Niger Delta
Progress In 21-Km Nembe-Brass Road Project Impresses Diri … As Contractor Pledges December Delivery Date
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed fulfillment with the ongoing construction of the 21km phase one of the Nembe-Brass road projects in the state’s eastern senatorial district.
The Governor described the project as a dream come true for him and the people of Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas.
Senator Diri, who inspected the expansive construction work on Tuesday, said the road, which cuts through the mangrove forest and rivers, was a testament to his administration’s determination to connect hitherto unreachable riverine communities by road despite the difficult terrain.
Led by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, ESV Moses Teibowei, Diri first inspected the asphalted 10km portion of the road with about three bridges, before crossing the river on a barge to see the extent of work on another 10km that had been stabilised.
Diri in astatement by his spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, was quoted as noting that it was one thing to have a vision and another to have the will to execute it.
Alabrah also quoted the Governor as saying that the project had been well funded since it commenced and assured that his administration will complete it on the date stated by the contractors.
On the second phase of the project undertaken by the federal government, the State Chief Execution appreciated President Bola Tinubu for awarding the contract and for ensuring that it is running simultaneously with the phase one being done by the state government.
“I feel accomplished. It is one thing to have the vision and another thing to have the will to do it. Being a Bayelsan, the importance of this road cannot be over-emphasised. This is what the people have been yearning for and I’m satisfied that the people are happy about the project.
“On funding, we have never disappointed the contractor and I believe they will not disappoint us. By the time the road is completed, it will reduce cases of sea piracy.
“Let me sieze this opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu. There was another President when we proposed this road. We wrote, nobody answered us then. But this President did not only answer us, he awarded the contract for the second phase”, Diri said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Teibowei, expressed satisfaction with the level of work so far done, stressing that the most difficult aspect of the job had been done.
He said the fifth bridge being constructed will be completed in three months while assuring that the road will be finished within the stipulated time.
The Setraco Construction Company South-South Area Manager (Bayelsa and Rivers), Mr. Jose Cosme, said phase one of the road will be completed in December 2026.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Dr. Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, has called for calm and a peaceful resolution of the ongoing impasse in the Warri Federal Constituency.
Ekpemupolo, a High Chief in Ijaw land, who made the call in a statement in Warri, noted that the ongoing impasse arose from the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to complete the delineation of wards in the constituency.
He appealed that the situation must not be allowed to be hijacked or degenerate into violence of any sort.
“I join all well-meaning Nigerians to call for a peaceful resolution. The Ijaw nation has from time immemorial been known for their peaceful ways and we cannot deviate from our history.
“The current political situation arising from the failure of INEC to complete the delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency and mass action must not be allowed to be hijacked or degenerate into violence of any sort.
“Therefore, I am calling for calm, no matter the situation. We must all join hands in seeking a peaceful resolution to this impasse”, he said.
Ekpemupolo, who is also the Chairman, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), while urging INEC to do the right thing and restore the peace in Warri and environ, called for an urgent meeting of community leaders to device a way forward.
“We call on the people of Warri (whether Ijaw, Itsekiri or Urhobo) to be calm and wait patiently for INEC to do the right thing”, he said.
He recalled that since on Monday, there had been mass action by peaceful women and youths from the various Ijaw communities in Delta, occupying oil and gas installations in the Escravos and Warri river areas.
He added that the peaceful action had led to calls from various quarters, particularly from well-meaning Nigerians, seeking for a peaceful resolution of the imbroglio.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said construction work on the 3.75-kilometre Okrika-Borikiri Road and bridge project in Rivers State will gather momentum following the payment of compensation to affected property owners at the Borikiri axis of the project.
Speaking during an inspection of the project site in Okrika, the NDDC Assistant Director, Utilities, Infrastructure Development and Waterways (UIDW), Martins Isichei, disclosed that compensation issues that had stalled progress on the Borikiri alignment had been resolved.
According to him, the Commission has settled compensation claims for property owners affected by the project corridor and is awaiting the evacuation of residents before commencing demolition of structures within the right of way.
“The NDDC has paid compensation to property owners along the Borikiri alignment, and we are expecting the evacuation of residents there before we commence demolition of structures in the right of way”, he said.
Isichei noted that work on the Okrika section of the project had recorded significant progress despite challenges encountered on the waterways.
He explained that shortly after work resumed, a vessel collided with an existing pile, forcing engineers to redesign part of the bridge structure.
“When we resumed work on the site, a vessel collided with an existing pile. We had to re-profile the bridge and develop a new design to circumvent the damaged pile”, he said.
The NDDC official expressed optimism that the project would ease traffic congestion along the refinery road corridor and significantly reduce travel time between Okrika and Port Harcourt upon completion.
He explained that the project comprises three major bridge structures: the 180-metre Kolabi Bridge at Etche Waterfront, the 1,120-metre Abotoru Bridge, and the 490-metre Okpoka Bridge.
While acknowledging that progress on the Borikiri alignment had lagged because of compensation-related issues, Isichei said construction activities would commence there shortly.
Also speaking, the Project Consultant, Azu Chukwuma, said the scope of the project was reviewed following its revival to align with present realities and engineering requirements.
He noted that efforts were underway to accelerate construction, particularly the launching of bridge beams, despite the high cost of marine logistics associated with the project.
“Our intention is to determine how quickly we can proceed with launching the first sets of beams. The work is mainly on the river, and much of the marine logistics involved is costly. I am in touch with the appropriate officials of the NDDC to determine the best way forward”, Chukwuma stated.
He commended host communities for their cooperation, noting that the absence of major disputes had contributed to the project’s steady progress.
A representative of the construction company, Maroun Kassouf, said fabrication of bridge beams had advanced considerably and that installation would begin soon.
“The project is progressing well. Once people evacuate at the Borikiri end, we will demolish the structures there and move to that site immediately. That end would be much easier, as the river is shallower than the Okrika end”, he said.
The Vice Chairman of the Okrika Community Development Committee, Minengibi Ferdinand, lauded the NDDC for undertaking the project, describing it as a critical infrastructure that would improve connectivity and stimulate economic growth.
He said the road and bridge network would provide an alternative route to Okrika, ease pressure on the East-West Road and open up communities for greater socio-economic development.
“This is a laudable project that will ease traffic on the East-West Road and provide an alternate route to Okrika. We are hopeful that once it is completed, it will attract socio-economic development to our community”, Ferdinand said.
Stakeholders from across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have renewed calls for environmental justice, climate accountability and a transition from decades of oil dependence.
This followed the convening by LincGreen Climate Change Initiative of its third annual “Look Beyond Oil” conference to mark World Environment Day 2026 in Port Harcourt.
The conference, held at Autograph Event Place along Abacha Road, GRA, Port Harcourt, drew a diverse audience of traditional rulers, environmental activists, students, researchers, community leaders and young advocates who gathered to examine the ecological realities confronting the Niger Delta and chart pathways towards a sustainable future.
Uniquely designed in the format of the traditional Niger Delta “Tales by Moonlight”, the event recreated the age-old practice of gathering after dark to share stories that preserve histories, convey warnings and reveal truths.
Organisers said the approach was intended to create a space for honest conversations about the environmental challenges facing the region.
In his opening address, Executive Director of LincGreen Climate Change Initiative, Tobechukwu Diolu, said the organisation was born out of the devastating floods that ravaged communities across Rivers State in 2022, exposing the fragile environmental condition of the Niger Delta after decades of oil-related degradation.
According to him, LincGreen’s engagements across the region have revealed the scale of the environmental crisis confronting local communities.
“LincGreen has visited 75 communities across the Niger Delta between 2024 and 2025. We have witnessed the multidimensional impacts of climate change, including the loss of homes, massive displacement of people and widespread environmental damage”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of affected oil-producing communities, the Paramount Ruler of Ogale Kingdom in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRH King Godwin Bebe Okpabi, lamented the environmental consequences of decades of oil extraction.
He disclosed that Ogale Community alone hosts about 20 oil wells but has received little environmental remediation despite years of exploitation.
“The oil was taken, but the land was not restored”, he said, while also criticising what he described as a deliberate divide-and-rule strategy that has weakened the collective bargaining power of Niger Delta communities.
Veteran environmental and community rights activist, Elder Celestine Akpobari, challenged young people to become more strategic in their advocacy efforts.
“If you want to destroy a man, destroy the environment”, he said, urging participants to transform information gathered through activism into practical campaigns capable of driving genuine change rather than merely documenting the region’s suffering.
Also speaking, Dr. Isaac Osuoka, Director of Social Action International, described oil exploitation in the Niger Delta as a system of extraction that has impoverished communities while enriching others.
“For us, oil represents colonisation, plunder and robbery of our people and land. It is the responsibility of the youth to recognise the need for change and to work for change”, he said.
Representing Rooted Rising Initiative, Chidera Onwuzurike stressed that climate change is no longer an abstract concept but a lived reality affecting communities daily.
She noted that her organisation focuses on the media dimensions of climate advocacy and is committed to ensuring that stories from the Niger Delta are told authentically and by those directly affected by environmental challenges.
On the role of technology, Executive Coordinator of MAJI, Onyekachi Emmanuel, highlighted the importance of data in environmental protection and climate advocacy.
He urged young people to embrace technological tools that can enhance public awareness, strengthen evidence-based campaigns and improve environmental accountability.
Similarly, investigative journalist, Dappa Prinye Peter, encouraged emerging advocates to develop precision in their communication efforts by focusing on clearly defined issues and building consistent platforms capable of sustaining public engagement.
Contributing to discussions on youth participation and nation-building, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Obari Gomba, advised young Nigerians against abandoning the country in search of opportunities abroad.
He urged them instead to remain and contribute meaningfully to national development.
A Research Fellow at the Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University, Dr. Ibinabo Ogolo, called on academics from the region to take a more active role in documenting the environmental crisis and holding institutions accountable.
“For more than 60 years, Niger Delta land, water and air have suffered oil pollution, gas flaring and climate impacts. As scholars from this region, we carry a unique responsibility. We possess the data, lived experience and intellectual tools to rigorously expose this crisis. We have not done enough”, she said.
Ogolo further challenged researchers to critically evaluate interventions by agencies such as the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), while generating evidence capable of influencing policy and strengthening accountability.
“The Niger Delta is ground zero for climate justice. If we do not document and analyse our story, others will write it for us or ignore it entirely”, she added.
Also speaking, Prof. Malisi Onyeka Festus of the University of Port Harcourt encouraged young people to sustain their involvement in environmental advocacy through continuous learning, motivation, skill acquisition and community engagement.
Participants at the conference agreed that while climate change remains a global challenge, the Niger Delta occupies a unique position where environmental degradation, oil pollution and climate vulnerability intersect.
They called for stronger grassroots mobilisation, increased investment in climate education and greater accountability from governments, regulatory agencies and oil companies operating in the region.
At the end of he event, a common message resonated across generations: the future of the Niger Delta depends not only on looking beyond oil, but on empowering communities to shape a more just and sustainable environmental future.
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