Niger Delta
NDDC Moves To Save Etche Road, Eleme Bridge From Collapse
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is taking steps to restore the inter-state road linking Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State and Okpala in Imo State.
The commission has also started an assessment of the Aleto Bridge in Eleme Local Government Area, with a view to saving it from imminent collapse.
Speaking during the inspection of the dilapidated portions of Igwuruta-Chokocho-Okomoko- Egwi-Okehi-Igbodo-Okpala Road, yesterday, the NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof Nelson Brambaifa, said that remedial work on the road and re-enforcement of the bridge would begin immediately.
Brambaifa, who was accompanied by NDDC directors and engineers, said that having inspected the dilapidated road and failing bridge, the commission was going to ensure that work begins without delay to avoid a total breakdown of the critical infrastructure.
He told the people of Etche: “I can assure you that in the next one month, this road will be restored to a standard that will stand the test of time. Your current pains and inconveniences will be a thing of the past. We will put all machinery in motion to achieve this goal.”
The NDDC chief executive officer directed the contractor engaged for the project to mobilise his equipment to the site immediately, stating: “We want this important route to Port Harcourt to be restored as quickly as possible.”
Earlier, the President General of Ogbakor Etche, Sir Machy Nwodim, had said that the people were grateful to the NDDC for its prompt response to their Save-Our-Soul message requesting urgent attention to the repair of the major highway connecting Etche to Port Harcourt and the South-East states.
He stated: “The road is today the major route taking Lagos, Abuja and Enugu commuters into Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This is also the major route for the people of Etche to their state capital and other parts of Rivers State.”
Nwodim said that Etche people had been subjected to untold hardship following the deplorable condition of the road, expressing hope that the visit by the NDDC would be translated into quick, effective reconstruction of the failed portions, as an immediate remedy.
At the Aleto Bridge in Eleme, an indigene of the town, a one-time commissioner for sports in Rivers State, Hon Fred Igwe, said that the people in the surrounding local governments were pleading for the immediate intervention of the NDDC to save the bridge from collapse.
He said that the bridge connects two states, nine local government areas and many industries like the Indorama Petrochemicals, Port Harcourt Refining Company and the Onne Port, adding that these big companies attract heavy traffic of articulated vehicles to the road.
“I appeal to the Federal Government and the NDDC to come to our rescue by taking urgent steps to save the bridge and avert the looming disaster.
In his response, the NDDC boss said that the commission would intervene urgently to ensure that activities in these critical industries were not paralysed.
He remarked that the bridge was under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Works, and as such, the NDDC would need to get clearance from the relevant authorities before it could proceed.
Brambaifa assured: “We will move very fast to avoid a disaster. I have directed our consultants to quickly assess the problem and come up with a design for the repairs.”
The Bayelsa State Government has inaugurated six sub-committees, as it begins preparations for the 30th Anniversary celebration of the creation of the state on 1st October.
Inaugurating the sub-committees in Government House, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, explained that Bayelsa has countless reasons to appreciate God for what He has done for its land and people in the 30 years of its existence, especially in development.
He charged the sub-committees to come up with proposals for the various activities and events for the celebration within the next two weeks in line with their respective terms of reference, stressing that strategic things had to be done to make the anniversary significant and historic.
According to him, the three-day programme of activities for the anniversary celebration, which will commence on the 29th of September, will be preceded by two weeks of commissioning of public infrastructural projects completed by the Prosperity Administration.
The Bayelsa Number Two Man further clarified that events penciled down for the celebration include a cultural carnival, boat regatta, anniversary lecture, sporting events, state banquet and awards night.
The sub-committees are: the Awards Sub-Committee, chaired by His Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo; the Sports Sub-Committee, headed by Hon. Daniel Igali; and the Lecture Sub-Committee, with Prof. Stephen Olali as its Chairman.
Others are: the Mega Praise Sub-Committee, jointly chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, and the Managing Director of Premium Trust Bank, Dr. Emmanuel Emiefenim; the Cultural Sub-Committee, headed by Rt. Hon. Monday Bubou-Obolo; and the Publicity Sub-Committee, with the Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, as Chairman.
by: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Niger Delta
NDDC Backs Federal Drive To Cut Maternal, Newborn Deaths … Trains Traditional Birth Attendants
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has stated its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), with a renewed push to tackle the persistently high rate of preventable maternal and newborn deaths across the Niger Delta.
The Commission made the pledge during workshops for traditional birth attendants held in Delta and Bayelsa states, where it stressed the need for stronger collaboration between traditional birth attendants and the orthodox healthcare system to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Speaking at the training, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, urged women to embrace modern medical care while leveraging the trusted role of traditional birth attendants in their communities.
Represented by the Principal Manager, Education, Health and Social Services (EHSS), Mrs. Dare-Oloko Kuami, Ogbuku described maternal and child mortality as an alarming public health challenge that requires urgent and collective action.
“The rate of death among women and children is alarming and must be eradicated. This training is designed to enlighten our women and should not be taken for granted”, he said.
According to him, the workshop was organised to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of traditional birth attendants in providing safe maternal and newborn care, identifying pregnancy-related complications early, and referring high-risk cases promptly to hospitals and health centres.
Also speaking, the Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. Patience Ezugu, called on women to take issues relating to childbirth seriously, stressing that improved knowledge and adherence to safe delivery practices would help save lives.
Represented by the Principal Manager, EHSS, Dr. Otokolo Fidelis, Ezugu disclosed that more than 300 women from Delta and Bayelsa states participated in the training and were provided with medical equipment and cash support to enhance their services.
One of the resource persons, Mrs. Gift Akitiri, underscored the vital role traditional birth attendants continue to play in many rural communities, noting that regular capacity building would improve the quality of maternal healthcare delivery.
“Traditional birth attendants are trusted members of many communities. By equipping them with updated knowledge, we are helping to ensure that mothers and newborns receive timely and appropriate care, thereby improving health outcomes”, she said.
A participant, Mrs. Franscica Odiakosa, commended the NDDC for organising the workshop, describing it as timely and impactful.
“I have gained valuable knowledge that will improve the quality of healthcare I provide in my community. I have also learnt the importance of referring expectant mothers to health centres and hospitals whenever a case is beyond my capacity”, she said, while urging the Commission to sustain the initiative.
One of Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious social clubs, Uyo Club, has inaugurated its full Executive Council to oversee the affairs of the association for the next two years, with a charge to provide purposeful leadership and make meaningful contributions to society.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the club’s headquarters on Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, the President of the club, Prof. Sahm Etuk, urged the newly elected executive members to bring their wealth of experience and professionalism to bear in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He said members of the club expected the new leadership not only to strengthen the institution, but to also extend its impact beyond the clubhouse through service to the wider community.
“You have voluntarily presented yourselves for service, and we expect that you will make yourselves available at all times to offer the service required of you”, Etuk said.
The inauguration followed the April 2026 bye-election conducted to fill vacant positions in the Executive Council.
Among those inaugurated was renowned broadcast administrator and Executive Managing Consultant of Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, Samuel Enoh Akpan, who was elected Public Relations Officer. Akpan is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
Other members of the Executive Council are Barrister Eno Inyang (Treasurer), Anthony Etim (Social Secretary), Christian Daniel (Welfare Secretary), Friday Ekpa (Legal Adviser), Christian Chukwu (Provost), Mmenye Udofa (Assistant Secretary), Otu Otu (Maintenance Secretary) and Macaulay Udom (Ex-Officio).
Prof. Etuk, a Professor of Strategic Marketing, Director of the School of Continuing Education at the University of Uyo, and Chairman of the institution’s Sports Committee, had earlier been inaugurated as President on January 10, 2026, alongside the Vice President, Dr. Nestor Udoh, a retired Permanent Secretary.
Other officials inaugurated at the time include Ndi Aquaisua (General Secretary), TPL Dr. Emmanuel Etuk (Financial Secretary), Dr. Imbur Terfa (Auditor), and Dr. Anietie Ekong (General Games Captain).
The President also inaugurated the Board of Past Presidents, made up of all living former presidents of the club, urging them to continue providing guidance and institutional support to the Executive Council in line with the club’s constitution.
Former presidents present at the event included Dr. Emem Umoh, Dr. Bassey Etuknwa, Engr. Mbosowo Orok, Prof. Ini Jonah, and Akparawa Ikpong Essien-Udom, a member of the Standing Committee of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
Etuk called on members to unite in pursuit of the club’s founding ideals of recreation, service and development, expressing confidence that the newly constituted organs of the club would strengthen its operations and reposition it for greater relevance.
Founded in 1935, Uyo Club remains one of Nigeria’s foremost recreational associations, with a membership that cuts across diverse professions and sectors of society.