Rivers

Stakeholders Counsel Governors On Cattle Ranches In S’South

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2024

Governors of the six Niger Delta states have been advised against the establishment of cattle ranches in the zone.
A non governmental organisation in Rivers State, the Niger Delta Good Governance Initiative (NDGGI), urged the Governors to shun the plan as it would not be in the interest of the region.
This was contained in a statement released by the group in Port Harcourt recently and signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Philip Ebizimor, Secretary, Barrister Cletus Brown and Public Relations Officer, Elder Brownson Alete after an enlarged National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.
The group which raised an alarm over the plan by the South-South Governors to establish cattle ranches, enjoined them to back out from such decision, as it will not be accepted by the people in the zone.
According to the group, South-South citizens must know about the arrangements of their leaders in giving away their ancestral lands for cattle ranches.
The group stressed that it is monitoring the Governors, leaders and other stakeholders in the zone, and their collaborators, noting that they should understand that the people will not allow the establishment of any ranches in the zone to be manage by strangers.
“If the Governor and other leaders are genuinely interested in establishing cattle ranches in the South-South zone of Nigeria, such plans must be managed privately by businessmen and women from the zone. Only citizens of the zone are allowed to own cattle ranches anywhere in the South-South geo-political zone.
The body further said that, Governors and other leaders should not allow what happened to the South-East geo-political zone two years ago to repeat itself, because of chasing a political cloud.
The group urged the Governors to put the interest of the zone above any other interest as far as the issue of cattle ranches is concerned.
“We sound it as a note of warning to anybody, no matter your position in the zone, that if you want to have a smooth and peaceful leadership regime in the zone, you must jettison the idea of establishing a Fulani cattle ranch in the states of the zone.
“NDGGI must be on the alert and wait for an order from its parent body to move into all the nooks and crannies of these states. We call on the youths of various states and communities in the zone to provide the group with useful information of any proposed site for Fulani camp or ranch anywhere around their states and communities.
“We, the NDGGI with any useful information of any ranch proposed site for ranch anywhere around their states and communities, we will stop at nothing to ensure that those who are culpable and their cohorts to establish RUGA in any part of the South-South geo-political zone in Nigeria will be resisted”.
NDGGI, however, stated that, “We are also informing other zones’ Governors and leaders to shun any perceived motion of establishing cattle ranches in any of their states and communities”.

Bethel Toby

Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.

Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.

The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.

National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.

Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.

He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.

Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.

On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.

Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.

She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.

Seminitari was later presented an award.

New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.

There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.

They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.

According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.

The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.

They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.

Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.

They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.

Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.

The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.

The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.

By; King Onunwor

Rivers

NBA Seeks End To Mass Abductions, Targeted Killings

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned against mass abductiond and targeted killings in Nigeria.

President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, who gave the warning, noted that Nigeria was faced with a growing wave of violence following fresh attacks in Kebbi and Borno States.

The association issued the warning after terrorists attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga on November 17.

According The Tide’s source, the gunmen killed a teacher and abducted at least twenty-five students during a shootout with security personnel.

The President said the latest attack shows the country has become unsafe for schoolchildren and civilians.

He further noted that Nigeria also lost Brigadier General M. Uba earlier that day in an ISWAP ambush in Borno State.

According to Osigwe, the nation was witnessing a rise in terrorism, kidnapping, and lawlessness that has overwhelmed security agencies, adding that rural communities, travellers, farmers, and security officers are all exposed.

The NBA President also warned that Nigeria was facing a dangerous breakdown of public safety.

Quoting recent reports, he said about 145 people went missing in mass abductions across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara within four days.

“The country must stop recording deaths while hoping for peace through negotiations with terrorists”, he said.

The NBA further revealed that recent intelligence alerts, including the DSS warning of ISWAP plans to strike in Ondo and Kogi, show a widening threat.

Osigwe questioned why terrorists still control forests and highways without challenge, with criminals levying taxes on communities, displace families, and attack convoys.

The NBA demanded an urgent national security overhaul with transparency and strong political will.

Osigwe, however, praised the teacher who died in Kebbi while protecting students.

By; King Onunwor