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Rivers Community Vows To Shut Agip Operations …  Urges Wike To Intervene

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5 years ago

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The people of Omoku community in Ogba\Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State have threatened to quit the Nigerian Agip Oil Company from their land if it fails to impact positively on the natives and community soonest.
They also called on the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to intervene in their agitations against the multinational oil company to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
President-General of Omoku Youth Federation, Hopeson Ahiakwo, who briefed journalists alongside other community leaders in Port Harcourt on Monday, said they would no longer tolerate Agip’s outright negligence in their area.
Ahiakwo alleged that the company, through its operations that have lasted for 50 years in Omoku, had caused environmental pollution in the community, which has shortened the life span of the citizenry.
“In 1971, the first exploration was done. Since 1971 till date, Agip has been exploring, though negatively exploiting our society. And that is why we are here today.
“In the recent past, there has been a serious complaint on the activities of Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Omoku. And to our surprise, it (Agip) has not shown any form of attention and seriousness to be able to resolve these contending issues that our people face today.
“Today, our people are dying because we could not even find decent air to breath. Our aquatic system is destroyed. As Omoku is today, you cannot go to the river and find a prawn. This is because our river now is the river of oil. And we have complained to every sector, but to no avail”, he said.
The Omoku youth federation also accused the oil company of employing people from other ethnic groups, while sidelining the host community.
Ahiakwo stressed: “We are calling on the Nigerian Agip Oil Company to make haste because as it is,  we shall shut down the company from our land. We shall no longer give them access to our land. This is because we cannot continue like this.
“Fifty years of no employment! For 50 years, Agip company cannot stand shoulder high to say we have employed one, two or three Omoku indigenes into the company. We are going to shut them out.
“That is why we are taking this opportunity to call on our amiable governor. He has done so much to communities with similar challenges. He has solved so many issues  He is a peace crusader.
“All of us believe that with his intervention, maybe, Agip will continue to be our tenant. If he  calls, we know Agip will listen to his voice. The sole responsibility of governance is to protect the citizens, which our governor has done;  he is doing, has continued to do. Ours will not be a change. He will do it in our land.
“We are calling on the governor to intervene in the issue of Omoku community because we are going to stop Agip”.
He said further that, “Omoku community as known today in the nation is the highest oil-bearing community in the Niger Delta. There is not doubt about that and there has never been a question to such assertion
“The Federal Government had found a very reasonable quantity of gas which is measured to 5 trillion cubic of gas in Obiakpo 41 West of Omoku community; and with 338,000 cubic metres found in the same location.
“In the history of this nation, there is no single community that such wealth of resources could be found unless in Omoku, ONELGA in Rivers State. This wealth is managed by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company”.
All efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the oil company, Dennis Nazi, for reaction were not successful as at the time of filling this report, as his phone was not connecting.

 

By: Boye Salau

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Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members  In Brass Water

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways
The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and  members of his church were in a programme.
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?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet  to be recovered
as search party are still ongoing.
Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report,  our Correspondent gathered  that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.
The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit
The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s  on the sad accident
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Rivers State Council of  Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.
Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt,  recently.
Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.
He noted that  the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.
According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.
He also  informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.
“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.
Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.
The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.
He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.
The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.
He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.
Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.
By: King Onunwor
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FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

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2 weeks ago

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May 13, 2026

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The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.
 Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.
“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.
The minister noted  the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.
According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.
Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.
He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.
He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.
“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.
Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.
“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.
“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.
She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.
Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).
“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.
“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.
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