RCE Port Harcourt

Date of RCE Acknowledgement:
June, 2015

Description of RCE and Geographic Region:
RCE Port Harcourt covers about 2,500 hectares of Greater Port Harcourt City (GPHC), which comprises eight (Eleme; Emohua; Etche; Ikwerre; Obio/Akpor; Okrika; Oyigbo; Port Harcourt City) local government areas out of the 23 in Rivers State. The GPHC is a long-term project implemented by the Rivers State Government of Nigeria for ressing infrastructural decay occasioned by population increase. Port Harcourt City, the Capital of Rivers State, is located in the south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria, also referred to as the Niger Delta region and is about 830 km from Abuja (the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria). The City hosts four higher educational institutions namely: University of Port Harcourt; Rivers State University; Rivers State College of Arts and Science; and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. Other facilities situated there are: an international airport, two seaports, a Games Village, two Integrated Cultural Centres, three multipurpose stadia, several indigenous and international oil and gas companies, and the 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital including the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Generally, the RCE was established to ress three key sustainable development challenges namely:
Pollution Control and Environmental Remediation – through a technical and socio-political approach;
Climate Change Resilience and Poverty Reduction – through support for petrochemicals, agro-based, eco-tourism industries, etc, and
Human Capital Development – through formal, non-formal and informal education.

Photo: Geographical scope of Greater Port Harcourt

Organisation Hosting RCE Secretariat:
University of Port Harcourt

Goals and Objective:
(i) Vision
To be a Regional Centre of Expertise facilitating research for development collaborations and promoting Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship towards increased environmental consciousness, ecosystem integrity, economic viability, and social capital in Greater Port Harcourt City.
(ii) Goal
Creating safe, healthy and viable urban, peri-urban and rural ecosystems through evidence-based process for improved wellness and climate-smart livelihoods in Greater Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria.
(iii) Long Term Objectives
To support bioremediation of polluted soils and restore degraded lands in Greater Port Harcourt City area and Niger Delta region.
To advocate inclusion of sustainable development contents in the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
To develop mitigation strategies for climate-induced risks, hazards and natural disasters.
To disseminate positive results from projects.
(iv) Short Term Objectives
To engage persons living in Greater Port Harcourt City on biodiversity protection and conservation.
To empower stakeholders from impacted communities of Greater Port Harcourt City on existing environmental regulations and control standards for increased sustainable development capacity.
To raise agricultural entrepreneurs among small and medium size enterprises in Greater Port Harcourt City for sustainable livelihood and poverty reduction.
To support campaigns for reintegrating school drop-outs and minimise it among females.
Target groups/Network:
Educational institutions (primary; secondary; tertiary; non-formal/informal)
Oil and gas industry players;
Community interface NGOs;
Environmental consciousness and rights-based NGOs, and
Farmers groups and agri-based NGOs

Key Partners:
Name of organisation: Science Institute, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Role: Science education for sustainable development
Contact name: Professor Onyewuchi Akaranta
Contact email: onyewuchi.akaranta@uniport.edu.ng; o.akaranta@rceportharcourt.org
Name of organisation: Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (IARD), University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Role: Agricultural education for sustainable development
Contact name: Professor Ibisime Etela
Contact email: ibisime.etela@uniport.edu.ng; i.etela@rceportharcourt.org
Name of organisation: Community Inter-Relations and Conciliation Initiative (CIRCI), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Role: Team building/environmental consciousness for sustainable development
Contact name: Sir Anthony W. Lawrence
Contact email: tonylawrence942@gmail.com; tonylawrence1959@yahoo.com
Name of organisation: Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Role: Environmental consciousness/project management and administration
Contact name: Dr. Nenibarini Zabbey
Contact email: zabbeyn@yahoo.com; zabbey@cehrd.com
Name of organisation: Foundation for Agric and Social Transformation (FAST), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Role: Agribusiness and entrepreneurial skills education and community participation for innovation and sustainable development
Contact name: Dr. Julius N. Ingweye
Contact email: jiningweye@gmail.com; info@fastng.org
Name of organisation: Trans-Border Missionaries Interface Initiative (TMII), Rumuobiakani, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Role: Community engagement and environmental management for sustainable development
Contact name: Dr. Emmanuel O. Emmanuel
Contact email: tmnigeria@yahoo.com