General
Abia Community Laments Poor Handling of Road Project
An appeal has been made to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the urgent completion of a two-kilometre road being constructed by the commission in Isiala Ntighauzo community under Obingwa Local Government of Abia State.
Residents of the area, in a Save Our Soul (SOS), said the project, in its present state, was causing discomfort to them instead of alleviating their pains.
Traditional ruler of the community, Eze Nwakwue Akpulonu, said that the purpose of constructing the road, which is to facilitate the easy movement of the residents, is highly defeated.
“I believe that the project is part of the interventionist efforts of the commission in communities within its jurisdiction.
“If the purpose is to better the lives of the people, the reverse is now the case,” Eze Akpulonu said.
NDDC is constructing a two-kilometre road that runs across the community. But the community has described this project as a death trap.
According to the traditional ruler, the road is now a big threat to vehicles, tricycles, bicycles nd pedestrians as vehicle, tricycle and bicycle owners lose their tyres in unprecedented frequency, and are subjected to frequent vehicle repairs.
“The situation is terrible. Vehicle owners lose their tyres in large numbers. Myself I have lost over five tyres in quick succession .Even other parts of vehicles and tricycles are not spared. People are subjected to frequent vehicle maintenance after plying the road.
“The unfortunate thing is that the road is the major commercial route linking our people and the neighbouring communities to the major road leading to Aba, and as such the situation of the road is hampering commercial activities of our people as they cannot access Aba easily.
“Even pedestrians are not spared by this unfortunate situation. People trip over the heaps of stone that characterise the road and fell, losing their legs or other vital parts of their body,” Eze Akpulonu laments.
According to Eze Akpulonu, scores of road mishaps have been recorded on the road where people sustained serious injuries.
He said that motorcycles and vehicles have bumped into the stone heaps, causing them to lose control and leading to fatal accidents.
Eze Akpulonu explained that he has made several interventions to the appropriate quarters which have not yielded any positive results and that now the community have decided to ventilate their frustration to the public.
He said that the effect of his interventions is that the community would notice a group of people who parade as the contractors deployed to the site with dilapidated equipment and after few days’ work will come to a halt as a result of the breakdown of equipment.
Efforts to link with the contractors to ascertain the challenges impeding the project proved abortive as there were no signposts displayed on the project sites announcing the contractors.
The project, which is almost three years old, is lying in ruins. The road is characterized by heaps of big stones which constitutes big threats to the road users.
The portions which the stones have been laid are disasters as the heavy rains which have characterized recent part of the year have washed them away, exposing the red earth.
Investigations also reveal that before now the commission was mobilising contractors in advance to execute projects but the contractors were not faithful to this arrangement as they make away with funds, frustrating the project.
This, it was learnt, forced the commission to adjust is policies to mobilise contractors only when they have attained an appreciable level of the project. It is alleged that the contractor lacked but material and financial capacity to execute the project to the level where he can attract the mobilization from the commission, and this is attributed to the factor frustrating the project.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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