Niger Delta

Contractors Of PH-Onne Road Now On Site – Minister

Published

10 years ago

August 17, 2016

The Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, Mr Usani Uguru Usani, says the contractors handling Section lll 0-15 km from Port-Harcourt to Onne junction in Rivers State have been mobilised back to site.
Usani confirmed this in an interview with our correspondent in Uyo.
He said the project was awarded to the Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) Nigeria Limited.
Usani said that the ministry was concentrating on the road projects that were economically viable to the nation in spite of so many development projects to be executed by the ministry.
He said that upgrading the existing two lane dual carriageway to three lane carriageway from Eleme Junction (Port Hartcourt) to Onne/Port-Harcourt Junction with a total length of 15km in Section lll of the road was needed.
According to him, the project would comprise two interchanges, one each at Refinery Junction and Onne Port Junction and a construction of three traffic lanes,10.95m wide divided carriageway.
The minister said that a flanked 2.75m outer and 1.5m inner shoulders, and a construction of drainage and culverts would ensure the extension of the road project.
“Provision of asphaltic concrete pavement consisting of 250mm compacted thickness of soil cement stabilised sub base, 250 mm to 500m compacted thickness crushed rock stone materials.
“A 120m to 180mm thickness of asphaltic binder course and 40mm thickness of wearing course’’ are among other specifications of the job, he said.
Usani added that deck-on-bridge between Km 59 and Km 61 on the new carriageway to provide ultimate solution to heavy soil subsidence frequently experienced in that section of the road would be constructed.
The minister said the expansion of Section lll has six lanes with two inter changes at Onne Port-Harcourt junction and Eleme refinery junction as well as four bridges.
According to him, the road was a major artery that supports the economic activities associated with oil and gas exploration in the region.
“The Section of the East-West road from Port-Harcourt to Onne junction carryies the heaviest vehicular traffic on the road as it runs through the industrial hub of Rivers State.
“The activities of Port-Harcourt refineries (old and new), Eleme Petro-Chemical, NAFCON, Onne deep sea-port, etc, are all dependent on this road.
“This section of the road has witnessed unprecedented rise in traffic volume and heavy loads as a result of daily increasing commercial activities,” he said.
The minister said that the project was 90 per cent completion after an assessment of the level of work done by the contractors.
Affairs.
The 388 dual carriageway was inherited from the Federal Ministry of Works in April 2009, so as to fast track its completion.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.