Rivers

Fear Grips Council Workers Over Zero Allocation

Published

11 years ago

November 7, 2014

Palpable fear now hangs in
the air at the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State over a possible return of the councils to the zero allocation” era when workers were owed up to 24 months salary arrears.
The workers are wallowing in fear due to the fact that the Rivers State government is yet to rescind its recent decision that councils’ allocation should be deducted at source in spite of the 3-day warning strike embarked upon by the workers to protest the decision.
The workers feared that a return to the ‘zero allocation’ era would spell doom for them, as they lost some of their colleagues during the period, occasioned by hardship, with some of them who are alive withdrawing their children from school due to their inability to pay school fees.
Making their feelings known, amidst heightened fear, during an interactive session with Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees’ State Officers led by the President, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo who were on a tour of the Councils’ branches of the Union, the workers said they would resist the move if implemented and expressed the hope that the government would see reasons why it should rescind its decision.
The workers include those of ONELGA, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Akuku Toru, Abua/Odual, Degema, Asari-Toru, Emohua, Oyigbo, Omuma, Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Councils who were visited and interacted with, between Monday and yesterday by the Barr. Ajinwo led NULGE state officials.
The “zero allocation’ period was the period that witnessed the establishment of the Schools Management Board, which was mandated to pay teachers salaries after deduction of Local government allocation at source for the purpose, but it turned out that figures were alleged to be inflated by the Board so much that council Chairmen returned from the monthly JAAC meetings with N0,00 allocation and could not pay workers’ salaries.
They said, the decried what they considered a ploy to systematically return them to the ugly past.

Secretary General, Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) Mr. Femi Balogun (standing), with Rivers State Chairman of the institute, Mr. Aniforwose Abayomi (left) and the Vice Chairman, Mr. Edighoman Isaac Ewa, duirng a workshop in Port Harcourt recently. Photo: Eberi A. Sampson

Schools Management Board which stifle us of our funds with the Board members building estates around Port Harcourt and growing fat”.
The Council workers that attended the meeting were led by their Branch Chairmen; Mrs Priscilia Okere (Omuma), Comrade Egbe Roman (ONELGA), Comrade Okorite Bob-manuel (Akuku-Toru), Comrade June Bell-Fiddo (DELGA), Comrade (Ogbeti) Florence Nwala (Etche), Comrade Kubi Enyim (Abua/Odual), Comrade James Lugard (Ahoada West), Comrade Ibali Ferdin and (Ahoada East) and Comrade Onuegbu (Emohua) as well as Asari-Toru branch Chairperson and Comrade Friday Kpulor (Oyigbo).
Responding to the fears expressed by the workers, Ajinwo recalled how the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi took over the payment of teachers’ salaries and stopped the deduction of Local Government salaries at source for the purpose, which is why Councils no longer owe salaries till date and commended the governor for the kind gesture, while expressing the hope that the governor would have re-think on the current issue to allay the workers’ fears assuring the workers however that if the decision is implemented NULGE will resist it as demanded by the workers.

Justus Unye-Awaji

Rivers

NSE Members Tasked On National Dev

Published

3 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.

Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.

Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.

The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.

He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.

Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.

This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.

Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.

Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.

Rivers

VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria

Published

3 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.

Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.

“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.

Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.

He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.

He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.

“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.

Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and effective library.

She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.

Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.

High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.

Akujobi Amadi

Rivers

Four Internet Fraudstars Get Different Jail Terms In PH

Published

3 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided by Justices P. I. Ajoku, P. I. Ayua and S. I. Mark has convicted and sentenced four middle aged men to various jail terms over their involvement in fraud.

They are Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo, Timi Olamide Samuel, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, and Emmanuel Linus, who may be dwellers on the Port Harcourt Correctional facility until their bail conditions are met.

Their prosecution is at the instance of the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate charges.

The charges, the Court noted, bordered on impersonation, Advance Fee Fraud, and Obtaining Money under false pretence.

The charge against Chinweobo reads: “That you, Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo (a.k.a. Philip James) sometime in 2024, in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained the sum of One Thousand Great Britain Pounds (£1,000 only), from Marinela Gabriela, a Caucasian American, when you represented yourself to be Philip James, a military man from California, serving in Syria, who pretended to be in a marital relationship with Marinela Gabriela, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

That of Ugochukwu reads: “That you, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, on or about the 14th day of May, 2025, at Alakhahia axis of Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained from one Grey the sum of Eight Hundred United States of America dollars ($800 only), under the false pretence that you are Amanda Pappers, a citizen of the United States of America which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

They all pleaded guilty to their charges, following which prosecution counsels, A. Chukwuegwu and G. C Ngborokwu, tendered incriminating documents in evidence against them and urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

The Defence counsels, G. N. Chukwu, Yemi Ogunleye, A. O. Secondus and Chigozie Umunnakwem, on their part, prayed the courts to temper justice with mercy on the ground that the defendants were first time offenders.

Justice Ajoku, however, convicted and sentenced Chinweobo and Linus to 30 months in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, each or to pay N200,000 respectively.

Their sentences are to run concurrently and began from the date of their arrest.

Justice Ajua convicted and sentenced Ugochukwu to one year jail term or to pay 50,000 fine, while Justice Mark convicted and sentenced Samuel to two years in prison or to pay N900,000 fine.

In addition to their jail terms, they deposed to affidavit of good behaviour and forfeited a Techno mobile phone, a Samsung Galaxy phone, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone X, iPhone 16 Pro, an iPad and Lexus ES 350, recovered from them at the scene of their arrest to the Federal Government.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by the Commission, sometime in April, 2025, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities in Port Harcourt.

King Onunwor