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COVID-19: Nsirim Seeks EHOs’ Commitment In Sensitisation …Committee Takes Message To Markets, Rivers Residents Hail Govt
The Chairman of the five-man Rivers State Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID-19 Public Enlightenment, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has called for selflessness on the part of message purveyors in the quest to prevent the Coronavirus from entering the state.
Making the call, yesterday, in an address to environmental health officers in the state, preparatory to the commencement of Coronavirus campaign to traders in markets and car parks in the state, Nsirim urged them to do their best in ensuring that the populace becomes aware of what is required of them to be in good stead to protect themselves from infection.
Nsirim, who is also the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, told the staff of the Ministry of Environment that the campaign was part of the new strategy of the committee towards creating necessary awareness on Coronavirus infection prevention in the state.
“Part of our new strategy is to ensure that everyone living in Rivers State gets this prevention message. Towards this end, we’ve agreed that the Ministry of Environment will play a very critical role because of your professional training and confidence, especially as it relates to health behaviour”, he said.
He urged them to go “to the markets, in the first instance, and also go to the parks, just to ensure that people know what they should do as it concerns this virus, especially as it has to do with hand washing, how to also maintain social distancing, how people should practice good respiratory hygiene, and then our social behaviour – handshakes and hugging”.
He explained that considering the manner in which the virus is contacted and the speed with which it is spread, Governor Nyesom Wike deemed it necessary to adopt preventive measures at this stage that the state was still free of the virus.
“What His Excellency is doing at this time is to ensure prevention, complete prevention. A lot of measures are being put in place as it has to do with churches, all the public (car) parks, no more burials, no more weddings. All is designed to ensure that Rivers State is safe.
“We’re believing that as you go and pass this message, our state will be Coronavirus-free. It is a patriotic call. The truth of the matter is, if we don’t do anything to prevent it, if anything happens to one person here, Rivers State will be in danger”, he stated.
He urged the volunteers and staffers to see the task as part of their contribution to help protect the lives of others, as patriotic citizens.
Lending credence to the chairman’s call, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno, reminded members of staff of the ministry to view it as their contribution in the fight against the virus.
“Everybody in the ministry (of Environment) is involved, irrespective of your level or status. The Permanent Secretary is involved, I am involved, and every other officer is involved. So, do not say you’re a level 16 officer, please. Coronavirus has no respect for position”, he said.
He continued that “Everybody knows the most important things to say: respiratory hygiene, when you have to cough, you cough into your sleeve, most importantly, keep as much distance as possible”.
The essence, he explained, is to ensure that the drop lets through which the virus gets to other people does not go as far as reaching them.
“It’s for us to try as much as we can to reduce the risk. For now, there’s nobody in Port Harcourt that we know that is infected. So, what we’re doing is to ensure that the infection does not come, or if it ever comes, it is restricted. That is what we want to do”, he said.
The exercise, expected to last up to Friday, will be climaxed with street-to-street campaign.
Highlights were the distribution of fliers and handbills to both traders and customers by volunteers, who were over 100 in number, and majorly environmental officers.
They were armed with handbills and megaphones as they visited Illoabuchi Electronic Shops at Mile 2, Diobu, Rumuwoji Market at Mile 1, Mile 3 Market, and Abali Park to enlighten the citizenry.
In their response, some residents of Port Harcourt metropolis commended the Rivers State Government on the sensitization campaign designed to check the spread of Coronavirus.
The residents, which include market women, traders and workers, said the campaign will help enlighten the people about the deadly virus.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.