Rivers
Flood Victims Allege Mismanagement Of Relief Materials
Some flood victims at the Erema and Omoku camps in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government area of Rivers State on Thursday accused the camp authorities of mismanagement of the relief materials meant for them.
A correspondent of The Tide who visited the camps, reports that the camps were crowded with an average of 20 persons, including women and children, sleeping in one room.
A cross-section of the victims at the camps expressed displeasure over the mismanagement of relief materials provided by government.
Mr Frank Umesi, one of the victims at Erema camp, told The Tide on Thursday that they were being exploited by the camp authorities.
Umesi alleged that camp authorities were deliberately depriving them of food and other essential materials donated to them by the state government.
“We so much thank government for their assistance in supplying us food and shelter, but we are not satisfied based on what the masses are facing in the hands of those (camp authorities) feeding us.
“They are mismanaging those things (relief materials) that are given to them, even though government supply those things in quantity, they economise them to give government a bad name, economising it for their own selfish interest.
“They share a piece of Indomie (Noodle) to five children; they (children) will eat it raw; they are economising it much; at least, each child should be given one Indomie.”
Umesi called on government to intervene so as to reduce the sufferings of the flood victims in the area.
Another respondent, Mr Ohia Bright, a flood victim at Omoku camp, claimed that the authorities were fabricating fictitious names as flood victims.
“Most of the people whose house were affected by the flood are here creating problem.
“They (camp authorities) are not sharing something (relief materials) equal because there is upper-hand in this camp; that is trading the ingredients (relief materials) that government is bringing for us.”
Reacting to the allegations, Mr Ike Enugu, the Erema camp commandant, who denied the allegation, explained that the relief materials were not sufficient, adding that displaced persons were daily pouring into the camp, a situation which further depleted existing relief materials.
According to him, we need government to supply us with additional relief materials because we presently lack food, clothes and medicine and the children are dying of hunger.
Judges of the High Court, Rivers State state Port Harcourt have resumed their normal Court sitting on Wednesday 30th April 2025 after spending fifteen days this year’s Easter holidays.
It will be recalled that the State High Court Judges had proceeded on Easter vacation on Monday April 14 to 29th ,2025 on the approval of the state chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi.
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar, High Court Rivers State, Port Harcourt, David Ihua _maduenyi, esq said the judges are to resume court sitting on Wednesday 30th April, 2025 in line with the earlier directives from the state chief judge and urged the general public to take notice of the resumption date.
“This is to inform the general public that the judges of the High court of the Rivers state shall resume normal Court sitting after Easter vacation on Wednesday, 30th April, 2025.
“Recall that the chief judge of Rivers state, Hon justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi had earlier directed that judges of the high court of Rivers state, should proceed on Easter vacation from Monday, 18 April 2025 to Tuesday, 29th April, 2025.”
“The general public should take notice:the High court of Rivers state shall resume sitting on Wednesday, 30th April 2025.”
The Management of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, has approved annual free medical checks for all staff of the University. The move is to promote staff sound health and productivity at work place.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, disclosed this during the third edition of the “Walk for Life” health, wellness and fitness exercise, held last Saturday.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the new health policy will enable every staff member of the University to undergo free comprehensive medical check-up on their birthdays, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to promoting the health and wellbeing of staff members.
Professor Zeb-Obipi emphasized that regardless of whether a staff member’s birthday falls on a weekend, the initiative applies to all Rivers State University employees, expressing optimism that the Health Services Department has the required manpower and facilities to manage the novel health policy.
To achieve the policy, the VC said that the Establishment Division will liaise with the Health Services to compile the birthdays of all staff and send notification two or three days before the days their birthdays fall, reminding them to go for their free medical check-up.
Highlighting the importance of active leadership, the Vice-Chancellor stated that leadership requires direct engagement with the people, a principle he called “management by walking the floor,” rather than managing from behind closed doors. He emphasized that policies should be crafted from direct engagement with employees to understand their challenges.
He noted that this edition of the “Walk for Life” health fitness programme serves as a practical example of this management style, allowing him to interact with members of the university community and observe firsthand the need for regular health checks. He described the walk as a “worthy exercise,” pointing out that since most university work is sedentary, periodic physical activities such as the Walk for Life are crucial for the health and productivity of the staff.
The Vice-Chancellor also noted that this month’s “Walk for Life” coincides with the World Malaria Week, underlining the University’s commitment to supporting global health initiatives with the pledge that “Malaria must end with us.”.
Earlier, the Director of Health Services Department, Dr. Dagogo Cookey-Gam, charged the university community to visit the Medical Centre for testing before treatment of malaria. He said parents should watch out for children under 5 years because they can come under severe malaria attack, adding that pregnant women should also be mindful not to be exposed of having malaria due to their low immune system.
Dr. Cookey-Gam noted that malaria can be prevented by maintaining a clean environment and using mosquito nets.
On his part, the Director of the University Sports Unit, Prof. Joseph Vipene, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the monthly “Walk for Life” initiative, assuring that the programme which has come to stay has placed the University in an enviable position for others to emulate.
The Police Command in Rivers State has confirmed the commencement of an investigation into the death of a police officer who allegedly took his own life in Port Harcourt.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
“We received a report about an officer who allegedly killed himself.
“However, we are currently investigating the report to ascertain what transpired”, she stated.
Iringe-Koko reported that the Commissioner of Police in the Sstate, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for a thorough investigation.
According to viral reports Monday, Insp. Maxwell Zabu, formerly a security detail to Victor Ihunwo, a former Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council, allegedly shot himself at Ihunwo’s residence in Eagle Island, Port Harcourt.
A source familiar with the incident said the matter was reported to the Azikiwe Police Division in the area.
“Following the report, detectives from the division visited the scene as part of preliminary investigation procedures”, the source added.