The Egberipapa Foundation has unveiled a mass transit scheme aimed at easing transportation difficulties and improving connectivity among communities in the three Kalabari local government areas of Asari-Toru, Degema and Akuku-Toru in Rivers State.
The initiative, established by former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Council, High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, popularly known as Egberipapa, is designed to make transportation more accessible and affordable for residents across the Kalabari area.
The scheme was launched on Monday, October 12, 2026, and is expected to address longstanding transportation challenges confronting residents, particularly those in riverine and hard-to-reach communities.
Communities expected to benefit from the initiative include Krakrama, Minama, Angulama, Sangama, Omekwe-Tariama and Omekwe-Ama.
The project is expected to ease movement within and beyond the Central Group area, while providing residents with a more convenient means of transportation for their daily activities.
For decades, transportation difficulties have posed significant challenges to several Kalabari communities, making movement between settlements both cumbersome and expensive. These challenges have also affected commercial activities, social interactions and access to essential services.
The introduction of the mass transit scheme is therefore expected to provide relief to residents, strengthen inter-community connections and stimulate economic activities across the benefiting communities.
Beyond improving mobility, the initiative could contribute to community development by facilitating the movement of people and goods, supporting local businesses and enhancing social and economic interactions within the Kalabari area.
As the scheme gets underway, attention will be focused on its implementation, accessibility and sustainability, as well as its capacity to deliver lasting transportation benefits to the target communities.
The initiative represents a potentially significant step towards addressing transportation challenges and promoting grassroots development across the Kalabari Kingdom.

The Amaewhule family of mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State has cautioned members of the public against entering into any land transaction involving a disputed property known as “Ada Oro Fam Land,” located behind the OPM Church along Airport Road.

The family, through its legal counsel, Barrister Ndubuisi Agumagu, issued the warning amid an ongoing legal dispute over the ownership and control of the property, which is said to comprise more than 900 plots of land.

The matter is currently before the Isiokpo High Court of Rivers State in a suit numbered IHC/246/CS/2026, presided over by Justice Sobere Biambo.

The claimants in the suit include Chief Green Amaewhule and others, while Fabulous Amaewhule and Odibola Properties are listed among the respondents.

Counsel to the Amaewhule family, Barr Ndubuisi Agumagu, advised prospective land buyers and members of the public to exercise caution and refrain from purchasing any portion of the disputed property pending the determination of the case by the court.

According to the legal counsel, the property is a family estate belonging collectively to the Amaewhule family, and no individual member of the family has the authority to unilaterally dispose of portions of the land.

The counsel specifically maintained that Fabulous Amaewhule, one of the respondents in the suit, does not have the legitimate authority, according to the family’s position before the court, to sell portions of the disputed property.

The family further warned that anyone who proceeds to purchase land from the respondents while the matter remains before the court would be doing so at their own risk.

It stressed that such buyers could potentially lose their investments should the court eventually deliver judgment against the validity of the transactions.

The legal team said the warning became necessary to prevent unsuspecting members of the public from committing their resources to a property whose ownership and right of disposition are currently the subject of judicial determination.

The family also urged prospective investors, developers and land buyers to conduct proper legal inquiries and obtain independent verification of the status of the property before committing funds to any transaction relating to it.

The Amaewhule family said its position was intended to protect members of the public from possible financial losses and further legal complications while the case remains sub judice, stressing that interested parties should await the final determination of the court.

Akujobi Amadi

The Rivers State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to prioritising human capital development, particularly education, as a foundation for sustainable development and national progress.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara gave the assurance on Tuesday while declaring open the 85th Plenary Meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE), hosted by Rivers State at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.

The four-day plenary, with the theme ” Infrastructural Development And Teacher motivation: panacea for improved learning outcomes” brought together education policymakers, technocrats and stakeholders from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, is focused on deliberating on critical issues affecting the education sector and developing policies to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Fubara, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor, said the meeting provided an important platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, harmonise policies and address emerging challenges confronting the nation’s education system.

The governor said his administration had placed human capital development at the centre of its governance philosophy, with deliberate investments in the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of educational infrastructure across the state.

He, however, stressed that infrastructure alone could not guarantee meaningful educational outcomes, emphasising the need to prioritise the welfare, training and continuous professional development of teachers, whom he described as central to the success of the education system.

Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela’s observation that education is a powerful instrument for changing society, Fubara said teachers and infrastructure must be treated as complementary components of educational development. He added that sustained investment in teachers would strengthen the entire education system.

The governor acknowledged the challenges confronting Nigeria’s education sector, including inadequate funding and infrastructure deficits, and called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, states and other stakeholders to address the problems.

He urged participants to ensure that resolutions reached at the plenary did not end as policy documents but translated into measurable improvements in classrooms, schools and the lives of teachers and learners across the country.

In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, represented by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folake Olatunji-David commended the Rivers State Government and people for the hospitality and arrangements put in place to host the plenary.

Alausa highlighted Federal Government initiatives aimed at transforming the education sector, including the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, Renewed Hope Energised Education Programme, Next-Generation Student Hostel Projects and the National Digital Learning Initiative, among others.

The minister urged delegates to go beyond identifying challenges and develop pragmatic and actionable recommendations on infrastructure, teacher capacity development and innovative financing, stressing that the outcome of the plenary would be consolidated and forwarded to the National Council on Education, the highest policy-making body in the sector, for consideration and further action.