Niger Delta

Rotary Clubs Advise Nigerians To Sustain Polio-Free Status

Published

4 years ago

November 1, 2021

As part of activities to mark this year’s World Polio Day, Rotary Clubs in Port Harcourt embarked on a 10km walk to create awareness on keeping polio at zero level.
The walk also marks the second year of Nigeria’s certification of no Polio cases in the country.
Speaking to The Tide during the walk, the District Polio Chairman, Rotary International District 9141, Rotarian Dan Harrison, said, the walk was to sensitise the populace and sustain the surveillance.
According to him, “We are reaching out through this kind of road walks to sensitise the populace and to put a surveillance so that this deadly disease called polio does not take us unawares again”
On his part, the Rivers Polio Chair, Rotarian Erondu Chinyere, commended Rotarians for their sustained fight to eradicate the polio virus from the world
Erondu felicitated with all the Rotarians in the State and all friends of the Rotary for the certification of Nigeria as a polio free nation and called for all hands to be on deck to keep polio at zero in Africa.
He noted, “Last year, Nigeria was issued a polio-free certificate and we want the country to remain free of polio and the only way we can sustain it is sensitisation and advocacy which is what we are doing with this walk” and called for donations from well meaning individuals and corporate bodies and continous immunisation of under five children.
Also speaking, the Coordinator, All Rivers Polio Walk, Rotarian Sofiri Dappa, observed that, “52 Rotary Clubs coming together to have a walk in Rivers State to sensitise Rivers people that polio shouldn’t reoccur and should be kept at zero is huge”.
Dappa stated that since 1984, Rotary had been in the forefront at eradicating polio globally.
He thanked the state government, which through the State Primary Health Care Management Board, all friends of Rotary and Rotarians have made the fight against polio a success.
Rotary clubs in the State had in the week leading up to the World Polio Day and after, carried out various programmes to create awareness for the eradication of polio.
The walk which is part of activities to mark this year’s World Polio Day, celebrated, every October 24th was also used by Rotary Clubs to engage in various activities for polio world eradication through mass vaccination of children and have distributed countless volunteer hours to immunise children in various parts of the state.
Rotary also used the rally to sensitise market women on the need to take their children to the nearest primary health care centre for polio vaccination.
The 10km work commenced at Yakubu Gowon Stadium through Aba Road, Rumukalagbor and terminated at Mummy B junction, Stadium Road.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa/Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.