Rivers
Immunization: Rivers Records Decrease In Women, Infant Mortality … As OPTS Donates Cold Chain Refrigerators To PHCMB
Rivers State has recorded reduction in mortality of infants, children, and women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, who disclosed this, Tuesday, during a media briefing, in Port Harcourt, by the Primary Healthcare Management Board (PHCMB), at the donation of World Health Organisation (WHO) Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, said the decrease spans the last three months.
According to her, an analysis of relevant data in the last three months from which report was presented to the State’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, who is the Chairman of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Taskforce, showed an increase in immunisation, which resulted in the decrease in the mortality of infants, children, and women in the State.
“As we were analysing the data in the last three months, and providing report to Her Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, we were pleased and delighted to share with her and onward to the State Executive Council that we have seen an increase in immunisation coverage by virtue of the work the management and staff of the PHCMB have been doing.
“Significant increase in immunisation coverage, reduction in mortality and in newborns, in infants, below the age of one, and children under the age of five”, she said.
Dr. Oreh continued that beyond the stated reductions, there were also “reductions in the number of women who died during pregnancy and childbirth”.
In spite of these, however, the Health Commissioner emphasized the need to sustain efforts being made to ensure that “we get to the point in Rivers State where there are no Zero Dose Children, that there are no more children who don’t have access to vaccines appropriate for their age to save their lives from common childhood illnesses that threaten their survival”.
Making the donation of the WHO Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, the Executive Director, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), the donor of the refrigerators, Mr. Gwueke Ajaifa, said the donation is in the spirit of giving back to the people.
Noting that OPTS is an association of oil and gas companies in Nigeria, comprising five International Oil Companies (IOCs), and 25 Nigerian Companies, Ajaifa explained the reason for the donation.
“As individual companies, we recognise the need to take care of the people who live in our communities, because without healthy communities, there can be no progress in terms of business.
“Individual companies have been reaching out to the State, but collectively, we also see the need to reach out and ensure that we take care of our people, and Rivers State is one of the States we believe deserves our attention.
“So, this equipment has been donated to support the immunisation programme, in order to maintain the potency of vaccines, because it’s important that we store them properly”, Ajaifa stated.
Explaining the function of the WHO Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, the State Immunization Officer, Dr. Inwom Joseph Urang, said it’s basically to maintain the potency of the vaccines.
“When vaccines are brought, we maintain their potency at a particular temperature, usually +2 to +8 degrees centigrade. So, you don’t allow the temperature to go beyond that.
“Once the temperature goes beyond that, the potency of the vaccines might be compromised. So, we need this equipment to actually help us maintain these vaccines.
“If anything happens to the Cold Chain, we call it ‘breakage of the Cold Chain’. Once the Cold Chain is broken, the potency of the vaccine is gone. Instead of the vaccine being a life-saver, it will now be a killer.
“This is a modern equipment with ten years warranty”, Dr. Urang explained.
Sogbeba Dokubo
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The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has reminisced on the journey of the university under his watch in the last four years plus.
This is coming as the apex university of education in Nigeria prepares for its 44th convocation ceremony billed to climax on Saturday, May 9, 2026, with the convocation of graduate students, after undergraduates on Friday.
Prof. Onuchuku, who made this known on Monday in a media briefing in his office, said the university has recorded tremendous improvements in virtually all spheres of the institution, notably academics, administration, and infrastructure.
As the university prepares for this year’s convocation, the activities, which commenced on Sunday with a Convocation Service, the Acting VC said the institution has every reason to celebrate.
“We have a lot to celebrate in this convocation: first, it’s very significant to me personally, because this would be the fifth convocation I’ll be superintending since I came into the university, and all things being equal, my tenure is going to end this year.
“I came in November 18, 2021, so, I’m expected to leave here by November, which will make it five years”, he stated.
Summarising the achievement of the university under his leadership, he said: “we have a lot to actually celebrate: we have developed the university both in terms of academics, administration, and infrastructure.
“The duty of the Vice Chancellor is to provide both academic and administrative leadership, which I’ve been doing for the past four years plus. In academics, we can beat our chest to say we have done very well.”
He recalled that on assumption of office as the Acting VC, the first thing he did was to review the academic brief of the institution. This, he said, is because, “the academic brief contains both the courses you’re doing, and the ones you intend to do, or introduce in the future.”
Following the review, he explained that he introduced many courses into the school system from which the university is currently enjoying benefits, noting that if the courses are not contained in the brief, the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) would not permit the courses being taught in the school.
“So, we expanded our academic brief, and that has given us the opportunity to expand our programmes. Currently we have introduced several courses, which include: Software Engineering; Social Works; Public Administration; Employment Relation and Human Relations”, he stated.
He further said in the sciences, courses such as Microbiology has been introduced, and Geography has been unbundled to have a department of its own, same as Environmental Management.
He said, “we have, in fact, unbundled in different fields: in Humanities where we had English and Communication Studies, we have unbundled, now we have Department of Mass Communication, Department of English, Philosophy, etc.”
According to the Acting VC, from the initial 21 courses that were verified from the unbundling, the number has increased to 26.
He said beyond introducing the various programmes, recognition has also been accorded them, and it must come through accreditation by the NUC.
“We have about 53 of our undergraduate programmes fully accredited, and the other remaining 26 have been resource verified and approved by the NUC. So, all the programmes we run here are fully verified and accredited by the NUC, the regulating body.
“Our Part Time programmes too have been resource verified, same thing with our postgraduate programmes”, he said.
In terms of academic discipline, Prof. Onuchuku said measures have been put in place to reduce corruption and victimisation of students.
“We have instituted some kind of discipline to reduce corruption, which is all over Nigerian universities. We have done so much to checkmate those involved in unwholesome activities.
“Currently, our papers are graded in conference nature, and we have introduced conference marking: we hand over the script to the Head of Department (HOD) and Dean, and the HOD will organise other lecturers in the same field to grade the script, so that you don’t put the destiny of a student in the hands of one lecturer who would want to misbehave”, he explained.
He further said lecturers are now most often exposed to trainings and encouraged to make presentations in seminars in order to upgrade themselves in their fields.
In administration, the Acting VC said from the minimal Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), through payments by students, the school has achieved a lot in terms of infrastructure, with additional support from interventionist agencies such as the Nigerian Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
As part of activities marking the 44th convocation, there will be convocation lecture today, to be presented by the immediate past VC of the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Nlerum Okogbule, while the day will be rounded off with an Award Night/Evening, in which identified junior and senior staff will be rewarded, dovetailing into a cocktail party.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliate unions for embracing dialogue over confrontation in resolving industrial disputes, noting that the approach has entrenched workplace harmony across the state.
In a goodwill message to mark the 2026 May Day celebration, the Governor attributed the prevailing peace in public institutions to the maturity and responsibility of organised labour, urging union leaders to sustain engagement through constructive dialogue to deepen progressive industrial relations.
In a press statement signed by Onwuka Nzeshi, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fubara expressed appreciation to workers in the Rivers State Civil Service for their contributions to the state’s development, assuring them that his administration would continue to prioritise their welfare and well-being.
He disclosed that the ongoing rehabilitation of the State Secretariat Complex would, upon completion, enhance the work environment and boost efficiency and productivity.
Reflecting on the past 35 months, the Governor noted that civil servants had maintained stability and dedication despite political challenges, assuring them that their sacrifices would not go unrewarded.
“Despite political tensions, you remained steadfast. Schools stayed open, hospitals continued to function. This is because you chose service over strife. Rivers State owes you a profound debt of gratitude”, he said.
He paid tribute to workers across sectors, including teachers, healthcare professionals, engineers, sanitation workers, farmers, and artisans, describing them as the driving force behind the state’s growth and resilience.
“Today, Rivers State stands still to honour the people who keep it moving. You are the teachers in Khana and Ahoada who show up even when the rain is heavy. You are the nurses at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital ( RSUTH) who hold the night shift with grace.
“You are the civil servants in the State Secretariat who turn policy into service, the engineers on the Port Harcourt Ring Road braving the sun, the sanitation workers who give us clean streets before the city wakes, and the farmers and artisans whose labour feeds our economy.
“My charge to you this May Day: Keep being the difference. Be diligent and give your best to Rivers State. The road from Degema to Port Harcourt is shorter today because an engineer woke up to work. A child in Etche can read because a teacher refused to give up. That is the Rivers story. You are the authors”, Fubara said.
He added that salaries had been paid consistently, while efforts were ongoing to clear pension backlogs, with a pledge that no retired worker would be neglected.
He, however, acknowledged the economic pressures facing workers, particularly rising living costs and transportation expenses, but commended their resilience and commitment.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment, the Governor assured workers that their trust would not be betrayed and called on them to remain diligent and dedicated to service.
“Keep making the difference. Your commitment continues to define the progress and story of Rivers State”, he added.
Students of Okrika Grammar School, Okrika, have brought pride to their institution after securing third place at the prestigious Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Science and Technology Exhibition.
The award-winning team, comprising Belinda Chiamaka, Saint Aribibia, Esther Tekena, and Fortune, earned recognition for their innovative project: an automated waste separator integrated with a gas energy harvester.
The invention is designed to tackle two major global challenges, waste management and energy generation, by converting waste materials into usable energy.
The system works by automatically sorting different categories of waste to ensure efficient processing, while the gas harvester converts decomposable materials into electricity.
Speaking on the achievement, the “Digital” Principal of the school, Mr. Kelvin Sampson Fubara, expressed pride in the students’ performance, describing it as a reflection of the school’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and practical learning.
The SPE Science and Technology Exhibition is known for bringing together young innovators from various institutions to present solutions to real-world problems through science and technology.
Observers noted that the students’ success, despite limited preparation time, underscores their creativity, teamwork, and scientific capability.
The achievement further strengthens Okrika Grammar School’s reputation as a center for nurturing future scientists, engineers, and innovators.
The students’ performance is expected to inspire their peers and reinforce the role of education in driving sustainable development and technological advancement in the country.
Michael T. Abraham
