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COVID-19: Nsirim Charges Religious Leaders, Media On Roles

Published

7 years ago

March 17, 2020

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has called on religious leaders and the media in the State to contribute towards prevention of the COVID-19, popularly called Coronavirus, in the State.
The Commissioner, who made the call yesterday as part of awareness creation and sensitisation for stakeholder groups to be fully involved in either preventing the virus from the State, or checking its spread, should the need arise, urged both the religious leaders and the media to be really involved in the campaign against the virus.
Noting that the need to work together against the Coronavirus became more imperative given the declaration of the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the disease as a pandemic, he urged the religious groups to take the message of the roles expected of them to their congregation.
“The whole essence is to bring everyone on board, because when something has been declared a pandemic by the WHO, it’s a serious issue. So, all hands must be on deck.
“As you get the message today, it’s important that you pass the message to people around you. For the religious leaders, we’re expecting that in their various churches and mosques they begin to pass this prevention messages”, he said.
He explained that the position of Rivers State as a commercial hub makes it vulnerable for the virus to be easily contacted, hence the need for all and sundry to be aware of preventive measures for the safety of all.
“Why this is important”, the Commissioner stated, ”is that Rivers State is a commercial corridor, Rivers State is like the commercial hub of Nigeria with the international airport, the seaports, and of course, the thriving hydrocarbon industry, which is the major revenue earner for Nigeria. You expect that a lot of people from all works of life would come into Rivers State.
“So, if we have the influx of people coming from all parts of the world to Rivers State, it’s important that those who are living and doing business in Rivers State also begin to adopt preventive measures, if perchance they come in contact with people from other parts of the world”, he said.
To the media, he said, “we understand quite clearly the pivotal role you’re supposed to play in information dissemination. As a major stakeholder group it is important that we call you to buy into sensitization program. Without the media we cannot achieve much. That’s why I’m quite excited that the ‘who is who’ in the media industry are all here to hear what we want to say.
“This is a call for collective action, it’s a call for social responsibility, and we want to invite you to please collaborate with the Rivers State Government to ensure that all those living and doing business in Rivers State get the prevention message, and ensure that Coronavirus doesn’t have a place in River State”.
Emphasising on the importance of religious leaders in the campaign against the virus, the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewil Chike, explained the impact of the Coronavirus as a pandemic, noting that given the position of religious leaders in the society, they stand a better chance of passing on the prevention message to their followers.
“If all the religious leaders follow the (Prevention) steps, the chances of infection will be greatly reduced”, he said.
Also speaking, the Director, Public Health and Disease Control, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Golden Owhondah, emphasised on the various steps required to prevent contacting the virus.
Beyond the greatly publicised hand washing, Keeping social distance from persons suspected to be portraying symptoms of the virus, and practicing good respiratory hygiene, the Director charged the media not to spread fake news.
“This is a time for facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not rumours. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma”, he said.
It will be recalled that the State Executive Council, under the leadership of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, appointed a 5-man committee to carry out an aggressive awareness and sensitisation campaign on the Coronavirus, shortly after the WHO declared it a pandemic on the 11th of March, 2020.
The campaign started last Friday with the leadership of Community Development Committees (CDCs) of all the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
Today’s campaign was in two sessions with religious leaders and the media respectively.

Featured

RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

Published

7 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Featured

APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

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2027: Be Politically Neutral, Fubara Tasks Traditional Rulers

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the State to maintain neutrality, ensure fairness and uphold peace in their domains as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.

The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.

“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.

“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.

Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.

He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.

“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.

On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.

Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.

He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.

He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.

The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.

Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.

The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.