Rivers
Firm Delivers Agip Road Rehabilitation
General Manager, Rivers State Nespaper Corproation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (left), in a handshake with a retired staff of the corporation, Mrs Fyne West (2nd right), during a sendforth party organised in her honour in Port Harcourt on Monday. Photo: Ibioye Diama
Barely two weeks after the
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, charged the management of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to expedite action on the rehabilitation of the Agip Junction to Agip Operational Headquarters in Mgbuoshimini, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, work on the road has been completed.
On February 2, 2016, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had during an audience with the management of NAOC, made the charge, and said that security measures taken by his administration have improved across the state, urging NAOC to improve its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility to its host communities.
But speaking to The Tide in an interview in Port Harcourt, Okmas Nigeria Limited, the construction company handling the Agip Road rehabilitation project said that the phase I of the work from Mgbuoshimini Junction to Shandees’ Fast Food has hit 100 per cent completion.
The Public Relations Officer of the company, Mr Ebere Ohwondah, said that the remaining part of the work was part of the second phase, and added that his company was also ready to deliver the job once approval has been granted for commencement of the second phase by NAOC management.
Mr Ohwondah said that since the work started, the NAOC has been monitoring the quality of work done, and had expressed satisfaction with the work done so far, especially with the good drainage system to take care of flooding during the rainy season, and hoped that the second phase from Shandees’ to the Ikwerre Road Flyover would be approved as quickly as possible so that work would commence in earnest.
Mr Ebere further stated that there has been no challenge as both the NAOC and its host community were cooperating with workers on site; and hoped that the second phase of the road rehabilitation work would be completed before the rainy season sets in.
A motorist, Mr Anthony Nkoro, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of Agip management to rehabilitate the strategic road, that links Eagle Island, Mile Three and Agip Ada-George. He said the gesture will alleviate the sufferings of the road users.
Also, a pedestrian, Mrs Blessing Victor, said she was happy with the on-going work on the road, adding that God has remembered residents of the area.
She pleaded with the NAOC to include street lights, so that the area can experience a phase lift, while checking criminal activities, especially at night.
When The Tide called for comments by the Public Affairs Officer of NAOC, access to the company’s premises was denied.
Further attempts to get the Agip spokesperson on phone were also rebuffed.
However, The Tide investigation show that Okmas has as at last Friday, withdrawn its construction equipment from the site of the project, apparently in response to the delay by Agip management to approve the second phase of the project.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Judges of the High Court, Rivers State state Port Harcourt have resumed their normal Court sitting on Wednesday 30th April 2025 after spending fifteen days this year’s Easter holidays.
It will be recalled that the State High Court Judges had proceeded on Easter vacation on Monday April 14 to 29th ,2025 on the approval of the state chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi.
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar, High Court Rivers State, Port Harcourt, David Ihua _maduenyi, esq said the judges are to resume court sitting on Wednesday 30th April, 2025 in line with the earlier directives from the state chief judge and urged the general public to take notice of the resumption date.
“This is to inform the general public that the judges of the High court of the Rivers state shall resume normal Court sitting after Easter vacation on Wednesday, 30th April, 2025.
“Recall that the chief judge of Rivers state, Hon justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi had earlier directed that judges of the high court of Rivers state, should proceed on Easter vacation from Monday, 18 April 2025 to Tuesday, 29th April, 2025.”
“The general public should take notice:the High court of Rivers state shall resume sitting on Wednesday, 30th April 2025.”
The Management of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, has approved annual free medical checks for all staff of the University. The move is to promote staff sound health and productivity at work place.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, disclosed this during the third edition of the “Walk for Life” health, wellness and fitness exercise, held last Saturday.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the new health policy will enable every staff member of the University to undergo free comprehensive medical check-up on their birthdays, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to promoting the health and wellbeing of staff members.
Professor Zeb-Obipi emphasized that regardless of whether a staff member’s birthday falls on a weekend, the initiative applies to all Rivers State University employees, expressing optimism that the Health Services Department has the required manpower and facilities to manage the novel health policy.
To achieve the policy, the VC said that the Establishment Division will liaise with the Health Services to compile the birthdays of all staff and send notification two or three days before the days their birthdays fall, reminding them to go for their free medical check-up.
Highlighting the importance of active leadership, the Vice-Chancellor stated that leadership requires direct engagement with the people, a principle he called “management by walking the floor,” rather than managing from behind closed doors. He emphasized that policies should be crafted from direct engagement with employees to understand their challenges.
He noted that this edition of the “Walk for Life” health fitness programme serves as a practical example of this management style, allowing him to interact with members of the university community and observe firsthand the need for regular health checks. He described the walk as a “worthy exercise,” pointing out that since most university work is sedentary, periodic physical activities such as the Walk for Life are crucial for the health and productivity of the staff.
The Vice-Chancellor also noted that this month’s “Walk for Life” coincides with the World Malaria Week, underlining the University’s commitment to supporting global health initiatives with the pledge that “Malaria must end with us.”.
Earlier, the Director of Health Services Department, Dr. Dagogo Cookey-Gam, charged the university community to visit the Medical Centre for testing before treatment of malaria. He said parents should watch out for children under 5 years because they can come under severe malaria attack, adding that pregnant women should also be mindful not to be exposed of having malaria due to their low immune system.
Dr. Cookey-Gam noted that malaria can be prevented by maintaining a clean environment and using mosquito nets.
On his part, the Director of the University Sports Unit, Prof. Joseph Vipene, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the monthly “Walk for Life” initiative, assuring that the programme which has come to stay has placed the University in an enviable position for others to emulate.
The Police Command in Rivers State has confirmed the commencement of an investigation into the death of a police officer who allegedly took his own life in Port Harcourt.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
“We received a report about an officer who allegedly killed himself.
“However, we are currently investigating the report to ascertain what transpired”, she stated.
Iringe-Koko reported that the Commissioner of Police in the Sstate, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for a thorough investigation.
According to viral reports Monday, Insp. Maxwell Zabu, formerly a security detail to Victor Ihunwo, a former Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council, allegedly shot himself at Ihunwo’s residence in Eagle Island, Port Harcourt.
A source familiar with the incident said the matter was reported to the Azikiwe Police Division in the area.
“Following the report, detectives from the division visited the scene as part of preliminary investigation procedures”, the source added.