Rivers
Union Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Confers Awards
About 10 cooperative societies, under the umbrella of Ekpeye United Cooperative Union thronged the premises of Green River Project (GRP) Extension Office, Ukpeliede in Ahoada-West Local Government Area, to mark the 10th anniversary of their conglomerate.
The occasion was also used to honour three stakeholders.
The Tide reports that GRP is a department of Nigerian Agip Oil Company, concerned with the promotion of agriculture in its host communities.
Speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Victor Akwujuru of the Rivers State University, noted that the occasion warranted the jubilation that coloured the atmosphere.
He said that it was heart lifting to see cooperative societies cropping up in a rural area, to tackle food insecurity and joblessness.
Prof. Akwujuru, who doubles as an estate mamgerment expert and renowned farmer, expressed hope that the existing cooperative societies would sustain the tempo of their hard works while new ones emerge to join them.
The chairman charged the respective cooperative societies to look at the long term, rather than the short term benefits of their works.
In his address, the president of Ekpeye United Cooperative Union, Mr Ihuowo. Alabo Monday said. “Operating as a group of this nature has not been very easy in the Ekpeye communities’ environment.
I therefore extend my kudos to members, for refusing to live by stereotyped environmental bondage and forging ahead to build an enviable cooperative organisation. Our vows mean as much today as they did more than a decade ago’’.
The president thanked the GRP for their support and encouragement to the union, through capacity building, timely provision of farm inputs, building and commissioning of agricultural infrastructure, providing access to micro credit and financial assistance through awards as well as provision of extension officers, including, Mr Iyke Moses, Mr Felix Ogbonna and Chief Charlie Samuel.
Ihuowo, post humously recognised the contributions of the founding members of the union, namely, the former secretary and treasurer, Late Chief Amanukpo Robinson and Late Deacon Gibson Echikwa, respectively.
He noted that the union had recorded a number of success stories and in this context, a dividend of N10,000 each was presented to all the cooperative groups in good financial standing.
The president, who is also an accountant, announced the union’s target to establish a revolving loan of N1million annually for farmers or groups at an interest rate of less than 10 per cent.
He appealed to the management of GRP to avail the union the opportunity to participate in and nominate youths for skills acquisition programmes, as well as revival of the micro-credit scheme to individual cooperative societies.
Ihuowo called on secondary school authorities in the LGA to participate in GRP programmes as obtained in other zones and states of Nigeria.
While the beneficiaries of dividends included, Umanunye Cooperative Society (Ukpeliede), Young Farmers Cooperative Society (Akala-Olu), Uzodhu Cooperative Society (Idu-Ekpeye), Obuma cooperative Society (Enito 1), Ogoda-Ahoada Women Cooperative Society (Ogoda), the individual awardees were; Dr Joyce Ordinioha, Dr Okezie Ebiriker and Mr Ihuowo Alabo in appreciation of their invaluable services to the union.
Dr Ordinioha, who spoke on behalf of the awardees said, they would be spurred to render more services to the union and the public at large.
By: Agimo Benson
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.