Rivers

Protesters Stall Oil Production At SPDC Flow Station

Published

9 years ago

September 13, 2017

More than two weeks after, protesters are still in control of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25, thus preventing Shell Petroleum Development Company from producing and exporting commercial oil from the area.
The Tide investigations showed that the protesters, mainly youths from Belema in Rivers State have vowed that they would not leave the vicinity until Shell divests from the facility for an indigenous oil firm to take over.
The protesting women and youth of the host community, vow to occupy the flow station for as long as six months if their demand was not granted.
They accused the oil multinational, Shell of allegedly neglecting them, leaving them in penury since it commenced operation in the area over three decades ago, an allegation the oil giant denied.
However, there appears to be a crack in the community as some were opposed to the actions and demands of the protesters.
Chairman, Belema Council of Chiefs, Ibinabo Kalaoriye, in a radio announcement recently, dissociated the community from the protest, insisting that it was allegedly sponsored by those who did not mean well for the area.
The monarch maintained in the announcement that those behind the protest were not from his community, arguing that there was no way sons and daughters of his community would embark on such a mission without his permission.
“As the Amanyanabo of Belema community, I am not in support of such a protest. This is to inform the general public that the protesters are not indigenes of my community, if not they could have consulted me before embarking on such protest.
“The host communities of OML 25, including Belema and Offionama have continued to benefit from contract awards, employment of unskilled labour and our social investment programmes, including yearly award of regular and special scholarships to eligible candidates from the area.
“With the divestment of its interest in OML 24, SPDC relinquished operatorship of the facilities in that field”, the statement read in part.
“Despite the challenging environment, the SPDC JV set aside more than N600million for a five-year period beginning 2014 for development initiatives at Kula and the satellite communities of Belema, Offoinama and Boro. SPDC JV has also invested over N352million in Improvement of school infrastructure, sanitation and health outreach programmes, construction of walkway for the community and electricity supply in Kula Kingdom in the past 10 years”, he added.
He also spoke of its Global Memorandum of Understanding arrangement with Belema community, explaining that it gave right to the community to nominate project, execute them with funds from the oil giant.
Weli said the structure had brought some appreciable human and infrastructural development to the area.
However, the general manager said painfully the GMoU for Kula that was set up in 2014 had not been able to function because of several court cases with it as co defendant.
“A GMoU was eventually signed in 2014 for the Kula Cluster but has not been implemented because of continuing intra-community disagreements. As at 2015, there were a total of 11 court cases involving different groups with SPDC as a co-defendant in all of them.
“Sadly, these legal suits and disputes have rendered it impossible to implement more planned development projects in the affected communities,” he said.
Weli said though Shell had divested its 30 per cent in the Joint venture agreement in Kula, simply put, it had pulled out of Kula and some communities in the area but the communities had continued to enjoy its social investment programs.
He said N263million was expended on the community through a creation, Kula Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC).
“The creation of the Kula Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) in 2012. The PIMC served as an interim platform for the delivery of social investment initiatives and programmes worth N263 million in the Soku-San Berth Project.
“These projects are separate from the GMoU projects initiated by communities using funds provided by the SPDC JV Notwithstanding that SPDC has divested its equity in OML 24, which covers most of the communities in Kula and Belema, the SPDC JV has continued to implement agreed social investment programmes such as scholarship and entrepreneurship schemes for the communities there”, he said.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Rivers

NDDC Provides Lifeline To Flood-Hit Ogu-Bolo Community

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

In response to the recent flood disaster that displaced families, destroyed farmlands, and worsened economic hardship in Ogu/Bolo Community, The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has distributed relief materials to residents of the community.

Presenting the items on behalf of the Managing Director, the Director II, Education, Health and Social Services, Engr. Jeremiah Onolejoloni, said the intervention underscores the commission’s commitment to alleviating the plight of vulnerable communities across the Niger Delta.

According to a statement by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the gesture followed the devastating impact of flooding on livelihoods in the community.

The Managing Director noted that the commission, in collaboration with the Derek and Davia Foundation, provided financial support to facilitate the distribution of essential food items and household materials to affected residents.

He described the initiative as part of efforts to address pressing needs, adding that it also reflects government’s solidarity with citizens facing economic challenges.

“This intervention goes beyond palliatives. It is a demonstration of government’s presence, compassion and commitment to supporting families in distress, in line with the renewed hope agenda of the President,” he said.

He urged community leaders to ensure fair distribution of the items and encouraged residents to sustain peace and support development programmes.

The Paramount Ruler of Ogu-Bolo, Chief Joachim Amachiri, commended the Commission for the timely intervention, noting that it would provide much-needed relief to victims of the flood.

He reaffirmed the community’s support for NDDC initiatives aimed at improving living conditions in the region.

Also speaking, a consultant on the programme, represented by Dr. George Smile, praised the commission’s responsiveness to disaster-affected communities, disclosing that plans were underway, in partnership with development stakeholders, to extend similar support to neighbouring areas.

Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Rivers

Don Traces Nigeria’s Highway Woes To Design Failures … Proposes Mechanistic-Empirical Design Approach

Published

4 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

A lecturer at the Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s highway pavement systems, stating that poor design practices and weak standards, not just inadequate funding, are at the heart of the country’s persistent road failures.

Delivering the 128th inaugural lecture at the Rivers State University, titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding The Foundation For Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure”, Ekwulo argued that Nigeria’s roads will continue to deteriorate prematurely unless critical engineering principles are strictly applied and enforced.

According to him, recurring defects in the nation’s highways stem from a combination of faulty design processes, substandard construction materials, weak regulatory enforcement, poor drainage systems, and widespread disregard for professional ethics.

He stressed that these systemic failures have undermined the durability of road infrastructure despite significant financial investments.

“Premature pavement failures in Nigeria are not due to lack of funds alone, but largely due to poor design decisions, weak material standards, and absence of accountability,” he said.

Ekwulo proposed the adoption of the mechanistic-empirical design approach, a scientifically grounded method for predicting pavement performance, as a pathway to improving road quality.

He also advocated for the development of a localized framework, the Nigerian Empirical and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS), to reflect the country’s unique environmental and material conditions.

He further recommended stricter quality control measures, including independent audits, the establishment of a national database for material characterization, and compulsory traffic load analysis for all road projects.

The use of modified binders and advanced materials, he added, would enhance pavement resilience.

To ensure sustainability, the Professor called for the implementation of a National Pavement Management System to coordinate maintenance and monitoring efforts nationwide, noting that consistent upkeep is essential to prolonging road lifespan.

Ekwulo emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry, urging universities to lead applied research initiatives and pilot projects that can deliver practical solutions to Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, said universities must play a frontline role in addressing national development issues through research-driven interventions.

He described the lecture as timely, noting that the neglect of core engineering standards has contributed significantly to the country’s failing highways.

The event, held at the Dr. Ezenwo Wike Senate Building in the campus, also featured the formal decoration of Ekwulo as the institution’s 128th inaugural lecturer.

Reiterating his position after the lecture, Ekwulo stated that with proper design methods, quality materials, and strict adherence to global standards, Nigeria’s roads can achieve their intended lifespan of 10 to 20 years or more.

“Without a return to engineering fundamentals and accountability, investments in road infrastructure will continue to yield poor results”, he concluded.

Rivers

CP Reaffirms Commitment To Human Rights, Community Policing In Rivers

Published

4 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has assured residents of the command’s commitment to upholding human rights and delivering people-oriented policing.

He stressed that officers under his watch would continue to operate within the confines of the law, while strengthening community relations.

Adepoju gave the assurance during a sensitisation walk organised by the State Police Command as part of activities marking the National Police Day in Port Harcourt.

He noted that the exercise was aimed at fostering trust and enhancing cooperation between the police and the public.

While expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a special day for the Nigeria Police to celebrate its achievements, he described the gesture as a morale booster that would spur officers to greater efficiency and professionalism in service delivery.

The CP also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for initiating a week-long celebration, which he said had provided an opportunity for the police to reconnect with citizens and showcase reforms within the force.

According to him, the large turnout of residents, stakeholders and members of the business community during the exercise was a clear indication of the growing confidence reposed in the police by the people of Rivers State.

He reiterated that the Command would sustain its sensitisation efforts, adding that officers had been adequately briefed to respect the rights of citizens, maintain professionalism and work closely with the media to promote transparency and accountability.

Adepoju disclosed that the week-long activities commenced with environmental sanitation across commands and divisions, alongside public enlightenment campaigns targeted at strengthening police-community relations.

He further revealed that the Command had also embarked on free medical outreach for both officers and members of the public, as part of its corporate social responsibility and commitment to public welfare.

The CP added that financial support would be extended to widows of fallen police officers through the presentation of cheques, in line with directives from the police high command, to cushion the effects of their loss.

In his response, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the state, Voke Emore, said the initiative was geared towards rebuilding trust between the police and the communities they serve.

Emore noted that the renewed synergy between the police and residents in Rivers State had created an enabling environment for effective policing, urging the public to continue supporting security agencies with useful information.

Also, a representative of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs. Chima Nnaji, said the group participated in the walk to show solidarity with their spouses.

The event drew attendance from senior police officers, members of the PCRC, and stakeholders from various sectors of the state.

King Onunwor