Rivers
Commissioner Lauds Women Council’s Policies
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Manuela George-Izunwa, has lauded the National Council on Women Affairs and Social Development (NCWASD) for endorsing policies that would chart a new course for women development in the country.
Speaking to newsmen over the weekend, Barrister George-Izunwa stated that the NCWASD’s 13th Regular Meeting that was held in Port Harcourt a fortnight ago would provide a new chart for women-oriented programmes if duly implemented.
Some of the resolutions she pointed out include the approval for the establishment of skills acquisition centres in the 36 states of the country, as well as the establishment of shelters and Activation of Women Development Centres as a way of checking poverty among the womenfolk.
The Rivers Women Affairs Commissioner hailed the decision of the council to enforce the establish image of Gender Units in all ministries, departments and agencies to strengthen implementation of gender programmes.
According to her, “this meeting is the best in the history of the council meeting in Nigeria despite some constraints we had due to constant alteration of dates”.
She declared that Rivers State has made tremendous mark in reducing the plight of women, saying that the hope of attaining greater feats in the future would be easy.
Considering the vigour with which the present administration in the state is pursuing women-oriented policies, Mrs George-Izunwa noted that the 35 per cent Affirmative Action, would be easy since there is high level of participation of women in politics in the state than any part of the country.
She commended MTN for providing special equipments for persons with disabilities, including Braille machines, hearing aids, clutches and wheel chairs.
The 13th Regular Meeting of the NCWASD deliberated on 137 memoranda, but endorsed about 25, while 18 of them were stepped down.
The meeting was attended by Non-Governmental bodies, ministries, parastatals, development partners and other stakeholders in the country.
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Rivers
Emulate Fubara’s Transformation Agenda, LG Boss Urges S’South Leaders … Calls For Investment In N’Delta
Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dr Enyiada CookeyGam has called on leaders in the South-South states of Nigeria to emulate the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, in evolving policies that would transform and develop their various states, and the Niger Delta region in general.
This, he said, they should, do through industrialization and infrastructure development of their respective states.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Port Harcourt on the performance of the Fubara-led administration and pace of development in the State, CookeyGam also urged Niger Delta sons and daughters to see the need to woo investors to invest in the zone to enhance aggressive infrastructural and human capital development.
He expressed the need for Governors in the zone, stakeholders and leaders at all levels to pull their resources together and establish industries in their different areas, which will ultimately manifest in the region.
“Unity of purpose with shared motivation, mutual survival and benefits would offer us the opportunity to pull our resources, talents, and ideas together for the well-being of the people of the States and region”, CookeyGam said.
According to him, within the past one year of his governance, Fubara has instituted many transformational projects and development programmes that has direct bearings on people’s lives.
He said, “on assumption of office in 2023, Fubara was confronted with the challenges of uplifting the living standard of the people of the state, but with the support and collaboration of stakeholders in the state, he was able to ease the financial plight of Rivers people.
“Fubara is ready to woo investors into the state, with varieties of industries that will create employment opportunities for the people of the state, in terms of human capital development, industrialization, entrepreneurship, health, education, agriculture and other sectors.
“Fubara is poised to attract participation of the private sector and divest government interest to private sector, hitch has resulted in the State being rated as the fastest developing economy in Nigeria”.
CookeyGam, who said South-South governments should provide industries and infrastructure to develop the region, lamented that in spite of the federal allocation to states, governments in the region failed to harness the economic opportunities of the zone.
He recalled that visionary leaders such as Fubara, former governors of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi performed well in developing the state through the provision of infrastructure and the setting up of industries.
“Leadership must create environment that would compliment the efforts of others”, he said, and appealed to Niger Delta people to rally support for their Governors to help them develop the region for posterity.
Bethel Toby
The Chief Executive Officer of Young Founders Business Reality TV Series, Mr. Reuben Ebitari T. has advised Nigerian Youths to be consistent and diligent in order to succeed in any business venture.
The CEO who stated this during the launch of the organization in Port Harcourt, described diligence and consistency as necessary for success.
Mr. Ebitari stated that his organisation’s goals were to empower young entrepreneurs, provide training and mentorship to scale their business ideas into sustainable ventures.
He explained that he knew that there were people who genuinely wanted to engage in business but the fund to start was not available, noting that such individuals were the target of his organisation.
He stated that the sponsorship for the project was drawn from their individual contributions as members of the group and expressed hope that government, corporate bodies and individuals would partner with his group to achieve desired goals.
According to him, we are looking forward to expand the project.
He, however, expressed misgivings that his organization would be able to reach those that had little or no education, saying that today’s world was technology-driven.
Also speaking, a prominent and founding member of the group, Queen Adaeze Chineme, hailed the objectives of the organization.
She said her organization was inspired by its passion for empowering the youths.
She emphasized that there was need to provide capital for Youths who genuinely want to engage in business ventures.
Miss Chineme said primarily the beneficiaries of their capital support would be drawn from those with existing business outfits and noted that youths from 18 to 35 years were eligible.
She also called on government, corporate bodies and individuals to support the venture.
Rivers
Immunization: Rivers Records Decrease In Women, Infant Mortality … As OPTS Donates Cold Chain Refrigerators To PHCMB
Rivers State has recorded reduction in mortality of infants, children, and women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, who disclosed this, Tuesday, during a media briefing, in Port Harcourt, by the Primary Healthcare Management Board (PHCMB), at the donation of World Health Organisation (WHO) Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, said the decrease spans the last three months.
According to her, an analysis of relevant data in the last three months from which report was presented to the State’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, who is the Chairman of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Taskforce, showed an increase in immunisation, which resulted in the decrease in the mortality of infants, children, and women in the State.
“As we were analysing the data in the last three months, and providing report to Her Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, we were pleased and delighted to share with her and onward to the State Executive Council that we have seen an increase in immunisation coverage by virtue of the work the management and staff of the PHCMB have been doing.
“Significant increase in immunisation coverage, reduction in mortality and in newborns, in infants, below the age of one, and children under the age of five”, she said.
Dr. Oreh continued that beyond the stated reductions, there were also “reductions in the number of women who died during pregnancy and childbirth”.
In spite of these, however, the Health Commissioner emphasized the need to sustain efforts being made to ensure that “we get to the point in Rivers State where there are no Zero Dose Children, that there are no more children who don’t have access to vaccines appropriate for their age to save their lives from common childhood illnesses that threaten their survival”.
Making the donation of the WHO Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, the Executive Director, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), the donor of the refrigerators, Mr. Gwueke Ajaifa, said the donation is in the spirit of giving back to the people.
Noting that OPTS is an association of oil and gas companies in Nigeria, comprising five International Oil Companies (IOCs), and 25 Nigerian Companies, Ajaifa explained the reason for the donation.
“As individual companies, we recognise the need to take care of the people who live in our communities, because without healthy communities, there can be no progress in terms of business.
“Individual companies have been reaching out to the State, but collectively, we also see the need to reach out and ensure that we take care of our people, and Rivers State is one of the States we believe deserves our attention.
“So, this equipment has been donated to support the immunisation programme, in order to maintain the potency of vaccines, because it’s important that we store them properly”, Ajaifa stated.
Explaining the function of the WHO Prequalified Cold Chain Refrigerators, the State Immunization Officer, Dr. Inwom Joseph Urang, said it’s basically to maintain the potency of the vaccines.
“When vaccines are brought, we maintain their potency at a particular temperature, usually +2 to +8 degrees centigrade. So, you don’t allow the temperature to go beyond that.
“Once the temperature goes beyond that, the potency of the vaccines might be compromised. So, we need this equipment to actually help us maintain these vaccines.
“If anything happens to the Cold Chain, we call it ‘breakage of the Cold Chain’. Once the Cold Chain is broken, the potency of the vaccine is gone. Instead of the vaccine being a life-saver, it will now be a killer.
“This is a modern equipment with ten years warranty”, Dr. Urang explained.
Sogbeba Dokubo