Rivers
IAUE Makes Case For Food Sustainability, Security
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rivers State, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, has emphasised on the need to ensure food sustainability and security in the State and the society at large.
Prof. Onuckuku made the remarks at the 5th International Conference of the Society for Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Management (SAEREM) held at the postgraduate hall of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) Rumuolumeni, Port-Harcourt.
Declaring the conference open, the Acting VC described the theme of the conference, “Impact of Climate Change and Oil Pollution on Environmental Resources, Food Production, Biodiversity and Economic Growth”, as timely, given that the basic needs of man are far from him as a result of negative activities practiced.
Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Professor Kingdom Eke Orji, Onuckuku emphasised that food sustainability is critical.
“Lack of productivity in the agricultural sector should be food for thought and a major area of concern for all, especially with the vast array of virgin lands at our disposal”, he stated.
The Acting VC enjoined all to make food sustainability and security a reality “by engaging in small and medium scale farming in our little corners and make availability of food production a thing of the past”.
Professor Onuchuku also stressed the need to bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation, and to have an action plan that can be translated into meaning in the next ten years.
He welcomed participants to the University and wished them fruitful deliberations.
Speaking, the Chairman in Council of SAEREM, Professor Austin Otegbulu, noted that Agriculture and environment are interesting areas.
He assured that the Association would be one that everybody would look up to, to solve environmental and agricultural problems in the nearest future.
While wishing them well in their discussions, he urged participants to use the knowledge that would be acquired to enhance and better their lot.
In his speech, the National President of SAEREM, Professor E. M. Agu, represented by the National Secretary, Dr. Eteyen Nyong, stated that “SAEREM is a peer reviewed open access interdisciplinary research-based organisation that provides a wide view on topical issues as addressed by the central theme of the conference”.
He added that the association is also a non conventional society but with a clear cut paradigm shift in line with global best practices.
The President explained that their core mandate is to encourage interdisciplinary peer reviewed research base, provide welfare package to deserving members, and organize essay competitions for undergraduates in Nigeria.
He continued that if Nigeria is to effectively tackle the enormous challenges of food security presented by climate change, then “innovations and awareness of climate change impacts should be cultivated in all parts of the agricultural ecosystem”.
Food security, according to him, “is a significant step in ensuring a life of dignity for every citizen, especially as Nigeria has the opportunity of becoming a global leader in building a productive and resilient agricultural system for the 21st century”.
Professor Agu observed that the major threat to the agricultural sector is not just the insecurity from both the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, but oil pollution, gas flaring, flooding etc.
He expressed optimism that this year’s conference would provide good road map to address these challenges as well as come out with holistic results for policy formulation and workable recommendations.
In his address, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Professor Godfrey Adokiye Kalio, noted that the theme of the conference is apt due to the catastrophic consequences of global climate change caused by some avoidable human activities.
Such activities, he explained, emit large amounts of green house gases through the burning of fossil fuels, gas flaring and local crude refining (kpo fire) into the atmosphere that depletes the ozone layer.
“This results to global warming, increased rainfall, increase in sea levels, desertification, drought, flooding, population displacement, famine, spread of infectious diseases, threat to food production and safety, loss in biodiversity, death and economic losses”, he said.
He stated that the aim of the conference was to provide a veritable platform for the academia and captains of industries for the cross fertilization of ideas on the means of combating these situations in Nigeria and the globe.
Professor Kalio welcomed participants to what he called “the serene ambience, environment of IAUE, the fastest growing university in the South-South geopolitical zone in Nigeria and the West African subregion”.
He wished them “a blissful moment of brainstorming and fruitful deliberations in the various technical and scientific sessions”.
The event featured presentation of awards to some personalities.
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 last Tuesday by the state Chief judge include 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 yrs to 7 yrs in the custody without a proper information filed against in the court .
Justice Amadi during a special goal delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center opined that the special goal delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the state and reinstated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional center 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 support rehabilitation and give 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 reduced the number of inmates Nigeria Correctional Centre Port Harcourt to less than two thousand as against the over four thousand 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 encouraged you all the released inmates to return to your families and become a 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 absurd individuals from been held accountable for actions against individuals, cooperate organizations and state which the law frown 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 charge and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Center 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.
Our correspondent reports that other activities lined up for the event include special church service at St Paul’s cathedral , Anglican communion Rebisi port harcourt , inspection of guard honour by the state chief judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session to be held at the ceremonial court hall on Thursday 17th October, 2024.
Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to check the trend of measles in the State, the Rivers state Government says it will be carrying out mass vaccination beginning from October 12th to 18th in the State.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh stated this in a press conference to announce the kick-off of the State Integrated Measles Mass Vaccination Campaign.
According to her, apart from the Mass vaccination, mop- up exercise will also be carried out between 19th and 20th October, 2024.
Oreh said the campaign is targeted at children between ages of nine months to under five years.
The commissioner who noted that measles are highly contagious, said the aim is to reach the children directly in their communities through schools and religious institutions.
She observed the downward trend in vaccination coverage in the state, hence she said,it is the urgency for the campaign.
“For 2024, the data that we have so far is 46 percent, last year, it was 67 percent, so you can see that it has reduced drastically.
“Measles are highly contagious disease, therefore , achieving high vaccination coverage is crucial for protecting our children, preventing outbreaks and ensuring their adequate growth and development”.
Oreh, noted that the government was concerned about the health of children of the state and the need to protect their future that’s why it is making the vaccines available.
“We are committed to making vaccination accessible to all children that are eligible by leveraging our community structures, using venues like schools and religious institutions.
“We aim to maximize the reach and convenience for parents and caregivers so that we leave no child behind and our goal is to push the current coverage rate significantly and protect our community’s youngest members against this killer disease known as measles,” she stated.
While noting that the government in collaboration with her development partners have mobilised sufficient manpower and personnel to carryout the campaign in urban and rural areas, the health commissioner appealed to parents and all stakeholders especially community leaders to encourage their children and wards to participate in the exercise.
Warning against complacency on the side of parents, Oreh, noted that there is the need to close the gap between the first childhood vaccination of the child and when they get to age nine months, saying, “Some families would feel that the child is sufficiently covered and that is why we are carrying out this robust campaign to inform them that even though the earlier childhood vaccinations had been given, it is crucial that this measles vaccines are given at the age of nine months to protect the children”.
She said aside those that would be going from house to house, schools and religious institutions to administer the vaccines, parents can also take their the children and wards to the primary healthcare centres in the state to get them vaccinated.
The Rivers people in diaspora have commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for successful conduct of local government elections across the State.
The President of the group, Mr Churchill West Jack made the commendation in a press release made available to The Tide, stressing that the elections were fair and transparent.
He averred that the elections were described as the best local government elections in the State, and urged those who won to be magnanimous in victory.
“Warmest congratulations to the newly elected chairmen and councillors of our dear State. We sincerely thank the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission ( RSIEC ) for standing firm and conducting the fairest and most peaceful election in the history of our State.”
To our humble governor, a man of few words with so much action, who has continuously shown that God prepared him for this moment, to save the good people of our dear State from the hands of greedy men.” Finally, we want to say a big thank you to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, the honourable speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Mayor of Port Harcourt, the chairman of Obio/Akpor, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, and many more for their doggedness, and resilience in fighting side by side with the governor to save the soul of the State.
God bless the governor and God bless the good people of Rivers State.”
Akujobi Amadi