News
BREAKING: Ibas makes first appointments as Head of Service resigns
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has made his first appointments, top among them being Prof. Ibibia Worika, a legal expert and administrator, who is the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
In a statement, the Sole Administrator said the appointment, which takes immediate effect, followed a rigorous selection process in which Worika’s extensive experience, academic credentials, and policy expertise stood out.
In a related development, the ex-naval chief appointed Iyingi Brown as the Permanent Secretary for Welfare in the Office of the Head of Service to act as the Head of Service pending a substantive appointment.
The appointment followed the resignation of the substantive Head of Service, George Nwaeke.
In a statement, the government expressed gratitude for Nwaeke’s contributions during his tenure and wished him success in his future endeavors.
While congratulating Brown on her new role, the administrator reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Rivers State.
The statement further said Worika’s distinguished career spanned academia, international legal practice, and high-level policy advisory roles, making him well-suited to support the administrator in achieving the mandate set by President Bola Tinubu for the state.
“Professor Worika’s wealth of experience in legal scholarship, public policy, and governance will be instrumental in driving the administration’s agenda. His appointment underscores our dedication to excellence in public service,” the statement read.
The Sole Administrator emphasized his commitment to utiliing the rich human capital of Rivers State to foster peace, stability, and security.
Profile of Prof Worika
Hailing from Okrika in Rivers State, Professor Worika is a globally recognized scholar, legal expert, and administrator with a strong background in environmental and petroleum law.
He holds a Ph.D. in International Environmental and Comparative Petroleum Law & Policy from the University of Dundee, United Kingdom.
Currently serving as the Director of the Centre for Advanced Law Research at Rivers State University, he previously held the position of Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Port Harcourt.
His tenure in academia has been marked by significant contributions to legal education, curriculum development, and institutional collaborations.
Beyond academia, Professor Worika has played key roles in shaping global and national policy frameworks.
As a Senior Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, he provided strategic counsel on energy policy, regulatory frameworks, and governance.
His tenure as General Legal Counsel for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna further cemented his reputation as a leading authority in international law, energy diplomacy, and resource management.
He has also served as a consultant for various governments, including Namibia, Malawi, and Guyana, helping to draft legislation and design legal frameworks for sustainable development.
His contributions to public administration have earned him several recognitions, including the OPEC Secretariat Award for Distinguished Service and an honorary title from the Ogu Council of Chiefs in Rivers State.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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