News

183 Firms Pre-Qualify For Ogoni Clean-Up

Published

7 years ago

September 14, 2018

One hundred and eighty-three companies have been pre-qualified by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) out of over 400 of them which submitted pre-qualification documents for the remediation of oil impacted sites in Ogoniland in Rivers State.
The Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of a pre-contract award meeting with the companies in Port Harcourt last Tuesday said the 183 companies were currently at the stage of getting clarifications on the location sites they had visited as contained in their bid documents.
According to him, the companies have been pre-qualified and bid documents issued to them and in line with the Procurement Act, they are provided a platform where they can clarify issues with regards to sites visited.
Jibril said the companies at the meeting, were expected to respond or clarify issues which were not quite clear to them in the bid documents they submitted, hinting that it was against this backdrop that officials of the federal Ministry of Environment drawn from the Procurement, Technical and Legal Departments, including the Director of Operations as well as project management consultants were on ground to provide answers to the questions raised by the companies.
The Minister, who was represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Dr. Ishayaku Mohammed said the submission of technical and financial bids by the companies which would hold on September 24,2018 would be the next step to ascertain whether or not the firms have both the technical and financial competence and expertise to handle the remediation project.
He disclosed that the technical evaluation of the companies would last for one week before the opening of the financial bid which would also last for another one week.
“The process like I mentioned are two. One, there will be a technical evaluation. We will ensure they submit technical bid. The technical bid will enable the technical team constituted to determine whether or not the companies have the technical competence and expertise to be able to engage in the remediation project. It is only when you have termed a company to be technically qualified that you now open the financial bid to see if it is responsive financially”, he said, pointing out that it is that process that would give the companies the stamp of approval to undertake the clean-up exercise in the long run.
The Minister further indicated that HYPREP would strictly adhere to the timelines of the remediation project, hinting that by the end of October this year, the remediation of impacted sites proper would commence.
He allayed fear that funding of the project would constitute a problem, confirming that $177 million earmarked for the clean-up exercise was already in the account of the Ogoni Trust Fund.
It would be recalled that HYPREP’s technical team had last week taken the pre-qualified companies to the impacted sites in Eleme Local Government Area and other locations in Ogoniland to delineate the areas.

Donatus Ebi

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa

News

RSG INAUGURATES ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMITTEE

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee to organize the celebration of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) in the State.

The committee was formally inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.

Dr Anabraba who also serves as Chairman of the Committee

highlighted the State Government’s deep appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the nation’s peace and unity.

“These heroes have given their lives for the security and peace of our nation and deserve to be celebrated. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an opportunity to show our gratitude for their sacrifice,” he said.

Dr. Anabraba further extended recognition to all Security Agencies in the State, emphasizing the importance of the event in appreciating their contributions to national security and sovereignty.

The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed on January 15 across the country is dedicated to remember Nigeria’s departed soldiers and honouring the nation’s veterans.