Education
Actualising The Bodo-Bonny Road
Managing Director of the Nigeria Liq
uefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Babs
Omotowa raised an uncommon hope on the Bodo-Bonny Road recently when he said his company was prepared to contribute N60bn for the construction of the road.
According to Omotowa, if the Federal Government was willing to complete the road, NLNG will provide N60 billion which represents half of the contract sum. The Bodo-Bonny Road is a major Federal Road in Rivers State that successive governments lacked the political will to complete.
The Managing Director said at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs in Abuja that the project, when completed, would help improve infrastructure in the Niger Delta. The road links five Local Government Areas; including Khana (Ogoni), Okrika, Eleme, Andoni and Bonny.
Omotowa said, “we said we are willing to offer 50 per cent on the road between Bodo to Bonny which has been outstanding since the 1970’s, and that contribution is N60 billion and we think that these are the kind of projects the NDDC can work with us.”
Omotowa, however, stated that the NLNG’s offer to provide 50 percent of the funding for the road would be activated, provided the partnership is accepted and matched by the Federal Government’s counterpart funding.
The Tide welcomes the offer, particularly against the backdrop that the Bodo-Bonny Road project has been one of the failed projects that underscore the long standing neglect of Rivers State in particular and the Niger Delta in general by successive Nigerian governments. Indeed, the importance of the road cannot be over-emphasised.
Apart from its importance to the enhancement of the economic base of the nation, the road will also connect the mainland Rivers State to a sizeable section of the riverine part of the State, in fact, one of the most difficult terrains in the Niger Delta. Here, the influence of the Atlantic Ocean is real.
It is, indeed, disturbing to note that, added to the perennial cries of the communities in that axis, is the accessibility burden on the foremost gas company in West Africa, NLNG, and its ancillary firms. This should have placed on the conscience of the nation an avoidable guilt.
While we commend the NLNG for the offer, we expect that the Federal Government will quickly accept it and work in concert with the company to finally actualise the construction of this all important road. This ancient city of Bonny and its environs need to be fully accessible. The Federal Government should accept this challenge and build the remaining 50 percent of the funding into the 2016 budget.
The Tide believes that the inclusion of the Federal Government’s quota of N60 billion in the budget and the exercise of the needed political will to ensure availability of fund for prompt execution of the project, can guarantee the realisation of the project during the life of the present administration.
If the present government at the federal level wants to break the jinx and actualise the promise for change, it must also start dealing with all other issues that can stand in the way of the realisation of the project.
In that wise, the Federal Government must ensure that initial land and compensation matters are perfected. Indeed, affected communities should be taken along, while the security needs of the project should be facilitated to avoid interferences of any kind.
It should be noted that the NLNG did not make the offer for fun, like the communities, the NLNG has its own share of stories on the near impossible condition of the route to their business site. NLNG must have come to terms with the fact that ‘if the road was not done, not only would the life of its staff and contractors continue to be threatened, their interest may also be at stake.
It is a fact that provision of the road will go a long way to avert the frequent loss of lives on the high sea, eliminate piracy and promote business in the area. Even huge is the tourist potential of the area that this can harness, while alleviating the sufferings of the Ibanis.
As earnings from gas become significant, it is only imperative that the Federal Government will rise to the occasion. Indeed, the government that is able to provide this road will go down in history as the one that conquered the odds and made the difference that mattered most.
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu