Author: Emmanuel Obe

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, will host a Niger Delta sports festival from April 1-April 9 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. The NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, who is the Chairman of the Planning Committee said during the inauguration in Port Harcourt said the importance of a steering committee was to ensure the festival’s success. He noted that the Niger Delta had produced many outstanding sportsmen and women that have brought pride to the region. Iyaye told the committee, “You have been carefully selected because of your expertise and knowledge in sports…

Undeterred by the disruptions that greeted the first consultative meeting in Bori two weeks ago, the Ogoni Dialogue Facilitator Committee has resumed town hall meetings across Ogoni Local Government Areas to discuss the potential resumption of oil and gas production, as proposed by the Federal Government. The meetings aim to gather community input on development plans for Ogoniland. The most recent town hall meeting took place at Gberesako Hall in Kpor, Gokana Local Government Area, where the committee received memoranda and opinions from various stakeholders, including churches, youth groups, community organizations, and professional associations. Proceedings at the meeting were coordinated…

The recurring blowouts and fire disasters at oil wellheads and installations in Rivers State has raised concerns from the people of the state. The Senator representing Rivers West, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has therefore called for an investigation into the explosions at various NNPCL facilities, particularly within OML 18 in Bonny and Degema Local Government Areas. The most recent explosion occurred on Cawthorne Channel between the two local government areas. One had earlier occurred in December in Bukuma (Agum) in Degema Local Government Area. Senator Harry-Banigo who described the frequency of these incidents as alarming, said, “The recurrence of these fire outbreaks…

Nigerians have continued to eulogise and celebrate the legacies of Chief Edwin Clark, the revered Niger Delta leader and Nigerian nationalist, who died on February 17th at the age of 97. His death, following closely on the heels of Afenifere leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo’s, has been widely touted as marking the end of an era of exceptional Nigerian patriots. From Lagos to Abuja, Kiagbodo to Ijebu Oke, Port Harcourt to Warri, tributes have poured in, extolling the virtues and contributions of both Clark and Adebanjo. President Bola Tinubu, who led the tributes, acknowledged Clark as a “passionate advocate for resource…

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abass Lawal, on Tuesday inaugurated water projects executed by the Hydrocarbons Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) at Beeri in Khana Local Government Area and Bunu in Tai Local Government Area of Ogoniland.The projects were part of the hundreds of projects built into Ogoni environment remediation projects and livelihood restoration programmes of HYPREP, which is implementing the 2011 United Nations Environment Project (UNEP) report on Ogoniland The Minister of Environment, who was accompanied by the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, also visited remediation sites at Ogale in Eleme Local Government Area and mangrove restoration programmes at…

Nigeria is in mourning following the death of Chief Edwin Clark, a prominent nationalist and leader of the Niger Delta political bloc. Clark passed away on Monday at the age of 97, prompting an outpouring of tributes from national leaders and various organizations. President Bola Tinubu expressed his deep sadness at the loss, describing Clark as a “towering figure” whose influence spanned nearly six decades of Nigerian politics. He emphasized Clark’s courageous leadership and unwavering advocacy for the Niger Delta, stating, “Chief Clark spoke for the Niger Delta. He spoke for the nation. His views and interventions on national issues…

The Attorney General of Rivers State, Dagogo Israel Iboroma, SAN, has strongly denied claims that Monday’s Supreme Court ruling reinstated 27 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Iboroma, who was present in the courtroom, insisted that the court’s dismissal of the case – Governor Siminalayi Fubara Vs Martin Amaewhule and 26 others (SC/CV/1701/2024) – did not address the lawmakers’ defection and their status as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He stated that “the Supreme Court did not make any further order whatsoever reinstating Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26…

A renewed rivalry between between the Debam and Icelanders cult groups in Obelley Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State has left about 20 people dead.The clashes, which took place on Sunday forced residents to flee to neighbouring communities for safety.Obelle, which was deserted for a very long time because of similar rivalry between cult gangs had begun to stabilize with people coming back in the last two years.But so also did the cultists, who renewed their rivalries. Last Wednesday a clash left seven people dead.The community was still mourning when Debam and Icelanders resumed their battle for…

Women from Alode Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the destruction of their farms and crops by bulldozers deployed by Rainbow Heritage Limited, the company coordinating the building of the New Port City in Eleme Local Government Area.The women, who carried placards, dared the bulldozers to run over them as they protested the destruction of their farms by the company, which they said did not consult with them before entering their farms or offered any form of compensation. The company last week began to clear the land and farms…

Despite the violence that greeted the first consultative meeting of Ogoni people on Saturday, the conveners of the meeting under the aegis of Congress if Ogoni has issued a communique commending President Bola Tinubu for initiating the consultations and the Ogoni people for demonstrating a unity of purpose to make the consultations successful. The communique, which listed a number of resolutions, was signed by the Co-Chairmen, Prof. Don Baridam and Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, and the Secretary, Mr. Tom Orange, outlined Ogoni people’s commitment to unity and dialogue with the Nigerian government. The resolutions expressed gratitude to the President and key…