News
The Tide To Support NGOs, Others Driving Creative Innovations
The management of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publishers of The Tide Newspaper has said it would support non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other development agencies driving creative innovations of young people with a view to boosting wealth that would impact positively on the development of the state and the nation.
The General Manager of RSNC, Chief Ernest Chinwo, gave this assurance when he received in audience a group of NGOs led by Convener, StartupSouth, Mr Uche Aniche, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Acting Chairman, Editorial Board/Supervising Editor of the Newspaper, Mr Nelson Chukwudi, who represented the general manager, said that the newspaper was aware of its social responsibility to the development of the state, and was working tirelessly to create editorial content to inspire innovative ideas that should drive entrepreneurship and business development opportunities.
He said that it was for this reason that the management created two pages to promote activities of small and medium scale entrepreneurs (SMEs), innovators as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and techprenuers in the state.
Chinwo said that SME/Innovations and ICT pages published every Wednesday provide the needed platform for those in the SMEs and ICTs and tech businesses to reach out to the world through the medium.
According to him, Port Harcourt is one of the largest and fastest growing economic hubs in the country outside Lagos, adding that The Tide Newspaper has remained the only surviving state-owned print media publishing regularly in hard copy and also online.
“It is good you guys are here in Port Harcourt. Outside Lagos, Port Harcourt is the largest and fastest growing business hub in the country, especially in the areas of gas and oil, and ICTs. The newspaper understands the importance of creativity and innovations. This is why we have dedicated two pages to give our young startups and innovators opportunity to showcase their businesses and innovations”, he said.
On the request for media partnership by the group, he assured them of the readiness of the newspaper to synergise with forward-looking business people and agencies to complement government’s efforts to attract investors with a view to upscaling economic development of the state.
“We will be interested in partnering with your organisation so long such collaboration will help move the state to the level in terms of economic development. The state government has improved on infrastructure development, and this has enhanced the ease of doing business in the state. We will synergise with your organisation and accommodate your views”, he stated.
Earlier in their various speeches, the Convener, StartupSouth, Mr Uche Aniche, and Executive Director, AfriLabs, Anna Ekeledo, had said that they were in the office basically to seek for partnership with The Tide as the foremost newspaper outfit in the state, especially in the area of publicity of their activities in the 11 states in the South-South and South-East.
They commended the management of the newspaper for the quality news content that has endeared vast readership to The Tide,adding that they were ready now more than ever before to work with the media to communicate the positive developments in the state to the outside world.
According to them,there organisation would harness the professional tech and innovation community to solve social problems and challenges,adding that they would also promote creativity and innovations among young Rivers people by turning them as wealth creators.
“Here in Rivers State, StartupSouth is doing well but unfortunately,the media is not aware of what we are doing.That is the essence of our visit. We cover South-South and South-East,” Aniche said.
“AfriLabs operates in 52 African countries. We are working together to support young innovators in the state. Through our partners, we plan to build a network of business leaders and entrepreneurs to help push the envelope in economic transformation of the state”, Ekeledo added.
By: Akujobi Amadi
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.