BAYELSA: A Technocrat to the Rescue!

By: Clementina Prefa
Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character, but if one were allowed to make a choice, character may be preferred. The founder of modern Singapore, LKY, once said “If Singapore depends on the talent it can produce out of 3 million people, it's not going to punch above its weight....So you've got to accept the discomfort which the local citizens feel, that they are competing unequally for jobs.” The talent referred to here is the pool of brain power - people equipped with competences to manipulate economic processes. It is common knowledge that whereas politicians think of short term growth, technocrats are creative and innovative hence they think of development in a long-term, holistic manner. In essence, it is technocrats that provide the backbone of any economy. It is against this background that electoral campaigns in the advanced economies can only be engaging when they are geared toward economic development, job creation, social security and efficient delivery of social services.
For the better part of three decades, the public perception about the foray of technocrats in politics seems to be undisputable. Nigerian politics has not been fair to technocrats and excellent career people. The political space is crowded by people who are often not guided by ideology and core principles of development; most of them are people who politic with the development of society. When a society relegates the technocrats to the background what will be left of society is politics without governance. This is what Bayelsa State has suffered since creation 15 years now. It is only technocrats that can think of development.
Among the pack of those jostling for the Governorship of Bayelsa State is Dr. Imoro Kubor, a retired Permanent Secretary and a Russian trained aeronautic engineer who has traversed all facets of life. Dr. Kubor is running for the governorship of Bayelsa State on the platform of a not too popular political Party – the Change Advocacy Party, CAP. His justification for choosing the platform is that there has been an undue emphasis on political party without regard to the character, vision and leadership qualities of the role incumbent.
Born about 63 years ago, Dr. Imoro Kubor hails from the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He attended Reginal Celli Secondary School, Essene – Opobo and C.M.S. Grammar School where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1970. He proceeded to the Kiev State University, Kiev in Ukraine and obtained his B.Sc in Civil Aviation Engineering and Msc in Aeronautical Maintenance Engineering in 1973 and 1979 respectively. He bagged his doctorate degree in Structional Mechanics in 1982 in the same University. He excelled in his studies because the tradition in Russia was to study the Russian language, which he did in 1973.
He started his career as a Lecturer at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology in 1984 and was appointed member of the Planning Committee on Skills Acquisition Programme by the Military Governor of Rivers State Mr. Fidelis Oyakhilome In May, 1985 he was appointed as a Motivator and Chairman of the Implementation Committee of the National Open Apprenticeship. On the basis of his experience, he was appointed by the federal minister of employment, Labour and Productivity to act as the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment in 1994.
He was the toast of the Aviation Industry having acquired enormous experience in the field. He has severally served as Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Airway Limited, Chairman, Committee on illegal Airstrips, Helipads and Helidecks in the Niger Delta Region in 2005, having served as Chairman, Technical Audit Committee on Aviation Infrastructure in 2004. He was also appointed Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, The Presidency, Abuja - Jan. 2009 and retired that year having attained the mandatory age of 60 years.

In 1970 Dr. Kubor worked at Elder Dempster Shipping Agency Habour Road, Port Harcourt as Shipping Clerk and rose to be a Shell PB Foreman Training School, Port Harcourt. In 1979 he was employed as Laboratory Technician at the Laboratory of Thin Walled Structures in KIEV, Ukraine and worked with Professor T. Thompson of the University of London on collapse the buckling of structures in theory and practice. He was also appointed by the Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity to represent the Ministry of Employment in the Board of Directors of the industrial Training Fund.

He is a technocrat with grounding in so many professional bodies. He is a member, Nigerian Institute Management and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. He is also a member of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria. In addition, Dr. Kubor is a member of the Institute of Nigerian Aeronautical Engineers. In his capacity as a technocrat, he has contributed a lot to innovation. He was Designer and Motivator of NDE’s National Open Apprenticeship Scheme as well as motivator and Designer of NDE’s National Sanitation Scheme. He also played the same role in the NDE’s Resettlement Scheme.
The technocrat had also served in several capacities. He was director, Engineering and Technical Services, Nigeria Airways Limited; Director and member of National Hangar Project Committee. In 1997, he was appointed by the Minister of Aviation as Managing Director/ Chief Executive (MD/CE) of Nigerian Airway Limited. In October 2003 Dr. Imoro Kubor was appointed to represent Nigeria in the Governing Body of International Financial facility for Aviation Safety (ICAO, Montreal, Canada. He served as Chairman, Committee on the Technical Evaluation, Reactivation Check on Twin Engined Aircraft of NCAT (Year 2004), Chairman Implementation Committee on Air Transport, Planning, Operations and Management Course (APOM) at NCAT, Zaria the same year among other Board appointments and Professional services in and outside the Aviation Industry. On the strength of his meritorious service and contributions to knowledge, he was awarded the National Merit Award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON in 2010. Dr. Kubor is honour personified.
Dr. Kubor, like Jim Rohn, believes that the challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. He is imbued with the quality of inspiring confidence in people. He is a man who would put my heart and soul to anything he wants to achieve. If this quality is transferred to governance, Bayelsa State would be transformed in one single term of his administration.
Dr. Kubor is not only a technocrat but a well grounded in political tactician. In 2010, he was Governorship aspirant under the People Democratic Party (PDP) but was dissatisfied because he felt lack of internal democracy would threaten the level playing field that democracy presupposes. To actualize his political aspirations, he was admitted into the Action Congress of Nigeria but elections did not hold because of the peculiar circumstances of tenure elongation in Bayelsa State. Now, he has taken the platform of the Change Advocacy Party, CAP in pursuance of his political ambition.
A public commentator said some months ago that Bayelsa’s stagnation or slow development over the years is attributable to the fact that the State is ruled by politicians rather than technocrats. The commentator went further “It is high time Bayelsans used technocrats like Dr. Kubor to right the wrongs of several years of mismanagement, neglect and stagnation; he is a thorough breed who can bring his qualification, character and experience to bear on governmental administration”.
He is determined to lift his vision to higher sights and to raise the performance bar in the Niger Delta Region. His philosophy is that service to humanity is the greatest good and when service is delivered with the fear of God and in good conscience, transforming the society is a necessary corollary.
As Dr. Imoro Kubor flies the flag of the Change Advocacy Party, Bayelsa people, in the spirit of democratic pluralism, have to choose from among the candidates, their character and experience. As an advocate of good governance, he believes that choosing a party platform alone is not enough, the leader must be God fearing, have the right character, track-record of performance and above all the love of the people at heart. As he prepares to unfold his Transformational Agenda, Bayelsa people are faced with a menu of choices: to vote for character or party; to endorse transformation or a no-change situation; to entrench politics or good governance. Ultimately, the choice belongs to the electorate but if the will of the people is strong, and if the people needs transformation and positive change, then Dr. Kubor is the MAN.

Clementina Prefa, is a Lagos-based Lawyer and Analyst.

NDDC: AN INTERVENTIONIST AGENCY ON TRIAL

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA

Few days ago, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan bowed to public opinion with the dissolution of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the president said the sack was predicated on the recommendation of the presidential committee set up to investigate the spiral of allegations against the commission.

The committee was headed by the immediate past Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Steven Orosanye. Anyim also instructed the Managing Director (MD), Mr. Chibuzor Ugwuoha and other executive directors to handover the commission’s items in their custody to the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Osato Areyenka.

The NDDC was established in 2002 by the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to serve as a catalyst for the development of the Niger Delta region, whose environment had been adversely polluted as a result of oil exploration and exploitation.

Unfortunately, since its inception, the interventionist agency has not met the expectations of the people of the nine states that make up the Niger Delta region especially in the areas of infrastructure and human capital development.

In all instances the management and the board had connived to salt away the resources that should have been used to develop the region.

But that honey moon seemed to have ended with the feud between the NDDC board headed by former Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan and the MD.

The NDDC board had in November, 2010 written a petition to the federal government accusing the MD of opening a foreign account with First Bank Plc, United Kingdom and transferring mind-boggling amounts into same account without authorisation of the board and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

This and many other allegations necessitated the setting up of a committee headed by Oronsaye.

The committee which was inaugurated on July 27 this year was mandated to investigate all the allegations levelled against the management and make recommendations on the way forward.

Radical lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, Mr. B. O. N. Otti, a representative of the Bureau for Public Procurement, and Senator Bassey Ewa- Henshaw are members.

Other members are, Mr. Ishaq Yahaya. Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, Mr. Raymond Brown and Dr. Timiebi Koripamo- Agary.

The committee report reads in parts: ‘‘that the MD proceeded to open a new account with First Bank Plc, in the United Kingdom without the approval from the board and with fictitious board resolution…’’ Ugwuoha claimed that he took the solo decision because NDDC bank in the UK ( Union Bank) was weak.

He said he opened a foreign account and transferred the monies into same because he wanted to be proactive so that the commission would not lose funds if the bank eventually crumbles the way Societe Generale Bank went.

But the committee is of the view that the MD had sufficient time to seek approval from the board before opening the account.

It was learnt that Oronsaye and his team were also shocked that in spite of the controversy generated by the foreign account, the MD still went ahead to transfer $37 million out of Union Bank, United Kingdom into the notorious account.

In fact the MD opened the account without the approval of the AGF. According to the report, the MD, having realized that he ran foul of the law got approval for the transaction from the AGF office in December 2010 for the offshore account that was actually opened in September of same year.

The committee position is that the purported approval given by the AGF was illegal, null and void having contravened Section 701 of the Federal Government Financial Regulations.

The panel discovered that while $20 million was withdrawn from the ailing Union Bank, a sum of $58 million was left in the same sinking Union Bank.

The report revealed that no interest has been credited to the NDDC from September 2010, when the account was opened to date.

Besides, the panel it was learnt established that the transfer of another $37 million to the contentious First Bank UK offshore account bringing the total funds in the account to $57 million.

Furthermore, our sources in the Presidency stated that infraction of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) was established in the award of over 500 contracts worth over N120 billion, without budgetary provision.

The panel also discovered the award of consultancy service contract of about N27 billion, out of which N4.7 billion has been released to the contractor.

Also two executive directors were indicted over a transaction that amounted to $80 million.

The embattled Ugwuoha seemed unrepentant in his reaction to the report of the committee.

He said people are calling for his head because he sanitised NDDC.

‘‘Everybody wants business as usual. Once you deviate from what is known, even if it will bring the very best result, people will attack you first,’’ the MD argued.

Ugwuoha who was speaking to journalists in Abuja this week after bagging the ‘‘Service Delivery Index Award for Most Outstanding Public Institutions’’ said instead of been praised for moving NDDC funds from a ‘‘failing bank to a strong bank,’’ the committee wanted the world to believe that his act was fraudulent.

He explained that for transferring the money from Union Bank to First Bank, the latter has joined NDDC foreign scheme and will contribute $1.2 million annually for a period of five years to the Niger Delta region.

The controversial MD was however silent on the criminality of single-handedly opening the account and the presentation of fictitious board resolutions that enabled him to open the infamous account.

Meanwhile Anyim on receipt of the interim report from Orosanye reviewed the committee’s recommendation and urged the president to sack the current leadership in his executive summary to the presidency.

However, there seems to be sharp disagreement among groups in the Niger Delta region on the recommendations of the Oronsaye panel report, especially as it affects the call for the dissolution of the NDDC board as well as the sack of Ugwuoha. Such groups include, the South-South Youth Movement for Non-Violence (SSYMN) and the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR).

To the SSYMN, the recommendation was not the wish of the people of the Niger Delta.

The human rights group said the recommendation of the presidential committee was not in order as the current administration of the NDDC, under the MD had done well through its youth empowerment programme.

According to SSYMN President, Mr. Cliff Ndubisi; “The recommendation is not the wish of the people of the Niger Delta. We are witnesses to how the removal of Ambassador Sam Edem affected the NDDC.

The dissolution of the board and removal of the MD could negatively affect the growth of the commission and Niger Delta as a whole.”

But to the Chancellor of the ISSJHR, Chief Jackson Omenazu, the level of corruption in the commission had prevented the interventionist agency from achieving its objectives.

Omenazu was speaking during a one-day symposium, organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State to deliberate on the performance of the NDDC as it affects development in the oil and gas-rich region.

Speaking at the symposium, which had the theme; ‘NDDC: The Performance, Challenges, and Prospects’, the founding director of the Ijaw Council for Human Rights (ICHR), Patterson Ogon, who commended the Oronsaye probe panel for submitting its report to the federal government, recalled that the National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi was earlier mandated to investigate the brewing crisis in the NDDC but could not make any head way.

Read him: “I wish to commend the Steve Oransaye probe panel for submitting its report to the federal government.

Recall also that the National Security Adviser was earlier mandated to investigate the brewing crisis and report to the President.” Ogon, who spoke on the sub-theme;

Strengthening Revenue Management in the Niger Delta’ urged President Jonathan not to allow the report of the panel go the way of other reports in the country stressing that given the public perception about the reports of probe panels in this country, Mr. President’s positive rating may rise if he is able to quickly act on the recommendations of the reports.

Ogon, who flayed the in-fighting in the NDDC, called for the full publication of the report of the committee in view of fears that the report may be biased.

In his presentation, the deputy president, Niger Delta Integrity Group (NDIG), a lecturer with the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Mr. Idumange John said the Managing Director of NDDC has consistently flouted violated parts of the Act establishing the Commission, saying that such violations include; the award of contracts without due process; non-implementation of the Board’s decisions.

He also accused Ugwuoha of undue interference with the statutory functions of State Representatives in creating a Due Process Unit a situation he exploited to perpetrate heinous financial crimes in the commission.

Idumange, who spoke on the sub-theme: “The Impact of NDDC in the Eyes of Ordinary Niger Deltans,” also accused the management of the commission of usurpation of the functions of the board of NDDC.

As one State Commissioner puts it ‘‘the MD kills every viable programme and policy initiatives by the board and stifles their implementation.

This ridicules the decisions of the board by permitting NDDC contract award letters to be flaunted outside the Commission and sold cheaply to contractors.

Idumage stressed that the conditions for tendering and bidding for contracts are so harsh that not many Niger Delta people can meet them.

It therefore implies that NDDC contracts are indirectly meant for people outside the Region. One of the conditions is that contractors will not obtain mobilization and are expected to deliver on the first milestone.

He said his investigations show that these harsh conditions were unilaterally introduced by the present Management without the approval of the board.

Idumange called on the federal government to take urgent steps to review the Act of Parliament establishing the NDDC so as to remove the omnibus role of the commission.

Emphasizing that the responsibilities marked out in the NDDC Act 2000 was too bogus for the commission, the university don said the provision of the Act had made it impossible for the NDDC to fully implement its responsibilities for the people of the region.

While calling on the federal government to revisit the mission statement of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, he insisted that the ministry now sees the NDDC as a competitor in the development of the region.

To Mr. Anyaekwe Nsirimovu, executive director of the Port Harcourt-based Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws (IHRHL), the NDDC, which was established to achieve a people centred development, was now being used as an instrument to under develop people of the region.

Nsirimovu who described the NDDC as animal farm said it is being controlled by godfathers who in turn appoint board members by way of patronage, saying the commission was not meant to succeed. Nsirimovu, who presented a paper on the theme; ‘Niger Delta: Bad Animal Farm’, said; “People-centered development was the essence of establishing the NDDC, but unfortunately, those who established it did not want it to succeed.

“Just like the OMPADEC, the people who set up NDDC never wanted it to succeed. Can you believe that till today, the federal government still owes OMPADEC billions of naira.

The NDDC is only helping individuals to succeed and not the people of the region,” he stressed.

The human right activist called for intellectual militancy in the Niger Delta region, saying that it was the only way to redeem the region. He added that the problem of the Niger Delta region is not Abuja but the people of Niger Delta.

He believes as long as there is deficit democracy in the region, there will continue to be under development in the region.

With the sack of Ugwuoha and the board, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, renowned anti-corruption crusader, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence the investigation of the commission’s leadership for contravening section 14 of the NDDC Act.

Onukwugha is a journalist based in Port Harcourt.

ARMED ROBBERS TAKE OVER PH-OWERRI ROAD

Dare-devil armed robbers seem to have taken over the Port Harcourt-Owerri express way as they now rob innocent motorists frequently without interruption from security agencies from either Rivers or Imo States.

 

The road, which is presently being dualized from the Port Harcourt axis, by the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led Rivers State government and from the Owerri axis, by the federal ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, is the link between most states in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones of the country.

 

Ogwareports gathered that such robbery attacks, which have become a daily occurrence, always take place along the Umuapu- Nkarahia- Umuagwo-Mgbirichi axis of the road, which is in Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State.

 

It was further gathered that the gang of armed robbers, numbering about seven always operate on morning of Sundays, especially between the hours of 8.00 am and 11.30 pm

 

A commercial bus driver, Nze Bonny Chukwueke told Ogwareports in Port Harcourt that passengers travelling from Port Harcourt to Owerri, the Imo State capital in his vehicle have been robbed within that axis three times in the last four weeks.

 

Chukwueke narrated how he narrowly escaped from the armed robbers, who blocked the Nkarahia axis of the road in the morning of last Sunday, September 11, 2011, and disposed a lot of them of their belongings.

 

Another victim of the last Sunday’s robbery attack on the road, Mr. Sampson Onugha told Ogwareports that the commercial vehicle he was travelling in was forced to stop near an empty police check-point at Nkarahia junction, where he and other passengers on board were robbed of about of all their belongings.

 

“Yesterday, being Sunday, we were robbed near that police check-point as we were going to Owerri. I was travelling to my village to see my family. They took N140, 000.00 I heard on me. Other passengers were also robbed. Those that did not have much money on them were given the beating of their lives. I heard that the robbers attacked two buses last Sunday and robbed the passengers.

 

 “Each time they rob people, they just run into the bush towards Nkarahia village. I am suspecting that the robbers may be from that village or the neighbouring villages because they operate on that road every day, either in the morning or in the evening,” Onugha said.

 

Commenting on the development, an indigene of Imo State, Mrs. Alice Obiabin Onukwugha appealed to Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha and his Rivers State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to come to the aid of motorist plying the road by increasing security presence at their respective ends to ensure the safety of all.

 

Onukwugha, who is a Port Harcourt-based journalist said Okorocha needs to tackle the issue of insecurity in the state head-long in order to make the state safe for all.

GARDEN CITYBOOK FEAST BROUGHT THE PRINCE OF NIGER DELTA POLITICS AND THE FOREMOST REV JESSE JACKSON TOGETHER!

GARDEN CITYBOOK FEAST BROUGHT THE PRINCE OF NIGER DELTA POLITICS AND THE FOREMOST REV JESSE JACKSON TOGETHER!
By
Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, wabiyeidons@riverdrillgroup.com, 08063755563
Prince Tonye Princewill the Prince of Niger Delta Politics, member of the Rivers State Economic Advisory Council and Consultant to the Rivers State Government on Public Private Partnership joins hand with Mrs. Koko Kalango the Founder of Rainbow Book Club, organisers of the 2011 Garden City Book festival to welcome the great Rev Jesse Jackson to Port Harcourt who is expected to act as guest speaker. He is to talk on the power of written words by writers who bring people-oriented issues to the front burner of public discuss thereby bringing about the much sought change.
For avoidance of doubt, Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Senior one of the America’s renowned and foremost civil rights, religious and political figures who has for over forty years played pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. On August 9, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Reverend Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
Reverend Jackson has been called the "Conscience of the Nation" and "the Great Unifier," challenging America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all. He is known for bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief. He is the founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures.
On 11th September, 2011 destiny brought this world citizen to the path of Prince Tonye Princewill the renowned Scion to the Kalabari Kingdom and the 2007 gubernatorial candidate of the then Action Congress in Rivers State who on arrival from his London base at Murtala Muhammed International Airport joined the same flight with Rev, Jesse Jackson who also arrived from USA to Port Harcourt to attend the 2011 Garden City Book Festival kicking off from 12th September, 2011 and ending on 17th September, 2011.
Prince Tonye Princewill who whiles the flight to Port Harcourt briefed the special guest to the Rivers State Government that five years ago, Port Harcourt was more in the news for inter-cult violence and kidnapping than for anything else, that residents lived in fear daily and went to bed with one eye open however, that worrisome state of affairs has given way to a more stable environment. "The current state government, headed by the Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has calmed virtually all nerves and is gradually restoring the city to its former glory as the Garden City and a place of peaceful living,"
Mrs. Koko Kalango who was the Port Harcourt International Airport to welcome this two great sons of our world told Rev. Jackson that the relationship between governments and writers, in the Niger Delta context, can sometimes be fragile, especially where writers highlight the perceived flaws of government. "From the point of view of the people, literature can serve as a mirror to our society; reflecting the good, bad and ugly aspects of our cultures and socio-economic practices," she added.
At last year’s festival, Governor Amaechi spoke about his abiding interest in literature and how Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People is one of his all-time favourites, because it instructs him as a politician. "The truth is that we have very good writers in Nigeria, but they haven’t achieved the same stature as, say, Chinua Achebe," he said, tasking writers to continue to address the corruption in Nigeria. "Politicians will not change until you the writers become the voice of the people."
He announced plans by his administration to build a world-class library in the state capital. "The building plans are in my office. They have already been approved and the library project itself would cost about N1.2billion," he said, adding that a large chunk of the cost will be borne by corporate organisations and other sponsors. Amaechi, who is a graduate of Literature, also shared his vision of a literary festival that will not only be sustained beyond his tenure, but one that will be positioned to attract increased corporate support strictly on the strength of its own values.
"Our dream is that in the near future the city of Port Harcourt would not only be known for its oil and gas industry but also as Africa’s leading literary hub. Under Governor Amaechi, Port Harcourt has become the Garden where Literature blooms.
At inception, the festival attracted such accomplished writers as Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, Kofi Awoonor, Elechi Amadi and Gabriel Okara. In 2009, it hosted authors, such as Ngugi wa Thiong’o and J.P. Clark, among others; and last year, the festival had in attendance the likes of Chukwuemeka Ike and Vice-President Namadi Sambo as guests.
"With the first African and black Nobel Prize, the most widely read novel in Africa, numerous literary awards in the international scene, and the most vibrant and populous literary guild in Africa, Nigeria’s literature has given a robust account of itself, since the nation’s independence," said Prof. Olu Obafemi, keynote speaker at last year’s edition on the theme: 50 Years of Post-Colonial Literature.
Wabiye Idoniboyeobu is a Public and Political Analyst based in Port Harcourt.

Ogwareports: A Communiqué Issued At The End of A One-Day Sympos...

Ogwareports: A Communiqué Issued At The End of A One-Day Sympos...: A Communiqué Issued At The End of A One-Day Symposium With The Theme: “NDDC: The Performance, Challenges and Prospects”, Organized By The F...

A Communiqué Issued At The End of A One-Day Symposium With The Theme: “NDDC: The Performance, Challenges and Prospects”, Organized By The Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council

A Communiqué Issued At The End of A One-Day Symposium With The Theme: “NDDC: The Performance, Challenges and Prospects”, Organized By The Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Held on Tuesday 6th September, 2011, At The Chapel’s Secretariat,No 49, Ikwerre Road, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt.


Rising from the symposium, the participants observed as follows:

That for the past 11 years of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) existence, it has achieved very little and created no meaningful impact as the region is characterized by widespread poverty with about 70% of the population living below poverty line;


that within the limits of its financial constraints, NDDC has failed woefully to execute basic programmes that would have yielded positive results in the life of the ordinary Niger Delta people;

that the commission serves only the interest of the board members and top staff in the award of contracts and other benefits;

that such scramble for juicy contracts and other benefits have led to power play and in-fighting among board members and top executives and,


that the NDDC is yet to implement its master plan notwithstanding that the plan was not a product of discussion and participation by the stakeholders.


We, therefore, recommend the following:


1. Dissolution of the Board

Having appraised the situation in the board of the commission and considering the fact that a lot of bad blood have been injected in the administration of the commission and that requisite unity and cohesion needed for effective administration and management which ensures successful performance, participants hereby recommend that the board of the NDDC should be dissolved and a new one constituted for effective performance.

2.A Parastatal Under the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs

Participants observed that NDDC lacks adequate supervision and clear cut focus in the development of the region and that the presidency lacks all it takes to thoroughly supervise the commission which is left as a lackey of the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government. In view of these, the participants recommend that it should be an independent parastatal under the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for effective and collaborative performance in the development of the region.


3.Establishment of a Development Council

Participants recognized the need to formulate and implement the Niger Delta Development master plan and therefore, propose the establishment of a Niger Delta Development Council, which shall comprise the President as chairman, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the Special Adviser on Amnesty, Governors of the Niger Delta States, NDDC and all the Local Government Councils in the region. The council is to ensure the implementation of the master plan and avoid duplication of efforts. It will also appraise the milestone achieved.


4.Review of NDDC ACT and Refocusing of the Commission

Participants noted that there is a disconnect in the ACT between the board and management, which has culminated into mutual antagonism, distrust and high wire politics, which stifle initiatives and productivity of the staff and that state offices are created out of the necessity for the proper coordination of state projects and that there is a conflict between management and the state commissioners, which affects projects implementation and that the revised ACT should streamline this and NDDC should be efocused to concentrate on empowerment, poverty reduction, skills acquisition, education, health, employment, water supply, industrialization and agriculture while, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs should concentrate on physical infrastructural development of the region.


5.Steve Oronsaye’s Report on NDDC should be made Open

Participants observed that there are efforts to whittle down the recommendation of Oronsaye’s panel and there has been intense lobbying to that effect. The participants therefore call on the Federal Government to make open the report in order for public opinion to be injected in the report.


PREPARED BY COMMUNIQUE COMMITTEE SIGNED

1. Mr. David T.J.Amusa ------

2. Mr. Amaechi Okonkwo

3. Mr. Chris Eze ----


DATED THIS 6TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2011

AMAECHI APOLOGIZES OVER SLOW PACE OF WORK ON ROADS

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi yesterday apologized to the people of the state over the slow pace of work on various on-going road construction sites in the state.

Amaechi, who rendered the apology in Port Harcourt during an unscheduled inspection of some on-going projects in the state, told citizens of the state and motorists plying the various routes to be patient with the contractors at least till after the rains to enable them deliver quality roads.

He explained that any work conducted under the rains would compromise quality standards and reduce the life span of such projects.

"If they carry out any major work now, in the next two or three years it will be very bad. We must be patient to allow these contractors do a good job that would last for us.The state has barely four months of construction window,” the governor said.

He disclosed that due to the rains, the government has ordered contractors to shut down full-time construction activities except those at Chief Godspower Ake road and Ken Saro-Wiwa road, formerly known as Stadium road.

The governor gave an assurance that the Elele-Omerelu road would be completed by June 2012, explaining that the delay in construction was due to the slow crossing of some of the bridges.

Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has restated the plans of his administration to build a bigger and better Cultural Centre in Port Harcourt to replace the Obi Wali Cultural Centre, which was demolished in 2008.

The governor, who disclosed this while inspecting the new facility at Bonny Street in Port Harcourt, said the government is also planning to provide a multi- layer parking space for the new Centre which is twice the size of the old one, as the State had acquired adjunct buildings in the area to provide a befitting Cultural Centre for the state.

"The new cultural centre has a sitting capacity of 2000 persons and we are addressing the issue of car park and it will be a multi-layer car park, because it is very important to enable us accommodate anybody who comes to use the place," he said.

MOSOP, NLC, TUC LEADERS MOURN MADAM ABE
ORLU JOSEPH ORLU



Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and Labour Union executives in Rivers State among others, have mourned the passing on of Madam Margaret Nnena Abe, mother of Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, who died on Tuesday August 9,2011.


MOSOP, led by its President, Ledum Mittee and the Union executives led by Comrade Chris Oruge,NLC, Rivers State and Comrade Chika Onuegbu,TUC, Rivers State, were in Abe’s residence to commiserate with him on the incident.


Speaking while receiving the delegation, Senator Abe said his mother’s death has further strengthened his quest for a restructured Nigeria that will prioritize the improvement of the standard of living of an average citizen.


He noted that life was too transient and therefore would work towards ensuring that Nigerians suffering from economic hardship are giving succour pointing out that unless the nation attains productivity status, the average citizen would continue to suffer.


Senator Abe therefore, sued for support in the crusade to create enabling environment for increase in economic productivity through the restructuring of the federation.


Earlier,Barr. Ledum Mittee, MOSOP President, described Madam Abe as a great Ogoni daughter who left an indelible footprint in the sand of our time.


On his part,the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State, Comrade Chris Oruge, said workers in the State received with shock the death of madam Abe and prayed for God’s protection upon the Senator and the entire family.



For Comrade Chika Onuegbu, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State and Dr. Sunny Mbazie, a lecturer of the Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt, the death of Madam Abe was a deep loss that is difficult to recover.

In his condolence message, the former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ndagene Akwu, described late madam Abe as an epitome of hardwork and meekness.


Prof. Bariene Fakae, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Rivers State, said, ‘’late madam Abe’s contributions to the community and mankind stand out leaving us with a challenge’’.


Adokiye Oruwari, PDP Secretary, Rivers State, Kadilo Brown, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, SSG’s Office, Rivers State, Kenneth Kobani, National Treasure ,ACN and Okey Amadi, a Commissioner in the Rivers State Government, also expressed their condolences.

IMO COMMUNITY REJECTS EX-PRINCPAL AS UNION PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT

BY ORLU JOSEPH ORLU

The people of Uru community in Isi-Ogwa, Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State over the weekend rejected the imposition of a retired secondary school principal, Mr. Reuben Chukwuagwu as one of the aspirants for the position of the president-general of Uru Improvement Union (UIU).

Ogwareports gathered that the non-acceptability of Chukwuagwu, who was contesting against the immediate past national financial secretary of UIU, Mr. Adolphus Jacob Nnadi, by majority of indigenes of the community.

The rejection of the presidential aspirant, however led to the cancellation of the election, billed to hold on Saturday, July 30, 2011 while a new date for the election is yet to be fixed.

It was further gathered the non-acceptability of the former principal was based on a report he allegedly wrote to Imo State Primary Education Board (SPEB), where he accused the community of forcefully taking away a piece of land belonging to the community’s primary school.

A member of the community, Mr. Nnamdi Onuoha told Ogwareports that, though, SPEB had concluded investigation on the said allegation and found out that the said piece of land does not belong, Chukwuagwu cannot become a leader in the community he intended to destroy.

“We thank God that SPEB conducted their investigations and found out that Mr. Reuben Chukwuagwu told a lie against this community. We are not saying his kindred; Ndikpa should not produce the next president-general.

“We are not saying that our zoning arrangement is no longer there, but what we are saying is that Ndikpa should give us a responsible candidate. We will not accept Mr. Chukwuagwu, he has shown us that he cannot be a good leader,” he said.

Meanwhile, the people of Umuokwaraebere Kindred in Uru community have decried the call on the immediate past national financial secretary of UIU, Mr. Adolphus Jacob Nnadi to step down from the presidential race and accept the post of vice President-General of the union.

In a statement signed by the general secretary of Okwarabere Family Union (OFU), Anayo Onukwugha, which was obtained by Ogwareports said the call was undemocratic, pointing out Nnadi remained one of the most qualified candidates to move  the community forward.

“The call on our son, Adolphus Jacob Nnadi, former national financial secretary of UIU to step down for whoever would come from the other side as presidential candidate is undemocratic.

“Nnadi is unarguably one of the most qualified candidates for the presidential seat and we view every attempt aimed at frustrating him from clinching the post of president-general of Uru as unacceptable”, the statement said.

NIGERIA'S UNITY UNDER SIEGE –PRINCEWILL

NIGERIA'S UNITY UNDER SIEGE –PRINCEWILL

 

Prince Tonye Princewill, an engineer and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) during the 2007 general elections in Rivers State. In a chat with newsmen recently, the scion of the Kalabari monarch spoke on some burning national issues. ORLU JOSEPH ORLU was there.

 

Excerpts:

 

How do we address religious and ethnic challenges in Nigeria?

 

So many reports on these twin subjects have been prepared without any implementation. As a ‘victim’ of this policy of setting up committees only to ignore reports at the end of the day, I am aware that many true and real solutions exist if only leaders will listen. Suffice it to say, I believe that by positively addressing employment and other social issues we stand a greater chance of reducing this challenge that is itself a critical factor militating against the unity of the nation. In Rivers state we encourage social integration. I hope we all start to become more accepting of each other. I think we may soon see a Commissioner in our state that is not from our state. That is progress. We cannot stop there. Mr President should take the lead in promoting harmony and reconciliation. Nobody is too big or too small. They are all important. He remains the President of the good the bad and the ugly. Recent developments do not leave me with that impression. I hope I am wrong. Even bad people have some good within them and vice versa. Having said that I must appeal to all those who believe that crawling back into an ethnic shell provides a cover for tomorrow to have a rethink. If we all do that, where is the future for Nigeria? We need a Nigerian agenda, not a Northern agenda or a South West agenda or Ijaw agenda. There is no place for this in mainstream politics.

 

If you were in Jonathan's position, how would you address the Boko Haram and insecurity issues?

 

My philosophy has always been the philosophy of engagement even the governor of my State Amaechi and I disagree on certain issues but that does not in any way affect our relationship.  I don’t believe that everybody is a criminal; I believe there are people who have good intentions but pursue it through illegal means. My view on it is to isolate these people and then take on all well-meaning Nigerians and bring them on board; for me that is the first thing I will need to do. If anybody denies that Nigeria is more divided than ever before, then that person is merely living in denial. From all indications, the fabric of the unity of the Nation seems to be under siege, the Nigeria of today is perceived to be more divided than ever before and I believe the best way to heal these wounds is to show without prejudice that the good, the bad, and the ugly from across the North, East, West and south are all stakeholders in the entity Nigeria. In which case it behoves on all and sundry to work towards ensuring that governance becomes participatory to encourage transparency and a capacity to accommodate different views and opinions. If we can’t do that we leave the people with no option than to rebel. Yesterday it was us; today it is them, who know tomorrow? A never ending story. I think Jonathan needs to be open and transparent.  Next thing he needs to do is to tackle the issue of unemployment and the only way he can do that is by power, if he tackles power then he becomes well on his way to tackling unemployment. If we take a closer look, we will certainly find that the majority of youths involved in violent pursuits do so as an alternative to gainful employment. If he does that and we start to improve on the social security of people especially those in the North, then we can certainly say we have found the way forward. But as it is, I foresee that the resolution to the Boko Haram issue may likely end in Amnesty with the BH requesting a share of the amnesty budget. There is a lot to say for why any one group will be justified in requesting for the same treatment/outcome as was meted to a similar group conducting similar ‘business’ as them. And at the end of the day we have a government whose overheads are firing out of control because it needs to ensure the youths desist from violence? This is not practical, this is not sustainable, and this is not good for our government. Look at our budget and how much we spend on recurrent as opposed to capital expenditure and then ask yourself ‘are we developing or maintaining poverty for the poor and riches for the rich?’ others have spoken and where ignored, Iweala has said the same thing, let’s hope she would be listened to.  Thankfully with the minimum wage, we will all be forced to rethink how we spend the people’s money.

 

Don't you think there are some cabals that are behind this ugly incident and are bent on making Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan?

 

It is not out of character.  There is every possibility. There is no doubt that there are some organisations that are hell bent on making sure the status quo does not favour the sitting president. But I think this goes beyond Jonathan, even at the level of the state governments and smaller units of government, there are still attacks and these happened even before Jonathan became the President. I think the agenda is wider than Jonathan.  But as I said, the best way to tackle the issue is to isolate the radical elements. If you isolate the radical elements you can identify them and the way to do this is not to go from outside in. Inside the communities is where you start this process of isolation, in other words the moderate individuals who are dissatisfied but do not subscribe to the violence need to be recruited and brought onside. To me this is where Atiku and the likes need to be involved. If people who are dissatisfied with this government are brought on board then absolutely we can eradicate the radical elements.

 

How do you think the President can effectively address the   problem of unemployment and power generation?

 

 Well, without any doubt unemployment is a major issue, it is a major challenge. It can be very destructive. We have heard about it and seen it in the North as was in the Niger Delta. I have mentioned this severally before now. The absence of productive employment is clearly an issue. Power generation is also a clear issue that must be addressed to encourage business and diversify the economy but how many people can run businesses competitively while having to buy diesel to keep their company running? This is a clear index that exposes the failure of government. Few serious companies can look at Nigeria as a serious entity if they can’t provide the basics for their people. We have the population, bright people, low labour costs, flexible labour laws and very adaptable people but we can see that the big organisations prefer neighbouring countries. What am I saying? I am saying that the more you encourage private investors to come and invest, the more likely you are going to provide jobs. So power is essential and must be addressed now.

 

Are you satisfied with post amnesty programme in the Niger Delta region?

 

No. I am tired of talking about this. Refer to the Niger Delta Technical Committee report. We need to move beyond rewarding the youths that carried arms to also encouraging the ones that did not. What we achieved was a reduction in arms not a removal of arms. Recent clashes show they still exist. We are only delaying the inevitable. Only a multi-faceted approach will address it. The Niger Delta Ministry has no business being in Abuja. When this is addressed, you will start to see the beginnings of a holistic solution.

 

What is your take on the Rivers ACN withdrawal of its Electoral Petition against Gov. Chibuike Amaechi and the Rivers PDP?

 

This occurrence at this time is evident of the ACN leadership commitment to patriotic ideals and that Dr Abiye Sekibo has shown himself to be a true son of Rivers State. Though the decision may not be an easy one to make giving past aggravations, between all concerned, is evident of Sekibo’s decision to cast aside differences for the good of the state. This withdrawal also serves to concur on a widely held opinion during the course of the electoral campaigns, when political pundits stated that Governor Amaechi did not have any formidable opponent. In this regard, I expect Sir Celestine Omehia to toe the path of honour and withdraw his petition in the wake of ACN’s decision.

 

 Rivers State in hosting the just concluded National Sports Festival has raised the bar in hosting such a big event – what is your stand on this?

 

If you noticed the opening and closing ceremonies of that event including the facilities put in place during the meet are not only applauded as the grandest so far in the history of the games but the most organised. That event serves if for nothing else finally put to rest any fears and misgivings people had following the state’s decision to host this edition of the games. This is because at a time several States in the country shied away from the responsibility of hosting the 17th National Sports festival because of the financial implications it would have on their state’s coffers, the Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, accepted the challenge of hosting the 27 event Sports fiesta at a time his administration was also involved in widespread capital intensive infrastructural development around the State. 

 

We have through hosting this sports fiesta gained international sports facilities obtainable in any part of the world if you have witnessed the 37 hectares expanse of land along Igwuruta road where the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium and Sports Complex is situated. The Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium Complex is an impressive architectural masterpiece comprising a FIFA-standard 26,000 seat capacity main bowl stadium. Within the complex is the Garden City Sports Centre home to a handball court, a hockey court, four tennis courts, two outdoor basketball courts, two Olympic-size swimming pool, four squash courts, one mini sports hall, two volleyball courts and the football arena made up of two artificial turf training pitches, one standard football pitch and a synthetic running track to provide the athletes with the best of facilities that conform to the highest standards the world over.  Apart from the discovery and exposure of new talents which would hopefully add a new lease of life to our performance potentials at International Sports Events the event demonstrated the sheer doggedness in Governor Amaechi in meeting targets he sets for himself and the state as well and with the Presidency’s endorsement for Rivers State as venue is a vote of confidence for the State of Security in the state. As you may know the National Sports Festival took place at a time wrong signals where coming from certain parts of the country with undertones of instability.

 

What is your message for the Lagos State Government and her people over the recent devastating flood experience that took place in the State?

 

Though I was outside the country when the incident happened, I commiserated with the Government and people of Lagos State over it the moment I got wind of the sad news. Notwithstanding, my heart continues to go out to all those who lost loved ones and also those who suffered loss of property which would no doubt result in untold hardship if intervention has not been done at a scale expected by this time. I remain confident that Fashola is on top of the matter and would do the needful to help the victims, allay the fears of Lagos residents, and do the necessary infrastructural intervention to prevent further occurrence. Having said all these we should bear in mind that since the world weather report has indicated that the changing weather patterns occasioned by global warming would be accompanied by more of these natural occurrences at a higher rate, there is a need for government to take a more systemic and sustainable approach on environmental issues and infrastructural especially in areas prone to such disasters.

 

What is your take on the two ministerial posts accorded to Rivers State?

 

The inclusion of Ms Ama Pepple and Barrister Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike as Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a laudable step and significant leap towards redeeming the promises Mr. President made to the Nigerian people..I must commend President Jonathan for keeping faith with the Rivers State people and appreciating the State with two great Ministries which will be the turning point for his transformational vision for the country.

 

The two Ministers will come to the cabinet with antecedents that would add value to the cabinet. In Ms Ama Pepple’s case, she has an enviable record as one of the few Nigerians to have held sway in both arms of governance at the National level as the Clerk of the Senate and the second woman in our history to serve as the Head of Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while Barrister Nyesom Wike’s appointment as Minister having previously served in two tiers of government as two term Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government and Chief of Staff of Rivers State Government for four years is a fitting transition which he would no doubt justify.

 

Finally, let us have your stand on the Labour’s decision to call off the nationwide strike?

 

The decision by Labour to call off this strike is not only bold, commendable but a demonstration that dialogue is the key to any disagreement. Truth be told, all Nigerians would have been hard hit if the Strike action had taken place. The negative multiplier effects would have been devastating to commercial and economic activities. The events surrounding and leading up to the threat of strike and also Labour’s decision to suspend the strike action should serve as a lesson to administrators and all elected officials at the different tiers of government. A lesson I hope will give them the much needed impetus to realise the importance of delivering on promises made to the people.  I must add however, that the resolution to call off the strike cannot stand if the National Assembly fails to expedite action on the review of the constitutional provision on Revenue Formula between the three tiers of Government to enable the States and Local Government councils successfully implement the new minimum wage and in addition embark on development agendas in their States. 

 

 Any final comments on the Presidency?

 

I have watched Mr President’s body language and his words and I can see where he is going. He will be very difficult to stop if things go according to what I perceive his plans are and hopefully we will have a new order where merit will have precedence. His greatest asset is the incompetence of those who came before him. His greatest liability will be his next four years.#

WHY WE ARE ISSUING N250B BOND -AMAECHI

WHY WE ARE ISSUING N250B BOND -AMAECHI

BY ORLU JOSEPH ORLU 

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in South-South Nigeria has again explained why his administration plans to issue bond at the capital market for funding major developmental projects.

Amaechi, in a statement signed by his media aide, David Iyofor, which was obtained by Ogwareports stated that the bond would be tied to funding specific developmental projects.

The projects, he said, include the Greater Port Harcourt City, the Port Harcourt Monorail project, the new Rivers State University of Science and Technology Phase 1, Monte@Rivers (an entertainment complex), the Port Harcourt Ring Road(that would connect the old city and Greater Port Harcourt) and a new M-10 Highway (a beltway that would link the Port Harcourt International Airport to the Onne Sea port).

The governor explained that such audacious gigantic projects would need immediate and massive funds injection to complete them. Hence Rivers State plans to approach the capital market in October, 2011 to raise these funds.

He stated  that already the State House of Assembly has given the nod for the governor to go ahead and obtain the bond as such projects cannot be accomplished by sheer reliance on Federal Allocation and Internally Generated Revenue that comes in trickles.

Explaining further the details of the bond, Rivers State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside said, “These long term capital projects that are capable of catalyzing the industrialization and transformation of Rivers State require massive financial investment that can only be obtained from the capital market.

“The proposed size of the first tranche of the bond will be about 100 billion naira with five years tenures, whereas the total bond programme of 250 billion naira is envisaged over the next several months.” Peterside said.

Rivers State remains very buoyant financially with sizeable revenue accruing from both the Federation Account and IGR. The State has set a target of earning at least half of its total revenue from IGR over the next one to two years.

According to Peterside, “whilst energy prices remain relatively high on the world market in an atmosphere of somewhat low to moderate interest rate, Rivers State would benefit from a bond issue at this stage through leveraging its high income potential and favourable credit rating, coupled with a debt portfolio that is currently low at less than 30 billion naira.”

“The economic indicators of the State, including annual Gross Domestic Product of about 30 trillion naira compared to its debt stock are positive attributes that Rivers State can ride on to raise additional funds to finance its long term development agenda and fast track social and economic growth,” he said.

Peterside however noted that the State has moved further to institutionalize its efforts, giving no room for future administrations to violate loan covenants of bonds.

“To ensure that proceeds of bond are efficiently and prudently deployed for the benefit of generations yet unborn, the Government through the Ministry of Finance and other agencies is making conscious and relentless effort to modernize and automate Public Accounting System, strengthen the Debt Management Office and establish relevant institutions that can transparently monitor projects, while acting as checks and balances of fund utilization in the public sector.”

“With all this in place it is inconceivable that Rivers State will default on the bonds or allow any future administration to violate loan covenants of bonds, thereby laying the groundwork for predictability and continuity in the economic and financial planning process of the State.” he added.

Restating the Rivers State Governor’s commitment to continued infrastructure development for long term sustainable development, Iyofor explained the significance of the huge projects to the State and its people:

“The Greater Port Harcourt City Master Plan shows massive development cutting across over 8 Local Government Areas of the State covering an area of approximately 1900 square kilometers (40,000 hectares of land) with a projected population of about 2 million people.

We have master plans for roads, housing, power, water, waste water, storm water, and integrated waste management among others. We already have the new Stadium and Sports Complex built within the Greater Port Harcourt axis. The proposed M-10 Highway and the Central Spine road designed with interchanges would link the New city to the Old City in the space of 15 to 20 minutes.”

“Completing the Monorail project is a priority. It would cause an optimal decongestion of traffic on Port Harcourt roads and provide a competitive mass transportation solution to the State as the monorail would conveniently transport people in large numbers at a time from one point to another. It would also enhance the aesthetic view of the city,” the statement said.

“While the new ultra-modern campus of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology which has a larger land mass would give our children a better and befitting environment to study.”

“These are projects that must be completed and the bond which the State plans to issue in October, coupled with our IGR and Federal allocation would provide all that and much more.”

opinion

Amaechi’s True Enemies



Written by Odimegwu Onwumere



"A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement," defined lexicographers, but the interpretation of "a critic" by somebody who is close to the Rivers State government shocked me recently. He said and saw anyone who “expresses a value judgement" about Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led administration as authomatically an OPPOSITION.



After a meeting he invited us and was driving a senior colleague and I in his car, he told the colleague to warn me that I am controversial in my writings and that since he noticed that, he decided to withdraw from me. He averred that some persons would be shocked if they hear that I was in the meeting, because of what he described as "your controversial writings against Amaechi." Even, he said that if the Amaechi’s network of people hears that he invited me for the meeting, they will not want to do anything with him again. What is the entire hullabaloo for!



I don’t think that my admonisher actually understands or have checked the meaning of OPPOSITION apart from the myopic meaning given the word among Nigerian politicians before labeling me as one and saying that I am CONTROVERSIAL. Please, do we take CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM to mean OPPOSITION?



Please, what is CONTROVERSIAL? Is it CONTROVERSIAL when I tell his principal that he is losing his followership? Is it CONTROVERSIAL when I tell Amaechi about the issues in the society he has failed to address or has addressed? Please, does OPPOSITION not attack the Government and wants to take over because it comprised a group of politicians, while a CRITIC "expresses value judgment" about the government? Is a critic not somebody who forms and expresses judgments of the merits, faults, value, or truth of a matter which government is also part of?



Maybe, because I have been doing these things outlined under the job of a critic, that was why my admonisher saw me as a "controversial writer who is not straight forward in my writings." I would not understand what my admonisher meant by “you write like this today and tomorrow you write like that.”



If he sees me as an OPPOSITION to Amaechi-led government, then I ask how many agenda by the government has the OPPOSITION supported? Opposition condemns but a critic "forms and expresses judgments of the merits, faults, value, or truth of a matter." And I have been faulting and valuing Amaechi’s agenda as they come. The records are there.



I think there is something about my admonisher and whenever he sees anybody going in that direction, he runs from the person or begins to attack the person. But for how long shall he continue with this kind of chameleonic lifestyle? He forgets that everything has an expiry date. He boasts of trying to help me, but I have been obediently with him for 3yrs now and could not boast of anything meaningful I have gotten from him.



What is wrong with my articles about Amaechi that my admonisher is so embittered with me? His principal even commends most of my works, but my admonisher will never find anything good in them because I do not praise Amaechi from the beginning of my works to the end, so that he will know that he has trained another sycophant he portrays. Journalism is not like that.



If we all should continue to praise Amaechi so that we make money from him as in the eyes my admonisher, which he has been doing, this Rivers State will be in a total collapse. Look at Reuben Abati, he criticized President Jonathan the night before he was appointed SA, but my admonisher will never learn to talk good about me. He even talked about a person who wanted to make me his media aide, but said that the person was discouraged by whom he was discussing this with, because of my "controversial articles."



However, whether anybody who says the TRUTH now becomes an OPPOSITION to Amaechi or not, please Amaechi’s Rivers State is gradually going down and Amaechi does not know this because of the feedbacks perhaps he gets from his field men like my admonisher that all are well. Amaechi, please all are not well.



I give anybody a task to take a ride round Port Harcourt and its environs. Have an open mind while you are on this tour, and be shocked with a collapsing environment therein. Please, do not tell me what you saw, so that I do not become A MADMAN either, in the eyes of my admonisher, because I will write about them. Do you now understand the true enemies of Amaechi? No wonder ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo reportedly said “I dey laugh o!”



Odimegwu Onwumere is the Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV). Mobile: +2348032552855. Email: nirivpol@gmail.com

I Will Never Return To PDP – Sekibo

I Will Never Return To PDP – Sekibo
Tue, 26/07/2011 - 6:08am | ANAYO ONUKWUGHA News Politics

Recently, former Minister of Transport and governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Precious Samuel Sekibo addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt. The conference was the first since July 1, 2011 when he withdrew his petition challenging the victory of Governor Amaechi at the election tribunal. He subsequently fielded questions from newsmen. ANAYO ONUKWUGHA was there.

Pleased explain the reasons why you withdrew your petition challenging the victory of Governor Chibuike Amaechi at the election tribunal?

First, let me apologise for coming here late. I am pained that I have been in the hold-up for almost two hour, 30 minutes now, just at the junction, not too far from here. This is what the average Rivers man goes through every day in this town, our dear state capital. I apologise to you for keeping you waiting.

First, let me start with the issues that concern our party. All of you would recall that on April 26, we did go for an election; the governorship election in this state. That election was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission headed by Professor Attahiru Jega. Before the election, we went round this state; we went to every local government area in this state. We took the programme of the Action Congress of Nigeria to the people of Rivers State and explained to them, how we will, as a party give the people of Rivers State, governance much better than what the Peoples Democratic Party had offered them in the last four years. The people of Rivers State embraced our agenda and came out en-masse to vote for the Action Congress of Nigeria. I have every cause to believe that that election was resoundingly won by the Action Congress of Nigeria.

Unfortunately, most unfortunately for democracy, at about 8.00 am the following day, there was a release from the Rivers State Government House announcing the result of that election. It was sent to almost all media houses in this country at a time when INEC itself had not announced the result. It was then clear to us that the electoral process had been compromised and we headed for the tribunal.

Since we filed our case in the tribunal, the Rivers State government and the PDP in collusion with INEC had frustrated every single step we had taken to gather the necessary evidence that we have to prove that what INEC announced was not what the Rivers people decided. We had been in that battle since this election was said to have been concluded and we had not made any headway.

During the election, Professor Attahiru Jega gave all Nigerians the permission to film, photograph, and record the electoral process. The Action Congress of Nigeria deployed over 5,000 cameras to almost every polling unit in Rivers State. Those of our members who had these cameras were beaten, some of them were beaten, manhandled, the cameras they were given destroyed. All in an effort to prevent us from gathering the necessary information that could help us prove to the electoral tribunal that what INEC announced was not the true outcome of the result of that election.
In the circumstance, when we realised that whatever we did to get the necessary information to file and support our case before the tribunal was not going to be allowed, both by the government and the electoral body, which is supposed to be neutral, we were left with no other choice than to withdraw from the tribunal because it was clear to us that we should not be deceiving the Rivers people. If the electoral law had given clear deadline when certain thing should be concluded and we have done more things to meet up. We had over 10 photocopiers at the INEC headquarters in Port Harcourt here, trying to photocopy documents. Both the INEC officials and the then Chief of Staff to the governor of Rivers State came into the INEC office and prevented us from photocopying document that are necessary for the case in the tribunal.

I pledged to Rivers people when I was campaigning that at all times, I will tell them the truth and nothing but the truth. When I was faced with the challenge of not having the things we needed to present to the tribunal, which INEC had, and the time allowed by law was going to elapse. I had to take a very painful decision of withdrawing this matter from the tribunal with the belief and the lawyers truly advised that rather than allow our case in the tribunal to be used as a project of confirming illegality, it was better for us to stay out of the tribunal and continue to tell the world and the public that the process allowed by law had been thwarted deliberately by the Rivers State government, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers State.

We had no choice but to take our matter to the court of public opinion, when it became clear that the electoral tribunal was not a place where the Rivers people could get justice. In taking that decision, I want to make it clear that as the candidate of the party, who ran that election, I took everything into consideration and said that I must not mislead or deceive the members of my party and the people of Rivers State. Remaining in the tribunal at the time will only be giving the impression that we are pursuing a case which in reality, we are not allowed to pursue. I take full responsibility in that decision that was taken.

Did you consult members of the ACN before withdrawing your petition from the election tribunal?

Before I took that decision, I did consult my state party chairman and a few other elders of the party. Let me use this opportunity to apologise to other members of the party who felt that they ought to have been consulted. In fact, every card-carrying member of our party ought to have been consulted but you would agree with me that under the present circumstance, it was impossible to hold, normally what would have been a party congress at which this issue would have been discussed and possibly, a decision taken. I tender my apology to my party members for not holding a congress before that decision was taken. I want to assure you that that decision was taken in good fate, in the interest of our party and to ensure that we come together as a people and as a party. As a party, we will always tell the people the truth and play the role, which is to protect the interest of the people at all times. That is much on the issue of the matter in the tribunal.

What does the future hold for the ACN in Rivers State?
Let me talk about our party as an opposition party. The Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter led by Chief Esuku is not afraid of being an opposition party. We are willing and ready at all times to point out to Rivers people and to the PDP government where things are being done wrongly, where it has not been done right and where fraud and corruption is penetrating our body politics. That role of a watch-dog on the government, that role of championing the interest of the Rivers people, the Action Congress of Nigeria will continue to play, in the process of preparing for future and subsequent elections.

What assurances are you giving to members of ACN in the state that you will not dump the party and go back to the PDP at the end of the day?

I want to assure the party chairman and members and the Rivers people that I, Dr. Abiye Samuel Precious Sekibo remain a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria, today, tomorrow, and into the foreseeable future. I have not met with anybody in any other political party to discuss the possibility of even changing party. Let me remind you that I led a group of Nigerians across this country asking for reforms in the Peoples Democratic Party. In struggling for that reform in the PDP, I was suspended as a member of the party for a time. I was recalled to the PDP but I refused to go back. Rather than go back to the PDP, I decided to pitch my tent with the Action Congress of Nigeria. I am not about to go back. So be rest assured that the rumour making the rounds that I have met with some persons and planning to change party is infringement of some people’s imagination. I am in ACN and I will remain in ACN and I will swim and sink with the Action Congress of Nigeria. As we go forward, there could be challenges, thing may not go as smooth as we expect.

We have a very vicious cabal in Rivers State that has seized the Peoples Democratic Party that has seized the government from the Rivers people and is using it to short-change the Rivers people, to corruptly enrich themselves, and to leave the Rivers people in abject poverty and in penury. The Action Congress of Nigeria must prepare itself for that fight on behalf of the Rivers people. We have no choice; this is an assignment that we are freely and willingly taking on ourselves, to stand for the poor and down-trodden people of Rivers State. That decision will come with consequences and it may even cost our lives but it a cause for which we are willing to die pursuing because our Rivers people are suffering and they continue to suffer. I just explained to you that a drive from GRA here through Trans-Amadi to this place, which shouldn’t have taken more than 15 minutes took me almost two hours and 30 minutes to get here.

Rivers people suffer that every day. They have no hospitals to attend; they have no schools to attend. We have false projects being undertaken by this administration. This government, in the last four years has received over a trillion naira - far more money than the three previous administrations in this state had received put together and yet, there is nothing to show for it. The schools they say, they are building are costing ten times more than what they are expected to cost. The infrastructure that we had in this state has shrinked instead of expanding. This PDP government inherited schools, inherited hospitals, inherited roads.

Every incoming administration has a work they inherit but this administration, what they inherited have reduced. I can quickly tell you, we have the BMH, we had the Teaching Hospital, not too far from here, in town and we had a brand new teaching hospital that is being run by the Federal Government in Choba. Today, the teaching hospital in town is no more. Those who live in Borokiri, when they are ill, and they need to use the teaching hospital, they have to go all the way from Borokiri to Choba, the BMH is so stretched. This is a glaring example of reduction in infrastructure inherited by a government, not adding to what you had before.

Another glaring example is the cultural centres. This government inherited cultural centres from the previous administration. Today, we don’t have a cultural centre, both the one in town, along Bonny Street and the Obi Wali Cultural Centre are no more. Talk about shrinking in infrastructure inherited by the government. It is the duty of the Action Congress of Nigeria to continue to point out to the Rivers people and shout out to the world what is going on here.

The administration we have in Rivers State today is institutionalising corruption. We said these things during our electoral campaigns. We mentioned the Rivers State Procurement Act, we mentioned two laws that instituted in them a right for the governor to use the Rivers people’s money any how he likes, for whatever purpose he likes, any time he like, through whoever he likes without being accountable to anybody.

That is the worst kind of corruption. We had a State Assembly then that passed that law. This new State Assembly has started even the worst trend and has just approved 48 million dollars for the governor to buy a new jet. This is a governor, who when the Supreme Court by fiat, put into Government House of Rivers State, this governor said Dr. Peter Odili was frivolous by having to buy a plane and jet for Rivers State. He promised that he was going to sell them but he didn’t sell them. Within the four years, he had used those aeroplanes that Dr. Peter Odili bought ten times more than Odili used them when he was governor. Rather than selling them as he promised the Rivers people, he had gotten this rubber-stamp Rivers State House of Assembly to approve 48 million dollars for him to buy a new plane. In other words, when these ones are sent for servicing, there would be another plane for him to use. He wants to change aeroplanes as he can change cars. Yet, our markets are in a terrible state. The Town market is not functioning, Creek Road market is in a terrible state, Mile One market is in a terrible state, and Mile Three Market is in a terrible state. The things that serve our people are not being addressed.

What is your present relationship with Dr. Peter Odili?
I said I pledged to you that I will always tell you the truth. Up till Easter Sunday, that is April 24, before the election, I can say without fear or favour that I had a fantastic relationship with Sir Dr. Peter Odili. But, since after that election on April 26 till now, I am not sure that I will be able to repeat what I just said. Let us leave it like that.

Do you think that remaining in the ACN, being an opposition party will give you all you need to improve on the lives of Rivers people as you have always said?
I must be very clear that the only hope for Rivers people is the Action Congress of Nigeria. That is the truth; it might be difficult to believe, but that is the truth. In Rivers State today, the only hope, the only political party that we can say has not been bought is the Action Congress of Nigeria. We say things as they are. I remember, over the last few weeks, you have seen our regular interaction in the press, telling people what is going on.

Some people must take the job of speaking out so that people will know that what is going on in government there are people who are talking about them. We have opposition parties that are in the pockets of the Rivers State Government House. For the first time in the history of this state, we have an opposition party that is standing out there to say things as they are. God has given me the opportunity, through my political association in National Republican Convention, and in PDP, to be part of government. I have had the opportunity of being in government. I now have the opportunity of being in the opposition. I believe very firmly that we owe Rivers people a duty. It is not just enough to belong to a political party, but you must also commit to serving the people. In today’s Nigeria, in today’s Rivers State, the place to be to truly serve Rivers people selflessly is the Action Congress of Nigeria.

You have been a member of the PDP in Rivers State and know what the ruling party is capable of doing. Do you think the obstructions you alleged you met at the tribunal are the same obstructions somebody like Great Ogboru met and is still meeting in Delta State, considering the fact that there were allegations that you were paid to withdraw from the tribunal?

A time comes in the life of any human being - If you live long enough, a time comes when you say, enough is enough. In every human being, a time comes when you say I repent of my sins. I can boldly claim that I was one of those who made NRC what it was during the Ada-George era. I can boldly claim that I am one of those who made PDP what it became in Rivers State. I know the things in PDP that we did which were wrong, which were not in the interest of the people and today, I repent of them.

I did not just jump into the Action Congress of Nigeria; I reflected and prayed about it. For me to get involved in the PDP reform forum, and incur the wrath of the leadership of the party at the national level, it just doesn’t happen over-night. It was clear to me that PDP was becoming an evil instrument against the interest of the people of Nigeria and I had to join like-minds to fight but I didn’t succeed. I was not tired of politics, so I decided to go to ACN.
I will be lying to you if I say there have been no pressures from certain quarters asking me to please come back to the PDP, but for me, that is a closed chapter. We are not going there anymore. Like I said, you don’t go back to what you have repented of. The ACN is the place to stay to give the Rivers people hope.

You talk about insinuations of my having collected N2 billion. Your own is even too small. I was told that I was offered N 5 billion but I said no, that I wanted N10 billion and they started begging me until the offered N7 billion. That Odili was in the meeting, helping to beg me to accept the N7 billion. That when I said no, Odili got angry and wanted to leave, so I accepted the N7 billion and put it in my pocket and left.

Now, whoever that was telling that story most be the most illiterate and most naive person that you can ever imagine. Unfortunately, our people who were listening to him or her had believed the story. That somebody can carry N7 billion, put in his pocket and walk away. It is the level to which integrity had died in public service in this country and we must all be concerned.

Why is it that every single individual who has relationship with Rivers State government today is seen as a cheat? The moment you are made commissioner or even a board member, your utterances and attitude change. The reason is not far-fetched. All of us, no matter how we pretend, we know our selves. We know who is who.

Yesterday, a friend of yours you used to hang out with you and share hard times suddenly a becomes commissioner, or an adviser, a Senator, a House of Reps member, a House of Assembly member, or even a governor or a councillor, over-night, he has a fleet of cars. He has houses in GRA, he has houses in Abuja, he has in Lagos. But he has never worked before in his life. That is consistently happening.

I have thrown a challenge. In this government, run by Rotimi Amaechi, in the government Dr. Peter Odili ran and in all other governments before them, check the individuals, who were running government, x-ray their background, what were they doing before they entered government. When you work that out, it will tell you who is corrupt and who is not corrupt.

Before I entered government, I was a medical practitioner; some of you seated here were my patients. I had a track record to show that I was not only self-employed before I entered government, but I had something you can prove. There are records to show that you know. You can find out. Do the same with every public officer, from the President down.

Let us not always generalise that Nigerians are corrupt. Let the fourth estate of the realm not generalise that Nigerians are these, Nigerians are that. Those in government are thieves. No, I was in government but I am not a thief. Every single thing that I have, I can account for them.

I have served as secretary to government, I have served as minister, I have been probed. In fact, I was told that I was the most investigated minister of transport in the history of Nigeria after I left that office and EFCC had not called me. I am ready, willing, and open to go through the rigours of investigation on every single asset that I have and how I got them. Let us do the same to each and every public officer, who had served. That is what the fourth estate of the realm should be asking for if we want to track this demon called corruption that wants to destroy our state and country. We must begin to ask the right questions.

If somebody was a youth corper and got a political appointment and suddenly had a fleet of cars and has houses all over the country and other countries of the world and we are not asking questions? Yet, we say, we are fighting corruption. What type of corruption are we fighting? We should say the things the way they are.

Source: LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER

Imo Community Set To Elect New President-General ...as odds favour Nnadi

The people of Uru community in Isi-Ogwa in Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State, South-East Nigeria will on Saturday, July 30, 2011 elected a new president-general for the community.

According to Ogwareports, the election will also see the election of other executive officers of Uru Improvement Union (UIU), the apex socio-cultural organization of the community.

The outgoing executive of the community, led by the president-general, Chief Charles Nwaiwu came into office in July 2003 following the expiration of the tenure of Chief Samuel Nnodim-led executive of the UIU.

Meanwhile, a research carried out by Ogwareports in Uru community indicated that a Port Harcourt-based businessman, Mr. Adolphus Nnadi may be the candidate to beat during the election for a new president-general for the community.

Nnadi, who is the current national financial secretary of community and vice chairman of Okwaraebere Family Union (OFU), had held several position of trust in the community and Ogwa clan in general.