Business
Ogoni Clean-UP: Minister Solicits Youths, Communities’ Support As HYPREP Promises To Train 5,000
The Minister of State for Environment, Chief (Mrs) Sharon Ikpeazor, has appealed to youths and communities in Ogoniland in Rivers State to always support the Federal Government and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to speed up and effectively and seamlessly implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland, as it concerns the clean-up project and provision of livelihoods to the people. This is even as HYPREP has promised to train additional 5,000 youths in the area.
Ikpeazor, who made the appeal during a one-day stakeholder engagement programme at the council secretariat of Khana Local Government Area in Bori on Monday, said the support of both the youths and communities in the area was needed to make the project work as well as enable the government and HYPREP work faster in improving the wellbeing of the people in the shortest possible time.
She disclosed that advertisement placements would soon be made for the construction of the Centre of Excellence in Ogoniland as contained in the UNEP Report, assuring that due process would be followed in the advertisement of projects and engagement of contractors for the execution of all HYPREP projects.
Ikpeazor further hinted that an environmental surveillance team, made up of Ogoni youths would also be put in place to provide security at remediation sites in Ogonniland, adding that the Federal Government was committed to training of Ogoni youths.
According to her, the government would ensure that other contaminated sites in Ogoniland not captured in the UNEP Report are included in the clean-up project so that the project would be truly owned by the people.
The minister further noted that the employment of casual workers by HYPREP to drive the clean-up project would be open and transparent, clarifying that HYPREP is not an agency but a project office which has no legal framework.
On his part, the Acting Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Philip Shekwolo said 5,000 Ogoni youths would be selected for the forthcoming livelihood training programme, assuring that the project office was determined to provide potable drinking water to contaminated Ogoni Comminties, as 12 additional lots were on the verge of joining six contractors already selected by the office to ensure that the ongoing water project gets to impacted communities.
Shekwolo further promised that the Centre of Excellence project would come on stream in 2022, and thanked Ogoni indigenous doctors for anchoring the project office’s outreach medical programme recently carried out in the four Ogoni local government areas of the state.
Also speaking, the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Giniwa stressed the need for the establishment of the University of Environment in Ogoniland, adding that education of the people of the area was key to development, and appealed that the clean-up project should be made faster.
Former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya urged HYPREP to ensure that Ogoni people benefit from the clean-up project by carrying along the women and the youths of the area.
Former President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Barrister Ledum Mitee harped on the need for HYPREP to provide to the Ogoni people things that are sustainable instead of giving them what he described as mere handouts.
The Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Barry Mpigi commended the present leadership of HYPREP, stressing that the ongoing clean-up project was a national project which must be treated as such in all ramifications, adding that there was need to drive the project in such a way that it goes beyond the Muhammedu Buhari administration.
On his part, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Dr Barinee Thomas, who spoke on behalf of other local government chairmen in Ogoniland, tacitly passed a vote of confidence on the present HYPREP leadership, and commended it for its humane disposition and serenity of purpose.
He, however , charged HYPREP to engage in deliberate actions to improve the wellbeing of Ogoni people as well as involve young Ogoni contractors in the execution of projects, saying “ All we want is result.”
The event was well attended by Ogoni sons and daughters including the state Commissioner for Agriculture and member, HYPREP Board of Trustees, Dr Fred Kpakol; Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Peter Medee; President of KAGOTE, Hon Emma Deeyah; former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani; former Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae; among others.
The Director General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Restoration Agency (NOSDRA), Mr Idris Musa; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Hassan Musa were in the entourage of the Minister.
Ikpeazor visited the ongoing water project in Eleme and some remediated sites in the area.
By: Donatus Ebi
Business
Food Vendors, Others Relocate To New Site At PH Airport
The raging controversy between the Port Harcourt International Airport Management and restaurants/canteen operators and theirallies over relocation has been brought under control, as the operators have commenced relocation to their structures at the new site.
Recall that there had been serious feud over a directive by the Manager of the airport, Mr. Michael Area, for food vendors and their allies to relocate to the new site.
They insisted that the new site was too distant and hence, would negatively affect patronage from customers, with possible loss.
They further also insisted that it wouldcost them much money to put up another structure, given the economic situation in the country, since the airport management did not build any structure for them, apart from providing the empty land they have to also pay for.
The situation had led to flexing of muscles, which made the Airport Manager to order for sealing of all shops, resulting in scarcity of food, as airport users could not find a place to eat, apart from the only Genesis fast food spot available.
As at last Friday, The Tide observed that most of the food vendors had transferred their structures to the new place, and had started doing business there already.
Meanwhile, customers have started settling down at the new location as they were seen patronising shops for foods and drinks, in spite of the distance.
Few of the remaining structures at the old site, The Tide further gathered, will also be removed as quickly as possible, and the owners are making efforts to get funds for the job to be done.
One of them, Mrs Aka Love explained that she was going to relocate to the new place before the end of March.
Currently, business activities at the old site have come to null, as the place which was usually a beehive of food, drinks and relaxation, has completely winded down.
By: Corlins Walter
Business
MOWCA Strengthens Maritime Crime Prevention
Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has stepped up interaction with the United States Government to lift restrictions placed on some member countries allegedly implicated in illicit shipping activities.
Adalikwu, who led a delegation from the MOWCA Secretariat to the US Embassy in Abidjan for a first leg of the strategic consultation aimed at promoting seamless participation of MOWCA countries in international trade within the global maritime space, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to the best ethical and lawful maritime practices.
Addressing the U.S Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, H.E Mrs Jessica Davis Ba, the MOWCA SG stated the organisation’s interest in promoting the International Ship and Port facility Security (ISPS) code which aims at enhancing security of vessels and their ports of call.
He expressed the commitment of MOWCA in promoting environmentally friendly, safe and cost effective shipping without any encumbrance that may limit the economic potential of member countries.
Dr Adalikwu recalled that at the instance of the U.S. Department of State invitation, MOWCA participated in the 2023 Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) Conference in Larnaca, Cyprus, on February 28–March 1, 2023, and a virtual meeting held on June 6 2023, with Mrs Jennifer Chalmers, Officer in change of Counterproliferation Initiative.
He recalled The U.S. DOS willingness to support MOWCA’s effort for preventive maritime security through the establishment of the Center for Information and Communication (CINFOCOM) with the aim to ensure a maritime situational awareness domain within MOWCA’s member states’ waters.
He added that MOWCA under his watch is committed to training and retraining of maritime practitioners and experts to enhance the human capital capabilities of member states.
The CINFOCOM will help prevent transnational crimes committed at sea like sanctions evasion by North Korea and other state actors, who exploit poor enforcement due diligence by ship open registries to circumvent United Nations and U.S. trade restrictions.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Business
Nigeria’s Public Debt Hits N97.3trn – DMO
The Debt Management Office (DMO) has hinted that Nigeria’s public debt increased by 10.7 per cent from N87.87 trillion in the third quarter of last year, to N97.34 trillion as at December 31, 2023.
DMO, in an update data released last Friday, said the increase in the debt stock was largely due to new domestic borrowing by the Federal Government to part finance the deficit in the 2024 Appropriation Act and disbursements by multilateral and bilateral lenders.
The office noted that the N97.3 trillion public debt comprises of domestic debt of N59.12 trillion and external debt of N38.22 trillion. The sum of $3.5 billion was used to service external debt during the review period.
“Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock as at December 31, 2023 was N97.34trillion or $108.229 billion. This amount comprises the domestic and external debt stocks of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the 36 States Governments, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“There was an increase of N9.43 trillion over the comparative figure for September, 2023, which was largely due to new domestic borrowing by the FGN to part finance the deficit in the 2024 Appropriation Act and disbursements by multilateral and bilateral lenders.
“At N59.12 trillion, total domestic debt accounted for 61 percent of the total public debt stock, while external debt at N38.22 trillion accounted for the balance of 39 percent.
“Consistent with the debt management strategy, Nigeria’s external debt stock was skewed in favour of loans from multilateral (49.77 percent) and bilateral lenders (14.02 percent) or total of 63.79 percent which are mostly concessional and semi-concessional.
“Whilst the DMO continues to employ best practice in public debt management, the recent and on-going efforts of the fiscal authorities to shore up revenue will support debt sustainability”, DMO stated.
By: Corlins Walter
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