Nation
CIPSMN Lauds RSG Over Support On Professional Practices …Ends Conference in PH
Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria ( CIPSMN) Rivers State Chapter ends her two days conference on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt.
The conference with the theme: “Sustainable Procurement and Supply. Chain Management Practices- A game Changer for National Development” , was held at Golden Tulip ( Former LA Kings) No. 31 Stadium road in Port Harcourt.
It was well attended by procurement professionals and non members including people from all works of life.
In his keynote address the Registrar/CEO of the institution Professor Mohammed Aliyu applauded the Rivers State Government for consistently.given support to professional practices in the State.
He stated that it is a demonstration of of commitment and steadfastness towards granting the Governance structure at all levels.
According to him, procurement and supply chain management is the real foundation and eye opener for development in Nigeria and Africa because of wise spending and direct where the money goes to.
“I would like to appreciate the Rivers State Government and officials with particular reference to those that have consistently given wonderful support to to professional practices in the State”
” I also expressed my gratitude to all committed members who nutured this great institution to the height it has achieved in Rivers State especially Dr. Biebele Arimie, second vice President Mr. Cyprian Ojum, South South coordinator, Mr Benson Abu and Mrs Alaba Karibi-Botoye and her executive”, Prof. Aliyu said.
In his paper titled; Practical ways of integrating sustainability factors in procurement for business and National development – an emerging practice in Nigeria, Dr. Biebele Arimie said sustainable procurement has the potential to contribute significantly to national development if properly planned and integrated.
According to him, the alignment of procurement strategies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
also facilitates the achievements of broader environmental, social and Governance objectives which fundamentally drives goals and sustainable consumption and production.
Dr Arimie, advised procurement professionals to always monitor and manage contracts without compromising.
“As a procurement professional be sure that contracts are monitored and managed without compromising or allowing the contractor/ Service provider to jettison the sustainable factors that had been factored into the contract at the planning.
“It is important for top management to create sustainability policy like rules, regulation, guidelines or strategy documents” Dr. Arimie said.
Also in his paper titled; Introduction to Supply Chain Management and National Development, Professor Gladson Nwokah, said as a procurement professional it is imperative that the person is honest to gain credibility and integrity.
Tonye Orabere
Nation
HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3
