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RSG Extols Importance Of Science Education
The Rivers State Government says science education is a catalyst to the development of the nation.
The State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike stated this at a State Banquet in honour of delegates to the 60th Anniversary Conference of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN).
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Wike said the state government was very committed to science education because of its Importance to the development of the state.
“We know the importance of science education; all over the world, the practice of science in all its ramifications is the bedrock of development”, he said.
According to him, for several years, the state’s counterpart funding for Universal Basic Education was not paid by the previous administration, stressing that for this reason, education took a nosedive and deteriorated very fast.
“Our children were sitting on the bare floor, the environment was terrible, and we had no option than to quickly pay up all the outstanding counterpart funds to salvage the situation”, Wike said.
He said 175 primary schools and secondary schools are undergoing a total renovation while standard science equipment have also been provided as part of deliberate efforts to encourage science education in the state.
Wike, who expressed delight that the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria chose to celebrate its Diamond Jubilee in Rivers State in the same year the state was celebrating her Golden Jubilee, regretted that Rivers State has been a victim of false and negative propaganda by people who do not mean well for the state.
He urged the science teachers to be ambassadors and tell the true story of Rivers State when they return to their various states.
“Like you said, we hope you will be our ambassadors and have good stories to tell about Rivers State from what you have seen and heard. Rivers State is a serene and beautiful place to be. In fact, there is no Nigeria without Rivers State”, Wike said.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Kenneth Kobani, who frowned at the absence of any federal project in the state, stated that for the past two years, Rivers people were yet to benefit from the Federal Government despite being the geese that lay the golden egg in the country.
He noted that as a responsible government, the Wike-led administration has committed 70 per cent of the state budget to infrastructure development, which according to him, has earned the governor the name “Mr. Project”.
Earlier, the National President, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAM), Mr. Mohammed Moulud commended Governor Nyesom Wike for sponsoring 400 science teachers in the state to participate in the conference, noting that the state government’s support to the growth of science and technology was most needed at this time.
Mohammed, who remarked that the security system in the state was one of the best in the country, lauded Rivers people for their hospitality to the delegates during the conference.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.