Rivers
Focus On Nigerians’ Suffering, Cleric Urges Tinubu, Others …Drums Support For Fubara
A cleric of the Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria, Rev. Goddy Stewart, has called on President Bola Tinubu to concentrate his effort on addressing poverty and other issues affecting the welfare of Nigerians, rather than expending the country’s scarce resources on attempting to resolve the military coup in Niger Republic under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
While exchanging views with journalists on the economic and political state of the nation in Port Harcourt, recently, Rev. Stewart implored the President, Governors and other political leaders to reciprocate the people’s support for the democratic process during the last general elections by ensuring that the citizens’ welfare is primarily attended to before any other interest.
The cleric said priority attention should be given to such issues as provision of crop seedlings and fertilisers to farmers for food production, provision of potable drinking water, constant electricity supply, provision of soft loans and grants to farmers, students, workers, retirees and the less privileged for the establishment of small and medium scale businesses.
He stressed the need for training of Nigerians, especially farmers, in rural areas on modern techniques of farming and doing business, including close supervision to help improve on their productivity.
He decried the fact that there are communities in Nigeria still living in perpetual darkness and lacking functional health care services, including poor quality educational services, unclean and unsafe environment and absence of access roads and cottage industries.
“As listening leaders who have the interest of the people at heart and are sincerely committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots, it is time to pay attention to the lingering challenges so far highlighted to alleviate the people’s sufferings.
“The elections have since been won and lost, it is now time to settle down for business of governance.
“Just as the strength of the building depends on the foundation, so is the success of a government anchored on the policies and sincere commitment of leaders to deliver on their responsibilities.
“We are here to once again, congratulate you on your success as you celebrate your first one hundred days in office. Your remarkable beginning should be to solve the under-development and poverty-stricken situation of Nigeria and her citizens before championing the resolution crusade of coup and disorderliness in Niger Republic while your houses and subjects are on fire.
“I want to state here without fear of contradiction, that you have laid a solid foundation for the Restoration of Hope agenda which is to build the nation of our founding fathers’ dreams and make it come to pass”, he stated.
Meanwhile, Rev. Stewart also urged Rivers people to take a stand behind the Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led administration to contribute viable ideas towards ensuring economic development and growth of the state as he celebrates his first one hundred days in office.
The clergyman further explained that availing the State Government with incentives, brilliant and forward looking perspectives will not only quicken and complement the efforts of the present administration, but will guarantee its success.
By: Bethel Toby
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.