Rivers

RIVCARES Enrols 15,000 For 3rd Batch Labour Intensive Works

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

About 15000 Rivers men and women have been enrolled for the 3rd batch of the Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) Unit of the Rivers State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Scheme (RIVCARES).
A break down of the figures by senatorial sone shows that 5,100 enrolled in the Rivers East Senatorial zone; 4,990 for Rivers West, and 5,001 for Rivers South East.
Head, LIPW, RIVCARES, Engr. Prince Enyindah, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen during the beneficiaries’ training for Rivers East in Port Harcourt.
He said the training was to impact the rudiments of public works to them.
Enyindah said the beneficiaries are expected to do their community services with a view to justifying the money being paid to them.
According to him, “they are expected to do the community services they are expected to render to justify the money that is paid to them every month”.
Enyindah said the beneficiaries are expected to carry some public works in their Communities, including cleaning of public places such as the markets, gutters and drainages, chief’s palaces and play grounds.
He particularly urged them to take the issue of tree planting seriously in order to combat desertification and climate change.
“So, because of deforestation, tree planting in their various Communities is a necessity under the RIVCARES labour intensive public works”, he said.
He pledged to personally go round the various Communities to ensure that the beneficiaries are carrying out tree planting.
Enyindah also charged them to desilt gutters and drainages in their various Communities to check flooding.
“They will desilt their drains because of this problem of flooding,so that those particular water bodies will not accumulate in their places , resulting to sickness and other things”, he said.
Enyindah continued that the beneficiaries are also expected to invest their monthly earnings on petty businesses that will keep them occupied, at the end of the one year duration, so that their minds will not go into committing evil and crime.
“It is one of the core indicators of this programm, reduction in crime rate and reduced abject poverty, so that people can have money in their pockets”, he stated.
According to him, the programme has led to a reduction in crime rate since its inception, as well as boosting the income of many families across the state.
Enyindah also called for the extension of the programme to enable more Rivers people benefit from it.
The Head of LIPW commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalaye Fubara for consistently releasing money for the programme.
A cross sections of beneficiaries who spoke to newsmen during the training said the programme has alleviated their sufferings.
Some of the traineea from Ibaa in Emohua Local Government, Okrika, Ogu/ Obolo and Omuma Local Government Areas also confirmed receiving their three months stipends.
They pledged to put the money into judicious use.

John Bibor

Rivers

Shippers Council moves To Enhance Service Delivery At Nigerian Ports

Published

2 days ago

October 27, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council has initiated moves towards Enhancing Service Delivery across the various Sea Ports in the Country.

This follows the validation of the Draft Set Minimum Service Delivery Standards for Shipping Companies/Agents at the various Sea Ports in the Country.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting organized by The Nigerian Shippers Council in conjunction with Ocean Serve, in Port Harcourt, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Pius Akuta Ukeyima said the initiative was aimed at making the Nation’s Ports some of the best in the world in terms of service delivery

He said it was the key Mandate of the Council as the Port Economic Regulator to Set and Monitor Standards of Service Delivery by Regulated Service Providers in the Ports, adding it was inline with this responsibility that the Council established minimum service standards for terminal operators and as well put in place appropriate mechanisms for monitoring performance against those standards.

Ukeyima who was represented by the Director, Regularly Services, Mrs Margaret Ogbonnah said the draft documents cover submission and verification of documents, cargo clearance operations, confirmation of declared contents and the use of electronic systems for data exchange.

According to him,”These are designed to position Nigerian Ports on the same pedestal as Ports that meet international best practices”he said.

Ukeyima said the Council will continue to work in synergy and collaboration with all regulated service providers to ensure the enthronement of global best practices in our Port industry.

“Our collective goal is to build a Port system anchored on transperancy, trust customer satisfaction and sustainable returns on investment for all stakeholders”.

Speaking in an interview, Mrs Margeret Ogbonnah who is the Director Regulatory Services, Nigerian Shippers’ Council said, The Nigerian Shippers Council, as the port economic regulator has a mandate to monitor and enforce minimum standard service delivery in the port sector.

According to her,”And for us to have that, there should be minimum standard, customers are expected to receive from the port.

“One of the things that has been affecting our industry is service failures, so when we have what we call the minimum expected service delivery, you the service taker in the industry will know the level of service you are expected to receive.

“As time goes on, the economic regulator will come up with a framework for consequence management framework.

“In other words, what are the consequences for service failure? In other sectors, like the aviation sector, for instance, there are levels of services.

“Not using Nigeria as a case study, but overseas,If an airline is supposed to lift you, and it fails to lift you, It has a responsibility as part of minimum service expected, to accommodate you in a hotel, pending when they are ready to pick you to your destination

“, At the port level, that’s what we are discussing today” she said.

Also speaking representative of Ocean Serve, Forwarder Eugene Nweke said the process which started years ago was to make Nigerian Ports to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of quality service delivery

He said the situation will reduce clogging at the Ports and check incessant ship diversion to other African Countries because of inefficient service at Nigerian Ports.

John Bibor

Rivers

Shippers Council moves To Enhance Service Delivery At Nigerian Ports

Published

2 days ago

October 27, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council has initiated moves aimed at enhancing service delivery across the various Sea Ports in the Country.

This follows the validation of the Draft Set Minimum Service Delivery Standards for Shipping Companies/Agents at the various Sea Ports in the Country.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Nigerian Shippers Council in conjunction with Ocean Serve, in Port Harcourt, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Pius Akuta, said the initiative was aimed at making the Nation’s Ports to be among the best in the world in terms of service delivery.

He said it was the key Mandate of the Council, as the Port Economic Regulator, to set and monitor standards of service delivery by regulated service providers in the Ports.

According To him, it was in line with this responsibility that the Council established minimum service standards for terminal operators and also put in place appropriate mechanisms for monitoring performance against those standards.

Akutah, who was represented by the Director, Regular Services, Mrs. Margaret Ogbonnah, said the draft documents cover submission and verification of documents, cargo clearance operations, confirmation of declared contents and the use of electronic systems for data exchange.

“These are designed to position Nigerian Ports on the same pedestal as Ports that meet international best practices”, he said.

He further said the Council will continue to work in synergy and collaboration with all regulated service providers to ensure the enthronement of global best practices in Nigeria’s Port industry.

“Our collective goal is to build a Port system anchored on transperancy, trust, customer satisfaction, and sustainable returns on investment for all stakeholders”.

Speaking in an interview, Mrs. Ogbonnah, said, the Nigerian Shippers Council, as the port economic regulator, has a mandate to monitor and enforce minimum standard service delivery in the port sector.

According to her, “and for us to have that, there should be minimum standard, customers are expected to receive from the port.

“One of the things that has been affecting our industry is service failures. So, when we have what we call the minimum expected service delivery, you, the service taker in the industry, will know the level of service you are expected to receive.

“As time goes on, the economic regulator will come up with a framework for consequence management framework.

“In other words, what are the consequences for service failure? In other sectors, like the aviation sector, for instance, there are levels of services.

“Not using Nigeria as a case study, but overseas, if an airline is supposed to lift you, and it fails to lift you, It has a responsibility as part of minimum service expected, to accommodate you in a hotel, pending when they are ready to pick you to your destination.

“At the port level, that’s what we are discussing today”, she explained.

Also speaking, representative of Ocean Serve, Forwarder, Eugene Nweke, said the process which started years ago was to make Nigerian Ports to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of quality service delivery.

He said the situation will reduce clogging at the Ports and check incessant ship diversion to other African Countries because of inefficient service at Nigerian Ports.

By: John Bibor

City Crime

RSG Ready For 2030 Digital Transformation

Published

2 days ago

October 27, 2025

The Tide

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Akani, has said the State Government was set to meet up the 2030 target of the Federal Government towards the actualization of digital economy.

Akani said this at the Rivers State Sensitization Workshops on The Adoption of Nigeria Start-up Act and National Digital Literacy framework (NDLF), in Port Harcourt, weekend.

She noted that the State was ready for both the adoption and domestication of the Act.

According to her, up to 90-95% preparation have been fully covered by the state in readiness to welcoming the digital economy Act.

“Stakeholders talked about adoption and domestication of the Act, it was fruitful. The draft has been sent to the government”, she said.

She also noted that the move was in line with the digital transformation plan of the state and the country at large.

The Convener, Start South, Mr. Uche Aniche, who made case for full ICT Ministry for the state, said such will command the needed growth in the system.

Aniche stated that until they attained the lofty height, all about Tech-knowledge and growth may not fall in place as expected.

Other tech-operators, such as the Code Garden Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wilfred Wegwu, who welcomed the idea, said it must be done in the nearest future.

Wegwu noted that technology has taken over the world at present, adding that government at all levels needed to key into the system.

He also stated that the system play major roles in various spheres of life, including relationships and collaboration.

He also revealed that the system now was up to forth Industrial Revolution (4IR), according to global shift ranking.

It will be recalled that the State Government has recently ordered to construct ICT centres across the 23 Local Government Area of the state in order to meet up the yearnings of the technology world.

By: King Onunwor