Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that the state government will take concrete steps to immortalise the memory of late Pa Monday Perekeme Sinclair, the revered former Super Eagles coach who passed away at the age of 89.

Governor Fubara gave the assurance on Thursday during the Service of Songs held in honour of the late football icon at the Ecumenical Centre, Abonnema Wharf Road in Port Harcourt.

Speaking to a crowd of family members, sports enthusiasts, and dignitaries, the Governor described late Pa Sinclair as a man of great wisdom and dedication, who made indelible contributions to football development in Rivers State and Nigeria at large.

Governor Fubara commended the late coach’s legacy of service, discipline, humility, and mentorship, which, according to him, inspired generations of footballers across Nigeria.

“It will be improper and not complete if the state does not feature in this kind of programme, knowing the role late Monday Sinclair played in Rivers State when it comes to football. He was one-time our coach,” Governor Fubara said.

The Governor further assured that the Rivers State Government would take deliberate steps to ensure the late coach’s legacy endures.

“On behalf of the state and also as a friend to the family, I assure you that wherever we need to come in to immortalise the memory of this great man in the state, we will do that,” he declared.

The Governor noted that his presence at the event was motivated by both friendship and duty. He took a moment to console the bereaved family, urging them to find comfort in faith while embracing unity.

“The number of persons here to console you cannot fill the gap. The only person that can fill this gap is God. While we feel sad that he’s gone, we should also be happy that he has gone to be with the Lord. It’s a place of rest, where there is no insecurity, no need for a bulletproof car or a gate to your flat.”

Governor Fubara also used the occasion to preach unity and peace, emphasising that only peace has made it possible for his administration to continue its transformative work for the people of Rivers State.

The Rivers State Government has frowned at the indiscriminate blockage of waterways by residents, which has led to the persistent challenge of flooding in the state.

Rivers State Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu expressed this displeasure during a Media Chat at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 30th October, 2025.

According to the deputy governor, “the problem we have is that the canals have been blocked totally, people have built on the canals and blocked the waterways. The flood committee cannot go and uproot the houses.. The least we can do is to see how we can open the drains”. The Deputy Governor quipped.

She insisted that the attitude of dumping refuse into drains during rainfall also contributes to flash flooding and called on the people to support Government’s efforts to tackle flooding, which, according to her is everybody’s business.

Prof Odu, while insisting that the Rivers State Government remains fully committed to reducing the impact of flooding on our communities, debunked insinuations that flood has ravaged communities in the state.

The Deputy Governor, who highlighted the efforts of the Governor Fubara led administration at mitigating the flood scourge, said the committee would commence the distribution of relief materials to the flood prone Local Government Areas next week.

“From next week we will be sending things to the flood prone Local Government Areas to mitigate their pains, we are doing this because sometimes people go to the media and say flood is ravaging the State, that word is too hard, they will take one or two pictures of flooded areas and say what is the Committee doing? We are taking mitigating actions, flood prevention, and control is a tripartite approach, which involves the Federal Government, the State Government, and the Local Government,” the deputy governor further stressed.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has commended the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder for partnering with the State Government in the quest to mitigate the Flood scourge.

Rivers State Deputy Governor Prof Ngozi Nma Odu made this commendation during a visit to the Commander of NNS Pathfinder Commodore Cajethan Aniaku at the Naval Base in Rumuolumeni in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, 30th October, 2025.

Prof. Odu expressed gratitude to the Officers and Men of NNS Pathfinder for partnering with the State Government and the Flood Committee in terms of ensuring the security of the relief items and for ensuring that they are preserved in a way that it would not be ruined or destroyed.

“If you did not provide a warehouse at that time, it could have been very difficult for us to find where to put the volume of these items that were procured”. Prof Odu stressed.

She thanked the Commander for the warm reception accorded to her.

The Commander NNS Pathfinder Commodore Cajethan Aniaku had earlier conducted the Deputy Governor around the warehouse, where she inspected the relief items.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has pledged the Rivers State Government’s supports to boost the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) programmes aimed at creating empowerment and jobs for women and youths in the state.

The governor made the pledge on Thursday, October 30, 2025 in Government House, Port Harcourt while addressing the delegation of the NDE led by the Director-General (DG), Mallam Silas Ali Agara.

Gov. Fubara noted that the NDE he knew decades ago used to be a critical factor in employment generation based on merit for the unemployed who didn’t have to have any connection to benefit, wondering if the NDE of today still operates with the same integrity.

The governor applauded President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in promoting job creation and employment for the teeming youths of the country, stressing that such interventions deserve appreciation and partnership from the States.

On the challenging Rivers State employment market, Gov. Fubara told the NDE DG, “Rivers State, like you mentioned, is a unique one because of the economic activities in the State. The oil exploration and other commercial activities here, with three sea ports and an international airport.

“So you can imagine the kind of economic activities. And there is this surge in the City, with everybody leaving the rural areas to the urban area in search of jobs.

“There is also migration from the neighbouring States with people coming into Rivers to look for a better life. So, the only way we can help, not just the people of Rivers State, but also strangers, is to create opportunities and make it easy for them to get something doing.”

He pointed out that doing so will create a win-win situation as most issues of insecurity will also be resolved as the people are gainfully engaged in meaningful economic activities.

On current value the NDE is adding in creating job opportunities in Rivers, the governor said, “I am happy the State is benefitting from the NDE, especially as we have our youths that are also benefitting from your programmes.”

He expressed excitement that the agency has three farm centers in the State, which though he was not initially aware of their existence, he promised to mandate the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment to furnish him with information about the farms and how his administration can assist in making it viable.

The governor harped on empowering the women in the rural areas as the effect of rural-urban migration by the youths has left them to bear greater burdens in the rural areas and assured of his support to ensure they are properly engaged especially with such agricultural programmes of the NDE.

Gov. Fubara emphasised that his government is committed to expanding economic opportunities which was the reason behind his building a new road to the Atlantic Ocean shoreline in Ngo, Andoni Local Government Area for the nation to tap into the blue economy.

He explained that the government took the initiative to build the road because of a beach located in Oyorokoto, a fishing settlement and tourist center, which attracts yearly visitation of people for picnics and beach parties during the Yuletide season.

“So, we wanted to give easy access to that beach, in order to boost the economic lives of the people around there. But while doing that, we discovered a new shoreline at Ngo that is more economically viable than the Oyorokoto beach.”

He noted that the shoreline which is facing the Atlantic Ocean will attract enormous marine investment for the nation with lots of potentials for tourist activities as the government intends to bring in the right investors.

“This will create jobs, grow the economy and improve development. I may not know what that place will be in the next 20 to 30 years. We might not be there again, but I know we have created something that will benefit not just Rivers State but Nigeria as a whole.

The governor assured that his government will support every move to make sure that the collaboration with NDE will yield a better result, not just for Rivers State but also promote the government at the center.

On his part the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, (NDE), Mallam Silas Ali Agara commended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara for his landmark infrastructural development and his disposition towards Strengthening the economy of the State.

He noted that they were in the State to seek partnership with the government in enhancing job creation and employment generation for the youths and women in the State.

Mallam Agara enumerated various programmes of the NDE in Rivers State that are geared towards the empowerment of youths and reiterated that securing a place in the programme is through the agency’s online portal without having to know any person within the agency.

According to him, “Rivers is one of the major belts when it comes to blue economy and your footprints are everywhere. This is the first time NDE is coming with a high powered delegation to any State of the federation assembling our crack team from the national level, including the state officers.

He stated that NDE is the major outlet when it comes to job creation and employment in the country, and last year, through the Renewed Hope Employment Programme, it empowered lots of youths, including Rivers State.

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has restated the Commission’s commitment to transforming the Niger Delta region into Nigeria’s food production hub through sustainable agricultural development and regional collaboration.

Ogbuku spoke during a two-day strategic retreat tagged “Niger Delta Critical Stakeholders’ Agenda Setting on Unlocking Agricultural Potential of the Niger Delta Region,” held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He noted that agriculture remained the most sustainable pathway to economic growth, peace, and food security in the region.

According to him, “This retreat is aimed at rubbing minds as a people to ensure that there is food security in the Niger Delta so that we can build an agricultural hub that can feed this nation. We have the potential and comparative advantage in terms of aquaculture. This is the time to make agriculture a cardinal focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda. We must leave a lasting legacy for generations.”

Ogbuku noted that before the advent of crude oil exploration, the people of the Niger Delta were predominantly farmers, stressing that a return to agriculture offers a more sustainable and inclusive economic future.

He added: “It is only through agriculture that we can create employment. With agriculture, we can guarantee food export. The NDDC and other partners should come together and see how we can invest in agriculture. We have to take advantage of our blue economy. Let us grow back our staples that have disappeared, such as bananas and cocoyam. Let us, in this retreat, develop a workable framework. For us in the NDDC, we are committed to making history.”

The NDDC Chief Executive also disclosed that the Commission is in discussions with the Origin Group to explore a partnership that would establish a regional food hub in the Niger Delta. The initiative aims to integrate agricultural value chains and promote large-scale food processing and export.

Also speaking, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai, described the gathering as a “call to action,” urging stakeholders to take bold and deliberate steps to drive agricultural transformation across the Niger Delta.

He stated: “Today’s gathering is not just another meeting; it is a call to action. Agriculture remains our surest path to inclusive growth, job creation, and food security in the Niger Delta. With vast arable land, rich waterways, and a resilient population, our region has the resources to become Nigeria’s next powerhouse in agricultural productivity.”

Antai further emphasised that the retreat provided a unique opportunity to harmonise efforts among state governments, private investors, research institutions, and youth groups toward a coordinated agricultural transformation plan for the region.

In his remarks, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, stated that the state had a comparative advantage in palm crops and oil production. She added that the state government was actively encouraging young people to venture into agriculture through various training and empowerment programmes.

Similarly, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Tubokiye Sese, reaffirmed his state government’s commitment to ensuring food security. He explained that the state supports farmers with seedlings, farming equipment, and free land-clearing to enhance productivity and provide its citizens with safe, sufficient food.

In her remarks, the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to conceptualising, planning, and implementing sustainable agricultural and fisheries development projects and programmes across the Niger Delta region.

She noted that these initiatives aimed to enhance job creation, food security, and income generation among farmers and fisherfolk. She further stressed the need for collaboration and partnership with agricultural stakeholders to build farmers’ capacity, promote food sufficiency, and reduce youth restiveness in the region.

Determined not to shield any culprit in any act of misdemeanor in the Ministry of Sports or any of its agencies, the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, has handed over to the police in Rivers State, a teenager accused of rape.

The disturbing allegation of the sexual assault of a 13-year-old female student at the Real Madrid Football Academy in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, had generated tension over the safety of females in the facility owned by the Rivers State Government.

The Atlantic Bell learnt that the incident occurred on October 22,205, when the suspect, a 17-year-old classmate of the victim allegedly attacked the girl while she was retrieving her clothes from outside her hostel room.

The suspect allegedly hit the victim on the back, leading to a physical altercation, which resulted in the victim reportedly being overpowered and sexually assaulted.

Green, convened a meeting of parents of both the victim, the alleged offender and the management of the academy, before the 17-year-old was handed over to officers of the Elekahia Police Division in Port Harcourt for thorough investigation and possible prosecution.

The handover followed a meeting convened by the commissioner, which included the alleged victim, the suspect, their parents, and the school management.

The alleged victim’s family expressed gratitude to the Commissioner of Sports for his swift intervention. “He handled the situation in a way a father would handle issues like this. He was so concerned. He showed so much care,” said Mr Sampson.

The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that the Elekahia Police Division is investigating the incident.