Author: nationalpoint

In the days of yore, Port Harcourt was described flowingly as the Garden City. This clement tribute was given to Port Harcourt because of its neatness. Over the years, different administrations have tried to maintain the basic standard of cleanliness in Port Harcourt, all to no avail. The administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara has a major challenge, that of restoring Port Harcourt to its state of neatness. A case in point that readily comes to mind is the fitting example of Calabar and even Uyo recently. I would like to suggest to the administration of Governor Fubara to send teams…

The primary essence of politics in a democracy is to provide channels by which the people can elect their governments and their representatives in the legislature. Multi-party democracy therefore guarantees the people with opportunities to choose from among an array of candidates presented by the political parties the most fitting to fill executive and legislative. Other holders of public offices and positions who might not have been installed through popular elections are however subject to the laws made by elected legislatures and implemented by those in elective positions. Such appointed public officers like judges, ministers, commissioners, special advisers and complementary…

Environmental students from the University of Port Harcourt undergoing a six-month internship atthe Pilex Center, an Environmental and Human Rights Advocacy organisation based in Port Harcourt, have begun hands on training . Barely days after a practical training on Mangrove planting, the students were this week, in a civic education session. Executive Director of the Center, Courage Nsirimovu Esq., told the students that Pilex is poised to help them develop not just Environmental skills but also, a passion for activism to join advocates for Human and environmental justice in the communities and society at large. In commemoration of the 2024.…

On the 10th of November 1995, the Nigerian military junta headed by General Sani Abacha authorized the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. The 9 were instrumental in mobilizing Ogonis under the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), and had issued a set of demands contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights which included calls to the Nigerian government to clean up the Ogoni environment and restore livelihoods of the indigenous people who had suffered over 30 years of reckless oil extraction by Shell. MOSOP had called global attention to the poverty, neglect and environmental destruction which decades of oil…

Despite reduction in the price of fish for Nigeria by Norway, importers have reduced shipments of various species to the seaports because of the high exchange rate of naira to dollar and backlogs of unsold stocks in cold rooms. Nigeria is currently battling to meet 2.2 million tonnes deficit estimated at $1.2 billion needed by the consumers, leading to high price in local market. Between September 2024 and October 8, no vessel ferried fish to Lagos Port due to economic hardship confronting consumers. In 2023, data by the World Bank revealed that the Nigerian ports took delivery of 226, 263…

The Rivers State chief judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, has decried the low quality of houses built and donated to the judiciary by past administrations. The CJ, said this last week at the opening of the 2024/25 legal year mock court session held at the Ceremonial Court in the Port Harcourt High Court Complex. Justice Amadi, who said his plea is coming on the heels of defects noticed from such buildings at handovers and subsequent use. While reeling out his achievements and challenges, he appealed to the governor of Rivers State to involve the state judiciary while constructing offices for its…

Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that those who ruthlessly attempted to end his administration undemocratically, had boasted then to achieve their purpose quickly to boot him out of office within one week but failed woefully. The governor said he had not only stayed in office for more than one year and still counting, his administration is forging on strongly with sterling leadership, focused on delivering social services and quality projects to Rivers people. Fubara was speaking at the Rivers State Day of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship, held at the Main Bowl of Alfred Diette-Spiff Civic Centre, Port…

I write to express my anger and disgust at a recent order given by a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the Federal Accountant General, Central Bank, Zenith Bank and others not to give monthly statutory allocations to Rivers State government any longer. Even though I am not a municipal lawyer, it makes no logic that a statutory allocation meant for the people of Rivers State would be withheld for whatever spurious reason. The enemies of the state have really worked overtime to spin these present turn of events. More worrisome, is the speed with which the pro-Wike forces were…

Climate change is increasing the risk of floods worldwide particularly in coastal and lowland areas because of its role in extreme weather and sea rise conditions. Delta State is one of the major states in Nigeria prone to flood year in year out, except there is no heavy downpour and this has become an annual occurrence since the massive flood of 2012 which ravaged many communities and displaced thousands of the residents, submerging their farmlands as well. Following a two-day heavy rainfall on Monday July 8 and Tuesday, July 9, 2024, major streets in Warri South, Warri South-West, Okpe, Patani,…

The Nigerian authorities must ensure that Shell’s planned sale of its operations in the Niger Delta, does not lead to a further deterioration in human rights in a region blighted by decades of oil pollution. Amnesty International has documented grievous and enduring human rights abuses resulting from oil contamination in the area, where Shell has operated since the 1950s. Amnesty International is concerned that the proposed sale will deny people already harmed access to adequate remedy, and potentially expose many more to future abuses. The report tainted sale, recommends a series of safeguards and actions to help protect the rights…