Rivers
Let’s Keep PH Clean
If we have to tell ourselves the truth, we are directly or indirectly responsible for the mess being littered in some streets within the metropolis and its environs.
When you go round the city, you will still see dirt litered all over even after the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) has banned the dumping of refuse and unnecessary heaps refuse still found on the carriage ways of the major roads.
Although with the way people are complaining, changes are taking place except a few places where some persons have not realised the importance of dwelling in a clean environment.
It may interest you to know that Eliozu and Oil Mill/Eleme Junction axis of the road is being taken care of. Road sweepers have been doing what they know best. I must also commend RIWAMA for realising that while other roads and streets in Port Harcourt are clean, that portion is also given attention.
There are areas that still need attention as some residents refused to abide by the rules provided by RIWAMA. Those rules are for the good of all and sundry.
Indiscriminate dumping of refuse can cause a lot of ailments. Sicknesses such as cholera, dysentery, malaria as a result of mosquito bites, name them, can be contracted when the environment is dirty.
We are not unaware that RIWAMA has severally notified residents of Port Harcourt and its environs about the time of disposal of waste. But some persons refuse to obey for reasons best know to them. It is a matter of bagging the wastes and dropping them at designated dump sites where trucks pick them. It is worrisome to see people abandon bags of refuse on the streets where they think nobody sees them. More disturbing is the fact that the ones who use containers usually go and pour out the contents on the roads and even in the drainages while it is raining.
Excuses given by some residents are no longer cogent for dirt to be littered in the roads and it does not make sense while we tell ourselves the truth that residents are directly not indirectly responsible for the mess in most parts of the city.
Another challenge is the issue of scavengers who go to the dump sites in search of scrap metals. There are areas where people have maintained the rules and regulations stipulated by the agency in charge of wastes, but the scavengers do not help matters. Their business is to go about using sticks to open refuse bags and at the end of the day, the whole place is messed up.
It is also high time their activities were checked and a law put in place by relevant authorities so as to stop such menace. Scavengers should stop scattering refuse dumps in search of scrap metals because I am not sure that it contributes to the revenue of Rivers State.
It sounds strange to hear some persons saying that they do not know where to dump refuse and that the dump sites are far from their houses. Not just that, they often feign ignorance of the approved time.
For over a decade, RIWAMA’s stipulated time for refuse disposal has been between 6:00pm and 12:00 midnight, when the trucks pack at designated places to pick them. In fact there are many of them on major roads in the city.
Those who reside within the most populated areas like Mile 1, Mile 2, Mile 3 in Diobu, especially the market areas should be reminded from time to time through the media and in the streets using mega phones by RIWAMA officials as a form of sensitisation. More awareness will be created by telling them the dangers of dumping refuse indiscriminately within the environment.
The idea and excuse that people cannot walk far distance to dispose should be condemned and anyone found dumping refuse in unauthorised places and time should be arrested by law enforcement agents. Offenders should be mandated to pay a token. I think that will serve as deterrent to others.
It calls for attention that as people are aware of the rules and regulations, they still disobey by giving excuses that they never met the trucks. The dangers arising from dirty environment cannot be imagined.
The cleaner the environment we find ourselves, the healthier we are. Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of diseases can be contracted. Flies can transfer germs from such places to perch on food and fruits sold by the roadside. The environment can be contaminated through the air. There are plastic disposal containers and baskets hung at some designated places within reserved areas, yet some persons take laws into their hands and throw dirt from moving vehicles.
I remember sometime ago, when RIWAMA used to keep a staff at receptacles to apprehend any erring resident who flouts the directive of 6:00pm to 12:00 midnight. There are areas in Port Harcourt where they normally ring bell as a reminder for people to send their dirt to the waiting trucks. This was operational in Woji and Rumuibekwe areas. On Rumuola Road, I have seen where a truck packed between 6:00pm and 7:00 pm while residents disposed off their dirt.
The issue of unknown persons defecating on the streets and major roads is posing a problem. A full-grown adult will stoop down to defecate when he or she thinks that nobody is coming that way. At the end of the day, someone will mistakenly step on the waste.
Humans should avoid situations where taskforce must be used to go after them before doing what is right. There should be public conveniences in some designated points so that people can help themselves as they are engaged in their daily activities.
I have seen where residents engage some persons on contract on weekly basis to pick refuse from house to house and they are paid. Those who do not meet the time and trucks should engage such services in the streets and estates.
Government and relevant agencies should enforce the law to ensure that offenders are punished. When that is done, indiscriminate dumping of refuse will definitely be minimised.
By: Eunice Choko-Kayode
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor