The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has told investors that Rivers is safe for business.

Nsirim spoke when the newly elected executive body of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (PHCCIMA) visited him in his office in Port Harcourt yesterday.

He said: “We want PHCCIMA to have a voice. The voice of the Chamber needs to be louder because we must articulate strategies that will  begin to project Rivers State to the outside world.

“I don’t think there is any state that has an integrated and comprehensive security architecture like what Governor Nyesom Wike has put in place in Rivers State. We have the conventional police force, the Operation Sting, the C4i and the Neighbourhood  Watch”.

Nsirim said Wike had done his part by providing the right leadership, building the right  infrastructure and making the state safe for businesses to thrive and called on PHCCIMA to make its voice louder about the business opportunities that abound in the state.

He said: “Governor Wike has done his part. He has also properly streamlined the tax regime to ensure that businesses do not suffer multiple taxation. We need to begin to develop the synergy that will  begin to build on what he has done for Rivers State.”

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has alleged the presence of sleaze in the award of fictitious desilting contracts to the tune of N20billion by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A statement by the spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, claimed that the evidence available to them showed a sleazy process culminating in the forgery of signatures of former acting Managing Director of NDDC Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, and former Executive Director (Projects) Samuel Adjogbe.

Ekerefe said the signatures were allegedly forged to give credence to the payment of the ghost contractors between N300million and N400million in the last three months.

The spokesman, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged sleaze.

Ekerefe equally implored Buhari to order probe into the financial transactions of the NDDC during the months under review.

He also advised him to prevail on the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the Sole Administrator, NDDC, Effiong Akwa, to step aside for investigation to be carried out concerning the illegal payment.

Ekerefe said: “We have discovered that of the N20billion paid out illegally by the NDDC, 60 per cent went to Abuja through the bureau de change, while it has failed to pay the genuine contractors that have finished the projects awarded by the commission.

“The commission even hired thugs to chase away protesting contractors. We have resolved to mobilise and launch a reprisal against those hired thugs and invade the homes of those that hire them.”

The Bayelsa West Youth Leadership Forum (BWYLF) has hailed Sen. Seriake Dickson for choosing their area to site the University of Africa, Toru-Orua (UAT), when he was the governor.

The youth said the vision of Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West, had yielded dividends, as the university recently graduated its maiden students.

BWYLF in a statement by its Coordinator, Akene Moses; Secretary, Mary Clement and spokesman, Doupere Fada, said the former governor brought education to the doorsteps of his people at the rural area.

The group said: “Any society that wants to develop must prioritise education. Such priority is necessary to ensure that people to take over leadership positions in the public and private sectors are equipped with knowledge.

“Today, the vision of ex-governor Dikckson, who is now a senator, to establish a university somewhere at Bayelsa West has yielded positive results in preparing the younger generation for leadership positions in future. This institution, the University of Africa Toru-Orua (UAT), has produced its maiden graduates with good grades and flying colours.

“We want to convey our heartfelt appreciation to Sen. Dickson for bringing one of the world-class universities to the doorsteps of his people in the rural area.”

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has distributed 2,700 smart phones and two cars to youths, as part of activities marking the St Valentine’s Day.

Uzodimma, who distributed the gifts during the ‘Hope for Imo’ Valentine Concert in Owerri at the weekend, promised the recipients free airtime and data subscriptions.

The two new Greely cars were presented to Mr. Joshua Okeke from Orlu Local Government and Miss Blessing Emekwe from Ikeduru Council, who were winners in a lucky deep conducted at the venue of the programme.

The governor reinstated his commitment to youth empowerment through job creation and called on the youth to fish out criminals disturbing the peace of the state.

Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor Mr. Moses Ekpo has said the government is committed to the resolution of communal crisis.

Ekpo, speaking at the weekend during a sensitisation campaign for the people of Ikot Ayan Itam in Itu Local Government and Ikot Udo in Uruan Council, urged border communities to choose dialogue as a means of resolving crisis.

The deputy governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary in his office, Mr. Nkopuruk Ekaiko, condemned the destruction of lives and property during the crisis and advised that communities should channel their grievances and report security threats to their traditional rulers and council chairmen.

He said:  “In a renewed effort at sustaining a peaceful atmosphere in the state, the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration has established a benchmark in the use of dialogue in peaceful resolution of disputes and misunderstanding, rather than destruction of lives and property.”

Noting that the government was working to ensure that boundary disputes were resolved, the deputy governor urged parents and guardians to warn their children and wards against fomenting trouble, “especially as this year’s farming season is setting in.’

The Chairman of Itu Local Government, Mr. Etetim Onuk, described the campaign as a welcome development and appealed to both communities to maintain peace by reporting misunderstandings, for the growth of the area.

The Chairman of Uruan Council, Mr. Iniobong Ekpenyong, represented by the Vice Chairman, Mrs. Uduak Enang, condemned the crisis between Ikot Ayan Itam and Ikot Udo Uruan.

He said both communities had suffered the effect of the dispute, ranging from displacement, to loss of lives and property.

He urged the parties to sheathe their swords for peace to reign, while waiting for the government to find a solution to the crisis.

The Paramount Ruler of Itu, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Akpan Inyang, thanked the government for taking a step towards the resolution of the land disputes.

He enjoined the people to be patient with the government, to ensure a permanent demarcation of the land, in line with the Supreme Court judgment.

His Uruan counterpart, represented by the Clan Head, Northern Uruan, His Highness, Edidem Peter Effiong, appealed to the government to ensure that the disputed land was not laid waste, as nothing tangible had been done since 2009 when an injunction was placed.

By Chris Njoku, Owerri and Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

Motorists and commuters in Imo have been thrown into frustration and agony following scarcity of the premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol in various parts of the state.

Consequently, the pump prices of the commodity had been adjusted upwards from N176 to N225. Sales of the products at black market has been booming with a litre selling  between N420 and N500.

Our correspondent who visited some of the filling stations in Owerri, the capital city and its environs witnessed long queues of vehicles anxiously scrambling to obtain the product.

Expectedly, transport fares for intra city bus services had sky rocketed from N50 to N100, N100 to N150, N200 to N300 depending on the distance.

In most of the filling stations visited, selling of the product commenced as early as 3am but ended by 6am after which an inscription “No fuel” was placed at the entrance points.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that this is a ploy by fuel attendants to create the erroneous impression of non-availability of the product in anticipation that the Federal Government would announce an increase in the pump price.

Although, none of the managers of the filling stations was willing to talk to the press, an impeccable source said that the oil marketers resorted to what he described as  “artificial scarcity because they are jittery over rumoured fuel price increase by the Federal Government.”

As at the time of filing the report not a few commuters were seen on the roads trekking to their various destinations due to fare hike.

Reacting to the situation, Vice Chairman, Imo Petroleum Marketers, Chimodo Martins, said: 

“The Federal Government has not increased the petroleum prices. If the government wants to increase it, it will be announced officially. What happened is the challenge of the adulterated product that came in.”

In Abia State, a newly inaugurated Petroleum Special Taskforce under the leadership of Ubani Dannie, on Saturday arrested a tanker loaded with 33,000 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

The tanker painted red with registration number Lagos GGE 887 XS was impounded around Umuojima in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking to newsmen, Chairman of the task force, Dannie Ubani, assured that culprits would be prosecuted in accordance with the extant laws.

A commissioner in the Zamfara Independent Electoral Commission (ZASIEC), Alhaji Hashimu-Shehu Gazura is dead.

He died in a ghastly motor accident on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gazura was also a former member, Zamfara House of Assembly, who represented Gummi 2 Constituency.

Report of his death is contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday by the Chairman, House of Assembly Service Commission, Alhaji Mansur Bungudu.

“He died yesterday (Friday) as a result of a ghastly motor accident on Yawuri Road in Kebbi State.

“The deceased funeral prayer is scheduled to hold at Gummi Emir’s Palace on Saturday (yesterday) by 11:00 a.m.”

Delta North Traditional Rulers Forum has backed zoning on the basis of senatorial district rather than on ethnicity in the 2023 Delta governorship election.

Chairman of the forum, Asagba of Asaba Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien, who spoke during the visit of a lobby group, Delta Central Senatorial District, DC-23, said zoning based on ethnicity was untenable.

He said the zoning arrangement put in place in the days of former Governor James Ibori should be maintained.

Edozien said: “Delta State is for everybody and as traditional rulers, we preach peace because we want peace to reign. When there is peace, there will be progress.

“We all know very well the position of Delta State in the nation’s economy. Therefore, Delta State cannot afford to make mistake, we can’t afford not to have peace because anything that disturbs Delta State peace is going to affect the whole country.

“This is our state, we don’t have any other place to relocate to. We want peace in Delta State. The governorship zoning system has been working for us is on senatorial bases. The central has gone, which is Chief James Ibori, Delta South has gone, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and today our son, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is on the saddle.

“When we were going round to canvass for support in 2015 for Delta North, our campaign was based on senatorial district. Today, a Delta North son, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is now the governor, which by God’s grace his tenure will end in a year time.

“For somebody from Delta North to say he wants to be governor after Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is wrong, not that the person does not have the constitutional rights, but is going to be a fruitless effort because the person will end up wasting his money. We Delta Northerners know that is our son that is occupying that position now.

“In Anioma Congress, we have the political class, we have the traditional rulers class and the business class. Our political class and business class have not come to us the traditional rulers to say there is a change in the zoning pattern. Even our son, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has not come to us to say there is a different arrangement apart from the senatorial zoning which we have been using.

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, has matriculated 1,267 students for its full-time and School of Industrial Continuing Education (SICE) programmes for the 2021/2022 academic session.

Speaking at the matriculation ceremony which held at the PTI Conference Centre, Friday, the Principal, Dr. Henry Adimula, emphasised the institution’s commitment to training and developing efficient technologists and technicians to man the oil, gas and allied industries across Nigeria and beyond.

Revealing that PTI would mark its golden jubilee this year, he added that over 20,000 students, some of who have distinguished themselves in the oil and gas sector, have been trained by the institute.

He disclosed that the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) has been introduced into the PTI educational system to “ensure collaborative synergy between PTI and the oil and gas industry.”

Addressing the students, he warned that the school has zero tolerance for all manner of vices and as such would deal with any student found culpable.

“We advise all students to desist from the following vices: examination misconduct, physical and all forms of assault; cultism, drug peddling and smoking of Indian hemp on campus; certificate forgery; improper dressing, stealing, misuse of social media etc.

“Let me sound a note of warning that any student found guilty of any of the vices listed above would be made to face the full wrath of the law,” Adimula stated.

Out of 1,480 candidates who applied for National Diploma, only 714 got admitted.

For the Higher National Diploma 547, out of the 720 candidates who applied were offered admission.

One of the matriculants and student of Industrial Safety and Environmental Technology, Miss Sarah Irimivwieri, expressed excitement over being admitted, promising to study hard to achieve excellent grades at the end of the programme.