Rivers

RSG Gives 7-Day Ultimatum To Illegal Occupants Of Quarters

Published

12 years ago

February 7, 2014

ccupants of government
quarters who erect illegal structures in their premises or convert them to restaurants and drinking bars may face eviction from the quarters.

Rivers State Head of Service, Barr Samuel LongJohn stated this last Tuesday in his office in Port Harcourt while inaugurating two committees on Rent Deduction and Identification of Government Quarters.

Barr LongJohn frowned at the indiscriminate erection of illegal structures in government quarters by occupants and their conversion to restaurants, drinking bars and other unwholesome usage, and directed that those indulging in such acts be given seven days notice to revert or be evicted.

He also noted with disgust that out of over 1,060 occupants of government quarters, rent deductions of over 50 per cent of allottees have not been effected as indicated in a document from the Ministry of Finance while names of some allottees were not reflected on the list.

The Head of Service, therefore, charged members of both committees to take their assignments seriously, do a thorough job, and report their findings to his office within one month, stressing that their report would also provide a platform to resolve all issues relating to the rightful ownership of the houses.

“We must identify our houses; some people occupying the houses are not supposed to be there. Your report will also give us the opportunity to resolve issues bordering on the rightful ownership of the quarters”, he stressed.

According to the Head of Service, the terms of reference for the Committee on Rent Deduction, headed by a Permanent Secretary, Mr Pius Jeremiah, include, to identify occupants of government quarters that default in rent payment, ascertain the amount owed, and advise on how to recover the debts.

The Committee on the Identification of Government Quarters, headed by another Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ophelia Achor, is expected to determine all government quarters and their occupants, collate particulars of occupants as well as identify illegal structures and wrongful use of the quarters.

Responding on behalf of both committees, Chairman of the Committee on the Identification of Government Quarters, Mrs. Ophelia Achor thanked the Head of Service for finding them capable for the job, and promised to live up to expectation and deliver on time.

It would be recalled that for sometime now, there has been a barrage of requests from public servants for allocation of official accommodation.

However, their requests could not be met due to the meagre number of government quarters available for a workforce of over 60,000 including the newly recruited 13,200 teachers. The Head of Servce said that it was to reduce this gap that the government decided on the need for proper identification of available houses.

Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Leyii Kwanee (standing), throwing questions to Rivers State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Chamberlain Peterside over the N300 billion Bond requested by the State Governor at the sitting of the House at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday. With him are Hon Golden Chioma (right) and another lawmaker (right). Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Rivers

UNIPORT Moves To Tackle Insecurity … Inducts Security Experts

Published

19 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

The University of Port Harcourt, has taken a significant step towards addressing the issue of insecurity in Nigeria by producing security experts through its Institute of Niger Delta Studies (INDS), with the institute inducting its first graduating students into the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS), with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General E E Emekah, delivering a quality lecture on the topic, “Promoting Blue Economy In The Niger Delta: The Place Of Security”.

In his lecture, Major General Emekah emphasised the importance of security in promoting the blue economy in the Niger Delta region.

He noted that the activities of the Joint Tasks Force (JTF) are geared towards maintaining peace on Nigerian waterways and promoting productivity, and also stressed the need for a non-kinetic approach to security operations, winning the hearts and minds of the communities, and collaborating with security personnel to fight insecurity.

The GOC charged the inductees to ensure that their study/training provides practical solutions to the pressing security challenges facing the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

He emphasised the significance of their studies in UNIPORT, given the prevailing security threat to lives and property, especially on Nigerian waterways.

The Acting Director of INDS, Dr. Chukwu-Okeah, expressed satisfaction that the occasion marks a new milestone in the history of the institute, noting that the Niger Delta has been besieged with environmental and security challenges, and it is time to rise up and build the region through the blue economy ideology.

The blue economy, he explained, emphasises the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

He described the blue economy as the new oil well, with the potential to drive economic diversification, job creation, food security, and climate resilience in the region.

One of the inductees, Ayuba Tanimu noted that security is dynamic, and continuous learning and research have equipped them to serve their communities and Nigeria well.

He described the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS) as a body of security professionals that meets annually to craft security policies for the country.

The programme, which attracted prominent individuals from the academia, security, and other sectors had the 7th Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Joseph Ajienka, as its chairman.

Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.

Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.

The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.

National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.

Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.

He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.

Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.

On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.

Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.

She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.

Seminitari was later presented an award.

New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.

There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.

They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.

According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.

The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.

They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.

Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.

They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.

Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.

The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.

The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.

By; King Onunwor