Author: nationalpoint

The development of a bio-economy vis-a-vis cassava and other bio-resources policy of the federal government, is aimed at bringing about higher GDP growth and significant reduction of unemployment through the creation of meaningful opportunities for the youths. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Budget And National Planning,  Nebeolisa Anako stated this in Asaba during his keynote address at the South-South zonal sensitization workshop on Strategic Implementation of the Biothanol Project with the theme “Knowledge Transfer: Cassava And Bio-ethanol Value Chain”, held in Asaba, Delta State. Nebeolisa, who was represented at the occasion by Mrs Elizabeth Egharevba, a director on Economic Growth,…

In a bid to encourage accurate, objective, and balanced reportage of conflict situations and the worsening unethical media reports leading to abuse or irresponsible journalism that pursues sensationalism, biases, prejudices, and blackmail, Stallion Times Media Service organized on Thursday organized a one-day media training on ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting’ in Kano for journalists in Kano state. The sensitization workshop which was one of its activities in year 2 of the 3-year Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” in Kano and Kogi states had participants from the print, broadcast, and blogosphere organizations in attendance. In…

Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has commended the National Point newspaper for its coverage of accountability, inclusivity and development issues in the Niger Delta. The commendation was made on Friday by a partnership team of WSCIJ that visited the office of National Point and Foreword Communications Limited in Port Harcourt, under the auspices of the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) programme. The Head of the WSCIJ team, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, commended National Point for being able to operate in a difficult environment like the Niger Delta and yet remain regular and exceptional. She particularly…

As part of effort to gain recognition and  acceptance as an autonomous community, the people of Igbu Orlukwor in Ekpeye kingdom of Ahoada East Local Government Area in Rivers State, have officially presented their regent, Sir Frederick Uwame to the king of Ekpeye Kingdom and the Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers. The event took place July 22, 2023, at the palace of the paramount king of Ekpeye Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Eze Sir (Amb.) Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo PhD, Eze Ekpeye Logbo 111 of Ekpeye Ethnic Nation. The Eze in his opening speech at the event, noted that Igbu Orlukwor is…

A non-governmental organization, Connected Development (CODE), some community-based organizations and media stakeholders in Rivers State have called on the contractor handling the Ahoada East/Eleme section of the East-West Road project to account for the N506bn fund approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the reconstruction of the road. This followed months of non-execution of expected reconstruction or rehabilitation activities for the flood-damaged road, with a resultant heavy financial and physical toll on commuters and commercial transport operators conveying goods and passengers between Rivers and Bayelsa states. The 2022 flooding in the Niger Delta had washed away major portions of…

Two students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Samson Kennedy, a 200 level student of Biochemistry and Wilfred Emmanuel, a 500-level student of Optometry, have been arrested by the Edo State Police Command for allegedly taking their colleague, 23-years-old Francis Aniude (a final year student of the Department of Chemistry), to Ekosodin River, where he reportedly drowned. The duo, who were neighbours with Aniude, were said to have invited him to the Ekosodin River for sightseeing on June 29, 2023, where he was allegedly drowned by the duo, who ran back to the school campus to raise alarm after the…

No fewer than 11 passengers were feared dead Wednesday while eight others sustained injuries, when a Dangote Cement Company truck rammed into an Edo State bound 18-seater mini bus along the Benin-Lagos Expressway at Ovia River Bridge, near Benin City.  The accident which happened at about 11am, occurred when the truck, which was on top speed, ran into a failed section of the road by the bridge.  Sources told this publication that the truck which, was heading towards Benin from Lagos at top speed, rammed into the 18 ill-fated mini bus which slowed down at the failed portion of the…

Given the huge economic benefit in transportation, the Rivers State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Monday Eleazar, has appealed to the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to revisit and flag-off the proposed Rivers -FOND Motor Manufacturing Company Limited Scheme. Chief Eleazar made this appeal last Thursday in an exclusive chat with National Point in Port Harcourt. “I will like to appeal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara through the state commissioner for Transport, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, to revisit the proposed Rivers-FOND Motor Manufacturing Company Limited Scheme.” Chief Eleazar explained that the concept which was initiated in…

A Port Harcourt-based businesswoman who was abducted a week ago, has regained her freedom. But the incident has thrown the business district around Mile One area into apprehension. However, the kidnapped woman regained her freedom after spending eight days in the custody of her abductors. The incident, which occurred at Umuoji Street, Mile 1, Diobu, in Port Harcourt, sent residents and passers-by scampering for safety as the abductors shot sporadically into the air close to her shop as they came calling. The shooting, National Point was told, caused pandemonium in the midst of which their target in an attempt to…

Last week our roving reporter stumbled on a gridlock which occurred immediately after the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Company main gate along the East-West Road. The gridlock was worsened by the fall of two container-laden trucks adjacent each other on the road. This led to vehicles diverting to alternative routes especially, the road through Oyigbo. The traffic jam had also led to sharp increases in transportation cost and loss of man-hours along the Port Harcourt – Eleme route as as vehicles boarded in Port Harcourt had to go through Oyigbo, a longer route before connecting Eleme through Agbonchia. One of the…