Tag: Rivers state government

IN DEFENCE OF THE DEFENSELESS JUDGES WHO ARE DOING THEIR JOB ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF THEIR CONSCIENCE By Achi. William-Wobodo

Emporium Reporters

Being a judge, is a tough personal call to make. It is a highly demanding and ethical job to do, which makes a judge vulnerable and prone to bullying. A judge is trained to rise up in defence of the defenseless, yet he cannot defend himself. The rot in our society has made the job even more hazardous.   For every judgement that does not go in the way of public opinion and expectation, the judge is blamed and accused of corruption. This is unpatriotic. Judges are not employed to…

Gov Fubara approves N85,000 new minimum wage for Rivers Workers

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the payment of N85,000.00 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the employ of the Rivers State Government.   This is the agreement reached during a closed door meeting presided over by the Governor and attended by representatives of organised labour under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in the State at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.   Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, who spoke on…

Gov Fubara swears in newly 23 elected LG Chairmen

Emporium Reporters

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has sworn in the newly elected chairpersons of the 23 local government councils in the state. The swearing-in ceremony held on Sunday at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, saw 22 chairmen from the Action Peoples Party (APP) and one from the Action Alliance officially inaugurated into office. The Rivers State local government election was held on Saturday across the state. Results from the state Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, said the Action Peoples Party won 22 out of the 23 local governments. The…

JUST IN: Wike declares public holiday in Rivers for Tinubu’s visit

Emporium Reporters

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has announced that Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023, will be a public holiday in Rivers State.   The governor made this known in a state broadcast on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. He explained that President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had indicated his desire to commission some strategic projects in Rivers State during his presidential campaign visit to the state.   Recall that a formal invitation was earlier sent to the President-Elect after the general elections, which he graciously accepted.   The Governor said the move is…

Wike lauds OSSAP-SDGs over 100 Bed Mother and Child Hospital in Rivers

Emporium Reporters

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has showered encomiums on the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire for delivery of a 100 Bed Mother and Child Hospital in Okrika area of Rivers State. The MCC is equipped with state-or-the-art facilities including operating theatres, labour rooms, recovery rooms, private and general Wards, scanning Room, consultation rooms and laboratory, ultra-scan machine, vacuum extractor delivery set and an Emergency Cart with full compliments. It’s one of the over 25 advanced medical facilities designed and equipped…

Wike introduces free school feeding programme, presents N550b 2023 budget

Emporium Reporters

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has presented a budget estimate of 550 billion naira for the 2023 fiscal year, the highest to be projected by his administration since assuming office in 2015.   The Governor who presented the appropriation bill to the state’s House of Assembly on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, also announced a free feeding programme for pupils in primary schools to increase enrolments.   Wike explained that his administration projected ₦351bn as Capital Expenditure for the 2023 fiscal year.   The Governor explained that in 2023 the State…

Wike drops criminal charges against Amaechi, others, accepts Rivers Assembly’s decision to strip Omehia as ex-governor

Emporium Reporters

The Rivers state government under Governor Nyesom Wike has withdrawn the criminal charges it instituted against a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.   Also, the state withdrew similar charges filed against the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Tonye Cole, and five others.   The state government had filed a criminal suit accusing them of selling the government’s assets running into billions of naira when Amaechi was the state governor.   When the matter resumed for ruling on the legality of a private lawyer to…

Retrogressive politics of VAT in Nigeria By Salihu Moh. Lukman

Emporium Reporters

The controversy around whether Value Added Tax should be centrally collected by the Federal Government or decentralised so that state governments are the ones to collect, beyond anything, is a test about the type of democracy Nigerians want. Is it going to prioritise the development of the nation’s productive capacity? Or will it simply be about consuming the resources that are currently available? Once the priority is about consuming currently available resources, commitment of political leaders to mobilise investment to develop the nation’s productive sectors will be weak. This is…

Tale of VAT, the lazy grasshopper and the ant By Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

There is this ancient fable of the ant and grasshopper that best explains the Nigerian fiscal federalism duel. Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, amplified it recently. Ants, you know, are one of the most hardworking, organized and purposeful animals on earth. Extremely hardworking and industrious, myths that have existed for ages about these insects talk about their tireless industry and empathy for one another. Ants are also seen as the closest neighbor of man. In them is a unique prowess and organizational power that have survived centuries. The pervasive presence…