Rivers
VC Charges Students On SIWES
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charged students of the university to take the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) seriously for them to be self-reliant and self-sufficient.
He gave the charge during the SIWES orientation workshop held recently at the university auditorium.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Head of Ndele Campus and Dean, Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, Professor Isaac Ogundu, said the workshop would provide solutions to most of the likely problems that they would encounter in society.
He emphasized that SIWES is a vital tool for combating poverty, unemployment and other economic challenges, and advised them to pay rapt attention and ask relevant questions to be guided.
The Acting Director, SIWES Dr. Silverline Igweagbara, in her address, expressed gratitude to the Acting Vice Chancellor for his support towards the programme and to staff who assisted in making the programme a success.
She thanked students who found time to participate, noting that “though the economy is hitting everyone hard, those with SIWES knowledge would none-the-less survive the hardships because they are equipped with the right training”.
Dr. Igweagbara expressed optimism that the students would make the university proud as they enter the workforce. She also expressed hope that they would use the requisite skills acquired and not bother about the ups and downs of the labour market, especially as the two certificates (theory and practical) acquired would expose them to both the white collar job and the practical skills to survive on their own.
She, however, warned that there are penalties for every mistake resulting from ignorance of the important aspects of their programme.
In his remarks, the Area Manager and Assistant Director of Training, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Rumuokwuta Area Office, Mr. Cabral Angereke, noted that the 2024 SIWES orientation marks a significant milestone in the process of equipping students with the desired knowledge and practical experience through their participation in Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).
He disclosed that the exercise is necessary as it affords students the opportunity of getting detailed information on the standard of behaviour and performance standards that is expected of them before, during and after the period of their SIWES attachment.
Mr. Angereke informed that “SIWES is a skill training programme designed to expose and prepare students to fit in properly in industrial work situations after graduation”.
He further stated that the scheme “provides students with the opportunity to expose and familiarise themselves with the gained experience in handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in their institutions”.
While thanking the Acting Vice Chancellor and his Management team for their support in carrying out the Federal Government mandate in SIWES, he urged the students to listen and ask constructive questions that clarifications can be given to equip them properly for the experience and in order to minimise mistakes during the attachment period.
The orientation, according to Angereke, “will x-ray the roles of various stakeholders in the SIWES programme, and the use of various forms and documentations before, during and after the SIWES attachment”.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Training and Head of Training, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Rumuokwuta Area Office, Mrs. Gloria Henry Ekwuruke, informed that the scheme was established because of the growing concerns amongst industrialists that graduates of Nigeria Tertiary Institutions of Higher Learning lacked adequate employable skills in industries.
She noted that employers were of the opinion that the theoretical education going on in Higher Institutions do not match the skills needed by the employers of labour, this therefore, necessitated the initiation of the Industrial Training Fund, a scheme introduced and designed to equip students with necessary skills of handling employers’ machinery and equipment as well as gaining the needed practical skills in the course of learning.
Mrs. Ekwuruke stressed the need for students to take the programme seriously, explaining that as a former student of IAUE, the experiences that she gained from “School to Land” where she did her SIWES attachment as an Agricultural Science student helped her to secure an A grade in her examination because she wrote from the practical experiences that she gathered from the programme.
She also stressed the need for students to be safety conscious and to apply safety rules and measures while carrying out their duties during the period.
On her part, the SIWES and Principal Accountant of ITF, Mrs. Adejare Opeyemi, admonished the students to be “good ambassadors, leave good legacy, and not mess up the place with your bad attitude and deprive others behind you of the opportunity”.
She told the students that though the stipend that is given to them is small, the knowledge and experience that they stand to gain from the scheme cannot be quantified in monetary value.
Mr. London Ajoku, SIWES Schedule and Principal Training Officer, also enlightened the students on how to fill their log books, general administration and documentations during the six months exercise where they are expected to apply theoretical concepts to real world problems and to develop essential skills in communication, team work, time management, network building and problem solving to prepare them for their future career.
The SIWES is a programme designed for Nigerian students in Tertiary Institutions to gain practical experiences in their chosen field of study.
The scheme provides students with hands-on experience and bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It enhances their employability skills after graduation and foster collaboration between academia and industry.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor