election was left dangling. If Faleke was dismissed for not participating in every stage of the election, then what do we say about Bello? A man who did not participate in campaigns and the general election can hardly be said to have fared better under the law.

    After summarily dismissing Faleke’s case in the manner described above, the tribunal landed its hammer on its next victim, former Governor Wada of the PDP. Wada’s case was multi-faceted. He opined that since Audu died in the middle of a general election and not primary, the period allowed by law for the substitution of a candidate had elapsed. He argued that Bello who was used to replace Audu could not inherit the votes of a dead person. He alleged further that Bello was not even qualified to contest the election because he was not a registered voter in Kogi State and he went into the supplementary election without running mate. Finally, he brought a forensic report and expert to show that the election was rigged in favour of the APC. Again, his application was dismissed for lack of merit.

    Although Justice Halima graciously granted him locus standi, she said the load of scanned electoral materials brought by the forensic expert and which she had earlier admitted or marked as exhibit were ‘dumped’ on the tribunal. The tribunal was silent on Bello’s invalid voter’s card and held that he did not contest the December 5 supplementary poll without a running mate. She stunned listeners when she declared that Faleke who she declined locus standi a day before, was also Bello’s running mate for the make-up election! The tribunal held that the provisions of the law as it relates to substitution of candidate by a political party become invalid in an inconclusive election. The Wada case still left many unanswered questions. Can votes of a corpse be transferred to the living or they die with him? Between a party and a candidate, who own the votes cast in an election? What is the life span of the result of a primary election? Can a material presented and accepted as exhibit be said to have been dumped on a court?

    For now, Bello is salivating his victory and swimming in the euphoria of the moment. Whereas his admirers see the hands of God in his tribunal victories describing them as ‘legal wonders’, his traducers see them as ‘legal blunders’. Will the Kogi Governor truly be a cat with nine lives or just a flash in the pan? Only time and perhaps, the Supreme Court will tell. The good people of Kogi State and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see how this landmark riddle will enrich our jurisprudence.

     

    • Elesho is a public affairs analyst.

  • Suspected cultists kill 15 persons in five Rivers communities

    Rampaging armed youths believed to be cultists have invaded five communities in Rivers State, killing 15 persons. They also burnt houses and looted properties valued at millions of naira.

    The communities are Ovogo, Rumuewhuo and Rumuji in Emuoha Local Government Area.

    A source yesterday said seven persons were killed in Ovogo. Two each were killed in Rumuehwuo and Rumuji.

    The gunmen invaded the Emuoha communities around 8 am yesterday. They started shooting, causing heavy panic. Residents scampered to safety. The community is presently deserted.

    Last Thursday and Friday, some hoodlums were said to have attacked Odhieje community of Ahoada East and burnt eight homes and looted properties, but no casualty was recorded.

    They also shot sporadically in Okogbie community, also in Ahoada East, between 9 pm on Friday and 5 am on Saturday. Three of the assailants were said to have been arrested by men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).

    The killings in Emuoha came within 24 hours after over 20 persons, including an expectant woman and two soldiers were reportedly killed in three communities of Umuokiri Aluu, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) community, Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

    Police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), denied any knowledge of the killings and the arson in Ahoada East. He said in a text message: “I don’t think; if there was something like this, I’m not aware.”

  • Eleven feared killed over cult clash in Rivers

    Some gunmen suspected to be members of a cult group on the early hours of Sunday killed eleven persons in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The cultists visited three communities in the area, Rumuji, Ovogo and Rumuewhuo communities killing the victim who were suspected to be members of the rival cult group in the area.

    Some of the victims killed are, Mr. Nature Oti, Ikechi, Onyebuchi Omuruka, Mr. Chima Omuruka, Mr. Lucky Okwakpam, Mr. Nyovele and others.

    It was learnt that the gunmen had earlier attacked Rumuji Divisional Police Headquarters, allegedly overpowered the officers on night duty and rescued detainees in the cell.

    It was also gathered that the gunmen broke into the armory of the police at Rumuji and made away with guns and ammunitions.

    A visit to the area by the Nation showed that there was still uneasy calm at the Police station, although no officer wanted to say a word to the reporter.

    But a police source stated that the police station was under a heavy gunfire attack by some bandits last night.

    Another hinted our correspondent that seven people were shot dead in Ovogo community, two in Rumuji and two others in Rumuewhuo communities, making the total number of victim to eleven..

    Michael said the residents of the three communities are now on the run following the killings.

    He said: “The residents of Ovogo community wake up this morning to witness a lot of dead bodies. There was much shooting last night. The entire Ovogo, Rumuewhuo and Rumuji communities have been deserted because of fear.”

    When contacted, Rivers State Police spokesman, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Ahmad Muhammad simply said, “There was something like that but no casualties on either sides.”

  • Gunmen kill eight in Rivers community

    Gunmen suspected to be cultists at the weekend allegedly killed eight persons in Ozochi community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the local government’s Caretaker Committee (CTC) chairman, Britain Okpara Ewor, as well as the lawmaker representing the area in the House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, separately confirmed the incident yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    They said the hoodlums stormed the community on Saturday night, shooting sporadically and killing the eight persons, including the oldest man in the community.

    The gunmen reportedly set ablaze shops and other property during the attack.

    Ewor condemned the incident, describing those behind it as enemies of the local government and the state.

    He spoke on phone through his media aide, Monday Oyagiri.

    The council chairman warned troublemakers to steer clear of the local government.

    He added that anyone caught would face the wrath of the law.

    Ewor consoled with the families that lost loved ones in the incident.

    It was learnt that the local government will soon organise a peace and prayer summit for an end to cultism and killings.

    Ehie urged security operatives to investigate the killings and ensure that the culprits are apprehended and punished.

  • Rivers Chief Judge releases 62 prison inmates

    The Rivers State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Iyaye A. Laminkanra, has granted pardon and discharged 62 inmates of the Port Harcourt Maximum Prisons ahead of the Democracy Day celebration.

    It was her maiden exercise since she was appointed CJ last July. She took over from Justice Daisy Wotube Okocha who was substantive CJ for just two weeks, before her retirement from service in July.

    Justice Laminkanra said it is the constitutional right of CJs to embark on routine jail delivery to decongest the prisons.

    Over 450 names were presented to the visiting Judge for consideration, including those charged with capital offences, but only 62 were lucky.

    Most of the persons she released are those charged with light offences, such as conspiracy, stealing, burglary, assault among others who have been awaiting trial for between three and seven years.

    Three of the inmates were released on the grounds of age. They are 70 years and above and have been on awaiting trial list for about eight years. Underage inmates were also considered.

    However, nobody was released from the female list. The 34 names On the list are all charged with capital offences, mostly murder. The CJ said their charges are critical and that they should stay back and allow the law take its course.

    No fewer than 55 of the inmates are suffering from either Tuberculosis (TB) or immune supressed ailment.

    The medical doctor in charge of the prison, simply identified as Wakama confirmed this. He presented the lists to the CJ.

    The conditions have deformed some of them. They no longer walk on their own and had to be carried by their colleagues. But their pitiful conditions did not still fetch them release.

    Most of them are charged with murder, defilement of underage girls and armed robbery. Two of them, Olali Ogana and Inusa Usman, who were charged for assault and stealing, were discharged. But the state of Ogana’s health, a TB patient, looked critical. The condition has paralysed him, his legs twisted.  He was in custody for two years, eight months.

    Justice Laminkanra encouraged the prison officials to ensure those that were not considered are always taken to court and promised to discuss with the magistrates on the need to include the cases in the list to be heard.

    But to those discharged, she urged them to steer clear from crime and be engaged with meaningful means of living.

    “Go and sin no more. There should be no excuse that there is no job, many of you can farm, get menial jobs to keep life moving.

    “Go and be good citizens of the country and the state, stay out of crime. Some of you have been here for seven years. If you come back here again, you may not be that lucky again,” she advised.

    The Deputy Controller of Port Harcourt Prison, Mr. A. Ndupu, said the prison as at May 18, 2016 has a population of 3, 824 inmates, with 3, 422 in the ATM.

    Ndupu said the Prison, which was built almost 100 years ago, was planned for just 804 inmates but the facility has been overstretched without any expansion of any kind.

    He thanked the CJ for the exercise, saying that it would go a long way in decongesting the facility.

    The coordinator of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Orashi Mandate Group, Napoleon Adah, urged the Minister of Interior, Abdullrahman Dambaza, and the Controller-General Nigeria Prison Services, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, to facilitate the completion of Omoku prison to ease congestion of Port Harcourt prison and to check further spread of diseases in the place.

    Adah  was reacting to the reports of over congestion of the prison.

    The activist also called for the rehabilitation of the three existing prisons in the state-, Port Harcourt, Degema and Elele prisons to help the inmates lead good lives  while being incarcerated.

    He noted that the steps would give room for proper security to avoid jail breaks.

  • Rivers APC threatens to sue PDP chair, other for ‘frivolous allegations’

    Rivers APC threatens to sue PDP chair, other for ‘frivolous allegations’

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has threatened to sue Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, and his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, for alleged frivolous allegations.

    APC also gave the leaders of the state’s PDP 48 hour to retract what it called offensive statement that the son of APC Deputy Chairman, Peter Odike, was arrested by the Army for alleged killing and kidnapping.

    In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, through its Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the Rivers APC described the allegations as malicious, diabolical, disgusting and false.

    APC said: “We wish to state, after due confirmation from all the security organs in Rivers State, including the Army, that no son of Prince Odike, the Rivers State APC Deputy Chairman, was arrested for any crime.

    “This latest antics are among the ploys by the PDP leadership in Rivers State to continue to hoodwink the nation and a shameful attempt to smear us with their established trademark of killings, assassination and kidnappings, acts that are alien to the APC leadership and members of the party in Rivers State.

    “The murderous acts of PDP in Rivers State are well documented and known throughout the world. The utterances of Chief Nyesom Wike (Rivers State Governor), the PDP leader in Rivers State, at various fora have led to the death of many officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agents and innocent members of the APC.

    “Today, under the watch of Wike, over 500 innocent souls of Rivers State have met their untimely death and Rivers State is now known as the killing field, courtesy of the PDP leadership in the state. INEC cannot conclude the National and State Assembly elections in the state due to the murderous nature of the PDP leadership in Rivers State.”

    The Rivers APC said it was not its intention to join issues with what it called a group of demented and debased minds.

    The party noted that the sources of the allegations, which it said was intended to demonise and tarnish its good image and its peace-loving leaders, must be unravelled.

    Obuah, in an online statement through Needam, had said the party had been vindicated on its position that leaders of the state APC were behind the violence, kidnappings and killings in Rivers State.

    Obuah noted that the arrest of Odike’s son did not come to the PDP as a surprise, adding that the alleged confession to the crimes would make it easier and quicker for the process of investigation and prosecution by the Army and other security authorities to be concluded.

  • UNICEF, Rivers colaborate to protect women, children in Niger Delta

    United Nation Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is set to partner Rivers State government to protect the rights of children and women in the Niger Delta.

    Mr. Wilbroad Ngambi, UNICEF Chief of Field office led other members of the organisation    on a courtesy visit to Rivers State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Isaac Kamalu in his office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    Ngambi  informed the commissioner of the creation of UNICEF Port Harcourt office that would coordinate the organisation’s operations in four states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta. He  said the port Harcourt would help them to serve the people better.

    He  said the idea of making Rivers State the zonal office was to help protect  the rights of women and children in the region.

    He noted that the partnership with Rivers State government is a sign of commitment to strengthen the existing collaboration, adding that part of the effort is the opening up  of a field office to cover four Niger Delta States within the region.

    He thanked the Ministry of Budget and Economic planning for the effective coordination of the programmes and collaboration between UNICEF and Rivers State government.

    Ngambi said: “With a deep sense of humanity and poise  to work with your Ministry toward delivering result for children and women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, South-South geopolitical zone, I found it highly important to perform my first official function to ensure a good synergy.

    “On behalf of UNICEF, I extend our hand of partnership to record positive exploits for children and women in the region. UNICEF has been supporting Rivers State in programme such as health and nutrition for child survival and development, education, water and sanitation.”

    Kamalu assured UNICEF’s team of Rivers State government corporation and assistance in all area it’s may  want the government to render assistance.

    He said Governor  Nyesom Wike was delighted when he heard that UNICEF has opened their regional office in Port Harcourt. He also announced that the governor has ordered the release of counterpart fund for better cooperation.

  • Agony of Rivers students forced to return home

    Agony of Rivers students forced to return home

    Citing paucity of funds, the Rivers State Government has stopped the foreign scholarship initiative of the immediate past Rotimi Amaechi administration, making uncertain the future of 350 students.  PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA reports on the plight of the students and their parents as well as the government’s efforts to manage the situation.  

    THe 350 Rivers State students withdrawn from universities abroad are not happy with the government.

    They have described their transfer from well-equipped universities in the United Kingdom, Canada, among other countries to higher institutions at home as unfortunate and painful. Some of them are stranded because Nigerian universities do not offer their courses.

    They wondered why it was in their time that the government discontinued foreign scholarship.

    The scholarship was initiated by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    Some beneficiaries have completed their degrees, and even done their masters or Ph.D, or started working abroad.

    But, those who got their scholarship a year or two before the expiration of Amaechi’s tenure were not so lucky.  Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, who succeeded Amaechi, discontinued the scholarship, citing economic challenges for his action.

    He directed that the students return home to continue their studies. His administration, he said, would not abandon the students but would offer them opportunity to study in any university of their choice.

    The governor said his administration, had settled the school fees of students in their final year.

     

    The students’ pains

    Some of the students told The Nation that they would have stayed back but their host countries insisted that their visas would not be renewed if their school fees were not paid.

    The students are bitter that since their returning in February, some of them are yet to be absorbed into any university.

    One of them Anokuru Fortune, who was studying Computer Systems Engineering at the Nottingham Trent University, said he was sad because he was preparing for his second year when he had to return home.

    “It is getting to three months since I returned from the United Kingdom.  We are still confidently waiting to be absorbed into any Nigerian university. The only thing is that the joy of schooling outside the country has been jeopardised,” he said.

    Clinton Amadi, also from the Nottingharm Trent University, is worried that no university in Nigeria offers his course, Computer Software Engineering.

    “I am still searching for a university in Nigeria that offers my course; it is not all about coming back but to get a university that is offering the course we are doing over there. The truth is that not all the courses offered abroad is being studied in Nigerian universities,” he said.

    Amadi debunked claims that the government had paid for final year students.

    “I was surprised to hear that the government has paid the fees of final year students; but over there they said no money was paid into their accounts.”

    Charity Chukwu, a second year student at the Bedfordshire University, United Kingdom (UK) has not given up completing her Electrical Engineering programme over there.  She spoke of plans by her family to raise funds for her return to the UK.

    Condemning the decision to stop the scholarship, Charity said: “It is like showing a strong Christian heaven and telling him or her to turn back.  The truth is that not everybody will return to Nigeria; it is an opportunity offered to youths to become something and be like others. It is very painful to see yourself at the airport getting ticket to return home like a slave.

    “As for me I am going back to UK to continue with my studies, I have already made my arrangement.”

    Anokuru said the uncertainty of continuing at home made some students not to return.  He said they took low-paying jobs to eke out a living.

    “Many students are suffering over there; some of them don’t want to come back to continue their studies here because they are not sure if the promise of securing admission in Nigeria would be kept.

    “Their only option was to work in supermarkets, restaurants and others where a good number of them is presently working. Maybe with their income and the assistance of their relatives back home they could renew their visas, but they will still find it difficult to pay school fees.”

    With limited opportunities to survive without funding, Charity said some students may turn to crime.

     

    Parents’ lament

    The joy of having children on scholarship abroad has turned to sorrow for many parents.

    Association of Students on Scholarship  Abroad president Mr. Gift Amadi, said beyond being forced to come back when they would have preferred to complete their education abroad, some students are stranded, without food or accommodation, and cannot come home because the government is owing their schools.

    Amadi said: “Some of the students expected to come back home cannot come because their various universities have seized their transcripts due to the refusal of the Rivers State government to pay their bills. The students are suffering over there. The students cannot come back to Nigeria without their transcripts which will help them to secure admission here.

    “The major problem they have now is the issue of accommodation. Most of them are now hanging out with their foreign friends even as they struggle to feed.  Don’t forget the final year students have been stopped from participating in the revision over there.”

    Confirming Amadi’s claim, one of the stranded students, Paul Adim, told The Nation on phone that they cannot attend classes.

    “There has not been any good communication between the school and the students abroad. As I am talking to you now they have stopped us from participating in the revision class.  We are no longer talking about continuing our education; all we are talking about now is how to feed and to see where to put our heads when night comes. Things are very difficult for us here. Only God can save us from our present frustration.  My regret is that some of us may end up in prison abroad before help may finally come.”

    Mr. Edmond Amakiri, a parent, said his son was living in precarious conditions.

    He said: “Today, my son is living in a house where there is no water heater.  He said somebody was hospitalised before now because there was no heater.

    “All we are saying is that they went there alive and we will not accept them back dead. The government should assist the students to complete their studies and come back to boost the manpower resources that are needed.”

    Another parent, Mrs. Johnson Ohiahuru, appealed to the government to enter into agreements with the foreign universities to amicably solve the problems.

    “My own is a passionate plea for our beloved governor to consider the plight of these children. As far as I am concerned, the governor is the father of the state; we don’t want our children to turn to something else and we will not accept that,” she said.

     

    RSSDA’s response

    Mr. Larry Pepple, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), the organ that runs the scholarship, said it was not the government’s intention to make the students suffer.

    Pepple said the prevailing economic realities make it difficult to continue with the scholarship.  He said many states were owing salaries, adding that even the RSSDA workers have not been paid.

    He said: “Whenever I speak about this scholarship, I speak with a heavy heart because I am a father. Rivers State government used to receive a statutory allocation of between N11 and N15 billion, with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of about N15 billion; but last month the allocation was N3.5 billion or less. The wage bill of the government is over N9 billion.

    “Rivers State government is affected, so government met and decided that it will no longer carry the burden of sponsoring foreign scholarship but can afford to sponsor them locally in Nigerian universities; and that only final year students can stay behind.

    “The rest of them, which are over 188, will have to return to Nigeria but not to return to their homes but to return to new schools within Nigeria offering their courses.  But that is the challenge we are facing.”

    The RSSDA boss said he had met with the affected students’ parents more than twice, and written to the students to explain the situation.  He said some have refused to accept reality.

    “We have met three times with the parents; we have also written to all the individual students. A child that has being exposed to good environment, a place where electricity does not go off, a place where internet access is so easy, and you are asking him or her to return they will feel bad.

    “Some parents would rather the government continues to fund the education of their children abroad than have them return to Nigeria; but this is the stage we are now. When we met the parents they made us to enter into serious prayer sessions to see if the government could change its mind, but the governor is also trying.”

    To address the problem, Pepple said the students have been categorized into three according to their parents’ ability to fund their education on their own.

    He said: “We have identified three categories of students – one – those whose parent are financially buoyant; they can pay out rightly and about two parents have agreed to continue with their children’s sponsorship.

    “Second category is people who will struggle to provide.  Technically we can assist them to negotiate on how to get access to dollar and other processes. We would also make the foreign universities to know that sponsorship has changed hand from government to individuals so they can make things easy for them. At least, if they cannot pay at the beginning of the year, they can stagger to pay in stages.

    “And the third category is those whose parents cannot pay.  We have gone ahead to enter into agreement with University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), School of Nursing and other universities in Nigeria. RSUST and UNIPORT have already given us provisional admission pending when the students will return with their transcripts.

    “The last results the foreign universities sent us, we have used to start negotiating with the universities here while we are waiting to clear their backlog of bills. We want the parents and the students to not only calm down but to adjust with the present reality.”