Rivers

‘TotalEnergies Has High Interest In Educational Advancement’

Published

2 years ago

October 11, 2023

As the world celebrated World Teachers Day, TotalEnergies E and P Limited says its interest in educational advancement of Nigerian students is high.
The Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, Total Energies, Mr. Guillaume Dulout, who made this known at the 2023 book reading and Open Day event in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said the oil multi national will continue to promote reading among students and encourage youth to develop the habit of reading as a way of life.
Dulout noted that the 2023 book reading presents opportunity to share career trajectories and explore career requirements and opportunities to guide students make early career decisions.
He explained that reading involves a considerable level of concentration and thus builds discipline, patience, critical thinking as well as knowledge, adding that all these virtues will help students who engaged in reading to form good character development, necessary for living a successful life.
According to him, “it is based on this conviction of reading that Total Energies in Nigeria became committed to the educational development of the country.
He said Total Energies as a company is a melting pot of STEM-driven innovations with technological expertise that has seen them play pioneering roles in deep water developments in Nigeria.
“We have partnered with key stakeholders to improve STEM learning and Provide better career opportunities for Nigerians in STEM- professions”, he said.
He revealed that the firm initiated some programmes such as Institute of Petroleum and energy studies (IPES), MIT- Empowering the Teacher ( MIT-ETT), African University of Science and Technology (AUST) and Sponsorship of professional Associations.
“The Institute of Petroleum and Energy Studies is a postgraduate school established in 2003, through an international collaboration between University of Port Harcourt and Ecole du Petrole et des Mother’s ( IFP School) Paris, France, in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation EP joint Venture, and has graduated about 544 students at postgraduate and Master’s degree levels.
The Objective of the MIT Empowering the Teacher programme is to enable outstanding young Nigerian faculty in science and engineering to collaborate with faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in developing new curriculum and teaching methods with emphasis on the problem solving while African University helps funding research and equipping their laboratory”, he explained.
The Executive Director further explained that Total Energies Limited sponsors conferences and exhibitions as well as the technical sessions of bodies such as society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE,) Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists ( NAPE), Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS).
He expressed regret that reading has become a more tasking activity because of social media and other forms of entertainment like electronic games and warned Nigerian students not to allow these media and their devices to sabotage their dream of becoming a success story to the society.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy General Manager, External Communications, Dr Charles Ebereonwu, said Total Energies will continue to do her best in educational advancement of the country.
Ebereonwu noted that Total Energies objective was to build a role model to help build a better nation and shape the future of students in the country.
According him, “Our target is to sharpen and shape the students for a better society”.
He, however, advised the students to sustain the culture of reading which will help them in future.
The Commissioner of Education, Rivers State, Chinedu Mmoh, commended TotalEnergies Limited for her contributions in advancing the standard of education in the county.
Mmoh, who was represented by the Director, Quality Assurance, in the Ministry, Emmanuel Onumbu, urged the students to concentrate in their studies and take their studies and reading serious to better the society.
The book chosen for this year book reading and Open Day event for Senior secondary Schools is “ Second Class Citizens” by Buchi Emecheta.
About nine secondary schools in Rivers State participated in the 2023 book reading organised by the oil firm.

By: Ike Wigodo

Rivers

NGO Builds Awareness On Digital Violence Against Women, Girls

Published

4 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

As part of activities marking 16 Days of Activism, A Non-Governmental Organizatio (NGO), OLEGH, has organised a one-day awareness creation workshop on digital violence against women and girls, for civil society and media groups in Rivers State.

OLEGH’s Executive Director, Henry Eferebo, said the programme was intended to draw attention to the theme for the 2025 16 Days of Activism tagged, “Unite To End Digital Violence against all Women and Girls.”

Eferebo said the event is an annual global campaign that focuses on violence against women, affords persons and groups all over the world the opportunity to embark on activities aimed at eliminating all forms of women and gender abuse.

“As individuals, we don’t pay attention to the things we see on the social media. We pay less attention to the abuse on the internet. Today, you can abuse a woman or a man physically, emotionally and otherwise, and go scot-free”, he noted.

According to him, women and girls have suffered the most from online violence and cyber-bullying, particularly on platforms such as TikTok, making them ready victims online and offline.

“So, in line with the United Nations principle on 16 Days of Activism and this year’s theme, there is a need for OLEGH Center to create awareness on issues resulting from the online abuse of women and girls.

“We decided to bring in a resource person who will tell us how to avoid being abused online”, he said.

He urged participants at the event to put hands together, rise up and speak against digital violence online.

The NGO’s arrow head, also explained that OLEGH was working towards creating an online help-desk for victims of online abuse and digital violence.

He urged participants to improve their security awareness while online, and adopt security protocols that would protect them in the digital space.

The Resource Person, Jacob Iniodu, in a paper titled, “Understanding Digital Abuse within the 16 Days of Activism”, listed forms of online violence to include, cyber-bullying, dozing, cyber-stalking, and invasion of privacy.

By: King Onunwor

Rivers

Foundation Distribute Bags N5m Worth Christmas Gifts In Bundu Ama

Published

4 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Armslent Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), in Rivers State, has distributed Christmas gifts worth over N5million to aged mothers, orphans and less privileged persons in Belema, Bundu Ama (Community) in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA).

The Foundation also gave cash gifts of N150,000 to the Community.

Presenting the gift items, comprising 5 bags of rice,10 Cartons of indomie noodles,10 Gallons of groundnut oil, 3 bags of salt and cartons of maggie cubes, to Chairman of the Community, David Oba, and the community leaders, the founder of Armslent Foundation, Comrade Richard Boma Briggs, said the foundation decided to show love and togetherness to the community by providing the gifts.

He noted that the provision was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the community aimed at alleviating poverty and create a sense of belonging as Christian faithfuls celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Briggs described Bundu Ama as one of its pillars in partnership, stressing that the foundation was inspired by the spirit of love to impact and rejoice with the residents of the community.

“The foundation was moved by the spirit of Christmas to give these gifts and rejoice with the people of community”, Briggs said.

Accompanied by the Managing Director of the Foundation, Richard Osigbo, and other top Executive Members, Briggs called on the leaders of the community to always pray for the foundation, promising that in 2026, it would embark on a tangible project at UPE Modern Primary School Waterfront, Bundu Ama.

Receiving the items, Chairman of Bundu Ama, David Oba, thanked the foundation for empowering the less privileged persons, assisting physically challenged persons, and aged mothers in the past.

“The foundation had done a lot for this community and today we are witnessing these gift items for the Christmas celebration”,he emphasised.

He called on the leaders of the community, women group, youths and residents to emulate the humanitarian gestures of the foundation and pleaded that they also borrow a leaf from the gesture,in order to also give to society whenever they can.

Earlier the leaders of Belema Bundu Ama, led by Oba, former Chairman, Benneth Kalio, and Secretary, Promise Mangibo, presented an Award of Excellence to the Founder of the Foundation for his Humanitarian and selfless service to the community.

Highlight of the event was the offering of a special prayer to the management of the foundation by aged mothers, youths and leadership of the community.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Rivers

Youths Condemn Killings In Andoni

Published

4 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Obolo Youth Coalition, Rivers State Chapter, has condemned the recent spate of killings in Andoni Local Government Area, describing the renewed insecurity as alarming and constituting a threat to peace and stability in the area.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Comr. Jonathan J. Eyina, the group expressed deep concern over what it described as brutal and senseless acts of violence, while extending condolences to the families of the victims.

The coalition said the resurgence of insecurity in Andoni has continued to undermine communal harmony and called for urgent steps to halt the trend before it escalates further.

It appealed to youths in the area to shun violence and embrace peace, stressing the need for tolerance, mutual respect and collective responsibility in safeguarding the community.

According to the group, restoring peace in Andoni requires a coordinated approach involving government, security agencies, community leaders and residents to identify and address the root causes of insecurity.

It noted that increased security presence, improved intelligence gathering, and sustained community engagement are critical to preventing further violence, adding that underlying social and economic challenges must also be addressed.

The coalition called on the Andoni Local Government Chairman, Hon. Lucky Promise-Otua, the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, and the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju Adewole, to take decisive actions to restore security.

It further demanded that those responsible for the killings be apprehended and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

By: King Onunwor