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Rivers

Flood: Community Cries Out For Help

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8 years ago

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Hundreds of residents of Rumuowa community, Eneka in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State have been rendered homeless following the total takeover of the community by flood waters.
Some of them interviewed told The Tide correspondent Saturday,that they can no longer access their homes due to the high level of flood water in the community.
They called on the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to come to their aid by addressing the perennial flooding in the community.
They further said they were dying as a result of the menace this year and attributed it to the failure of the company that constructed the Eneka Rukpokwu road to construct drainage.
.They appealed to the Rivers State government, the National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA) and other agencies to come to their assistance.
According to a resident, Chizy Opara, “I can’t access my building, it is really pathetic; this thing started sometimes in 2015 when I packed to this place in that year’s September  and that was the peak of the rainy season, but there was no flood, until after the construction of the Eneka, Rukpokwu Road, the drainage that the construction company did was not properly channelled. They just did the drainage and channelled it to this place which is not proper. This time around it is worse as we no longer know where it is coming from. We need the government to get back the contractor to come and do the needful.”
On his part, the Rumuowa Youth President, Chimenem Worlu said the flood has crippled economic activities in the area, as many businesses, markets and investors have vacated the area to other places.
“Indeed residents have passed through mess, lot of businesses and people have vacated from their houses just about three days ago, we nearly recorded loss of lives of a pregnant woman and a baby as a result of the flood. The people are really suffering, hotels, markets have shut down; people have suffered more than enough and this is not what the community can do, it is what the state government can do”, Worlu lamented.
Also the Chairman, Community Development Committee, Eneka, Charles Nworgu attributed the flood in Rumuowa to the failure of the contractor that constructed the Eneka-Rukpokwu Road to make provision for drainage in the area.
“Last year, we cried and begged for the government to assist us because they are the only people that can help us redeem this mess. You can see for yourself this is the power station and nothing is happening here because it is completely flooded. This road links the Eneka Igwuruta road.
“If you go to the front there you will see mansions, good buildings, but they are completely flooded, no way to pass. So we are begging the state government under the leadership of our project Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to come to our aid,” he added.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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Rivers

NSE Members Tasked On National Dev

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.
Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.
Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.
The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.
Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.
This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the  induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.
 Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.
Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.
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Rivers

VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.
Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and  passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.
“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.
Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of  promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.
He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.
He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.
“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.
Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and  effective library.
She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.
Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.
High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.
Akujobi Amadi
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Rivers

Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).

 

In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.

 

The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.

 

Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.

 

The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.

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