Rivers
Youth Leader Faults N4bn Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract
President General, Ogoni Youths, Comrade Legborsi Yamabana, has faulted the multi-billion naira surveillance contract awarded to Mr Government Ekpemopolo, popularly called Tompolo, by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent, Yamabana kicked against the contract awarded solely to the former leader of the Movement of the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), saying that stakeholders in the region were not carried along.
He stated that stakeholders in the region were not consulted on the project, noting that all may not be well in the South-South if people from Ogoniland are not duly consulted on the billion Naira contract award.
Saying that Ogoniland is the flagship of environmental consciousness of the Niger Delta region, Yamabana noted that Ogoni clan cuts across four Local Government Areas (Eleme, Gokana, Khana, and Tai) of Rivers State, and hence “should not be sidelined for any reason”.
He alleged that since the inception of the surviellance contract under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ogoni people have not benefitted from the project.
Noting that the four LGAs in Ogoni have numerous pipeline assets, he said the project would be dead on arrival if due consultation is not made by the contractor to ensure that the Ogonis are carried along.
He took a swipe at the Federal Government over what he termed its failure to show genuine commitment to resolve oil theft, oil pipeline vandalism in the region, stressing that the contract should have been awarded to various communities in the region and not an individual.
“I’m yet to see any community in this Niger Delta region that has the number of pipelines like we have in Ogoniland. How can you give a contract to a man from Delta State and expect him to superintend over every other communities in this region”, he queried.
He also disclosed that consultations are ongoing with other critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to resist the contract conceded to an individual in the region.
Yamabana said, “this project should not be awarded to those who only carried arms. Tompolo only knows his militant friends that will benefit from this project. Why is it that the more arms you carry, the more government patronises you?”
“We have continued to be law abiding citizens of this region despite the insurgency in the country. But we have what it takes to control the boys on ground for the protection of government assets in our own communities than Tompolo”, he stated.
He continued that “the Tompolo project will not succeed if government fails to consult all stakeholders in the region because the government cannot shave our hairs in our absence.
“In fact, we are planning to carry out a protest against the NNPC and Nigerian State. Simply because some people are militant while others are not shouldn’t mean that we don’t have a say or voice for us to speak up on negative development”, Yamabana noted.
He called on the government to be more sincere with the protection of oil facilities in the region, saying the billion Naira contract awarded to Tompolo is dead on arrival.
“We are going to resist it and we are not going to accept that. You cannot enrich one man and say you have enriched a community. A person’s success is not a community’s success. We need communal success.
“The issue we are aggrieved about is germane and we are consulting with stakeholders in the Niger Delta region who are also aggrieved and are not militant.
“Government should do what is right because we have oil in these four Local Government Areas and we cannot guarantee the safety of these assets if government failed to correct this development”, Yamabana concluded.
Board of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has expressed its readiness and determination to ensure universal health coverage for all residents of the state.
Chairman of the Board, Professor Chike Princewill, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen shortly after the Board’s inaugural retreat in Port Harcourt.
Chike also said so far over 110,000 have been enrolled into the programme in the state since its commencement last year.
He said the retreat was to inform the people that the Board has hit the ground running.
“The Board has just had their inaugural meeting and retreat, which started yesterday. We are trying to inform the public, those residing in Rivers State, that we have hit the ground running.
“From last year when we commenced until when the Board was officially inaugurated last month, we in this Board have resolved to make sure that the universal health coverage is covered and Rivers people or any body living here can benefit from it”, he said.
The Board Chairman further said a lot have been achieved since last year, adding that, “as we speak to you, over one hundred and ten thousand enrollees have been recorded in Rivers state across the twenty three local government areas with the help of the Executive Secretary and management.”
He said staff of the Board have been sent to all local government areas, stressing that it was part of RIVCHPP’s effort to unbundle secondary health care with the view to making it more effective.
Professor Chike further said with the signing of the universal health coverage Act into law, the agency will expand the scope of its activities to cover everyone living and doing business in the state.
“We are are trying to even unboundle secondary care, and, of course, you know the new Act has been signed involving universal health coverage that every person is involved. So, we also include to expand the scope of the private facilities that were engaged in this health insurance programme.
“We want to assure Rivers people or anybody who live in Port Harcourt or Rivers State that you all will be given the best of facilities.
“We have discussed at length with those who have been given primary assignment in the local government primary health care centres and other facilities that we use for this purpose.
“We have our personnel that we are sending to the local governments as well and all the nooks and crannies of the state to make sure that the necessary things are done”, he said
He stressed the need for people to take their health seriously, saying, “you have to be healthy, you have to be alive to achieve, we believe that with your support it will come to pass. We encourage you to enroll.”
He also stressed the need for people to get their National Identity Numbers (NIN) to enable them benefit from the programme.
“You need your national identification number, so you can be effectively captured”, he stated.
According to him, the National Health Insurance Agency which is partnering with RIVCHPP, is also emphasizing that the NIN is necessary.
“When you register and enroll, we will look for those things so that it can be effectively captured. if you don’t have your NIN, you will be de-enrolled because it is a directive from the National Health Insurance Agency, and because we are working with them, we are expecting all of us to key into this programme.
“Health is key to us. We are ensuring that those who are at the end of our tentacles are also living up to standard”, he stated.
He advised health workers to ensure that when patients and their relatives come to their facilities, they are effectively handled and taken care of, and respecting them as human beings.
“As care givers, this is what we want to let all of us know”, he said.
Professor Princewill also advised all the new local government chairmen to also put their hands on deck to encourage their people to enroll in the programme.
John Bibor & Birane Progress
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku, has revealed valuable insights on how scholars can thrive in an AI-driven country.
Speaking at the 40th Conference of English Scholars Association of Nigeria (ESAN), tagged “Advancing the frontiers of Digital Humanities Research in English and Literary Studies”, with the theme, “Teaching English and Literary Studies in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions in The Era of AI”, Prof. Onuchukwu said the theme of the Conference provides a roadmap for navgating the challenges and opportunities being presented in AI, and Prepared to impact knowledge on humanity.
In her speech, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako, said the theme of the Conference is apt, considering the role AI is playing in the country.
Maduako, who’s the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, called on participants to use the oppprtunit to contribute towards enhancement of knowledge.
“As I speak, members of the Faculty and the institution’s Management are elated over the successful hosting of the Conference. It was made possible on the support the VC, staff and students accorded us.
Highlights of the conference, which was held in conjunction with the English and Literary Studies Department, included induction of new members, Presentation of papers by scholars from different tertiary institutions in Nigeria that reveales benefits of AI
“I m optimistic that the conference will achieve its set goals. Students are expected to participate actively and leverage on the gains to improve”, She said.
TB-Network, one of the networks working on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM), has profered a multifaceted approach in the fight against ATM and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
The Rivers State Coordinator of TB-Network, Mr. Messiah F. Muzan, who disclosed this recently in a media parley in Port Harcourt, said one of such approaches is to extend the National Health Insurance programme to the poor and most vulnerable in Nigeria.
“The National Health Insurance programme enjoyed by the formal sector should be extended to other citizens of Nigeria, particularly the poor and most vulnerable “, he said.
He explained that this is because the poor are often less educated and unemployed, and consequently lack the ability to pay out-of-pocket for high costs associated with frequent illnesses.
Muzan listed other approaches to include: funding and finances for Primary Health delivery should be carefully mapped out and sanctioned against any misappropriation or mismanagement, to enable a robust public health programme at all Ward levels in the local government; communication and education programmes can raise knowledge and awareness, and, in turn, improve testing and care-seeking.
“There is a great need to educate, engage, and empower the communities to embrace any behaviour change relevant to achieving success in malaria, HIV, and TB control in Nigeria”, he explained.
Others are: “Every word should commit to health promotion and education programmes to increase awareness of prevention measures; and promote community participation and adherence to evidence-based strategies.
“Commmit adequate resources through advocacy and partnerships, for the full and effective implementation of all planned interventions, including through involvement of the private sector, community participatory approaches.
“Community members should actively support and advocate for their local Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs). Community involvement is crucial in ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of these centers.
“Additionally, community support can manifest through volunteering, donating resources, or participating in advocacy efforts to secure increased funding and resources for PHCs”, he stated.
The TB-Network boss identified the manifestions of GBV to include domestic abuse, verbal aggression, physical violence, rape, early marriages, incest, Female Genital Cutting (FGC), acid attacks, and outright killing.
He also disclosed that the COVID 19 Response Mechanism/RSSH aimed at intervening in various facets of GBV-related issues being implemented in Rivers State has recorded a lot of successes in general terms, among which is the part directly played by TB-Network.
According to him, “TB-Network in their bid to tackle the menace of GBV, has achieved enormous success through community outreaches to sensitise the communities’ members on the subject matter, the effect and consequences on perpetrators and survivors.
“With the help of our valuable state partners, like the state response team, Ministry of Health, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Police, FIDA, National Human Rights Commission, Rivers State Agency for the Control of AIDS (RIVSACA), and Ministry of Justice, we are able to legally fight this ill that is eating into the fabrics of our dear Rivers State.
“Currently, TB-Network is advocating for justice for two survivors of GBV cases in the State.”
Muzan concluded that addressing the issues of ATM and GBV requires robust action: “Strengthening infrastructure, securing financial resources, renewing political leadership, and fostering collaborationa are essential.
“Evidence-based interventions, such as community-led monitoring, should be scaled-up.
“Additionally, innovative services delivery models and technological adaptations are critical to minimise disruptions to routine care.”
Soibi Max-Alalibo
