-By Precious Ahiakwo
The Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Eco says it will continue its signatory project “Stop-the-Soot campaign” as part of its humanitarian projects rolled out for the new Rotary Year 2022-2023.
President of the club, Davies Okarevu while speaking shortly after taking over as the second President of the club commended the Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike for responding to the cry of the people to take proactive measures in mitigating the effect of the ravaging soot in the state. He said the club in partnership with other stakeholders, will not rest in speaking out against the menace to the environmental and health hazards of the soot.
Rotarian Davies Okarevu who is also Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International said the club will also continue its “Plant-a-Mangrove-Tree project aimed at restoring aquatic lives in oil polluted communities in Rivers State.
“We have started Tree Planting Campaign with a successful pre-installation project, which was done in partnership with Miss Earth Beauty Organization Nigeria. We will carry out Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise in different parts of Port Harcourt in collaboration with neighbourhood Associations. The Nembe Shoreline Clean-up Project in honour of District 9141 District Governor, Rtn. Mightyman Aye Dikuro, will include capacity building of youths and women in the community on regular clean-up of the shoreline and donation of waste receptacles in various parts of Nembe.”
“We will carry out Environmental Awareness Advocacy in 3 different public Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt. The project will include setting up of Interact Clubs and Environmental Clubs in the Schools, and donation of waste receptacles. Our Mangrove Planting Project is a continuation of the project we started in the last Rotary Year. We intend to replant 20,000 mangrove trees this year. Stop-the-Soot campaign project is also a continuation of the campaign we started last year. We thank the indefatigable Governor of Rivers State for his cooperation so far to stop the proliferation of artisanal refineries that are the main causes of soot in the State” Davies said.
The event honoured the Rivers commissioner for works, George Kelly, a Strategic Manager Ayodele Banjo and free-school ambassador and Pastor, Apostle Chibuzo Chinyere of the OPM, as Eco Ambassador.
Others who were invested as Honorary member of the Rotary Club of Port Hcarcurt Eco includes, Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Hon. Edison Ehie, Chairman of the Rivers State Taskforce on Sanitation, Isobo Jack, Managing Director, Port Harcourt Water Crperation, Chief Ibiba Walter, President of the OPM Divine Distributors, Chief Dr. Matt Offeh and renowned environmental activist Rev Nnimmo Bassey.
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