Rivers
Expert Tasks RSG On Environmental Protection, Sanitation Agency
A health sector and environmental health expert, Sir Napoleon Ewule, has called for the establishment of Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency by the Rivers State Government.
Sir Ewule, retired Director in the Rivers State Ministry of Health, said the call became necessary because of the degenerating environment.
He said it will also address waste management issues and the aesthetic look of the environment, promote health education, create job opportunities and reduce the burden from the hospitals.
Sir Ewule in an interview with newsmen said sanitation deserves to take the centrestage, saying integrated health management can create wealth, Jobs and increase the revenue profile of the State.
He said currently what the state government is doing is transfer of waste and not waste management, saying what is being transfered is supposed to be properly harnessed.
The Chairman of Centenary College of Health Science and Technology urged the government to focus on preventing diseases and protecting the environment as it is done in civilised societies.
“The essence of good environment and health cannot be over-emphasised. Sanitation in the State should be taken seriously as if overlooked, it can frustrate other activities. In achieving this, the governor should appoint professionals. Let him look inward in his appointment. Experts should be appointed in issues that have to do with health and environment.
Professionals in environment and health will give you excellent performance. It is time to do it right as expectations are high. If Governor Fubara gets it right by assigning duties to professionals, people shall be happy and he will expect the best.”
He urged the government to assist private health and environmental initiatives.
Sir Ewule said it is unfortunate that Centenary College of Health Science and Technology in Emohua remains the only private owned in the South-South zone.
He said in other regions especially the South West and the North there are so many health and environmental colleges.
Most of the colleges are being assisted by the government which had enabled them to thrive.
He said this informed his decision to run the Centenary College of Health Science and Technology by assisting government to train qualified health and environmental experts.
He noted that his college also runs an entrepreneurship centre where students are engaged in skills aside the professional certificates.
“Government should extend hands to private health and environmental sectors like ours. We are in need of government support. It has not been easy managing the college .Ours remains the only private-owned college and accredited in the whole of South South region. So government of Rivers State should assist us .We are helping in creating professional job opportunities and skills for the good of the society. The challenges have been enormous in terms of power supply, infrastructure, laboratory equipment, access road, learning instruments.”
He commended the present administration in the State and urged everyone to support the development strides of Governor Fubara.
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.