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We’ll Tackle Flooding Headlong – Wike …As PH Residents Count Losses
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike yesterday evening assured residents of Port Harcourt and other flooded communities that his administration will tackle the environmental challenge headlong.
He empathised with all residents affected by the flooding, assuring that his administration will work with relevant agencies to resolve the issues thrown up by the flooding.
Speaking after he inspected some areas impacted by flooding caused by two days of torrential rainfall, Governor Wike directed the relevant government agencies to take immediate remedial measures.
The governor inspected the flooded areas in Port Harcourt with Julius Berger engineers and officials of the State Ministry of Works.
He directed the continuous de-silting of all major canals in the town.
Governor Wike advised residents of Port Harcourt to stop dumping refuse in water channels. He said such actions lead to blockage of water channels, which leads to flooding.
The governor stressed that he will take some tough steps to ensure that the state will not experience such devastating flooding.
Sam Ngbor, Liaison Manager of Julius Berger Plc assured the governor that the company will work with the state government to resolve the challenges posed by the flooding.
Meanwhile, the state government also advised the people to avoid building residential houses on natural water ways.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Dr. Emmanuel Urang, gave the charge while he and other Permanent Secretaries monitored the flooding situation in parts of Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Urang advised residents of the city to complement government effort by desilting the drains in their vicinities and avoid building residential houses on natural water channels.
Meanwhile, thousands of Port Harcourt residents are still counting their losses, following heavy flooding that ravaged most parts of the city and its environs.
The flooding submerged thousands of houses, roads, streets, and destroyed valuable belongings and rendered many homeless across the city.
The flooding was as a result of the heavy rains, which started in the wee hours of last Saturday, and lasted till yesterday afternoon, leaving a tell tale of agony and frustration.
Some of the worst hit areas were the Rumukalagbor, Elekahia, Nkpogu, Abuloma, Azuabie, Amadi-Ama, D/Line, some parts of Diobu, including Sangana, Bende, Uyo and Afam streets, Elioparanwo, Ogbogoro, Rukpokwu, Rumuodomaya, Mgbuoba, Rumuigbo and communities along the Ohiamini, Nta-Wogba, Waja, among others in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt local government areas.
At GRA Phase three, many residential and business areas were flooded. This include parts of the mechanic village, close to the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority in Mile 3.
At the Immanuel Anglican Church, GRA Phase Three, the Vicar in-charge, Rev Soye Young-Itiye said the flood was knee-deep and worshippers had to relocate to a mechanic shed opposite for yesterday’s service. Young-Itiye appealed to Rivers State Government to construct a drainage in the area to ease the flooding in the area.
At Rumukalagbor, residents were completely displaced.
According to one of the victims, Miss Mercy Nwifii, who spoke with The Tide, houses were entirely flooded, making people to keep vigil all night as there was no place to sleep.
Narrating their ordeals, Nwifii said, “all the houses were flooded, with their properties floating on the water. We did not sleep throughout the night, as we were busy, trying to re-arrange our belongings above water level. It was a terrible experience.”
Another victim, Mr. Chinedu, Amadi, said, his electronic appliances and other belongings were destroyed by the flood.
He further disclosed that children suffered most in the disaster, but added that the adults were quick to adjust to ease the pains.
According to Chinedu, his material loss was huge, but immediately added that he was more bothered about the damage done to his intellectual property (books).
“My greatest loss is the damage done to my books, all my collection of books, has completely gone”, he lamented.
At the Ohiamini axis of Port Harcourt, residents were spotted scooping the drenching water from their houses.
One of the residents, Maria Naabura, said the debris from the flood emptied into people’s houses.
She called on the state government to, as a matter of urgency, address issues of perennial flooding in the state capital to save the residents from suffering colossal damages.
The Chapel of Victory Road that leads to Mummy B Junction at the GRA link road to Stadium Road was entirely flooded with vehicular movement heavily obstructed.
The Elekahia-Nkpogu Junction axis of Trans Amadi in Port Harcourt under construction by Ronnier Construction Company (RCC) was also flooded and impassable.
At Aba Road axis of Port Harcourt by the Nta-Wogba Creek, residents were displaced and many valuables submerged, with their property completely damaged.
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) building on Port Harcourt-Aba Road was taken over by flood, with all the vehicles packed in the premises submerged in water.
Some residents of the adjoining streets of the Aba Road axis, who spoke with The Tide blamed the flooding on the overflow of the Nta-Wogba Creek’s bank.
Others attributed the heavy flooding to the sandfilling project at Eastern Bypass, and called for proper channelling of water to the sea to reduce flooding in the affected areas.
A senior officer of the commission, who confirmed the incident, in a telephone interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said that some officers were also trapped in their various offices.
The officer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, however, said that something was being done to bring out those trapped as a result of the submerging of the FRSC premises by flood.
A visit by The Tide to the affected areas, show that apart from the FRSC premises, many houses on Sangana, Uyo, Bende and Afam Streets, parts of D-Line and GRA were submerged, while residents are now counting their losses as a result of the flood.
Some of those who spoke to The Tide blamed the situation on the overflowing of the Nta- Wogba Creek, occasioned by the two-day down pour.
Speaking with The Tide, the Chairman, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Committee, Chinwo Town, in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Prince William Chinwo, blamed the flooding on the continuous building of structures on water rights of way.
Chinwo, also condemned the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on rivers and creeks.
He said that the continuous dredging and reclamation of land without recourse to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was harmful to the city and its environs.
According to him, people must ensure regular desilting of drainages as well as clean their surroundings.
Also speaking, another resident, Jude Uzodinma, called for the enforcement of extant environmental laws against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainages in the city.
Uzodinma also called for laws to check the proliferation of structures along water rights of way while urging government to come to the aid of residents of Sangana and neighbouring streets, who have lost their property to the flooding.
Taneh Beemene
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”