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Rivers Warns Residents Of Lassa Fever Threat …As Amaechi Tasks LG Chairmen On Polio
The authorities in the Rivers State Ministry of Health, have warned residents of the state of fresh reports of Lassa Fever attack recently.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker gave the warning yesterday in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, disclosing that so far the state had recorded two fresh cases.
Though the state is not endemic to the disease, Dr Parker observed that, “one case alone is an epidemic but so far, we have two cases already reported”.
He maintained that such statistics was enough to quarantine and fight the disease usually spread by rats.
Already, he said the government had begun tracing the cause of the disease, assuring that ,” we would not rest until every one in Rivers State is aware of the dangers of Lassa Fever.”
Calling on residents to improve their sanitation habits, Dr Parker said the disease was transmitted by a specie of rats which infect food with their urine. Any infected person is usually affected with high fever,back pain, abdominal pain and sore throat.
Other symptoms of Lassa Fever include swelling on the face, diarrhea and mucosal bleeding.
He further warned that the ailment was highly contagious, hence, the need to maintain a clean environment, pointing out that even medical personnel were advised to wear safety gears to protect themselves from being infected.
It would be recalled that the first case was repeorted in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, where it was alleged that a youth corps member died last month after contacting the disease.
But in a swift reaction, Chairman of the local government area, Hon. Maclean Uranta explained that the area does not harbour such rodents or and wondered how the corps member had contacted the disease.
But Dr Parker responded that whether the disease was contacted within or outside the state, “for the fact that the youth corps member was in Rivers State, it is enough to call for vigilance because it is infectious and transmittable”.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has directed all chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state to actively be involved in the polio sensitisation campaign which takes place throughout the state on Saturday, February 11, 2012.
Governor Amaechi handed down the directive during an inter-governmental forum held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
“The date for polio sensitisation is on Saturday, February 11, 2012. All chairmen of councils must ensure that they participate in the polio sensitisation and that they personally drive the polio sensitisation campaign in their local government areas”, Amaechi said.
The statewide polio sensitisation campaign next Saturday will be part of the Rivers State Government’s continuous effort to wipe out polio from the state.
Governor Amaechi who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, disclosed that another polio sensitisation campaign organised by the Federal Government would take place in Rivers State on Saturday, February 18, 2012, and called for participation in the exercise.
“Another polio sensitisation campaign is on 18 February; that one is being championed by the Federal Government. So, I hope all of us will participate and the Rivers State Government will also be participating. It’s important that we all take this into consideration”.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.