News
World Charity Day: Stakeholders Seek Enabling Law
Centre for Development Support Initiative (CEDSI), a Niger Delta-based non-governmental organization, has called for legislation that will compel multination companies to set aside some percentage of their income for the less privileged in the society.
The international director of the centre, Mrs Mina Ogbanga, who said this at a press briefing in Port Harcourt in commemoration of the international day of charity. He said that the level of [poverty in the land has made it compelling for government to back up the issue of charity with legislation.
Ogbanga, who spoke through the Finance and Administrative Adviser of the centre, Mr Kuva Porokie, said that the concept of common humanity must be explored by privileged persons across the globe to identify with their less privileged counterparts.
She said that CEDSI had over the years identified with the less privileged in the society.
‘Centre for Development Support Initiative (CEDSI),who operational since 2000 has been involved solely in the business of charity and giving.
“Infact, giving has been a great part of our activity.. Just last week in commemoration of this day, free books were distributed to children in a Lagos-based charity home. This is key in promoting the essence of giving even as this year’s theme expounds”, she said.
Ogbanga regretted that in today’s society, government and people want to benefit without giving, and stressed the need for stakeholders to partner with the organization in the realization of this important act of humanitarian gesture.
In her words: giving and receiving complement each other, and obviously, like we know that one cannot actually give what he does not have.
“Giving is an integral part of our existence as humans”, she added.
She said that CEDSI has implemented programmes which have benefitted more than five hundred communities across the Niger Delta, while homes such as Remand home, home for the elderly and Port Harcourt Children Home have benefitted from the activities of the group.
News
NDDC Begins N50,000 Monthly Payment To 10,000 N’Delta Youths
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has begun the payment of N50,000 monthly stipends to 10,000 indigenous youths from the Niger Delta under its Youths Internship Scheme.
The Director of Corporate Affairs at the NDDC, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, yesterday.
She explained that the beneficiaries would undergo practical, hands-on training across the various organisations for 12 months to develop critical skills.
Recall that during the inauguration of the scheme on July 31, 2024, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had announced the Federal Government’s approval of a N50,000 monthly stipend for the trainees.
According to Thompson-Wakama, the commission has successfully completed the selection process and has begun placing trainees in organisations to gain practical experience.
“Consequently, with the completion of these phases, the payment of the monthly stipends has also commenced,” she announced.
She revealed that the 10,000 beneficiaries were transparently selected from over 3.2 million youths who registered for the empowerment programme.
“This unprecedented response highlights the immense potential and aspirations of our youths to improve themselves.
“NDDC remains steadfast in ensuring this life-changing opportunity reaches the most deserving candidates, creating a lasting impact and paving the way for a brighter future,” she stated.
Thompson-Wakama explained that the scheme had enabled the commission to collate essential data, including the qualifications, skills, interests, needs, and employment status of the youths in the region.
The data, she explained, would guide the commission in designing programmes tailored to address the unique challenges faced by young people.
She disclosed that the NDDC partnered with KPMG, a global audit and consultancy firm, to enhance the commission’s corporate governance framework.
“KPMG has produced a Governance Advisory Report that will serve as a tool to support the commission’s transition from a transaction-based to a transformation-focussed policy,” Thompson-Wakama added.
The director commended the youths for their patience and cooperation during the selection process for the scheme.
News
Fubara Attends PDPGF Meeting In Asaba …..Back Court Verdict On National Secretary Position

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, last Friday, attended the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The Rivers State Governor, who is the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, attended the meeting, alongside 10 other Governors of the party’s controlled states across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The first PDPGF meeting in 2025, was held at the Government House in Asaba, at the end of which a seven-point resolution was reached.
Reading the communique at the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to put every machinery in place to ensure a hitch-free NEC meeting on March 13, 2025.
The communique stated:
“The Forum, having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC, advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13Th) of March 2025.”
The Forum further noted the Court of Appeal judgment affirming Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the party, saying that as a party that believes in the rule of law, it will respect the position of the Appellate Court on the matter.
“The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.
“While commending the country’s valiant and patriotic Armed Forces and Security Agencies for maintaining the frontline in securing the country and the gains of our gallant personnel against bandits in parts of the country, the Forum viewed with deep concern, the resurgence of brazen non-state actors. It, therefore, calls for the strengthening of the nation’s security architecture.”
Governors in attendance include: H.E Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Bauchi State); H.E Sir Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State) – Vice Chairman; H.E Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State) – Host; H.E Dr. Agbu Kefas (Taraba State); H.E Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa State); and H.E Dr. Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State).
Others are H.E Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun State); H.E Senator Douye Diri (Bayelsa State); H.E Pastor Umo Eno Ph.D (Akwa Ibom State); H.E Dr. Peter Mbah (Enugu State); H.E Barr. Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State);
and H.E Bayo Lawal (Deputy Governor, Oyo State), who represented Governor Seyi Makinde.
News
NGO Implants Free Pacemakers Into 22 Cardiac Patients In PH
A United States based Non Governmental Organisation, Cardiovascular Education Forum, in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), has successfully implanted free pacemakers into 22 patients with different cardiac cases in Port Harcourt.
This is in a bid to save lives and encourage patients with low heartbeats to live longer.
The implantable device, which costs $20,000 each, was inserted free of charge on the selected patients.
Speaking during a Special Hospital Ground Rounds at the UPTH with its Theme, “Recent Advances in Cardiac Pacing,” a cardiac Physiologist, Dr Neil Grub, said the NGO was in Nigeria to improve training and learning on cardiac issues and help patients with cardiac problems.
Accompanied by a team of experts comprising a cardiologist and cardiac device implanter, Dr Jagdeep Siagh, and UPTH interventional cardiologist, Dr Edafe Emmanuel, Dr Grubb said pacemakers were inserted on patients with low heartbeats to boost their heart rates.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director, UPTH, Prof Henry Arinze Ugboma, said each of the implantable devices cost over $20,000.
Ugboma, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UPTH, Prof Datonye Alasia, said the partnership between UPTH and the foreign NGO was to build networks, and improve services in terms of healthcare delivery, training and learning.
According to him, there is now a ray of hope in terms of treatment of patients with cardiovascular cases in the hospital.
He said the UPTH started the collaboration with Cardiovascular Education Forum in 2018 to boost health, training and learning on cardiac health.
He assured that, “in coming years, the scale of our collaboration with the mission will be higher.”
Chinedu Wosu
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