Rivers

Former Perm Sec Lauds Fubara’s Loan Scheme

Published

7 months ago

May 10, 2024

A former Permanent Secretary in Rivers State, Sir Kingsley Fubara Hart, has applauded the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the N4billion loan scheme recently flagged off by the Governor and disbursed to 3,066 beneficiaries by the Rivers State Microfinance Agency(RIMA) in conjunction with the Bank Of Industry(BOI).
Sir Hart, who made the commendation while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, described the loan scheme for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and NANO as a landmark achievement recorded by the present administration.
According to him, Governor Fubara’s efforts to ameliorate unemployment and the harsh economic conditions of the people of the State are yielding fruits.
The former House of Representatives aspirant noted that the loan scheme is a frugal innovation geared towards addressing the financial challenges faced by Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the State.
According to him, it creates a simplified, affordable and sustainable solution to complex challenges in business for those doing business in the State.
Sir Hart further indicated that the immense benefits and impacts of the loan scheme can never be over-emphasised, considering the current economic situation in the country.
He noted that it would go a long way in increasing the revenue base of the State, thereby enabling the Fubara administration to carry out more development projects in the years ahead.
He, however, appealed to other States in the country to borrow a leaf from Governor Fubara in order to curtain youth restiveness across the country.
He also called on well-meaning Rivers people to support the Governor as he intends to create the enabling environment for industrialisation of the State.
This, he said can be attested to going by the plethora of people-oriented projects going on across the nooks and crannies of the State.
“Let me congratulate the beneficiaries.It has never been like this. It is left for them to be prudent in managing the funds to enable others to be part of it.The Governor means well for everyone in the State despite the distractions.It is a frugal innovation to address the challenges facing small and medium scale industries in the State.It has created a simplified, affordable and sustained solution to complex challenges in business in the State.The IGR of the State will increase and militancy would be addressed. Every sane mind is expected to automatically leverage on this wonderful opportunity provided by the Fubara-led government,” he said.
Sir Hart, therefore, advised those opposing the government to sheathe their swords and support the government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Rivers

MNCH Week Ends Today … As Rivers Prepares For Malaria Vaccination In Jan

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

The 5-day Maternal and Neonatal Child Health (MNCH) Week, which started last Monday, comes to a close today in Port Harcourt.

The MNCH Week, which is part of healthcare campaign and interventions for Rivers people, witnessed interventions for pregnant women, non-pregnant women, children under five years old, and men as well.

Disclosing this during the 2024 last quarter strategic meeting of the “Media Advocacy For Health in Rivers State”, the State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, of the Primary Health Care Management Board, said, the MNCH Care Week, is part of several health campaigns and interventions planned for Rivers people.

“We call it MNCH Care Week. Our ‘one-stop-shop’, from 9th to 13th December, we will be in the health facilities, we hope that our care givers and mothers will bring their children, and partners/spouses to come amd access care in our facilities”, she stated.

According to the State Health Educator, the second part of the campaign and intervention is the roll out of MPox or Monkey Pox vaccination which is a targeted immunisation campaign, and scheduled to last for ten days in Rivers State.

Dr. Babbo, said the Monkey Pox vaccine will be rolled out in six states: Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Bayelsa, FCT, and Benue States.

She stated that the MPox vaccines roll out, which started on the 2nd of December, will also end today.

She explained that the MPox vaccination is targeted at communities, health workers, who are the frontline workers, and key population.

Such key populations include: commercial sex workers, People Living With HIV, transgender community, People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), and Men who have Sex with Men (MSM).

“We’re also saying that after the COVID-19 year, we noticed that there was a drop in immunisation generally worldwide. So, the world is trying to catch up”, she explained.

Towards this end, she stated that a team of Nigerians have been put in place with an aim to quickly close the gap, through intensification of routine immunisation.

Dr. Babbo said, “we will go to different communities where they are found and carry out what we call ‘Zero Dose Children'”.

Zero Dose Children, Babbo said, “means that they have not got their series vaccines, which are pental vaccines. They are those that have not completed their vaccines despite having started. So, we are going to target those categories of children”.

She further disclosed that in continuation of the interventions, malaria vaccines will be rolled out in Nigeria in January 2025, with Rivers State being one of the beneficiaries to have the vaccines in the public space.

Rivers

Expert Advocates IT Driven Security In Rivers

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

A security expert and analyst, Charles Inkoh-Tariah, has recommended an Information Technology (UT) Communications driven security network in Rivers State.

Speaking during a live interview, “Viewpoint”, on radio, he said IT is very useful in reducing all forms criminality.

According to him, IT driven security is proactive and not reactive, while expressing regret that weakness in the security system stems from failure to adopt a modern and updated relevant IT-driven technology like other developed climes.

He also observed that there’s a lot of gap between the people and security agencies leading to weakness and failure.

Inkoh-Tariah, therefore, recommended a consolidated intelligence gathering system that will enhance effectiveness through adoption of technology and support of the people.

The security expert emphasized the need to revive the Neighborhood Watch , which, he said, is backed by law made by the State Assembly in 2008.

He insisted that there is need to also upgrade security facilities and improve performance of security personnel.

Furthermore, he called for adoption of Artificial intelligence, “which is more effective than all local or former security systems”.

By: Kevin Nengia

Rivers

Diaspora Group Wants Respect For Ogoni Traditional Rulers

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

A United States of America-based socio-cultural organisation, Gbaaloo Nyo-Khana, which is an umbrella body of Ogoni, in Rivers State, Nigeria, has called on the people of Ogoni Kingdom to accord traditional rulers their deserved respect.

A statement jointly signed by the group’s President, Comrade LeBari Nzidee, the Secretary-General, Comrade Samuel Nwibana, and the Public Relations Officer, Barineka Akponi, condemned several utterances and derogatory statements by some youths against traditional rulers in Ogoni land, who they described as “natural custodians of Ogoni cultural heritage”.

The organization said such statements and behaviour doesn’t accord the high respect due traditional rulers in Ogoni land and called for a change of attitude towards traditional rulers who have the traditional blessings of the land.

According to the statement, the association condemns in its totality, recent unwholesome statements against a frontline traditional ruler in Nyo Khana Kingdom, saying it does not demonstrate a show of respect for traditional institutions in the area.

The statement said, “in as much as the organization will not support the ills or misbehavior of any traditional ruler, there’s the need for their subjects to address any act of misconduct with serious caution.

“If traditional rulers in other parts of the country are treated with dignity, such treatment should be accorded Ogoni traditional rulers and leaders at home and in the diaspora by the Ogoni people.

The group also accused some Ogoni indigenes in diaspora who are believed they be sponsoring the charade to get political recognitions because of their selfish interest to contest for elective positions in 2027.

Describing their intentions as “wild elephant dreams”, the group promised to expose such people.

The statement read in part: “some disgruntled ogonis in the diaspora are disrespecting our traditional rulers to score cheap political recognitions.

“We have come to realize that their intentions are borne out of the fact that they have an intention to contest 2027 elections, using falsehood, unscrupulous allegations to instigate fake news, through which they seek popularity in Ogoni”.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to “stand against any action that is not healthy in Ogoni land, especially when it has to do with not according traditional rulers their due respect and honour, specifically in Nyo-Khana Kingdom, and Ogoni at large”.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos