Rivers
RIVCHPP: RSG Allays Fears Over Non-Regular Counterpart Funds Release
The Rivers Government has allayed the fears of civil servants that its counterpart funds for the implementation of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection programme (RIVCHPP) will not be regularly released .
Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to Rivers State Sole Administrator, Professor Chituru Orluwene, who said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, also denied that government will not sustain the payment of its counterpart funds for the implementation of the RIVCHPP programme.
He also commended the Sole Administrator of the state rtd. Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, for approving the inclusion of the formal sector in the RIVCHPP.
Orluwene also urged citizens and other residents of the state to embrace the programme to enable them have easy access to quality health care services.
He said this during the commissioning of the equipped/furnish dental and physiotherapy units and the solarization inverter backed up system at the Professor Kelsey Harrison Hospital, Port Harcourt.
The SSA said with the inclusion of the formal sector and inauguration of a board, civil servants have now been included in the programme, stressing that government is ready to meet up its own obligations through the regular payment of its counterpart funds.
Orluwene said government is also leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all health institutions owned by the State are properly equipped to meet up the challenges of providing affordable health care to the people.
According to him, government is prepared to provide the necessary equipment for the smooth functioning of all health institutions in the state.
He also said the referral system is also being strengthened to ensure effective performances of all categories of all institutions in the health sector.
He said the ongoing reforms in the health sector was part of the promise by the Sole Administrator of the State to reinvigorate the health sector for greater productivity.
“The state Administrator didn’t mince word in marshalling the critical areas he will want to address in the state within the very short period he will be here.
“He sets the ball rolling and one of those critical areas is the area of revitalizing and invigorating the reform system in the health sector”, he stated.
Orluwene said the situation where tertiary health institutions, such as the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital now perform the functions of primary and secondary health services is unacceptable.
“You have a situation where the tertiary institution or the tertiary institutions we have in Rivers State, The Rivers University Teaching Hospital and the university of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital are serving as primary and secondary and tertiary centres.
“This kind of arrangement cannot guarantee the health of the citizens”, he said.
Professor Orluwene further decried the non-functioning of all the health centres and General Hospitals across the state.
“So, the only hospital working, where you can go and find doctors are the tertiary institutions.
“That does not make for a proper referral system and that also cannot guarantee the health of our state”, he said.
He described the ceremony as a show of capacity by the management of the health institution and urged others to emulate it.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of The Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Bright Ogbonda, said the board is concerned about quality of services to the people.
“What we will try to do in the Hospital Management Board is to make sure that we give effective quality care to our patients, especially those residing in peripheral hospitals”, he assured.
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The Commissioner of Police (CP) Delta State Command, Mr. Yemi Oyeniyi, has urged traditional institutions to continue to support law enforcement in the country.
Oyeniyi gave the advice on Tuesday at the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner, who was on a familiarisation tour of police formations across the state, including the Effurun area command, solicited continued partnership of the Uvwie domain in strengthening intelligence gathering and promoting peaceful co-existence.
He commended the Ovie of Uvwie for his unwavering commitment to peace, security, and community development.
“I acknowledge the invaluable role of traditional institutions in supporting law enforcement in the country.
“I equally solicit continuous partnership of the Uvwie domain in strengthening intelligence gathering and promoting peaceful co-existence among the people”, he said.
In his remarks, the Ovie of Uvwie, welcomed the Commissioner and his entourage to the domain.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the people to supporting the Nigeria Police and other security agencies.
The royal father urged his subjects to continue to cooperate with the security agencies by way of providing timely and credible information.
The Commissioner, thereafter, proceeded to perform the groundbreaking of the Effurun area command at the instance of the Insp.-Gen. of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu.
The Senate of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, has approved the establishment of a University Leadership Assessment Centre as proposed by Professor Veronica Okogbaa of the Department of Educational Management.
A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Dr. Ngozi Okiridu, said the centre will, among other things, identify and develop high potential skilled leaders and talents.
It will also evaluate participants through multi dimensional approach rather than rely on subjective perceptions, indulge in leadership trainings, and generate income from services with succession planning.
Similarly, Senate also approved the establishment of a centre for languages, digital Humanities and intercultural studies as proposed by the Dean of Faculty of Humanities, Professor Ibiere Ken-Maduako.
The proposed centre, according to he statement, will have seven units namely language teaching unit, where French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, German, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Rivers State indigenous languages will be taught.
It will also have Translation and interpretation unit, indigenous languages documentation unit, Digital Humanities Laboratory, Artificial intelligence and language teaching unit, professional certification unit, as well as Research and Publication unit..
The statement quoted the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Professor Ken-Maduako, the centre will offer certificate in language proficiency for beginners, intermediate, advanced Diploma programme, translation and interpretation courses, Digital Humanities certification programme, Artificial intelligence and language technology workshops, online and Hybrid learning programmes, weekend and evening public classes, indigenous languages documentation training and Business and professional communication courses.
Professor Ken-Maduako firther said the center “will increase visibility of the University nationally and internationally, generate sustainable internally generated revenue, increase opportunities for grants and donor funded projects, enhance interdisciplinary research output, promote cultural preservation and community engagement, strengthen the University”s profile in innovation and digital transformation, attract research collaboration and international partnerships, and improve graduate employability and digital competence.”
In his speech, the Chairman of Senate and Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, encouraged sponsors of the centre to source for funds for the take off of the centre.
He explained that Directors will be appointed for the self-sponsored centres and reiterated that his administration will continue to support all proposals geared towards the growth of the University as long as they are consistent with the academic brief of the Ivory Tower.
Earlier, Professor Samuel Otamiri commended Professor Veronica Okogbaa for the proposed centre which, he said, is a remarkable development, amd described it as a robust programme that would attract the necessary patronage .
In another development, the Senate welcomed a suggestion by Professor Priye Iyalla-Amadi that Valedictory Senate sessions be introduced and held for retired Professors.
Results from the Postgraduate School as presented by the Dean of the School, Professor Chibuzor Chile Nwobueze, was approved by Senate.
Senate also approved that presented by the Director of the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), Professor Goddey Wilson, and that of the Graduate School of Business by Dr. Florence Ironawusi.
Sogbeba Dokubo
The National President, Forum of Inclusive Educators and Readers (FIER), Mr. Onyeka Innocent, has admonished school owners and parents alike to learn how to prepare their children/wards ahead time in order to beat challenges irrespective of the angle they may spring up from.
Innocent made this known at the Forum’s meeting held partly in honour of the Spelling B, 2025 winners, in Port Harcourt.
“Soldiers are not trained during war, rather, they are trained and kept in the Barracks, waiting for war”, he said.
He said students must be provided with the necessary educational tools capable of boosting their academic pursuit.
According to him, proprietors of schools must conform with the Government’s authorities and guidance if they are determined to succeed in the project.
Another solution to educational management, he said, is the availability of Education Committees in schools, saying that it will improve the quality of its learning process.
Though he did not rule out decay in the society, he said there are few that still hold fast to determination and sincerity.
The FIER leader said his association was one of the bodies with the zeal to right wrongs in the society, especially in the Education sector.
He noted that his group was also prepared to reduce the number of out-of-school children by ensuring that education was taken to all parts of the Country.
On registration of private schools as directed by the State Government, he said his members are in compliance and assured of a cordial relationship between the Government and his Association.
Meanwhile, the winners of the Competition were Master Fredrick Jeffrey of Daisy Dan School, who emerged first; Badubulachi Maryan of Fertile Vineyard Academy, 2nd; and Itode Samuel of Baridoo Sam Joel School, 3rd.
They winners where rewarded with cash prices of N100,000, N50,000 and N30, 000 respectively.
King Onunwor
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