News
No Amount Of Threat Can Stop Me From Supporting Fubara-NCSU Boss

The Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, says no amount of threat can stop him from supporting Governor SiminalayiFubara, saying he can only stop writing and talking about the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike if he leaves the Governor alone and allows him to concentrate on the rulership and development of the State.
Osumah made the remarks in an interview in Port Harcourt, following a physical attack on his person by three men suspected to be loyalists of Wike within the Abuloma axis of Port Harcourt recently.
He said no amount of threat on his life would stop him from supporting Governor Fubara, as he would continue to do so, even at the risk of his life because of his good works, and advised Chief Wike to leave the Governor alone and allow him to concentrate on the rulership and development of the State.
He noted that when Wike was Governor of the State for eight years, he never promoted civil servants and denied them Christmas bonus and yearly increments, describing Governor Fubara as Godsent and a man who has the welfare and interest of the workers at heart.
According to him, the civil servants would continue to stand for Governor Fubara “because he is our own. He has stood for workers.We will stand for him at all times.We will continue to talk about Wike until he leaves the Governor alone to concentrate on his duty of developing the State and attending to the welfare needs of Rivers people.Each time they are attacking or fighting the Governor, they are attacking civil servants in the State and the entire labour movement in the country.”
Osumah noted that as the Christmas festivities are fast approaching, civil servants in the State are expectant, and thanked the Governor for the implementation of the N85, 000 minimum wage for the workers.
While giving an insight into the recent attack on his person, the labour leader revealed that on the fateful day, the attackers who were driving in a black Toyota Camry car had blocked his vehicle and ordered him to enter theirs, after accusing him of insulting and writing against the FCT Minister.
According to him, it was God who saved him, as he successfully resisted the move by the attackers to force him into their car.
“There were three men.The one on the driver’s seat confronted me, saying I am insulting and writing against the FCT Minister and asked me to enter their car. As he was opening the door of the car, I pushed the car door with him, and he hit me on the left eye. He also hit me on the head,” he said.
He indicated that in the ensuing melee, the one who hit him asked the fellow on the front seat, who had jumped down to enter the car and they zoomed off, as people were gathering at the scene.
According to him, the occupant of the back seat, whom he suspected knew him, never came down from the car.
He said the incident happened on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at about 9pm, contending that the attack portends grave danger for democracy in the State,as it is a calculated attempt to muzzle the freedom of speech and expression, since his attackers accused him of insulting and writing against Wike.
In spite of the seeming threat to his life, Osumah reiterated that no amount of such threats would stop him from supporting Governor Fubara, saying the NCSU is proud of the Governor.
He thanked the Governor for recently hosting labour leaders from the 36 States of the federation in Port Harcourt, and also applauded the release of federal allocations to the State in spite of a High Court ruling stopping the release of the allocations.
The unionist equally praised the Court of Appeal ruling nullifying the ruling of a High Court on the October 5 local government elections in Rivers State.
News
FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
News
FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
News
KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
-
Sports3 days ago
CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo
-
Sports3 days ago
FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa
-
Sports3 days ago
NPFL club name Iorfa new GM
-
Sports3 days ago
NNL abolishes playoffs for NPFL promotion
-
Sports3 days ago
Kwara Hopeful To Host Confed Cup in Ilorin
-
Sports3 days ago
NSF: Early preparations begin for 2026 National Sports Festival
-
Sports3 days ago
RSG Award Renovation Work At Yakubu Gowon Stadium
-
Sports3 days ago
RSG Pledges To Develop Baseball