Author: Emmanuel Obe

Major oil producing companies, now known as settlors, were absent at a sensitization and engagement forum on Host Communities Development Trusts for Rivers West Senatorial District which held in Port Harcourt on Monday, September 19, 2023. The forum was an avenue for Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the regulatory agency, oil producing companies and host communities to engage and dialogue over their roles and duties in the Host Communities Trust Fund as provided for under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. The forum was facilitated by Deinomas Float Nigeria Limited. Rivers West Senatorial District comprises eight local government areas: Ahoada…

Art Choreographer, Dan Kpodoh and other art enthusiasts in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, have lamented the poor appreciation of the art industry in the city and indeed, the entire Rivers State. Kpodoh, who recently hosted Bolobolo, a stage performance in Port Harcourt, said on his social media handle, that it was disappointing that despite having a rich reservoir of players in the arts, entertainment and film industry, recognition of the arts was embarrassingly low in Port Harcourt. He said compared to Lagos and Abuja, big arts events in Port Harcourt do not attract much money to encourage entertainers…

Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has been appointed by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, to chair the committee set up to distribute the federal government cash and rice palliatives sent to Rivers State. Governor Fubara during the inauguration of the committee confirmed that the state government had received the sum of N2Billion from the federal government and 16,800 bags of rice from Nigerian Governors’ Forum as part of the palliatives to help the poorest of the poor deal with the biting effect of the fuel subsidy removal. Fubara said, “The…

Rivers State Police Command has initiated a new scheme aimed at eradicating crime in the state. The scheme is called ‘Rivers Zero Crime’ (RZC). The Commissioner of Police, Dr. Polycarp Nwonyi, said at a press conference preceding the launch of the scheme in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that RZC was set up to rebuild trust in the police, fight crime and promote unity between the police and the public. He said without law and order there cannot be any meaningful development in the state. He recalled that within the three months that he had been in the state, the police…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to all ongoing partnership talks with local and international entities aimed at accelerating the development of the Niger Delta region. Dr Ogbuku, who spoke at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him by his reappointment as MD/CEO in the new NDDC Board. He pledged to vindicate this trust by working assiduously to speed up development of the Niger Delta region. “I am humbled and honoured by the trust and confidence that…

Oil communities in Bayelsa under the auspices of Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) have alleged that they have been neglected in 13 percent derivation revenue accruing to the state. In an open letter they issued on the matter to Governor Douye Diri, HOSTCOM alleged that the amount of money released to the state government for use to develop the oil communities has not been felt in the communities. The letter, which was signed by Pastor Samson Dabbey, the Bayelsa State chapter of HOSTCOM, demanded that Governor Douye Diri should give an account of the funds received so far…

With All Eyes on the Judiciary,” the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday delivered judgment in the several petitions filed by aggrieved parties against the outcome of the February 25, 2023 presidential election in which President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner. In a 12-hour marathon judgment, which started from 9.30 am and lasted far into the night, the tribunal led by Hon. Justice Haruna Tsammani, affirmed the election of Senator Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima as President and Vice-President in the February 25, 2023 election. “I affirm the return of Bola Ahmed Tinubu…