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The Reconciliation Committee of the Rainbow Coalition has assured members of the political group that no one will be victimised or discriminated against as part of ongoing efforts to restore peace and unity in Rivers State.

The committee gave the assurance on Sunday after meeting with Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, at the Government House in Port Harcourt. The meeting was the second between the governor and members of the committee in about two weeks.

The committee said the reconciliation process was aimed at rebuilding the political family and creating a new atmosphere in which all members would be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their past political disagreements.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Chairman of the committee, Senator Magnus Abe, said the gathering was held to further deliberate on modalities for achieving lasting peace among the previously estranged political leaders.

The committee was constituted by the leader of the group, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State.

Abe said the committee had held a series of meetings to develop a framework for bringing all members together, adding that significant progress had been made in the reconciliation process.

He said the development should reassure Rivers residents who have been concerned about the political divisions in the state.

“We are all in agreement and we have made very good progress,” Abe said.

He added that the renewed engagement marked “a significant shift in the political atmosphere of the state,” expressing optimism that the reconciliation would pave the way for greater unity, progress and prosperity in Rivers State.

Also speaking, the South-South Zonal Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, commended Governor Fubara for receiving the delegation and providing an avenue for the stakeholders to engage in a spirit of brotherhood.

Nwanosike described the outcome of the meeting as a major step towards restoring unity within the political family.

“The family is back; sincerely back, and soon, they will see the working of the Rainbow Coalition,” he said.

He added that the coalition was committed to ensuring that Rivers residents enjoyed the dividends of democracy.

Another stakeholder, Chief Ambrose Nwuzi, said members who support Governor Fubara had embraced the reconciliation process, stressing that peace remained the best option for the state.

Nwuzi described the previous disagreements among the political actors as part of the challenges that could arise in any human society.

He said the leaders had agreed on the need to reconcile and that the process was already yielding results.

“I can tell you that we have reconciled. All that we are waiting for is for the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to put the seal on the reconciliation process which has been going on for the past few weeks,” he said.

Other members of the delegation included the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Hon. Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, and Mr Tamosisi Gogo-Jaja, among others.

The latest development is expected to further strengthen the ongoing efforts to end the prolonged political differences among the stakeholders and restore unity within Rivers State’s political family.

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To aid the ease of doing business in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a total of 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) have been signed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, since the President assumed office.

This is against a total of 8,697 produced and signed between 2010 and 2023.

During the five and half years administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, a total 5,500 Certificates of Occupancy were produced and signed while 3,197 were produced and signed during the eight years administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Many of the allottees who are beneciaries of the 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy produced and signed by the FCT Administration under Wike, got their allocations more than 10 years ago.

Certificate of Occupancy functions as trusted collateral for commercial loans, mortgages, or business expansion capital.

Inability of property owners to get Certificates of Occupancy when needed is one of the challenges facing small and medium businesses, as it restricts access to funding.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement on Sunday, that the FCT Administration under the present Government of President Tinubu, has streamlined the process to enable land allottees receive their documents within two weeks of completing payments.

“The moment necessary payments are made, land allottees can now get their C-of-O within two weeks.

“Also, an automated notifications has been introduced to ensure that land allottees are informed when their documents are ready for collection,” Olayinka said.

He attributed the delays under previous administrations to inefficiencies that discouraged landowners from completing payments.

Apart from producing and signing 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy, a total of 2,521 Consents to assign was granted while 177 Consents to Mortgage were granted in the last three years of President Tinubu’s administration, by the FCT Administration under Nyesom Wike.

This is against 753 Consents to assign and 180 Consents to Mortgage granted by the administration of President Jonathan as well as 684 Consents to assign and 164 Consents to Mortgage granted during the eight years government of President Buhari.

A consent to assign is a legal document required when selling a property, or shifting loan agreements while consent to mortgage is an official approval required before a property can be used as collateral for a loan.

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3,000 Man O’War officers undergo intensive training in readiness for safe sch engagement (Photos)

In a renewed demonstration of its commitment to strengthening community safety and supporting the implementation of the Safe School framework across Nigeria, approximately 3,000 officers and men of Man O’ War Nigeria from the 36 States, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Railway Commands are undergoing an intensive one-week capacity-building training at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Mountain School, Shere Hills, Jos, Plateau State.

The training forms part of the organisation’s readiness towards its proposed engagement in community-based Safe School interventions and is designed to strengthen the capacity of Man O’ War personnel to operate effectively within diverse environments and respond appropriately to emergencies and security-related challenges around schools and host communities.

The comprehensive exercise combines land-surface, waterway and hill-terrain training, exposing participants to practical situations that require physical endurance, teamwork, discipline, situational awareness and effective decision-making. The programme recognises that schools and vulnerable communities across Nigeria are situated within different geographical environments, requiring volunteers to possess adaptable skills for effective community engagement.

Participants are also undergoing physical conditioning and mental alertness exercises, aimed at improving endurance, resilience, concentration, rapid response and the ability to remain composed while managing challenging situations. The combination of physical and mental preparedness is intended to ensure that personnel are better equipped to support communities during emergencies and other situations requiring organised volunteer intervention.

The waterway component of the training provides participants with practical exposure to safety considerations in riverine and aquatic environments, particularly in recognition of the vulnerabilities faced by communities where waterways form part of the daily transportation routes for children and other residents.

Similarly, the land and hill-terrain exercises are designed to strengthen mobility, endurance, navigation, teamwork and operational awareness in difficult terrains. These exercises are particularly relevant to community-based interventions in areas where schools and settlements are located within challenging geographical environments.

Speaking on the significance of the training, the National Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, NC Adedamola Gbenga mss, mipm, msr, fwip, stated that the organisation was strengthening its personnel because effective Safe School engagement requires volunteers who are physically prepared, mentally alert, disciplined and capable of working collaboratively with communities and relevant authorities.

He noted that the training goes beyond physical exercises, stressing that participants are being prepared to understand their communities, identify potential risks, promote preventive measures and support appropriate response mechanisms within the limits of their volunteer responsibilities.

The National Commander further explained that the nationwide structure of Man O’ War Nigeria provides an opportunity to take community-based safety awareness and resilience-building initiatives closer to schools and vulnerable communities. He emphasised that the organisation’s personnel would continue to work within established legal and institutional frameworks while supporting government agencies, security stakeholders and community structures.

The training also reinforces the importance of preparedness, early warning, community awareness, emergency response, leadership, discipline and collective responsibility in strengthening the safety of schools and their surrounding communities.

Man O’ War Nigeria recognises that school safety is a shared responsibility that requires sustained collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, educational authorities, parents, traditional institutions, community leaders, civil society organisations and responsible citizens.

The organisation therefore views the one-week training as an important step towards preparing its personnel for effective community engagement under the Safe School framework, particularly in vulnerable communities where environmental, security and emergency-response challenges may require additional preparedness.

The exercise further demonstrates Man O’ War Nigeria’s commitment to its core philosophy of building disciplined, responsible and resilient citizens capable of contributing positively to the safety and development of their communities.

At the conclusion of the training, the participants are expected to return to their respective State, FCT and Railway Commands with enhanced knowledge, physical preparedness, mental alertness and practical skills that can contribute to safer schools and more resilient communities across Nigeria.

Man O’ War Nigeria remains committed to strengthening its partnership with the Safe School Initiative, government institutions, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders in advancing a coordinated and community-based approach to school safety.