Headlines

By Paul Williams The House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement has assured the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) of its support as the institute intensifies efforts to strengthen its regulatory capacity and reposition the Chemistry profession. This was as the Institute sustained its engagement with the National …

By Amos Odhe The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State, has reaffirmed its readiness for the forthcoming 2027 elections, with State Chairman, Hon. Chief Alabh George Turnah, Esq., assuring party members and Bayelsans of a fully prepared and increasingly strengthened political structure. Speaking at the 1st Expanded Meeting of heads …

By Paul Williams  Gas company NLNG and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday broke ground for the NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering (RICCEE) at Rivers State University in a bid to expand Nigeria’s indigenous research and technological capacity.  The project, NLNG’s largest Human Capital Development Institutional Strengthening initiative to date, is designed to enhance the university’s capacity to undertake advanced, industry‑relevant research, provide specialised training and develop technological solutions in computer and electrical engineering for Nigeria’s energy and industrial sectors.  A professorial chair, structured to be a fully operational research and development unit, will be instituted in the centre to promote industry‑focused research and develop solutions to critical operational challenges, particularly for NLNG. Successful research outcomes will also have the potential to be commercialised for wider industry application.  NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, described the project as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future and a practical demonstration of the company’s commitment to sustainable human capital development.  Falade, represented by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the centre would strengthen the university’s ability to produce highly skilled professionals and conduct research that responds directly to industry needs.  He added that RICCEE would strengthen the connection between academic knowledge and practical industry requirements, enabling researchers and professionals to collaborate on innovations with commercial and developmental relevance.  NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Director, Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, described the groundbreaking ceremony as an important milestone in the implementation of the agency’s Human Capital Development objectives.  He said the project forms part of the NCDMB’s Human Capital Development Institutional Strengthening Programme, which seeks to build enduring partnerships with institutions of higher learning by providing infrastructure that enhances teaching, research, innovation and practical skills development.  Ogbe urged the centre to become a vibrant hub of discovery, creativity, enterprise and technological advancement, where students are inspired to innovate, researchers develop solutions to real‑world challenges, and industry finds reliable partners for research and development.  He also commended NLNG for its firm belief in and commitment to the project, and lauded the Governing Council, the Vice‑Chancellor and the management of Rivers State University for their commitment to academic excellence.  Vice‑Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb‑Obipi, said the university’s 2026–2030 strategic development plan prioritises improving academic programmes and strengthening research collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship. He noted that the RICCEE would provide a vital platform for advancing these objectives.  “We envisage the centre as a world‑class hub where researchers and students can develop practical solutions to engineering and technological challenges, where university‑industry collaboration can flourish, and where innovative ideas can be transformed into useful products, technologies and services. The presence of NLNG and NCDMB today underscores the immense value of strategic partnerships,” he said.  He expressed profound gratitude to NLNG and NCDMB and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to ensuring that the centre is utilised productively to strengthen research, build human capacity, foster innovation and deepen collaboration with industry and educational institutions.  A release by NLNG’s Sophia Horsfall and NCDMB’s GM, Corporate Communications Division, Obinna Ezeobi, said the centre will be developed on approximately 9,336 sqm of land within the university and will accommodate specialised laboratories for Electronics and Signal Processing, Robotics and Embedded Systems, Software Engineering, and Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, among other facilities.  According to the release, “The laboratories are designed with in‑built offices and storage areas to support research, teaching, equipment management and technical administration.  “The building will also incorporate sustainability features, including provision for solar energy, energy‑efficient lighting and environmentally responsible systems intended to reduce operating costs and support reliable research activities.  “RICCEE is one of the Institutional Strengthening Projects being implemented under NCDMB’s Human Capital Development programme. The broader intervention is aimed at improving the capacity of institutions of learning through upgraded infrastructure, modern research facilities, technical equipment and industry‑aligned training programmes.  “The project extends Human Capital Development beyond the classroom by integrating academic instruction with research, technology development, professional training and practical problem‑solving. It will position Rivers State University as a stronger contributor to indigenous innovation and the development of solutions relevant to Nigeria’s industrial priorities,” the release said. 

By Paul Williams Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, is set to begin commissioning a tranche of “people‑oriented” projects meant to transform grassroots living standards and position the oil‑rich state for economic growth. Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, said on Friday at Government House that the commissioning …

By Paul Williams   Freight forwarders and truckers at Onne Port in Rivers State have threatened to shut down operations over the poor condition of the port’s access roads and the manner in which the e-call-up system recently introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is being implemented.  Six associations operating at the port, along with the Onne Youths Congress, the umbrella body for youths in Onne Community, noted that despite the huge resources accruing from Onne Port, the access roads leading to the port had become a death trap.  The associations on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority to suspend the e-call-up system until facilities such as loading bays are provided and dilapidated access roads are repaired.  Chairman of ANLCA, Onne Seaport Chapter, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, while reading a communique, expressed the associations’ deep concern and frustration over worsening operating conditions for members and the host community.  The unions said NPA rolled out the e-call-up system without first providing adequate holding bays, prompting “the unabated illegal parking of trucks on Onne roads that has choked traffic, damaged goods and exposed workers and residents to danger.”  They also described the port’s internal access roads as “deplorable” and a “death trap,” blaming the road condition for container-fall incidents, injuries and loss of life.  Isikaku said, “We can no longer tolerate unfulfilled NPA commitments and roads that endanger lives and destroy goods. If holding bays had been provided before the e-call-up rollout, this crisis would have been avoided.”  He pointed out that the situation is unfortunate for a port that has contributed up to N487 billion in Customs revenue alone to the federal coffers.  Isikaku said Customs revenue from Onne Port Command between January and July 2026 was approximately N439 billion, with an additional N48 billion from the Oil and Gas Free Zone — a combined N487 billion over seven months.  He called on the Federal Government, through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, to allocate a portion of that revenue to fix and maintain internal roads and port facilities.  “Onne contributes significantly to national revenue; a fraction of the N487 billion collected between January and July should be used to repair our roads and protect workers and the host community,” he said.  The unions, among other things, demanded an immediate end to illegal parking on Onne roads to restore free traffic flow, urgent maintenance and repair of all internal access roads to prevent container falls and safeguard lives, and a ban on members’ participation in arbitrary or bogus payments associated with the e-call-up system and port transport.  Chairman of the Maritime Union of Nigeria, Eastern Port, Uche Ogbu, whose union bears the brunt of the dilapidated roads, said, “Our members will not be compelled to make arbitrary payments for a system that lacks the infrastructure to work.”  He noted the unions’ resolve on the suspension of the e-call-up system from Monday, August 17, 2026, until adequate holding bays are constructed to accommodate current truck volumes; the suspension will remain in place until all listed challenges are addressed.  Ogbu stressed that, “The suspension takes effect on August 17 and will remain until our safety and operating conditions improve.”  He said, “We are the people carrying the burden of the e-call-up levies. We the maritime workers in collaboration with other stakeholders and Onne communities are going to down tools from Monday.  “We want to draw the attention of government to the poor state of the facilities where we do our businesses. We are not saying that NPA should take action that is beyond their capacity. But they should know how to reach out to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, reach out to the Managing Director of NPA and through that channel they can get to the Presidency about our plights.  “None of them are ready to live up to their responsibility. They are only interested in the e-call-up. We know that if we stop the e-call-up they will sit up and do something about our plights,” the MWUN chairman said. 

By Paul Williams Inspector‑General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu has warned political parties, candidates and supporters against acts likely to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026. Disu, in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Iniedu, …

By Emma Sunday  Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has denied reports of a fresh disagreement between the Executive and Legislative arms of the state government over the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The government, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, described …

…Harps on Collaboration with Stakeholders By Amos Odhe  The newly deployed Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, CP Ajao Saka Adewale, has formally assumed duty, vowing to wage a decisive war against cultism, armed robbery, maritime crimes, illegal firearms, drug trafficking and other forms of criminality in the state. CP …

By Emma Sunday  Operatives of the Rumuolumeni local vigilante group known as OSPAC, have arrested one suspect in connection with the shooting of a 100-level student at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, as cult violence on the Rivers State-owned campus continues to escalate. The suspect, identified as Mr. Smith, …

… As University of Africa gives Govt two weeks ultimatum to join indefinite strike action By Amos Odhe Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University(NDU) and the Bayelsà Medical University (BMU) have declared an industrial action over the alleged refusal of the State Government to implement 2025 CBA …