Rivers
NDDC Boss Dismisses Tenure Expiration Reports
The Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has said members of the commission’s Governing Board are currently serving a four-year term.
This, he said, was contrary to insinuation in some quarters that their term would end in 2024.
Ogbuku made the clarification on Wednesday in Port Harcourt at a news conference.
The Tide’s source reports that President Bola Tinubu had on August 29, 2023 approved the appointment of a new Board and Executive Management for the Commission.
Tinubu named Mr. Chiedu Ebie as Chairman and Ogbuku as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO).
Although, the current Board was appointed on August 29, 2023, the MD/CEO had been on the saddle at the Commission’s headquarters since January 5, 2023, as a member of the previous board.
According to Ogbuku, his tenure will not end in 2024 as is being rumoured, citing Section 4 of the NDDC Establishment Act.
“The provision states that a member of the board other than ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of four years at the first instance.
“It continued that ‘the board member may be reappointed for a further term of four years and no more”, Obguku cited the NDDC Act.
He decried those advocating the board’s tenure to be shortened, suggesting they opposed the board’s harmonious collaborative efforts towards fulfilling Tinubu’s mandate to the region.
“In spite of our commitment to quality projects and programmes, individuals with selfish motives are attempting to revert the NDDC to a time of instability and under performance.
“The NDDC Board and management will not be distracted from holding fast to its mantra of transiting from transaction to transformation.
“Those seeking a change of baton at NDDC should hold their horses, as President Tinubu reappointed me for another four years”, he said.
Ogbuku further said the board was awaiting passage of the NDDC 2024 budget to advance legacy projects in the Niger Delta, aimed at raising N1 trillion from development and commercial banks for the projects.
He listed the legacy projects to include regional roads, bridges, electrification projects, school buildings, hospitals, shore reclamation and protection, among others.
In healthcare, the Managing Director highlighted the recent free medical outreach programmes targeting rural communities and announced the acquisition of 13 ambulances for regional hospitals to address cholera outbreaks.
“The Commission is also looking to acquire more ambulances and cholera vaccines to further prevent spread.
“In education, we have awarded foreign scholarships to 2,323 students in the region and released funds to beneficiaries for the 2024/2025 scholarship programme”, he stated.
Ogbuku emphasised that the era of lacking data on projects and programmes was over, as the board had implemented strategies to showcase its activities.
Niger Delta
Rivers Begins, Supplemental Polio Vaccination, Morrow

The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Rivers
Obi Donates 80 Desks To Schools In Etche
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
Rivers
Citizenship Participation Key to Achieving True Democratic Government
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.