The Supreme Council for Sim (Worldwide) has Commended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for the successful disburserment of N4 billion to over 3,000 youth entrepreneurs in Rivers State.
They said the gesture will boost industrialisation in the State, and also create thousands of employment opportunities for youths in the state.
Chairman of the group, Ambassador Oji G. Ngofa, who gave the commendation in Port Harcourt, while addressing newsmen, said “the disbursement to over 3,000 entrepreneurs in Rivers State and also hosting of Rivers State Economic and Investment Submit 2024 has not only attracted investments and created employment opportunities, but also showcased the numerous investment potentials to the outside world”.
According to Ambassador Ngofa, the summit particularly has also explored the prospects of education, especially youth education for digital economy.
He also commended the Governor on what he called the Governor’s “other achievements” as Governor of Rivers State and for his successful one year in office.
The council reeled out some of these achievements within the past one year to include the promotion of civil servants after more than eight years of stagnation, payment of workers’ salary, pensioners arrears, the successful commencement of work on the Port Harcourt Ring Road, the ongoing construction of the Aleto-Ebubu Road in Eleme Local Government, the completion of the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni Road, and many more.
Members of the Supreme Council for Sim also pledged their unwavering support and dedication to Governor Fubara as they celebrate him on his one year anniversary.
The council further commended the Governor for growing the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state from N11billion to N28billion, describing it as one of the best things that has happened to the State.
It called on all Rivers people to give their full and unflinching support to the Governor.

By: Okere Sincere & Dudu Celine

A Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Opobo/Nkoro, Ward 5, Warisenibo Tonye Fubara, has said, God anointed Sir Siminalayi Fubara to succeed the former Governor of the state and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as Governor for “the task of liberating the people from political slavery, deception, nepotism, sectionalism and an era of amassing Rivers people’s resources and wealth to stupor at the detriment of the people”.
Speaking recently in Opobo, shortly after the commissioning of Corpers’ Lodge built by the administration of Dr. Enyiada CookeyGam, Fubara said he was confident in the ability of the Governor to rapidly develop the state, especially the rural communities, abandoned by successive administrations, describing the emergence of Fubara as the will of God and not that of any man.
The PDP chieftain, a grassroots mobiliser, admonished Rivers people to always support the untiring efforts of the administration to be able to provide the yearned democracy dividends denied them in years back.
On the over N19 billion Opobo-Epellema Road project, Senibo Fubara lauded the development doggedness and foresight of the Governor towards providing quality service to the masses, adding that when completed, the road will boost economic growth in the catchment communities.
“The one year revolutionary and aggressive transformation of the State via people-oriented development projects, as championed by the Siminalayi Fubara-led dispensation, such as the over N225 billion Trans- Kalabari Road, the N195billion Port-Harcourt Ring Road, the just-commissioned Andoni Section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road projects, among others, can stand the test of time”, he stated.

By: Bethel Toby

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), TB Network, has called for more commitments in efforts made to address the barriers to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria (ATM), and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
The State Focal Person, Tuberculosis (TB), Rivers State, Mr. Messiah Fyneface Muzan, who made the call, Thursday, in a media parley in Port Harcourt, profered a seven-point agenda towards this end.
In his presentation, sub-titled, “Call To Action: Addressing HIV, TB, Malaria and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria”, Muzan said, to advance the fight against HIV, TB, Malaria, and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria, one of the key things for relevant authorities to do is for the National Health Insurance programme enjoyed by the formal sector to be extended to others, particularly the poor and most vulnerable.
According to him, this is because, “the poor often are less educated and unemployed, and consequently lack the ability to pay out-of-pocket for high costs associated with frequent illnesses”.
He also said, “funding and finances for Primary Health delivery should be carefully mapped out and sanctioned against any misappropriation or mismanagement, to enable a robust public health programme at all Ward levels in the Local Government.
“Communication and education programmes, he said, can raise knowledge and awareness, and, in turn, improve testing and care-seeking”.
He said this is because of the need to “educate, engage, and empower the communities to embrace any behaviour change relevant to achieving success in HIV, TB, and malaria control in Nigeria “.
The State Focal Person on TB further said every Ward should commit to health promotion and education programmes to increase awareness of prevention measures, and promote community participation, while adhering to evidence-based strategies.
Other proposals by the State TB Network boss are: “commit adequate resources through advocacy and partnerships for the full and effective implementation of planned interventions, including through involvement of the private sector and community participatory approaches.
“Community members should actively support and advocate their local Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs). Community involvement is crucial in ensuring sustainability and effectiveness of these centres.
“Additionally, community support can manifest through volunteering, donating resources, or participating in advocacy efforts to secure increased funding amd resource for PHCs”.
On Gender-Based Violance and gender human rights, he noted that they occur through such forms as domestic abuse, verbal aggression, physical violence, early and forced marriages, incest, Female Genital Cutting (FGC), acid attacks, and outright killings, saying women, men, boys and girls “continue to endure degradation and deprivation in both public and private spaces”.
For the stated reasons, he said, “the Civil Society for the Eradication of TB in Nigeria calls on all stakeholders to combat the rising cases of GBV in our society.
“We implore every citizen not to remain silence. Let us unite our efforts to eradicate this menace from our nation. If you witness something, please speak out”.

By: Soibi Max-Alalibo