Rivers
HYPREP Interfaces With Ogoni Youths …Begins Complex Sites’ Remediation, Soon
In a bid to give fresh impetus and momentum to its activities in Ogoniland, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has taken steps to involve and engage a wide spectrum of youths to drive the clean-up project and other interventionist measures in the four Ogoni local government areas of Rivers State.
To this end, HYPREP on Friday organised an interactive session with Ogoni youths drawn from the four local government areas of Eleme, Tai, Khana and Gokana at Autograph Event Centre in Port Harcourt, where a wide range of issues concerning Ogoniland were deliberated upon.
This is even as the interventionist body has indicated its preparedness to commence remediation work on more complex impacted sites in the area.
HYPREP Project Coordinator, Dr Ferdinand Giadom, who dropped this hint while briefing the youths on his scorecard within the past 90 days in office said the process for the remediation of the complex sites has started, adding that in a few weeks from now, work would commence.
According to him, HYPREP has already carried out a study and this is the time for work to start.
He said the project has also identified a well water in Korokoro Tai containing a high level of crude contaminant which it must remove.
He said the Bodo clean-up model would be deployed in remediating the more complex sites, which he said have clearly exposed the people to greater risks all these years.
“We have a model that is working in Bodo. The Bodo project is working. We have already mapped out shoreline areas in Ogoniland. We can just lift the Bodo model and mount it in other Ogoni communities”, he said.
While appealing to the youths and the rest of Ogoni people for patience and support, the project coordinator noted that the clean-up of the more complex sites would take some time, up to two or more years to be completed, “ because we want to do it right.”
Giadom regretted the delays being experienced in the full implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report, and took responsibility for the shortcomings, being the current helmsman of HYPREP, and acknowledged the fact that it took a long time to migrate from the clean-up of less complex sites to the more complex sites.
The project coordinator further hinted that HYPREP is going beyond the UNEP recommendations in the provision of potable water and livelihoods to the Ogoni people, contending that this is geared towards improving the general wellbeing of the people, who he noted had suffered for several years following the devastation of their environment and livelihoods, with some of the people paying with their blood.
He indicated that the degradation of the environment and the concomitant destruction of the people’s livelihoods had exposed them to hunger and extreme poverty, a situation which he said HYPREP, with the support of the Federal Government was trying to address.
The project coordinator disclosed that HYPREP is on the verge of training 100 Ogoni youths as aviators, who would work in the aviation sector, as air traffic controllers, hostesses, among others, while several others would be trained as seafarers to fit into the maritime sector.
Giadom said the plan to link Ogoni communities to the national grid was on course, contending that when fully realised, it would provide employment to the people.
He also noted that the ongoing six water projects in the area would become functional soon, stressing that HYPREP has gone the extra mile to ensure that potable water is supplied not only to impacted communities but also to other Ogoni communities.
Giadom equally assured that female Ogoni youths and entertainers would be carried along in the scheme of affairs even as HYPREP would consider awarding of foreign scholarships to deserving Ogoni sons and daughters in due course.
He said the design for the construction of a Centre of Excellence in Ogoniland was out, as the process for the commencement of work on the project was being handled, and solicited for synergy and cooperation.
On his part, the Head of Stakeholders Engagement Unit of HYPREP, Mr. Enuolare Mba-Nwigor thanked the participants for the success of the event, saying, it is the beginning of better things to come.
By: Donatus Ebi
A medical doctor with the Health Centre at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Dr Briggs Bieye, has emerged as the new President of the institution’s Senior Staff Club.
He polled a total of 120 votes to beat other candidates who contested keenly with him at the Staff Club last Friday.
The closest to him at the election was Mr Minikwu Donald, who secured 117 votes, followed by Mr Ngeribara Aribibia, who got 102 votes, while Dr Edwin Ajoku garnered 42 votes to come at the rear, with nine votes void.
In the same vein, Mr Nwachukwu Harrison of the Department of English and Communication Art emerged the Treasurer of the Club.
He secured 180 votes to beat Mr George Telema who got 123 votes, while Mr Wali Innocent got 74 votes,with twelve void votes.
Also, Deputy Registrar and Head, Legal Unit, Barrister Chris Didia, emerged the Bar Manager of the club.
He clinched the position with a total of 268 votes as against his opponent, Mrs Gloria Emesiobi, who got 112 votes, with ten void declared void.
A total of 390 teaching and non-teaching staff were accredited and voting started from 12noon and ended by 2pm.
Announcing the winners, the Chairperson of the Electoral Committee Dr. Chikanele Asuru, who also swore in the elected members, advised them to work as a team to achieve a greater goal.
She also expressed hope that the club will witness remarkable transformation during their tenure.
In his acceptance speech, the new President, Dr, Bieye Briggs, commended the Electoral Committee for conducting a transparent election and expressed appreciation to both those who voted and did not vote for him, emphasising that his tenure will witness an inclusive policy.
He added that the club will wear a new look during their tenure and operate in tandem with what obtains elsewhere.
Others such as Wahua Ndamavu (Vice President), Dr. Taylor Tamunosaki (General Secretary), Dr. Franklin Ekweme Apelu (Financial Secretary), Okidim Samuel Horsfall (Assistant Secretary), Mr Dawariboko Parker (Provost), Moudyn Tariah (Public Relations Officer), and Jonathan Regina Jonaba (Sports Secretary) were unopposed.
The Executive will run the affairs of the club in the next two years.
Rivers State Government has expressed excitement over the vision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) youth development scheme tagged “Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Programmes for Engagement (HOPE), otherwise known as “Project Hope”.
The Government said the project was in consonance with the vision of the State Ministry of Youth Development tagged, “A Preparedness Plan for Rivers Youth paradigm shift from Unemployability to Resourcefulness”.
The State Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Chisom Kenneth Gbali, stated this, Wednesday, during a facility tour of the Rivers State Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre in Port Harcourt by the NDDC management led by its Managing Director, Dr Charles Ogbuku.
Gbali stated that the State Government through the Ministry of Youth, in partnership with NDDC as critical stakeholders, would go a long way to encourage Rivers Youths to believe that both State and Federal Government are ready to pull them out of their limitation.
The Commissioner further stated that Rivers State Government over the time have been sustaining the state in different spheres, especially on youth affairs.
He opines that with this initiative the Federal Government will help to encourage and arouse the curiosity of the youths on the need to become self-reliant through the acquisition of modern skills.
According to him, the Ministry of Youth Development in the state has created a level playing ground required to attract opportunities that will change the narrative of the state to that level of employability and resourcefulness which is the theme of the Ministry’s sensitisation/advocacy campaign.
Dr. Gbali noted that since the ministry took the sensitisation programme to the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, there has been a rise in progressive reasoning from the reaction of the youths in the media, and behavioural change on social vices has significantly reduced.
He said that the Ministry of Youth Development will liaise with the Federal Ministry of Youth on how to explore opportunities that will benefit the youth in the State.
The State Government, he continued, “is optimistic that the Brand innovations adopted by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the state will give youths the needed footing to become self dependent and employers of labour”.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, commended the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the partnership, and granting the commission access to use the State’s ICT facility for the programme.
Dr. Ogbuku noted that one of the major priorities of NDDC is to ensure that Niger Delta became a Tech- Hub, additing that the State ICT Centre would be an added advantage to encourage the commission achieve their vision.
He emphasised that a perfect knowledge of technology was key for guarantee youths to work in multinational companies and become not just self-reliant, but also employers of labour.
Also speaking, the Project Manager, NDDC, Amb. Blessing Fubara, explained that the NDDC Youth Development scheme, “Project HOPE”, is focused on empowerment, employment and Development of Niger Delta youths.
He disclosed that 185 supervisors have been employed, one each from the 185 LGA’s in the Niger Delta region, stating that more 185 collation officers will be employed for database collection.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Methodist Church of Nigeria has inducted 32 new knights into the knighthood of the Archdioceses of Ikot Ekpene and Port Harcourt Churches.
Also inducted were 18 members into the order of Wesley (OOW), and 17 persons into the Member of Order of the Wesley (MOW) category.
Speaking at the Recognition Service and Award of Merit 2023, held at the Banham Cathedral Diocese of Port Harcourt, Tuesday, the prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Oliver Ali Aba, while congratulating all the recipients, urged them to maintain the Christian virtues for which they were chosen.
Aba stated that they were chosen because of the various contributions they have made to the development of the church and humanity, adding that the church expects nothing but more commitment and services to the growth of the church.
Earlier in his sermon at the service, titled, “Contending for Faith”, taken from Jude 3, the Bishop of Diocese of Kano, Rt. Rev. Ibrahim K. Chindo, urged Christians to strive to contend the Faith of the body of Christ, adding that the Christian faith was being attacked.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Council of Knights, Port Harcourt, Sir I. Uwakwe, urged the newly invested knights to strive and remain worthy of their calling,warning that anyone found belonging to any secret societies or cult groups would be derobed as a knight.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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