Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party in
Adamawa State may explode following the recent political developments in the state. However, the explosion, it was gathered, may take a religious dimension.
It was gathered that the plan to impeach the former governor, Murtala Nyako, was agreed to with the understanding that Ngilari would be spared and be allowed to become the governor after his boss must have been sacked, but a powerful group within the PDP, at both the national and state levels, was said to have insisted that Ngilari too must be removed.
The plot, it was gathered, forced the deputy governor to resign before the seven-man probe panel set up by Acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, to investigate allegation of misconduct against the former governor and his deputy.
The setting up of the panel was as a result of directive from the state House of Assembly.
Bauchi
The Authorities of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi State,
has outlined a programme of academic activities to enable the recovery of the period lost to the nine months strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
The institution’s Public Relation Officer (PRO), Malam Mohammed Wada, said in Bauchi State Thursday, that academic activities resumed fully July 30, and that the semester would last for only two months.
Wada explained that lectures would hold for five weeks, while examination would commence on September 8 and last for three weeks.
“We were one month into the second semester of the 2012/2013 academic session when the strike commenced in October 2013. ”What we are trying to do now, is to see how we can complete the syllabus within five weeks, so that examination would commence in the sixth week and end in the eighth week”, he said.
Ekiti
Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has accused
Governor Kayode Fayemi of alleged plot to use the 19 new Local Council Development Areas as conduits to siphon about N10bn out of the state’s treasury.
The party in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Kola Oluwawole, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday alleged that the money would be taken out of the treasury before the October 15 expiration time of the administration.
It alleged that the money was part of the accumulated slashed allocations due to the original 16 local government areas, and other foreign and local aids collected by the All Progressives Congress government since its inception in October 2010.
But the Commissioner for Information, Tayo Ekundayo, in his reaction refuted the allegation saying, “such money is not available in the first place.”
FCT
The National Youth Service Corps last Thursday announced
the redeployment of corps members from seven northern states. The affected states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano and Yobe states.
A statement last Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations in NYSC, Mrs. Bose Aderibigbe, said the decision followed the high rate of insecurity in some parts of the North. The corps members are part of the 2014 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course scheduled to commence next week Tuesday August 5, 2014.
The NYSC said due to logistic reasons, the orientation course will be conducted in two streams for different states. The Stream One exercise will be conducted from Tuesday, August 5 to Tuesday, August 26 2014 in Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Oyo, Niger, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, FCT, Imo, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Katsina, Nasarawa, Ogun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states.
Corps members posted to states listed in the Stream One category will undergo the orientation course in their respective states of deployment. The statement explained that the Stream Two exercise, meant for the affected northern states, had been scheduled for Monday, September 1, 2014 to Monday, September 22, 2014.
Kwara
Former local government councillors In Kwara on
Thursday protested over the non-payment of the severance allowance owed them from 2007 to 2010, totalling N2.25bn.
The aggrieved Councillors barricaded the main gate of the Government House in Ilorin while displaying placards with various inscriptions. They vowed not to stop their protest until Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed attended to them.
The Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr Toyin Sanusi, who came out to address the protesters, was chased back.
The governor later invited the protesters for a closed door meeting which lasted three hours. After the meeting, Hon. Sulyman Olota, the spokesman of the group, told newsmwn that the meeting with the governor was fruitful.
Katsina
Residents of Funtua and its environs in Katsina State
are mobilising for prayers as they had increased community surveillance to avert the activities of suspected insurgents in the area.
The District Head, Alhaji Sambo Idris, told newsmen last Thursday in Funtua that he had instructed religious, traditional and community leaders in the area to organise for prayers sessions against terrorism.
Idris said he had also directed residents of the area to pray against all forms of violence and restiveness in the community and the nation at large and he appealed to the people to increase surveillance in their areas and to contact security agencies over any movement of suspicious persons.
According to him, he also advised the people against taking the law into their hands in their effort to make the area safe and free from terrorists’ activities and Idris expressed appreciation with security agencies, the state and local government authorities for their prompt response during emergency situations.
Lagos
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities
(SSANU), Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter, on Friday suspended its three-month old strike.
The Chairman of the association, Mr Saheed Oseni, said in Lagos that the strike would be suspended till Aug. 30.
He said that the decision was taken at a congress meeting on Friday morning following an agreement the union reached with the LASU Governing Council.
The union demands reduction in tuition fee, repeal of LASU’s ‘no-vacancy-no-promotion policy, and implementation of the 2012 Universities Miscellaneous Provision Act.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the state Chief
Judge, Justice Justice Sulaiman Dikko, may be heading for a showdown over the composition of the seven-man panel put in place to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Governor Tanko Al-Makura as the assembly wants Dikko to dissolve the panel on the grounds that it is made of loyalists of the All Progressives Congress of which Al-Makura is the leader in the state.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Security, Baba Ibaku, disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Lafia, on Monday said that the lawmakers resolved to demand for the dissolution of the panel during their emergency sitting at the assembly complex at 10am on Monday .
He argued that the fact that the panel members held political positions in the state was against the provision of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The lawmaker said, “We had an emergency sitting to deliberate on the seven-man panel that was set up by the Chief Judge on Friday last week. We asked him to dissolve the seven-man panel because the members of the panel are APC members that hold various political positions in the state.”
Osun
Operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS,
yesterday stormed Osogbo, the Osun State ca pital and other major towns in the state preparatory to the August 9 governorship election in the state, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, assured that the poll would be free and fair.
The DSS operatives were strategically positioned in major areas of the town while some moved round major streets. It was gathered that over 5,000 operatives were deployed to the state to maintain law and order before and during the governorship election.
The state government, in its reaction to the development, described it as an attempt to militarise the state ahead of the election. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr Bola Ilori noted that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was behind the deployment of the operatives to the state.
Oyo
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) has asked former governors of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Rashidi Ladoja, to stop shedding what it termed “crocodile tears” over the recent rumoured impeachment bid of the state House of Assembly against its party-led government, saying the two governors were products of chaotic governments and cannot now pretend that theirs were governments of peace.
The party made this known in a statement issued by its party chairman, Chief Akin Oke, in reaction to two separate statements credited to the two former governors last weekend.
The APC said the two former governors did not have the moral right to postulate or advise any government on peace, since they headed governments that were renowned for brigandage, thuggery, bloodshed and where peace eluded the people of the state.
“Is it not an irony that Akala and Ladoja would tell us how peaceful our state would be with a House of Assembly that is devoid of rancor? Both of them ran governments whose Houses of Assembly were like Israel and Palestine and the Governor’s Office like Gaza, even when members were of the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, the party said.
Nation
FG Restates Commitment To Seafarers’ Welfare, Safety
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Nation
Ogoni Stakeholders Hail Zabbey’s Performance

Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
Nation
TETFunds’ South Rep Visits CEAPOLY …Unveils Mass Communication Dept Building
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
NDLEA Apprehends 312 Suspects … Seizes 803.672 kg Of Drugs In A’Ibom
-
Women4 days ago
How Women Can Manage Issues In Marriage
-
Business5 days ago
Coy Expands Pipeline Network In Rivers
-
Sports5 days ago
NBBF Releases D’Tigress Provisional Roster
-
News5 days ago
Court Arraigns Rivers Traditional Ruler Over Impersonation, Other Charges
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
Monarch Hails Diri’s Developmental Strides … Alleges Neglect By Oil Firm
-
Politics4 days ago
Church Bans Political Speeches On Pulpits
-
Business5 days ago
Ministry, Firm Sign Pact To Boost Digital Trade