Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, says his administration will fully implement the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on political crisis rocking the state.
Fubara gave the assurance on Tuesday at the inauguration of the new Judges’ Quarters, a housing facility completed by his administration in Port Harcourt.
He stated that the quarters was built for Judges who are indigenes of the state or connected to the state by marriage.
“The political issues in Rivers happened for protection of the interest of its people.
“It has not been an easy 16 months but what is important is the interest of our state, which must be above our personal interest. It is not about me, it is about the good of this state,” he said.
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Fubara said the money expended in prosecuting the political crisis on both sides was a huge waste.
He stated that such financial resources and other efforts, would be more profitable, if they were synergised, and channelled to things that promoted genuine well-being and good of the state.
“Thank God we are here today, I can assure you that I have not gone back on my words that nothing, no price is too big to pay for peace in this state, because at the end of the day, it is about our people.
“It is not about me, I will leave office but the good work that I have done will speak for me and will defend my generation,”he said.
Fubara said that completing the facility, showed that his administration prioritised the welfare, particularly of judicial officers.
He explained that his administration inherited the project, and with reports from the Ministry of Justice and some concerns from the judiciary, it became imperative to continue with it.
“We give glory to God that today, we have completed this project, and we are willing and ready to hand it over to the lucky judges who are going to live here so that they can perform their duties effectively.”
The governor harped on the need for proper maintenance of the facility and the entire premises.
The Chief Judge of Rivers, Simeon Amadi, recalled how he laid the foundation stone of the project, which was initiated by the immediate past administration on May 22, 2023.
The chief judge commended Fubara for completing the project, which he said represented another milestone and great accomplishment for the Rivers judiciary.
“We are pleased with this landmark achievement, which represents continuation of the policy of providing befitting residential accommodation for judges of Rivers on owner-occupier basis or monetary ground in lieu thereof.
“This is backed by the Rivers State Housing Scheme for Judicial Officers Law No. 10 of 2021, passed by the Rivers House of Assembly, and signed into law by the immediate past governor.
“The Rivers government remains resolute in ensuring that judges were quartered while in service, and in recent years, had gone further to allocate official quarters to judges on basis of owner-occupier or monetary ground of a fixed sum in lieu thereof.
“The policy of providing official accommodation for judges on owner-occupier basis or monetary ground in lieu thereof has greatly reduced the pressure on judicial officers who hitherto, struggled to build retirement homes while in service with limited resources.
“Such pressure and desire to own retirement homes in time past was a major concern and had its impact on job performance,” he added.
In an address, Ibiwari Clapton-Ogolo, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the state justice ministry, said the housing scheme law applied to judicial officers who must be indigenes of Rivers either by birth or marriage.
“The scheme provides for ownership of a decent accommodation in the state by every judicial officer who is an indigene or married to an indigene or monetisation of the accommodation, subject to the approval of the government.
“In accordance with the above law, today, the chief judge of Rivers will commission seven duplexes of five bedrooms, which are exquisitely furnished.
“Our judges deserve nothing less. I pray that these duplexes will not just be living houses but homes where they will find peace and rest as they discharge their duties to God and to men,” she added.
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