Rivers

Polio Immunization: Rivers Targets 2m Children … As Health Educator Urges For Adherence

Published

2 years ago

November 10, 2023

Rivers State has set a target of immunizing over 2million children during the second round of polio immunization exercise billed to hold from November 11 to 14, 2023, in the State.

The target, which is for children between the ages of 0-5 years, is expected to hold across the state, including the hard-to-reach areas, particularly the riverine areas.

Speaking to The Tide in an exclusive interview in a post media engagement meeting, the Rivers State Health Educator, Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB), Dr. Diana Babbo, stated that the target of immunizing over 2million children within the stated bracket is to achieve either 98% or 99% of the target.

“Vaccination of over 2million (children) is 100% achievable, but the aim is to get at least 98% or 99%”, she said.

Towards this end, Dr. Babbo explained that various teams have been put in place to enhance the achievement of the target.

“We have what we call teams: there are House-to-House Teams, there are Fixed-Post Teams, and these teams have their portions of coverage. Every Local Government Area (LGA) has a plan, they know the LGA, they know the areas that are land, and those that are riverine.

“They know the terrain, Internally Displaced Persons (IDO) camps, etc., and there’s a plan for every area in the LGA, with people assigned in these teams. There are over a thousand teams covering Rivers State, spread across all over the LGAs”, she explained.

The RSPHCMB Health Educator, therefore, urged parents and guardians to ensure that within the stipulated days, identified healthcare providers should be given access to their children to be immunized of polio.

Speaking on sensitization of parents in the hard-to-reach areas of the State, the World Health Organization (WHO) Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Dr. Saddiq Abubakar, said it is an area in which WHO has been partnering with the State Government to achieve its targeted number of immunizations.

“What WHO and UN organization are supporting is for the Rivers State Government to achieve their goal, which is to ensure that each eligible child is immunized and protected against vaccine preventable diseases”, he said.

According to facts published by WHO and CDC, polio mainly affect children under 5 years, and that 1 in 200 infection leads to irreversible paralysis, 5-10% of which leads to death.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.

Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.

The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.

National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.

Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.

He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.

Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.

On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.

Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.

She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.

Seminitari was later presented an award.

New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.

There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.

They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.

According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.

The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.

They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.

Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.

They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.

Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.

The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.

The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.

By; King Onunwor

Rivers

NBA Seeks End To Mass Abductions, Targeted Killings

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned against mass abductiond and targeted killings in Nigeria.

President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, who gave the warning, noted that Nigeria was faced with a growing wave of violence following fresh attacks in Kebbi and Borno States.

The association issued the warning after terrorists attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga on November 17.

According The Tide’s source, the gunmen killed a teacher and abducted at least twenty-five students during a shootout with security personnel.

The President said the latest attack shows the country has become unsafe for schoolchildren and civilians.

He further noted that Nigeria also lost Brigadier General M. Uba earlier that day in an ISWAP ambush in Borno State.

According to Osigwe, the nation was witnessing a rise in terrorism, kidnapping, and lawlessness that has overwhelmed security agencies, adding that rural communities, travellers, farmers, and security officers are all exposed.

The NBA President also warned that Nigeria was facing a dangerous breakdown of public safety.

Quoting recent reports, he said about 145 people went missing in mass abductions across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara within four days.

“The country must stop recording deaths while hoping for peace through negotiations with terrorists”, he said.

The NBA further revealed that recent intelligence alerts, including the DSS warning of ISWAP plans to strike in Ondo and Kogi, show a widening threat.

Osigwe questioned why terrorists still control forests and highways without challenge, with criminals levying taxes on communities, displace families, and attack convoys.

The NBA demanded an urgent national security overhaul with transparency and strong political will.

Osigwe, however, praised the teacher who died in Kebbi while protecting students.

By; King Onunwor