Nation
HYPREP Inducts 100 Ogoni Youths For Seafaring Training
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has inducted 100 Ogoni youths, drawn from four local government areas of Rivers State, for training as seafarers for a period of four months.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the corporate headquarters of Charkin Maritime Academy in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, climaxed with a tour of facilities at the academy by some journalists, with the Chief Executive Officer/ Managing! Director of the training institute, Dr Charles Wami taking the newsmen round the facility.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, said in his welcome address that the beneficiaries were the first batch of trainees for the programme.
He noted that the training of Ogoni youths in seafaring was a promise earlier made by HYPREP, and expressed delight that the induction of the first batch of trainees was a fulfilment of that promise.
He said the selection process of participants for the training programme was significantly transparent, saying, “in HYPREP, we do not work for ourselves, we work for our people.”
According to him, the induction ceremony is just the beginning for the beneficiaries, as they look up to their future.
In providing and organising the training programme, he said, HYPREP took cognizance of the fact that the Ogoni people are hardly seen working in the maritime sector, stressing that the training would provide a vast window of opportunities for the beneficiaries in that sector.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian Paul Aguiyi further noted that the training would equip the beneficiaries to get high paying jobs, adding that the project took time to choose Charkin Maritime Academy for the training, as the facilities at the institute are of high standards.
The Project Coordinator enjoined the beneficiaries to embrace the opportunity offered them by HYPREP as well as cool down and learn.
While thanking the management of Charkin Maritime Academy and the trainees, Zabbey said, “We will be here again for the award ceremony.”
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, said the beneficiaries were selected from the four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, stressing that the participants had applied online and were selected based on the criteria set by the Project Coordination Office.
Nzidee described Charkin Maritime Academy as the best, reiterating that it was why HYPREP selected it, in order to give the beneficiaries the very best, saying, the ball is now in the court of the participants to grab the opportunity and better their lives.
She, however, revealed that based on the experiences garnered during the training of 5,000 Ogoni youths and women, the project decided to issue concept forms, containing a code of conduct, to the beneficiaries, which she said they must sign before participating in the training programme.
She announced that the participants would each be supported with a stipend of N150,000 monthly for transportation and lunch, highlighting that only those who make themselves available for the training would benefit from the incentive.
“If you want to be vessel captains or vessel engineers, the journey starts today.Work for it,” she pleaded, stressing that the training would commence in earnest in the second week of April.
According to her, participants who fail to turn up after two weeks of the commencement of the training would be shut out.
Nzidee urged the beneficiaries to strive for the best, as only the best would be recommended to companies for employment whenever the need arises, saying, the academy would only award them certificates at the end of the training.
She also assured the trainees that practical sessions would be given top priority during the exercise.
The Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Director of Charkin Maritime Academy, Dr Charles Wami, while speaking with newsmen, described the facilities at the academy as top notch, saying HYPREP made the right choice by selecting the training facility.
Also addressing the participants, Mr Christopher Wami, said the academy is a world class facility, which is well known not only in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria and the West African sub-region but also all over the world, saying, “Our certificates are recognised all over the world.”
He revealed that the acronym, CHARKIN stands for Consistency; Hard work; Attitude; Resilience; Knowledge; Integrity; and Neatness.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Bright Nenubari Ezekiel, while thanking HYPREP for giving him the opportunity, confirmed that the selection process was transparent.
Another beneficiary, Mr Fred Goteh Dum stressed the need for the academy to focus more on pracitical sessions during the training.
Prof Dinebari Badey of the Stakeholder Engagement Unit of HYPREP, thanked the management of the project for all that it is doing in ensuring that the Ogoni environment is transformed, and urged the beneficiaries to always realise that the programme is not only for them as individuals but also for their communities, and emphasised the need for them to transmit to others the skills they are going to learn.
Donatus Ebi
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
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