The South-South Physically Challenged Indigenes (SSPCI), Rivers State Chapter, has urged the government to prioritise the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the ongoing state of emergency in the State.
In a press release issued recently, the group acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State but emphasised the need for the administration to maintain impartiality and recognize PWDs as special beneficiaries.
The statement, signed by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Itekena Altraide, and Director Administration, Barrister Franklin Chukwuma Izidor, states, “We urge Sole Administrator, Ibas, to ensure that he maintains unbiased responsibility and that PWDs are included in his pro-tem administration.”
The SSPCI also called for a comprehensive overhaul of the Nigerian judicial system, citing the need for the system to meet public expectations.
The organisation further urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to be more proactive in its role as a watchdog of the judicial system and governance.
They said they have taken up the responsibility to reconcile the warring political divide on behalf of good conscience as stakeholders of the State who strive for harmonious living.
To facilitate reconciliation in the State, the SSPCI plans to establish a five-member PWD committee to engage with key stakeholders, including Governor Siminalaiye Fubara, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.).
“We will no longer be sidelined”, the group declared, adding, “We have resolved to expose our strengths and psychological disposition to those who care.”
The SSPCI’s statement highlighted the challenges faced by PWDs in Rivers State, alleging that they have been marginalised and excluded from life-improving activities despite their resilience and determination.
“Despite our struggles, we have remained law abiding citizens, yet we face discrimination from various quarters, including the governments. We have invested in our education and skills development, but the reality of our exclusion in life improving activities is prompting us to take a stand.
“We are morally pained, emotionally distressed, and our vision for the future is beclouded by these selfish developments.
“No faction considered the impact of their actions on our dear State teetered on the brink of anomie before the intervention of President Tinubu and the National Assembly”, the SSPCI said.

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has said it is aiming to increase youth participation in its recently expanded specialised skills-based programme under the Train 7 Project.
Manager of Nigerian Content Development at NLNG, Mr. Dagogo Buowari, made the remark in a statement issued by NLNG’s Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Mrs. Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku in Port Harcourt.
The Manager, according to the statement, spoke at the launching of the Train 7 Project Human Capital Development (HCD) Basic Training Supplementary Programme.
Addressing the latest beneficiaries of the programme, Buowari described the scheme as a significant step in the company’s broader efforts to achieve Nigerian Content targets and to empower the nation’s youths with practical skills.
“This initiative further strengthens NLNG’s role in supporting Nigeran Content development, particularly within the ongoing Train 7 Project.
“We are proud to sustain this momentum in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), which continues to drive human capital development across Nigeria.
‘’The supplementary training marks an expansion of the Train 7 HCD Basic Training Programme and offers two distinct learning pathways designed to accommodate the varied needs of participants”, he said.
Buowari noted that the training was divided into two components, which were structured theoretical modules delivered through classroom instruction and practical, field-based hands-on experience.
According to him, both components are delivered through a carefully developed curriculum with clearly defined milestones to ensure that trainees graduate with both industry-relevant knowledge and applied technical expertise.
“Beyond technical training, the programme is structured to comprehensively support the personal and professional growth of each participant.
“Trainees will have access to healthcare services through Reliance Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), thereby ensure their wellbeing throughout the duration of the programme.
“They will also be enrolled in mentorship schemes offering guidance from experienced professionals within the oil and gas industry”, he added.
Buowari further stated that the company would offer additional support services, such as, counselling and emotional wellness resources, performance assessments, and career guidance sessions.
He affirmed that the support mechanisms underscore NLNG’s commitment to both skill acquisition and the development of well-rounded professionals who can excel in dynamic and challenging work environments.
He urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunities offered to enhance their skills for the benefit of themselves and their families.
The Tide’s source recalls that Nigeria, through the LNG Train 7 Project, aims to increase its gas production output to 30 million tonnes per annum.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Don Baridam, has identified key challenges impeding university education in Nigeria.
Such challenges, he said, include mismanagement of scarce resources and internal wranglings.
Prof Baridam, the 6th Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, who stated this while delivering the 43rd Convocation Lecture of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), titled “Effective University Management And Art Of Nation-Building: The Nigeria Experience”, noted that in addition to the above-listed challenges, there are also poor governance structure with other associated factors that also undermine the true ideals of tertiary education in Nigeria.
“In recent times, undue political interference has played a very detasteful role that has helpef to undermine the true ideals of universities in Nigeria.
“Worst of all is the appointment of practical politician to serve on the governing council of Nigeria universities.
“These mostly unruly politicians carry their dubious talent for institutional disorder and aggressive nature into the academic arena, where they predictably muddle-up everything in sight”, he stated.
Emphasizing on the crux of the lecture, Prof. Baridam said, “my position in this lecture is that effective university management is critical to harressing the full potential of over 210 Nigeria universities (private, state and federal) as drivers of true nation-building efforts.
“Academics cannot achieve this onerous task if they continue to pander to the whims and caprices of politicians”.
Speaking as the chairman of the occasion, Prof. Williams Okowa, harped on the importance of the position of the convocation lecturer in his presentation in which he picked holes in the role of politicians in the management of universities, saying academics cannot truly achieve effective management of universities, “if they continue to pander to the whims and caprices of politicians.”
According to him, this area needs to be truly reconciled.
Declaring the convocation lecture closed, the Acting Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for an academic institution to produce products that can achieve greatness.
He said, “one major thing we do here is to mould character, if we have people here with terrible character, it means that the nation will be terrible, but if we mould our people (students) correctly and ensure that their characters are properly moulded to fit into society, it means that we are going to achieve greatness.
“So, our jobs as university lecturers and university managers is to ensure that our final products will come out very solid, both academically, and as entrepreneurs.”

By: Sogbeba Dokubo