Two students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), recently, emerged winners of the 2024 National Orientation Agency’s 7 for 7 National Value Charter Campus Debate and Capacity Building Conference.
The students, Christian Needbari Mgboalu and Joshua Onyerere, both from the Department of English and Communication Arts, competed with students from the University of Calabar in the South-South Zone Team B category and scored 499 points, surpassing the University of Calabar’s 447 points.
The debate, which took place at the Postgraduate Hall of IAUE, Rumuolumeni campus, saw the winners earn a cash prize of N5million.
Similarly, students from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, also won N5million after beating their counterparts from the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, by 516 points against their 458 points in the South-East Team A category.
The debate focused on “Striking the Balance Between Government Promises and Citizens’ Responsibilities in Nation Building”.
In his speech, the Director of Ideas, Creativity, and Innovations at IAUE, Professor Samuel Amaele, expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, for his support towards hosting the event.
He also commended the National Orientation Agency, the panel of judges, and students from different universities for participating in the exercise.
The winners will compete for twenty million naira at the grand finale, scheduled for a later date.
IAUE’s team, under the tutelage of Professor Ibiere Ken-Maduako, had rehearsed for a week and submitted a recorded video version on the relevance of the 7 for 7 National Value Charter in building a great nation.
That video clip qualified them for this stage, where they emerged victorious.
The victorious team later presented their award to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of IAUE 12th Governing Council, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, and the Acting Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Onuchuku, who lauded them for their achievement.
Onuchuku expressed the hope that Professor Ken-Maduako and her team will do their best to ensure that IAUE secures the twenty million naira cash prize at the national level of the competition.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

The Rivers State Government is set to launch a skills empowerment initiative in the oil and gas sector for  youths in the State.
The State Commissioner of Employment Generation and Empowerment, Sir Austin Nnadozie, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, described the initiative as “a significant move to tackle youth unemployment”.
A release signed by the Head of Press in the ministry, Martha Igbiks, stated that the ministry is currently in discussions with several skills development experts for the possible of partnership to provide specialized training for youths in the oil and gas sector.
According to the release, the initiative “is aimed at equipping youths with the requisite skills to increase their chances of employment, and to address companies’ excuses for not hiring due to lack of relevant skills”.
State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Sir Austin Nnadozie who made this known in Port-Harcourt said,
It quoted the Commissioner as saying that when the skills training commences, it will focus on specialized areas in the oil industry, such as “Directional Drilling, Slick Line, Mechatronics, Mod Engineering, and Argon Welding”.
“Others are Pineline Welding and Fabrication, Electrical Systems and Instrumentation, as well as fashion design, which are presently in high demands”.
The Commissioner, the release further stated, explained that “the goal is to skill- up Rivers people, whether graduates or non-graduates, considering that most job vacancies require people with skills, in order for them to fill such job openings, especially within the oil industry in the State, or be self- employed”.
To achieve this, Nnadozie said, “the Ministry will continue to meet with companies operating in Rivers State to discuss their demands and schedule training programmes accordingly for the youths.
“This demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to empowering Rivers State youths and fostering economic growth in the region.
“The Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, established in July 2003, aims to provide individual citizens with gainful employment and empowering them with skills to become self-reliant”.

Southern Women Empowerment Forum (SWEF), a non-governmental organisation, has said the empowerment of rural women remains the only catalyst for sustainable economic development.
National President of the forum, Dr. Helen Taiwo, stated this at an investiture of matrons and patrons by the Rivers State Chapter of the forum in Port Harcourt.
The theme of the event was, “Resource Development: A Basic Need for Rural Women Empowerment”.
Dr. Taiwo said, “when society unlock the potentials of women, it is unlocking the potential of entire community”.
She described the theme of the programme as apt, saying “the theme of today’s event underscores the critical role of resource development in women’s empowerment”, and observed the challenges facing rural women to include limited access to education, economic opportunities and healthcare, as well as societal constraints that hinder their potential.
“Yet they are pillars of their communities, contributing significantly to agriculture, trade and household management”, she said.
The SWEF President also listed areas in which rural women can be empowered to include access to education and skills training, access to economic empowerment initiative, health care and infrastructural technology, and access to clean water.
Taiwo said the group is committed to ensuring that no woman is left behind in the scheme of things.
She also tasked the matrons and patrons to act as advocates that will push for policies that will promote gender equality and resource allocation for rural women.
In her keynote address, the Chairman of Labour Party(LP), Rivers State, Hilda Dokubo, said quality education is a must for the girl child.
“Let us stop economic restrictions/economic empowerment. We need to empower the women”, she stated.
Also speaking, HRM King Ogube said the future of the society is dependent on women empowerment.
Earlier, the Zonal Coordinator/Convener, SWEF, Lady Adaure Odu, said the event was to celebrate women empowerment, recognize the contributions of their patrons and matrons, and reaffirm the Commitment to  promoting gender equality and social justice
Lady Odu said time has come for the society to work together to break down barriers , challenge stereotypes and create opportunities for women to thrive.
She said the investiture ceremony marks significant milestone in the journey towards empowering women and promoting social change and urged the matrons and patrons to continue championing the cause of women’s empowerment.

By: John Bibor