Niger Delta
Rivers Bishops Move To Tackle Societal Ills …Sensitise, Empower Young Pastors

Bishops in Rivers State under the aegis of the Transformational Bishops Fellowship (TBF), have taken a giant stride to ensure that ills of society are tackled head on through the word of God with the sensitisation and empowerment of young pastors drawn from across the state.
To this end, the Bishops recently organised a two-day conference at the Pacesetters Christian Assembly in Port Harcourt, where four speakers were carefully selected to educate the pastors on what was expected from them as they daily go about their pastoral calling.
Among the speakers were the President of TBF, Bishop Joseph Ebhohimen; Bishop Norman Jonah; Bishop Williams Daka; and Bishop Victor Uzosike.
Shedding light on the activities of the organisation in separate interviews with newsmen shortly after the conference, the President of TBF and General Overseer of Pacesetters Christian Assembly, Bishop Joseph Ebhohimen, expressed delight that the event attracted over 200 participants from various parts of the state, stressing that the body which has been in existence for about 10 years has been able to put corrective measures in place to correct some erroneous views peddled by some so called Bishops and men of God whose activities he said have ultimately made Christianity watery.
“TBF has come to stay to correct some of the ills through teachings, seminars and programmes. Our aim is to make sure Christians are not misled. We are actually out to use these corrective measures to help our generation because there are so many ills in the society; and since God has shown us the truth, we want to help others to know the truth”, he said.
Vice President of the group and General Overseer of Light Weight Christian Church, Bishop Williams Daka said the objective of the fellowship is to be able to positively impact the clergy, which he described as their immediate community, saying, “We believe that if the clergy is transformed, the church is transformed; if the church is transformed, society will be transformed”.
Bishop Daka indicated that his expectation and prayer for Nigeria were for the Lord to transform the country from the era of corruption to the era of prosperity.
On his part, the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the conference and Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Outreach Ministries, Bishop Victor Uzosike attributed the success of the conference to focus and unity among the Bishops, pointing out that the fellowship is made up of Bishops who have set their hearts to create values in the lives of young ministers of the gospel and in the Body of Christ.
He advised the Federal Government to include leadership in the curriculum of tertiary education in the country, stressing that what the country needs now is creative leadership.
Bishop Uzosike further indicated that he anchored his presentation at the conference on maximising productivity because many people think that pastoral calling is basically to relax, without realising that it involves a lot of work.
According to him, “when a pastor is transformed, the church is transformed”.
The General Secretary of TBF, Bishop Chris Olisa, said the fellowship is living up to its billing by setting a standard for Bishops and correcting the errors of the society.
While describing the two-day conference as a huge success, Bishop Olisa said it was so because the pastors that participated in the event were taught, energised and set on fire for the next phase of their ministry.
According to him, “those who were weak, were strengthened and they equally felt a sense of fulfillment”.
The high point of the occasion was the distribution of palliatives to the participants to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on them.
Donatus Ebi
Niger Delta
RSNC Head Charges NAOMEW On Professionalism, Effective Service Delivery

The Head of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba, has charged the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (NAOMEW) World Wide, to be committed to professionalism, patriotism and effective service delivery in the discharge of their duties and rendering of patriotic gestures.
Mrs Gbaraba gave the charge yesterday when the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter paid her a courtesy call in her office in Port Harcourt.
She expressed deep appreciation for the visit, and assured the Association of her commitment to being a worthy Ogoni Ambassador like late Mr Augustine Nwikinaka, former General Manager of the corporation, to promote the fortunes of the corporation, while counting on their unflinching encouragement, prayers and support to succeed.
“ I am very happy to receive the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (The Tide Chapter) today in my office. I am glad you people came to my office, for those that know me in a short while in the corporation, I am a serious-minded person. I heard that the time the corporation was functioning well was under the leadership of late Austin Nwikinaka. Any where I go to, I will rather come down and show working example and that is what the Ogoni person is known for. So I am always proud to associate myself with an Ogoni man, so your support means so much to me,” Mrs Gbaraba said.
She assured them of running an open-door policy in the management of the corporation, and urged stronger partnership between NAOMEW, other unions, interest groups, corporate organisations, institutions and the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in professional service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter, the National Secretary of the association, Comrade Taneh Beemene welcomed her into The Tide family and also congratulated her on her very important appointment.
Taneh, who expressed confidence in her experience and abilities to deliver on her assignments, thanked her for the uncommon feats recorded in the corporation within her brief leadership. He said the corporation has been revived from its comatose status that predated her appointment.
“ Within your short time, you have given the corporation a remarkable facelift. We pray that God should give you the enablement to restore the dignity of the corporation. We have come to inform you that we are solidly behind you and will make our untiring contributions to make you succeed, “ he stated.
In his vote of thanks and closing remarks, the Chairman, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Production Workers (NUPPPPROW), Comrade Keyirale Donatus Nwiueh thanked the Head of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba for receiving the association in a warm manner, adding that she should count on the support of the association to succeed.
Kiadum Edookor
Niger Delta
OBALGA Sole Administrator Presents Brand New Fire Extinguishers To Council …Commiserates With Traders Over Rumuomasi Market Fire Incident …Commences Desilting Of Drainages

The Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has presented 150 brand new fire extinguishers to the council.
Dr Walter who spoke to newsmen at the council premises at Rumuodumanya said the gesture was part of measures by his administration to ensure safety of lives and council property from unforeseen fire incidents.
He urged the staff of the council to ensure the safety of the extinguishers, while promising to engage experts to teach them how to handle and operate the extinguishers.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator of Obio Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has commiserated with traders at the Rumuomasi Market over the unfortunate fire incident that gutted parts of the market.
Dr Walter who visited the market to assess the level of damage caused by the fire, described it as unfortunate
Addressing the crowd of distressed traders and community members, Dr. Walter acknowledged the historical significance of the market, which was originally built under the administration of the former Obio/Akpor Chairman and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON.
He noted that preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though a full investigation is still underway.
“As a local government, we will constitute a thorough investigation team to determine the root cause of the fire,
“Most importantly, we thank God that no lives were lost. I want to assure our traders that the Local Government will not abandon you.
“We will also work with security operatives to safeguard salvaged goods and prevent further losses,” he said.
He encouraged traders to adopt stricter safety measures, especially concerning electrical appliances in markets prone to fire hazards.
“There are many ways fires can ignite, even without an open flame. Let us all be vigilant and prioritise safety,” he cautioned.
Dr. Walter also commended those who stepped in to assist during the emergency.
“We are grateful to all who helped salvage goods and support affected persons during the crisis. Your kindness embodies the spirit of Obio/Akpor. The forthcoming investigation will help us put preventive structures in place,” he said.
The Chairman of the market, Mr. Prince Adele, who accompanied Dr. Walter, during the inspection, identified K-Lane as the most severely affected area.
A statement by the information officer to the council, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said no incident of death was reported by the traders during the visit.
In another development, the Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor local government council, Sir Clifford Ndu Walter, has commenced a comprehensive canal clearance campaign with a view to identifying and removal of all blockages including illegal structures hindering the free flow of waters in the area.
A statement from the council Press Secretary, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said during the inspection of key canals in the area, several unauthorised barricades and blockages were discovered and removed.
According to the statement, Dr Walter emphasised that illegal dumping, unapproved structures and poor drainage habits endanger communities and undermine government efforts, adding that his administration is committed to protecting lives and property of the citizens.
It said the Sole Administrator also declared his readiness to ensure that all canals and drainages are cleaned, maintained and functioning effectively.
He also warned against further dumping of waste in waterways, citing impending flooding.