NLNG deepens educational commitment with new investments in Rivers State - ITREALMS

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The NLNG has commissioned the second phase of its school renovation project in Rivers State, upgrading infrastructure in host community schools as part of its strategic commitment to education and community development, reports ITREALMS.

The commissioning, which includes the transformation of Model Boys Secondary School, Omoku, and Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt, marks a significant milestone in NLNG’s four-pillar Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda focused on sustainability, stakeholding, partnership, and shared prosperity. These upgrades were delivered in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Education, a key partner in the Company’s drive to promote quality education.

Rivers State: Shettima inaugurates $115mn upgrade of APM terminals - ITREALMS

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The Vice President, Kashim Shettima on Wednesday officially inaugurated a comprehensive USD 115 million upgrade project at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne, Rivers State.

Our Correspondent reports that this monumental investment underscores APM Terminals' unwavering commitment to Nigeria's economic growth and solidifies its position as a key trade hub in West Africa.

Tragedy in Rivers State: A missed opportunity for Akpabio - ITREALMS

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During my online vigil with a particular church, I came across a distressing video on WhatsApp. 

In the video, a young man, his voice filled with pain and desperation, called out to the Governor of the State for help as vehicles, both commercial and private, went up in flames.

The incident occurred around 8:45 pm on a Friday, leaving behind a scene of devastation – charred remains of people, vehicles, and goods. Tragically, more than five individuals, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives in the blaze. Over 100 vehicles were consumed by fire, with many others sustaining injuries and requiring hospitalization. The scale of the loss is truly staggering.

Rivers State unity: Group swipes @Abiye Sekibo over destabilization plot - ITREALMS

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A group under the aegis Rivers Democratic Vanguard says its attention has been drawn to a viral video where one-time Minister for Transportation, Dr Abiye Sekibo was seen whipping up ethnic divisions in a multi ethnic state.

The group said, “While addressing a group of people in Ogu/Bolo LGA under the guise of a thanksgiving program, Dr. Abiye who once served as the Secretary to the State Government under Dr Peter Odili decided to reenact they described as the “era of the already abolished Upland/ Riverine dichotomy” in the state.

Yiaga Africa faults INEC over Rivers State results, says Peter Obi won with 50.8% votes - ITREALMS

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Yiaga Africa has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission’s announcement of the presidential election in Rivers and Imo State, which they alleged is opposite of the observations from the polls, reports ITREALMS.

Early on Wednesday, INEC had announced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election held last Saturday along the National Assembly elections.

"We’ve supported infrastructure growth in Rivers State with N14.86bn" – ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) says out of the over N41billion disbursed for community projects in Niger Delta, about N15billion went to Rivers State under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reports ITREALMS.

“Between 2006 and end of 2017, a total of N14.86 billion has been invested by the SPDC Joint Venture in the GMoU clusters in Rivers State, giving communities a highly-valued opportunity to decide and implement projects and programmes that have a lasting impact on people’s lives,” said the General Manager, External Relations of SPDC, Igo Weli, on Saturday in Port Harcourt at the 2018 edition of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Port Harcourt Branch Week.

Weli, who spoke on the role of oil and gas sector in the infrastructure development of Rivers State, said the SPDC JV funding enabled 19 GMoU clusters in Rivers State to embark on projects covering health, education, water and power supply improvement, sanitation and infrastructure development. He added that the success of the GMoU initiative proved what could be achieved when government, international oil companies, communities and NGOs worked together for the common good.

Under the terms of the GMoU, SPDC JV provides secure five-year funding for communities to implement development projects of their choice, which are managed by Cluster Development Boards under the guidance of mentoring NGOs.

On social infrastructure, Weli listed the N1.5billion ultramodern library donated by Shell to the state government to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary celebration, and the establishment of a Community Health Insurance Scheme at Obio Cottage Hospital in Port Harcourt where the average number of patients increased from about 600 to about 7,500 per month in 2017, making it one of the most utilised health facilities in the area. He said 10 other hospitals in Rivers State also enjoyed ‘robust health intervention scheme by SPDC JV’.

In education, he cited the establishment of the first centre of excellence in Marine Engineering and Offshore Technology at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt in 2017, which has commenced programmes leading to the award of Master’s degrees in Marine Engineering (Power Plants), Naval Architecture and Offshore and Subsea Engineering. This, he said was in addition to the many SPDC JV scholarship schemes which date back to the 1950s.

On the statutory role of the oil and gas sector in infrastructure development in Niger Delta, Weli noted that each player in the sector was expected to contribute 3% of its annual budget to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the purpose of facilitating the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region into an area that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful. “Between inception of NDDC in 2002 and the end of 2017, Shell companies alone contributed N338.12billion to the commission,” he said.

He noted that the responsibility for the development of communities, societies or states resides primarily with government and community stakeholders themselves. “It stands to reason therefore that abdicating that responsibility for development to the private sector either fully or substantially is, in my assessment, one of the key issues militating against sustainable development not just of Rivers State but of the Niger Delta.”

He frowned on the expectation that private sector should take on the role of government even after fulfilling their statutory obligations to the state and investing as much as their businesses can carry in social investments in the host communities. “This is not sustainable and perhaps accounts for the steady drop or reduction in investments, hence the dwindling opportunities in employment, contracts, and so on, in the Niger Delta in the past two decades.”

Weli added: “The region is no longer very attractive to investors because of the unrealistic demand and entitlement mindset. The future of the Niger Delta is in the hands of private investors, therefore stakeholders need to re-set their expectations and approach to achieve sustainable growth and development. Investors are to be wooed and investments, attracted, not taken for granted.”

He therefore appealed for a conducive operating environment to enable the private sector do business profitably without fear so that they could implement social investment projects and programmes.

He said: “For the private sector, including the oil and gas industry to support the state for infrastructure development, the state, as a matter of policy, and the people, as a matter of dogged commitment, must resolve to make the state peaceful, friendly, attractive and competitive.”




Ayo Midele/GEE




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BREAKING NEWS: 9mobile office shut over illegal revenue drive, ALTON berates Rivers State - ITREALMS Online

ITREALMS:

The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has decried the illegal revenue generating drives by the officials of the Rivers State Inland Revenue Service (RIRS) which lead to the shutting of a regional office and hub site of one of its members, the 9mobile, reports ITRealms.

The shutdown, ALTON said has been shut down for the past three weeks because of illegal demand notice, since June 26, 2018.

ALTON in a letter to the chairman, Rivers State Inland Revenue Service condemning what it termed as “over zealousness in their illegal revenue generating drives in the State” as surprising.

“We understand that the sealing of EMTS Premises is to compel the collection of alleged tax liability in the subject amount, which represents its disputed outstanding tax liability arising from Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) of expatriates, erroneously believed by the RIRS to be subject to tax within the Rivers State,” ALTON chairman, Gbenga Adebayo said.

ALTON insisted that PAYE obligations are to states in which the employees reside, and EMTS did not have any expatriate(s) on its payroll who reside in Rivers State within the assessment period, EMTS is clearly not indebted to the Government of Rivers State for the alleged tax.

EMTS, ALTON pointed, had, at several meetings and by various correspondence explained and maintained that it is not indebted to the Government of Rivers State as alleged by the RIRS, as it has never had expatriate employees working or residing in the state, and provided relevant documents in support of its position. 

Therefore, ALTON categorically reiterated that EMTS is not indebted to the Government of Rivers State and that the sealing of EMTS’ Premises is illegal, especially as it was carried out without a court order and without adherence to the due process of law.

“The conduct of the RIRS in this regard, apart from being a clear contravention of the law, goes against the efforts of Government at improving Nigeria’s position on the global Ease of Doing Business index, to encourage foreign investment. Also by applying self-help remedies especially in a situation where the claim is erroneous, the RIRS has portrayed the State in very bad light as unfriendly and not welcoming of investors,” ALTON maintained.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Tribunal nullifies Wike’s election, calls for re-run

ITRealms:

The electoral tribunal sitting in Abuja, Saturday, October 24, nullified the election of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State, even as it ordered that a re-run be conducted in the state, ITRealms reports.

Wike’s election was being challenged at the tribunal in a petition filed by Dakubu Peterside, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC alongside its gubernatorial candidate had been contesting the declaration of Governor Wike by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the Rivers state governorship poll in the April 11 gubernatorial election.

ITRealms learnt that Governor Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in substance and merit.

INEC had declared Wike who contested on the platform of the PDP as the winner of the election having scored a total of 1,029,102 votes as against Peterside’s 124,896.

However, the APC and Peterside in their petition filed on May 3, had urged the tribunal to nullify the election in the entire 23 local government areas of the state and order fresh one on the account of alleged substantial non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act and Manual for Election Officers 2015, ITRealms gathered.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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Senate finally screens Amaechi, 4 others

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The Nigerian Senate has finally screened the former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a ministerial nominee, ITRealms reports.

Amaechi who was led into the chamber by his party Chairman Chief Odigie Oyegun and Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, has been on the waiting list since the commencement of the screening exercise in the senate.

ITRealms gathered that the other senators screened, Thursday, include Heineken Lokpobiri form Bayelsa, Cladius Omoleye Daramola from Ondo, Mustapha Baba Shehuri and James E. Ocholi from Kogi State.

Amaechi’s screening became possible following the formal receipt by the Senate of report of the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, over a petition bordering on allegations of fraudulent practices during his tenure as the governor of the state.

Although the screening did not go without some interlude in form of interruptions.: Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Sen. Godswill Akpabio raised a point of order, stating that content of the report of the Senator Anyanwu-led committee should have been made known to the Senate, before Amaechi’s screening. Akpabio noted that the PDP-caucus in the Senate had reached a resolution not to ask Amaechi questions.

According to Vanguard , another dramatic scene unfolded in the upper chamber with fierce opposition from PDP Senators, when Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, pointed that that the report on Amaechi had already been laid before the Senate by Senator Anyanwu, adding that copies will be handed to senators shortly. Ndume, however noted that being a former lawmaker, Amaechi should be allowed to take a bow.

Cyriacus Nnaj/ED,OPs/GEE

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Guild of Editors appeal for release of Donu Kogbara

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has appealed for the immediate release of one of its own, Ms Donu Kogbara, a columnist with the Vanguard Newspaper, who was abducted on Sunday, August 30, 2015 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, reports ITRealms.

President, NGE, Garba Deen Muhammad, in a press statement made available to ITRealms on behalf of NGE passionately appealed to the kidnappers of “our friend Ms. Donu Kogbara who was abducted on Sunday, 30/8/2015, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Donu Kogbara is a 

columnist with the Vanguard newspaper.”

He also urged those holding Donu to remember that they have mothers, sisters, wives and daughters whom they cherish and protect intensely. Stressing that Donu is also a mother, wife and sister to other people who care deeply about her. 

“They must not hurt her and should please release her to return to her family immediately,” NGE President said.

As a columnist, Garba noted that Donu always stood for the truth, the poor and the downtrodden in her approach to national and local issues, and wondered why anybody could kidnap her.

“It is therefore a big disservice to her that she should be subjected to the traumatic experience of being a victim of kidnapping. We implore her abductors to be humane and to release her unconditionally to continue with her crusade for a better country for all Nigerians,” he lamented.

Garba also charged the police and other security agencies to take every step necessary to ensure the safe release of Donu Kogbara; and to put in place measures that will guarantee the safety and security of all Nigerians, especially those exposed to higher risks such as journalists.

To the family of Donu, NGE said, they want them to know that the Guild feel their pain at this very trying period.

“We shall continue to work and pray for the safe return of our dear colleague,” Guild President said.

  +ITRealms DSA +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)

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Pix: Donu

Monitisation policy: Wike, I've right to my vehicles - Ibim Semenitari

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Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, former Info Commissioner, Rivers State

On Thursday June 18, 2015, over 10 policemen armed with machine guns and in two trucks –
One Ford Transit and One Hilux arrived my residence, No 12 A Ernest Ikoli Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt. Without either a search warrant, letter or precious information, they forced their way into my premises.

My security guard on duty requested to know their mission and who sent them. They refused to disclose either, but went round taking photographs and videoing my premises. The security guard got in touch with my assistant who spoke with the men, explaining to them that I was out of town and again requested to know their mission and purpose. Again they declined insisting on seeing me first. She then got in touch with me by phone as we were uncertain as to the identity of the policemen in question.

Upon further investigation and after about 3 hours of them laying siege on my premise, I was told that they were from Rivers State Government House and had been sent to recover vehicles in my possession. They attempted to break into a Range Rover Jeep belonging to my Husband and bought long before I was made Commissioner in Rivers State Government, damaging the front door. The vehicle in question contrary to the lies being paraded is not an armoured vehicle and has never at any point belonged to the Rivers State Government nor its agents including myself as Commissioner of Information.

By the time I finally made contact with them and expressed my displeasure, they insisted that they would take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to me as Commissioner of Information and which by law I am entitled to leave with upon leaving office.

The monetisation policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles as this is in lieu of vehicle, allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002. Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation when President Olusegun Obassanjo instituted the monetisation policy.

Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I am entitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation. While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Amaechi and all those worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so. A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

I have chosen however to put out these details in the public space as it is apparent that for some persons only a destruction of my hard earned reputation would do and this I would not accept. My records in the Ministry of Information are crystal clear I hope that Mr. Nyesom Wike is able to say same about his tenure in every office he has held.

Forcing their home into my home unlawfully isn’t the appropriate way for any government that claims legitimacy to behave.

•Being text of a statement by Mrs. Semenitari, former Commissioner for Information, Rivers State. Courtesy: NewsExpress.com
 

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Rivers youths allege INEC officials thumb printing for PDP

ITRealms:

Watchful youths in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, have allegedly caught some people suspected to be officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) thumb printing at the Commission’s office, three days after the declaration of the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, reports ITRealms.

The youths, ITRealms gathered acted on a tip off and were able to video the officials and others that supervised the thumb printing; which further cripples the claim by INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega that there was no substantial evidence to cancel the elections in Rivers State.

Speaking on anonymity, one of the officials disclosed that the mass thumb printing, days after the election, was to justify the results tendered and provide evidence in preparation for tribunal.

The ballot papers from the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections were allegedly sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

This, ITRealms reports, is coming at a time the people of the area are mourning the yet to be investigated murder of three APC supporters in cold blood; one of them killed by a soldier.

Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had during the collation of votes of the March 28 elections admitted results, which indicated that PDP scored 1,487,075 to APC’s 69,238 votes from Rivers State.

The INEC boss claimed that there was no substantial evidence to cancel election results in Rivers State, based on the report of an investigative committee that visited Port Harcourt, but acknowledged administrative deficiencies during the conduct of the polls.

The APC in Rivers State challenged Jega’s claims, observing that “even a child will not believe that a state like Rivers, controlled by the party, that it would record less than 70, 000 votes without a single candidate as against the opposition party scoring over 1.4 million”.

The party questioned the rationale behind the said investigative committee meeting with only Gesila Khan, Rivers REC, in whom it had long lost confidence and perhaps the PDP being principally the parties whose misconduct it was meant to investigate.

Senator Magnus Abe, Rivers South-East Senatorial candidate of the APC who received the electoral materials from the Khana youths urged the CID unit of the police to commence a full scale investigation and prosecute the INEC and police officials involved in the fraud.

“As you can see before me are INEC ballot papers from Khana. At about 12noon (Thursday), youths stumbled on some INEC officials in their office in Bori, where they brought in presiding officers and supervisors to thumbprint ballot papers and doctored results all in favour of PDP” he said.

“I called the Area Commander, Bori and the DPO who told me the INEC officials were in Bori to collect their stipends on the last elections; I called CP Karma, who asked me to report the matter to the CID; I decided to inform the Nigerian public before proceeding to the police CID” Senator Abe said.

He also called on the INEC chairman, Prof. Jega to urgently effect the redeployment of the Rivers State REC, Gesila Khan before the April 11 governorship elections for showing executive recklessness in collaboration with PDP and the police and sued for the cancellation of the concocted elections, insisting that the votes counted in favour of the PDP were not cast by Rivers people.

 

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Pix: Thumb printed ballot papers on display by Senator Magnus Abe addressing press