Niger Delta

Waste Management: C’River Begins House To House Enumeration

Published

11 years ago

August 10, 2015

General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (middle), in a group photograph with members of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Central, durinmg their facility visit to the corporation in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson

The Permanent Secretary,
Cross River State Ministry of Environment, Barrister Achu Takim Achu, has appealed to the residents of Calabar Municipal Council to cooperate with the waste management disposal housing enumerators presently gathering data for effective waste evacuation and disposal in Calabar.
Speaking in his office, the permanent secretary stated that, “it is not only about the tariff but also to enhance a clean, decent and better way of life,” urging Calabar residents to encourage the government in this venture”.
Takim observed that, despite the fact that Waste Management Agency had used her own staff to enumerate 26,450 houses, he said much needed to be done, hence, the cooperation of all is needed to yield better result.
According to him, “due to the professionalism of the enumerators, the enumeration exercise promises to be fruitful”, adding that, they should be diligent in compiling the data, be proactive in handling any unprecedented challenges encountered in the field and above all, should relate well with the residents. This he said, is a necessity for the success of the exercise.
The General Manager, Waste Management Agency Mr. Elegance Edim, revealed that, the housing enumeration which commenced in Calabar would last for a week, and cover the Calabar metropolis and Calabar South.
In the same vein, , Deputy Director, Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Dr Ibiang Eteng Ibiang observed that, the exercise might not be without some challenges. He therefore, admonished the enumerators to be polite and should not be confrontational in their manner of approach.
He told the enumerators that they are expected to capture the addresses of all the houses, the occupants, be it a landlord or a tenant, the various types of properties and their usages, be it places of worship’ commercial buildings, hostels, institutions amongst others.
This, he said, would enable them to have the correct data on the volume of the waste being generated from each of the houses for effective management.
Some of the enumerators expressed delight for being able to serve in this capacity, say that they are ready to help the government achieve her set objective on waste management.
One of the enumerators, Mercy Udemadu, Ministry of Justice, stated that, “this would enable the government to generate revenue, keep the environment clean and create a data base of all houses for effective waste management and disposal.
Also speaking, Uren Ikwa of the Ministry of Environment stated that, embarking on this exercise is their own little contribution to ensure that the state government succeeds in this venture.
Residents of Calabar municipality expressed their desire to embrace this new system of waste collection/disposal but appealed that effective mechanism should be put in place to enhance consistency and efficiency of the process, and also build their trust in the system.

Friday Nwagbara, Calabar

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.