As Rivers State celebrates the 58th anniversary of its creation today, some stakeholders have called on the State Government to do more towards improving the quality of infrastructure and human capital development in the State..

A cross section of stakeholders who spoke in an interview with The Tide also commended successive administrations in the state for their efforts towards expanding infrastructure network across the state.

They noted that more communities, both at the upland and riverine parts of the State, now have access to road network than when the stayte was created 58 years ago.

They, however, urged the government to return the state to the era of overseas scholarship when brilliant students are given opportunities to further their studies.

Speaking with The Tide, former youth leader of Chokota community in Etche Local Government Area, Mr. Ebere Nwankwo, said Rivers State has made progress in various fronts, despite the ongoing political crisis in the State.

Nwankwo noted that the State now has more tertiary institutions, both private and public, while the number of secondary schools have tripled.

He added that the State has also recorded tremendous progress in the area of healthcare.

According to him, healthcare has been brought closer to the doorstep of the common man, as there is hardly any local government in the state that doesn’t have a government health centre today.

The youth leader further said that many Rivers indigenes, home and abroad, have brought glory to the State in their various capacities, and urged the government to provide the enabling environment for the youths to excel.

Also speaking, the spokesperson for the International Peace Advocates, Mr. Emmanuel Nkweke, said the position of Rivers State among the comity of states in the country cannot be taken for granted.

He attributed this success to the efforts of successive administrations in repositioning the state for development.

Nkweke, however, called for a speedy resolution of the political impasse in the State to enable the State move to the next level of development.

Also speaking, a civil servant, Mrs. Ngozi Sunday, noted the efforts of government to improve the quality of lives of Rivers people, but called for a return to democratic governance in the State.

Another civil servant, Mrs. Munuonye Tina Ogechi, said Rivers State within the past 58 years has recorded significant achievements in road infrastructure, youth empowerment and repositioning of the state civil service for greater productivity.

She commended the suspended Governor of the State, Sir Similanayi Fubara, for taking the issue of women empowerment and peace seriously.

Meanwhile, a teacher, Mr. Orie Fiberesima, decried the high cost of living and lack of jobs in the State, and the need for a more effective government.

He also stressed the need for the government to look into the issue of high rent in Port Harcourt, noting that houses are now beyond the reach of the average Rivers man.

Mr. Innocent Chimobi, in his own view, urged the government to attract more industries and foreign investments to the State as a way of providing employment opportunities for the jobless youths in the State.

He also called the attention of the government to the terrible state of roads in some rural communities, advising the government to work hand in hand with the communities to foster better development.

By: John Bibor/Claire Julius

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, yesterday, unveiled a 12-member ministerial committee to oversee the 753-unit recovered housing estate linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

The estate was recently handed over to the Ministry by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement released yesterday, Dangiwa emphasised the critical nature of the assignment, describing it as a key step towards realising the housing component of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The statement read, “Housing and Urban Development Minister, Ahmed Dangiwa, has inaugurated a twelve-member ministerial committee on the 753-unit recovered housing estate located in the Lokogoma district, Abuja, FCT.”

He reiterated that the committee’s mandate aligns with the President’s vision and the Ministry’s reform objectives to transform the estate into liveable, secure, and affordable homes for Nigerians.

“The committee was constituted based on the vision of Mr President and the Ministry’s housing reform drive to ensure that the recovered property is swiftly transformed into liveable, secure, and affordable homes for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.

Dangiwa underscored the importance of technical expertise and institutional integrity in executing the assignment, noting that committee members were selected from key departments within the Ministry.

“Your selection is a testament to the confidence the Ministry has in your ability to drive this initiative with the seriousness and efficiency it demands.

“Nigerians are watching and expect results. They want to see homes completed and allocated transparently. They want to see the government working for them,” Dangiwa emphasised, urging committee members to collaborate effectively and remove unnecessary bottlenecks.

He charged them to adopt a fresh mindset, stating, “Think outside the box. Be results-oriented.”

The committee is chaired by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, and includes senior directors and aides from the technical, financial, engineering, planning, procurement, and media departments.

The committee’s Terms of Reference include conducting a thorough structural and integrity assessment of the buildings, determining the number and condition of housing units, and valuing existing work through proper surveying and market evaluation.

Additionally, the committee will assess costs required to complete essential infrastructure such as roads, power, and water. It will also develop standards for architectural and finishing consistency, propose a fair and transparent strategy for disposal and allocation of units via the Renewed Hope Housing Portal, and devise a public engagement plan to build confidence.

The committee must ensure effective coordination with key stakeholders, including the EFCC, FCTA, and relevant utility providers. A preliminary report is expected within four weeks.

The Minister of State, Yusuf Ata, emphasised the need for the committee to co-opt additional professionals as required, given the scale of the task and tight deadline.

“The committee should have the authority to co-opt members to assist, considering the magnitude of the task and the four-week timeline,” he noted.

Belgore assured that the team would execute its duties diligently and professionally.

“The committee has been tasked with ensuring the recovered estate undergoes a comprehensive technical assessment, is strategically completed, and disposed of transparently and cost-effectively, in line with national housing delivery objectives,” he said.

He added that the success of the assignment would serve as a model for transforming recovered public assets into impactful infrastructure.

“The successful execution of this assignment will serve as a benchmark for converting recovered public assets into infrastructure that directly benefits the people,” he concluded.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday sealed the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP) located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

A group of FCTA staff, according to The Tide source, locked the entrance gate of Wadata Plaza where the PDP’s national secretariat is located at about 2.06pm, yesterday.

This action follows the FCTA’s recent announcement on Sunday, stating its intention to reclaim properties affected by the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of ground rent spanning 10 to 43 years

The FCTA also shut down the Federal Inland Revenue Service office in Abuja for similar violations.

Meanwhile, an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station located in Zone 6, Wuse, Abuja, have also been shut down over non-payment of ground rent spanning 34 years.

The property occupied by Access Bank is officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, not the bank directly, according to official documents.

A letter dated March 13, 2025, signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated: “The Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 2456 within Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja.”

The letter cited the continued default in ground rent payment as the reason for the revocation.

“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for Thirty-Four (34) years,” it stated.

The closures are part of a larger enforcement campaign targeting defaulting property owners across the FCT.

According to officials, several notices and publications have been issued since 2023, warning all allottees to clear outstanding ground rent obligations.

Meanwhile, the Federal Inland Revenue Service has condemned the Federal Capital Territory Administration for shutting down one of its offices in Abuja.

The agency described the action as “malicious” and “unprofessional.”

In a statement released via X (formerly Twitter), Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the FIRS Executive Chairman, accused the FCTA of unfairly targeting the agency.

“It is highly unprofessional of the Wike-led FCTA to close our office, disrupting staff from performing their duties when we have done nothing wrong, especially during a crucial week as we prepare to sign the Tax Reform Bills. FCTA, you have erred gravely; FIRS owes you nothing,” Atoyebi asserted.

She further accused the FCTA of attempting to use FIRS as a scapegoat, adding, “If you are looking for a fall guy, look elsewhere. We should not be your scapegoat when you know full well that the falsehoods you spread in the media and your malicious, illegal actions will harm our operations.”

Atoyebi maintained that the agency has no outstanding rent payments to the FCTA for the past 25 years and insisted that all obligations had been settled up to 2023.

“We have the evidence,” she emphasised, pushing back against claims of indebtedness.

According to her, the incident comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria’s tax system, with major reform legislation expected to be finalised soon.

She warned that such disruptions could undermine public confidence and delay the implementation of key fiscal policies.

Analysts caution that escalating tensions between federal agencies may affect service delivery and create institutional instability.