Rivers
Choba Drivers Petition Rivers CP Over Crisis
Commercial drivers in Choba, Rivers State, under the aegis of Urban Drivers Welfare Association (UDWA), have raised an alarm over what they described as looming crisis in the area.
They said it is orchestrated by some group of persons who have vowed to cause trouble in the union.
The drivers are, therefore, calling on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Effiong Okon, and other security agencies in the state to wade into the matter to prevent it from snowballing.
The Chairman, Choba UDWA, Comrade Bestmam Chile, made this call while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, weekend.
Chile stated that the essence of the call was to draw the attention of the state Commissioner of Police, other relevant security agencies and stakeholders in the transport sector to call to order one Abel William, who is the Chairman, Rumuokwuta-Choba Taxi Drivers Association.
According to him, the said William is the one allegedly formenting problem in the area”, adding that Choba, as a student community, “does not need any form of crisis that would affect the students’ welfare in the area”.
He explained that rather than concentrate on his office as Chairman of Taxi drivers plying Rumuokwuta to Choba, Mr Williams has imposed himself as Chairman of bus drivers in the same area, when there are existing elected union officers for the bus drivers.
According to him, Williams went further to register new buses to operate in their route without there authorisation and consultations, adding that the self-acclaimed Chairman has never driven bus or operated as a driver in Choba, Mile 3 route.
“We operate as bus drivers that ply Choba to Mile 3, and we belong to Choba Urban Drivers welfare Association, and we have our union registered under Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
“We have been working with the taxi drivers who run from Rumuokwuta to Choba without any problem, but recently, one Mr. Abel Williams now left his jurisdiction, impersonating himself as bus driver as well.
“He registered mini bus drivers and asked them to operate in our own route without our approval. what we are saying is that he should concentrate on the taxi and allow us manage our bus, whether mini or big bus, bus is bus”, he stated.
Bestman further said Choba drivers are organised, as they regulate activities of members against theft and ensure that when passengers forget their luggages and personal effects inside vehicles belonging to members, they ensure that they are recovered and such items given back to owners.
According to him, the security consciousness applied by the union has earned their members thrust in the area, especially the students’ leadership, adding that any arrangement to register people the union have not profiled will not be accepted.
The Chairman warned that the union would resist any further interference and ensure that only buses registered and documented by the union’s leadership are allowed to operate in the Choba- Mile 3 route, saying that the union does not want any confrontation that will affect the existing peace currently enjoyed in the area.
“Althogh we have petitioned him to the Police, we are still seeing new buses still operating on our route. Several times they attack our task force team, but we held our peace, yet these people are provoking us and we would no longer keep quite.
“This press interview is to draw the attention of the security agencies and the entire public to hold Mr. Abel Williams responsibles for any possible breakdown of law and order in the area”, he warned.
When contacted on phone, Mr Williams said members of the Choba Drivers Welfare Association do not have the monopoly of roads in the state, and as such can not determined who should ply the Choba route as they are different unions.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Rivers
Lloyd Lauds Awuse’s Appointment As Traditional Council Chair

The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, has congratulated the Paramount Ruler of Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRM Ohna Sergeant Awuse, on his recent appointment by Rivers State Government as the new Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The immediate past Governor, Nyesom Wike, made the announcement during the last State Honours and Awards held in Government House, recently.
Lloyd on behalf of the government and the people of the local government expressed appreciation to Wike for what he called “a well deserved appointment”.
The council chairman, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Bright Elendu, expressed optimism that the State Traditional Rulers Council under the leadership of Ohna Sergeant Awuse will consolidate on the achievements of the administration of King Dandeson Jaja (Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom) to further strengthen the traditional institution in the State.
He assured Awuse of the support of the government and people of the area, while wishing him a successful tenure.
The statement also appreciated the government of Rivers State for the recognition of four traditional rulers in the local government.
The newly recognised traditional rulers who are all in the Second Class category are Eze (Dr) Wobodo Sunday Jonah, Nye Nwe-Ali Ibaa/Obelle; Ohna Christian Okachineke Elechi, Nye Nwe-Eli Odegu; Eze Damian Azike Ejiohuo, Nye Nwe-Ali Rundele XII, Nogbo II, Eze Christian Amadi Evekwuru, Eze Chigu Rumuekpe.
Lloyd said his administration looks forward to partnering with the traditional institution to foster peace and improve security across the communities in the local government.
By: Theresa Fredrick & Charity Amiso
Rivers
Institute Trains Broadcast Women Journalists
In response to the need to enhance the professionalism of women journalists in Nigeria through the improvement of skills, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, has trained another group of broadcast women journalists in digital multimedia storytelling with the funding support of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Project II.
Welcoming the participants to Port Harcourt Rivers State, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, Programme Manager, Mr Timothy Bamidele, submitted that so far 78 women broadcast journalists have been trained in digital storytelling, since the beginning of the second phase of European Union Support to Democratic Governance.
The Programme Manager highlighted that the training activity is under Component four in the EU-SDGN Project II and aimed at providing support to media in Nigeria.
Mr Bamidele stressed that the action is intended to contribute to strengthening democratic governance in Nigeria through increased engagements and improved capacity of a wide range of media stakeholders in Nigeria, including media professionals, and targeting the following results areas: Professionalism of media practitioners, especially women Enhanced; Strengthened media professional capacity to deal with electoral misinformation/disinformti-on; enhanced media platforms’ ability to diversify, deepen the coverage of the electoral process and delivery of civic and voter education.
The activity will further help to meet the demand for more capacity building and production of professionally, digitally, and inclusively developed content for the electoral process by female broadcast journalists, focusing on post-election issues, Bamidele, submitted.
Two digital trainers, Mr Usifo Omozokpea and Mrs Ehi Ohiani took participants through areas such as reporting the electoral cycle, digital tools for content creation and the digital storytelling process among others.
They urged the participants to take advantage of the new media space to crowdsource, connect, create and distribute content relevant to social discourse for national development.
Broadcast women journalists from nine states including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti attended the two-day digital capacity training.
The participants thanked IMS and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance for providing the platform, which they described as having a high impact.
Rivers
Peace In Evo Kingdom, Our Target – Christ Embassy
The Zonal Director, Christ Embassy, Port Harcourt Zone III, Linder Okocha, has said the aim of the Church’s Royal Banquet Outreach is to bring peace to people of Woji and its environs.
Okocha disclosed this at the Royal Banquet Outreach it organised at the palace of King Leslie Nyebuchi Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka, at Woji in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area recently.
She said the church was out to preach peace among the people, irrespective of their background.
“I am happy that the event is taking place today. I have looked forth for it. It is not an ordinary gathering or meeting, but a spiritual one”, she said.
Suggesting that everyone is a Minister of God, she urged them to use the opportunity and speak blessing to all.
Making allusion to ‘Romans 10 v 9-10, she called on all to always confess the supremacy of God in order to overcome evil.
On plans to sustain the programme, she said it will be given an accelerated attention to enable the church meet its target in the area.
Meanwhile, Eze Leslie Eke has proclaimed Woji and the entire Kingdom as a Christian entity.
He also appreciated the church for their choice of the palace for their programme and assured them of any assistance at the Kingdom’s reach.
Free customised decoders of the church were donated to each community head in Evo Kingdom.
By: King Onunwor
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