GOV FUBARA APPROVES EXTENSION OF ROAD TO IMO BOUNDARY
…Seeks greater support of the people
… Vows To Bring Massive Agricultural Development To Etche

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has declared that his administration will tap into the huge agricultural potentials in Etche to boost food sufficiency and create wealth in the state.
Governor Fubara who spoke during the official flag-off of the construction of the 12.3 kilometers Egwi-Afara-Mba road in Etche LGA on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, said part of the preparation for the agricultural project in Etche is the construction of access roads in the area which is currently being embarked on by the government.
The Governor thanked the people of Etche for their support, and urged them to be vigilant and not succumb to the politics of blackmail and sabotage advanced by some people in the area.
“What we are doing today is to tell Etche people thank you. Thank you for supporting, believing and still standing by us. Our thank you is not limited to the construction of roads alone, it will still extend to the development of your people through manpower development.”
“If we finish the road without the right manpower, the rightful employment and engagement of the youths, the road is useless. We are not going to limit it to just the road.”
He noted, “We will bring agricultural development to Etche, knowing that Etche is the food basket of Rivers State. So, what I have come to do this afternoon is to do the preparation, the road that you are going to use to transport those products that you are going to produce here.”
The governor explained that the target is to complete the road project within a six month period and urged the community to give the necessary support to contractors for smooth execution of the project.
He directed the Commissioner for Works to as a matter of urgency extend the road project in line with the request of the traditional rulers to the boundary between Rivers and Imo State which is estimated to be 10 kilometers from Mba.
Speaking as special guest of honour to flag-off the road, a former governor of the State, Sir Celestine Omehia commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for embarking of rural infrastructural development to provide access to the agricultural belt of the State in Etche.
He said the agro produce of the Etche people is enough to feed Rivers State and Nigeria is given adequate attention just as the government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara is now developing the area for easy access.
Sir Omehia condemned those demarketing the State because of their personal interest and queried what they have attracted to the State since they got ministerial appointment.
He enjoined Etche people to continue to support and stand by the government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara as he will continue to provide them with the required development.
In providing description of the road the Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-amadi Commissioner for Works, Hon. Elloka Tasie-amadi said the road running from Egwi through Afara to Mba is a 12.3kilometer project with 9000 (8.5kilometers) meters drains and 10.3meters wide (7.3 carriage way & 3 meters shoulder) and it is expected to be delivered in 6 months
On his part, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Hon Uzodinma Nwafor thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his love for Etche people especially with the massive projects in the area.
He assured the governor of their continued support adding that they will reciprocate the gesture by consistently standing by him and appealed that the road be extended to Imo boundary in line with the request of the traditional rulers from Etche.

Fubara Wins As Appeal Court Nullifies Judgement Stopping Allocations To Rivers

The court of appeal has declared that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit seeking to seize Rivers State’s allocation.
The suit was delivered today, December 13, 2024 by Justice Barka.
The Appeal Court’s verdict nullified the earlier judgment, stating that the Federal High Court overstepped its bounds by interfering in a state’s appropriation issue. According to Justice Barka, the listing of federal agencies does not grant the Federal High Court unrestricted jurisdiction.
Reacting, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, spokesperson for the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, praised the Appeal Court’s decision, saying it has averted anarchy and constitutional disorder planned by the pro-Wike group.

He said, “The state house of assembly has a legitimate issue because of the illegal defections from PDP to APC which is currently before the court , the sacked lawmakers have been seeking for anarchy to be unleashed on the state and putting pressure on our courts in a desperate bid to undermine democracy in Rivers State. According to Supreme Court judgement, the 4-man House of Assembly is recognized by law and until the Supreme court decides on the issue of their illegal decampment, they don’t have right to make law for the state.
“Until by election is held to fill those vacant seats, the remaining members can preside.
“The decision of the appeal court to nullify the judgement of the federal high court to order for the seizure of allocation of rivers state government is a welcome development and a triumph for rule of law, victory for true federalism and constitutional governance and should be applauded by all Nigerians that these eminent judges have interpreted already established judicial principle by the Supreme Court
“They have asserted the sacred principle of our constitutional governance and democracy, that there’s a difference between fund disbursement, funding federation account and state appropriation act which is an internal affairs of the state, which falls

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE

PRESS RELEASE

Uzodimma thanks FG for extending palliatives to Imo flood victims

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has expressed gratitude to the federal government for extending palliatives to flood victims in Imo State, saying it will help to give the victims hope and encourage them start a new life.

He spoke Thursday when he received some quantities of rice, beans, vegetable oil, cooking stoves, mosquito nets, beddings and other items from the Federal Government which he said will help the victims to cushion the effect of the last flood disaster in Imo State.

Appreciating the gesture at the venue of the flag-off of the distribution on Thursday, December 12, 2024, the Governor thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was represented by the Minister for Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh, for coming to the aid of the flood victims having been “left with nothing to start their lives but the grace of God.”

The Governor said that the palliative will help the victims create a new hope and start a new life and assured that with the right persons in the Palliative Committee the materials will definitely reach the targeted persons.

Governor Uzodimma did not only thank the Federal Government for the gesture, but noted that the people have suffered a lot, and used the opportunity to request the Federal Government to urge the Oil Companies to remedy the disaster occasioned by their activities in the region including the flood incidences.

The Governor however noted that the Niger Delta States need some help. “We need our environment to be cleaned, we need gas flaring to be stopped, we need a clean environment, we need clean energy. We want you to do your best to come to our aid and also manage to dredge our creeks because the moment our creeks are dredged this water will have somewhere to go in and incidence like this may either reduce or be eliminated totally.”

He also thanked the Ministry of Regional Development and all involved for their concern in bringing the palliatives and reiterated the readiness of the State to do the needful.

Presenting the palliatives to the Governor earlier, the Minister of Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh said that Imo is the 7th State out of the nine States of the Niger Delta Region, affected by the flood disaster to receive the palliatives.

Momoh informed that the palliatives include rice, beans, vegetable oil, beddings, Mattresses, mosquito nets, among other items.

He said the President was concerned about the plight of the flood victims and had directed that Committees be setup to ensure the palliatives get to the target audience.

He commended the organizational acumen and managerial competence of Governor Uzodimma in all aspects of administration, and expressed no doubt that Imo State will do the needful to ensure the palliatives get to the right people.

He used the same opportunity to thank the Governor for his role in the recent Edo and Ondo States governorship elections that gave the APC victory in both States.

Present at the flagged-off were the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, the National Chairman of APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Minister for Innovation Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs, Rt. Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, members of the State Expanded Executive Council and other stakeholders too numerous to mention.

Oguwike Nwachuku
Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Governor
December 13, 2024.