Niger Delta

Perm Sec Tasks Women On Breast Feeding

Published

7 years ago

August 9, 2019

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Caroline Wali, has called on women in the state and in particular, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, to embrace inclusive breastfeeding of their babies in order to make them lead healthy lives.
Wali made the call during the flag-off of the breastfeeding campaign in the local government at the council secretariat in Ogu, last Wednesday.
The programme which was organised by the state Primary Health Care Management Board in collaboration with UNICEF, Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Health Committee on Food and Nutrition had as its theme, “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding For Now And Future”, and attracted both nursing mothers and pregnant women from the six communities of the local government area.
The permanent secretary, who was represented by the state Health Educator, Dr Doris Nria, urged the women to ensure that they breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months of delivery, and continue the process till three years, adding that it was wrong for women to use baby formula milk made from animals to breastfeed their babies at infancy stage rather than the natural breast milk.
According to her, “It is a core responsibility of every woman to properly breastfeed and cuddle their children, adding that a woman’s breast milk has better nutrients that would aid the development of every child than the artificial milk. She commended the people of the area for participating in the programme, and assured that the state government would continue to support the people at all times.
Also speaking, the wife of the local government Chairman, Mrs Jemima Victor, who was the special guest at the occasion, said the programme was designed to educate the women on the importance of breastfeeding, adding that exclusive breastfeeding would promote healthy living and peaceful cohesion in the family.
“We raise a healthy children when we breastfeed our babies and avoid frequent going to hospital. The primary reason God gave women breast milk is to breastfeed but some of the women give reasons that their breast will fall if they breastfeed their children. Let me tell you, whether you do it or not, the forces of natural gravity, the woman breast must fall at old age,” she added.
Delivering a lecture on the Benefits of Breastfeeding to Mothers, the Medical Health Officer of the local government area, Dr Loliya Somina Koko, averred that benefits of breastfeeding include, among other things, to stimulate reproduction as well as stop contraction of uterus in women, adding that optimal nutrition support growth and development was the right of every child.
There were goodwill messages from the council chairman, his deputy and other stakeholders in the area.
The climax of the event was the decoration of the first lady of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Pastor Jemima Victor as the champion of the LGA by the permanent secretary’s representative.

Niger Delta

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

Published

18 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

18 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

18 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.