Nation
NDDC Donates Drugs To Flood Victims In Imo
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated drugs worth millions of Naira to the Imo State Government for flood victims in the oil communities of the state.
Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Engr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, presented the drugs to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State when he paid a visit to the State Government House, Owerri, weekend.
Audu-Ohwavborua, who was the former Director of the Delta State office of NDDC, while presenting the drugs, described it as an auspicious moment for him to be in Imo State to present the drugs to address the issue of flood disaster in some riverine communities in the State.
He agreed with the governor that there are problems in the commission but reassured him that he would start from the onset to solve the problems facing the Commission.
The MD said the drugs would be designated in the hospitals in the State.
“We are technocrats. We don’t make promises we are not ready to honor. Be rest assured that the marginalization has ended”, he said.
Welcoming the NDDC Acting MD to the State, Governor Hope Uzodimma decried what he calls marginalization within marginalization in the NDDC, while appealing to the new leadership to revisit the original intention of setting up the Commission.
Governor Uzodimma said over the years NDDC leadership resorted to a maintenance approach to solving problems affecting the member states as opposed to project conception and implementation, noting that from the Act establishing the Commission, so many things have been left unaccomplished.
He regretted that even in the area of interventions, some of the states like Imo as a critical stakeholders in the oil and gas have not been treated fairly..
The Governor noted that a typical example was during the COVID-19 pandemic era when the Commission was expected to come to the aid of the State, but it was nowhere to be seen notwithstanding that it featured prominently in other NDDC states.
He appealed to the new leadership to redress the issue of intra-marginalization in NDDC.
He reminded Audu-Ohwavboua of the need to intervene immediately on the Elele-Owerri corridor of old Owerri-Port Harcourt road as well as on the Mgbidi-Awomama axis of Owerri-Onitsha road in his emergency program ahead of yuletide as both corridors are key to major movements involving indigenes of the state and other road users.
The Governor also solicited the intervention of the NDDC in the flood-ravaged communities of Imo State like Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas as a way of further cushioning the effects of their hardship.
Describing the Acting MD as one who is able, capable, and can solve the problems in NDDC, Governor Uzodimma expressed delight over his appointment, saying he “possesses good knowledge of the terrain and has demonstrated capacity in the various positions he has held”.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
A pan-Nigeria organisation committed to the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages, Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters (ILCP), has called for the deliberate development and compulsory teaching of indigenous languages in both primary and secondary schools across the country.
The group made the call during its maiden Congress held in Bori, Rivers State, which was convened to examine challenges hindering the official adoption and effective teaching of Ogoni languages in schools.
Speaking at the Congress, the Executive Director of the organisation, HRC Mene Magnus Edooh, Amb.P, emphasised the critical role of indigenous languages in preserving a people’s culture, values and history. He warned against the gradual extinction of native languages, noting that language loss equates to identity loss.
“Years ago, Latin was a language of global relevance, but today it is largely extinct. We do not want Ogoni languages to suffer a similar fate. As a people, we cannot afford to lose our identity through the death of our languages,” Edooh said.
He explained that the Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters was established to collaborate with language stakeholders to ensure that children and younger generations remain connected to their mother tongues. The organisation also appealed to governments at all levels, as well as relevant institutions and individuals, to take strategic actions aimed at promoting and sustaining Nigeria’s indigenous languages.
Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Media and Information, Prince David N. Gbarato, questioned the rationale behind government reluctance to accord indigenous languages their rightful place in national development policies.
According to him, “People with well-developed languages are people with well-developed indigenous systems and affairs,” stressing that language development is fundamental to cultural and societal advancement.
The Congress further served as a platform for the ratification of key officers of the organisation and featured the participation of representatives from various indigenous language groups and other language stakeholders, all of whom echoed the call for renewed commitment towards safeguarding Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.
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