Rivers
NGO Seeks Media Collaboration On Climate Change
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in the Niger Delta under the auspices of Kebetkache Women Development And Resource Centre has called for media collaboration on climate change.
The organisation made the call in during a media strategy meeting with journalists in Port Harcourt.
The meeting, which centred on “Community Media Collaboration for Climate Justice”, was held in collaboration with Oxfam Nigeria.
Media practitioners drawn from Rivers and Akwa Ibom states were urged to focus on how to enhance media reportage on climate change issues in the Niger Delta region.
They were also charged to come up with campaign on how to mitigate the effect of climate change in host communities, especially as it negatively affects women in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking during the meeting, the Kebetkache Executive Director, Emem Okon, appealed for synergy among government agencies with a view to providing workable framework that would address climate change challenges in rural areas.
Okon noted that the absence of coordination by government agencies had led to environmental challenges in the Niger Delta, adding that many residents of oil bearing communities are victims of the effects of climate change caused by oil exploration activities by multinationals.
She said, “If we really look at climate change manifestations in the Niger Delta, it is mainly people in rural communities, particularly the women that are impacted.
“We are looking at situations where oil extraction activities have resulted in the emission of green house gas that has caused global warming and has also resulted in climate change.
“So, we are having this situation in the Niger Delta, particularly in Rivers State, where community members are faced with the challenge of flooding every year, particularly since 2012 when we had that major flooding.
“Climate change is affecting food security, and causing crisis. The issue of farmers and herders crisis, people assume, is only experienced in the northern part of Nigeria, but it is also experienced in the Niger Delta region.
“But these challenges at the community level are not really out there because the community women that are directly impacted would not readily have that access to the media.”
She recalled that two years ago, one of the Ogoni women community groups that Kebetkache Women Development Centre worked with, under the auspices of Gbobia Fefeloo, planted 2,000 trees across the four local government areas in Ogoniland.
She, however, expressed dismay that the group’s effort was not reported by the media, hence the reason Oxfam and Kebetkache have decided to improve media relations so that community women would feel free to discuss with the media on climate change.
She emphasised that in collaborating with the media, the public would appreciate more the challenges that rural communities are experiencing.
The Executive Director appealed to delegates to the forthcoming 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt to project issues of climate change and the people of the Niger Delta region during the conference.
Highlights of the event was the inauguration of a group known as ‘Niger Delta Journalists For Environmental Justice,’ chaired by Chief Constance Mefor, with Pius Dukor as Secretary.
Mefor, in her acceptance speech, expressed the group’s commitment towards a better, safer, cleaner and a richer Niger Delta region.
The Rivers State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to operators and occupants of an illegal dumpsite located in a residential and an industrial area along Danjuma drive, off Peter Odili Road, in Port Harcourt, to vacate or be forced out.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, issued the order during an on-the-spot visit to the area along with the enforcement team of the Ministry.
He condemned the use of the large hectare of private land by scavengers as a dumpsite in an unauthorised area to gather and sort solid waste for recycling.
Hon. Bipi said operating such dumpsite in a residential and industrial area portends grave environmental and health risk.
He also condemned the conversion of the area to a slum accommodation with shanties and illegal structures by the scavengers and other individuals.
Bipi wondered why the property owner would allow such illegal activities in his property in an area designated as residential and industrial zone.
He warned that the State Government would commence the clearing of the dumpsite and demolition of all shanties and illegal structures in the area at the expiration of the seven days deadline.
The Commissioner reiterated the unwavering determination of the Ministry under his watch to mitigate the proliferation of illegal structures and slums in Port Harcourt and other parts of the State.
On his part, the Chairman, Special Committee on Development Control of the Ministry, Tpl. David Ogbanga, said the existence of such slum is impeding the efforts of the Ministry in promoting sustainable urban development in line with the United Nations Goals on Sustainable Development.
He said besides its negative impact on urbanization, slums act as a breeding ground for miscreants and promotion of social vices. Ogbanga decried the pollution of the environment as a result of activities of the operators of the illegal dumpsite and the slum dwellers.
He vowed that in the coming days the Enforcement Team will go tough on slum dwellers and operators of such unauthorized dumpsite in Port Harcourt and its environs.
By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Charity Amiso
The House of Representatives member representing Port Harcourt Constituency 11 in the National Assembly, Hon. (Mrs) Blessing Amadi, has called on government at all levels to give more attention to the promotion of indigenous cultures and languages.
She stated this at the just-concluded Ogbakor Ikwerre OPA Branch Cultural Day at Rumuekini, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The lawmaker, who expressed concern over the danger of extinction being faced by indigenous languages and culture, said the situation needs serious government attention.
She also called on Ikwerre parents to bring their children up in the ways of the culture and traditions of the Ikwerre nation and commended the organisation for its effort in sustaining Ikwerre cultures and traditions.
Also speaking, the President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Eze Godspower Onuekwa, said Ikwerre as an ethnic nationality has distinct dressing, language and culture
Onuekwa said the organisation is working hard to ensure that the Ikwerre language and culture do not die.
He also tasked parents in Ikwerre land to teach their children the Ikwerre language and culture.
Speaking on the topic, “Dressing As An Expression of Cultural Identity”, Professor Matthew Wegwu explained the need for an ethnic group to strictly ensure its traditional attires are not abused, but worn in a proper manner in order to prevent misidentification.
He said parents must do more by advising their children on proper dressing in order to avoid being abused by following current trends in the society.
The OPA Branch Chairman of the association, Eze Chris Onunwor, and the Programme Planning Committee Chairman, Dr. Ovuchi Agwu, said the programme was organised to celebrate Ikwerre cultural heritage and urged all hands to be on deck to ensure the preservation of Ikwerre culture.
Highlights of the event were the presentation of awards to distinguished and long serving members of the association, drama presentations and wrestling bouts.
By: John Bibor
The Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has sealed some oil and gas service Companies and training firms at the Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout of Port Harcourt over non-compliance with the Physical Planning Law and Regulations of the State.
The Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, who led the enforcement team on the action, accused the companies of flagrant violation of standards and procedures of the Nigerian building codes and regulations of the Ministry while carrying out development projects in their premises.
He said the companies failed to comply with the requirements on the monitoring, verification and compliance exercise carried out by officials of the Ministry.
The Commissioner also frowned at the companies for also failing to honour invitations extended to them by the Ministry over the issues.
Hon Bipi said the sealing of premises of the defaulting companies was done with human face and within the ambit of the law.
He clarified that it was not meant to disrupt the operations of the companies but a necessary action to compel them to comply with safety, quality and other regulatory standards of the building industry.
The Commissioner assured that the affected companies will be unsealed as soon as they send their representatives to the Ministry to resolve the outstanding issues.
On his part, the Chairman of the Special Committee on Development Control of the Ministry, David Ogbanga, explained that the companies failed to provide relevant documents required of them, which include previous and current plans with elevations and setbacks, previous and current development permits and approval on fencing and renovation as well as Urban Infrastructure Support Plans.
He said others include Demand Notices and evidence of original receipts of payment, Reports of relevant professionals on subject plan, as well as Location Map and Survey Plan.
Ogbanga said the companies were duly served with notices of enforcement, which include that of contravention, stop work and seal-up, in accordance with relevant sections of the Physical Planning and Development Law of the State before the execution of the action.
He said the affected companies will remain sealed until their Managements demonstrate seriousness and willingness to resolve the outstanding issues.
The Chairman of the Special Committee on Development Control further stated that this will serve as a deterrent to non-compliant companies and corporate organisations in the State.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
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