News

Peace Pact: Fubara Talks Tough Against Critics

Published

6 months ago

April 3, 2024

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has warned that he will surprise those who consider his honest decision to implement the presidential peace pact as a sign of weakness.

Fubara said he had been inundated with several comments in the media about the implementation of the peace initiative and had chosen to be silent out of maturity and wisdom.

The governor, however, said it was important to put the records straight for clarity, saying accepting President Bola Tinubu’s intervention and accompanying agreement was a political solution.

This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, and made available to newsmen.

Fubara said he had since then commenced implementation of the agreement because of his respect for Tinubu and not as a sign of weakness as believed by other political actors.

The governor said, “Let me say it here for record purposes: What is happening here in our dear state is somebody who has respect for an elder. Mr. President invited all the parties to Abuja and came out with a resolution that we should go and implement. That resolution, I am implementing it. It is not a constitutional implementation. It is a political solution to a problem.

“I am doing it because of the respect I have for Mr President. But, let me say here, if that action that I have accepted to take would be seen as a weakness, I will surprise them. I want this message to go to them.”

Fubara, who had received members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees from the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State on a solidarity rally at Government House Gate, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, said their large number further goes to prove the nature of the support his administration has continued to enjoy from the people of the state.

“Some days ago, somebody said we are busy renting a crowd for thanksgiving. But what I have seen here today is not different from what is happening at those thanksgiving rallies. People are just appreciating God and good governance,” he added.

Fubara said he was mindful of the legacy he would bequeath after his tenure, saying “It should also be about the lives that have been touched genuinely; about the policies implemented without any inducement to better the lives of the people and the society.”

The governor urged the people to continue to support his administration, show understanding over actions taken, and peacefully obey the rules.

He said, “When you are doing what is right, I will stand by you. Nobody, whether full or half is going to intimidate you. Brace up, I say brace up because the next step will be fire for fire in Rivers State. Everything will be implemented.”

Fubara said that local government workers have started receiving N30,000.00 minimum wage with a promotion to be implemented beginning from April’s salary payment.

He also promised to set in motion plans to finalise modalities for the implementation of the Consolidated Salary Scale for Grade Level 17 and regular payment of benefits to the local government service retirees.

“For our people, the great and wonderful people of Rivers State, we will continue to lead you with the fear of God.

“Maturity is not about age. Maturity is in the person. It is what defines the character of a person. I chose not to respond to people that I assumed are mature but are obviously immature in attitude.

“I will continue to be mature, not minding my age, but I will not, for any reason, allow myself or anybody who is working with me in this administration to be messed with, maltreated, or abused in the cause of administering this governance, ” the governor added.

In his speech, the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Clifford Paul, told the governor that they were on a Thank-You Rally to show appreciation for his love for the workers.

Paul stated that Fubara had changed their fortunes and restored hope in them when he directed the payment of N30,000.00 minimum wage to the workers and lifted the right-year ban on promotion, which has now placed them at par with their counterparts across the country.

News

Over 60 Youth Groups Dissociate Selves From The October 1 Protest

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

Over 60 youth organisations have declared that their members will not participate in the national protest being planned by some persons and groups for October 1 against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The president of Nigeria Youth Organization, Duke Alamboye, made the position of the youth leaders known when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, in Abuja on Thursday.

Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Mr Igoniko Oduma, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, youth bodies include the National Youth Congress, Arewa Youth Council, Yoruba Youth Council, Ohaneze Youth Council, South-South Advocate, Niger Delta Coalition, the Nigeria Nexus, Youth Parliament of Nigeria, Green Africa Youth Initiative, Youth Foundation for Non-Violence in Nigeria, Niger Delta Youth Parliament, National Association of Nigerian Students, and Youth Empowerment for Peace and Security, among others.

Alamboye in the statement said that they would work together with a network of other youth groups to “ensure that Nigerian youths were not misled into taking part in any ill-advised protest against the government of Tinubu.”

He said they would carry out a series of activities in the days ahead, including a world press conference and a youth summit, to sensitize Nigerians on the need to shun any demonstration in the country.

Alamboye, who urged youths to embrace constructive dialogue, explored them.go use available channels of engagement with the government to express their views instead of disrupting the peace and stability of the nation.

He said, “Concerning the state of the nation, we are not unaware of the agitation from certain quarters calling for a nationwide protest on October 1, 2024. It is a protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.

“As youth leaders and lovers of peace and national advancement, the Nigeria Youth Organization would like to inform you of our plan and intention to hold a world press conference on the 23rd of September, 2024, geared towards sensitizing the average Nigerian youth on the need to shun the planned protest.

“We want people to seek dialogue as a better reconciliation tool for venting their grievances. We also hope to organise a summit on October 1st, 2024, as a follow-up to the world press conference. We anticipate that all well-meaning stakeholders will play vital roles in charting a better cause for our youths.”

The youth leader congratulated Otuaro on his appointment and commended the President for putting a square peg in a square hole through the appointment of Otuaro.

He stressed that they were solidly behind Tinubu and the PAP boss.

Also speaking, Henry Okonkwo of the Ohaneze Youth Council, Tobi Bakare (Yoruba Youth Council), Ifon Daniel (Niger Delta Youth Parliament), and Nasir Lawal (Arewa Youth Council), among others, corroborated Alamboye and expressed support for the president.

Responding, the PAP Administrator praised the youth leaders for dissociating themselves from the planned protest, noting that Tinubu was is youth-friendly leader who had appointed several youths to serve in different capacities in his government.

Otuaro urged them not to allow themselves to be manipulated into unpatriotic activities in the name of protest, as the president needs more time for the benefits of his people-oriented reforms, policies, and programmes to manifest.

While thanking the youth groups for their decision and support for Tinubu, he said, “Mr. President means well for the country. It is reassuring to know that Nigerian youths are with Mr President, who has been in office for a little over a year.

“As youths, we should organise ourselves and present our grievances and concerns through constructive dialogues. Nobody should manipulate you to achieve their ulterior goals. Most of those championing the so-called protest are only seeking attention and they thrive under the guise of anti-government protests to get attention. Youths should be watchful.”

News

BREAKING: NECO Releases 2024 Internal Examination Results

Published

9 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the 2024 SSCE internal results.

This was disclosed on Thursday, September 19, by the NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Wushishi, while briefing journalists in Minna during the release of the 2024 SSCE internal results.

Wushishi also said that NECO blacklisted 21 supervisors in 12 states and de-recognized one school in Ekiti state for mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject.

According to him, the Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence.

He said: “40 schools were round to have been involved in whole-school mass cheating in 17 states adding that the schools will be invited to the council for discussion after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.”

Details shortly…

News

Rotary Club Embarks On Tree Planting To Save Environment In Bauchi

Published

10 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

The Rotary Club International on Wednesday, embarked on planting 110 forest species trees in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

Speaking during the flagging off of the planting exercise, Mr Morris Choji, Rotary Club International President in Bauchi state, said the gesture was to prevent the environment from desertification.

According to him, the club decided to embark on the project in order to see how it could contribute to saving the environment by planting the trees to serve as windbreaks and to avoid erosion.

Morris, who encouraged the people of Dass to also plant more trees, promised that the club would plant more if the ones planted are well taken care of.

“Today, we are witnessing a tree planting project that we as Rotarians do from time to time to see how we can save the environment.

“As Rotary club, we have seven areas of focus such as Polio eradication, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child health, among others and protecting the environment is one of them.

“We are planting 110 forest species trees in the Dass Local Government Area of the state and I would like to call on the benefiting community to take very good care of the trees.

“From time to time, we will be coming here to see how far they are faring and we have gotten assurance from the local government that they will be taken care of and we appreciate the energy,” he said.

In her reaction toward the gesture, Mrs Victoria Joshua, Head of Administration, Dass LGA, said that the project is very important to the people of Dass and to humanity at large.

“We are witnessing great deforestation globally, there is great climate change and what Rotary club is doing right now by planting these trees is a way to serve humanity and to curb the deforestation taking place in our locality and globally.

“We appreciate the club for their efforts to serve humanity and we call on them to bring not only this plantation but more benefiting programmes into Dass LGA,” she said.

She assured that the local government would mobilise forestry staff under the Agric section in the LGA to take very good care of the planted trees so as to achieve the purpose they were planted.