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Alliance Francaise Organises Exhibition For Students
The Alliance Française, Port Harcourt has organised an exhibition programme tagged ‘ The Endless World’ to mark the 2024 World Environment Day held at its premises in Port Harcourt.
The Director, Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal, who disclosed this recently said that the exhibition tour was part of activities mapped out to mark the ‘Day’.
According to her, the initiative was made possible by the Embassy of France to Nigeria, a major sponsor of the initiative and Institute Français Paris, which provides the exhibition to its network to raise public awareness of the challenges of ecological transition.
She stated that the exhibition, is an Educational Visual Adaptation adapted from the graphic novel, “Le Monde Sans Fin” by Jean-Marc Jancovici and Christophe Blain (over 800,000 copies sold in France in 2022), the exhibition illustrates the indepth dialogue between the two authors. Jean-Marc Jancovici, as the guide, and Christophe Blain, in the role of the innocent, explore themes of energy: its historical use, the rise of fossil fuels, and humanity’s impact on the environment, particularly the climate. This exhibition calls for action by addressing essential questions such as non-carbon energy, food, transportation, and urban planning, while proposing concrete solutions.
She noted that in line with this year’s UN theme, ‘Generation Restoration’, about 165 students, ranging from wards from 6 primary schools in Port Harcourt, as well as students from the French department of both the University of Port Harcourt and those from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education participated in the exhibition tour.
The UN theme, this year, ‘Generation Restoration’, is based on the premise that while we cannot turn back time, we are the generation capable of restoring our relationship with the Earth, saying that the exhibition offers a selection of content that illustrates and questions the major issues of the environmental crisis, while providing avenues for solutions to reduce our impact. Activities and Target Audience.
The Alliance Director, further said that the programme which is educational was aimed at creating awareness, foster connectivity of cultural propagation and proffer solutions to climate crisis affecting the earth with French Language.
“The Alliance Française, Port Harcourt has planned guided tours and mediations around the proposed solutions, aimed at primary and secondary school students, French department students, and learners at the Alliance. The goal is to raise awareness among the generation that will be active tomorrow. About 165 youths already booked their tour of the exhibition. An Educational and Cultural Opportunity The exhibition, provided by the Institut Français, is a boon for the Alliance Française. It fits into its cultural projects and idea debates, which aim to reconcile cultural dissemination with the learning of the French language,” she explained.
“The Endless World” combines the aesthetics of a French comic book with the expertise of two ecological figures, offering a unique opportunity to work on vocabulary related t eology.Ecological and Sustainable Solutions,” she said.
The Tide reports that the exhibition was printed on flexible PVC banners, a material that is both durable and lightweighted. Also, to avoid waste production, accessories such as bags, pouches, and keychains were made from these banners and distributed to participants. These accessories will also be used by the Alliance Française teachers for their professional needs. Seats were made for permanent installation at the Alliance. Additionally, the exhibition was mounted on wooden panels, thus reducing its ecological impact.
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.