Gokana stakeholders have appealed to the Rivers State Police Command and Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), to enable sustainable development and protect key national infrastructure within the LGA.
The stakeholders made this call on Wednesday during an interactive session with the Commissioner of Police (CP) Olugbenga Adepoju and service chiefs, following a directive from Ibas.
Gbere Kpakol, the youth leader, attributed the issue of pipeline vandalism to the lack of youth engagement and called for collaboration between paramount rulers and operating companies.
He noted that despite Gokana hosting the largest manifold in the state, the majority of the youth are left out during job employment enrollment.
“He noted that Gokana hosts the largest manifold in the state and appealed to the government to consider awarding contracts to the local community as well,” Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson, noted this in a statement shared on Thursday to journalists.
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“Another attendee drew attention to the presence of a well-equipped computer-based testing (CBT) centre in Gokana. He called on the state government to liaise with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to accredit the centre, allowing local students to sit for their examinations within Gokana, rather than travelling to Port Harcourt.”
“Secondus Menemu, a representative of persons living with disabilities, stated that the government should allocate a greater employment quota to this group, noting that they have long been marginalised.”
Adepoju highlighted that the protection of federal assets is a shared responsibility, considering recent threats to national infrastructure. He reiterated the unified stance of all security agencies towards ensuring sustained peace and security in Rivers State.
While speaking to stakeholders, he called for collaboration among communities, urging them to defend and protect their assets against vandalism by providing credible intelligence to security agencies, citing previous attempts by evildoers.
The aim of the engagement was to listen to the grievances of the people, evaluate the extent to which community efforts align with ongoing security operations, and ensure that the concerns raised are effectively communicated to the appropriate authorities.
He highlighted that security formations remain crucial in achieving long-term stability.
Attendees at the meeting included the Deputy Director representing the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Garrison Commander, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, the Commander, 115 Special Operations Group, Nigerian Air Force, among other security agencies.
While appreciating the security operatives for their teamwork, Prof. Gospel Kpee, Sole Administrator of Gokana LGA, described the engagement as timely and necessary to reinforce trust, cooperation, and security consciousness among the people.
“The Rivers State Police Command and sister agencies reaffirmed their commitment to promoting dialogue, strengthening community-based security mechanisms, and protecting all critical assets within the state, ” Iringe-Koko added.
