Rivers
Phalga Administrator Lauds Ibas Over LG Service Commission Constitution …. As commission members hold interactive session with LG staff
The Sole Administrator of Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA), Barr. Samuel Kalagbor, has commended the Rivers State Government led by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ebok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd.) for appointing capable hands to pilot the affairs of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission.
According to a Press Release signed by Mrs. Carol Mathew, the Information Officer of PHALGA, Dr. Kalagbor made the commendation when members of the Commission led by the Chairman, Sir Isreal Amadi, visited the LG for an interactive session with the Staff.
Barr. Kalagbor expressed optimism that given the pedigree of members of the Commission, they will undoubtedly deliver on their mandate due to the wealth of knowledge they possess.
Describing them as worthy Statesmen, he said “they have been trusted, they have also been tested and they have also proven that they are worthy Statesmen who are experienced, who are competent, and who are trusted in various areas.”
He noted that it is the responsibility of the Commission to recruit competent staff for the LGAs and ensure their training, discipline and promotion for effective governance at the grassroots.
While stressing that the newly inaugurated members of the Commission has a mandate to re-engineer the workforce at various LGAs in the State, he expressed happiness over the fact that the Commission chose to begin with PHALGA as the Premier LGA.
He thanked the Council staff for the cooperation he has received from them since he assumed office, and assured members of the Commission on the cooperation of the staff.
In his speech the Chairman of the Commission, Sir Isreal Amadi, said the purpose of the interactive session was to have a heart-to-heart discussion with the staff to know their concerns with a view to addressing them within the confines of their mandate.
He reiterated the commitment of the Sole Administrator of the State to improve the workforce at the LGAs, a reason for which he has charged them to “professionalise the LGAs by utilizing the skills/professions of the staff to enhance development, drive reforms that will insolate the LGAs form politics and mediocrity, ensure merit-based recruitment, training and enforcing standards for safety service delivery.”
He added that henceforth trainings will be harmonized and beneficiaries must use the knowledge acquired to improve their work place.
During the interactive session, some staff shared their concerns on delays and modes of payment of pensions and gratuity, financial benefits after promotion, inconsistency in the dates monthly salaries are paid, etc.
Responding to the issues raised, the Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Luke Urang, said the delay in payment of pensions and gratuity began after the Local Government Pensions Board was merged with the Commission, and assured them that the newly inaugurated Commission will address the issue in due time.
He also pleaded for time that all the concerns raised will be addressed in the shortest possible time.
In his vote of thanks, the Head, Local Government Administration (HLGA), Comr. Clifford Paul, thanked the Commission’s Chaiman for his admonition and assured him that the Council’s staff will abide by the ethics of the Commission and wished them success in their tenure.
The Chairman of the Commission was accompanied by six Commissioners who have been designated specific LGAs to oversee.
The interactive session is expected to be held in all the LGAs in the State.
By: John Bibor
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Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and its Joint Venture partners (JV) have inaugurated a multi-million-naira, state-of-the-art Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system at Obio Cottage Hospital in Port Harcourt.
The EMR system is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart, designed to assist healthcare providers in storing, managing, and accessing patient health information.
General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development in Renaissance Energy, Mr Igo Weli, who did not disclose the cost of the project, inaugurated the facility in Port Harcourt.
Weli explained that the Obio Cottage Hospital, funded by Renaissance Energy JV, specialise in maternal, child, and primary healthcare services, and general medical care.
He said the decision to digitise the hospital’s operations formed part of a broader strategy to enhance healthcare delivery, patient care, and data management in Rivers.
“Obio Cottage Hospital has become a beacon of hope for thousands of families, providing affordable and accessible healthcare to residents.
“Over the years, there has been a growing demand for quality health services, increasing the urgency for innovation and efficiency in patient management”, he said.
Weli noted that healthcare delivery was rapidly evolving globally, necessitating the introduction of digital solutions to improve outcomes in Nigeria.
He remarked that for years, medical records had been manually documented, and presented significant challenges despite its merits,
The challenges, he noted, included difficulty in retrieving of patient history, the risk of misplaced records, delayed decision-making due to the absence of real-time data.
Others are included increased administrative burden on healthcare staff, and prolonged patient waiting times.
“With the implementation of the EMR system, we are boldly entering a new era of healthcare efficiency and patient-centred service delivery.
“This system will eliminate the traditional reliance on paper and folders, enable seamless documentation and retrieval of patient records, and significantly reduce waiting time.
“It will also enhance staff efficiency, reinforce data security and confidentiality, improve evidence-based decision-making, and create additional space, replacing bulky paper folders,” he added.
Weli reaffirmed the commitment of the Renaissance Energy JV to delivering efficient, timely, and high-quality healthcare services to the people of Rivers and Nigeria at large.
He noted that Obio Cottage hospital, established in 2010 under the Obio Community Health Insurance Scheme, had evolved into one of the most robust and enduring community-based health insurance models in Nigeria.
According to him, it has become both a national and international benchmark, demonstrating what is achievable when communities, government, and the private sector collaborate in pursuit of sustainable healthcare financing.
Also speaking, Dr. Vincent Nwachukwu, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, reiterated the state government’s commitment to quality healthcare delivery.
He highlighted efforts being made to bridge existing gaps within the sector.
Nwachukwu commended Renaissance Energy JV for its sustained investments in healthcare and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the company’s contributions to public health in the state.
“Transitioning from paper-based to digital-based operations is no small feat and speaks volumes of Renaissance Energy’s deep commitment to the welfare of Nigerians,” he stated.
The Assistant Director, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Olatokunbo Various, described Obio Cottage Hospital as a ‘’lasting legacy that has made affordable healthcare accessible to thousands across Nigeria.’’
He noted that the NUPRC had adopted and recommended the hospital’s community-based insurance model as a standard for healthcare system management in the country.
Various expressed appreciation to Renaissance Energy for establishing a world-class healthcare facility at the heart of its host communities.
In his remark, the Paramount Ruler of Rumuobiokani Clan, Eze Ejims Wopara, expressed delight at the company’s sustained interventions in the Rumuobiokani community.
He noted that the hospital had played a vital role in sustaining and advancing the health and well-being of thousands of people across Nigeria through the provision of maternal and child healthcare.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
The Rivers Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Mr Felix Madumere, has reaffirmed commitment to inmates’ welfare, saying that the facility does not remand juveniles.
Madumere made the remark in Port Harcourt recently in a media briefing while reacting to allegations that one Mr. Sunday Baridi was remanded at the age of 14 before he was recently released.
He explained that Baridi was remanded in 2010 at the age of 22 and was released by the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, in July, 2025 alongside 20 inmates during a jail delivery exercise.
He noted that the exercise was part of efforts to address prolonged detentions and severe prison congestion which the center was currently struggling with.
The Controller also said although Baridi had no case mate, he had a robbery charge against him, attributing his struggles with delayed justice to wrong case filling procedures.
According to him, the warrant was an awaiting trial, and that it was unfortunate that the charging was made to a Magistrate Court which lacked jurisdiction to handle that matter.
‘’So, the matter had to wait until the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) files information against him in the High Court.
“It is not the duty of the Nigeria Correctional Service to file cases in courts, it is only when such cases are properly filed that the Correctional Center can present suspects to face trials”, he said.
Madumere maintained that Baridi was of age, explaining that if he had come at the age of 14, the case would have been a juvenile one and would not have been accepted into NCS facility.
He said, “so the issue of remanding an underaged is not true.’’
He added that Baridi, who is currently mentally unstable, might have been remanded with a false data he gave to the Police upon arrest.
Madumere further said the suspect, following his poor mental state, had probably lost memory of his falsified name, making him to let out his real surname which is Kinanee.
He expressed regret that the NCS had not gone digital when Baridi was remanded, but said their operations were currently digitalised with pictures and necessary data attached to the suspects’ names.
The Controller, however, called on the state and local governments to support the funding of the centre, noting that the support would assist in providing better living conditions for the inmates.
The Bank of Industry (BoI) Limited has called on school owners to embrace its robust plan to support schools across Nigeria with patient, innovative, and accessible financing.
The BoI Divisional Head, Medium Small Macro Enterprises (MSME), South-South, Mr. Pacqueens Irabor, made the call during a workshop, tagged “Educator’s Insight”, held in Port Harcourt.
Irabor said the bank’s plan was designed to drive national development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the workshop was organised by the bank, in collaboration with Cloudnotte Limited, adding that the event had the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, with over 700 school owners and administrators in Rivers in attendance.
According to him, the programme aims to train and empower school owners with digital knowledge, skills, and tools to access MSME funds to improve learning and teaching in the country.
Irabor said the bank’s 2025-2027 Strategic Plan is focused on impact-driven development financing, structured around six priority themes under the acrostic D-MYGIC – Digital Economy, MSMEs, Youth and Skills, Gender, Infrastructure, Climate and Sustainability.
Schools, he explained, are uniquely positioned to help the bank achieve all the six focused areas of the strategic plan.
He introduced the project “Education Around Sustainable Enterprises” (EASE), a groundbreaking initiative, designed to transform schools from traditional learning centers into business-integrated environments, where students learn by doing.
“Project EASE proposes the integration of entrepreneurial ventures within school premises, such as digital hubs, agribusiness units, creative workshops, and clean energy labs.
“These ventures serve both as practical training platforms for students and additional revenue streams for school proprietors”, he said.
Irabor continued that the bank was ready to provide financing to schools for the acquisition of productive capital, including digital systems and educational software, solar energy solutions and inverters, and assets for commercial ventures and skills hubs.
He said the initiative was a strategic catalyst for achieving several UN SDGs, including SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 13 – Climate Action.
He listed the benefits of the initiative as hands-on exposure to real-world enterprises for students, access to affordable finance for school owners, new income streams from in-school enterprises, and improved learning outcomes for parents.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer, CloudNotte, an education technology company, Mary Matthew, said the company understood the problems faced by school owners, including access to finance, and deemed it necessary to collaborate with BoI to provide funds to schools.
Matthew stated that the company provides schools with technology and organises capacity building programmes for school owners, leaders, administrators, and decision makers.
She affirmed that CloudNotte’s goal was to position Nigerian schools on a greater pedestal, enabling them to confidently compete globally.
“We are committed to empowering educators with digital tools and innovation to facilitate access to quality and inclusive education for all learners in Africa”, she said.
Matthew advocated for equity education and called on the Federal and State Governments to invest more on education.
“Governments are trying, but they need to do more. The private sectors are trying, but when you look at the government schools, there is much to be done.
“We call on the Federal and State Governments to step up. Government should empower schools and also ensure that they provide them with access to the basic amenities that they need in order to improve the delivery of education in Nigeria”, she said.
She advised school owners to leverage the BoI School MSMEs Loans to grow smart schools.
She also urged them to prioritise spending that drives learning and enrollment, maintaining emergency funds and spending.
On their oart, she advised school owners to use computer-based test (CBT) system for their exams to improve in external exams, such as Joint Admission Matriculation Board examination.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
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