General
Welders Association Plan Protest Over PH Refinery Exclusion
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Association of Welders and Fitters in Nigeria has issued an ultimatum to the management of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), requesting to be included in the ongoing rehabilitation of the oil facility or face mass protest.
During a peaceful protest at Eleme Council Secretariat, the group said the management has till Thursday to grant their request, expressing displeasure over their alleged non-inclusion in the ongoing rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.
The President of the Eleme branch of the organisation, Mr Innocent Ejire, said welders and fitters in the area are pained that the management of PHRC excluded them from jobs at the ongoing rehabilitation of the refinery.
Mr Ejire called on the management of PHRC to adhere to the Local Content Act by engaging its members, accusing the management of the refinery of giving jobs to welders from outside while sidelining those who are members of the PHRC’s host community.
“Out of 150 welders and fitters they (refinery) have taken, they have not taken anyone from our community but elsewhere like in Bonny and Omoku; NLNG contractors must give jobs to Ibani Welders and Fitters Association.
“Welders in Bonny and Omoku pass through these associations to get jobs in the companies operated there.
“But here they say no host community will work and since we cannot take the law into our hands. That is why we say let’s come and see our LGA Chairman and give them an ultimatum of 48 hours, if they don’t call us to work, we will meet at the refinery.
“We have written a series of letters which they (refinery) have acknowledged but they continue to turn us back and forth without giving us favourable response,” he said.
Similarly, the spokesperson of the association, Mr Daniel Omekea, urged the council chairman to ensure that the management of the refinery implements the Local Content Act by engaging local welders in the ongoing rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.
He regretted that Eleme, being the host community of the Port Harcourt refinery has continually been sidelined by the refinery, warning that they will resist all attempts to exclude them from benefiting from jobs at the refinery.
He also said welders and fitters under the association in Eleme are well trained and have what it takes to participate in the refinery’s rehabilitation.
“Many of us were tested and qualified for the jobs, but they did not call us for the jobs.
“There are no welding and fitting jobs we cannot do; we have worked on Shell pipelines and every other pipeline here in Eleme, so it’s not about competence.”
Responding, the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr Obarilomate Ollor, promised to look into the complaints of aggrieved welders and fitters.
Mr Ollor assured that the council would initiate a meeting with the management of the refinery towards resolving the matter.
By Abiodun Alade
At sixty-eight, a legacy stands tall,
A testament to vision, strength, and resolve.
Aliko Dangote, a name renowned,
A builder of empires, a force unbound.
By hard work, you carved your way,
With perseverance that turned night to day.
Through trials and triumphs, you have grown,
A titan whose empire is deeply sown.
In realms of business, you lead with grace,
A mind that sees the future, a steady pace.
Cement, oil, fertiliser—and ventures galore,
Each triumph a legend, each success a lore.
Your wisdom, like a river, flows deep,
In markets and minds, your influence keeps.
With each brick laid, with each step taken,
A legacy of progress, never shaken.
At sixty-eight, your journey’s clear,
A tale of triumph, without fear.
For wealth is more than gold and gain—
It’s a legacy, a lasting reign.
Aliko Dangote, you stand as a guide,
A figure of dignity, with nothing to hide.
May your influence grow, spreading all around,
For your life is a story, in gold, profound.
As you celebrate this milestone, so grand,
May your light shine bright, across the land.
For your life is a tale of the brave, the wise,
A legacy that forever will rise.
Abiodun, a communications specialist, writes from Lagos
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The chairman of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr Idris Olalekan Kusimo, has described the officials who extorted the crew of BBC Yoruba some days ago as fake, dissociating his administration “from this shameful act.”
In a statement he signed, Mr Kusimo stressed that the alleged council officials were not authorised to collect fees and taxes on behalf of the council despite operating on the premises of the local government secretariat.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2025, BBC Yoruba posted on its Facebook page and website about the ordeal of its crew in the hands of persons believed to be working for the local government.
The media platform’s vehicle was stopped, and N60,000 was fined for not having a Joint Tax Board (JTB) levy. The fine was negotiated to N45,000, and when it was time to pay, the council officials demanded cash and not a transfer, which raised suspicion.
Apparently embarrassed by the reactions to the report and comments by other victims of the extortion, Mr Kusimo released a statement exonerating the council from the alleged fraud.
He described those who stopped the crew as “some unscrupulous individuals” who “falsely presented themselves as officials of Ifo Local Government and unlawfully accosted motorists, including your reporter, along the Ojodu-Abiodun axis.”
According to him, the persons “do not represent the council in any capacity” as Ifo Local Government does not sanction, condone, or benefit from their illegal activities, which include the forceful removal of vehicle number plates and extortion of motorists.”
“While the accused persons operate from a rented space within the Ojodu-Abiodun Office Complex, their actions are entirely self-motivated and criminal,” he noted, adding that a “thorough investigation into the activities of these impostors” has been initiated.
Mr Kusimo urged “affected motorists, including the BBC Yoruba team, to provide further details to assist in prosecuting these fraudsters,” advising members of the public “to report any such incidents directly to the council or security Agencies and to request proper identification from anyone claiming to be an official of Ifo government.”
He stated that Ifo Local Government remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State government has sealed 13 markets across the state for persistent violations related to illegal waste disposal in the Ketu area and its environs in an effort to promote environmental cleanliness and safeguard public health.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed the closure of the affected markets in a statement on his X handle on Friday.
Mr Wahab said the enforcement actions were in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017, aimed at ensuring responsible waste management and maintaining public order.
Notably, Ketu and Mile 12 markets were sealed last night due to consistent violations, including the improper disposal of waste on roads, medians, and highways.
The 13 markets shut down by the government were Erukan Market, Mile 12; Oja Oba Market, Ketu; Owoseni Tundas Market; Oba Ogunjobi Market, Mile 12; Shops Owners (BRT Terminal), Mile 12; and Mile 12 Bus Stop Shops; Ketu Terminal Market (6 plazas); Ifesowapo Shop Owners Market, Mile 12; Demurin St Plaza Shops, Ketu; The Occupant, 6 Demurin Road, Ketu; Ifelodun Market, Ketu; Ibadan Unit 1 Park (in-between Babajide Sanwo-Olu Market and Ikosi Fruit Market); and Ketu Tipper Garage.
The closure of the market was necessary to restore cleanliness and public safety in these busy commercial areas, according to Mr Wahab.
The Lagos State government emphasized that market stakeholders must take full responsibility for proper waste management going forward to avoid further disruptions.
“These enforcement actions are necessary to safeguard public health and restore order to our public spaces,” Mr Wahab was quoted as saying.
The Lagos State government also called on residents and market stakeholders to collaborate in building a cleaner, safer, and more responsible Lagos.
The enforcement is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the city remains livable and sustainable for all.
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