Featured
Our Projects’ll Put APC Out Of Contention …Sets Six-Month Delivery Target For Abuloma Roads -Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), will be completely dislodged in the state before 2019 with projects.
Speaking while flagging off the reconstruction and rehabilitation of internal roads within Abuloma, Fimie, Ozuboko and Amadi-Ama communities, yesterday, at the playground of State Secondary School, Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, the governor assured that the APC will totally lose supporters by the time it fulfills its promises.
Wike said the opposition has lost support due to its failure to fulfill any of its electioneering campaign promises, but added that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has gained more supporters because, “As a party, when we make promises, we fulfill them.”
He pointed out that the project was part of his electoral campaign promises in 2015 when he visited Ward 20 in PHALGA, and therefore, was bent on reciprocating the people’s good gesture.
Wike decried the state of roads in the city, as he carpeted the immediate past administration for allowing the city infrastructure to rot without any remediation.
Consequently, the governor has given the contractor six months to complete and deliver the projects, while enjoining the firm to also engage indigenes of the area in jobs and other contracting activities so as to ensure smooth job delivery.
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Charles Chima Orlu, thanked the governor for the urban renewal efforts since he assumed office in 2015.
Orlu said, “So far since the assumption of office, things have improved as our roads have moved from old to new within Diobu, Old Port Harcourt Township and Ogbunabali, among few others.”
The CTC chairman pledged support of the people to the administration to ensure it achieves its objectives.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, James Enebeli said the project covers 28 streets of 14.25 kilometres stretch within the four communities, adding that the contractor has 240 days to complete the job.
He noted that the roads will ease traffic, economic activities, and also improve inter-communal relations while giving the area a new look.
Representative of the Chinese Construction firm, CECC, Robinson Ndiogho, while responding, thanked the government for the opportunity to contribute to the state infrastructure development, and assured that the project will be completed in due time.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike got plaudits, yesterday from royal fathers, elders and indigenes of Abuloma and Amadi-Ama communities in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, following the flag off of road rehabilitation and construction in the area.
Speaking to newsmen during the official commencement of the project, yesterday, at the premises of State Secondary School, Amadi-Ama, the Obeomomuodo of Abuloma, Bright Fiboinumama said it will enhance development of the area.
“I think for now, what we need most is road, and we need it more than before. For a very long time, I have not seen Amadi-Ama and Abuloma coming together as they have today,” he observed.
The Abuloma king expressed thanks to Wike for including the area in his developmental agenda, saying, “We are happy with what he is doing, and we pray that he keeps doing the good.”
On his part, Special Adviser on Primary Health Care to the Governor, Dr. George Opuada said the people were overwhelmed with the coverage of the project, which includes four communities of Abuloma, Fimie, Ozuboko, Amadi-Ama.
Opuada asserted that, “this is the very first time the governor is reconstructing our internal roads within these communities.”
The governor’s aide enjoined the people in the area to ensure the project succeeds as it will enhance the beauty and traffic flow within the communities.
In the same vein, Special Adviser to the Governor on Emergency and Relief, Hon Bereni Irisofe applauded Wike for fulfilling his promises to the people of Ward 20.
Irisofe pledged the total support of the people to the administration, and expressed hope that more projects will come to the area considering the visionary leadership displayed by the governor.
Earlier, representative of the communities in his speech had called for the inclusion of roads within Azuabie, construction of drainage to reduce flooding, construction of primary school at Ozuboko and its environs and upgrading of royal stools in Abuloma to first class, among other requests.
The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,
Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.
Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”
He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.
Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.
He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.
“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.
”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.
He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.
The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.
Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.
”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.
”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.
“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.
Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.
He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.
“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.
Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.
He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them
According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.
”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.
”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.
“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over its failure to constitute the governing board of the National Pension Commission.
The Labour Centre also accused the government of diverting workers’ funds through the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
According to a communiqué signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the Central Working Committee of the NLC met on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, to deliberate on urgent issues affecting Nigerian workers, the trade union movement, and the nation at large.
The meeting addressed the leadership crisis in the Edo State Council of the NLC, what it described as alarming developments in the NSITF, the governance vacuum in PENCOM, and the broader state of the nation.
The communiqué noted that the CWC expressed outrage at the ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights through the Federal Government’s diversion of 40% of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as “revenue,” describing it as a flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.
“Equally condemnable is the new administration’s false claim of ownership of the NLC National Headquarters, a property owned by Nigerian workers; the resort to cyber and media bullying of the trade unions and leadership, coupled with covert moves to amend the NSITF Act in a manner that would disenfranchise workers and give the government full control over the funds.
“The CWC warns that these actions represent a direct attack on workers’ rights, hard-earned resources, and the principle of tripartite governance enshrined in international labour standards.
“The Congress affirms that the NSITF belongs to the Nigerian working class and will mobilise all legitimate means to ensure workers’ interests are protected,” Ajaero said.
On the steps to be taken, the NLC president stated, “The NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven working days from today.
“The PENCOM board must be properly constituted in full compliance with the law within seven working days from today.
“The Pension Commission must submit to the NLC a full status report of the funds within the same period.
“If at the end of these seven working days, nothing is done, the NLC will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the sector.”
-
Maritime5 days agoNCC Announces Telecoms Facilities Protection Measures
-
Business5 days agoAON Lifts Ban On Freed Ibom Air Passenger
-
Sports5 days agoNYG:154 Nasarawa Contingent Storms Kwara For Zonal Eliminations
-
Sports5 days agoNathaniel breaks record as Amusan, Ofili clinch third
-
Sports5 days agoNigeria delegation Visits London over 2030 Commonwealth bid
-
Maritime5 days agoBureaucracy, Relationship Gaps, Bane Of Maritime Safety Investigation – NSIB
-
News5 days agoChurch Renders Free Medical Outreach, Others To Host Communities
-
Business5 days agoPETAN, Others Unveil ALCO, Get NCDMB’s Support … Mull Synergy With APPO, AU