Nelson Ugwuagbo

Adamawa State government has approved N836 million for the construction of the 42km Damare- Borong Road to facilitate human and vehicular movement.

The road links the permanent National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Girei local government area of the state.

The project which was made known after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting yesterday in Yola, links Girei and Demsa local government areas.

The commissioner for education, Dr Umar Garba Pella, told journalists that the project was awarded to Hydro Source and Resource Nigeria Limited and has the completion period of 12 months.

Pella said the council also approved over N117 million variation for the construction of modern laboratory at Specialist Hospital, Yola.

He said the project was initially awarded at over N578 million, adding that the variation was to cover the cost of increased price of building materials.

A gas plant located in the Rumukurusi axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, went up in flames early on Tuesday, causing panic among residents and business owners in the area.

It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 5 am when most people were still asleep.

Residents said they woke after hearing people shouting from the location of the gas facility owned by Hydropet Oil Services Limited.

A shop owner in the area who simply gave her name as Grace, said she saw the fire when she woke up around 5:20 am

She stated, “So I quickly came out to the road leading to Eneka, lo and behold it was Hydropet gas plant that was on fire. The fire was huge. I was so afraid because My shop is close to that place.”

Leading Reporters learnt that it was the Shell fire service that extinguished the fire which lasted for about four hours.

“Imagine from Artillery to Eleme Junction there is no fire station. Even when the Federal Fire Service came within a short time they ran out of water.

“Thank God for the Shell Fire Services because we don’t know maybe the tank would have exploded.”

Meanwhile, many residents and business owners thronged out to catch a glimpse of the fire, while some expressed worry over a possible explosion.

Scores of policemen and the fire service team cordoned off the area with red lights and prevented vehicles from further accessing the road.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out from the police division and get back to our correspondent.

She had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report on Tuesday morning.

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has fixed December 5 to commence hearing in the lawsuit filed by the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, seeking to take control of the state legislature.

Ehie had announced his emergence as Speaker following the crisis that rocked the Assembly in the wake of the move by the original Speaker,   Martin Amaewhule, and 23 other lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminialayi Fubara.

He later filed the suit, praying the court to restrain Amaewhule from parading himself as Speaker or presiding over the affairs of the House.

Earlier, the court had ordered parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of Ehie’s suit.

But Ehie later commenced contempt proceedings against Amaewhule, alleging that his faction conducted legislative proceedings despite the court order.

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At the Monday’s proceedings, two lawyers clashed over the right to represent Ehie in the matter.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, K.C.0. Njemanze, told the court that he had been hired to take over from N O. Akporuvweku,  who was originally in charge of the case.

But  Akporuvweku argued that he had yet to be served any notice of change in counsel and insisted that he and the team remained the plaintiff’s counsel.

Meanwhile, counsel for the first and second defendants, Ferdinand Oshoke, prayed the court to consolidate and accelerate hearing on all applications filed in the matter since the matter borders on the legislative arm of government.

Justice Phoebe Ayua adjourned the case till December 5 to enable  Ehie’s lawyers to regularsze their appearances and also for parties in the matter to serve processes on each other.

The Women Advocate Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) has task government at all levels to expedite action on the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to reduce cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) recorded across the country.

The Founder/Executive Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi in a recent statement on the sideline of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, with the theme “UNiTE – Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls.” stated that beyond laws, the implementation of the VAPP Act in would reduce the cases of GBV.

Meanwhile, Akiyode-Afolabi explained that the 16 Days of Activism, spanning from November 25th to December 10th, symbolizes a collective call to action against one of the most pervasive violations of human rights – gender-based violence.

She noted that this year’s theme underscores the imperative to invest in proactive measures that can effectively prevent violence directed at women and girls.

Her words:

“WARDC recognizes the importance of fostering a world where every woman and girl can live free from fear, intimidation, and violence.

“Through our unwavering commitment to advocacy, Legal aid, research and documentation, we strive to shed light on the intricate dynamics of gender-based violence, providing valuable insights that inform policies and interventions.

“Investing in prevention means addressing root causes, dismantling harmful stereotypes, and empowering individuals and communities to actively reject violence. By supporting education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives, we contribute to the creation of a society where equality is not just an ideal but a lived reality.”

She further explained that during these 16 Days of Activism, WARDC will engage in a series of events, webinars, and awareness campaigns to amplify the message of unity against gender-based violence.

“We invite the community, stakeholders, and partners to join hands with us in this collective endeavor to build a world where every woman and girl can thrive without the fear of violence.

“Together, let us UNiTE and invest in a future where the rights and dignity of women and girls are upheld, and gender-based violence becomes an intolerable relic of the past.” She added.

The founder of the Mount Zion Faith Ministries, Mike Bamiloye, has spoken out about the negative attitudes of some married Christian women in their matrimonial homes.

Bamiloye, in a post on his verified Facebook handle on Saturday, said the so-called women in the Lord are fond of having their ways at all times.

According to him, such wives do not submit to their husbands while at home.

These women, he stated, look beautiful and keep smiling beside their husbands in church, but they are the direct opposite of what they portray outside the moment the couples leave the church.

The christian film producer described such women as stubborn, rude, disrespectful, stressing that they are stingy with their bodies to their husbands.

“Some married women in the Lord are fond of having their ways all the time. They never submit to their husbands. They never follow their husbands.

“They are beautiful to behold in beauty, they smile all the time, they stand beside their husband in the church, but they are not who they claim to be. They are the direct opposite at home. Stubborn, rude, unbroken, disrespectful and very stingy with their body to their husbands.

“They dictate their terms to give their husbands access to their body. They are hard at home, but soft in the church. Very unsubmissive and insensitive,” he stated.

Bamiloye prayed for husbands married to such women, saying May God Almighty deliver men from such “sisters”.