Rivers

High Cost Of LPG Worries PH Residents

Published

3 years ago

November 8, 2022

Residents of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, have expressed fears over the increasing cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, stressing that the development will create unsettled economic challenges.
They said the spiralling cost of the product is disincentive to the Federal Government’s campaign for the use of gas and clean energy transmission.
Speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt over the development, a dealer in the sector, Mr Taiwo Ayodele said there is heavy switch from cooking gas to charcoal and other unacceptable fuel inspite of ongoing option for zero emission on the environment.
He stated that the ravaging flood in Nigeria recently has had its toll on the energy sector having destroyed gas facilities in the country, forcing the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Limited to declare force majeure on its gas operations for over three weeks running.
Ayodele stated that there are concerns over the action of the company and its implication to the supply of the product as well as their purchasing power.
According to him, “some domestic users of the product lamented that it is a question of time for the price of cooking gas to skyrocket.
“There was panic purchasing of cooking gas by consumers of the product in some parts of the State and county in order to stave off likely increase in the cost of cooking gas”.
Lending credence to the issue , a lecturer in the Department of Petro- Chemical Engineering, Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu, Port-Harcourt, Dr. Desmond Amakiri, urged Nigerians on the need to not rush to fill their gas cylinders, noting that there are enough quantities of LPG to satisfy the market.
Amakiri said the flooding or force majeure declared has no impact on LPG availability, adding that the NLNG account for 40 percent supply of gas in the domestic market and in recent times has been the sole supplier for the domestic market.
He explained that the firm’s plant was in operation at a limited capacity, due to reduced gas supply from some of its upstream gas suppliers.
“None of NLNG’s assets on Bonny Isand or in any of its host communities are impacted by the flood. The Force Majeure is as a consequence of a similar notice by upstream gas suppliers due to the impact of flood in their production facilities.
“NLNG continues to monitor the situation with upstream gas suppliers and is currently evaluating the impact of the flood on its business”, he said.
The university don assured that the company is working with critical stakeholders to mitigate the impact on product deliveries.
Meanwhile, another marketer of LPG in the state, Mrs. Sonia Ndukwe, revealed that some Nigerians paid as much as N15,000 for a 12.5kg LPG as at September, 2022.
According to her, average price of 5kg cooking gas increased from #4,397.68 in July to #4,456.56 in August, 2022, vindicating a 1.34 percent increase on a month- to- month basis from what was obtained in July.
Ndukwe, however, appealed for calm, saying that normalcy would be restored, and that “cooking gas consumers need not panic about a possible scarcity of the product as a result of the force majeure”.
She stated that, “based on information reaching distributors, marketers and consumers, NLNG has not shut down its production facility in Bonny as rumoured.
According to her, LNLG had recently shipped a cargo of LPG for the domestic market and assured the consuming public that the supply of LPG from NLNG has not stopped.
“We should not give chance for price hike due to speculated shortage of the product. Nigerians are already in hard times sequel to the war between Russia and Ukraine which had caused upset in the markets and scarcity”, Ndukwe said.

By: Theresa Frederick

Rivers

NDDC Provides Lifeline To Flood-Hit Ogu-Bolo Community

Published

6 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

In response to the recent flood disaster that displaced families, destroyed farmlands, and worsened economic hardship in Ogu/Bolo Community, The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has distributed relief materials to residents of the community.

Presenting the items on behalf of the Managing Director, the Director II, Education, Health and Social Services, Engr. Jeremiah Onolejoloni, said the intervention underscores the commission’s commitment to alleviating the plight of vulnerable communities across the Niger Delta.

According to a statement by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the gesture followed the devastating impact of flooding on livelihoods in the community.

The Managing Director noted that the commission, in collaboration with the Derek and Davia Foundation, provided financial support to facilitate the distribution of essential food items and household materials to affected residents.

He described the initiative as part of efforts to address pressing needs, adding that it also reflects government’s solidarity with citizens facing economic challenges.

“This intervention goes beyond palliatives. It is a demonstration of government’s presence, compassion and commitment to supporting families in distress, in line with the renewed hope agenda of the President,” he said.

He urged community leaders to ensure fair distribution of the items and encouraged residents to sustain peace and support development programmes.

The Paramount Ruler of Ogu-Bolo, Chief Joachim Amachiri, commended the Commission for the timely intervention, noting that it would provide much-needed relief to victims of the flood.

He reaffirmed the community’s support for NDDC initiatives aimed at improving living conditions in the region.

Also speaking, a consultant on the programme, represented by Dr. George Smile, praised the commission’s responsiveness to disaster-affected communities, disclosing that plans were underway, in partnership with development stakeholders, to extend similar support to neighbouring areas.

Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Rivers

Don Traces Nigeria’s Highway Woes To Design Failures … Proposes Mechanistic-Empirical Design Approach

Published

9 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

A lecturer at the Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s highway pavement systems, stating that poor design practices and weak standards, not just inadequate funding, are at the heart of the country’s persistent road failures.

Delivering the 128th inaugural lecture at the Rivers State University, titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding The Foundation For Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure”, Ekwulo argued that Nigeria’s roads will continue to deteriorate prematurely unless critical engineering principles are strictly applied and enforced.

According to him, recurring defects in the nation’s highways stem from a combination of faulty design processes, substandard construction materials, weak regulatory enforcement, poor drainage systems, and widespread disregard for professional ethics.

He stressed that these systemic failures have undermined the durability of road infrastructure despite significant financial investments.

“Premature pavement failures in Nigeria are not due to lack of funds alone, but largely due to poor design decisions, weak material standards, and absence of accountability,” he said.

Ekwulo proposed the adoption of the mechanistic-empirical design approach, a scientifically grounded method for predicting pavement performance, as a pathway to improving road quality.

He also advocated for the development of a localized framework, the Nigerian Empirical and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS), to reflect the country’s unique environmental and material conditions.

He further recommended stricter quality control measures, including independent audits, the establishment of a national database for material characterization, and compulsory traffic load analysis for all road projects.

The use of modified binders and advanced materials, he added, would enhance pavement resilience.

To ensure sustainability, the Professor called for the implementation of a National Pavement Management System to coordinate maintenance and monitoring efforts nationwide, noting that consistent upkeep is essential to prolonging road lifespan.

Ekwulo emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry, urging universities to lead applied research initiatives and pilot projects that can deliver practical solutions to Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, said universities must play a frontline role in addressing national development issues through research-driven interventions.

He described the lecture as timely, noting that the neglect of core engineering standards has contributed significantly to the country’s failing highways.

The event, held at the Dr. Ezenwo Wike Senate Building in the campus, also featured the formal decoration of Ekwulo as the institution’s 128th inaugural lecturer.

Reiterating his position after the lecture, Ekwulo stated that with proper design methods, quality materials, and strict adherence to global standards, Nigeria’s roads can achieve their intended lifespan of 10 to 20 years or more.

“Without a return to engineering fundamentals and accountability, investments in road infrastructure will continue to yield poor results”, he concluded.

Rivers

CP Reaffirms Commitment To Human Rights, Community Policing In Rivers

Published

9 hours ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has assured residents of the command’s commitment to upholding human rights and delivering people-oriented policing.

He stressed that officers under his watch would continue to operate within the confines of the law, while strengthening community relations.

Adepoju gave the assurance during a sensitisation walk organised by the State Police Command as part of activities marking the National Police Day in Port Harcourt.

He noted that the exercise was aimed at fostering trust and enhancing cooperation between the police and the public.

While expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a special day for the Nigeria Police to celebrate its achievements, he described the gesture as a morale booster that would spur officers to greater efficiency and professionalism in service delivery.

The CP also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for initiating a week-long celebration, which he said had provided an opportunity for the police to reconnect with citizens and showcase reforms within the force.

According to him, the large turnout of residents, stakeholders and members of the business community during the exercise was a clear indication of the growing confidence reposed in the police by the people of Rivers State.

He reiterated that the Command would sustain its sensitisation efforts, adding that officers had been adequately briefed to respect the rights of citizens, maintain professionalism and work closely with the media to promote transparency and accountability.

Adepoju disclosed that the week-long activities commenced with environmental sanitation across commands and divisions, alongside public enlightenment campaigns targeted at strengthening police-community relations.

He further revealed that the Command had also embarked on free medical outreach for both officers and members of the public, as part of its corporate social responsibility and commitment to public welfare.

The CP added that financial support would be extended to widows of fallen police officers through the presentation of cheques, in line with directives from the police high command, to cushion the effects of their loss.

In his response, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the state, Voke Emore, said the initiative was geared towards rebuilding trust between the police and the communities they serve.

Emore noted that the renewed synergy between the police and residents in Rivers State had created an enabling environment for effective policing, urging the public to continue supporting security agencies with useful information.

Also, a representative of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs. Chima Nnaji, said the group participated in the walk to show solidarity with their spouses.

The event drew attendance from senior police officers, members of the PCRC, and stakeholders from various sectors of the state.

King Onunwor