Rivers

How We Restored Peace, Security In Andoni -Awortu

Published

2 years ago

October 13, 2023

The chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Barrister Erastus Awortu, has attributed the peace and tranquility being currently enjoyed in the local government area to proactive measures he put in place.
Awortu disclosed this on Wednesday when he received a delegation of journalists who visited the council on an assessment tour of the local government area.
Recall that prior to Awortu’s administration, the local government area was ravaged by cult wars, with eight communities totally sacked by cult boys.
Giving insights into how peace was restored in the area after protracted cult wars that sacked some communities, the council boss said that apart from engaging warring youths and community elders in dialogue, his administration deployed contingents of police and soldiers to maintain peace in the area.
He also said that the council provided vehicles for both the police and soldiers to assist them in providing security in the various communities.
Awortu recalled that before he came to office, there was high level of insecurity in the area with eight communities sacked by cult wars and many people relocated to a nearby community called Kaa.
According to him, “Before I came into office, this area (LG) was ravaged by insecurity and all kinds of negative impressions, such that the cult boys were parading guns and collecting taxes. Even to allow you or your visitors come into the local government, you had to settle the boys.
“In fact, there was high level of insecurity in eight communities in the area, they were sacked by cult wars such that the whole area was totally deserted; everybody had scampered for safety. We had our people as refugees at Kaa.
“So, the first task before my administration was to provide relief materials for them at Kaa and later brought them back to their various communities. We had to deploy and maintain several contingents of police in the communities for security for close to two years”.
He continued, “You can see there is peace in the area now, but this took a lot of efforts maintaining security presence at various areas. We have three divisional police offices in Andoni; we have provided vehicles for two of them while the third division will be provided vehicle at the end of this month.
“For detachments of soldiers, we also provided vehicles for them; now we have the civil defence (National Security and Civil Defence Corp), we are going to provide Hilux vehicle for them at the end of the month”.
In the area of empowerment, Awortu said that the council has provided many indigenes across the various communities in the area with generators, 50-inches television sets and DSTV with subscription to encourage them to set up small scale businesses and viewing centres to keep them busy and watch premier league.
“We also sent 15 cadets to Charkin Maritime Institute for training in maritime and other engineering courses. They have done a two-year diploma programme and will soon aboard international vessels. No one was less than N10million, but we have an arrangement with the institution, we are paying gradually. Luckily, all of them came out well, no one failed. About 40 or 50 graduated from the school, the best ones are from Andoni. We are very sure they are going to be gainfully employed very soon”, he said.
To further stimulate the economy, the council boss said his administration has empowered several groups of women, widows and people with disabilities with between N100,000 and N200,000 each.
According to him, “We have not done less than 50 for each group each time. The last one we did was for about 50 people living with disabilities. We trained them for one week with PoS and starter pack of N100,000 each”.
Awortu also disclosed that his council revived the abandoned magistrate court and general hospital in the area while paying the NYSC medical doctors and nurses he engaged N100,000 and N50,000 each per month, respectively.
Earlier, the visiting Journalists under the aegis of Like Minds Journalists had told the chairman that they were in Andoni on assessment tour of what Awortu’s administration had been able to record in the last three years.
The spokesperson of the group, Ilaye Jumbo, at the end of the tour, said they were not disappointed by what they saw.
She urged other local government chairmen in the State to emulate Hon. Awortu, and also embark on peer review mechanism for the development of their respective council areas.

By: Boye Salau & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Rivers

NDDC Provides Lifeline To Flood-Hit Ogu-Bolo Community

Published

7 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

In response to the recent flood disaster that displaced families, destroyed farmlands, and worsened economic hardship in Ogu/Bolo Community, The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has distributed relief materials to residents of the community.

Presenting the items on behalf of the Managing Director, the Director II, Education, Health and Social Services, Engr. Jeremiah Onolejoloni, said the intervention underscores the commission’s commitment to alleviating the plight of vulnerable communities across the Niger Delta.

According to a statement by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the gesture followed the devastating impact of flooding on livelihoods in the community.

The Managing Director noted that the commission, in collaboration with the Derek and Davia Foundation, provided financial support to facilitate the distribution of essential food items and household materials to affected residents.

He described the initiative as part of efforts to address pressing needs, adding that it also reflects government’s solidarity with citizens facing economic challenges.

“This intervention goes beyond palliatives. It is a demonstration of government’s presence, compassion and commitment to supporting families in distress, in line with the renewed hope agenda of the President,” he said.

He urged community leaders to ensure fair distribution of the items and encouraged residents to sustain peace and support development programmes.

The Paramount Ruler of Ogu-Bolo, Chief Joachim Amachiri, commended the Commission for the timely intervention, noting that it would provide much-needed relief to victims of the flood.

He reaffirmed the community’s support for NDDC initiatives aimed at improving living conditions in the region.

Also speaking, a consultant on the programme, represented by Dr. George Smile, praised the commission’s responsiveness to disaster-affected communities, disclosing that plans were underway, in partnership with development stakeholders, to extend similar support to neighbouring areas.

Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Rivers

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

Published

10 hours 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

10 hours 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