Niger Delta
Navy To Support INEC In Riverine Areas
The Nigerian Navy has
pledged to support the Independent National Electoral Commission in the handling and distribution of materials and men during the forthcoming general elections.
Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, stated this yesterday in Calabar during a tour of facilities within the command.
He said the navy would support the commission, especially in riverine communities before, during and after the elections.
Babalola said, “Like you know, we operate in the maritime environment. We would stand by to assist INEC to escort electoral materials going to riverine areas during the elections. We would keep the waterways safe so that people would vote in an enabling environment. We would cooperate with INEC and the various security agencies to ensure that we have successful elections”.
The FOC disclosed that the proposed Nigerian Navy reference hospital in Calabar would also be opened to the public especially members of the host community when fully completed.
“As regards the hospital, it will provide healthcare services to our personnel and to the host community. This is going to be reference hospital, we expect that other hospitals in Calabar would transfer patients here”, he said.
In an interactive session with officers and ratings in the FOC’s maiden dialogue forum, Babalola cautioned his men against indiscipline, adding that his administration would not hesitate to punish any erring personnel.
He said his administration would be guided by two principles, reward for hard work as well as discipline to offence in order to serve as deterrent to others.
Naval formation visited include, a 30-bed apartment provided.
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Niger Delta
Diri To Deliver UNIPORT’s 35th Convocation Lecture July 25th … As UNIPORT’s Mgt Visits Bayelsa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, will deliver the 35th convocation lecture of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State on July 25, 2025.
The State’s Chief Executive gave his consent during the courtesy visit of the institution’s management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, to Government House, Yenagoa, last Friday.
Prof. Georgewill said the institution was proud to have the Governor as an alumnus, stating that the State under Governor Diri was experiencing rapid transformation as virtually all sectors of its economy had been positively affected by his administration.
The VC also said the institution was pleased to be associated with the Governor and that it was a huge privilege having him as a product of the school.
He appealed to the Governor to consider a legacy project as a way of giving back to the institution, which he noted will also help it cope with the rising number of students and staff.
While accepting the offer, Governor Douye Diri said as an alumnus, he was bound to be part of the institution’s activities.
He commended the UNIPORT management for maintaining excellence in the institution, stressing that education was crucial to development of society.
The Bayelsa number one citizen noted that leaders who fail to invest in education would have to deal with the consequences of crime and criminality, restating his administration’s commitment to developing the sector, noting that society would not progress without education.
The State’s helmsman explained that Bayelsa had shifted focus from paper qualification to science, technical and vocational education, and that the government had already completed tuition-free technical colleges in six out of the eight Local Government Areas, with the contract for the other two awarded.
“If you ignore education, then you have to build more prisons because crime will soar. For us as a government, education is a priority.
“Those of us that had the opportunity must provide space for others. In Bayelsa, we are moving from paper qualification to science and technical education so our people can have skills to be employers of labour rather than being thrown into the labour market.
“We are building science and vocational colleges in every local government area as a policy of this government. School fees, feeding and accommodation are all free. Our educational curriculum needs to meet the needs of our society.
“Coming to your requests, I will be happy to deliver the convocation lecture. If I did it in other institutions, UNIPORT’s should not be different. I also approve your request for a legacy infrastructure in our institution”, he said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Cross River State Government has constituted a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the alleged disruption of the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) sponsored project in Calabar.
The five-member commission, which has Justice Emilia Ibok as Chairman, was mandated to ascertain the truth from the divergent narratives in the public domain regarding the disruption.
It has two weeks to submit its report.
The Tide’s source reports that the incident had sparked off intense faceoff between Sen. Asukwo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River Senatorial District, and the State Government over the ownership of some projects in Calabar metropolis.
The acrimony, however, took a dramatic turn, when some youths, allegedly on the orders of the State Government, disrupted the inauguration of one of the projects slated to be performed by the Minister of Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh, last Friday.
The fracas that ensued pitched Ekpenyong’s supporters against those of the State Government.
Meanwhile, Ekpenyong has blamed the State Government for the ugly incident.
Reacting to the accusation, the State Government quickly announced the constitution of a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the issue.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, said that “following a deluge of allegations of disruption of some projects unveiling hosted by the NDDC, the Governor had constituted a judicial commission of inquiry.
“The commission shall identify the perpetrators and make appropriate recommendations for further disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings to be pursued against identified perpetrators.
“The commission is to conclude its inquiry and submit a report on or before July, 1,” Owan-Enoh said.
The Federal Government has praised Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for what it described as his proactive approach and bold steps in facilitating key infrastructural projects across the state.
The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who stated this during an inspection of the Second Niger Bridge access road, commended Governor Oborevwori for his support in the successful realization of the Second Niger Bridge access road and other critical infrastructure developments in the State.
Speaking to journalists in Asaba during the inspection, Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, lauded Governor Oborevwori for gazetting the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road extending to Issele-Azagba, and for personally overseeing the revocation and compensation processes related to affected properties.
“Let me commend, very, very highly, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, because he has gazetted the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road to Issele-Azagba.
“He has revoked the necessary properties and he is paying compensation himself”, Umahi stated.
The Minister urged other governors in the country to emulate Governor Oborevwori’s collaborative approach, noting that state-level support could accelerate federal projects and deliver quicker results to local communities.
He said: “I also want to appreciate the synergy between the Delta State Government and the Federal Government on ongoing projects in the state. The proactive approach by the Delta State Government in taking over the payment of compensation to affected individuals has been instrumental in fast-tracking these projects.
“I am confident this collaboration will yield positive results, and I assure the state government that the Federal Ministry of Works will honor its commitments”.
He also commended Governor Oborevwori for the ongoing construction of three flyovers and road expansion projects in Effurun, describing them as “very beautiful” and praising their unique design.
“I love the curves, and I have stolen that design and I am going to use it”, he said, highlighting the innovative flair seen in the projects.
Describing Oborevwori as a man of vision and progress, Umahi said, “he (Oborevwori) has a very large heart and a very progressive mind. No wonder he is with us now. So, I commend him very highly.”
Earlier, during a visit to the Warri-Benin-Asaba Road, Umahi expressed concern over the slow pace of work on the Effurun-Sapele section and urged the contractors to increase their speed to meet the project deadlines.
“Timely completion is crucial, and I expect all contractors to work diligently towards achieving this goal”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership and ongoing collaboration with the Federal Government.
He commended the Federal Government for the 17.6km access road from the Second Niger Bridge linking Delta State, and the proposed concrete rehabilitation of the four-lane, 5km road from Summit Junction to the bridgehead.
Emu emphasized that the economic impact of these projects, once completed, cannot be overstated, and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works for their commitment to delivering them.