Rivers
Traders Urge Govt To Regulate Rents
Some traders in Port Harcourt have called on the Federal Government to enact a law to regulate house rents in the country.
The traders, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, decried the incessant increase of house rents by landlords in the area.
They said that landlords were insensitive and called on the government to enact a law to regulate house rents in the country.
Madam Edith Mark, a Port Harcourt-based trader, said that a room in Diobu, Port Harcourt, which was N2.00 in 1983, had gone up to N5, 000.00 this year.
“The increase in the past 29 years is amazing; people doubt it whenever I told them that my husband paid N2.00 for the same room we are now asked to pay N5, 000.
“The same man that collected N2.00 in 1983 is the same person that collects N5, 000.00 today and will continue in this attitude if not checked by the law,” she said.
Another trader, Mr Emeka Nna, said that he got a shop for N2, 000.00 in 1993, but the rent had shot up to N10, 000.00.
“It’s surprising that some products I deal on over these years have maintained very slight price differentials, while the hike on rent has remained non-negotiable,” he said.
Mr Udeme Paul, another trader, said that landlords believed that every resident in Port Harcourt was rich because of the oil companies.
“Over 80 per cent of Port Harcourt residents neither work nor do business in the oil sector. Let’s consider that civil servants and the common man are all part of this city,” he said.
Paul advised Federal Government to consider the incessant increase in house rents as a national concern and treat it as such.
Rivers
Rivers High Court Restrain Trustees, Knights of St. John International, Others From Conducting Election
The High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has restrained the registered trustees of Knights of St John International, Supreme Subordinate Commandery, Nigeria, and four others from conducting elections into Our Lady of Holy Rosary Local Commandery No 920 CIWA, Port Harcourt, District 48 Commandery elections, and Supreme Subordinate elections of the Knights of St John International, Nigeria, pending the determination of the substantive matters before them.
Justice G.C. Aguma and Justice V.C. Ugoji, in their separate interim orders of injunction issued in Suit No: PHC/4410/CS/2025 and Suit No: PHC/4359/CS/2025, respectively, restrained the defendants, whether by themselves, their privies, agents, servants, or any person or group of persons working under them, from conducting elections into Our Lady of Holy Rosary Local Commandery No 920, CIWA Port Harcourt, District 48 Commandery, Port Harcourt Commandery, and Supreme Subordinate of Knights of St John International, Nigeria.
The claimants, Sir Njoku Chukwuemeka Andrew and Sir Chukwuemeka Martin Mba, in separate suits, through their legal representatives, dragged the defendants to court, seeking an order to restrain them from appointing or installing any interim caretaker executive or leadership to run or pilot the affairs of St John International, Our Lady of Holy Rosary Local Commandery No 920, CIWA, Port Harcourt.
The defendants in the matter are: Registered Trustees of Knights of St John International, Supreme Subordinate Commandery, Nigeria; Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Ufuoma Okene, the Grand President, Port Harcourt Grand Commandery, Knights of St John International; Noble Brother Viktor Benebo, the Chairman Investigation Committee set up by the 2nd Defendant to investigate the claimants; Sir Architect Prempeh Ebiware, the District 48 Commander, Knights of St John International, Port Harcourt; and Sir Harry Oruma, member of Knights of St John International, Our Lady of Holy Commandery No 920, CIWA, Port Harcourt.
The two judges, after listening to the counsels in the matter, granted the claimants’ request and adjourned the matter to 10/12/2025 and 16/12/2025, respectively, for hearing of the motion on notice.
