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Tag: rivers

  • Two killed as Hausa traders, task force clash in Rivers

    At least, two persons were said to have lost their lives during a clash on Monday between Hausa traders and a group of Onne youths in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Some youths, who claimed to be members of a local government task force had gone to Opaku Park in Onne known to be a Hausa community and asked the traders to pay their daily levies.

    It was learnt that trouble started when one of the Hausa traders was said to have opted not to pay the daily levy, a development that angered the task force members.

    The disagreement immediately degenerated into a serious clash between the groups that led to the death of one of the task force members.

    “A community source, who identified himself as Franklin, said some community members later joined the fray and set a mosque ablaze.” Punch reports

    Franklin added that a Hausa trader was later found dead at the end of the clash between the task force members and the traders.

    A church was also said to have been razed during the free-for-all that affected the hitherto peaceful community.

    The State Police Public Relation Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident, told newsmen that it was a clash between Hausa traders and some members of a task force in Onne.

    Omoni, who stated that a mosque and church were torched during the clash, explained that the place was currently peaceful following the intervention of security operatives in the area.

    According to him, “We are aware of the development, though I am yet to get full details. We have swung into action and our men have been deployed in the area to maintain calm.”

  • INEC confirms theft of voters registration machine in Rivers

    INEC confirms theft of voters registration machine in Rivers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed the theft of the Direct Data Capturing, DDC equipment being used for the voters registration exercise in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state.

    The INEC equipment alongside with council properties were allegedly stolen from Emohua Local Government Council.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Rivers State, Aniedi Ikoiwak confirmed the incident after visiting the Emohua council headquarters.

    A statement signed by INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Rivers State, Richard Ntui assured that the commission is making effort to ensure that no eligible voter in Emohua is denied registration.

    The commission also advised the authority to provide adequate security for INEC office and the council in order to avoid a recurrence of this incident.

  • UNESCO to empower 50,000 girls, women in ICT

    UNESCO to empower 50,000 girls, women in ICT

    UNESCO will on Tuesday launch the second phase of its project to empower illiterate girls and women in low Performing Junior Secondary Schools through Information Communication Technology in Bauchi State, an official has said.

    The project is targeted at 50,000 girls and women, Mr Olushola Macaulay, the National Officer, Communication and Information, UNESCO, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

    The first phase of the project, “Revitalising Adult and Youth Literacy in Nigeria” supported by the Federal Government, addressed the challenges of illiteracy.

    In the previous project, 60,000 illiterate women, girls in low Performing Junior Secondary Schools were trained in life skills and use of ICT in the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers in 2016, Macaulay said.

    According to him, the second phase of the project is funded by Procter and Gamble, an American-based consumer product company, and targets schools in Bauchi State.

    He said that the strategy to be deployed in the current project would be “School Meets the Learner Approach’’.

    “This is to empower additional 50,000 illiterate women and girls in low-performing Junior Secondary Schools.

    “The objective of the second phase of the project is to bring schools to the doorsteps of the learners using technology, where learners have difficulties in accessing education in a formal setting.

    “The launch of the project, School Meets the Learner Approach, marks the beginning of the UNESCO new initiative to Education.

    “This is where ICT devices, such as television, tablets, and mobile phones are deployed to learners in their homes, workplaces to facilitate teaching and learning,” Macaulay said.

    He said over the years, various government institutions had instituted policies, established structures and supported interventions aimed at addressing the high level of illiteracy in the country.

    According to him, statistics by the Federal Ministry of Education indicates that only 500,000 out of 40 million adult illiterates are enrolled in adult learning classes.

    He said there were also 3.5 million school age children roaming the streets with only 450,000 accessing any form of schooling.

  • Lagos, Rivers emerge highest IGR earners in 2016 – NBS

    Lagos, Rivers emerge highest IGR earners in 2016 – NBS

    …As Ebonyi emerges the lowest earner

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released the list of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, at State level for January to December 2016.

    The statistics shows that Lagos State recorded the highest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) figure of N302.42bn in Full Year 2016.

    Lagos with a population of above 20million, earned 81,097,954,616.12 from federal allocation, FAAC.

    The former capital of Nigeria was closely followed by Rivers State with N85.29bn.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Ebonyi generated the lowest IGR with N2.34bn.

    However, Anambra state is yet to report its Full Year 2016 Internally Generated Revenue figure.

    NBS said a total of N801.95bn was generated by 35 states that have reported their Full Year 2016 Internally Generated Revenue figure.

    The revenue was generated across the following types – PAYE, Direct Assessment, Road Taxes, Revenue from Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other taxes.

    Lagos, Abia, Kano, Benue, Bauchi, Osun and Akwa Ibom emerged top 7 earners of Self-Assessment tax across the country.

    See comprehensive list below:

  • #BBNaija: RiverS State Government urge Nigerians to vote for Marvis

    #BBNaija: RiverS State Government urge Nigerians to vote for Marvis

    As the Big Brother Nigeria reality TV Show comes to an end, Nigerians are putting their weights behind their favourite housemates.

    A certain letter allegedly written by the permanent secretary of Rivers State Commissioner for culture and tourism, has gone viral. In the letter, he urges Rivers State Indigenes to vote for Marvis at the ongoing reality TV show.

    The letter was dated 3/4/2017 and signed by Michael Ejiohuo on behalf of the Rivers State Commissioner for culture and tourism.

  • why we released Rivers supplementary election result – INEC

    why we released Rivers supplementary election result – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission said that the result of the supplementary election held in Etche, Rivers was announced in Port Harcourt because of security reasons.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the result was not declared in Etche but in Port Harcourt.

    He explained that certain circumstances made the returning officer of the Etche/Omuma federal constituency to declare the result by simple majority in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

    Ikoiwak explained that after collating the result in Etche by 2 a.m., the returning officer needed to consult a relevant section of the law to be able to declare the result.

    He explained that the officer needed the law because he felt that areas where the election was cancelled were many.

    Ikoiwak said that at 2 a.m., the law department of the commission could not go to Etche with the law due to security reasons and the officer was advised to come down to Port Harcourt.

    He said that the officer was equally advised to tell the people, including the political parties at Etche to come to the INEC headquarters in the state at 9 a.m for declaration of the result.

    ”If that form is stolen, they have to go back for printing of that form before such form can be used.

    ”INEC does not produce more than one result form for one particular election.

    ”And so, if somebody has filled his result on that form, it means there is no other form he can use to do any other thing.

    According to him, what we conducted is supplementary election. A supplementary election is different from a normal or rerun election and the issue of margin of votes does not come in.

    Ikoiwak said that the simple majority was what the law prescribed in supplementary elections.

    ”Election was conducted in Etche and collation done in Etche until 2 a.m when the returning officer finished collation and he wanted interpretation whether he should make a declaration or declare the election inconclusive.

    ”And he needed a written section of the law which permits him to do a declaration and that was 2 a.m in Etche.

    He said that when the returning officer got the section of the law, it was clear that a supplementary election could be declared on a simple majority.

    ”All the returning officer did was to explain that he was satisfied that he could now make the declaration,” he said.

    Ikoiwak said that the returning officer went ahead and declared; there was no collation because collation was already completed.

    He urged the public to try to find out things about INEC, adding, ”we have to do our work even though we are working in a very dangerous circumstance.

    ”No need to say because people are trying to kill you so you will not follow the work according to the rule,” he said.

    According to him, we must know that there are law in this country and the section is covered by law; so whatever we do, we should do it based on the law of that election.

    ”So, what we did was the right thing by declaring, we are not interested in who won, what we know was to declare whosoever was voted for,” he said.

  • INEC declares PDP winner of federal, state legislative elections in Rivers

    INEC declares PDP winner of federal, state legislative elections in Rivers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Jerome Eke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the concluding election into Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in Rivers.

    The election was conducted on Saturday.

    Prof. Jeremiah Sola-Omotola, the Returning Officer, made the declaration at INEC office in Port Harcourt.

    He said that the Eke secured 15,221 votes to defeat Ogbonna Nwuke of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 6,220 votes.

    The PDP also won the Etche State Constituency II election with 4,162 votes, while the APC garnered 1,618 votes.

    The Returning Officer for the election, Olatubosun Odusanya, made the announcement at INEC office in Port Harcourt.

    Meanwhile the APC in Rivers has called on INEC not to contradict itself in announcing the results of Etche/Omuma elections.

    Chris Finebone, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Port Harcourt.

    He said that the elections for Etche State Constituency and Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency were formally declared inconclusive by the Returning Officers, Prof. Olatunbosun Odusanya and Prof. Omotola respectively at Okehi on Saturday.

    “’They (Returning Officers) subsequently announced that the conclusion of the process will take place today (Sunday) or on Monday,” the statement said.

    Finebone said the party said was taken aback by signals indicating that Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, the National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Rivers, ordered that the results of the inconclusive elections should be announced.

    He reminded INEC that in line with the relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), only the returning Officers were empowered to announce results of elections.

    “The APC strongly urges INEC not to go ahead to declare results for elections that it had earlier announced as inconclusive.

    “Doing so will signpost gross violation of its own rules and demonstrate the height of inconsistency and illegality on the part of INEC.

    “We urge INEC to proceed to conclude the elections without further delay before declaring the results accordingly,” the statement said.
    NAN

  • Rivers APC sacks assembly Minority Leader

    The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has expelled Benibo Anabraba, the Minority Leader in the state House of Assembly, over alleged anti-party activities.

    This was contained in a copy of the expulsion letter signed by Chief Davies Ikanya, the APC Chairman in the state, and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    Anabraba is the APC legislator representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 2 in the assembly.

    The letter stated that the State Working Committee of the party expelled Anabraba for allegedly failing to attend meetings to clear the allegations against him after three invitations.

    It alleged that Anabraba’s refusal to attend the proceedings on the three occasions he was invited confirmed his disrespect to constituted authority.

    It said: “The party considers your wilful and deliberate refusal to make yourself available to answer to the allegations against you as sufficient confirmation that the said allegations against you are true.

    “Therefore, the party pursuant to relevant provisions of the constitution of the APC (Oct. 2014 as amended), particularly Article 21 (A) ii, iii, hereby expels you from the party.”

    Efforts by the News Agency of Nigeria to reach Anabraba for his reaction failed as he was not in his office at the assembly and would not pick calls put through to his GSM line.

  • Jubilee Celebration: We will spread developmental projects across Rivers, Wike assures residents

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said his administration will spread developmental projects across the state in the light of its Jubilee Year.

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that his administration will ensure that different communities feel the impact of the state’s celebration of its Jubilee Year.

    Speaking after inspecting the reconstruction of Ogbunabali Internal Roads, Second Nkpogu Bridge and the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park on Thursday, Governor Wike said: “This is our Jubilee Year and we must give the people reason to celebrate “.

    He said that the reconstruction and expansion of the Ogbunabali Internal Roads became necessary because the community was abandoned for decades, despite being hosts of the Old Government Reserved Area and Government House.

    He said it is unfortunate that the people of Ogbunabali are getting good network of roads at this time.

    The governor noted that his administration resolved to give the people of the area a sense of belonging by embarking on the road project.

    He commended the contractors for the high quality work going on at Ogbunabali. He directed them to ensure that the roads are delivered before mark ending.

    “Ogbunabali hosts the Old Government Reserved Area (GRA), but the roads of the area have been neglected for years. We resolved to make them feel the impact of government.

    “I am happy with the reception that we received in Ogbunabali today. People are happy with the reconstruction of the roads. This is what spurs us to work harder”.

    He reiterated that his administration will remain focused to deliver democracy dividends for the people.

    He was accompanied on the inspection tour by the State Chairman of Civil Service Commission, Chief Oris Onyiri, Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi and Victor Ihunwo.

     

     

  • Rivers APC urges members to be peaceful, hopeful in New Year

    Rivers APC urges members to be peaceful, hopeful in New Year

    The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged his members and people of Rivers State to be peaceful and optimistic as they celebrate the New Year.

    APC, in a New Year message signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Warisenibo Chris Finebone, called on the party faithful and people of the State to be hopeful as they enter a New Year that promises to be prosperous despite the economic recession across the nation with its attendant negative impact on the people in 2016.

    According to him, “It is only when we are at peace with ourselves and our neighbours that our success can be guaranteed. The APC wishes to thank its teeming faithful in Rivers State for remaining steadfast in the face of excruciating economic recession which has impacted negatively on their lives. The party therefore urges you to preach peace and hope this New Year because we believe that the economy will experience a lift out of the doldrums of recession and back on the path of growth in 2017.”

    “Particularly the APC notes that 2016 was politically remarkable in several ways and the party believes that the resolve of each and every APC member will soar in 2017 moving forward.

    “The APC pays tribute to our members and associates who might not have been lucky to step into 2017 for whatever reasons. The highest remembrance we can accord them is for those of us alive to exhibit unparalleled audacity for peace, vigour, tenacity, steadfastness, courage and hope in the New Year,” the statement said.

    The APC also called on Rivers people to march into the New Year with confidence and renewed enthusiasm because the achievements of the APC in the area of national security and fight against corruption are expected to reflect positively on the national economic sphere for the upliftment of the peoples’ standard of living and welfare in 2017.