Rivers
Experts Urge Fubara On Youth Marine Safety Training
A Maritime Security Expert, Captain Ifeanyi Eke Lawrence, has called for the training of youths as marine Safety officers in order to improve and regulate safety among boat operators and passengers.
He said the programme, if carried out, will create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state and drastically reduce the rate of death and loss of properties along the state’s water ways.
According to him, Rivers inland waterways can create over 50,000 direct and indirect jobs if properly harnessed.
Lawrence said the timely training of youths and positively engaging them as safety officers on all the jetties where waterborne transportation system is operated was necessary to solve the state’s unemployment challenge and end incessant boat mishap in the State.
The Expert, who is the Chairman, El-Bravo Maritime Safety Training Services Limited, said this in an interview with newsmen shortly after their monthly safety exercise in Port Harcourt.
He said the Government can do this through educating reasonable number of youths who will carry the responsibility of educating boat operators and regulate safety on all the jetties and state’s waterways, adding that the improvement in safety along the state’s waterways will restore the confidence of boat passengers and speed boat operators who operate along the state’s waterways.
According to him, the situation will check incessant boat mishaps which result to loss of lives and goods worth millions whenever there’s a boat accident, hence the need to save lives and property along the state’s inland waterways.
Captain Lawrence said Government can also achieve this feat through constant engagement and training of youths on Maritime safety in the state.
“Governor Fubara needs to critically tackle the dangerous threat of boat mishaps and unemployment rate among Rivers youths whose population is on the Increase
“Rivers State inland waterways have the capacity to create over 50,000 direct and indirect Jobs for the ciitizens if properly and professionally harnessed.
“This can be achieved through training and constant engagement and monitoring of the boat operators all over the State”, he said.
Lawrence continued that the state stands to benefit maximally from its God-given maritime potentials if properly harnessed.
“Rivers State with its enormous God-given natural resources, especially the amazing creeks, channels, rivers , lagoons and others, should be able to harness and tap from it to benefit the people.
“Rivers State is the second largest maritime environment in Nigeria after Lagos State, and has the largest fishing Community in West Africa at Oyorokorto, in Andoni LGA of the state.
“The community environment is a tourist site of international reputes that needs to be developed by the State Government.
“There are several tourist sites along the State’s waterways, but tourist are skeptical to visit them for their relaxation due to lack of state safety organs, to educate, regulate and enforce safety on boat drivers, passengers and everyone who does business on the state’s maritime environment.
“I’m calling on Governor Fubara to use his executive mandate and create a State civil maritime unit and sanitize all the jetties and the entire waterways.
“It’s necessary as 80 percent of Rivers people earn their living from the jetties, channels, rivers, creeks and lagoons that surround them.
“The major means of transportation in Rivers State is Waterborne transportation system, therefore it’s pertinent the State Government act as a matter of urgency, make hay while the sun shines”, he advised.
He also decried the incessant boat mishaps and loss of lives and property along waterways in the state.
John Bibor
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Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.
Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.
Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.
The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.
Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.
This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.
Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.
Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.
The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.
Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.
“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.
Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.
He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.
He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.
“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.
Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and effective library.
She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.
Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.
High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.
Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.