Rivers
NIPR Seeks Nigeria’s Economic Recovery
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has called on the Federal Government to take policy steps that will lead to economic recovery and transformation.
Chairman, NIPR, Rivers State, Rev. Francis Asuk, made the call at a walk to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the institute in Port Harcourt.
The event themed, “Walk for Economic Transformation”, which started from Polo Club, GRA, to the Isaac Boro Park, had members of NIPR Rivers, NIPR Students Association (NIPRESA), security agencies and corporate bodies joining in.
In his speech, the State NIPR boss, Rev. Asuk said the call became imperative as Nigeria is in dire need of economic recovery to improve on the living conditions of her people.
He observed that Nigerians the world over were succeeding in their professions, but a bad reputation was hampering her economic growth. Consequently, the need for Nigeria to rebuild her integrity, for which the NIPR is taking the lead in ensuring that the country regains her reputation among the comity of nations.
“Today, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations is beginning a road walk for economic transformation for our nation.
“In 2023, we attained 60 years. This celebration is to mark that event and accordingly the NIPR Governing Council, which is the body that oversees the regulation and the practise of Public Relations led by the President of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, supported by its members, are taking a road walk across the nation for economic transformation.
“NIPR has taken up the task of ensuring that we rebuild a better reputation for Nigeria”, he said.
Rev. Asuk decried quackery in Public Relations practise and called on organisations to always engage only certified Public Relations practitioners.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, commended NIPR for the laudable initiative.
“These activities of NIPR are geared towards not just marking the institute’s 60th anniversary, but the commitment to it, and sustainable development which we are driving in advancing our Governor, Siminalayi Fubara’s health for all for Rivers people.
“The Governor’s health for all project is geared towards empowering the health, well-being and sustainable development for the good of the State”.
The NIPR Diamond Anniversary celebrations also featured a tree planting exercise in line with the Green Nigeria Initiative.
Stakeholders from the Rivers State Government, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh; Commissioner for Power, Solomon Eke; Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Owunari Abraham Georgewill; and traditional Rulers, Eze Upata of Upata Kingdom, Eze Felix Otuwarikpo; and Eze Gbaka-Gbaka of Evo Kingdom, King Leslie Eke, were on hand to plant trees of transformation at the NIPR Garden at the Isaac Boro Park.
Others include: the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Olatunji Disu; Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Rivers State, Basil Igwebueze; Chairman National Orientation Agency, Young Ayotamuno; Head Corporate Communications, Indorama Petro chemicals, Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, and his counterpart at NLNG, Andy Odey; as well as fellows of the institute, who also joined in the tree planting exercise.
The NIPR 60TH Anniversary celebrations continued with a public lecture titled “60 years of Public Relations practice in Nigeria: Milestones, New Trends and Prospects” delivered by Prof. G. B. Okon at POWA Complex, Old GRA, yesterday.
The Rivers State Judiciary has described as embarrassing and misleading a purported online publication by the News Week Electronic Media channel alleging that the State Chief Judge , Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi plans to embark on a One Year annual vacation.
The Judiciary in a statement signed by the Chief Registrar High Court Port Harcourt, DAVID IHUA-MADUENYI while dismissing the said report described it as malicious and baseless, stressing that the allegation levelled against the person and the office of the Chief Judge of Rivers state was an embodiment of falsehood.
The statement reads this “to put the records straight, the Chief Judge did not at any time announce nor intend to announce embarking on any recess or extended recess leave by whatsoever name called, as such leave is alien to the Judicial Officers Calendar of Vacations.”
The vacation calendar of Judicial Officers is of public knowledge, namely: Christmas Vacation, Easter Vacation and Annual Vacation “the statement stated.
He therefore urged members of the public and the judiciary community to disregard the misguided publication as it is targeted to causing disaffection , confusion and ill will in the State.
Maduenyi however threatened a legal action against the author of the publication, JAKE CLIFFORD and the publishers if they failed to retract the false publication immediately without hesitation.
Akujobi Amadi
Determined to sustained and promote a peaceful stability in the Niger Delta states, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has trained over 200 selected youths drawn from the nine states of the commission on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism (ADR)in settling conflicts and disputes in there various communities.
The one -day capacity Building workshop organised by the Department of the Dispute and Conflict Resolution, NDDC with the theme “Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism: Facilitating inclusive youth Engagement for Transformative peace “held in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Declaring the workshop open,the NDDC managing Director and chief executive officer, Mr Samuel Ogbuku said the essence of the workshop was to build the capacity of the youths in the region on conflicts management through Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) mechanism which will enable them handle conflicts in there communities,noting that conflicts is part of human society and happens every day in the society.
Ogbuku who was represented on the event by the Director Research, planning and statistics,Dr Patterson OGOM, stressed that Niger Delta region is at the centre of conflict due to its dominance in oil explorations and exploitations and there is the need to acquaint the youths who are always on the front burner during agitations on a more convenient peaceful approach to go about resolving conflicts with out it snowballing to crisis.
According to him,the workshop will exposed the youths on how to manage conflicts in there areas when they arise, adding that carrying arms and destruction of national critical assests in there communities was not the best option for achieving peace when conflict arises.
Ogbuku averred that Niger Deltans are noted for settling there disputes through dialogue and that informed the choice for the ADR workshop.
” What we want to achieve in the workshop is how to resolve and manage these conflicts when they arise.How the we explore other windows of dispute resolution, negotiation, dialogue and nip them on bud before they occur.ADR is Germaine to Niger Delta region.
The NDDC MD/ CEO urged the participants to take the workshop serious so that they can take the message back to their various communities and States.
Also speaking, the Ag Director, ADR NDDC, Godwin Ayewumi Ogedegbe esq, disclosed that since the inception of the present NDDC management led by Mr Samuel Ogbuku the region has not witnessed crisis as it was in the past , adding that the commission has been proactive and preventive in conflicts management in the region.
Ogedegbe averred that the training was designed to teach the youths an alternative ways of resolving conflicts when they happen or occur rather than resorting to arms carrying and destruction of critical national assets in their domain, adding that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is the best way to resolving and managing crisis.
He opined that peace is critical to the commission and the region, noting that when the youths destroy the oil installations and other critical national assets in the region it will affect revenue accruing to the commission and in turns affects development in the region.
“They are going to preach the message learnt here to their fellow youths that there are other ways of resolving conflicts despite carrying arms or destroying oil facilities in there communities as such acts can’t bring peace.”he stated.
Our correspondent reports that the participants were drawn from Rivers, Delta, Akwa ibom, Edo, Cross River and Bayelsa states
Others include, Imo, Abia and Ondo states.
Akujobi Amadi