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Firm Organises Free Healthcare Services In Rivers Community

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As part of efforts to promote healthy living in its host and neighbouring communities, oil giant, Total E&P has kicked off a one week free health care programme in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The well attended event which held at the Opobo General Hospital last Wednesday, as part the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was graced by the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty King Dandeson Douglas-Jaja, who is also the Amayanabo of Opobo Kingdom.
The Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of Total, Mr. Francois Le-Cocq, in his keynote address at the third day of the week-long mass free medical service for the company’s offshore neighbouring communities of Opobo and Nkoro, revealed that it was the first time the life-saving medical outreach was holding in the local government area.
Le-Cocq, who was represented by Total’s Community Affairs Manager, Offshore, Okechukwu Obara, said: “As a company, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, shares in the universal saying that healthy people make a wealthy nation.
He said:, “We are sustaining the noble efforts of the joint venture to reach out to the critical needs of our people and support both preventive and curative healthcare delivery policies and programmes of government, despite the challenging business environment.
“After two days of this programme, available statistics indicate that 450 patients have so far been attended to. 85 were pediatric cases, 112 ophthalmological, four ante-natal cases, while four patients have already undergone successful surgeries, while others are awaiting further review, preparatory for surgery. The figures will rise as the days go by, which is a testimony that the programme is very popular and it is highly patronised by the people.
The deputy managing director also hailed the joint venture partner, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), for the continuous support, and thanked the Rivers State government for approving the team of medical personnel and volunteering its facility for the programme, while commending other partners for the success of the event.
Le-Cocq further said that in order to have healthy citizenry, other oil companies, multinationals and other critical stakeholders should emulate Total, since a stitch in time saves nine.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Community Representative, Alabo Godwin Bupo, disclosed that many development projects by Total were ongoing in the area, while expressing gratitude to the oil giant.
Also speaking, the Programme Facilitator, Dr. Daniel Onyetulem, stated that he had passion for saving lives and medical missions, after he saved an eight-year-old boy, who was diagnosed of Typhoid fever perforation and at the point of death, but with poor parents who could not afford the bill, many years ago at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, making him to donate blood to save the life of the patient.
Onyetulem said: “One of the major challenges of people not going to hospitals for treatment is because they could not afford the bills. The Opobo medical mission is coming at the right time, as the patients are leaving happier than they came.
“Unwanted pregnancies, rape cases and substance abuse are rampant in this area and other parts of Rivers State, and they must be quickly addressed, especially by creating awareness through continuous campaigns.”
The medical doctor also lauded the oil giant for the initiative and people of Opobo for the cooperation and warm reception.
The Opobo first class monarch who was represented by the Vice-Chairman of Opobo Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Alabo Princewill Dappa, in his goodwill message on the occasion, urged the people not to be careless with their health.
King Jaja stated that health should be taken seriously by people, in order to live longer, thereby meaningfully contributing for societal development.
The Opobo king also urged the oil giant to extend the programme to other communities in the area, while lauding Total for the initiative and thanked the volunteers for attending to the people, thereby making the programme to be a blessing to many persons.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Rosemary Wilcox, said: “The free health programme is very encouraging. It is timely and good for many of us who do not have money to go to the hospitals for check-up or treatment of various ailments, but we are being treated free of charge and given free drugs, including surgeries for critical cases.”

Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro local government council, Eugene Joseph Oko-Jaja, in his goodwill message, pleaded with Total to consider for employment opportunities, the teeming qualified youths of the area, who he said were currently jobless and hungry.
Oko-Jaja, who was represented by a top official of the council, Francis Allison, called on Total to make the free health programme an annual event, while assuring that he was ready for synergy with development agencies, to move the LGA forward.

 

Dennis Naku

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Coy Averts Labour Action, Pays 5 Months Salary Arreas

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The leadership of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Monday, said Clarion Bonded Terminal has apologised for their delay in payment of workers’ five months salary owed.
The MWUN boss disclosed that the management of the off-dock terminal responded swiftly to pay off the salaries to avoid shutdown.
Speaking shortly after a meeting with management of the bonded terminal, President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said Clarion terminal management also apologised to the union for the delay saying it was due to a mix up.
Recall that The Tide Newspaper on Monday reported that Labour union had on Friday shut down operations at the terminal following five months unpaid salary of its members.
The leadership of union deployed senior members of the union, including the President General to the terminal to register its displeasure over withholding of the salaries of members.
The union stated that management of the terminal did not waste time in paying up the said arrears, and also apologised to the union for the delay
Speaking further, MWUN said the terminal had pledged to subsequently work in harmony with the union even as the union promised to lend support.
“Port operation is like that, sometimes correspondences that are supposed to come come to the headquarter, diea not come, but they are sent to the districts.
“The district, which has cordial relationship with their employers, did not report to us here. It was when the matter was blown out of hand that the guys concerned came here by themselves, we took it over by ourselves.
“She has apologised and my own is for her to pay, there is no need to for me to drag it further”, he said.
The Clarion boss, Mrs. Bernardine Eloka, said there was a communication hitch between both parties, noting that letters were written to the inappropriate office of the union.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic,
Lagos

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FG Hands Over Fuel Subsidy Burden To In-coming Govt

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The Federal Government has said the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu will provide palliative measures for millions of Nigerians when petrol subsidy is lifted by June 2023.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this yesterday at the 68th session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
“The subsidy palliatives will be left to the incoming government to implement. We’ll simply hand over to them.
“Of course, we will give recommendations which they are at liberty to either accept or reject”, he said.
The Tide’s source reports that the Federal Government said it had yet to harmonise its efforts with states to provide palliatives to cushion the effect of the gradual removal of petroleum subsidy scheduled for June.
However, it said the concerned committees would soon conclude discussions with key stakeholders as the Buhari regime winds down.
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, who addressed journalists at the time, noted that a committee led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the National Economic Council comprising state governors had been working to resolve the issue for over 12 months now.
Within that period, however, the committee had yet to harmonise its templates, he added.
Abba said, “For over a year plus now, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has been leading a committee working on this and the National Economic Council also has a committee that has also been working on this.
“So, the stage that we are in now is how to finalise the suggestions that have come out from both the Federal Government and the governors’ side.
“Like you know, it is something that is going to affect the entire nation. They will just have to ensure that everyone is carried along, that is both the federal and sub-national governments”, he added.

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Customs Rakes In N54.9bn In 3 Months …Seizes Containers Worth N94.6

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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area 2 Command in Onne, Rivers State said it generated the sum of N54, 992, 123, 687.15 billion revenue from January to March, 2023.
The Command Controller, Comptroller Baba Imam, who disclosed this yesterday, while speaking to newsmen in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers, said the sum was out of the N336bn revenue target for the year 2023.
He said an increase of N1, 132, 925, 556.82 billion was recorded from the revenue, compared to what was realised in 2022.
The Command Controller further disclosed that the Command recorded several seizures, which, he said, reflected its commitment to facilitating only legitimate trade in line with the provision of extant laws.
According to him, the command seized 24 containers laden with refined vegetable oil, comprising a total of 28,860 gallons of 25 and 10 litres of La-Jonic vegetable oil with a duty paid value of N833, 172, 538.42 and two containers laden with 1,165 cartons of Analgin injection and fireworks.
The Comptroller put the duty paid value of the two containers at N94, 652,168.39 million, saying one 20ft. of machete was detained on documentation grounds pending provision of end of user certificate.
“In revenue generation, the command was given a target of N336 billion as revenue target for 2023.
“As of today, the Command has generated a total revenue of N54, 992,123, 687.15 billion which transits to 16.3 per cent of the target. When compared to the same period last year, the Command has an increase in revenue of N1,132, 925, 556.82bn.
“This figure was realized in spite of not having vessels berth in Onne Port for some time due to the election atmosphere.
“We look forward to a continuous rise in revenue generation in the coming months as we expect vessels to berth on our coastline within the next few weeks”, Imam siad.
On anti-smuggling activities, within the past few weeks since he assumed office, he said there has been a harvest of seizures justifying their committed resolve to facilitate only legitimate trade in line with the provision of extant laws.
“This is made visible with the display of a total number which comprises 26 seized containers and one detained container for violation or contraventions of various customs laws and breach of procedures as provided under the revised import prohibition guidelines Schedule 3 Article 4 of the Common External Tariff 2022-2026 as well as Section 46 paragraph (b), (d), (e), (f) and 169 of Customs and Excise Management.
“Twenty four containers laden with refined vegetable oil comprising a total of 24,860 gallons of 25 and 10 litres of La-Jonic vegetable oil. Also seized were other two containers laden with 1,165 cartons of Analgin injection and fireworks with other items”, he said.
He explained that the seizures were made purely with intelligence gathered and 100 percent physical examination, saying investigation was ongoing through its legal and intelligent unit with a view to apprehending the culprits and making them face the law.
Imam also warned that the NCS under his watch will take punitive measures against importers and agents who exhibit any defiant behaviour by not operating in accordance with extant laws of the land.

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