As part of activities to celebrate this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Engr Samuel Nwanosike, has announced plans to acquire a gene testing machine to boost efforts in Tuberculosis (TB) test and treatment.
This is as the state Ministry of Health in conjunction with its partners on fight against TB, has awarded Nwanosike as Champion Against TB in the state.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Ndidi Chikanele Uche, who handed over the award at the weekend in Isiopko, headquaters of Ikwerre Local Government Area, also announced the local government area as top in the fight against TB.
Uche said the state has made huge progress in the fight against TB as infection rate has reduced due to improved free testing in the rural areas.
She thanked the Ikwerre LGA chairman for being at the frontline to promote rural health, noting that TB was a deadly disease that is highly transmittable, hence the need to intensify enlightenment.
She announced that up to 75 per cent cases had been discovered in the LGA, which indicate success in reducing the disease.
Responding, Nwanosike, while thanking the state government for awarding the LGA, said health care forms part of his five point agenda of development.
He submitted that apart from renovating medical facilities in Igwuruta, Omanwa, Omagwa and Isiokpo, he has prioritised payment of allowances and emoluments to health staff to motivate them.
Nwanosike said there is an ongoing TB care programme the council is sponsoring.
On his part, Chairman of the occasion and former State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Chizindu Alikor, regretted that TB has affected large part of the population due to ignorance.
Alikor, while praising Ikwerre LGA for its efforts in the fight against TB, urged other LGAs to join in the fight against the deadly disease.

As reactions trail the emergence of Sir Siminialayi Fubara as the Governor-Elect of Rivers State, the Paramount Ruler of Woji Town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, HRH Eze Emeka Ihunwo, has described the Governor-Elect as “an epitome of humility and loyalty”.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Sir Fubara as the duly elected Governor of Rivers State at the March 18 Governorship election.
Sir Fubara won the election in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide at his palace in Woji, Eze Emeka Ihunwo said he was touched when he saw Fubara fall down and held Governor Wike’s legs, when the results was announced, describing it as the highest level of humility .
He said the gesture is worth emulating by politicians in Rivers State.
Eze Emeka Ihunwo, however, urged the in-coming Governor to look up to heaven as God holds the key to his success in governance.
The Woji monarch also called on him to relate well with the people and forgive everyone, while ensuring that traditional rulers are fully incorporated in the governance of the state.
The monarch also advised members of the opposition to join hands with the incoming administration to move the state forward.
According to him, “election is a contest and one person must win”, stressing that members of the opposition should see the outcome of the election as an act of God and embrace peace.
Ihunwo used the occasion to call on the Governor-Elect to not only consolidate on Wike’s achievements in the areas of infrastructural development, but also create opportunities for people to showcase their talents.
He used the occasion to congratulate Hon O. K. Chinda for emerging as winner of the Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Hon Martin Amaewhule and Lady Emilia Amadi, for winning the Obio/Akpor House of Assembly Constituencies 1 and 2 respectively.
Ihunwo expressed the hope that Fubara will supersede Governor Wike in terms of achievement, as it is the wish and prayers of every father for his children to do better than him .
He also advised the people of Rivers State to embrace the incoming administration and pledged the loyalty of Woji Community to the incoming administration .

By: John Bibor

The “Health of Mother Earth Foundation” has urged government at all levels to prioritize the issue of Enviroment over other issues in the Niger Delta.
It also urged government to stop prioritizing the revenue and royalty gained from oil and gas operators in the Niger Delta over the environment and the lives of the people.
The group tasked the incoming Federal Government to, “as a matter of priority, respond to the needs of the people of the Niger Delta by protecting the environment, since the people depend on the environment for a living”.
Executive Director of the organization, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said it was completely unacceptable that local communities in the Niger Delta drink water from polluted streams and rivers, and also breathe polluted air.
Bassey spoke during a one-day capacity building in Amonogo Biri, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, organised for communities on how to combat and provide solutions to the persistent environmental pollution caused by the refinery, oil and petrochemical companies operating in the area.
He described government as the major player when it comes to the degradation of the environment as they are only after the exploration of natural resources at the expense of the poor masses whose livelihood are being destroyed totally.
Bassey added that the workshop was imperative to build the capacity of community people to confront their government and oil operators over the pollution in the area, and to enhance the ability of the people to speak up against environmental degradation.
“I think it is big embarrassment that we have government at all levels in those areas and we don’t see any concern for the environment.
“This is one thing that is very wrong in this country, government tends to see natural resources as things to be exploited at any cost, so the environment is destroyed, the resources are taken, and foreign exchange are made.
“When the environment is destroyed the lives of the people are also destroyed, and if people are not able to thrive in their community, then whatsoever financial gains the government makes is equal to blood money.
“The incoming government must respond to the needs of the people, protecting the environment should be the number one responsibility of government because people depend on the environment for a living.
“People drink water from polluted streams and rivers, people are farming in polluted land, people are breathing polluted air. This is completely unacceptable”, he said.
Earlier, some members of the community, who narrated their experience, complained that the presence of the oil companies around them has brought nothing but pains and sorrow, following the negative impacts the industries has had on their aquatic life.
A fisherman, Fyneface Daka, said that even the fishes caught from the river are polluted, since the water itself was highly polluted from chemical and toxic wastes discharged by Port Harcourt refinery and Indorama petrochemicals.
“We are predominantly fishermen. We are all suffering from pollution arising from gas flaring. If you wash your clothes and spray outside, flames and soot will cover it in few hours. Even the water is polluted, meaning that even the fishes we eat are from polluted too”.
Highpoint of the workshop was the inauguration of FishNet Alliance in Okrika, for the promotion of sustainable fishing in line with ecosystem limits, and environmental advocacy.