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Group Tasks Government On N’Delta Environment

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The “Health of Mother Earth Foundation” has urged government at all levels to prioritize the issue of Enviroment over other issues in the Niger Delta.
It also urged government to stop prioritizing the revenue and royalty gained from oil and gas operators in the Niger Delta over the environment and the lives of the people.
The group tasked the incoming Federal Government to, “as a matter of priority, respond to the needs of the people of the Niger Delta by protecting the environment, since the people depend on the environment for a living”.
Executive Director of the organization, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said it was completely unacceptable that local communities in the Niger Delta drink water from polluted streams and rivers, and also breathe polluted air.
Bassey spoke during a one-day capacity building in Amonogo Biri, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, organised for communities on how to combat and provide solutions to the persistent environmental pollution caused by the refinery, oil and petrochemical companies operating in the area.
He described government as the major player when it comes to the degradation of the environment as they are only after the exploration of natural resources at the expense of the poor masses whose livelihood are being destroyed totally.
Bassey added that the workshop was imperative to build the capacity of community people to confront their government and oil operators over the pollution in the area, and to enhance the ability of the people to speak up against environmental degradation.
“I think it is big embarrassment that we have government at all levels in those areas and we don’t see any concern for the environment.
“This is one thing that is very wrong in this country, government tends to see natural resources as things to be exploited at any cost, so the environment is destroyed, the resources are taken, and foreign exchange are made.
“When the environment is destroyed the lives of the people are also destroyed, and if people are not able to thrive in their community, then whatsoever financial gains the government makes is equal to blood money.
“The incoming government must respond to the needs of the people, protecting the environment should be the number one responsibility of government because people depend on the environment for a living.
“People drink water from polluted streams and rivers, people are farming in polluted land, people are breathing polluted air. This is completely unacceptable”, he said.
Earlier, some members of the community, who narrated their experience, complained that the presence of the oil companies around them has brought nothing but pains and sorrow, following the negative impacts the industries has had on their aquatic life.
A fisherman, Fyneface Daka, said that even the fishes caught from the river are polluted, since the water itself was highly polluted from chemical and toxic wastes discharged by Port Harcourt refinery and Indorama petrochemicals.
“We are predominantly fishermen. We are all suffering from pollution arising from gas flaring. If you wash your clothes and spray outside, flames and soot will cover it in few hours. Even the water is polluted, meaning that even the fishes we eat are from polluted too”.
Highpoint of the workshop was the inauguration of FishNet Alliance in Okrika, for the promotion of sustainable fishing in line with ecosystem limits, and environmental advocacy.

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Rivers

Lloyd Lauds Awuse’s Appointment As Traditional Council Chair

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The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, has congratulated the Paramount Ruler of Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRM Ohna Sergeant Awuse, on his recent appointment by Rivers State Government as the new Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The immediate past Governor, Nyesom Wike, made the announcement during the last State Honours and Awards held in Government House, recently.
Lloyd on behalf of the government and the people of the local government expressed appreciation to Wike for what he called “a well deserved appointment”.
The council chairman, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Bright Elendu, expressed optimism that the State Traditional Rulers Council under the leadership of Ohna Sergeant Awuse will consolidate on the achievements of the administration of King Dandeson Jaja (Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom) to further strengthen the traditional institution in the State.
He assured Awuse of the support of the government and people of the area, while wishing him a successful tenure.
The statement also appreciated the government of Rivers State for the recognition of four traditional rulers in the local government.
The newly recognised traditional rulers who are all in the Second Class category are Eze (Dr) Wobodo Sunday Jonah, Nye Nwe-Ali Ibaa/Obelle; Ohna Christian Okachineke Elechi, Nye Nwe-Eli Odegu; Eze Damian Azike Ejiohuo, Nye Nwe-Ali Rundele XII, Nogbo II, Eze Christian Amadi Evekwuru, Eze Chigu Rumuekpe.
Lloyd said his administration looks forward to partnering with the traditional institution to foster peace and improve security across the communities in the local government.

By: Theresa Fredrick & Charity Amiso

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Rivers

Institute Trains Broadcast Women Journalists

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In response to the need to enhance the professionalism of women journalists in Nigeria through the improvement of skills, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, has trained another group of broadcast women journalists in digital multimedia storytelling with the funding support of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Project II.
Welcoming the participants to Port Harcourt Rivers State, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, Programme Manager, Mr Timothy Bamidele, submitted that so far 78 women broadcast journalists have been trained in digital storytelling, since the beginning of the second phase of European Union Support to Democratic Governance.
The Programme Manager highlighted that the training activity is under Component four in the EU-SDGN Project II and aimed at providing support to media in Nigeria.
Mr Bamidele stressed that the action is intended to contribute to strengthening democratic governance in Nigeria through increased engagements and improved capacity of a wide range of media stakeholders in Nigeria, including media professionals, and targeting the following results areas: Professionalism of media practitioners, especially women Enhanced; Strengthened media professional capacity to deal with electoral misinformation/disinformti-on; enhanced media platforms’ ability to diversify, deepen the coverage of the electoral process and delivery of civic and voter education.
The activity will further help to meet the demand for more capacity building and production of professionally, digitally, and inclusively developed content for the electoral process by female broadcast journalists, focusing on post-election issues, Bamidele, submitted.
Two digital trainers, Mr Usifo Omozokpea and Mrs Ehi Ohiani took participants through areas such as reporting the electoral cycle, digital tools for content creation and the digital storytelling process among others.
They urged the participants to take advantage of the new media space to crowdsource, connect, create and distribute content relevant to social discourse for national development.
Broadcast women journalists from nine states including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti attended the two-day digital capacity training.
The participants thanked IMS and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance for providing the platform, which they described as having a high impact.

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Rivers

Peace In Evo Kingdom, Our Target – Christ Embassy

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The Zonal Director, Christ Embassy, Port Harcourt Zone III, Linder Okocha, has said the aim of the Church’s Royal Banquet Outreach is to bring peace to people of Woji and its environs.
Okocha disclosed this at the Royal Banquet Outreach it organised at the palace of King Leslie Nyebuchi Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka, at Woji in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area recently.
She said the church was out to preach peace among the people, irrespective of their background.
“I am happy that the event is taking place today. I have looked forth for it. It is not an ordinary gathering or meeting, but a spiritual one”, she said.
Suggesting that everyone is a Minister of God, she urged them to use the opportunity and speak blessing to all.
Making allusion to ‘Romans 10 v 9-10, she called on all to always confess the supremacy of God in order to overcome evil.
On plans to sustain the programme, she said it will be given an accelerated attention to enable the church meet its target in the area.
Meanwhile, Eze Leslie Eke has proclaimed Woji and the entire Kingdom as a Christian entity.
He also appreciated the church for their choice of the palace for their programme and assured them of any assistance at the Kingdom’s reach.
Free customised decoders of the church were donated to each community head in Evo Kingdom.

By: King Onunwor

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