Rivers

NGO Tasks FG On Gas Infrastructure, Waste Recycling

Published

4 years ago

August 13, 2021

Federal Government of Nigeria needs to develop gas infrastructure and waste management recycling factory in the country, in order to curb gas flaring, change energy sources from fossil oil to complete renewal energy which contributes to global warming and climate change.
This was part of the issues discussed during a two-day training workshop on Gender and Climate Change, organised by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center in Port Harcourt.
Guest Speaker, Dr Kabari Sam, regretted that Nigeria was practising extreme gas flaring, adding that the component of these gases was contributing to global warming and climate change.
Sam who spoke on Climate Change Crisis said, gas flaring was not likely to end anytime soon, due to the absence of infrastructure to collect the gas and convert it into useful purposes.
“The impact point is the gas flaring. If Nigeria had the infrastructure to collect gases from artisanal refineries and conventional refineries, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Nigeria is practicing extreme gas flaring and the component of these gases is what is causing global warming and climate change.
“The main reason why artisanal refining or conventional refining is a threat to climate change is because of gas flaring. The development of an infrastructure to capture flared gas, without letting it into the environment and recycle or convert the gas for other things is key.
“Butane can be used for cooking gas, but it’s flared into the environment daily, destroying lives, reducing life expectancy and causing a lot of environmental havoc.”
Sam, who is also a lecturer at the Department of Marine Environment and Pollution Control, Nigeria Maritime Academy, Okerenkoko, urged the government to set up policies and frameworks that would encouraged the private sector to invest in setting up gas infrastructure.
“Sadly they keep moving the goal post to stop gas flaring, from 2020 it has been moved to 2030 now. The possibility of stopping gas flaring seems invincible because we don’t have the infrastructure required to capture and use gas.
“The government does not have the enabling policies to encourage the private sector to convert gases into a usable sources. We should see a blueprint as to how the government will get to that point in the next three years, what plans to achieved.”
Earlier, the Executive Director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center, Ms Emem Bridget Okon, who spoke on Gender and Climate Change Action Plan,called for the implementation of women’s rights from the grassroots.
Okon explained that the aim of the Gender Action Plan was to get women involved and to influence climate change decisions.
“Women and men should be represented equally in all aspects of Climate Change as a way of increasing effectiveness. Since men and women experience the change differently.
She mentioned that the action plan could be achieved through training of female community health workers on climate change related diseases, especially as it relates to women.

By:

Susan Serekara-
Nwikhana

Rivers

NGO Builds Awareness On Digital Violence Against Women, Girls

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

As part of activities marking 16 Days of Activism, A Non-Governmental Organizatio (NGO), OLEGH, has organised a one-day awareness creation workshop on digital violence against women and girls, for civil society and media groups in Rivers State.

OLEGH’s Executive Director, Henry Eferebo, said the programme was intended to draw attention to the theme for the 2025 16 Days of Activism tagged, “Unite To End Digital Violence against all Women and Girls.”

Eferebo said the event is an annual global campaign that focuses on violence against women, affords persons and groups all over the world the opportunity to embark on activities aimed at eliminating all forms of women and gender abuse.

“As individuals, we don’t pay attention to the things we see on the social media. We pay less attention to the abuse on the internet. Today, you can abuse a woman or a man physically, emotionally and otherwise, and go scot-free”, he noted.

According to him, women and girls have suffered the most from online violence and cyber-bullying, particularly on platforms such as TikTok, making them ready victims online and offline.

“So, in line with the United Nations principle on 16 Days of Activism and this year’s theme, there is a need for OLEGH Center to create awareness on issues resulting from the online abuse of women and girls.

“We decided to bring in a resource person who will tell us how to avoid being abused online”, he said.

He urged participants at the event to put hands together, rise up and speak against digital violence online.

The NGO’s arrow head, also explained that OLEGH was working towards creating an online help-desk for victims of online abuse and digital violence.

He urged participants to improve their security awareness while online, and adopt security protocols that would protect them in the digital space.

The Resource Person, Jacob Iniodu, in a paper titled, “Understanding Digital Abuse within the 16 Days of Activism”, listed forms of online violence to include, cyber-bullying, dozing, cyber-stalking, and invasion of privacy.

By: King Onunwor

Rivers

Foundation Distribute Bags N5m Worth Christmas Gifts In Bundu Ama

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Armslent Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), in Rivers State, has distributed Christmas gifts worth over N5million to aged mothers, orphans and less privileged persons in Belema, Bundu Ama (Community) in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA).

The Foundation also gave cash gifts of N150,000 to the Community.

Presenting the gift items, comprising 5 bags of rice,10 Cartons of indomie noodles,10 Gallons of groundnut oil, 3 bags of salt and cartons of maggie cubes, to Chairman of the Community, David Oba, and the community leaders, the founder of Armslent Foundation, Comrade Richard Boma Briggs, said the foundation decided to show love and togetherness to the community by providing the gifts.

He noted that the provision was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the community aimed at alleviating poverty and create a sense of belonging as Christian faithfuls celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Briggs described Bundu Ama as one of its pillars in partnership, stressing that the foundation was inspired by the spirit of love to impact and rejoice with the residents of the community.

“The foundation was moved by the spirit of Christmas to give these gifts and rejoice with the people of community”, Briggs said.

Accompanied by the Managing Director of the Foundation, Richard Osigbo, and other top Executive Members, Briggs called on the leaders of the community to always pray for the foundation, promising that in 2026, it would embark on a tangible project at UPE Modern Primary School Waterfront, Bundu Ama.

Receiving the items, Chairman of Bundu Ama, David Oba, thanked the foundation for empowering the less privileged persons, assisting physically challenged persons, and aged mothers in the past.

“The foundation had done a lot for this community and today we are witnessing these gift items for the Christmas celebration”,he emphasised.

He called on the leaders of the community, women group, youths and residents to emulate the humanitarian gestures of the foundation and pleaded that they also borrow a leaf from the gesture,in order to also give to society whenever they can.

Earlier the leaders of Belema Bundu Ama, led by Oba, former Chairman, Benneth Kalio, and Secretary, Promise Mangibo, presented an Award of Excellence to the Founder of the Foundation for his Humanitarian and selfless service to the community.

Highlight of the event was the offering of a special prayer to the management of the foundation by aged mothers, youths and leadership of the community.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Rivers

Youths Condemn Killings In Andoni

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Obolo Youth Coalition, Rivers State Chapter, has condemned the recent spate of killings in Andoni Local Government Area, describing the renewed insecurity as alarming and constituting a threat to peace and stability in the area.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Comr. Jonathan J. Eyina, the group expressed deep concern over what it described as brutal and senseless acts of violence, while extending condolences to the families of the victims.

The coalition said the resurgence of insecurity in Andoni has continued to undermine communal harmony and called for urgent steps to halt the trend before it escalates further.

It appealed to youths in the area to shun violence and embrace peace, stressing the need for tolerance, mutual respect and collective responsibility in safeguarding the community.

According to the group, restoring peace in Andoni requires a coordinated approach involving government, security agencies, community leaders and residents to identify and address the root causes of insecurity.

It noted that increased security presence, improved intelligence gathering, and sustained community engagement are critical to preventing further violence, adding that underlying social and economic challenges must also be addressed.

The coalition called on the Andoni Local Government Chairman, Hon. Lucky Promise-Otua, the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, and the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju Adewole, to take decisive actions to restore security.

It further demanded that those responsible for the killings be apprehended and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

By: King Onunwor