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NOSDRA Faults Woke’s Appointment …Says DG’s Position Not Vacant
Uneasy calm is now pervading the offices of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) in Abuja and other parts of the country, following the announcement by the Federal Government that Mr Idris Musa has been replaced as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, with former Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties and former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Engr Chukwuemeka Woke.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, recently announced that Engr Woke had been appointed as the new Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA, after being rejected by Ogun State to head the Ogun-Osun Water Basin Development Authority, following protests that trailed his earlier appointment by the Federal Government.
Since the announcement was made, feelers indicate that it has not gone down well with majority of workers of the agency across the country and other insiders of the agency.
NOSDRA workers and other insiders in the Abuja office in particular, are said to be forlorn, dejected and sad over the development, as some of them are alleged to be wearing long faces, and have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rescind the decision since the position of Director General in the agency is not vacant, with Musa who they described as a square peg in a square hole, and a core professional and gentleman to the core, firmly in the saddle, having served only one year of his second tenure of four years.
According to them, President Tinubu was misled to have thought that the position of Director General in the agency was vacant, for which reason, he had gone ahead to appoint Engr Woke as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the agency.
While reiterating that the position of Director General of NOSDRA is not vacant, they fingered the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike for orchestrating the plot to remove Musa from office and replace him with his kinsman and loyalist, Engr Woke, who served under him as Chief of Staff, when he was the Governor of Rivers State.
They said Musa has three years running to complete his tenure, and expressed delight that he has been repositioning the agency since his appointment in 2019.
The workers and insiders said the NOSDRA helmsman has been piloting the affairs of the agency without blemish and has also been giving the welfare of the workforce top priority, even in the face of debilitating challenges and paucity of funds, stressing that the Director General is not only very sincere but a man of integrity.
Musa, they noted, has also been working hard to reposition the agency and make it result-oriented, contending that it would be unfair and unjust to replace him,when he has not committed any infraction to warrant that, and called on President Tinubu to rescind the decision and allow the Director General to fully serve and complete his four-year tenure.
The workers and insiders further expressed displeasure that Musa is yet to serve half of his second tenure of four years, pointing out that they are highly shocked over the development and the appointment of a politician like Engr Woke to head the Federal Government agency at this critical time, an agency they said, is purely professional-oriented and highly technical.
It would be recalled that Musa was reappointed as the Director General of NOSDRA by former President Muhammadu Buhari in the twilight of his administration last year, for a four-year tenure, barely a year ago, following his excellent track record of performance and achievements.
Both the workers and other insiders of the agency see the Director General as a father figure, and described him as a workaholic and astute administrator, who knows what he is really doing at the agency based on his rich resume’ and
wealth of experience.
The workers and insiders, who pleaded anonymity, said it would be a welcome development if President Tinubu rescinds the decision to replace Musa and allows the affairs and activities of the agency to continue to run uninterrupted, describing the Director General as a vibrant, energetic, competent, hard working, dedicated, committed, calm, kind, compassionate and level headed officer, who has the technical savvy and professional know-how to run the agency.
Musa, a devoted Muslim who hails from Kogi State holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from the University of Ibadan and two Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Ibadan and University of Illorin, respectively.He also has several professional certifications and memberships, both locally and internationally.
Known for his vibrant and energetic personality, Musa was appointed the Head of Operations of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) in Port Harcourt in 2017, a position he held until his appointment as Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA in 2019.
He equally has extensive experience in oil spill management and has served on various high-powered committees, including the committee that worked on the preparation of the documents leading to the establishment of NOSDRA. He has also participated in various international trainings, seminars and workshops.
The Director General represented Nigeria on the 10-man Board of Pollution Crime Working Group of the International Police(INTERPOL), and has received multiple awards in recognition of his services, including the Bureau of Public Service Reforms Distinguished Goztech Trailblazer Award and the Nigerian Environmental Society Honorary Fellow (FNES) HON, which he bagged in October, 2023.
Eleven outstanding poetry collections are now in the race for the $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature, arguably Africa’s biggest and most prestigious literary prize.
The 11 collections were selected from a total of 223 entries received for this year’s competition.
Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Prize, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, who announced the longlist, said the emergence of the 11 collections marks a significant milestone in this year’s competition and reflects the exceptional quality, creativity and diversity of contemporary Nigerian poetry.
According to her, the longlisted titles, arranged in alphabetical order, are: Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide; Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi; Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje; 2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase; Ceremony For The Nameless by Theresa Lola; Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku; and Floral’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu.
Other successful entries are, The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan; The Years of Blood by Adebayo Agarau; Unbind Me Now by James Ugwu Eze; and Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo.
Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo described the announcement as an important stage in the 2026 edition of the prize.
She noted that the collections demonstrate the remarkable capacity of poetry to illuminate human experience through thoughtful reflection, cultural memory and artistic expression.
According to her, the works revisit history while interrogating dominant historical narratives and exposing the forces that shape collective identities and social relations.
She stated that despite their varied emphases, the books share a commitment to exploring the endurance of individuals and communities in the face of violence, oppression and social fragmentation.
On style and language, Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo said the books display an impressive diversity of poetic techniques marked by lyrical intensity, symbolic depth and artistic innovation.
“Many employ densely poetic, allegorical, and elegiac modes that invite multiple layers of interpretation, while others draw extensively on folklore, oral traditions, and contemporary realities to create a compelling fusion of past and present. Their language is generally fluid, evocative, and aesthetically refined, relying on vivid imagery, emotional resonance, and intellectual sophistication to communicate complex ideas. These works demonstrate how poetic language can illuminate social realities; challenge established perspectives and give voice to both individual and collective experiences.
“The next stage will demand a closer reading of each work, with attention to language, form, originality and lasting literary value,” she stated.
The Board chairman commended the judges for their painstaking work and reaffirmed the Advisory Board’s commitment to a credible process, literary excellence and the promotion of a strong reading culture.
With the announcement of the 11-title longlist, the competition now moves to the next phase, with a shortlist of three expected in August and the winner to be announced in October.
Sponsored by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), The Nigeria Prize for Literature carries a cash award of $100,000 for the author of the winning book.
Now in its 22nd year, the prize rotates annually across four genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – with the 2026 edition devoted to poetry.
The Rivers State Government has applauded the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Rivers State Branch, for its steadfast dedication to advancing medical excellence and contributing significantly to healthcare development in the state and the country at large.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the NMA held in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, described the association as a vital partner in the quest to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
Wokoma, according to a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit in his office, Julian Masi, noted that the NMA’s sustained advocacy for professional standards and quality medical practice has continued to impact positively on the healthcare sector and national development.
He said the conference theme, “Medical Practice in Nigeria: The Past, the Present and Quo Vadis,” offers a valuable platform for stakeholders to evaluate the progress made in the health sector, examine present realities, and develop practical solutions for future challenges.
He paid tribute to Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals for their sacrifices and unwavering commitment to service despite the challenges confronting the sector.
“We deeply appreciate the immense sacrifices made daily by Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals. In the face of numerous challenges, they continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience, professionalism, dedication and commitment to saving lives. Their contributions remain critical to national development,” he said.
In her keynote address, the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Prof. Adaeze C. Oreh, called on participants to critically examine the current state of medical practice in Nigeria and explore innovative approaches that will address emerging healthcare challenges in line with the conference theme.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Rivers State Branch, Dr. (Prof.) Annabel Ureh Oparaodu, expressed gratitude to Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his continued support for the medical profession in Rivers State.
She urged delegates to maximize the opportunities provided by the conference through active engagement and knowledge sharing.
Highlights of the event included the commissioning of the Nigerian Medical Association Doctors’ Lodge and the NMA Water Factory, initiatives designed to improve members’ welfare and promote sustainability within the association.
The National Population Commission (NPC) has announced the commencement of a nationwide digital registration of births and deaths in Rivers State under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, E-CRVS, System, using the new VitalReg platform.
Federal Commissioner, NPC, Rivers State, Prof. Itotenaan Henry Ogiri, announced said this recently during a press briefing in his Port Harcourt office.
Ogiri said the full digital registration of births and deaths took effect nationwide on July 1, 2026, and is now being implemented across Rivers’ 23 Local Government Areas as part of the Commission’s rollout in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards a modern, technology-driven civil registration system,
“It reflects the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every birth and every death occurring in our country is accurately captured through a secure, efficient and digitally enabled platform,” he said.
The Federal Commissioner noted that while Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, coverage remains low.
“Birth registration currently stands at about 57%, while death registration is below 20% nationwide.
“These gaps underscore the urgent need for a more efficient and accessible registration system,” he stated.
To address this, he said the commission has established 4,011 functional registration centres across the 774 LGAs, with plans to expand to about 8,000 centres nationwide.
According to him, in Rivers State, structures have been put in place and personnel are working with health facilities, LGAs and community stakeholders to ensure accessibility.
Ogiri explained that the VitalReg platform offers faster registration, 24-hour access, automated data validation for accuracy, reduced paperwork and waiting time, enhanced record security, and a stronger national database to support other government information systems.
He added that the platform would integrate seamlessly with Nigeria’s national digital identity framework, including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve coordination and service delivery.
“The initiative builds on the launch of the E-CRVS System and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on CRVS by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 8, 2023.
“It also aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on digital transformation and transparency,” he said.
The NPC Commissioner stressed that success depends on partnerships and public participation and listed key collaborators as ALGON, NIMC, UNICEF and Barnksforte Technologies Limited.
“In Rivers State, we will continue to work closely with the State Government, Local Government Councils, healthcare providers, traditional institutions, religious organisations, development partners, civil society organisations and the media to ensure that no child or family is left behind,” he said.
The commissioner called on parents, guardians, healthcare workers and community leaders to ensure prompt registration of every birth and death, noting that a complete civil registration system strengthens governance and supports sustainable development.
He reassured the public that birth registration and birth notification services remain highly subsidised, though specialised administrative services such as record modification, certificate reissuance, attestations and verification will attract approved charges to support system sustainability.
Ogiri appreciated the Rivers State Government for its support, and commended NPC staff in the State, as well as development partners, LGAs, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders for advancing civil registration in the state.
He also urged the media to continue to amplify the message “that every birth counts, every death matters and every Nigerian deserves a legal identity.”
“As we commence this new chapter, let us all work together to build a civil registration system that is modern, inclusive and trusted by all,” Ogiri concluded.