Rivers
HYPREP Boss Tasks Minister On Workers’ Welfare …As FG Moves To Link Ogoni Communities To National Grid
The Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr Ferdinand Giadom, has urged the new Minister of Environment, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi to ensure that the welfare of workers of the project is given top priority in order to motivate them.
This is even as the Federal Government has promised to link major communities in Ogoniland in Rivers State to the national grid in order to power ongoing water projects in the area.
Giadom, who made the appeal at the HYPREP office in Port Harcourt during the maiden visit of the Minister recently, said there was the need to give the welfare of HYPREP staff adequate attention because of his policy of slightly adjusting the Civil Service Rules as it concerns them, so as to fast track the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoniland.
According to him, he had adjusted the rules in such a way that the workers now resume work by 7am instead of the traditional 8am, while they close from work beyond 5pm.
Giadom said with this development, the workers are supposed to be paid some extra tokens as overtime allowances in order to really encourage and motivate them.
He, therefore, appealed to the Minister not to hesitate in giving his approvals whenever applications from his office are forwarded to him for this purpose.
The Project Coordinator explained that the minor adjustment of the civil service rules was to enable his office to timely execute the clean-up project, which he said had suffered undue delay in the past.
Abdullahi, while addressing the workers said the Federal Government has taken steps to link major communities in Ogoniland to the national grid in order to provide regular power supply to ongoing water projects provided by the government in the area in order to sustain them and boost economic activities.
He said in a couple of days, the Project Coordinator would put in place the necessary framework to enable the Federal Government to link the communities to the national grid.
Abdullahi noted that President Muhammadu Buhari is not happy with the slow pace of the Ogoni clean-up project, for which reason, he had approved the appointment of a new Project Coordinator for HYPREP, and also appointed him as substantive Minister of Environment to fast track the implementation of the UNEP Report.
According to him, the President wants to see a situation where the clean-up project and other ongoing water projects in Ogoniland are commissioned before leaving office on May 29, 2023.
Abdullahi stressed the need for stakeholders engagement and collaboration in the implementation of the UNEP Report, and solicited the support and commitment of the workers and all Ogoni people towards the clean-up project.
The Minister, during the visit, paid courtesy visits to the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and Gbenemene Tai, King Godwin Giniwa; the Gberemene Gokana, King Festus Babari Bagia; the Gbeneme Babbe Kingdom, King Monday Noryaa; and the Oneh-eh Eleme X1, King Philip Obele.
Abdullahi also inspected some remediation sites at B-Dere Community in Gokana and others in Tai as well as water project sites in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas.
The Minister, at a stakeholders meeting in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, assured the Ogoni people that the Federal Government would always give them a fair deal, particularly as it relates to the implementation of the UNEP Report.
He said all monies and funds approved for the clean-up project must be accounted for, and assured that both Ogoni women and youths would be adequately carried along in terms of employment and execution of contracts.
Abdullahi was accompanied on the visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Matters, Mr. Ajuri Ngalele; among other personalities.
Abdullahi also inspected some remediation sites at B-Dere Community in Gokana and others in Tai water project sites in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas.
The Minister, at a stakeholders meeting in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, assured the Ogoni people that the Federal Government would always give them a fair deal, particularly as it relates to the implementation of the UNEP Report.
He said all monies and funds approved for the clean-up project must be accounted for, and assured that both Ogoni women and youths would be adequately carried along in terms of employment and execution of contracts.
Abdullahi was accompanied on the visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Matters, Mr. Ajuri Ngalele; among other personalities.
By: Donatus Ebi
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.