Efforts are now being made to return Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to its Garden City status. BISI OLANIYI writes on the determination of the stakeholders to effect the change.
In the 60s and 70s, Rivers State was known for its clean, green and healthy environment. The lushness and serenity of the environment earned Port Harcourt, the state capital, its Garden City status.
The Port Harcourt City, and indeed other parts of the state, lost the status due to the rapid influx of people into the state, occasioned by oil and gas exploration and exploitation, industrialisation and increased commercial activities. Port Harcourt, once known for its beauty and serenity, became a garbage city.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other stakeholders are making efforts to restore the lost glory.
In view of the efforts of the stakeholders, the Rivers State capital can easily take over from Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, as Nigeria’s cleanest city, if seen as a collective responsibility.
Amaechi also called on the all the stakeholders to support the Rivers government in keeping the state’s environment clean.
Amaechi, while inaugurating in Port Harcourt an Ashok Leyland refuse compactor truck donated to the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, declared that he was determined to ensure a clean Rivers State. Two more compactors are expected from Mobil.
The donation to RIWAMA was facilitated by a Port Harcourt-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Manpower Development and Environmental Protection Initiative (MADEPIN), which has Livingstone Membere as its Chief Operating Officer.
The Rivers governor, who was represented by the Chairman of the Rivers House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Mrs. Victoria Nyeche, of Port Harcourt Constituency One, noted that the money spent on healthcare would reduce, with a clean environment.
Amaechi also lauded the Sole Administrator of the RIWAMA, Ade Adeogun, for ensuring a clean Rivers state, and Mobil for the initiative, in spite of operating on Bonny Island, with office in Onne, Rivers State, while asking other multinationals to emulate the oil giant.
The Rivers government, through RIWAMA, seeks to transform Rivers into a state characterised by clean and greener cities, fresh waters and low carbon footprints, by enhancing the health and well-being, as well as raising the average life expectancy of the people.
The Amaechi administration is also working towards improving sanitary habits and working at collectively harnessing the inner resources of the people in the state, to enhance wealth, job creation and economic empowerment, through effective modern waste management strategies.
The ever-increasing population of Port Harcourt city and its metropolitan nature have increased the tonnage of household and commercial wastes, making it to become obvious that restoring Port Harcourt and indeed Rivers state to its Garden City status is a task that cannot be left to the government alone.
The Rivers Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Charles Okaye, urged the contractors working for RIWAMA to avoid refuse dispersal on the state’s roads, thereby ensuring a clean Rivers State.
The Commissioner for Environment in Rivers state, Dr. Nyema Weli, who was represented by Stephen Nyeenenwa, stressed that the population of Rivers had exploded, compared to when the agency was established in 1984, leading to massive production of refuse, which must be well disposed and that RIWAMA is adequately tackling the challenge.
The General Manager, Public and Government Affairs of Mobil, Paul Arinze, who was represented by Yemi Fakayejo, the oil firm’s Manager, Public and Government Affairs, disclosed that the compactor was purchased for N16.5 million, while calling on RIWAMA to ensure its adequate maintenance.
Arinze said: “As a responsible corporate citizen, the NNPC/MPN joint venture seeks to support the government in every small way we can, by embarking on sustainable community development projects presented to us for assistance by a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from government, community, NGOs and civil society, to mention but a few.
“The refuse compactor truck is courtesy of a request from RIWAMA and MADEPIN. Consistent with our avowed objective of supporting the government with the development of its people, we have delivered an average of one major corporate social responsibility project per quarter, since the beginning of the year, in various parts of Rivers State.
“The truck is backed up with additional funding support to MADEPIN to implement an environmental awareness, sensitisation and advocacy programmes, in partnership with RIWAMA, towards the strengthening of institutional framework to sustain a culture of cleanliness in Port Harcourt and its environs.”
Mobil’s general manager also reminded MADEPIN and RIWAMA that they were selected out of a pool of many NGOs and organisations requiring the oil giant’s support, having presented themselves as highly responsible and professional organisations.
He asked RIWAMA and MADEPIN to know that Mobil’s support was given to them in trust and expected not only to be judicious in the use of the funds and equipment received, but to ensure the project was implemented in a sustainable way, in order to have the maximum impact.
Arinze noted that the NNPC/MPN joint venture hoped that Port Harcourt would someday become Nigeria’s cleanest city, which he described as a vision, which he believed the management of RIWAMA could make happen.
He stated that the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which owns 60 per cent in the NNPC/MPN joint venture, deserved commendation for co-funding the project.
Mobil’s general manager said: “For nine days in August 2014, the NNPC/MPN joint venture facilitated the provision of a free healthcare for the people of Omagwa, Ipo and Igwuruta, communities which are near the Port Harcourt International Airport.
“Over 3,600 people (children, men and women) benefited from the support, which was provided courtesy of a request from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Port Harcourt International Airport
“Although, our company has no physical presence or relationship to the aforementioned communities, we acknowledge that corporations can be forces for social good, by complementing government in discharging its responsibility of meeting the social, health and welfare needs of the people.”
Arinze also admonished Rivers people to continue to give peace a chance, stressing that there could only be development in an atmosphere of peace.
The Chief Operating Officer of MADEPIN, Livingstone Membere narrated his experience with a resident in one of the waterfronts in Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, during the NGO’s visit to the area, who said in Pidgin English: “make una commot for here abeg. Dorty no dey kill Afrika man.”
Membere described the comment as an expression of the attitude and perception of most residents of Port Harcourt and its environs, indicating how, with the carefree attitude, residents had been defacing the city with garbage and other wastes.
MADEPIN’s chief operating officer said: “The disparaging situation (garbage city status of Port Harcourt and its environs) made different administrations in the state to put in diverse strategies to address the challenges of municipal waste management and pollution. The RIWAMA, established by law in 2014, is the latest outcome of these efforts.
“RIWAMA’s efforts under the leadership of the present Sole Administrator (Ade Adeogun) are yielding results. However, there is a very slow response from households and other stakeholders in complying with the regulations and also complementing RIWAMA’s efforts.
“MADEPIN is working in six locations (Onne, Alesa and Akpajo in Eleme LGA; Elelenwo and Woji in Obio/Akpor LGA and Mile One in Port Harcourt City LGA) to create awareness on the dangers of a dirty environment and on how residents can keep their environment clean, through regular sanitation.
“The sensitisation message is centred on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and proper disposal methods. To help RIWAMA with monitoring and enforcement, MADEPIN is working with residents in our pilot areas to facilitate the emergence of Volunteer Sanitation Marshalls (VSMs). We presently have 45 VSMs operating in the Sangana axis of Port Harcourt.”
Membere also disclosed that MADEPIN had had scaled up what Mobil triggered, into a multi-stakeholder partnership for providing waste management support to the Rivers state government, christened the “Clean Rivers Initiative,” with youth corps members as some of the partners.
MADEPIN, according to the chief operating officer, is also working with primary and secondary school students on its “Waste Craft Project,” with 100 to 150 students, between the age of 6 to 16 from various private and public schools involved, with the goal of training them on how to make useful gift items and toys from the waste they generate.
The Sole Administrator of RIWAMA, Ade Adeogun, in his address, disclosed that 18 months after writing letters to multinationals and other companies operating in Rivers state, only Mobil had so far responded to assist the agency, while admonishing other firms to emulate the oil giant.
He disclosed that the magnificent edifice when the handing over of the truck took place, about a year ago, was a mechanic workshop, without roof, but was redesigned into a beautiful storey building with befitting offices and a conference room.
The RIWAMA’s sole administrator also revealed that before he came on board, companies operating in Rivers state were each sending N100,000 monthly to support environmental sanitation, without proper utilisation, but told the firms to stop the funds, while opting for enduring partnership and support for the agency, in form of equipment and vehicles to be branded.
Adeogun assured that the compactor would be well maintained, while insisting that having a clean environment is a collective responsibility, in order to ensure good health and better productivity, while thanking Mobil, MADEPIN and other stakeholders for the support.
To achieve a cleaner, greener and healthier Rivers state, all the stakeholders must collaborate and should not be seen as the job of a few persons.
