TheNewsGuru

Tag: Rivers State

  • Osinbajo, Onnoghen to commission key projects in Rivers on Thursday

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has announced that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will visit the state on Thursday, July 27, 2017 to commission key projects executed by his administration.

    The governor also announced that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onoghen will on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, lay the foundation stone for the construction of a Judges Quarters in the state.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit by Anglican Bishops of the Province of the Niger Delta on Monday, Governor Wike said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will commission the following projects:

    Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu Road in Etche LGA, IgboEtche-Chokocho-Rumuokwurus i Interchange Road, Rukpokwu Market Junction to Aluu Road in Obio/Akpor LGA, Rumuokoro Market and Park in Obio/Akpor LGA and Ogbunabali Internal Roads in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.

    Governor Wike explained that the Judges Quarters is necessary as the State is working towards ensuring that the Judiciary is positioned to resist the temptation to be corrupt.

    “When judges retire, they will go with the houses. The State Government is building these houses to ensure that they are comfortable to carry out their constitutional roles “, he said.

    He thanked the Bishops of the Anglican Church Province of the Niger Delta for their support. He expressed happiness that he is meeting the Bishops and their spouses collectively for the first time.

    He said: “As far as God has given us the opportunity to serve the state, we must continue to partner with the Church. It is by God’s grace that we are here. We will do everything to support the Church”.

    Archbishop of Anglican Niger Delta Province, Most Rev Ignatius Kattey said Governor Wike has laid the foundation for the continuous development of Rivers State.

    He urged other Nigerian leaders to come to Rivers State to witness the rapid development taking place under the leadership of Governor Wike.

    He said that the fight against corruption can only be effective when it begins with those at its vanguard. The Archbishop regretted that Christians are always at the receiving end of religious conflicts in parts of the country.

    The highpoint of the visit was the dedication prayer for Governor Wike and his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo by the Bishops of the Anglican Church Province of Niger Delta.

  • Recover Government House in 2019 – Senator Abe urges councillors

    Recover Government House in 2019 – Senator Abe urges councillors

    Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, has charged Councillors that were elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015,to work tirelessly to ensure that the party wins the 2019 elections in Rivers State.

    Speaking when the Rivers councillors forum of the 8th Assembly under the APC from the 319 wards of the state, visited him to congratulate him on his emergence as Senator representing Rivers South East, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, Abe who sympathized with them on their plight, said the only best way that their marginalization could be addressed adequately is if the APC recovers the Government House from the PDP in 2019.

    This, he said, therefore, requires everybody’s effort including the councillors to achieve.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the present government in the state was very myopic in the distribution of the resources of the state exclusively for people in PDP.

    Abe explained that every Rivers person has a right to the resources of the state.

    Speaking further, he said even though the PDP is the ruling party that the resources of the state could get to other parties and other non-politicians alike.

    He, however, regretted that the present administration does not consider anybody a Rivers man except you are in PDP.

    The former Secretary to Rivers State Government further said that some civil servants who were employed under the administration of Rt.Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi were not paid their salaries for the reason that APC administration employed them not minding the fact that they are Rivers people.

    He said although their matter is in Court, which he cannot comment because of sub-judice that it was only an APC government in Rivers state that will address their issues adequately.

    Abe urged them to double their effort in ensuring that the party wins the 2019 general elections.

    “The Rivers state government is supposed to be for all Rivers people regardless of your party. If there is something that is 100 and the party in power takes 70, at least 30 should be able to slip out of the system and enter into the hands of people from other parties; people who are not in any party and all that. That was how it was. But now, the government in the state is deliberately locking the system against members of the APC. In a lot of local government areas, if you are APC member, they won’t pay you your salary. That is what is going on.

    The government should not be run that way because no matter which party is in power, the government is for all of us and so, deliberately shutting out people completely the way it is being done in this system because of their political affiliation is not only unconstitutional, it is totally wrong.

    As we speak here today, there are lecturers in the Rivers State University who are not being paid and the main reason they are not being paid is the suspicion that they came on board during the era of APC. So, a lot of them are being denied their just entitlements.

    It is this attitude and policy that is escalating the hunger among our party supporters and our response to that situation is not to go into name calling and blame game trading. It is for us to sit back and ensure that taking back the Government should be the first priority of every member of this political party”, he stated.

    Abe, however, berated those who were dissuading the councillors from visiting him, pointing out that such was against the interest of the party.

    He commended them for turning out en masse to visit and congratulate him on his victory.

    Abe assured them that he had listened to their complaints and that the issues will be presented to the party leadership, pointing out that it was the party leadership that took the matter to Court.

    He further assured them that the party had not abandoned them.

    Earlier in her speech, the leader of the group, Hon. Chioma Amadi-Oparaeli, said, they visited Senator Abe to felicitate with him on his victory as well as present the issues affecting them.

  • No regrets supporting Wike as Rivers governor – Goodluck Jonathan

    No regrets supporting Wike as Rivers governor – Goodluck Jonathan

    Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has said he has no regrets whatsoever supporting Governor Nyesom Wike in the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state.

    The ex-president noted that electorates also were not disappointed at Wike’s outstanding performance so far in Rivers State.

    Jonathan was speaking at the commissioning of the Second Nkpogu Bridge as part of the second year anniversary of Wike’s administration.

    He said, “Governor Wike has performed wonderfully well.

    “I have no regrets that Governor Wike is the governor of Rivers State. I am happy that the governor has opened up Rivers State through projects.

    “Wike has shown so much commitment to infrastructural development. The whole of Rivers State is now a construction yard.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Wike was Minister of State for Education under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

     

  • Rivers State: Nigeria’s tourism and investment destination

    Rivers State: Nigeria’s tourism and investment destination

    By Simeon Nwakaudu

    Endowed by nature as the nation’s treasure base, Rivers State is blessed with vast deposits of oil and gas, two functional seaports, an international airport, revived rail network, vast arable land, enhanced security network and a business friendly environment. Rivers State is Nigeria’s undisputed tourism and investment destination.

    The security framework in the state has been deliberately developed by the Wike administration to ensure the growth of the oil and gas industry. Massive international and Indigenous investments in this sector have made the state the headquarters of oil and gas in the country.

    With access to extensive arable land, water resources and two of the largest fertilizer production plants in the country, backed by an agricultural policy that favours public private partnership model for commercial agriculture, Rivers State provides a platform for profitable crop and fish farming for local and international investors to exploit.

    The tourism industry has been robustly nurtured to attract other Nigerians and foreigners to Rivers State. Beach resorts, the New Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, an international airport, two seaports, good network of roads and railway line, tourists have found Rivers State attractive. Governor Wike since assuming the leadership of the state has created an atmosphere that promotes tourism.

    Electricity supply in the industrial regions of the state has been marvelous as a result of the presence of Gas Turbines at Afam and Omoku. The power situation has been made more attractive by the investments by Governor Wike in the independent electrification of key public facilities in the state, just to free up generated electricity for business purposes.

    Business concerns interested in investing in other mineral resources will find out that Rivers State is a destination of choice. It has several solid minerals in commercial quantity.

    Access to quality healthcare in Rivers State is guaranteed. From tertiary medicare to primary healthcare, investors are assured of access to high class medical professionals and facilities. The Braithwaite Specialist Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt has been upgraded by the Wike administration, while the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and hospitals owned by international oil and gas companies are open to those in need of quality healthcare services.

    In Nigeria, Port Harcourt is the home of decent, classy hotels. Visitors troop into the city on a daily basis, just to enjoy the warmth, hospitality and friendship of Rivers people. Recent high-profile developments by the Wike administration have strengthened Rivers State’s position as a national hub for hospitality.

    Connection into Rivers State is the easiest in the country. It boasts of all forms of transportation. Air, road, railway and marine transportation. The international airport, two seaports and the railway have created avenues in and out of the state.

    This is a fertile environment for manufacturing. The Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout has been upgraded by the Wike administration to attract local and international investors to the state. Investors are trooping into the state to take advantage of the business friendly climate.

    Return on investments in Rivers State is the best in the country. Investors have access to ready-made local and international markets to sell their products while the Wike administration has strengthened the security architecture and offered tax reliefs/holidays to woo new investors to the state.

    If you are yet to be in Rivers State for your lifetime investments, you are missing out on the best opportunity. Rivers State at 50 is being led by a Golden Governor who has a midas touch. With the transformation on ground by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, investors will enjoy an era of financial bliss for choosing Rivers State. Make that wise choice today.

    This is a New Rivers State, Nigeria’s Outstanding Centre of profitable investment.

     

    Simeon Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media

  • Rivers Government shuts down hospital over missing 3-week-old baby

     

    The Rivers State Government has shutdown the Churchill Primary Health Centre in Port Harcourt. The move came after the alleged disappearance of a three-week-old baby, who was brought in for immunization.

    The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Agiriya Harry said the Health Centre was shut down because of the activities of hoodlums who claim to be sympathizers of the family of the missing baby.

    Harry said the police were now investigating to try and unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged missing child.

    “What we can tell you is that yes, a baby was missing and from our own investigations, we discovered that the said mother of the child was careless.

    “It was wrong for her to have handed over her child to some one she does not know and then she comes and put the blame on the matron.

    “We had to shutdown the hospital because when the thing happened instead of her to go and report the matter at the police station, she went and told her husband who we understand is a tout in Churchill.

    “The husband then led other members of his group and unleashed mayhem in the hospital,” he said.

    He confirmed that some members of staff at the facility were invited for questioning and had since been released.

    He advised nursing mothers and guardians to keep an eye on their children and wards whenever they visit any Primary Health Care centre.

     

  • Remains of late Rivers CP arrives Lagos

    The remains of the late Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya, on Saturday arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Odesanya died on Jan. 31 in India where he had gone for medicare.

    The remains of the late police chief arrived aboard an Emirates Airline aircraft at about 4.30pm.

    It was received by the the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, the Lagos Airport Police Commissioner, Mrs Victory Menta, and the consignee, Dr Adegboyega Oke.

    Spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed to NAN that the remains of the deceased was later deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) , Ikeja.

    The late Odesanya joined the Nigeria Police Force on Feb.2, 1986 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent

    He assumed office as the 37th Police Commissioner in the state on July 28, 2016, taking over from DIG Folunso Adebanjo

  • BREAKING: Rivers State commissioner of police is dead

    The Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Bolaji Odesanya, is dead. Odesanya was said to have died this morning in an undisclosed hospital abroad after a brief illness.

    He was the 37th Rivers State Commissioner of Police, having succeeded Mr. Foluso Adebanjo on July 12, 2016.

    Odesanya joined the force on February 2, 1986, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police and rose through the ranks to the of Commissioner of Police.

    Details later…

  • Rivers state confirms Lassa fever case

    The Rivers ministry of health has confirmed a case of Lassa fever in a private health facility in the state.

    The commissioner for health, Dr. Theophilus Odagme, disclosed to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the patient had been managed, fully recovered and discharged.

    He said the ministry was collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the private hospital and family of patient to ensure that the process of decontamination and contact are effectively carried out.

    “Right now, we pray it does not pose further threat to the state.

    “Indeed, we had a patient in a private hospital in the state. The patient was diagnosed and expertly managed and has been discharged.

    “The primary and secondary contacts are being followed and the other processes of decontamination are all on,” he said.

    According to Odagme, the patient did not die while the ministry is doing necessary follow-up

    “We are following up with all the contacts. We are also ready if there are eventualities with the contacts, we will move them to the special center in Emohua local government,” he said.

    The commissioner advised residents of the state not to panic because the government was on top of the situation.

     

  • Stop dragging us into your war against security agencies, Rivers APC tells Wike, PDP

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has called on Governor Nyesom Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP not to drag it (APC) into its alleged war against security agencies.

    This was made known in a statement released exclusively to TheNewsGuru.com by the party secretariat in the state on Thursday.

    The statement reads in full: “Despite our determined efforts and resolve to stay clear of Gov. Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] war against Nigerian security agencies, the governor and his party [PDP] appear very determined to drag the All Progressives Congress [APC] into the fray of what seems to be a war they cannot win.

    The APC notes with shock that Rivers PDP in a statement signed by Jerry Needam on behalf of the PDP State Chairman, Felix Obuah, is accusing the Nigeria Police of becoming the security arm of APC. This is a joke taken too far by every decent standard in politics.

    We recall that in the same press statement PDP accused the Nigeria Police of arresting 21 ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who took part in the legislative re-run election in the State.

    While the APC will not attempt to speak for the Nigeria Police, we wish to state that the PDP is simply crying wolf and this is typical of them and therefore not surprising to many. We do not see why the PDP should be too worried that ad-hoc staff of INEC or indeed anybody is invited by the Nigeria Police to assist it on any issue. How that becomes a source of worry for the PDP is baffling to us. Could it be a confirmation of our long-held suspicion that PDP smuggled their members into the INEC ad-hoc staff list in order to do their bidding? Or could the investigation of the ad-hoc staff possibly lead to the unravelling of possible extent and dimensions of compromise of INEC officials by Gov. Nyesom Wike and the PDP hence the apprehension and false alarm?

    The APC is convinced that the camp of the PDP is presently thrown into confusion because the invited ad-hoc INEC staff are likely to confess and name those who compromised them over the December 10 rerun election and that is the reason behind the panic mode Rivers PDP and Gov. Wike have suddenly found themselves in.

    We wish to remind the governor and his party that clear conscience fears no accusation because the truth will ultimately prevail. The purported arrest and transfer of 21 ad-hoc INEC staff to Abuja by the Police, even if true, should not elicit the sort of animated frenzy that has become evident of the governor and PDP in Rivers State. Or could it be that that INEC and their staff in Rivers State have become the election administrative arm of Rivers PDP? We ask that we may know.

    We call on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies not to be fazed by Governor Wike’s antics and empty threats for those are his stock-in-trade without which he may never function true to type,” the statement concludes.