March 27, 2024

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SACA re-commits to training of Student on effects of Oil Spills By Amos Odhe 

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SACA re-commits to training of Student on effects of Oil Spills

By Amos Odhe

An NGO, Stakeholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability, SACA has intensified efforts in training of students of Bayelsa state schools on effects of oil spillages.

Wawa news learnt that as part of SACA’s campaigns against the dangers associated with spills, it kick-started and has since concluded a five day training of pupils and students of both public and private schools in the state.

Wawa news gathered that the training programme tagged: ‘A 5-day child safe guarding training of C-club members from 20 schools’ had no fewer than 400 students of primary and secondary school across the state in attendance.

In an interview with Journalists shortly after the exercise, the Executive Director, SACA,Mr Kingsley Ozegbe described the effects of oil spill on pregnant mothers,their foetus and young children as deadly.

He noted that various studies by notable foreign and local agencies have shown that the damages incurred by oil spills on the environment and human life far outweighs the ephemeral gains associated with the multinationals operating in the Niger Delta region.

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The Executive Director hinted that the NGOs quest towards having an oil spill-free Niger Delta and Children safe from the hazards inherent in the event of spills had made SACA to partner the Bayelsa State Ministries of Education, Health and Environment for the purposes of fast tracking the sensitisation against oil spills.

He averred that outside SACA’s partnering the trio of the government’s ministries, they have had cause to also collaborate with the Catholic Education board as well as the national association of proprietors of private schools,NAPPS,just as he commended an Irish Organization (MISCEAN CARA for providing funding for the training of the students,saying this stems from its desire to put to an end to the deadly effects of oil spillages in the Niger Delta.

He said, ‘This training for students was necessitated by MISCEAN CARA of Ireland’s unpretentious desire to partner SACA and other well meaning bodies and individuals towards ending as well as safeguarding children from the effects of spillages.

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“In 2016 alone,our reports from findings revealed that more than 16 , 000 children died from oil spill because they were born or lived not farther than nine kilometres away from sites of spills.

“SACA therefore, after our last training for child safeguarding officers also had resolved to train 400 students in this programme as the starting processes of taking the sensitisation on the effects of spillages to all our children.

“We’re catching them young,and we believe that children have a special ability in speaking the truth to their playmates,friends,teachers’ and even parents”.

Similarly,the Permanent Secretary,Bayelsa State Ministry of Education,Mr Christopher Ewhrudjakpo,the duo of the Directors’primary Education/Teachers’ Education and Secondary Education, respectively, Mrs Powei Otrofanowei and Mr Osusu Jacob have commended SACA for the awareness it has created amongst students through their various programmes against oil spills.

The Education Ministry described the NGOs activities as a ‘no mean feat’, assuring that they were willing to partner the organization in carrying out its sensitization programme to greater heights within the limits of support the Ministry can give.

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Other highpoints of the training were lectures on further effects of spillages on both pregnant women and children,given by Dr (Mrs) Maria Okpomu-keme of the Federal Medical Centre,Yenagoa,and Eng. Singa Iro of the state’s Ministry of Environment.

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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