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Christmas Celebration: PH Residents Bemoan Cash Crunch

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7 years ago

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Today is Christmas Day.
It is another opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. As expected, the atmosphere is electric. The mad rush is noticeable everywhere. Human and vehicular movement is unprecedented in Port Harcourt.There are desperate attempts by residents to meet the expectations of family members and loved ones. This is because love is in the air. In the midst of all these, our correspondent combed the Garden City to find out how the residents feel about today.
Excerpts:

Mrs Chibuzor Martins, food stuff dealer
This year’s Christmas, it’s well oh! I don’t see anything serious about the Christmas this year. People have been complaining, even workers, they say no money is flowing in the system. Workers are lamenting that even the salary when paid is not enough because they have incurred debts that need to be settled before the salary arrives.
There is very low patronage this year than other years. This year what I experienced instead of sales is people coming to ask about the price of things, but they don’t come back to buy them again. Look at it now, today is December 24th and yet no sales.
I wonder when we are going to sell out all these goods we have bought and hoping to sell them this Christmas. There is really nothing to show about this year’s Christmas, but we have hope for a better tomorrow.
We would still celebrate Christ’s birth as it remains the reason for the season, so whether sales, or no sales we would still celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ because His coming is the reason why we are alive.

Mrs Doris David, business woman
Christmas is a season to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, so whether there is money, or no money, we must thank God for life because there are many people in the hospital who have money, but cannot celebrate the Christmas.
As the Federal Government has declared Tuesday, 25th, Wednesday, 26th December, 2018 and Tuesday, 1st January, 2019 as public holidays to mark the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year celebrations respectively, we must take advantage of these public holidays to enjoy ourselves while we are alive.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, had made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press, Mohammed Manga last Wednesday evening.
This is a period when Christians should think and reflect on God’s gift for us and so I want all Christian faithful in Nigeria to use this period in praying earnestly for the betterment and development of our country, Nigeria.
While I also expect that the Federal Government make life comfortable for Nigerians because there is serious hunger in the country and almost all businesses in Nigeria can no longer thrive with the harsh economic system in the country.

Mrs Amaka Shefiu, provision dealer
This Christmas, there is nothing to show for it because up to this time, there is no customer to buy our goods. We are just managing by the grace of God. There is no money, people are complaining of no money.
By this time last year, we sold reasonably although it cannot be compared to sales we made last three years. If it were during the Jonathan administration, by this time, we would have packaged goods for customers to use as souvenirs but this year, not even one person has asked that we wrap gifts for them to use as souvenirs.
This year is the worst year I have ever witnessed in my Christmas sales as there is a very high decline in our sales.

Augustine Eze, mason worker Christmas is very hard to me as there was no money anywhere despite the hard labour I am doing. My family has no food and we cannot travel home for Christmas like we did last year.
During the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, there was enough money in my hand and me and my family members travelled home on time for Christmas and New Year, but this year, it’s very difficult for me to see food to put on the table for my family members.
I am very hard working and ready to do any menial jobs, but I will work and no money to pay me for it.
I am not happy at all because I have never celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ without money. I cannot buy Christmas clothes for my children and wife and they are not happy too.

Pastor Kingsley Munachim
This Christmas is very good because it brings life to me, my family and the entire world. This is why I said the Christmas is very good whether there is money or not.
I am grateful that I am alive because there are many people who are on the hospital bed now and they cannot see the brightness of the day, but I am sound and healthy enjoying this Christmas harmattan, so I give God all the glory.

Nwibari Dick, newspaper vendor
There is nothing to celebrate about this Christmas. All I am looking for is money to settle some outstanding demands confronting my family this season. I am struggling to make ends meet, yet, it is as if I am doing nothing. I want the local, state and the Federal Governments to find a way to provide jobs for the people, so that it would go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the people.

 

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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Rivers

NSE Members Tasked On National Dev

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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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.
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VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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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
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Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).

 

In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.

 

The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.

 

Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.

 

The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.

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