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Fubara Seeks Collaboration To Surmount Challenges Of Environmental Degradation In Ijaw Land
The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara says it has become imperative to adopt approaches that emphasise both environmental regeneration and economic sustainability in the face of escalating environmental challenges confronting Ijaw land.
Governor Fubara underscored this importance while delivering a keynote address at the Pre-Summit Conference of the First Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit 2024 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Thursday.
He maintained that the theme: ‘Environmental Regeneration and Economic Sustainability,’ resonates with the collective aspirations of Ijaw ethnic nationality’s desire for economic progress and right to live in a decent physical environment.
Governor Fubara, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, emphasized that the challenges posed by environmental degradation synonymous with the Ijaw nation is also deeply linked to the agitations and conscientious demands for economic and environmental justice.
He regretted that Ijaw people continue to suffer the harm often associated with oil production, which continues to devastate the environment and impoverish the people.
He said: “We have often felt the harmful effects of oil production. Oil spills from pipelines are destroying farmlands and crops as well as damaging marine life. Gas flaring is filling the atmosphere with substances that cause soot, a phenomenon that has manifested in many parts of the region. Acid rain is not uncommon. The land is contaminated. The water is contaminated. The air is polluted. And that is the environment in which we live.
“We all acknowledge the importance of sustainable economic progress for a people or society. We all need human security, including access to quality education, food, shelter, healthcare and social security. We need the things that facilitate our well-being. We need the institutions to educate, train and prepare our young people for the challenges of the global marketplace.
“We need roads and common infrastructure to enhance commercial interaction, We need electricity, which has become an essential and indispensable feature of modern life. We need everything that makes way for the good life. But the progress and well-being that we seek cannot be achieved in the face of a degraded and spoiled environment.”
The Governor therefore enjoined stakeholders to collaborate and rebirth ideas and measures to achieve environmental renewal and economic prosperity.
According to him, “We need to work towards the goal. But it is a job that no person can do alone. Our society, our governments, and the oil producing companies have to evolve appropriate environmental standards and uphold those standards. Everyone has to take responsibility for the environment.
“While we see the environment as our heritage, we should keep in mind that it is also the heritage for our children and many generations to come.
“It is a little over one year since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu created a Federal Ministry to pursue the riches in the Marine and Blue Economy. This is a fresh opportunity for Ijaws to return to their roots and rediscover and launch themselves into a new economic era with almost limitless opportunities, because just as the oceans are vast, so is the immense wealth and prosperity to be gained there from.
“We also need targeted investments in infrastructure, human capital development. facilities, and lots to grow our economies and create wealth and prosperity across Ijaw land. In this wise, I very much appreciate and applaud the massive infrastructural achievements of Governor Douye Diri in Bayelsa State as this is the way to the pan-Ijaw promise of a better future for all Ijaws.”
Governor Fubara further maintained that peace is paramount to attain the lofty socio-economic development of the region, saying “I wish to emphasize that not much can be achieved without peace and security. Ijaw land must, therefore, cease to be a hotbed of violence and insecurity. We must ramp up protection of existing infrastructure and facilities and not give excuses to those who have sunk in their capital to divest. We must uproot from among us the criminal elements who are vandalizing crude oil pipelines and contributing directly to the death of our environment.”
He narrated that his administration has ensured a multi-strategy approach to curb environmental degradation and enhance economic boost through environmental friendly polices, infrastructural development and revival of the local economy.
“In Rivers State, our government has shown understanding of the environmental challenges we face and we have adopted policies to tackle the problem. We are working on establishing a waste-to-energy plant to address the challenges of solid waste management, clean energy, carbon emissions, and climate change.
“Additionally, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with two foreign firms on the preservation of our vast mangrove forests. We are also supporting the security agencies, including the joint task force on oil theft and the Nigerian Civil Defense Corpse to fight illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalization as part of efforts to protect the nation’s economic assets as well as prevent the continuous degradation of our environment.
“While we work towards environmental renewal, we are also frontally addressing the challenges of infrastructural development and the building of institutions to improve human capital among our people. We are presently constructing the 50 km dual carriage Port Harcourt Ring Road with six flyovers, traversing six local government areas of the State. When completed, this 200-billion-naira project will accelerate the economic transformation of the State.
“Also worthy of mention are the dualization of Elele-Omoku road, which interconnects three local government areas, and the long awaited Trans-Kalabari road, with a combined contract value of over N300 billion. Conceived, awarded and abandoned decades ago, the Trans-Kalabari road is aimed at linking most of the riverine communities in the Kalabari kingdom to the state capital to accelerate their socio-economic integration and development,” he stressed.
Governor Fubara noted that affordable healthcare delivery is another area his administration is giving priority attention.
Said he: “Apart from implementing the contributory healthcare scheme for the first time in the State, we have expanded and completing the zonal hospitals at Degema, Khana, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of the State. We are also building an ultra-modern neuropsychiatric hospital.
“To stimulate economic growth in the State, we floated a N4 billion matching fund with the Bank of Industry to support micro, small, and medium enterprise at 5% interest rate. So far, over 1300 entrepreneurs have accessed this loan while many more are in the process.”
He further disclosed that agricultural development has been adopted to enhance food security, job creation and enhance well-being of Rivers people in the 2025 budget as well as investing every effort to keep Rivers State peaceful, safe, and secure for everyone to come in and settle.
He thanked the Azaiki Foundation and Ijaw National Congress for organizing the pre-summit.
The Chief Special Guest of Honour and former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Ambassador Godknows Igali, acknowledged that the future of Nigeria depends on every region exploring the resources available to them to create better opportunity for the citizens. He added that such efforts must be based on ideas and approaches for options that are sustainable.
According to him, “Whatever economic strategies, whatever plans to make life easier for our people must be such that looks at the next generation. Our efforts must be that, planning is not just for ourselves but for the next generation. We should look beyond oil. Gas is energy of the future and we must appreciate that.”
The President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Co-Convener of the Pre-Summit, Professor Benjamin Okaba, stressed that the era of lamentation for the Ijaw nation was over as now is the time to look inwards, ventilate ideas and move the nation forward.
He urged all to take the summit seriously to incubate ideas to rescue the Ijaw nation as he thanked the Principal Convener, Professor Steve Azaiki for sustaining the dream of the summit.
The Summit had in attendance the former Governor of the Old Rivers State, King Alfred Diette-Spiff; former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Gboribiogha Jonah; former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Rtd); traditional rulers, captains of industries, leaders of the Ijaw nation, among others.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
