Author: Emmanuel Obe

The erstwhile fortress of the Nyesom Wike political empire has suffered an earthquake and from unexpected quarters. His most formidable political platform, the Grassroots Democratic Initiative has received a crack. Leaders of the GDI in seven local governments on Sunday March 10, paid a visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, where they pledged their support for his administration. They said they were joining the Rivers people behind the governor, thus throwing aside ex-governor Nyesom Wike who before now, had a strong grip on them. The GDI is the major base of Wike’s political structure in Rivers State but from all indications,…

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has explained that the state government cancelled the employment of about 2,000 people by Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) because of gross irregularities discovered in the process. The head of service, Dr. George Nwaeke, who stood in for the governor when those who were affected by the cancellation protested to Government House, Port Harcourt, however said government would revisit the process. He said the government could not ignore the irregularities, which he said was intolerable, and had to cancel the entire employment process. He said the management of the institution was directed, based…

The world literally converged on the quiet town of Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday to join family members to pay their last respects to Dr. Hebert Wigwe, former Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank PLC, his wife Chizoba and son, Chizi, who were killed in a helicopter crash in California, USA on February 9. The list of eminent guests was endless as they filled the RCCG Lion of Judah auditorium venue of the funeral service and the premises. At the head of the Nigerian government delegation was the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio,…

An American-based Nigerian investor in renewable energy, Mr. Joshua Okorie, has said that renewable energy derivable from solar, wind and nuclear power is what Nigeria needs to get out of the conundrum of public power supply. Mr. Okorie, who is the chief executive officer of Kodion Energy (Kodion Consulting) with bases in Kansas City, Missouri, Nigeria, and China, said the current dependence on fossil fuel and thermal stations to generate electricity is dirty and not sustainable. Okorie, who spoke during an online interaction with energy editors on Friday, said wind, solar and nuclear energy is not only renewable and cost…

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has said that the Ijaw Nation has been watching with dismay the confrontation between the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara and is warning the it would not accept the impeachment of the governor in whatever guise. The President of INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, gave the warning on Wednesday in Port Harcourt while addressing a press conference on the political crisis in Rivers State. The INC president said the House of Assembly was overstepping its constitutional boundaries by querying appointments allowed the governor by the constitution thereby…

Mba Okase Eleme Initiative, Eleme, a women-focused civil society organization in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State has decried the disturbing level of the pollution of sources of domestic water in the area. At a convergence meeting in December at Alode, Eleme, members of the organization said that both surface and underground waters, which the people depended on for domestic use have been polluted by major industries operating in the area. The women decried indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste, open defecation and gas flaring in the area. The convener of the meeting and Coordinator of Mba Okase Initiative, Eleme.…

As Nigerians groan under the yoke of economic hardship and poor governance, a former President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Amaopusenibo Bobo Brown, has said the media had a duty now more than ever before to better the society in which it operates. Brown spoke last Saturday at the first reunion of former directors, management and staff of Sunray Publications Limited in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Sunray Publications Limited, which published the first full colour newspapers in Nigeria, also and ran a high quality graphics and printing company in Port Harcourt between 1992 and 1998.…

Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has promised to revive its 180 tonnes per day Rice Mill at Elele Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, as part of its efforts to ensure food security in the region. The NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, who stated this during an inspection visit to the rice mill, described the suspension of production at the factory as disheartening. A press release by NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr. Pius Ughakpoteni, said the rice mill was established as part of NDDC’s industrialisation strategies and expressed optimism that when it returns to…

As the global community commemorates the International Day of Education, a university don, Prof. Isaac Ogundu of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, has called on Nigerians and the people of the Niger Delta in particular to invest in vocational and technical education. Ogundu, who is also the dean of the Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education of the university at Ndele Campus, told National Point that society ought to invest in the type of education that would best serve the interest of its citizens and society. The International Day of Education is marked annually on January 24. The…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commenced distribution of palliatives to flood victims in eight local government areas of Rivers State about five months after the floods subsided. The relief materials were packed in 24 trucks made up of 47 items, according to the Rivers State representative on the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, who presented the materials to representatives of the communities in Port Harcourt last weekend. Okocha, who said the items would help the victims to recover from their losses, pledged on behalf of the Chairman of the board of the NDDC the resolve of the commission…