Rivers
PHED Flags Off Goal Zero Campaign … Commits To Workers’ Safety, Welfare
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distributing (PHED) Plc. has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of staff in the course of service to the organization.
Consequently, the company has flagged off its 2024 Goal Zero Campaign alongside the presentation and handing over of the Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to the different regions of the organization to ensure safety of workers.
Speaking during the Ceremony at the PHED Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend, the Organisation’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Benson Uwheru, described the employees as the greatest asset of the organization, saying that safety and well-being in service remained paramount to the organization.
Uwheru noted that the Goal Zero was about “Behavior” which, he said, is one of the biggest drivers of transformation, adding that his brainchild Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals was targeted at transforming the organization and serving as an indicator of the commitment to promoting a better working world for the organization, communities and customers.
“It’s part of our commitment to create a better working environment for our people. When we say our people are the greatest asset, what we do is to match words with action. Indeed, we want our people to feel safe and not just to feel safe, but have the consciousness of safety and health.
“And this year, our goal zero target is dedicated to promoting positive behaviours that promote safety, health and welfare of our people”, he said.
The MD/CEO also disclosed that the organization was closing out on a Group Life Assurance Policy to further boost the morales of workers.
In his words, “in terms of your state of well-being, we are also in the process of closing out a Group Life Assurance Policy. It means that your life is assured in the case of not just fatality but death.
“We are also implementing Accident Cover, for accidents in the course of business so that beyond the HMO that you have, you have additional offers that give reasonable assurance that you are not used as a tool of trade.
“We want to give them that sense of belonging that they are not alone. That when they are climbing either the High Tension (HT) or the Low Tension(LT), they are not alone. They know that this thing they are doing is part of their contribution to the company and they do it with so much joy because they have a backup”.
He, however, urged the workers to shun recklessness and embrace the “consciousness that inspires you, energises you and motivates you to want to do more”.
Uwheru further commended the Regional Heads, Chiefs and Heads of Departments for their contributions towards achieving the goal.
Receiving the PPEs on behalf of the Regional Managers, the Regional Manager, Beta 2, Fred Harry, lauded the management of PHED for the concern and commitment to the welfare and well-being of staff.
Harry said, “it is important that we remain kitted in service and the MD has ensured that this is realized by making the organization a global/international one.
“As regional managements, we will ensure that the PPEs are used judiciously to reducing accidents, incidences and near misses while at work”.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
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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
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.
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