Vice Admiral Ibas appoints, Prof. Worika as Secretary to Rivers State Government
The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointment of Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
Ibas said the appointment, which takes immediate effect, follows a rigorous selection process that considered Professor Worika’s extensive experience in academia, international legal practice, and high-level policy advisory roles.
According to the him, the decision aligns with the broader goal of ensuring peace, stability, and security in Rivers State, in line with the mandate of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu .
Lucky Worike is a Professor of Comparative Petroleum and International Environmental Law and Policy.
Director, Centre for Advanced Law Research, Rivers State University & Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, Rivers State University.Ph.D (Dundee, UK); LL.M (Unilag); B.L. (NLS); LL.B (Hons) (Unilag)MNALT; MNBA; MIBA; MCESG, CEL, IUCN; MALSN; CMC; FIMC-Nigeria; MNIArb.
Prof. Worika is an outstanding international lawyer, who demonstrates the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, while striving to achieve results, meeting or exceeding expectations through genuine interest and understanding of institutional/organizational objectives and dedicated to its principles and values.
Professor Worika holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Petroleum law and International Environmental Law and Policy from the University of Dundee in Scotland, UK under a Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in London between 1995 and 1999.
He was a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, at the University of Dundee , Scotland, UK between 1999 and 2000. He holds an LL.M. and LL.B (Hons) degrees from the University of Lagos in 1989 and 1986 respectively; and, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He is widely published and travelled.
He has at various times consulted for Fichtner Consulting Gmbh of Germany, Forster in Nigeria, Oxford Policy Management (OPM) of the UK, United Nations Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (UNU-IALS) in Japan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), MacArthur Foundation, Niger Delta Human and Environmental Rights Organization (ND-HERO), Rivers State Government of Nigeria, Ministry of Petroleum Resources of Nigeria and the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) in Congo Brazaville, amongst others.
Prof. Worika is a member of various professional associations world-wide, including the International Bar Association (IBA), Climate and Energy Specialist Group (CESG) of the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Admiralty Law Society of Nigeria (ALSN) to mention a few.
His areas of Specialisation are Comparative Petroleum & International Environmental Law and Policy.
Prof. Worika is widely published in both national and international peer-reviewed journals.
His recent research interest was on the Policies, Laws and Institutional Framework for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Nigeria; and, he has, amongst others, delivered a paper as well as power point presentation to the 45th Senior Executive Course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos on Climate Change Policy, Law and Institutional Framework.
He is expected to bring in his wealth of experience to the emergency rule in Rivers State.
