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Fubara Seeks Collaboration To Surmount Challenges Of Environmental Degradation In Ijaw Land
The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara says it has become imperative to adopt approaches that emphasise both environmental regeneration and economic sustainability in the face of escalating environmental challenges confronting Ijaw land.
Governor Fubara underscored this importance while delivering a keynote address at the Pre-Summit Conference of the First Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit 2024 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Thursday.
He maintained that the theme: ‘Environmental Regeneration and Economic Sustainability,’ resonates with the collective aspirations of Ijaw ethnic nationality’s desire for economic progress and right to live in a decent physical environment.
Governor Fubara, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, emphasized that the challenges posed by environmental degradation synonymous with the Ijaw nation is also deeply linked to the agitations and conscientious demands for economic and environmental justice.
He regretted that Ijaw people continue to suffer the harm often associated with oil production, which continues to devastate the environment and impoverish the people.
He said: “We have often felt the harmful effects of oil production. Oil spills from pipelines are destroying farmlands and crops as well as damaging marine life. Gas flaring is filling the atmosphere with substances that cause soot, a phenomenon that has manifested in many parts of the region. Acid rain is not uncommon. The land is contaminated. The water is contaminated. The air is polluted. And that is the environment in which we live.
“We all acknowledge the importance of sustainable economic progress for a people or society. We all need human security, including access to quality education, food, shelter, healthcare and social security. We need the things that facilitate our well-being. We need the institutions to educate, train and prepare our young people for the challenges of the global marketplace.
“We need roads and common infrastructure to enhance commercial interaction, We need electricity, which has become an essential and indispensable feature of modern life. We need everything that makes way for the good life. But the progress and well-being that we seek cannot be achieved in the face of a degraded and spoiled environment.”
The Governor therefore enjoined stakeholders to collaborate and rebirth ideas and measures to achieve environmental renewal and economic prosperity.
According to him, “We need to work towards the goal. But it is a job that no person can do alone. Our society, our governments, and the oil producing companies have to evolve appropriate environmental standards and uphold those standards. Everyone has to take responsibility for the environment.
“While we see the environment as our heritage, we should keep in mind that it is also the heritage for our children and many generations to come.
“It is a little over one year since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu created a Federal Ministry to pursue the riches in the Marine and Blue Economy. This is a fresh opportunity for Ijaws to return to their roots and rediscover and launch themselves into a new economic era with almost limitless opportunities, because just as the oceans are vast, so is the immense wealth and prosperity to be gained there from.
“We also need targeted investments in infrastructure, human capital development. facilities, and lots to grow our economies and create wealth and prosperity across Ijaw land. In this wise, I very much appreciate and applaud the massive infrastructural achievements of Governor Douye Diri in Bayelsa State as this is the way to the pan-Ijaw promise of a better future for all Ijaws.”
Governor Fubara further maintained that peace is paramount to attain the lofty socio-economic development of the region, saying “I wish to emphasize that not much can be achieved without peace and security. Ijaw land must, therefore, cease to be a hotbed of violence and insecurity. We must ramp up protection of existing infrastructure and facilities and not give excuses to those who have sunk in their capital to divest. We must uproot from among us the criminal elements who are vandalizing crude oil pipelines and contributing directly to the death of our environment.”
He narrated that his administration has ensured a multi-strategy approach to curb environmental degradation and enhance economic boost through environmental friendly polices, infrastructural development and revival of the local economy.
“In Rivers State, our government has shown understanding of the environmental challenges we face and we have adopted policies to tackle the problem. We are working on establishing a waste-to-energy plant to address the challenges of solid waste management, clean energy, carbon emissions, and climate change.
“Additionally, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with two foreign firms on the preservation of our vast mangrove forests. We are also supporting the security agencies, including the joint task force on oil theft and the Nigerian Civil Defense Corpse to fight illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalization as part of efforts to protect the nation’s economic assets as well as prevent the continuous degradation of our environment.
“While we work towards environmental renewal, we are also frontally addressing the challenges of infrastructural development and the building of institutions to improve human capital among our people. We are presently constructing the 50 km dual carriage Port Harcourt Ring Road with six flyovers, traversing six local government areas of the State. When completed, this 200-billion-naira project will accelerate the economic transformation of the State.
“Also worthy of mention are the dualization of Elele-Omoku road, which interconnects three local government areas, and the long awaited Trans-Kalabari road, with a combined contract value of over N300 billion. Conceived, awarded and abandoned decades ago, the Trans-Kalabari road is aimed at linking most of the riverine communities in the Kalabari kingdom to the state capital to accelerate their socio-economic integration and development,” he stressed.
Governor Fubara noted that affordable healthcare delivery is another area his administration is giving priority attention.
Said he: “Apart from implementing the contributory healthcare scheme for the first time in the State, we have expanded and completing the zonal hospitals at Degema, Khana, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of the State. We are also building an ultra-modern neuropsychiatric hospital.
“To stimulate economic growth in the State, we floated a N4 billion matching fund with the Bank of Industry to support micro, small, and medium enterprise at 5% interest rate. So far, over 1300 entrepreneurs have accessed this loan while many more are in the process.”
He further disclosed that agricultural development has been adopted to enhance food security, job creation and enhance well-being of Rivers people in the 2025 budget as well as investing every effort to keep Rivers State peaceful, safe, and secure for everyone to come in and settle.
He thanked the Azaiki Foundation and Ijaw National Congress for organizing the pre-summit.
The Chief Special Guest of Honour and former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Ambassador Godknows Igali, acknowledged that the future of Nigeria depends on every region exploring the resources available to them to create better opportunity for the citizens. He added that such efforts must be based on ideas and approaches for options that are sustainable.
According to him, “Whatever economic strategies, whatever plans to make life easier for our people must be such that looks at the next generation. Our efforts must be that, planning is not just for ourselves but for the next generation. We should look beyond oil. Gas is energy of the future and we must appreciate that.”
The President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Co-Convener of the Pre-Summit, Professor Benjamin Okaba, stressed that the era of lamentation for the Ijaw nation was over as now is the time to look inwards, ventilate ideas and move the nation forward.
He urged all to take the summit seriously to incubate ideas to rescue the Ijaw nation as he thanked the Principal Convener, Professor Steve Azaiki for sustaining the dream of the summit.
The Summit had in attendance the former Governor of the Old Rivers State, King Alfred Diette-Spiff; former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Gboribiogha Jonah; former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Rtd); traditional rulers, captains of industries, leaders of the Ijaw nation, among others.
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.
