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Rivers Unveils Guidelines For Schools’ Reopening …To Sanction Violators Of Covid-19 Protocols
The Rivers State Ministry of Education says schools in the state must adhere to all Covid-19 protocols to be able to operate, as schools resume next Monday.
The state Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, speaking during a meeting with Vice Chancellors of state-owned universities, and heads of polytechnics and colleges of education, in Port Harcourt, Monday, listed the conditions for the full reopening of schools.
Ebeku said, “You know that schools are to reopen with effect from Monday, 5th October. However, there are conditions you must comply with to ensure not only that we can reopen, but that we can remain open safely.”
He said all schools billed to reopen on October 5, must ensure the installation and availability of hand washing facilities around the campuses, adding that all persons entering the school environment must be subjected to temperature checks.
The education commissioner emphasized the need for schools to ensure that there was only one entry point into the campuses, and must also enforce and adhere to physical and social distancing.
He noted that schools must provide a temporary holding centre for people who show symptoms of Covid-19, directing that where practicable, schools should adopt embedded learning approach in instructing students.
Speaking further, Ebeku advocated for thorough sensitization of students and tutors on the need to adhere to all Covid-19 protocols.
He said, ‘You need to consider holding classes in two or more sessions to reduce crowd. You need to ban social and sporting activities on campus. Overall, avoid crowding and overcrowding on the campus.”
He also charged the schools’ heads with the duty to ensure that there were no cases of spike or infection in their various institutions of learning, urging them to enact a rule to sanction any staff or student who flouts the Covid-19 protocols.
In a separate meeting, Monday, the Rivers State Ministry of Education revealed that the private schools which violate the Covid-19 protocols may lose their approval.
Addressing stakeholders in the education sector, who attended the meeting, Ebeku disclosed the adoption of two sessions – morning and afternoon – as a veritable measure to avoid over-crowding in schools with large populations.
He clarified that schools would reopen on October 5 for third-term 2019/2020 academic session for six weeks, for students in JSS1, JSS2, SS1 and SS2 while first-term 2020/2021 session would commence on November 16, 2020.
The commissioner further said: “Schools must consider allowing few students on campus at a time, and all schools must ensure physical and social distancing at all times. Make-up classes can be scheduled on Saturdays, although it is not compulsory.”
Ebeku added, “If a school is capable, it should adopt blended learning approach. All staff and students must continually be educated on the need to comply with all Covid-19 Protocols.”
He added, “All students must come to school wearing their facemasks or no entry. As part of measures to check over-crowding in schools, all schools should adopt two sessions, except where the population of the school is so small as to make possible for only morning session to hold”.
The stakeholders’ meeting of secondary schools was attended by members of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS); All Confederation of Principals of Public Schools (ANCOPPS); officials of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board (RSSSB), Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) and other critical stakeholders in the education sector.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has cautioned parents to closely monitor their children’s craving for cookies and gummies, warning that some of the products may contain illicit substances being smuggled into the country.
In a statement posted yesterday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said recent seizures by the agency’s officers had revealed attempts by criminal elements to introduce prohibited substances under the guise of everyday snacks.
“As parents, if your kids and young ones always crave for cookies and gummies, you may have to pay a little more attention. There may be more to it than ordinary cookies and gummies,” Babafemi wrote, sharing images of seized packages.
The photos showed colourful pouches of “Cookies Delta 8 Gummies” in flavours such as Hawaiian Rain Pineapple Guava and Thai Mango, labelled as vegan and hemp-derived, alongside the actual gummy products.
The warning comes amid a major interception by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
Officers seized two 40-foot containers containing large quantities of cannabis-infused products concealed among legitimate imports such as used vehicles, generators, batteries and fabrics.
The consignment included thousands of Delta-8 cannabis pre-roll cookies, packs of cannabis-infused gummies and other cannabis-infused cookies, with a combined estimated street value of about ?373.8m.
The items were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA.
NDLEA officials described the products, which originated from the United States and were packaged to resemble ordinary vegan snacks with appealing flavours, as an emerging public health threat.
They noted that the attractive packaging could appeal especially to children, students and young people, raising the risk of accidental consumption of concentrated cannabis.
The Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) has announced plans to partner with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) to strengthen efforts at combating illegal waste dumping and improving environmental sanitation across the state.
The partnership was unveiled during a meeting between officials of RIWAMA and the leadership of the Rivers State chapter of the PCRC in Port Harcourt, recently, where both organisations pledged to work together to restore the Garden City status of the state capital.
In his speech, the Supervisor of Market and Community Sanitation in RIWAMA, Mr. Omereji Ukoha, said the collaboration was in line with the vision of the agency’s Managing Director, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, and the Board Chairman, Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
Ukoha described the PCRC as a strategic grassroots partner capable of mobilising communities and driving behavioural change through sustained public enlightenment on proper waste disposal.
He expressed concern over the increasing rate of indiscriminate refuse dumping in parts of Port Harcourt, particularly in New GRA, where blocked drainage channels and illegal shanties have continued to contribute to flooding and environmental degradation.
According to him, the agency is determined to intensify enforcement against environmental offenders, warning that unregistered cart pushers and residents who patronise them would be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the RIWAMA Act, 2014.
The RIWAMA official urged residents to embrace proper waste disposal practices and patronise only government-approved waste operators in order to safeguard public health and protect the environment.
Responding, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee in Rivers State, Dr. Voke Emore, commended RIWAMA for seeking collaboration with the committee in addressing environmental challenges confronting the state.
Emore said the PCRC would deploy its community-based structures across the state to support public sensitisation and encourage residents to comply with environmental sanitation regulations.
He also called on local government councils to play more active roles in waste management, noting that they collect sanitation levies and should complement the efforts of the state government in maintaining a clean environment.
The PCRC chairman described indiscriminate refuse disposal as a serious environmental and public health concern, stressing that sustained collaboration among government agencies, community leaders and residents remained critical to achieving lasting sanitation goals.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the partnership would promote cleaner communities, reduce environmental hazards and strengthen public participation in efforts to ensure a healthier and more sustainable environment for the people of Rivers State.
King Onunwor
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly terrorising communities in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the State.
The State Police Command disclosed this in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation at Oyigbo, following directives by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju.
Those arrested were Ezekiel Emmanuel, 44, from Benue State; Chukwuma Mbanefor, 51, from Anambra State; Nicholas Diala, 65, from Imo State; Ndubuisi Uwakwe, 49, from Abia State; and Ifeanyi Nwakwo, 51, from Imo State.
The Command said the arrest represented another significant operational success in its ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating in the State.
According to the Police, preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping operations within Rivers State.
The suspects, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to their involvement in kidnapping and further admitted participating in several operations carried out in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
The Command said investigation was ongoing, with efforts intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected syndicate who may be connected with the criminal activities.
The Police boss said the operation reflected the implementation of operational directives and the intelligence-driven policing strategy of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc, NPM.
Adepoju reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain aggressive intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes across Rivers State.
He warned kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the State that there would be no safe haven for them, stressing that the Command would relentlessly pursue, arrest and ensure that those found culpable were brought to justice.
The Commissioner further assured residents of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies in the fight against crime.
He appealed to residents to provide the Police with credible and timely information capable of assisting security operatives in preventing criminal activities and apprehending suspected criminals.
The Command urged members of the public who may have useful information on the activities of the suspected kidnapping syndicate or other criminal elements to contact the Police through its emergency lines, assuring that such information would assist ongoing investigations.
King Onunwor