Rivers

2023: Bala Urges Female Journalists To Rise Above Gender Limitations

Published

3 years ago

November 8, 2022

President, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Ladi Bala, has urged female journalists to rise above gender limitations in the discharge of their professional duties.
Bala gave this charge in Port Harcourt on Monday, at a two-day skill enhancing and capacity building/mentoring session for female journalists, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The workshop was part of the European Union (EU) support to democratic governance in Nigeria (EU-Support) activities under component 4 (Support the media) of the EU-SDGN 11 project. It has the International Press Center (IPC) as its lead partner in collaboration with NAWOJ.
The NAWOJ president urged female journalists to uniquely distinguish themselves from the crowd by being factual, accurate, and objective in their reportage of the 2023 elections.
She said that the media, being an integral part of the society, has unique and sensitive roles to play in the development of the country, adding that the training and retraining of journalists will enable them to positively contribute towards shaping and achieving a better society.
“It should be noted that with globalisation of the media space through information technology, enhancing the capacity of practitioners, particularly journalists to be in tune with global best practices has become germain if the media is to get it right.
“This training, therefore, is aimed at exposing female journalists to the rudiments of effective reportage and mentorship preparatory to reporting the electoral process. As we move closer to 2023, the critical role of the journalists in the conduct and promotion of peaceful electoral processes in Nigeria is key and must not be handled carelessly.
“It is on this note that I appeal to participants drawn from the South-East, South-South and the South-West of the country to utilize the opportunity and learn new skills that will improve their capacities and enhance the quality of news reports”, Bala said.
The NAWOJ boss urged female journalists to focus more on professionalism that would propel them to the top than going after brown envelopes which prevent them from objectively do their reportage and also endanger their lives.
She said one of the ways to peacefully discharge their responsibilities to the society without threats to life is for journalists to play by the rules.
“Journalists must rise to the occasion of protecting and strengthening Nigeria’s democracy in the build up to 2023 general elections. You must avoid brown envelopes so as to discharge your work optimally free from biases without fear of threat to life.
Commending the EU for funding the workshop, the NAWOJ boss said, “This workshop funded through component 4b: Support to the media of the EU support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria 11 project, was the response to NAWOJ’s several engagements with the EU development partners that eventually approved its Media partners to work with us.
“This feat is, indeed, a milestone achievement. This is so because it is the first time NAWOJ is being officially recognised and engaged on an EU funded project through its media partners in Nigeria. This laudable effort of EU is commendable and a clear testament of its commitment in building a strong and virile media space that will go a long way to strengthen democracy and promote good governance”.
She also commended the Executive Director IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, for his encouragement and support, saying that IPC, being one of the leading capacity building organisations for journalists in the country, has proven to be gender sensitive and always supporting NAWOJ.
In his own remarks, Arogundade stated that the overall objective of the workshop is “to strengthen the media for fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive reporting of the electoral processes and elections, as well as seek to position female journalists in particular to be in the frontline of professional inclusive, conflict sensitive, fact-checking and data driven coverage and reportage”.
He urged the participants to make good use of the mentorship guides and editorial assistance provided by resource persons.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Rivers

Don Traces Nigeria’s Highway Woes To Design Failures … Proposes Mechanistic-Empirical Design Approach

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

A lecturer at the Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s highway pavement systems, stating that poor design practices and weak standards, not just inadequate funding, are at the heart of the country’s persistent road failures.

Delivering the 128th inaugural lecture at the Rivers State University, titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding The Foundation For Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure”, Ekwulo argued that Nigeria’s roads will continue to deteriorate prematurely unless critical engineering principles are strictly applied and enforced.

According to him, recurring defects in the nation’s highways stem from a combination of faulty design processes, substandard construction materials, weak regulatory enforcement, poor drainage systems, and widespread disregard for professional ethics.

He stressed that these systemic failures have undermined the durability of road infrastructure despite significant financial investments.

“Premature pavement failures in Nigeria are not due to lack of funds alone, but largely due to poor design decisions, weak material standards, and absence of accountability,” he said.

Ekwulo proposed the adoption of the mechanistic-empirical design approach, a scientifically grounded method for predicting pavement performance, as a pathway to improving road quality.

He also advocated for the development of a localized framework, the Nigerian Empirical and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS), to reflect the country’s unique environmental and material conditions.

He further recommended stricter quality control measures, including independent audits, the establishment of a national database for material characterization, and compulsory traffic load analysis for all road projects.

The use of modified binders and advanced materials, he added, would enhance pavement resilience.

To ensure sustainability, the Professor called for the implementation of a National Pavement Management System to coordinate maintenance and monitoring efforts nationwide, noting that consistent upkeep is essential to prolonging road lifespan.

Ekwulo emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry, urging universities to lead applied research initiatives and pilot projects that can deliver practical solutions to Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, said universities must play a frontline role in addressing national development issues through research-driven interventions.

He described the lecture as timely, noting that the neglect of core engineering standards has contributed significantly to the country’s failing highways.

The event, held at the Dr. Ezenwo Wike Senate Building in the campus, also featured the formal decoration of Ekwulo as the institution’s 128th inaugural lecturer.

Reiterating his position after the lecture, Ekwulo stated that with proper design methods, quality materials, and strict adherence to global standards, Nigeria’s roads can achieve their intended lifespan of 10 to 20 years or more.

“Without a return to engineering fundamentals and accountability, investments in road infrastructure will continue to yield poor results”, he concluded.

Rivers

CP Reaffirms Commitment To Human Rights, Community Policing In Rivers

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has assured residents of the command’s commitment to upholding human rights and delivering people-oriented policing.

He stressed that officers under his watch would continue to operate within the confines of the law, while strengthening community relations.

Adepoju gave the assurance during a sensitisation walk organised by the State Police Command as part of activities marking the National Police Day in Port Harcourt.

He noted that the exercise was aimed at fostering trust and enhancing cooperation between the police and the public.

While expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a special day for the Nigeria Police to celebrate its achievements, he described the gesture as a morale booster that would spur officers to greater efficiency and professionalism in service delivery.

The CP also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for initiating a week-long celebration, which he said had provided an opportunity for the police to reconnect with citizens and showcase reforms within the force.

According to him, the large turnout of residents, stakeholders and members of the business community during the exercise was a clear indication of the growing confidence reposed in the police by the people of Rivers State.

He reiterated that the Command would sustain its sensitisation efforts, adding that officers had been adequately briefed to respect the rights of citizens, maintain professionalism and work closely with the media to promote transparency and accountability.

Adepoju disclosed that the week-long activities commenced with environmental sanitation across commands and divisions, alongside public enlightenment campaigns targeted at strengthening police-community relations.

He further revealed that the Command had also embarked on free medical outreach for both officers and members of the public, as part of its corporate social responsibility and commitment to public welfare.

The CP added that financial support would be extended to widows of fallen police officers through the presentation of cheques, in line with directives from the police high command, to cushion the effects of their loss.

In his response, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the state, Voke Emore, said the initiative was geared towards rebuilding trust between the police and the communities they serve.

Emore noted that the renewed synergy between the police and residents in Rivers State had created an enabling environment for effective policing, urging the public to continue supporting security agencies with useful information.

Also, a representative of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs. Chima Nnaji, said the group participated in the walk to show solidarity with their spouses.

The event drew attendance from senior police officers, members of the PCRC, and stakeholders from various sectors of the state.

King Onunwor

Rivers

Low Awareness Bothers RIVCHPP … As Agala Calls For Grassroots Sensitisation

Published

2 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (ES/CEO) of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr. Vetty Agala, has called on residents of the state to amplify awareness of the state’s health insurance scheme to boost enrolment and access to quality healthcare.

Agala, represented by the agency’s Head of Planning, Dr. Juliet Aleme, made the appeal during a sensitisation and enrolment meeting at the palace of the Eze-elect of Oyigbo, Eze Samuel N. Azuh, in Oyigbo Town.

He stressed that wider dissemination of information about the scheme would deepen public awareness and encourage more residents to take advantage of the initiative championed by the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Agala explained that the programme is designed to provide affordable and quality healthcare services to residents across the state’s 23 local government areas, by eliminating financial hardship at the point of care.

She noted that both federal and state governments have already covered premiums for vulnerable groups, urging residents of Oyigbo and beyond to enrol for seamless healthcare delivery.

Responding, Azuh commended the initiative and assured that his people would embrace the scheme.

He, however, appealed for an expansion of the vulnerability category to accommodate more citizens, while also urging the inclusion of eye care services and surgeries.

Earlier, the Head of Community Medicine at PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Chidinma Opara, disclosed that research conducted by 600-level medical students revealed low awareness of the scheme and poor utilisation of primary healthcare centres in Oyigbo.

She said the institution partnered with RIVCHPP to bridge the awareness gap and enhance community access to the programme’s benefits, particularly among vulnerable populations.

As part of the collaboration, officials conducted an assessment visit to the PAMO University Teaching Hospital, with ongoing discussions to onboard the facility as a service provider for RIVCHPP enrollees.

Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso