Niger Delta

NGO To Train 100 Girls In Solar Technology

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2022

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) under the aegis of Courageous Girls, Women and Children Initiative (CGWCI), is set to train 100 girls in solar technology in Delta State.
The programme, tagged “The Girl Child Tech Project – Energize Naija”, was launched on Tuesday in Asaba to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child.
The Convener and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organisation, Uyoyou Ayovuata, affirmed that the Girl Child Tech Project was an initiative of the CGWCI, designed to support and connect the next generation of African girls to become experts in technology.
She added that the programme was aimed at refocusing the attention of girls being referred to as the weaker vessels to special breed of humans.
She further said the training programme would help to equip the girls with relevant knowledge and technical skills to enable them become Solar Energy Installation/Maintenance technicians.
Ayovuata explained that the programme, which was a master class for the African Girl, was designed to run from October to April 2023.
According to her, the programme, which is an empowerment programme, will help to put the Girl Child in the forefront of becoming renowned in technology.
Ayovuata also said at the end of the session, the beneficiaries would be empowered with business start-ups, kits to successfully begin their careers as Solar Energy Technicians and certified renewable energy experts, among others.
On the other objectives of the programme, Ayovuata stated that it was aimed at empowering the Nigerian girls to enable them to achieve their individual potential and contribute to the economy and reduce vices in our society.
She, however, urged the girls to become everything they were capable of.
“Being the best version of yourself revolves around identifying the specifics of who you are and what you are wired for in order to harness your innate abilities and reach your full potential.
“It is about purpose and fulfillment, which are the pillars for socioeconomic sustainability and survival,” she said.
In her goodwill message as the Royal Mother of the Day, the Omu Anioma, HRM, Obi Martha Dunkwu, sang the ‘Buga’ song for the girls before defining the Girl Child as the female child that is full of potential, created to fulfill her purpose on earth.
Dunkwu, who also recalled her life’s story, on how she was born poor and how she was determined to change the narrative surrounding her with the courage to redefine her birth story and family lineage.
“I sacrificed my life to lift my family out of poverty. It’s a man’s world, but we must find our purpose in creation.
“You must take seriously what you have come here to learn today because in the long run, it will give you the power and self-esteem that you need to face the world,” she said.
The Chairman of the Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), who is also known as “the Desert Warrior”, Chief Newton Jibunoh, praised the courage of the organisers of the programme and the will power of the participants to undertake such venture, promising to support them to achieve their goals.
In her remarks, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Flora Alatan, said the initiative would help to curb vulnerability of the Girl Child to human trafficking and other social vices.
She urged other well-meaning individuals to ensure that the girl child was properly developed to achieve her full potential.

Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.

He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.

The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.

He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.

According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.

“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.

“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.

He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.

According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.

Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.

He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.

The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.

“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.

“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said

In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.

He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.

The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.

He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.

According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.

The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.

The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.

Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.

She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.

“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.

The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.

AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.

“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.

“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.

According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.

Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.

“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.

He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.

“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.

Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.

CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.

The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.

Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.