News
Rivers Budgets N1bn Monthly For 13,000 New Teachers …Moves To Tackle Impending Floods
The Rivers State Government is to spend N1billion monthly as salaries for the newly recruited 13,000 teachers.
The 13,000 teachers made up of both indigenes and non-indigenes were presented with their appointment letters last week Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
The state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi said that the teachers appointment was part of the moves by the present administration to ensure quality education in the state.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence- Nemi while playing host to a delegation from UNESCO, commended the governor for giving much attention to the educational development of the state.
She said that UNESCO would assist the government to undertake an assessment of the number of children that are out of school.
“Not that the Ministry of Education did not know the figures but we want professionals to make their assessment and tell us particularly, how Nigerians are jittery that about 10.5million children are out of school.
“And at the same time, every state is fighting hard to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), she said.
Dame Nemi also said that induction course shall commence for the newly recruited teachers pointing out that they shall be sent to the classrooms for training and would be deployed by September, to both junior and senior secondary schools.
She urged the new teachers to be committed to their assignment and professional calling towards ensuring quality education in the state.
The commissioner said that the 13,000 teachers will reduce the burden of teachers in several subjects at a time when in actual sense, they were meant to teach only one subject each.
She also revealed that 90% of those recruited were indigenes while 10% were non indigenes.
The commissioner also said that 9,000 of the existing teachers have been retrained in a special programme with the British council.
Meanwhile, The flood enlightenment campaign organized by the Rivers State Government has ended with a call for
people living in the five flood prone local government areas of the state to make preparations and
identify higher grounds in their communities for easy evacuation following the2013 imminent flood
prediction by the National Metrological Agency (NIMET) and National Emergency Management
Agency(NEMA).
Addressing participants at the sensitization in Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni council secretariats special Duties Commissioner, Barrister Dickson Umunakwe explained that their preparations will help cushion the effects associated with flooding.
He identified clogging of drainages with refuse, building over drainages and erecting structures along shorelines as the major causes of flooding, noting that these factors hinder the smooth flow of water and warned against such practice.
Determined to forestall loss of lives from last year’s flood, the Special Duties boss said the state government will deploy six flying boats each, in the five prone LGAs of the state for easier evacuation and a marine ambulance stationed at the Orashi River in Ahoada West Local Government for first hand medicare.
“We will also partner with the lining ministers including power, water, health, environment, housing who will provide the needed facilities to cater for the imminent need of the flood victims at the camps.
On the issues raised during the interactive session on dredging of the River Niger, which the participants say, will help stop floods once there is an overflow of water from the dams, the commissioner said such projects are capital intensive, which the state budget cannot hand, and called on the federal government to come to their aid.
Also speaking, the South-South coordinator of NEMA, Mr Emenike Umesi represented by the Desk Officer, Mr Denis Egwu called for government -community synergy to enhance emergency operations and appealed to the indigenes of the areas to harvest their corps early before the flood steps in.
In another development, the Rivers State Government says that the era of haphazard and unco-ordinated projects in the state is over.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who said this during the launching of the state partners for sustainable Development (RSPSD) on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, said that the initiative would provide the platform for a coordinated and integrated infrastructural development across the state.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Barrister Dickkson Umunakwe, also restated the commitment of the government to use the state resources to improve its condition.
He said that the government expects the various partners in the developmental initiative to work together for the common good of the state and its citizens.
The Regional Director, United Nations in Nigeria, Mr Dauda Toure, described the launching as a bold attempt by the Rivers State Government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Mr Toure, who was represented by the coordinator United Nations Institute for training and Research (UNITARE), South-South, Dr Larry Boms, said that the organization will continue to work with state government s to achieve MDGs but noted that the United Nations was already looking at post-MDGs era.
He also stressed the need for a new spirit of solidarity and mutual accountability among development partners and solicited government cooperation with international agencies to enhance development.
Chairman of the state Economic Advisory Council, Prof Nimi Briggs described the programme as timely as it would ensure that the resources of the state were used to improve the welfare of ordinary people.
According to him, it is something that should be welcome by all concerned.
Earlier, the executive director of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr Noble Pepple, said that the state partners for sustainable development which is a brainchild of the RSSDA, is a platform to ensure coordinated development in the state.
Mr Pepple, who described the initiative as one of the mandates of the agency to promote sustainable development in the state, however, said that the RSPSD is owned by all the partners.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.
The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that in Edo, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on June 2 led to the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.
“At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances, including 176 grams of skunk, 65g of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine.
“Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud.
“At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.
“A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, June 4, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms,” NDLEA said.
In a related development, Babafemi said, operatives in Gombe state intercepted a 28-year-old suspect on June 1 near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe.
“The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol,” he said.
He said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week.
Reacting to the string of successful operations, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers, men and women of the Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance.
Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
He re-emphasised that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and would continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.
The Nigerian Navy says its operatives under Operation Delta Sentinel have intercepted over 135,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during separate operations in Rivers State waterways.
Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operations were carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder around the Onne and Abonema axis.
He said the seizures were made during routine patrols aimed at curbing crude oil theft and illegal fuel transportation across creeks in the state.
In one of the operations, naval personnel intercepted a fibre boat at the entrance of Owogono Creek in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area carrying drums and jerrycans filled with suspected stolen AGO.
According to him, the occupants abandoned the boat and fled into nearby creeks, while the vessel and about 63,000 litres of product were recovered.
In another operation around Abonema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, patrol teams intercepted a wooden boat conveying about 72,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sacks.
The Navy said the products were being transported through waterways for onward distribution before the operation disrupted the movement.
Folorunsho said the recoveries highlight the continued exploitation of creek networks by criminal elements for illegal petroleum product transportation.
He added that all recovered items were handled in line with established procedures on anti-crude oil theft operations.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal oil networks and protecting Nigeria’s maritime economic assets.
The Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo mni, has charged public servants to embrace accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that government funds must be utilised responsibly.
Dr. Sirawoo made the assertion during the 41st anniversary of The Rivers State Television (RSTV), in Elelenwo.
He noted that public service demands commitment and sacrifice, urging workers to justify the opportunities entrusted to them through diligengence and productivity.
“All I try to do is to see that we have value for every kobo that we spend and value for our time.
“Government has a social responsibility to provide opportunities, but when you have one, you must guard it through hard work and ensure your presence is justified,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary further appealed to workers to see themselves as ambassadors of their respective institutions, adding that government remains committed to creating employment opportunities and improving public service delivery.
Also speaking, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr (Mrs.) Christiana Atako, praised the station’s professionalism and consistency despite operational challenges.
“We have never been disappointed. In spite of all the challenges RSTV had at that time, they never failed us. They carried our stories very well,” she said.
Dr Atako encouraged staff members to continually improve themselves through training, education and professional development in order to remain competitive in the evolving media industry.
Earlier, Acting General Manager of RSTV, Ambassador Paul Damgbor, described the anniversary celebration as an opportunity to reflect on the station’s journey of over four decades and appreciate those who have contributed to its development.
Pastor Damgbor said that the station had recorded remarkable improvements in recent months through the acquisition of digital cameras, computers as well as upgrades in audio and visual production facilities.
“We have seen great change. We were able to get new brand digital cameras and improve on our audio. We have also provided new computers for key departments, including News, Programmes and the Library,” Damgbor remarked.
He also unveiled a commemorative magazine chronicling the history and achievements of the station, describing it as a valuable reference material for preserving RSTV’s heritage.
The Acting General Manager, however, expressed concern over the theft of critical equipment from the station’s transformer, a development he said had forced the organisation to rely heavily on generator power supply.
The Senior Pastor of Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunma, who gave a short charge during the event, urged media practitioners to uphold the ethics of journalism and remain committed to accuracy in reporting.
“You are pressmen. You are okay to doubt, but verify,” he advised, stressing the importance of credibility and responsibility in the profession.
He equally highlighted the need to “ask the help of God, sow a seed of help, and step into something as if you have help” stressing the need to move by faith for growth.
Some participants at the event also raised concerns about employment opportunities while commending RSTV’s growth and contributions to public enlightenment in Rivers State.
A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of an award to the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications in recognition of its diligence and service to the people of the state. Dr Honour Sirawoo also received a special award for his contributions to the growth and development of RSTV.
Awards were equally presented to outstanding members of staff of RSTV for exemplary performance and their dedication to duty.
The event also featured the unveiling and launch of the RSTV commemorative magazine as well as a tour of the station’s newly built cafeteria and other facilities.
The celebration marked another milestone in the station’s 41-year history and reaffirmed its commitment to excellence in public broadcasting.
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