Rivers
FG Trains Over 500’000 South-South Student Leaders In Rivers
Federal Government of Nigeria has trained over 500,000 student leaders from the South-South region under the auspices of “Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Capacity building programme held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on students engagement, Hon. Asefon Sunday, said the programe is aimed at engaging the student leaders, government and key stakeholders in the education sector.
Comr. Sunday said this, weekend, during the programme at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said the theme of the training, “Renewed Students Engagement: Rivers 2025”, is aimed at strengthening the bridge between government and students.
He explained that the Students engagement training is aimed at creating a platform for student leaders to interact directly with policymakers and stakeholders in the education and youth sector.
According to him, their mission is to engage student leaders meaningfully, inform them about the far-reaching reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in education and youth development, and hear from them directly.
Hon Sunday continued that going by the training they will work towards building a more inclusive, impactful, and prosperous future for Nigerian students.
“The Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement was proudly organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement in partnership with the Rivers State Government.
“I must specially appreciate President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a leader who understands that education is the foundation of national development.
“The launch of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has made education accessible and affordable for Nigerian students.
“Also, the scheme has significantly reduced the number of students dropping out of tertiary institutions in the past two years.
“Just this Monday, the President approved the allocation of Funds to 15 schools, including college of Education, polytechnic and University, to create innovation hubs and entrepreneurship centers, to provide core labs/workstation to cover electronic Lab, 3D printing Lab Leser Technology Lab, production Design lab, Robotics and coding, Artificial intelligence, among others.
“The introduction of the Students Industrial Work Experience Grant provides for both financial support and practical exposure to students.
“Yet, we know there are still opportunities that students are not tapping into in various MDAs and Ministries not because they do not exist but, because the awareness is low”, Comr Sunday said.
He also appreciated the Sole Administrator of the State, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, for his unwavering support for the programme.
“Not only did he approve that Rivers State should host the programme, he also provided logistic support to ensure the programme is successful.
“His passion for youth empowerment and education is commendable”, he said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyer, disclosed that over 80 billion naria has been disbursed to Nigerian institutions with over 745,000 students successfully applying for loan.
“Over 400,000 students have benefited from the loan scheme in the tertiary level, while some of them who applied for their upkeep have received #20, 000 permornth for the session.
“So far we have 760,000 Nigerian students who have registered for the loan, and we have over 745,000 of them who have applied successfully for the loan”, Sawyer said.
Meanwhile, a student of the Department of Health Promotion, Environmental Safety Education, University of Port Harcourt, Noble Bariduanee, has called on government and stakeholders to focus more on creating awareness on different schemes for students, because many are unaware of these opportunities.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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The Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has urged youths to embrace digital technology.
Ogbuku made the appeal in a Statement issued in Port Harcourt, Wednesday, by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
According to the statement, Ogbuku addressed youths during the celebration of International Youth Day, organised by the NDDC for young people.
The Tide source reports that Ogbuku spoke against the backdrop of the International Youth Day.
He said that technology, when used productively, could serve as a catalyst for capacity building and sustainable development.
Ogbuku said that the NDDC chose to celebrate young people in order to encourage them to take advantage of current trends to equip and develop themselves.
“We are in the age of technology, and Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly prevalent, therefore, we are using this platform to encourage young people.
“They should take advantage of current trend to advance their cause as partners in development, enabling them to benefit from innovative ideas and latest technology, he said.
“Niger Delta youths should not allow themselves to be left behind in technological advancement.’’
Ogbuku reiterated the NDDC’s commitment to enhancing the capacities of youths in the region.
He noted that the commission had collaborated with the nine states government in the region to implement youth empowerment programmes for youths in the area.
“We have always liaised with the states governments in the Niger Delta in implementing youth empowerment programmes.
“The NDDC has also requested the states governments to nominate young people, as well as provide us with the categories of individuals in their areas of interest.
“Particularly those living with disabilities,” he said.
He advised youths to be hardworking and proactive in their chosen careers.
The Director in charge of Women and Culture Unit in the NDDC Youth Directorate, Mrs Ahunna Imoni, said the International Youth Day was recognised globally to celebrate youth creativity and potential.
She said “The NDDC’s decision to mark this day with young people is a further demonstration of the current Board’s renewed commitment to youth advancement”.
Imoni urged participants to acquire skills that would equip them to meet present-day realities.
The Tide source reports that the day is celebrated annually on Aug. 12.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
A civil society organisation, known as the Connected Development (CODE), has called for the domestication of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Rivers.
The State Support Officer for the group, Charles Uffort, made the call at a one-day training workshop for the Oil Host Communities in Rivers, organised by CODE in Port Harcourt.
Uffort said that the workshop, tagged “Enhancing the Capacity of Community towards Project and Fund Management to Safeguard Community Rights around the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)”, was sponsored by Oxfam Nigeria.
He said that the workshop was aimed at training members of the host communities on how to engage oil companies and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to access their three per cent derivation fund as provided for by Petroleum Industrry Act (PIA).
According to him, the workshop was to further review the PIA on how communities and Host Community Development Trust( HCDT) would access their funds and implement social projects needed in their communities, such as schools, health centres, boreholes, streetlights, roads, and others.
“This will also help them to constitute the Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee, and Non-Advisory Committee to get their three per cent oil derivation fund.
“The PIA, passed into law August 5, 2021 with not less than 165 communities incorporated, has yet to get funds.
“We urge communities to amplify their voices and call on State Governments to domesticate the FOI Act to enable them to get access to information bothering on dilapidated government structures in their respective communities.
“Our call is that Rivers and other states yet to implement the PIA law, including the Federal Capital Territory, should domesticate the law.
“Some states have domesticated it, while some, including Rivers, have not. So, we urge citizens of the state to join their voices in calling on the government to domesticate the law,” Uffort said.
He also listed some of the challenges faced by host communities in accessing the three per cent derivation fund, including the lack of required information from the oil companies.
He called on NUPRC and other regulatory bodies to champion the advocacy on the domestication of PIA saying “We noticed that many communities do not understand the implications of the PIA.
“So, we are calling on the regulatory bodies to sensitise communities, and not leave it to fall back to the civil society organisations,” Uffort said.
Also speaking, the Lead Research Unit of CODE, Dr Augustine Okere, emphasised the importance of host communities leveraging media platforms to amplify their voices and press home their demands.
One of the stakeholders, Dr Sophia Daniels, underscored the importance of using media platforms diplomatically.
Daniel called for more collaboration among communities, civil society organisations and the media in storytelling for development.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has reaffirmed its dedication to environmental protection by donating solar fridges to small-scale fish vendors in Oyorokoto, a fishing hub in Andoni local government area of Rivers State.
Representatives of NCF, Mrs Stella Egbe and Mr Shittu Usman made the donation to heads of four leadership units in Oyorokoto, Wednesday.
According to Egbe, the initiative is part of the NGO’s efforts to promote environmental advocacy and ecosystems preservation in the bustling fishing settlement.
She noted that the initiative titled: “Creating A Resilient East Atlantic Flyway” was aimed at conserving wetlands, empowering people and safeguarding migratory birds.
She explained that the solar fridges would enable small-scale fishermen and women to preserve unsold fish, rather than disposing of them indiscriminately, a practice that has contributed to environmental degradation over the years.
”This donation is also supported by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclar Safety, Consumer Protection and the International Climate Initiative,” Egbe said.
Receiving the solar fridges on behalf of benefiting units, Chief Rokeek Ngo, urged the people to ensure judicious use of the facilities, while also charging them to protect public facilities in the area.
On his part, a conservationist, Gogo Ujile, who commended the NCF and its partners for the gesture, pledged his continued advocation for the preservation of the natural ecosystem.
“Andoni Island is regarded as Nigeria’s most biodiverse island with enormous natural resources, housing rare animals and mammals ranging from Elephants to the Wales.
”The NCF in Andoni has also carried out some projects including Nypa Palm Utilisation Training Program and Planting of over 10,000 mangrove seedlings at Unyeada and Unyengala community.
‘The NCF also established conservation clubs in secondary schools and donated exercise books to primary and secondary schools in the area,” Ujile stated.
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