Author: Emmanuel Obe

…Directs focus on governance, wellbeing of Rivers people Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has warned the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma, and the new Chief of Staff (CoS), Barrister Sunny Ewule, against attending unauthorised meetings, particularly nocturnal political gatherings, stating that any such conduct would attract immediate dismissal. The governor issued the warning on Thursday shortly after the duo was sworn in at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt. Administering the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office, the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi,…

The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that the 50.15-kilometre Port Harcourt Ring Road project will be completed in October this year. The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday when he inspected the project in company with the Deputy Regional Manager (South-South and South-East) of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Mr. Rimon Marisho. They toured critical sections of the project spanning six local government areas of the state. The inspection commenced at the Eleme axis at the Refinery Junction, and continued through Oyigbo and Obio-Akpor, terminating at the river-crossing bridge linking the Agip/RSU axis of Port Harcourt to Mgbuodohia…

The Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU) of the Federal Government of Nigeria has commended the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) on its achievements. The commendation was made after the CRDCU with the Federal Ministry of Environment carried out a two-day visit to project sites of HYPREP to evaluate the execution of the Ogoni cleanup project recommended by the United Nations Environment Project (UNEP). As part of its commitment to accelerate the implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme being carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Federal Government, through the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU) and…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining strong collaboration with security agencies to maintain peace, protect critical national assets, and accelerate development across the Niger Delta region. The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, and his entourage to the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. Ogbuku emphasised that security and development are inseparable, noting that meaningful development would not thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity, while underdevelopment itself often fuels insecurity. “At the NDDC, we have established…

Nigeria’s oil export will dip by 225,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February following the shutdown of the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for turnaround maintenance. Gas output may also drop by 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day whilst the maintenance lasts. Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) in a statement on Sunday said it has commenced a turnaround maintenance activity at the Bonga FPSO vessel. The statement signed by Mrs. Gladys Afam-Anadu, Communications Manager at SNEPCo, said, “The scheduled maintenance activity is designed to ensure the FPSO continues to operate safely…

Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Southern Senators and other political leaders have expressed deep sorrow over the death of Senator Barinada Mpigi, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Senator Mpigi reportedly died at the age of 64. Until his passing, he served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works. In a tribute issued on February 19, 2026, Governor Fubara described the late lawmaker as a brother, a consummate politician and one of the leading lights in Rivers State politics. The governor said Mpigi’s death came at a critical time when his services were…

An energy expert and lecturer at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Dr. Joseph Obele, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Order No. 9 of 2026, describing it as a policy with far-reaching legal and economic implications, even as he called for the immediate sack of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari. Obele, who is also the National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), clarified that his position does not represent that of the association but reflects his personal…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over the growing practice of politicians allegedly purchasing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from members of the public ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Rivers State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the trend as a major threat to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria, noting that the tactic has replaced the traditional vote-buying at polling units. Speaking in Port Harcourt when a delegation of the Defence of Human Rights and Democracy (DHRD), led by its National Chairman, Comrade Clifford Christopher Solomon, paid him a courtesy visit,…

The death has occured of Barinada Mpigi, the senator representing Rivers East in the Senate has passed on, according to reports. The news of Mpigi’s death first came on social media before it was confirmed by close family sources. He was a fiery politician who held political office since 1999 when the current civilian dispensation came to be. He was a chairman of Tai Local Government, Commissioner for Sports, Rivers State, Member of the House of Representatives for Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo before becoming a senator in 2019 after defecting from the All Progressives Congress to the People’s Democratic Party. Though considered a…

A major petroleum products marketer, Dr. Joseph Obele, has thrown his weight behind moves by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to revive the Port Harcourt Refinery through a Joint Venture Company (JVC) arrangement with a Chinese firm. Obele, who is the National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and a lecturer at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, described the development as commendable and strategic. According to him, a Chinese technical team is currently at the refinery conducting facility assessments and feasibility studies aimed at determining the plant’s present…