Nation
HYPREP Celebrates WED In Style
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) on Wednesday joined the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day in grand style.
It actually started the celebration last Saturday with the planting of mangroves at the Bomu Creek in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.The planting of the mangroves was carried out in partnership with the Nigerian Environmental Society(NES) which massively mobilised its members to the waterfront, where the mangroves were massively planted to restore part of the degraded shoreline.
HYPREP indicated that it also carried out the exercise in conjunction with contractors who had already been mobilised to site to plant mangroves at the waterfront in keeping with its shoreline restoration programme.
At the Bomu Creek, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Deinibarini Zabbey; the Rivers State Chairman of NES, Sir Amos Daminabo Atuloyedia; and others were all handy, as they stepped into the marshy environment, fully kitted and planted the mangroves, to the admiration of all present.
Speaking to newsmen, Zabbey said the exercise was the beginning of the 2024 World Environment Day celebration which would climax on Wednesday, June 5, the day the global event is marked annually, stressing that HYPREP was partnering with NES to plant mangroves at the waterfront to actually make the event worthwhile and colourful.
On his part, the NES boss, Sir Atuloyedia said the body was delighted to partner with HYPREP to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day, hinting that the society would also visit the Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Bonny as part of activities to mark the day, which he said would climax last Wednesday at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.
On Wednesday, the celebration of the World Environment Day took another dimension as HYPREP mobilised students from four secondary schools in Ogoniland, namely; Community Secondary School, Bomu; Community Secondary School, Barako; Community Secondary School, Mogho; and Bodo City Girls to carry out the removal of plastics at another section of the Bomu Creek, where mangroves had already sprouted.
The Project Coordinator, Prof Zabbey, the students and some HYPREP workers, who were all fully kitted, moved into the marshy landscape and weeded out plastics at the base of each of the lush mangroves.
However, before the event proper kicked off in earnest, the Head of the Livelihood Unit of HYPREP, Mrs Josephine Nzidee; Mangrove Officer, Mr Uche Izuchukwu; and Subject Matter Expert/Team Lead Mangrove, HYPREP, Prof Franklin Tanee had given the students,drawn from the environmental clubs established by the Project pep talks on what the day was all about and what they should do at the waterfront.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the removal plastics, Zabbey,who practically demonstrated leadership by example, underlined the importance of the World Environment Day celebration, describing the activity as the climax of what was started last Saturday in Bomu community.
He disclosed that HYPREP had established 20 environment clubs in Ogoniland, which it has been supporting as part of efforts to recover the biodiversity, stressing that the removal of the plastics at the mangroves was symbolic.
The Project Coordinator had earlier in a statement to celebrate the World Environment Day, noted that the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Our Land, Our Future: Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience ‘, resonates deeply with HYPREP’s mission and ongoing efforts and achievements in Ogoniland and the wider Niger Delta region.
He said the 2024 WED provides an opportunity to reflect, design, and facilitate approaches to protect our commonwealth- land, restore degraded ones, and discourage human activities that compromise the integrity of the environment and biodiversity.
Zabbey further noted that for a region whose primary livelihood depends on fertile soil and flourishing river systems, restoring degraded environments is essential for recovering and sustaining biodiversity; improving agricultural productivity; and enhancing communities’ livelihoods, stressing that the future of the Ogonis and the wider Niger Delta depends on their land.
According to him, HYPREP is equipped with the necessary resources and strategically positioned to lead this generation to undertake this task decisively.
The Project Coordinator urged stakeholders to take definite stance to prevent oil pollution occasioned by oil theft, vandalism and artisanal refining, prioritise oil infrastructure maintenance and monitoring to protect the environment; to prevent and clean up plastic pollution that defaces and impairs land and wetlands; conduct adequate sensitisation and awareness creation to mainstream good environmental behaviours; and develop citizens’ capacity to pursue alternative and sustainable livelihoods, which would dissuade local communities from engaging in unethical acts, stressing that HYPREP reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the remediation and restoration of Ogoniland.
Nation
NCSU Consoles Elder Statesman Over Daughter’s Death …Tasks Elected Unit Executives On Service Delivery
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has extended its condolence to an elder statesman in Rivers State, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe over the untimely death of his daughter during child birth, describing it as saddening and unfortunate, and called on the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
This is even as NCSU has called on the newly elected executives of the union at the unit level and Ministries in the State Civil Service, to be dedicated to their duties, as well as deliver services that would further help the State to retain its prime position in the comity of States.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who gave the indication in Port Harcourt, said the union seriously empathises and sympathises with Chief Sara-Igbe over the daughter’s death, and urged him never to allow the sad incident to weigh him down, but to remain strong, firm and resolute in championing the cause of Rivers State even in the face of such a tragedy.
Osumah noted that the union is particularly sad over the unfortunate incident, because of the kind of support Chief Sara-Igbe has been giving Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing him as a true pillar of strength to the Governor, and enjoined him to continue to contribute meaningfully to the progress and development of the State in spite of obvious challenges and drawbacks.
According to him, history would be kind to Chief Sara-Igbe, when the chips are down, owing to his immense contributions to the State and also for standing on the side of truth, justice, equity and fairness,when it matters most.
Commenting on the election of new unit executives of the union, Osumah said he was glad over the development, and urged the new union officials to be good ambassadors of their units and the union.
He said delivering selfless services to the people of the State should always be their priority, and congratulated them on their successful elections.
The Rivers State Government has donated a 500KVA transformer to the Rivers State Rehabilitation Centre, Iriebe in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The State Commissioner for Power, Prince Solomon Abel Eke, who handed over the transformer to the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mr Illamu Arugu thanked Governor Siminalaye Fubara for the approval and release of the transformer, adding that it would go a long way in solving the power problem at the centre.
“I want to thank God for the Governor that we have, who takes time to look at things meticulously and ensures that our people get service for what they are doing”.
He said following the request by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation for a transformer for the rehab centre, a team of engineers from the Ministry of Power were sent to the area to take cognizance of everything that they need.
“I can assure you that what we are doing or what we are going to do here is going to put to rest everything about power.
“The capacity of this transformer you have here will take care of you even the neighbouring enviroment”, Abel Eke said.
He emphasised the need for them to preserve the transformer, stressing that the transformer has the capacity to generate and distribute electricity within the centre and neighborhood.
The commissioner warned them against allowing people to scale their fence to either vandalise or steal the transformer and described the gesture as a road map for constant power supply in the State.
“We are the only State that has three generating stations in the entire nation and we practically moving towards enjoying 24 hour- power supply in Rivers State”, he added.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, MrArugu Illamu who was elated for the donation, said it was based on a request by the rehabilitation centre, when he visited the area recently.
Illamu equally thanked Governor Fubara for the gesture and the promptness to which their request was attended to and noted that it was coming at a time the people needed the transformer badly.
He said even caregivers in the centre also needed power, adding that “it is coming at a time that they need it most”.
Mr Ilamu also commended the Governor for approving transformer to the Safe Home, Borokiri, adding that the Governor has so far given approval for the three transformers requested by the Ministry and prayed that the last transformers for the Children Home and Remand Home should be delivered as well for them to have some level of succour.
He said the gesture will go a long way to alleviate the sufferings of the people by allowing them to enjoy what he called “ the basics of life”.
Iriebe John Bibor
The people of Ogbogolo kingdom in Ahoada -West Local Government Area of Rivers State have commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the appointment of their i daughter, Dr. Mrs Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu as the Permanent Secretary of theMinistry of Education.
The Paramount Ruler of the community, King James Rowland, Obenema-Ibe III of Ogbogolo Kingdom made the commendation when he led a delegation of elite members of his kingdom on a courtesy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary at the State Secretariat complex in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
The Paramount Ruler asserted that Dr Uzoma-Nwogu was the first person from his Kingdom to be given an enviable appointment as a Permanent Secretary, stressing that Ogbogolo Kingdom is very appreciative of the Governor for the honour done to their daughter and the Kingdom at large.
He further prayed God Almighty to give her the wisdom and grace to carry out her duties effectively as would be required by her office and later presented her with an award of honour in recognition of her appointment as Permanent Secretary.
Also speaking, one of the elites in the Kingdom and university lecturer,Dr. Arobo R.C Amachree ,who is the Head of Department of Physics, Rivers State University described the elevation of Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu as meritorious and thanked the Governor for remembering the people of Ogbogolo and prayed God’s wisdom on His Excellency to continue to govern the state while pledging their support.
In her response, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Uzoma-Nwogu thanked her kinsmen for identifying with and for the respect and honour they accorded her and solicited for their support and prayers.
Akujobi Amadi
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