Rivers State Youth Assembly: Strong voice of the Speaker

L-R: Tonye Jeminimiema, Speaker, Rivers State Youth Assembly, with Martins Giadom, EMR chairman

His name is Tonye Jeminimiema, but he has many titles, Doctor, Honourable, Ambassador, etc. So, when he raises a voice, it carries huge authority and echoes across the Niger Delta. He is the Speaker of the Rivers Youth Assembly.

He used this strong voice to laud the Energy and Maritime Reporters (EMR) group of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for its role in maritime development.

The EMR, led by Martins Giadom of Radio Rivers, had paid a visit to their office in the Borokiri area of the Garden City. The EMR chairman said Jeminimiema’s leadership has so far helped to sustain peace in the state. He added that the peaceful disposition of Rivers youths has boosted oil exploration and production in the Niger Delta, enabling Nigeria to meet its OPEC (oil producing and exporting countries) production quota.

Giadom added that the visit was to appreciate the Speaker’s contributions to smooth maritime operations in the region. He also extended an invitation to the Speaker and Rivers youths to the forthcoming EMR Maritime Day celebration in the state.

Responding, Jeminimiema thanked EMR for recognizing the role of youths in state development. He commended Gov Sim Fubara for fostering peace, saying the governor’s disposition created a conducive environment for increased federal revenue from oil and gas operations.

The Speaker highlighted Fubara’s achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, human capital development, and youth capacity building, and wished him a second term.

Meanwhile, EMR says it is open to partnering with stakeholders to mark this year’s World Maritime Day through its EMR Roundtable platform.

At its latest roundtable, the group canvassed for increased investment in the Research and Development (R&D) departments of International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta, saying it would drive innovation and help diversify Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.

EMR also called on the Federal Government to take advantage of the current calm in the Gulf of Guinea to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production quota and boost the local economy.

The group which has kick-started a television programme in partnership with the Rivers State Television (RSTV) has called on companies and groups to sponsor the programme so reporting of energy and maritime as well as the blue economy could be intensified to attract investments in the oil region.