The Eze Oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom, HM, King Leslie N. Eke, JP,  Eze Gbakagbaka, has urged residents to embrace peace and avoid all forms of violence as the Christmas and New Year festivities draw near.

Eze Eke issued the caution during a pre-festive security briefing at his palace in Woji, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The Eze Woji XII, who is also the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Government-Recognised Traditional Rulers, reminded the community and its residents that Christmas should be a season of love, reconciliation, and communal harmony and not be used for violence.

He stressed that no celebration should be allowed to degenerate into violence and added that peace remains central to the cultural values of the Ikwerre people.

The monarch expressed concern over the tendency for heightened social activities to lead to avoidable confrontations.

He urged residents to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid actions that could endanger other people’s lives and property.

“The festive season should strengthen community ties, not create opportunities for conflict or reckless behaviour”, he said.

Addressing the youths specifically, King Eke advised them to steer clear of cultism, drug abuse, street fights, and other disruptive acts.

He emphasised the need for young people to  play critical roles in peace sustainance  across Evo Kingdom and beyond.

“You must not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of violence. Channel your energy toward productive engagements that is capable of promoting unity and peace”, he said.

He further urged parents and guardians to pay closer attention to their children and wards during the holiday period.

The monarch also noted that seasonal gatherings often expose young people to negative influences and that family oversight was essential to preventing misconduct.

On security preparedness, King Eke disclosed that both local vigilantes and formal security agencies have been placed on heightened alert to ensure a hitch-free festive period.

He noted that the safety of the community remained a collective duty and encouraged residents to promptly report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.

The King cautioned against jungle justice and retaliatory actions, advising that disputes be resolved through lawful and peaceful channels.

He also lauded the efforts of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, over his relentless push for peaceful environment in the state.

King Onunwor

The management of Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt, has stated that poor funding has hindered the institution’s ability to meet its expected academic targets.

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, made this statement during a press briefing held at the institution on Monday ahead of the week-long 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony scheduled for today and tomorrow.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi emphasized that poor funding continues to be a major challenge limiting the institution’s ability to meet its targets, adding that the management of the institution trusts the State Governor, Sir Fubara Siminalaye, who is the visitor to the university, to continue to strengthen and support them.

He noted that the state governor has demonstrated his commitment to supporting the university, recently approving N700m for the ongoing NUC accreditation.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that the university faces deficits in classrooms, staff accommodation, and student hostels, with the infrastructure gap widening, and existing lecture halls and laboratories requiring renovation.

“We are prioritizing phased upgrades based on program needs,

He added that the university is short-staffed, having lost staff to retirement, death, and changes in job or place of work, and that new programs, departments, and faculties have been created to meet the contemporary needs of society.

Mean while,a  total of 13,242 students are set to graduate in the combined convocation, with 10,648 undergraduates, 1,356 Master’s degree students, 700 postgraduate diplomas, and 538 Doctors of Philosophy.

The Vice-Chancellor also used the opportunity to list some achievements of his administration, including the creation of new directorates, completion of abandoned laboratories, and upgrades in the faculty of sciences, made possible with support from the Tertiary Education Technology Fund (TETFund).

He expressed appreciation to the governor and visitor to the university, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, for approving his appointment and promised to justify the confidence placed in him.

Akujobi Amadi

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive development in the Niger Delta region, with particular focus on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

The Chief Executive Officer, NUPRC,  Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, made the remark, during a one -day workshop organised by the Center for Citizens with Disabilities(CCD) for PWDs,  held in Port Harcourt.

Komolafe represented by Dr.  Ogechi Opete, the Deputy Director at NUPRC, Port Harcourt Regional Office, acknowledged that the workshop with the theme “Ending Barriers Against Niger-DeItans with  Disabilities (EBANA)was apt.

He emphasised that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 provided a legal framework for promoting social equity and inclusion in host communities.

Komolafe noted that the Host Community Development Regulations of 2022 mandates participatory needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and transparent governance structures.

The NUPRC chief executive officer stressed that PWD-inclusive planning was not optional, but a requirement for development projects, saying that representation of PWDs in governance structures was vital to ensuring their unique needs were met.

He said that the commission would ensure full compliance with the PIA and Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) regulations, strengthen accountability, and support initiatives that promote equity and social harmony in host communities.

Earlier, the Acting Director of the CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, stated that the workshop was aimed at finalising a regional demand charter for the inclusion of PWDs in the petroleum industry act benefit structures.

Unumeri stated that the organisation had developed a regional demand charter for the nine Niger Delta states, highlighting the needs of PWDs, including accessible infrastructure, education, and employment opportunities.

The acting director said that the stakeholders, including PWDs, policymakers, and advocates gathered to deliberate on measures to ensure that the PWDs demand charter would be included in the PIA’s host community development trusts, needs assessments, and budgets.

“The stakeholders will review and finalise the charter, which will be presented to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to form a supplementary act for disability inclusion”, he said.

Unumeri appealed to NUPRC to develop a supplementary act that would ensure host community development trusts prioritises disability inclusion in their needs assessments, development plans, and budgets.

Also, Mr. Amadi Onyekwere, the Director of Petroleum Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resource, Abia, said that the initiative was a right step to ensuring that right and needs of the PWDs were recognised and properly addressed in the oil and gas sector.

Onyekwere said that the PIA was a landmark legislation governing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, but that the PWDs were not properly considered.

He said that the situation could be changed by co-creating the charters demands of the PWDs.

He called on the HCDT to integrate disability related concerns, providing support for infrastructure development, economic empowerment and social services.

The director also called on Nigerian government and industry regulators to consider amendment of the relevant sectors of the PIA act to include appropriate qualified PWDs into relevant communities of the HCDT.

He also called on government to recognise state ministry vested with oil and gas portfolio in host communities mattered.

Onyekwere stated that the governor of Abia, Dr Alex Otti, through the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources strongly advocated inclusivity in the membership of the trust.

He reaffirmed that Abia Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources would always work with the government for effective implementation of the PIA for the good of the people.

The Tide source reports that the workshop drew stakeholders from across the nine states of the Niger Delta region lity inclusion.