…UN-Habitat disowns award
Controversy is now trailing the award conferred on Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike by the United Nations (UN)-backed award under the platform of Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA).
This even as the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state has described the award as a scam stressing that inquiries by the party on the status of the purported award at the UN-Habitat Headquarters, New York, which liaises with development partners on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programmes of the UN has disowned the SCAHSA award reportedly conferred on Gov. Nyesom Wike Monday night , 30th October in New York.
A statement by the State Publicity of the party, Chris Finebone said: “following our e-mail inquiry dated Monday 30th October (yesterday) concerning the Global Human Settlements Outstanding Contribution Award organised by SCAHSA, the UN-Habitat New York Office, in a statement dated same day and signed by the Secretary and IT Focal Point, Mr. Angel Gomez, dissociated the UN from such an award. The response is reproduced here under:
He added that: “for the avoidance of doubt, it must be explained that the deliberate attempt to confer UN recognition on the purported award is a huge scam to deceive Rivers people and Nigerians. Further investigations by us revealed that SCAHSA as a private Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that invites entries for awards which are based on suspect criteria including offering awards to the highest bidder who is able to part with huge amount in US Dollars in exchange for such awards”.
“In the instance case concerning the purported award to Gov. Nyesom Wike, we discovered that some smart Rivers indigenes resident in the US contrived and fixed the award after obtaining huge sums in foreign currency from the award-seeking governor”.
The party said SCAHSA has been discovered to be one of the numerous NGOs that claim affiliation with various UN-Habitat under Habitat Agenda Partners (HAP), regretting that some of these NGOs have now become vehicles for defrauding politicians from the third world especially Nigerian politicians by offering dubious awards in exchange for money.
Finebone said: “the APC is dismayed beyond imagination that Gov. Nyesom Wike is resorting to high level scam to dupe the peoples’ resources and rubbish their collective intelligence. We are still questioning the criteria by way of projects and programmes that should qualify the Wike government for an award of the sort dubiously being advertised and celebrated. We are yet to see any”.
Other part of the statement reads thus: “We are persuaded by the position of many that the recent announcement by the governor to release US$1m to rescue the students of Rivers State stranded in various overseas universities is a mere red herring to prevent protests during his engagement at Chatham House, London on November 6. Many believe that soon after the Chatham House event the governor will renege on his promise”.
“We call on all those who have been hoodwinked into celebrating a UN award for Gov. Nyesom Wike to save themselves the embarrassment of celebrating a scam and making themselves a laughing stock before the global community. All that the APC is asking for is that Gov. Nyesom Wike should get down to providing governance instead of regaling in the atmospherics of power, grandstanding and deceiving Rivers people”.
Meanwhile, an earlier statement from the office of the Special Assistant on Social Media on Electronic Media to the governor had said the recognition of his outstanding achievements in the area of urban renewal , sustainable cities and provision of basic amenities to the residential areas of low-income earners, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was on Monday night honoured with the “Global Human Settlements Outstanding Contribution Award “.
Nigeria’s moment of glory peaked in New York City on Monday night when the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA) presented the international award to Governor Wike in the presence of international diplomats, development professionals, high-level administrators and leaders of international non governmental organisations.
The governor was accompanied to the International Award Ceremony by his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, two of his children, Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Adama Iyaye-Laminkara, Member Representing Port Harcourt Federal Constituency, Ken Chikere, Edo State PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, the Former Minister of Sport, Dr Tammy Danagogo, Rivers State Commissioner of Information, Barrister Emma Okah and and Elder Statesman, Prince Emma Anyanwu, Member of the House of Representatives, Mrs Betty Apiafi among others .
The 12th Global Forum on Human Settlements & Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards Ceremony (GFHS XII) was jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of the Gambia to the UN, the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the UN (AU), the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS), the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), the University Peace Federation (UPF), the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) and the better City Institute (BCI) .
Speaking at the award ceremony in New York on Monday night, a Representative of the United Nations Environment, Mara Murillo said that the organisation salutes Global Forum on Human Settlements & Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for having developed the awards and the constituency for which it has been organized.
The United Nations Environment Representative congratulated the 23 awardees who were selected for their positive achievements and leadership.
The Representative stated: “The awards recognise their feats which inspire and encourage others to innovate and replicate similar feats”.
The Vice Chairman of Global Forum on Human Settlements & Sustainable Cities, Dr Taj Hamad said all the awardees have made great achievements that merit the awards.
Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations, Mamadou Tangara urged all awardees to continue to work for sustainable cities across the world.
Ms Mara Angelica of the United Nations Programme lent her voice to the calls for collaborations in developing habitable cities.
There were 23 awards in six different categories. The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike received his “Global Human Settlements Outstanding Contribution Award” under the “Individual Initiatives to Advance Sustainable Development Category”.
The award was presented to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike by the Vice President of Global Forum on Human Settlements & Sustainable Cities, Dr Taj Hamad.
In an acceptance speech after receiving the award, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike pledged before the global audience that he will continue his landmark projects to improve the living condition of the Rivers people.
He said: “Let me on behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State sincerely thank the organisers of this award for the recognition.
“To also commit ourselves that we will progressively provide infrastructure and social services that will enhance the living standards of all Rivers people on a sustainable basis “.
A video footage explaining the premise upon which Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike received the award lauded him for reducing urban slums and bridging poverty gaps . The footage further praised the Rivers State Governor for his positive leadership, provision of infrastructure and basic amenities.
The 23 awardees were drawn from different countries of the world. Prominent amongst them are: Nigeria, China, Bulgaria, Germany, USA, India and Indonesia.
The event was beamed live on different platforms by dedicated international broadcasters.
