•          As new Andoni LGA Boss Begins with Peacebuilding, Set to Empower 1,100 Youths 

The fast rising socio-political activist group, the Simplified Grassroots Movement (SGM) stormed Ngo town, the Andoni local government area headquarters last weekend.

The crowd pulling visit was to show solidarity for Gov Sim Fubara and the local council boss, Hon Lazarus Gogoteh Nteogwuile. The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, is believed to be one of the forces behind the huge event.

The rally began at the Ngo Motor Park and the Round About with embraces and handshakes after which the important personalities marched down the street to the council secretariat and playground.

Some of the dignitaries that stormed the rally, apart from the honouree, the Council Chairman, Hon Nteogwuile, include the Mayor of Housing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths and Sports who is also the Director-General of the Simplified Grassroots Movement, Norisia Wilifred Pepple; Chairman of Occasion, Comrade Golden Ekprikpo Spiff, who is also the State Chairman, Staff Union of Nigeria; Coordinator of SGM for Andoni, Comrade Paul Ogodo; Dr Owen Obadiah who spoke on ‘The Roles of Grassroots Mobilizers in Community Development’, etc.

Speaking at a reception held for him by the Simplified Grassroots Movement (SGM), the chairman who won in the controversial election of October 30, 2024, said he was very glad to be part of history.

He said his emergence looked like a joke but now, the fierce target is to develop Andoni. “In 100 days of my coming to office, Andoni will see the difference between Sim and the other administration. Our principal is a thinker. Rivers State is now noted as number one in planning around Nigeria.

“I am the first chairman to flag off two projects in one day, and they are nearing completion (roofing). WE ARE ready for business. What we know, the other camp does not know it. You people will not regret following Sim because God is helping us.”

He said by this time next year, Andoni would change in all the wards. “We will develop people. A big empowerment programme is on the way soon. Gov Sim told us to go and empower our people.”

Speaking later to newsmen, Nteogwuile said love has returned to Andoni and this has brought peace, which he vowed to build upon.  “We will then build on this peace. In that way, we are sure to surpass all previous administrations.”

He refused to give details of the upcoming mass empowerment scheme for youths of the area. “My message is for our people to rally round the governor. It is God that sent him. He puts the people first.”

Reacting to the Appeal Court victory for the local council election that brought them to power, he said its victory for all Rivers people.

“You can see the atmosphere here and even in the state capital, Port Harcourt. The judgment went well. It has affirmed that we cannot go outside the Constitution.”

“The Appeal Court has told the high court, look, you do not have jurisdiction on this matter. Now, everybody now knows that this administration has come to stay.”

The new local council boss has already expressed commitment to peacebuilding starting with plans to empower 1100 Andoni youths in the coming weeks as first step for economic revival of the oceanic town.

Andoni is endowed with huge potentials including aesthetic landscape forests that house elephants, hippopotamus, antelopes, monkeys, lions, leopards, buffaloes, chimpanzee, cheetah, crocodiles, wild turtles, etc.

For a start, Andoni, like the other 23 LGAs, are now in the hands of a new set of council chairmen who are also to exploit the new order of direct federal allocation to develop their areas.

The new council boss, who was welcomed tumultuously last weekend revealed that the governor, Sim Fubara, had issued a mandate to all chairmen to empower their people and develop their council areas.

The rally also provided an opportunity for the Mayor of Housing to pay exploratory business visit to Andoni local council area of Rivers State for the first time.

Many also say the visit may create partnership between the council and the Mayor of Housing and this may target investments in tourism.

This hint got some boosts when the Mayor of Housing said he was going to explore the area and that he would take Andoni to the global audience.

Andoni local council area is an oceanic enclave in Rivers State known for huge reserves of aquatic assets apart of its culture, scenery, beaches, and wildlife.

The Mayor of Housing said he was in Andoni because he saw peace and love in the people, saying he is a value monger (valuetician).

“There is value in peace and humility which are what the Andoni LGA boss exhibits. This chairman is just like Gov Sim Fubara in terms of the people-first philosophy. Andoni is in heaven, so do not play with the opportunity.”

He said he would partner with Andoni LGA for exposure to national limelight that would attract positive attention, adding that “we will reveal Andoni to the world. As long as you follow the chairman and the governor, you will not regret. The world will come here”.

Speaking to newsmen later, China said: “One of the things we have found coming from Abuja to this place is that that Rivers State is the treasure in Rivers State is not oil but the people, their culture cuisine, landscape. One of the best places I have heard of in the beauty of Rivers State is Andoni”.

“This chairman is a humble and peaceful person. I came here to know where Andoni is and if Rivers is treasure base of Nigeria, Andoni is treasure base of Rivers State.”

We will scour the place and reveal Andoni to the world. It’s the treasure base of Rivers state.”

Members of the SGM showed huge excitement and described the Andoni rally as the best so far.

In his welcome speech, the Coordinator of Simplified Grassroots Movement in Andoni, Paul Ogodo, said development the people were very happy.

He said peace is what they crave for as well as an improved plan for community development, asserting that “we now have vitality in our community. Our group brings support for the leaders and we engage our community people”.

The Chairman of the rally, Golden Ekprikpo-Spiff, who is the Chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), said the event was a good omen to Andoni people, noting that the Andoni LGA Chairman seems to focus on development like the State Governor, stressing that “our LGA chairman is godsend. Ngo (LGA headquarters) has changed into peace centre”.

In his keynote speech, Dr Owen Obadiah, talked about how mobilization efforts lead to rapid development through massive awareness creation and feedback mechanism to government.

“There is free medical in Rivers State; Over-60 citizens are getting free medicals while Under-5 children are also benefiting. There is the national health insurance scheme. All that is required is payment of mere N15,000 per person per year.

“We are in a democratic era when power is about the people and exercised through groups. So, there is need to join community mobilization groups such as the SGM.”

The Director General of Simplified Grassroots Movement, Norisia Pepple, who is also the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Sports, described the rally as a double celebration in Andoni; election victory of Nteogwuile and the victory at the Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja.

“We are proud of this council chairman. People thought we were dreaming when we started this movement. Your tenure is full of impact. Your two months in office is full of achievements already. Our assurance to the chairman is that the SGM will remain with him.”

Reporters observed that the entire town was agog with dancing and celebrations with high hopes for an era of massive infrastructural and human capital development.