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Amaechi Eulogises PA Poroma …As Ikuru Extols Late Umesi’s Virtues

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Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, says the State and Nigeria has lost an invaluable personality in late Pa Philip Poroma, father of the State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mr. Joseph Poroma.

Governor Amaechi said this today during the Funeral Mass in honour of the deceased at St. James’ Catholic Church, Kpite in Tai Local Government Area of the State.

Represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, the Governor, admitted that late Pa Poroma lived an impactful life, noting that for him to have lived for advice for the living, condoling with the family and community on the irreplaceable loss.

“I very specially condole with the Poroma family over the loss of their beloved father. He may be 101 years but the loss of a father, the loss of a dear one still remains, in fact causes the same amount of tears. If anything the fact that he is old enough at the ripe age of 101 he has more advice to give the rest of us,” he said, adding that “his demise at this time is not only painful to the family to the community but indeed to the state”.   He pointed out that “everyone of you should know that he had lived a good life. 101 years on earth calls for robust celebration,” regretting that his demise has created a vacuum not just in the family but in the State at large. In his message, the guest preacher, Reverend Stephen Deedua, urged the people to use the opportunity to reflect on what would be written on their epitaphs when they died, counseling them to be diligent in numbering their days, just as the Lord has commanded.

Speaking, the State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mr. Joseph Poroma, who is also the chief mourner and first son of the deceased, described his late father as “a great man who fought a great battle and won most,” saying “we are proud to have called him our father, no word can describe what we thought of him,” stressing that the deceased maintained “a lifestyle that was a challenge to those of us he left behind”.

his chosen career, emphasizing that he is one of the few staff I feel proud of calling a good man without regrets during my tenure as the then Commissioner for Lands and Housing. I cant deny the fact that he is a man but if he says yes, I comfortably rely on that because his yes cannot be compromised.

Engr. Ikuru said the late Umesi has left a good footprint which people can testify about today, urging his family and those he left behind to maintain the same attribute, adding that it is beneficial to live and die with a good name than with much wealth.

Earlier in his exhortation and quoting from 1st Corinthians 5: 9-10, the Pastor of First Baptist Church, Rumuewhor, Pastor Wilcox Nabo, charged all Christians to live right and please the Creator because life on earth is nothing but a short journey, adding that the character of a man tells the story of how he lived his life here on earth, adding let your journey not be a sad tale at the last day when the glorious call would be made.

Also speaking, the younger brother of the deceased, Mr. Azunda Nkomadu, reiterated that the role of his elder brother in the family cannot be easily forgotten, thanking the Deputy Governor and all who stood by the family at a time like this.

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Rivers

Ministry Lists Challenges To Health Sector 

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The Rivers State Ministry of Health says it has identified some key challenges affecting the healthcare sector of the state.
This, it said, include shortages in critical health cadre, imbalance in workforce distribution between urban and rural communities, and weak workforce data integration.
The rest are: ageing personnel, attrition pressure, limited fiscal space, and increasing demand for health care services.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, said this while declaring opene a five-day Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA) Methodology and Data Collection workshop for health officers in the state, in Port Harcourt.
He said the programme was crucial due to the growing pressure on health systems globally, adding that it would go a long way in addressing critical challenges and also strengthen health care service delivery in the state.
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Wachukwu noted challenges facing the health sector such as shortages of skilled personnel, unequal distribution of health workers, migration, attrition, productivity concerns, rising disease burdens, and limited financial resources.
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According to him, the strength of any health system depends largely on the capacity of its workforce, describing health workers as essential to service delivery, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child healthcare, and the achievement of universal health coverage.
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He restated the government’s commitment to adopting evidence-based workforce planning, backed by reliable data, strategic investment, and policy coordination rather than fragmented interventions.
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Wachukwu explained that the Health Labour Market Analysis would enable the state to evaluate workforce supply, demand, financing realities, and healthcare needs while identifying existing policy and investment gaps.
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“The exercise will help us develop practical strategies for building a resilient and sustainable health workforce capable of meeting the healthcare needs of our people”, he said.
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Wachukwu also acknowledged that although the state government has implemented reforms to strengthen the health sector, major challenges still persist.
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“This workshop comes at a very critical moment, not only for Rivers State, but for Nigeria’s health sector as well.
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“Across the country and indeed globally, health systems are increasingly confronted with major workforce challenges, shortages of skilled health workers, inequitable distribution, migration and attrition, productivity concerns, changing disease burdens and growing financial constraints”, the Permanent Secretary said.
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Emphasising the importance of collaboration and stakeholder participation, he noted that the success of the workshop would depend on the availability of quality data and institutional cooperation.
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He urged participants to contribute actively throughout the workshop and support the data gathering and analytical processes, stating that the outcome of the exercise would guide policy formulation, improve workforce performance, strengthen investments in the health sector, and enhance healthcare outcomes across Rivers State.
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The Permanent Secretary commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Clinton Health Access Initiative, World Health Organization, development partners, and stakeholders for supporting the initiative.
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Also speaking, the Assistant Director, Human Resources for Health, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja, John Okobia, said the HLMA exercise was specifically designed to address the unique healthcare workforce realities and needs of Rivers State.
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Okobia explained that the policy framework expected to emerge from the workshop would not be merely theoretical, but tailored towards practical solutions capable of improving healthcare delivery and outcomes across the state.
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He advocated for deliberate interventions aimed at strengthening the health sector and improving access to quality healthcare services, expressing optimism that the five-day workshop would produce fruitful outcomes that would support effective health workforce planning and better health indices in the state.
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“The policy that we are going to generate from here is not going to be a theoretical policy, but  is going to solve the practical needs of the people of River State.
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“With a population of about nine million people, Rivers State requires deliberate support and strategic interventions. What we aim to achieve through this exercise is to identify practical ways to improve health outcomes across the state.
“On that note, I want to sincerely thank you all for receiving us, and we are hopeful that the next five days will be productive and impactful”, he  said.
The workshop was organized by the state Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Social Welfare, Clinton Health Access Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO), and other development partners.
By: John Bibor, Nwachukwu Lauritta, Chukwuma Divine Okwu, Ngerebo Patience
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Rivers

VIO Seeks Stronger Collaboration For Road Safety 

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Towards ensuring safer roads and improved transportation management in Rivers State, the Chief of the Rivers State Road Traffic and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Engr. Akobo Monibo, says there is need for strategic collaboration with transport stakeholders in the state.
He made this known while receiving a delegation of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUTON), led by the State Chairman, Lady Larencia Chioma, during a courtesy visit to his office.
The meeting, which focused on fostering a broad-based partnership and mutual understanding aimed at enhancing ease of operations for app-based drivers across Rivers State, was also intended to promote compliance with road safety regulations and traffic management standards.
Speaking during the visit, Engr. Monibo expressed appreciation to the AUTON leadership for their willingness to collaborate with the agency in ensuring orderliness, professionalism, and safety within the transport sector.
He emphasized that road safety remains a collective responsibility and called on all transport operators, especially app-based drivers, to continue supporting government efforts geared towards reducing road accidents and improving public confidence in transportation services.
According to him, “Road safety remains the hallmark of every responsible transport system. We appreciate the understanding, cooperation, and commitment shown by AUTON towards building a safer and more organized transportation environment in Rivers State.”
On her part, the AUTON State Chairman, Lady Larencia Chioma, commended the leadership of the VIO for its openness and readiness to engage stakeholders constructively.
She assured the agency of the union’s support and cooperation in promoting lawful operations and safer roads within the state.
The visit further highlighted the importance of synergy between regulatory agencies and transport unions in advancing efficient service delivery, public safety, and sustainable transportation development in Rivers State.
By: Michael T. Abraham
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Rivers

CIFAL Global Network, UNITAR Webinar Series Holds At RSU … As Nigeria’s Energy Future Takes Centre Stage

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A coalition of international scholars and policy experts will shift global attention to Nigeria’s energy future as the second edition of a three-part webinar series examines the country’s struggle to balance economic growth, energy security and the global transition away from fossil fuels.
The webinar series, titled “The Politics of Power: Energy Security, Resource Wealth and the Global Energy Transition,” is being organised under the CIFAL Global Network and United Nations Institute for Training and Research, with sessions hosted by leading academic institutions in Australia, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
At the session to be hosted by CIFAL Nigeria at Rivers State University (RSU), in Port Harcourt, will focus on the implications of the global energy transition for Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, amid mounting concerns over declining global dependence on fossil fuels and the challenge of expanding domestic energy access.
The organisers said the session would interrogate how Nigeria can sustain economic prosperity while pursuing a just and sustainable transition to renewable energy sources.
The webinar will feature presentations from leading scholars and energy experts, including Prof. Augustine A. Ikein, a Fulbright postdoctoral fellow and Professor Emeritus at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State; Prof. Kingsley Okpara of the Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management (IGEM), Rivers State University; and Dr. Uduak Akpan, a postdoctoral researcher at SOAS, University of London with extensive experience in Africa’s energy and economic transformation, including work with the African Development Bank.
According to the organisers, the webinar series is designed to bring together global perspectives on one of the defining policy questions of the 21st century — how nations rich in natural resources can achieve energy security and economic stability while advancing a fair transition to cleaner energy systems.
Participants who attend all three sessions will receive certificates of participation from the CIFAL Global Network and UNITAR, while recordings will also be made available to registered attendees.
Stakeholders, policymakers, academics and industry players have been urged to participate in the discussions and contribute to shaping the future of global energy systems.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
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