Author: nationalpoint

The newly appointed Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Tombari Sydney Gbara has said that he would use his tenure to tackle general environmental degradation in the state. Hon. Gbara, who spoke to National Point, said that as someone from the Niger Delta, particularly from the Ogoni, “I will use my natural experience and knowledge as well as skill to ensure that the issue of environmental degradation in Rivers State will be a thing of the past and there will be better and safer environment for Rivers State and Rivers people.” The commissioner explained that sooner or later he would…

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has queried the removal of Dr. Solomon Arase as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Arase, a former Inspector General of Police, from Edo State in the South-South, was appointed Chairman of PSC in January 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari but was relieved of his duty on 10th June this year. PANDEF in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, said Arase’s removal was a contravention of the Police Service Commission Act, which prescribed a term of four years for the Chairman. It…

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the people of Rivers State to give peace a chance in order to put the state on a steady path of development. Diri, who said Bayelsa and Rivers people had a common heritage, noted that his administration needed to collaborate with Rivers State to promote economic development and reduce poverty in the region. In a statement issued by Daniel Alabrah, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, after the 129th State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa,Diri said, “We call on all key actors to eschew bitterness and sheathe their…

First Lady of Rivers State, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, has presented 2,400 bags of rice and cash to the poor, vulnerable and physically challenged residents in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State. Speaking at the event which took place at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Lady Fubara said the gesture is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Security Programme (FSP) steered by the wife of the President of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. She explained that through the RHI, Senator Tinubu is working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to bring succour to…

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, has cancelled the revocation of the certificate of occupancy of Ogeyi Place, the hospitality outfit belonging to former Military Governor of old Rivers State, Brig-General Anthony Ukpo. The certificate of occupancy of the property, which previously housed Hotel L’Meridien in Port Harcurt was revoked by the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, after political opponents of the governor were found to have taken shelter in the hotel. In a government gazette dated 6th June, 2024 and signed by Fubara, the state government said the revocation of the C of O was made…

The new leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State Chapter, has alerted security agencies, the Rivers State Government and the public on the consequences of the planned protest by the former local government chairmen and former members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly members in the state. Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt, the new ALGON Chairman, Prince Ichemati Ezebunwo, warned that the protest was a sinister plot to cause anarchy and destabilize to pave the way to actualize their design for a state of emergency in the state. Ezebunwo said,…

Everyone is looking up to the judiciary, where the theatre of the political crisis in Rivers State has moved, to do justice and bring the crisis to its logical end. The judiciary owes the people, the state and humanity a duty to be above board in this sacred mission with a verdict that is firm, altruistic and decisive. The crisis has festered for too long and it has taken a serious toll on governance and democracy. It has gone beyond just a dispute between two political figures and their political camps to adversely impact governance, democratic practice and development in…

I am compelled to react to Chief Tony Okocha’s latest writing on the political crisis in Rivers State captioned “The Untold Stories” and dated July 1, 2024. It is not uncommon to find online the writings of Tony Okocha, laced in verbose diction and combative imagery. It has intensified since he was named the Caretaker Chairman of Rivers APC. This time, Tony Okocha goes on a lengthy excursion, enumerating how former Governor Nyesom Wike picked up a lowly civil servant, Siminalayi Fubara and promoted him ‘up and down’, made him ‘this and that’ and finally foisted him on Rivers State…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has pledged to restore the failed sections of the East West Road between Ahoada and Ula-Okobo town in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State to provide urgent relief to motorists who are now forced to divert to community roads. According to a press release issued on Thursday by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the Director, Corporate Affairs of the commission, the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, made the pledge when he inspected the failed sections of the road with other directors of the Commission. Ogbuku described the situation on the road as deplorable,…

Edo State Government has given seven days to the impeached former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu to return over 20 vehicles still in his possession. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, who disclosed this through a public notice made available to newsmen in Benin City, the state capital, said should the former deputy governor fail to obey the directive, security agencies would be asked to retrieve the vehicles. Shaibu was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly in April after he fell out with Governor Obaseki, allegedly over his gubernatorial ambition. The impeached…