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NITP Makes Case For Town Planning

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3 years ago

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The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Rivers State Chapter, has called for action to save the Earth from complete devastation.
Chairman of the institute, Emmanuel Ikechukwu, made the call in a statement to mark this year’s World Environment Day (WED).
Ikechukwu expressed regret that the Urban and Regional Planning profession in Nigeria has been ignored so much that it seems non-existent, whereas they played a pivotal role in planning and preserving the environment.
“It is unfortunate that in Nigeria the profession of Urban and Regional Planning has been relegated to the background. while in other climes Urban Planners are the front-liners in the fight for celebrating, restoring and protecting the environment, the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
“NITP is a major stakeholder in the builting industry, which has continuously advocated for sustainable development and has painstakingly and deliberately embarked on several campaigns geared towards changing the narrative to usher in the gains required to change the face and fate of our environment for good”, he said.
Using the occasion of this year’s World Environment Day celebration, Ikechujwu called on government at all levels to rejig the building plan approval system that is currently on metric planning standards.
According to him, they should “incorporate the growing of trees in all neighbourhoods by making it compulsory for each developer to plant at least one tree within its curtilage.
“In this order, we would boost carbon sequestration that will deliberately lead to the reduction of Co2 in the atmosphere with the focus of meeting the ambitious goal of 1.5°C.
“Together we can redeem our beloved planet earth through our collective actions. The solutions are not far-fetched, they are here with us and the technologies are available and affordable as well.
“Join the campaign today and make your little contribution towards restoring the fast fading dignity of planet earth and together we will make the world a better place for all”, he said.
World Environment Day celebration was first celebrated in Stockholm in 1972 with the slogan “Only One Earth”, which incidentally was the same for this year.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa

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Rivers

Health-Based CBOs Train Members on Community-Led Monitoring, Community System Strengthening operational modalities

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2 days ago

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August 22, 2025

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A coalition of Community Based Organization (CBOs) under the auspices of ATM Network has organized a two-day intensive training programme to empower its members to carry their objectives in compliance with the regulatory framework.

 

The coalition of CBOs, whose activities is centered on enhanced community health services and optimal benefits, held the training in Port Harcourt on 14th and 15th of August, with participants from various platforms rekindling their commitments towards improved service delivery in communities.

 

The centre piece of the training was to promote the operational mechanisms, compliance and adherence to the Community System Strengthening (CSS) and Community Led Monitoring (CMS) frameworks.

 

The training also harped on the objective of educating communities on how to take control of ownership and management of health facilities and rest for improved and better service delivery.

 

Participants at the training were educated on the operational modalities of the national community led monitoring plan and the importance of accurate data collection, presentation analysis and validation for optimal health services.

 

A lead discussant at the training, Pastor George Ihua Maduenyi, during his lectures urged the participants to take advantage of the training to enhance their capacity in community health services delivery, particularly in the collection of data, monitoring, accuracy, validation to foster sustainable community led health advocacy and impact.

 

The training emphasized on the need for collective efforts among the CBOs to encourage communities to take lead and pivotal roles in the management of resources, surveillance, gathering of data, sustainable community led health initiatives, and advocacy for health rights.

 

Lead discussants and facilitators of the training from various health based CBOs lent their wealth of experience and expertise during the sessions which were participatory and highly interactive.

 

Another major focus of the training was on governance structure, partnership, sponsorship, financial sustainability, monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, accountability and creating a template for public, private trust funds for long term benefits.

 

Bemene Taneh

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Rivers

RSG Commences Revitalization Of 200 Health Centres 

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2 days ago

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August 22, 2025

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The Rivers State Government has  commenced the revitalization of over 200  primary health care centres across the state.
Senior special Adviser to the State’s Sole Administrator on Health Matters, Professor Chituru Orluwene, said this during an Enrollment Sensitization Campaign organized by the Rivers State Contributory Health protection programme (RIVCHPP) at Ogale in the Eleme Local Government Area.
He said the government is also equipping all Zonal hospitals and revitalizing all General hospitals across the state.
Orluwene said the ongoing programme was in line with the promise by the Sole Administrator of the state, Rtd. Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, to bring affordable  and quality health care services to the door steps of the people, adding that this will not only increase the average lifespan of the people, but also reduce poverty and sufferings.
The Senior Special Adviser also called for mass enrollment into The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection programme (RIVCHPP) and listed some of the benefits to include free and and affordable health care services, and identifying good health facilities for enrollees.
Meanwhile, over 108,000 persons have so far enrolled with the RIVCHPP within the last one year.
Executive Secretary, RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, who disclosed this during an Enrollee sensitization Campaign at Eleme, said the programme, which started during the administration of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, also has the backing of the Sole Administrator of the State, Rtd. Admiral Ibas
She said over the years lack of acess to quality health care has not only affected the average lifespan of Rivers people, but also increases poverty and suffering.
Dr. Agala said it was to check this that government came up with the health protection programme for the state, adding that registration will guarantee free and affordable health care services to the people.
According to Dr. Agala, government is also ensuring that all vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities, widows, pregnant women, the under-aged children and the down trodden benefits maximally from the programme.
The Executive Secretary, who stressed the need for the people to embrace the programme, said free medical treatment will be given to those who enroll in it.
She said her team will move round the 23 Local Government Areas to sensitize the people on the benefits of the programme.
Meanwhile, the Eleme local government council is to sponsor over 2000 less privilege persons from the area for the RIVCHPP programme.
Administrator of the council, Dr. Gloria Obo Dibiah, who announced this at Ogale during the sensitization programme, said enrollment of 100 persons out of the 2000 will start immediately.
According to her, the 2000 will include people with disabilities, pregnant women, the aged and children.
Dr. Dibiah further promised to assist them get their National Identity Numbers as soon as possible to enable them qualify for the registration.
She said this was part of her administration’s commitment to improving the health care needs of the people of Eleme and commended RIVCHPP for choosing Eleme to flag-off the sensitization programme.
John Bibor
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Rivers

Macobarb Faults Rivers High Court Verdict In N5.74bn Dispute with NLNG … Says Judgment Ignored Evidence, Misrepresented Facts

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2 days ago

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August 22, 2025

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An indigenous engineering firm, Macobarb International Limited, has faulted a recent judgment by the Rivers State High Court in a contract dispute involving the company and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), describing the verdict as “deeply unjust” and “legally flawed”.
The ruling, delivered on July 16, 2025, by Honourable Justice Chinwendu Nwogu in suit number HC/2013/CS/2022, dismissed Macobarb’s N5.74 billion claim against the NLNG.
The judge ruled that the company’s failure to complete the project stemmed from alleged loan mismanagement rather than any breach of contract by the gas giant.
But Macobarb’s Managing Director, Mr. Shedrack Ogboru, insists the court erred fundamentally by ignoring contractual evidence, including 49 exhibits showing that NLNG failed to make agreed milestone payments, which ultimately stalled the project.
“We executed over 60 successful jobs for NLNG under lower categories. This was our first EPC-level contract a significant upgrade.
“We delivered as agreed, but NLNG withheld critical payments without reason. It became clear that something bigger was at play”, he said
According to Ogboru, the contract stipulated a N32 million first milestone payment, of which NLNG paid only N8 million over a span of two years.
He also explained that despite having payment certificates endorsed by the relevant NLNG official, payments were blocked repeatedly not for lack of work, but due to one official’s refusal to sign.
Macobarb claims it exhausted internal channels, including formal notices and requests for arbitration, before reluctantly heading to court on NLNG’s insistence.
However, he said the judgment revealed why the company preferred the legal route.
He also criticized the judge’s handling of Macobarb’s claim for Standby Cost compensation for idle time caused by NLNG delays.
 “Our contract allows standby cost claims at specific rates. We submitted this using agreed calculations. The judge confused this with ‘Stand-down cost’, which is not part of our agreement, and dismissed it entirely”, he said.
In a further twist, the court expunged the testimony of an independent forensic auditor who validated Macobarb’s claims. Justice Nwogu ruled that the expert was an “interested party” and that his involvement came during the pendency of the case, a claim Ogboru firmly denied.
“The expert was engaged in 2018, long before the matter reached this judge. He simply updated the same audit for court use in 2024. His role was to independently confirm figures already in our contract. Declaring him an interested party was shocking”, he said.
Macobarb also expressed concern over the court’s refusal to provide the Record of Proceedings, a vital document for preparing the final address and filing an appeal.
Ogboru further argued that NLNG never contested the computation of the N5.74 billion claim, nor did it submit alternative figures.
 “We expected them to counter or question our calculations. They did not. Yet the court ruled as though our figures were invented”, he said.
As the company prepares to file an appeal, Macobarb is raising broader concerns about the treatment of local contractors in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Efforts to obtain official comments from NLNG were unsuccessful as of press time.
King Onunwor
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