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 Aduragbemi Omiyale
Young bloggers, online content creators and digital influencers have been charged to embrace ethical journalism, responsible storytelling and fact-based reporting as they shape public opinion in the digital age.
This task was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, during the Niger State Bloggers, Online Publishers and Content Developers Forum on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for innovation and civic engagement but must be used responsibly to promote truth, national unity and constructive public discourse.
He urged bloggers and content creators to verify information before publication, reject misinformation and disinformation, avoid sensationalism, and use their platforms to educate, inspire and promote national development.
Mr Idris also encouraged young Nigerians to see digital content creation not only as a source of income but also as a tool for civic engagement and nation-building, stressing that ethical communication is essential to strengthening democracy and public trust.
He further encouraged aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs to continue developing their skills and uphold professional standards that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s online media ecosystem.
“There is no democracy that can thrive without a responsible media. You cannot carry freedom and abandon responsibility,” he stated, adding that the government remains committed to protecting press freedom while encouraging ethical journalism.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy, describing it as a major step in promoting digital literacy and responsible online engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
