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Shell Denies Nigerian Content Law Breaches At EA Fields In N’Delta

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The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), on Wednesday, denied claims that it was in violation of Nigerian Content laws at the EA fields in Bayelsa State.
The Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), had on Monday, alleged that SPDC had excluded indigenous players from its operations at the EA fields in breach of the community content guidelines.
The content guidelines were set out by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The youth group also said that it would resist any plot to exclude members of host communities by mobilisng for a protest that would ground operations at the oil fields, if the policy was not reversed.
The group also urged the Minister of Petroleum, President Muhammadu Buhari, and leadership of NNPC Limited, to prevail on SPDC to have a rethink and reciprocate the peaceful disposition of the host communities.
SPDC operates the EA shallow offshore fields off Bayelsa coastline, deploying a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FSPO) vessel, with a capacity to process and hold 1.4million barrels of crude.
Reacting to the allegations of breach of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD), SPDC said that on the contrary, it was a leading player in the development of local capacity in the oil and gas sector.
In a statement, SPDC Media Relations Manager, Mrs. Abimbola Essien-Nelson, said that Shell awarded contracts worth $1.9billion to Nigerian companies and works with NCDMB in building capacity of Nigerian companies in the oil and gas sector.
“The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited Joint Venture (SPDC JV) is committed to the development of businesses in the Niger Delta.
“Working with government and community stakeholders, we have supported capacity development in several Niger Delta-owned businesses.
“The case in hand is a scheduled review of our logistics contracting process that has been in place for years. The review was supervised by the NNPC Upstream Investments Management Services (NUIMS) and the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
“It was, however, conducted via an open and transparent bidding process which resulted in the entrance of several new contractors.
“The bid winners consist some of these new companies, as well as companies previously involved in the contract.
“All the bid winners, which are Nigerian companies, demonstrated their commercial and technical competences, as well as compliance with Nigerian Content regulations,” SPDC stated.
The energy firm pledged that it would continue to support the development of local communities and companies.
It stated that in 2022, the SPDC Joint Venture, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) awarded contracts worth $1.9billion to Nigerian-registered companies.
“Additionally, in 2022, the SPDC JV, SNEPCo and SNG invested $5.6million in education programmes and contributed $34.29million in direct social investment.
“Social investment was mainly in projects related to community, health, education, road safety and enterprise programmes.
“These projects are often implemented in partnership with local authorities and contractors.
“In addition, $56.13million has been earmarked to be paid in 2023 by the SPDC JV and SNEPCo for a statutory contribution to Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs), which will benefit Nigerian communities,” it stated.

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198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

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

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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
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RSG INAUGURATES ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMITTEE

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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.

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