News
Bill Board, Mast Collapse: RSG Begins Integrity Tests …As Rainstorm Leaves One Dead, Two Injured
The Rivers State Signage and Advert Regulatory Agency, has begun integrity test to reduce hazards posed by faulty and poorly erected bill boards in the state.
Managing Director of the agency, Chukudi Dimpka made the revelation during a chat with newsmen over the destruction of many bill boards and communication masts by storm around the city on Monday in Port Harcourt during which a 16-year old girl, Miss Peace Weche was killed while two others sustained serious injuries..
Mr. Dimpka who inspected some of the bill boards that were destroyed by storm blamed poor maintenance on the part of advert practitioners, noting that most of the poles were outdated and rusty.
He regretted the level of damage done on some houses and stalls along the Mile 3 axis, as two advert bill boards fell on a building and another on a building material plaza destroying properties worth millions of naira.
After the inspection he revealed that the agency will commence evacuation of the affected poles to avert further damage and threat to public safety.
As a way of checking the occurrence of such disasters in the future, he noted that a new measure will be put in place, “part of the new criteria is such that for the agency to approve new bill boards you have to conduct a soil test, have an environmental Impact assessment report and insurance policy.”
He explained that many of the advert approvals have been revoked in order to get compliance.
On what the public should do to prevent accidents, he advised people to be alert and look around for flying object while traders should stop setting up business under bill boards.
Community Development Committee Chairman, Nkpolu Community in Mile 3, Pastor Isokwo Igwe has decried the loss of a 16 year old Miss Wechie who was killed by a telecom mast in Nkpolu Community Secondary School compound on Monday during a heavy storm.
The mast erected in the premises of the University of Port Harcourt School of Continuing Education fell and hit the girl who was selling food items for the mum in the school premises.
The Tide learnt that a football coach who was taking shelter from the rain under a makeshift building was also hit. He was said to have sustained injuries but did not die as he was rushed to a hospital.
Pastor Igwe who blamed poor maintenance of the mast as responsible for the accident said the community would summon a meeting of owners of such structures in the area.
Already, he stated that the matter has been reported to the police and the body of the girl deposited in the mortuary, as he commiserated with the family over the loss of their daughter.
Meanwhile, It was a tragic Monday afternoon for inhabitants of Oroworukwo Community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State following the instant death of Miss Peace Wechie.
Speaking to The Tide, the mother of the late 16-year old girl, Wechie Eucharia Charles, said the incident occurred at 4pm inside the Oroworukwo Community Secondary School, Nkpolu, during the Monday rain where her shop was, adding that the rainstorm pulled the ICT Mast belonging to UNIPORT CCE, which fell atop her makeshift shop where her late daughter and others were taking shade during the rain.
“Today, I was with my children in my shop here at about 4pm with others who came to take shade as a result of the rain. What I heard was noise. The mast fell on my daughter. I saw my daughter, coach, and one other small boy rushed to hospital in Mile 1, but on getting to the place, the doctor confirmed her dead,” she stated.
Also speaking, a community leader in the area, Apostle Princewill Nnokam described the incident as a sad one for the community, adding that such calamity has not been witnessed since the history of the community.
Nnokam blamed the woes of the community not only on the natural disaster, but also on the non-professional work done by the engineer that handled the construction of the destroyed mast.
He called on the relevant authorities, especially the University of Port Harcourt, to come to the support of the family, adding that the deceased parent has lost all she had, her business and daughter to the incident.
Nnokam, however, said that the matter has been reported to the UST Police Division, even as he called for sanction on the structural engineer that handled the work for unprofessional work done.
The small boy, David Ihiemekwalam, and his football coach, an elderly man, who were also hit by the mast, and sustained serious injuries, were said to be responding to treatment at a hospital in Port Harcourt.
The father of the boy, Mr Joseph Ihiemekwalam, who hails from Abia State, said “according to my son’s account of the accident, he (David Ihiemekwalam) and his football coach, an elderly man, were sitting on a bench right behind the late Miss Peace Weche”.
According to him, they narrowly escaped death because it was the middle of the Mast that hit them while the fence between UPHCCE and Community Secondary School, Nkpolu took much of the weight, adding that what killed Miss Peace Weche was the sharp edge of the Mast which hit directly on her head.
The UPHCCE director, who declined to disclose his identity, said due to the heavy storm, many masts such as MTN Mast and Diamond Bank Mast around the area were badly affected, regretting that it was very sad and unfortunate that the college’s Telecommunication Mast fell across the fence and killed the 16-year old.
The director hinted further that the Community Development Chairman (CDC), Isokwo Igwe and the Board members of the University of Port Harcourt, College of Continuing Education, have already scheduled to visit the family to condole with them on the death of the girl.
In an interview with newsmen, the Acting Chairman, Rivers State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Mr Chukwudi Dimkpa, said that poor maintenance culture by advertising companies and lack of proper monitoring and supervision during the mounting of heavy masts were responsible for such accidents capable of claiming lives and destruction of buildings.
Dimkpa added that soon his agency would commence total checks on all the billboards mounted in the city of Port Harcourt and its environs, with a view to correcting any anomalies.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident, reports that many buildings were destroyed, properties estimated at N200million were lost by traders along the area due to the thunderstorm.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.
Akujobi Amadi & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Federal Government has honoured 12 teachers from across the country with national awards, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the education sector through improved welfare, incentives, and professional development for teachers.
The awards were presented yesterday at the Nigeria Teachers’ Summit 2026, held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated that the government would sustain reforms aimed at empowering teachers and restoring dignity to the profession.
Alausa explained that the selection process was transparent and merit-based, with three teachers nominated from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory at both the basic and senior secondary school levels.
From the pool of nominees, 12 teachers; six from basic education and six from senior secondary education, emerged as national award recipients.
Each of the 12 awardees received a cheque of N25m.
The Overall Best Teacher of the Year, Solanke Taiwo from the South-West category, received an additional N25m, bringing his total prize to N50m.
In addition to the cash prize, Taiwo is to receive a brand new car from the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, as well as a fully furnished two-bedroom flat from the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Also, the Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, pledged to give each of the award winners an additional N5 million.
The minister described the awardees as exemplifying professionalism, integrity, innovation and dedication to learners, noting that they represent the best of the teaching profession in the country.
“This is more than a reward. It is a national signal that teaching is a noble, respected, and valued profession in Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking at the summit themed ‘Empowering Teachers, Strengthening the System: A National Agenda for Education Transformation and Sustainability,’ the minister said the recognition of the teachers reflected the FG’s broader education reform agenda under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Teachers are the foundation of education, and education is the foundation of national development. No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers.
“No reform, no matter how well designed, can succeed unless teachers are empowered, motivated, supported, and respected,” Alausa said.
He pledged that the government would continue to invest in teachers through structured training, improved career pathways and fair rewards, noting that education remained central to national development.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, he said, “sustainable development, economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion depend on a strong and responsive education system and that system depends on teachers.”
As part of this commitment, the minister announced the launch of EduRevamp, a nationally coordinated Continuous Professional Development programme designed to modernise teacher training and improve classroom outcomes.
While the programme is open to teachers in both public and private schools, Alausa said performance-based incentives would be reserved for public school teachers who complete certified training.
“Professional growth must never be restricted. Every teacher deserves access to quality training, modern tools, and updated skills,” he said, adding that incentives would be tied to measurable performance.
He also highlighted complementary initiatives, including the Ignite digital platform to reduce teacher workload, the Diaspora Bridge programme to strengthen STEMM education, and the provision of 60,000 tablets for teachers with zero-data access to approved training platforms.
The minister further announced reforms to the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria’s digital platform, the expansion of Communities of Practice, and progress on the Accelerated Teacher Training Programme aimed at fast-tracking professionalisation for in-service teachers.
To provide long-term stability, he said the government had introduced a National Teacher Policy to guide teacher development, welfare and professional standards nationwide.
Addressing the award recipients and other educators at the summit, Alausa described the government’s message as “professional growth, dignity in service, and renewed hope,” urging stakeholders to focus on tangible outcomes in classrooms across the country.
In her welcoming remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, underscored the central role of teachers in Nigeria’s education reform agenda.
Ahmad said the gathering was both timely and strategic, noting that the quality of any education system is inseparable from the quality, motivation and empowerment of its teachers.
She explained that the theme aligns directly with Nigeria’s current education priorities.
According to her, investing in teachers is the bedrock of sustainable reform and national development.
“Empowering teachers is not an isolated intervention; it is the foundation upon which sustainable education reform is built.
“When teachers are supported, trained, motivated, and valued, the entire system is strengthened, learning outcomes improved, equity expands, and national development is accelerated,” she said.
Describing the summit as a strategic national platform, Ahmad said it was designed to unite key stakeholders to address challenges in the education sector and advance practical reforms.
She noted that the forum brings together teachers, policymakers, education leaders, regulators, unions, development partners and private sector actors to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes nationwide.
In his goodwill message, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audi Amba, described the summit as a historic milestone in the recognition of teachers’ roles in national development.
Nigeria’s education sector has continued to grapple with longstanding challenges, particularly around teacher welfare, access to regular professional development, classroom capacity and infrastructure.
These issues have raised concerns among stakeholders about the quality of teaching and learning in many public schools. At the same time, industrial actions by education unions in recent years have further highlighted the pressures facing educators nationwide.
The Rivers State Government has declared that it draws its confidence from the assurance that God is more than sufficient to guide its leaders, strengthen its institutions, and sustain its communities in peace and progress.
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?Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this declaration during the 2026 Holy Ghost Rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.
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?Speaking through his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, the governor stated that “with the Almighty God on our side, our challenges are surmountable and our future remains hopeful,” noting that the theme of this year’s rally, “The All-Sufficient God,” is both timely and reassuring.
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This was contained in a statement from the office of the Deputy Governor, signed by the Head of Press, ?Owupele Benebo.
?According to Fubara, the theme serves as a powerful reminder that in a world filled with uncertainty, God remains our unfailing source, sufficient in wisdom, strength, provision, and grace.
He stressed that when human ability reaches its limit, God’s sufficiency prevails.
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?The governor commended the Redeemed Christian Church of God for its consistent spiritual impact and unwavering prayers for Rivers State and the nation, expressing appreciation for the Church’s contributions to promoting moral values, unity, and faith in God.
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?In his sermon, drawn from Genesis 17:1, the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, described the Almighty God, whose name is above every other name, as all-sufficient and capable of meeting every human need.
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?He noted that the God who created all things also has the power to repair and restore them.
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?Adeboye explained that while human effort, including medical intervention, may reach its limits, there comes a point where only God steps in to turn situations around, bringing hope where none seemed possible.
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?In his address, the Pastor in charge of the Rivers Family of the RCCG, Pastor Adesoji Oni, stated that the Port Harcourt Holy Ghost Rally, which began in 2015 and has now become an annual event, has been a tremendous blessing to the people of the State.
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Adesoji noted that the rally has drawn thousands of souls to God while impacting lives spiritually and physically.
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?He further disclosed that the Church has gone beyond preaching the gospel to actively engage in impactful initiatives through its Christian Social Responsibility programmes.
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?These include skills acquisition centres, maternity centres across the State, a rehabilitation centre for persons battling substance abuse, and an Innovative Mind Hub.
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