NAE Vice Chairman/Managing Director, Massimo Insulla (left), Chairman, House Committee on Local Content, Honourable Asita O. Asita and Chairman PETAN, Engr Emeka Ene (right) among others during the signing of MoU between NAE and PETAN, in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
The Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) has handed nine persons to the Police for investigation and prosecution for alleged issuance of fake vehicle licences and plate numbers to the public.
Chairman of the board Mrs Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen last Friday in Port Harcourt said that some of the suspects were staff of the Board who converted part of the Board premises into their offices with the intention of duping unsuspecting members of the public.
Obele-Oshoko said that the Board is awaiting investigation by the Police with the view to taking action.
The Board she said is no relenting in its effort to stamp out touts, stressing that every monetary transaction involving the Board must be done through the banks.
She also said that to ease the process of vehicles licensing, the Board has opened new revenue outlets in Diobu, Eleme, Oyigbo and others while a template has been designed by the Board to reach out to people.
The Chairman used the occasion to urge the general public to desist from patronising touts, stressing that every transaction must be duly verified.
She also decried the continued harassment of staff of the Board by some companies and urged for a halt to it.
On the issue of double taxation, she said that the Rivers State House of Assembly is working on a bill to streamline the issue, but noted that every tax presently being paid in the state is backed up by law.
She further said that the issue of stickers by Local Government Councils is also being addressed.
Ebola: RTC Introduces Temperature Scanner At PH Park
Emmanuel Okon
As a measure towards preventing the spread of Ebola virus disease among drivers and passengers, the management of Rivers transport Company (RTC) have introduced infrared temperature scanners at its Park in Port Harcourt.
The company has also made available hand sanitizers at the various points of the Park for all drivers and passengers to wash their hands before boarding any vehicle.
The Chief Safety Officer of the company, Prince Ndamati disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in his office at Waterlines, Port Harcourt recently.
Ndamati said the company had also partner with a medical Doctor that has been educating and enlightening the drivers and passengers, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) have also organised programmes to sensitise people at the RTC Park on Ebola disease.
He said that with the enlightenment, it is now compulsory for every passenger to sanitise their hands, adding that any driver or passenger whose temperature is above 27 degree centigrade after being tested with the infrared temperature scanner were discouraged or asked not to travel but to go for medical check-up, so that in case of Ebola virus, it could not be transmitted to others in the vehicle.
According to him, they also acquired an equipment to test all their drivers and that it is compulsory that they must pass the test free from alcohol and their hands sanitized properly.
Ndumati however noted that the major challenge that they are facing in the park had been passengers refusing to write their correct names and addresses on the manifest, and appealed to all to comply with the rules and regulations of the Park.
RSG Blames Road Construction delays On Litigations
Collins Barasimeye
The delay in the construction of some road projects in Rivers State has been attributed to litigations and professional advice.
The Commissioner for Works, Hon. Victor Giadom, made this known when members of the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
Giadom said the various litigations against the Ministry by property owners would have been averted if there had been proper synergy, good counseling and better relationship between the Ministry and the Institute, and called on members to give the Ministry proper professional advise that would avoid litigations by property owners.
According to him, although, when the valuations were made by members of the Institution, some encouraged property owners to engage the Ministry in series of litigations, pointing out that Rivers State has a short period of construction in each year because of its geographical terrain and that the litigations have delayed the execution of road projects in the state.
He, however, assured members of the Institute that his Ministry would continue to partner with them in ensuring that, “you deliver good expertise in the business of valuation and payment of compensation to property owners which are key aspects of our services”.
The Works Commissioner, however, decried the attitude of some members of the Institute for inciting property owners against the Ministry in litigations for claims as a result of economic reasons, and enjoined them to maintain proper standard in the practice of their profession.
Earlier in his speech, the State Branch Chairman of the Institute, Mr. Dapo Olaiya expressed gratitude to the Ministry for granting their members opportunity to be involved in road development services in the state, and opined that the visit was also an opportunity for them to inform him of their recent election of new executive council members and appealed to him to attend as a Special Guest during the inauguration.
Olaiya apologized for the litigations which arose as a result of sharp practices of some of their members and further hinted that the inauguration would give them an opportunity to discuss on current professional practices in the Institution.