Opinion

Ada-George, Iwofe Roads: Can The Contractors Deliver?

Published

14 years ago

March 16, 2012

The contractor handling the dualisation of Ada-George Road had assured the Rivers State Government that work on the road would be completed this year while work is yet to commence on the dualisation of Iwofe Road. Given their terrible conditions, our staff writer, Calista Ezeaku and photographer, Prince Obinna asked residents of the areas what their thoughts are. Their responses.

Mr Bright Kamalu, business man

Work on the road is in progress. At least, the construction company, has been trying to make sure that some areas are motorable. At least, they are doing something.

The difficulty we encounter is that when people close from work, there will be hold up, but with other small roads around, we can manage it.

We are appealing to government to, at least, ginger the contractor, let them do something between now and December, so that by next year, we know that we are done.

Mr Justice Ichienwo, student, University of Port Harcourt

I think for now, it seems I am the only one feeling bad about the road. I don’t know if other people are also feeling bad. For me, I think that the work on the road (Ada-George Road) is not moving as I expected it. I don’t know if government is owing or if government has not mobilised them (the construction company) or if the problem is from the contractor. So, I don’t know. There is rumour that they (the construction company) need mobilisation. I think if mobilisation is the problem, government should just look into it so that from now till December, the contractor can do something about it.

Whenever there is rain, there will be flood every where. Most of the time, I fold my trouser, remove my shoes, just to cross over to my place. This has lasted for at least a year and two months.

If money is the problem, they should give them the money so that we will know that the contractor is the one owing the people.

Mr Goodness Sunday, treasurer, Keke Owners Association of Nigeria, Ada-George Branch.

This place has been disturbing us for about three years now. Sometimes, hold up will be everywhere, we’ll have no access to go anywhere. Like Iwofe Road, we have not been going there often, right from this year. When it rains, you cannot go there. Like Ada George, even people that are constructing the road are not doing the work the way they are supposed to do it. When you go there, sometimes they will take water and block everywhere, in the name of doing the work.

Nevertheless, we are still hoping they can do something better. For now, our work is not moving well because of the road. I want the state government to talk to the company handling this work (the construction company), that they should fasten this job. They cannot be working one place. It is getting to four years since they started constructing this place, till now the work is not completed.

So, I want government to look into the matter, meet with the director of the company. They should hasten this job so that they can be able to go another place, not staying in one place for about four years without achieving the purpose of coming there.

Government should help even on this Iwofe Road. It is very bad from St John’s down here (Ada George Road junction). I paid N100.00 which is something that I can pay N50.00 to reach. But I paid N100.00. Sometimes, you can stay here for more than one or two hours, you will not able to get motor from here to Iwofe. Not to talk of Eliparanwo, that place is ‘no go area’. We are suffering a lot in this area. So, we need government to come and help us, so that we can benefit from government.

Evangelist Joseph S. Nwodu, missionary.

My experience on this road is so bad, although government is trying. But we ask the government to put more effort to make sure they facilitate the road. The road is too bad, so as a result of it, motorists have increased the transport fare. Sometimes, they will charge you N200.00, from Whimpey junction to Ngbuakali, Eliparanwo. Some other times, they will charge you N100.00. Last night (Tuesday night), we paid N150.00. They (drivers) charge what suits them because of the bad road.

So, I want government to do something this raining season. Otherwise, businesses and social life will suffer, and this will increase the problem in the state. When somebody is not regular in areas of his assignment, you will know that it is a problem. When it rains, people don’t come to church the way they are supposed to because of the bad road. So the nature of the road is affecting moral life of the people.

So, we want government to put more effort on what they have started. Let them try to finish it.

Mr Edward Shan, business man.

I can say the government is trying. The governor is doing fine. Every government must initiate a project and at the beginning of the initiation of the project, there must be some minor hiccups.

So, I think the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is really trying his best. So, people should learn how to be patient withr government. I believe within the shortest period, the road will be completed. The road is not all that bad. It is a normal thing with any road that is under construction. Of course, there must be some minor inconveniences.

So, I am still appealing to the people to be patient with the government because I believe within the shortest period, the road will be in good shape.

The contractor should try and hasten the job for the convenience of the road users.

Mr Micheal Nwachi, automobile mechanic.

In fact, since this road got bad like this, we have remained jobless. I’m even looking for a job in a company right now because people don’t pass this road again (Iwofe Road). It is only the big vehicles that pass this road. You cannot see any small car pass this road, assuming the person wants to get to Iwofe. They will always be looking for other routes to get to Iworfe. No small car can pass this road. Even the big cars find it difficult to pass the road because the road is terribly bad. In fact, I have never seen a road like this in the whole Rivers State that is as bad as this Iwofe Road.

So, that has kept everybody here off business. Many of them have parked out. These shops here were very busy but if you look at the shops now, you will see that all of them are under lock and key. Only one is operating there because of the road. So,iftis a terrible situation.

You waste all your time on the road, waste your fuel and everything. In fact, we are not happy. We feel very bad, we feel as if we are not part of the state, we not included. This area seems as if we are isolated from what is happening in other areas of the state.

So, we pray that government one day, will remember this Iwofe Road. Though we heard that the contract has been awarded but we have not seen anything happening, nothing. My car gets bad each and every movement. If you fix your thyroid, bolt joint, and shock absorbers, before one or two weeks, you go back to mechanic workshop to do the same job again. So, the road is really making car owners spend more money maintaining their cars. Some have even parked their cars. They use public transport to go out for business because of the way the road has spoilt their cars. So, it is really a bad situation.

We really want government to come to our rescue, because this road is a government road. It is a major road linking so many companies in this area. So, if government will come and put this road in order, the economic situation of the state will be boosted. The companies operating here are paying more tax to the government. So the government has the right (obligation) to come and fix this road.

Marilyn Esien, teacher.

It has been something else going to school with the bad road. We have to trek a long distance because no car is passing this way (Iwofe Road). You have to trek down, sometimes you swim the water with your legs. We (the school) has lost a lot of children because of this road. Parents say their children cannot pay through here so they decided to change their children to other schools. The other ones that are still trying to come, school bus sometimes will sink here. You will now transfer them from one bus to another to pass this place.

Whenever it rains, you have to wait extra two hours for the water to come down or turn round to follow Eliparanwo. So, any time rain falls here, it is ‘no go area’.

So, I want government to do something about this road. At least, let them put it in their own budget that this road is one of the roads they will finish before this tenure finishes.

Mr Livinus Onyenwike, civil servant.

The thing is a very big problem, because going to work, you must have to trek from here to where you can enter motor because no motor will agree to carry you along here because of the bad road.

Let us emulate the western world. Because in the western world where our people go to buy property, things are not like this. If they are like this, they cannot go there to do any thing.

I don’t even believe that this road will still be like this up till now. So, it is not good. We are not animals. We are human beings. We are supposed to emulate good things from the western world. We have the money, we have the resources, we have everything. So, we are supposed to do better things. This road is an eye sour. Many shops are closed. Many people are parking out. If rain falls, flood will take over every where. If you enter the compound where I am living, you will see how we heaped blanks of wood to cross over to our rooms. It is because of bad road, it is not good.

Government must have to do something. We are all human beings. We need good health and good environment.

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

21 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”

The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.

The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.

Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.

Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.

The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the Heads of Department can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.

The Governing Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script, inputting of wrong results and sorting. This is necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

Published

21 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”

In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.

In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.

When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.

Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.

Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.

Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.

Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes

Published

1 week ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.

Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.

For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.

Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.

Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.

By: King Onunwor