News
Wives Of LG Bosses Charge Women On Exclusive Breastfeeding

As the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), the wives of Obio/Akpor and Andoni local government council chairmen, Mrs Emojevwe Ariolu, and Prof Beatrice Awortu, have asserted that the importance of six months’ exclusive breastfeeding and two years’ complementary feeding to the child, mother and the society cannot be over-emphasised.
During the flag off ceremony at the Obio/Akpor Council Headquarters, Rumuodomaya, Mrs Emojevwe Ariolu urged mothers to become advocates of exclusive breastfeeding, and support mothers to practice optimal breastfeeding for the good of a great nation.
She called for extensive support of the zero-water campaign, and added that while tradition may argue that a child needs water; all the quantity needed was contained in the mother’s breast milk.
The flag off also provided the opportunity for Emojevwe to be decorated as “Breastfeeding Champion of The Year” by the State Coordinator of Maternal and Child (MNCH), Dr. Jaja Emem.
This year’s edition of WBW with the global theme: “Step Up For Breastfeeding, Educate and Support” is an opportunity for all political leaders, policy makers, legislators, women, men, religious leaders, families, communities, workplaces, the private sector, individuals, and indeed, every Nigerian to take responsibility and join hands to raise awareness on the huge benefits of breastfeeding.
Speaking at the event, the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Chairman, Barrister George Ariolu, reiterated that his administration’s commitment towards supporting exclusive breastfeeding in the area, noting that, “the local government, in partnership with the Rivers State Government Primary Healthcare Management Board, remains committed to support, protect and promote breastfeeding as a veritable means towards eradication of childhood malnutrition in all its forms”.
Ariolu seized the opportunity to recommend, once again, “early initiation of breastfeeding within the first one hour of birth; exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, and continued breastfeeding for up to two years of age or beyond while ensuring the implementing of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes as globally recommended.
“Globally, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months of age is 40perccent. In Africa, nearly 70pecent of countries have high rates of continued breastfeeding at one year, compared to 28.7perccent in Nigeria.”
Other keynote speakers present at the event affirmed the right of every child to be breastfed, and reiterated that it was not just the responsibility of the mother but rather a shared responsibility for all.
Speaking during an awareness campaign on breastfeeding in Ngo Town in commemoration of the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week, the wife of Andoni Council Chairman of Andoni Local Government, Prof Beatrice Awortu, said that exclusive breastfeeding was a panacea to infant mortality.
She said the significance of the event was to create awareness at the rural level on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to the survival and development of newborns.
Beatrice asserted that the importance of six months’ exclusive breastfeeding and two years’ complementary feeding to the child, mother and the society cannot be over-emphasised.
She stated that besides building a strong bond between the mother and child, exclusive breastfeeding enhances the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) of the baby, reduces mortality rate as it boosts the immune system of the newborn against life-threatening illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhoea amongst other infections.
She said it also reduces the weight of the nursing mother and prevents Breast Cancer, among other gains.
“Today is our rally for the World Breastfeeding Week and it is an annual event by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is a period to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and to encourage women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of childbirth with complementary feeding for two years”.
“My message is to encourage Andoni women to breastfeed their babies because of the benefits of breastfeeding, it is important for the baby, the mother and the society, the advantages are enormous”.
Mrs Awortu also called on husbands/fathers to support the global advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding by encouraging their wives to breastfeed for the stipulated period of six months.
“This awareness programme is our own way as a council of supporting this noble course by the WHO. Husbands should support their wives by encouraging them to breastfeed exclusively”.
The Secretary to Andoni council, Hon. Dimiari Franklin; the Leader of the Andoni Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheila Nte; and some female political appointees took part in the breastfeeding awareness campaign held in Ngo Town at the instance of the wife of the council Chairman, Prof. Beatrice Awortu, who presented wrappers, children cloths, diapers, sanitary pads and toiletries to nursing mothers at the event.
The 2022 World Breastfeeding Week comes on the heels of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health weekend on Sunday, August 7.
Some health experts, who spoke at the event, said breast milk was rich in nutrients and anti-bodies which are essential for the health and survival of the newborn.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
News
Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers

The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
News
Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.
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