Friday, January 16, 2026
Home Blog Page 269

2023: Amaechi Meets Uzodimma, APC South-East Chairmen, Delegates in Owerri

By
Ekaette Ibuot
-
0

The Minister of Transportation and Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has met with party delegates from the five South Eastern States, to seek their support and votes in the party’s upcoming primaries.

The consultation visit, hosted by Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma at the APC Secretariat in Owerri, had Party Chairmen, State Executives, Local Government Executives and delegates from Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States.

Amaechi pledged that if given the opportunity, his experience in dealing with insecurity as Governor of Rivers State, will count in tackling same in the country.

“If you ask ‘why will they support us?’ I’m a young man, a bridge between the young and the old, a son of the soil, and I am approachable.”

“I may be one of the youngest, but I’m the most experienced. As Governor of Rivers State, what you’re currently facing here now, I faced in Port Harcourt, and I dealt with it and overcame it. Be rest assured that if we are given this power, we will overcome this crisis by God’s grace.”

Reiterating that he is not a sectional candidate, but a Nigerian candidate, Amaechi recounted his recommendations for appointments as being spread out to different parts of the country. “And when I was giving those recommendations, I never thought I would go for presidential consultations, I just felt there was need for balancing, because we are Nigerians, and if you see my team, it’s made of nearly every zone in the country.

“Give me this opportunity and you will see the difference. Trust me. Once you give me this opportunity, I will be sincere to you and to everybody. We will do our best to make sure that the Igbos are protected, the Yourubas will be protected, the Hausa/Fulani would be protected, everybody will be protected,” Amaechi said.

Amaechi also assured the people that the ongoing reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Eastern rail line would have been completed up to Enugu before the end of the year, adding that he included Owerri to the plan, which was not part of the old line.

He further thanked Governor Uzodinma for his support and for bringing the South East delegates together.

“No presidential aspirant will win the primary election or the general elections without the support of the governors, so we are not taking your (Uzodimma) support for granted. This is introduction, we will come back again to see you, to plead with you, to plead with the party in the whole of South East, the chairmen, the National officers and Zonal officers to support us, Amaechi said.

On his part, Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope assured assured the presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, that the South East stands united to ensure that the APC wins the 2023 presidential election.

He said, “You will come again by the grace of God, either as an aspirant or as a candidate. One strong message I want to give, is that there is a new spirit in the South East for our great party, we have done all the necessary political engineering. APC in South East is united. APC South East is one.”

“We have two Governors of APC in South East. You must have also heard that our second Governor (David Umahi of Ebonyi State) has also declared interest to be president. But this is a contest between a brother and a brother, and when we enter the bedroom we will resolve it.

“We are determined to win, the message we are giving to Nigerians both members of our party, both those who are not of our party, is that the most important thing for our dear party APC is winnability. We want to win. Why? Because we are already doing well.

“So we cannot afford not to win. Today, APC South East will continue to show Nigerians that we are united. The Governor of Ebonyi would have been here, but because he’s expecting the President in a few days time for a State visit, he is not able to come. However, all the delegates from Ebonyi are here. We don’t have any problem with our brother (Amaechi) who is contesting election, we believe in the unity and the leadership of our party, and God knows that all the indications around, are pointing that we will win.

“Our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of the party, will not disappoint Ndigbo, he will not disappoint South East, he will not disappoint South South, he will not disappoint South West if there are Ndigbo there. So we are confident that we are on the right track,” he said.

Renowned Lecturer Laments Nigeria Poor Data Towards Achieving SDGs Target

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0

A renowned lecturer at Enugu State University of Science and Technology , Department of Mass Communication, Mr Anthony Ezinwa has lamented Nigeria poor data for many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.

He made this known in his paper presentation titled : “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Child Rights,” at a two-day Media Dialogue with media practitioners in Enugu on how the SDGs is linked to Child Rights, which showed Nigeria moving at a slow pace toward achieving the goals, which are set to expire in 2030.

The workshop was called at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in partnership with UNICEF which is aimed to study how fulfilling the SDGs will improve child rights, such as access to school, healthcare, reduced malnutrition, and safe water, among many other.

The 17 SDGs are focused on a wide variety of topics such as: No Poverty; No Hunger; Good Health and Well-Being; Quality Education; Gender Equality;
Clean Water and Sanitation;
Affordable and Clean Energy
; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and Reduced Inequalities.

More so, Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; Life On Land; Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and Partnerships for the Goals

Ezinwa hinted that, “Nigeria was ranked 160th on the 2020 world’s SDG index 2020 from 159th in 2019.

“83 million Nigerians, representing 40% of the country’s population, live in poverty. 70.3% of children live in poverty, while 23.3% live in extreme poverty. The statistics dent the country’s drive to achieve the SDG goal one, seeking ‘no poverty.’

“70% of 10-year-olds in Nigerian schools could not understand simple sentences or perform basic numeracy tasks. 

” Estimated 170 million people living in the country, 75 million did not have basic literacy skills. At the same time, 10.5 million children were out-of-school, the highest number of out-of-school children globally. 

“One-third of children in the country were out-of-school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world was a Nigerian”, he explained. 

His presentation, however, doubted the country’s readiness to achieve SDG 4 – Quality Education.

In Nigeria, Ezinwa, further stated that, one in every five women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 reportedly experiencing physical or sexual assault by an intimate partner over the past 12 months.

Women, who make up slightly less than half of the population but account for more than 70% of those living in extreme poverty, cast doubt on the country’s commitment to achieving the SDG’s goal 5 – Gender Equality.

He noted that one-third of the country’s children do not have access to clean water and sanitation, which is goal number six.
    

According to him, “25.5 million Nigerian children are experiencing high or extremely high-water vulnerability, while 209 million Nigerians use water contaminated at the point of collection.

“In addition to 46 million people who defecate in the open – the highest rate in the world.

” SDGs goal 7 – affordable and clean energy – he said 789 million people globally lacked access to electricity, with 548 million of the number living in sub-Saharan Africa. 

“Power supply has been a challenge in Nigeria, with the national grid collapsing multiple times yearly, leaving the nation without a power supply, thereby grounding economic activities. 

“The United States Government estimates that Nigeria, estimated at 200 million people, depends on about 4,000 megawatts of power, despite having the capacity to generate 12,522 MW of electric power from its existing plants.

“As of 2019, Nigeria’s population was 195.87 million, and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $397.27 billion, according to the US”, he added.

Ezinwa, however, supplied global data for other SDGs, but not for Nigeria specifically. Climate change, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, justice, and strong institutions are all concerns that the country is grappling with.

Recalled that, all 193 member states of the United Nation have adopted 17 global goals to be achieved by 2030, known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. The SDGs offer a framework and blueprint for achieving sustainable global prosperity and commit participating countries to individual and joint action for the good of all on the planet. The SDGs are a successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which ran from 2000 to 2015.

Each of the overarching 17 goals is underpinned by several targets that add specificity and measurability. For example, SDG6 on water features specific targets for water quality, access to drinking, access to sanitation, water use efficiency, and more. 

Each country adopting the SDGs is responsible for establishing a national policy that offers a concrete plan for achieving SDGs in their country. Organizations and institutions are also encouraged to frame their own strategic objectives around the SDGs, creating a global task force of cooperation and joint interest.

World Malaria Day: Malaria Remains Significant Public Health, Development Challenge , WHO

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0
Moeti
WHO Regional Director for Africa

… Calls on Countries To Work Towards Eliminating It, Achieving SDGs

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti has hinted that malaria remains a significant public health and development challenge with about 95% of the estimated 228 million cases occurred in the WHO/AFRO Region, along with 602 020 reported deaths last year.

She further stated that, Six of our countries, the worst-impacted by malaria in the Region, are reported to have accounted for up to 55% of cases globally, and for 50% of these deaths.

She, however, called on countries and communities affected by malaria to work closely with development partners to advance our countries along the road to elimination, while contributing to the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals.

Moeti gave this hint in her message to commemorate 2022 World Malaria Day with this year’s theme, “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”, aligns with my call to urgently scale up innovation and the deployment of new tools in the fight against malaria, while advocating for equitable access to malaria prevention and treatment, within the context of building health system resilience

She said; “World Malaria Day is marked annually on 25 April to focus global attention on malaria, and its devastating impact on families, communities, and societal development, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Despite some slowing of progress to reduce malaria cases and deaths, and the disruptions to health services caused by COVID-19, we are still much further ahead than we were in 2000. We need to reignite that momentum, and build on the recent advances.

“For example, seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) campaigns were implemented as planned in 2021, ensuring protection for an additional 11.8 million children. Indoor residual spraying was also carried out, and long-lasting insecticidal nets distributed, largely as planned.

“Other notable achievements include the scaled implementation of RTS,S vaccine pilots in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, which reached up to 900 000 children.

“The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of people catching and dying from malaria. This requires a focus on research and on leveraging available evidence to ensure that our targeted interventions are an efficient use of resources, which produce measurable results.

“We also need to work on drug and insecticide resistance, as well as focus on new strains of malaria arising in the Region, which are more difficult to detect, and treat”, she explained.

Moeti further stated that, Malaria is, however, about much than medical and technological interventions. Malaria affects households and communities, and these communities need to be empowered to play an active role in the fight against this disease. As WHO in Africa, we recognize that a whole-of-society approach requires us to listen to, and learn from, those who are worst impacted.

World Malaria Day today is an occasion to renew political commitment and encourage continued investment in malaria prevention and control.
The past year has seen significant breakthroughs in malaria prevention and control, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Landmark recommendations on the use of the first vaccine against malaria – RTS,S – were released by the World Health Organization late last year. This vaccine will be used to prevent malaria among children aged six months to five years, who live in moderate- to high-transmission settings.

While this is a groundbreaking advance in the development of new tools to fight this disease, with the potential to save millions of lives, supplies are currently limited. As such, it is important to ensure that the doses that are available are utilized for maximum impact, while ensuring continued availability of other preventive measures to those most at risk.

Saying, I personally, and the WHO Regional Office in Africa, remain fully committed to the fight against malaria. I believe we can overcome the challenge if we collaborate closely with governments, partners and communities.

Together, we can accelerate our efforts to achieve a malaria-free Africa.

Cholera Outbreaks Recurrent Public Health Challenge , Ehanire

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0

…Hails WHO For Organizing Training On Integration Of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV)

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has said that cholera outbreaks has become a recurrent public health challenge in many low and lower middle income countries, like ours, despite efforts at control.

While applauding the World Health Organization (WHO) for organizing training on the integration of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in emergency and preventative settings, he added that this noble and worthwhile project is a tool for cholera prevention and control.

He did note, however, that vaccine availability has been limited, which has hampered its use and the much-anticipated impact on Nigeria.

He said, the first recorded appearance of cholera at epidemic level in Nigeria was in 1972, with gradually increasing numbers of outbreaks over the years, along with marked mortality and morbidity, and expenses associated with treatment and management.

Ehanire added that, the traditional measures for cholera prevention and control have been to provide potable water and improve hygiene and sanitation. Science has however, over the years, risen to the task, with the development of oral cholera vaccine, now certified as effective enough to be recommended for disease prevention and control.

The Minister made this known at the WHO training on the integration of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in emergency and preventative contexts on Monday in Abuja.

According to him, “I am delighted to welcome you all to Nigeria for this important training, aimed to integrate oral cholera vaccination into the emergency and preventive measures of our country.

“I commend the World Health Organisation (WHO) for this laudable and desirable initiative, a tool for prevention and control of cholera outbreaks, which has for some time now, become a recurrent seasonal public health challenge in many Low and lower middle income countries, like ours, despite efforts at control.

“I therefore welcome this training as a prelude to equitable access to this vaccine, and another step towards our goal of better Health for all. I believe it will strengthen our health system by reducing, or even removing one more public health nuisance by vaccination.

“I implore all participants to make best use of this opportunity and put in their best in the one week training to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to use the vaccine to eliminate cholera as a recurrent health problem.

“I conclude by again welcoming you all and appreciating the effort of the World Health Organisation in keeping us safe. All of you, especially those who are visiting Nigeria for the first time, can take the time and opportunity to also enjoy the sights and sounds of Abuja”, he stressed.

Also, the Director General, Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa reiterated the need for the early allocation and shipment of these vaccines to ensure these vaccinations and carries out sooner than later.

Represented by the NCDC Deputy , Director of Surveillance, Mr. Yenan Sebastian said Nigeria has just degraded its biggest Cholera outbreak which commenced in 2021 with over 100,000 suspected cases reported. We are mindful of the support by different partners/donors through WHO for the response, including reactive vaccination with over 1.7 million persons vaccinated each with 2 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccination(OCV) across 7 LGAs in 4 states of Bauchi, Jigawa, Yobe and Zamfara.
Working in line with the preparedness towards future campaigns, we believe that the recently approved GTFCC application for Nigeria with approximately 9million doses of OCV to implement two campaigns in 14 LGAs in 9 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, would significantly mitigate the risk of and upsurge of cholera cases during this raining season.

Speaking on the challenges identified during 2021 annual GTFCC stakeholder meeting, including a) Poor quality reactive and preventative OCV campaign requests b) Lack of OCV use as an outbreak response in some settings and c) Inadequate monitoring and evaluation of OCV campaigns and need to be addressed sooner than later.

According to him, he said they are confident that the opportunity of this training for knowledge sharing from the three levels of the organization and the multiple country participants, will not only help improve on the gaps identified but also ensure that countries are better prepared to request, plan and implement quality campaigns with OCV as part of their national Cholera control plans and further contribute the long-term goal of Ending Cholera by 2030.

“Cholera control efforts is a holistic one including more than just vaccination. The need to address issues around WASH remains critical in the long term. This brings to bear the need to improved coordination of cholera control efforts and ensure that clean and safe water as well as improve hygienic practices as highlighted in the Cholera control plans are implemented in a sustainable manner to ensure we achieve the desired goal.

“We look forward to the outputs of this training and assure you of WHO Nigeria’s support to the Government of Nigeria in implementing the NCP (when finalized), including ensuring quality vaccination campaigns while also monitoring and evaluating the implementation of this plan”, he stated.

Also, the WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, Walter Kazadi Mulombo said WHO Director General , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has set priority for the next five years.

He said one of the key thing in the training is revisiting tools and system to prepare, detect and respond to outbreaks of future pandemic.

He added that , Director General called on all member states to embrace the one health approach.

Similarly, the Executive Director , National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA) Dr Faisal Shuaib said, we had outbreak last year and the timely release of vaccines was very helpful.

Represented by Dr Bassey Okoposen said they have National Technical Working group, while reassuring WHO, others partners that the vaccines will be effectively made use of

In addition, Gavi Programme Officer, Allyson Russell said they are committed to support countries to control cholera around the world.

She said , they have supported countries with cholera vaccines for the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Focal point person for the OCV, Malika Bouhenia said the use of cholera vaccine is very important and has good impact on the control of cholera and other activities such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

She said the use of vaccine keep increasing in many countries for outbreaks.

Local Bitumen Production Will Lower Cost Of Road Construction- Adegbite

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0
Minister for Mines & Steel, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite
Minister for Mines & Steel, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, has hinted that local bitumen production will lower the cost of road construction in Nigeria.

The minister stated this during a news conference in Abuja on the concession of Nigeria’s defined bitumen blocks, as the country began the process of domestic bitumen production.

Local bitumen production, on the other hand, would save the country foreign cash and produce revenue for the government, he said.

According to Adegbite, the country’s bitumen reserves are ranked sixth in the world in terms of reserve size.

He noted that the nation was endowed with a bitumen reserve size of 42.74 billion metric tonnes, which had remained unexploited for years.

The Minister added that the country was now poised to begin the production of bitumen locally as it had appointed a transaction advisor to oversee the process.

According to him: “To ensure that Nigeria’s bitumen resources are fully harnessed for industrial and infrastructural development, I constituted a nine-member Ministerial Bitumen Development Committee on 31 January 2020. The Committee carried out an inventory of internal existing infrastructure; compiled available geological information; re-established contact with previous interested companies and developed a framework for transparent allocation of the Bitumen resources.

“An important part of the Committee’s recommendations was to finalize the process of engaging a Transaction Advisor to ensure the concession process is open, transparent and in accordance with global best practices as enshrined in the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, 2007. The Bureau of Public Procurement, issued a notification of no-objection on 16th June, 2021.

“Subsequently, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development issued a letter of award on 11th November, 2021 to PricewaterhouseCoopers to act as its Transaction Advisor and Program Manager for the concessioning of bitumen blocks to potential investors.”

The minister also revealed that many international and local investors had expressed interest in bidding for the bitumen blocks.

Adegbite revealed that the country was endowed with high grade bitumen which was easy to mine due to its proximity to the surface.

He said: “My office has been bombarded by several interested party both locally and internationally and I have always told them to wait for when the process is opened for bidding, which would be transparent and in accordance with best international practices. There is so much interest in our bitumen because the mineral is of the highest grade and close to the surface which makes mining less expensive.’

The minister also assured prospective investors of the huge local demand for the mineral. “Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 400 million in 2050, up from the present estimate of 203 million, given the present population growth rate of 2.5 percent. The World Bank projects that Nigeria’s current urbanization rate of 52% will increase by 4% annually.

Furthermore, 90 percent of goods, such as food and building materials, are transported by road to meet the demands of this rising population. This will increase demand for road infrastructure and put additional strain on the current road network, resulting in higher demand for asphalt for construction and maintenance.

Bitumen is a crucial component of asphalt that is used in road construction and once we begin to produce bitumen locally we will have a stable price that does not fluctuate with the exchange rate,’ he said.

The minister further revealed that the nation had a huge infrastructural deficit with regard to paved road.

He disclosed that only about 60,000 km out of 200,000 km of road networks was paved, which presented an inherent demand for bitumen. “This considerable road infrastructure deficit presents an inherent demand for bitumen. Hence, the development of Bitumen will lead to import substitution, local content development and increased value addition of the mining industry to the domestic economy, thereby creating jobs and generating revenue for government,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State Dr Uche Ogah, in his remarks noted that the ministry’s plan to develop bitumen was in fulfillment of the mandate given it by Mr. president, to diversify the economy away from oil. Ogah also thanked the bitumen committee for the hard work it had done.

Abuja Airport Ready to Introduce Park ‘N’ Pay for Motorists

By
Ekaette Ibuot
-
0

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has disclosed plans to introduce a more organized park and pay for motorists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Speaking to the leadership of the Abuja Transportation and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA), the airport manager/Regional general manager North Central, Kabir Mohammed said this is aimed at bringing sanity to the airport.

Mohammed said that the development is aimed at eradicating and stopping touts from harassing and extorting money from drivers who bring in passengers into the airport.

He added that, as parts of the ongoing reorganisations at the airport, the rowdy taxi drivers and the illegal businesses going on at the front of the departure hall at airport will be properly addressed.

Also, in order to curb the issue of the traffic Jam at the toll gate of the airport, which affected staff, airport users and passengers, the airport manager has commissioned a taskforce which constitutes of himself and head of department to supervise at the toll gate on a daily basis with the sole aim of managing the inflow of
traffic into airport.

This effort has improved on the situation to a great extent, making entry into the airport easier.

Mohammed has proposed the relocation of the Mosque to a more comfortable location for easy vehicular movement within the airport and as well as expanding the car park.

He has also proposed the introduction of shuttle buses for staff, stakeholders and airport users, as well as a staff welfare & recreation centre.

Introduction of staff weekly/monthly reporting which has made positive impact on staff discipline and performance.

At Age 83, Alaafin Joins Ancestors

By
Ola Akinola
-
0

The residents of Oyo town will never forget April 22, 2022, when Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the town’s longest-serving monarch, passed away on Friday evening.

Oba Adeyemi III, whose father was Oba Adeyemi II, died at the age of 83 after reigning as Alaafin for 52 years.

According to an inside source, Iku Babayeye suffered a slight injury during one of his usual exercises and was going to be taken abroad before passing away.

”He was taken to hospital early this week and an arrangement to fly him abroad have been concluded but he couldn’t go”

It was gathered that Alaafin gave up the ghost at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti,  where he has been for routine medical check-up.

His remains have been moved to Oyo town in the earliest part of Saturday and was received at Idi-Igba by his first son, Prince ‘Tunde, and his other siblings and handed it over to the Oyomesi for traditional rites and others.

He succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970, during the governorship of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo.

The head of the Oyomesi, Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade  Ayoola, is expected to take over pending the appointment of a new Alaafin.

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, is expected to be briefed officially Saturday morning by the Basorun.

The departure of Oba Adeyemi makes it three, the numbers of prominent Oyo state kings that have joined their ancestors in the last five month. Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi died December 12, 2021 while Olubadan Saliu Adetunji died January 2, 2022.

Islamic Scholar Condemns Muslims for Publicizing Acts of Worship on Social Media.

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0

Associate Prof Muhammad Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemo, a renowned Islamic scholar, has warned Muslims against advertising their acts of worship on social media sites, which he refers to as “Riya” (an act of worship meant for the public to notice).

He gave this warning on Saturday evening during his annual Ramadan Tafseer at the Gwallaga Juma’at Mosque in Bauchi.

He claimed that any act of worship that is made public for the whole public to see is not rewarded by Allah (SWA).

According to him, “How can someone who embarked on a spiritual trip of Um’ra or Hajj start taking selfies at the time of boarding a flight or at arrival,” Sheik Lemo remarked, referring specifically to Muslims who embarked on Um’ra (lesser hajj).

“Some people even took selfies at the Ka’aba just to let their followers know that they were there.

“Such people should know that any act of worship that has an iota of Riya in it, Allah (SWA) those not reward such acts of worship.

“They posts their pictures for people to know they are there and their followers duly acknowledged that and that is their reward”, the Sheik cautioned.

He also urged social media communities following such people on their pages to always remind them on their actions and to advise them to desist from such acts in the comments sections of the posters.

As usual, the Associate Prof supported his argument with relevant quotations from the Holy Qur’an and Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

UNICEF Urges Legislators To Make Laws That Are In Children’s Best Interests

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0

Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, a communications specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has urged legislators to pass legislation that prioritize the interests of children in all aspects of life.

He did, however, imply that a few years ago, some people were clamoring for Ministry of Children’s Affairs in order to protect children’s interests, but the argument was that children’s interests are taken care of in most ministries.

He made this known in an interview during a Two day media dialogue with media practitioners on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Child Rights’ organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

He said, ministries budget must be child friendly, when you disaggregate the data, you will see the components that affect development in all areas such as education, health, protections among many others. These are things we are looking for in the laws that are being made.

Responding to a question from newsmen on parenting, Dr Njoku said, parents should focus more on their children, children’s number one enemy is internet and number one friend is also internet. This is because a lot of good things are in there. We need to make sure that the children are guided to do the right things, guided to be protected against bullies, predator and paedophile both online and offline.

He hinted that, parent should not abdicate the training of our children to housemaids, children may not respect them as their parents.

He also called on all states who are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act do so with all urgency.

Flood: FCTA Strikes Gwarinpa Demolishes Over 400 Illegal Structures

By
Toyin Adebayo
-
0

More than 400 illegal structures in Gwarinpa, Abuja, have been demolished by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The Development Control team and the FCT Tasks team on City Sanitation stormed the area and demolished over 400 illegal structures that had been illegally converted from corner shops to residential buildings, as well as others that were blocking the waterway.

Tlp. Murkhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control, who spoke to journalists at the event, bemoaned the area’s poor hygiene and sanitation, claiming that waste is being dumped directly into the stream, which is a ticking time bomb.

According to him, “This place you are seeing are not suppose to be houses, they were actually corner shops but people have converted them to residential abode. We have over 400 shops that were converted to residential buildings.

“We are working with Federal Housing Authority, we had some discussions with them on how to convert it into a modern mall but for now the thing that is called corner shops is not being used for that particular purpose, it being used as residential buildings. And when you look at the number of people staying here, the hygiene and sanitation is zero so for safety reasons it is better to remove them”.

While speaking on notice of demolition, he said they were given 1 month notice, “We gave them over a month notice, I remember we came here for sensitization and we marked it. When you go round you see the markings on the wall”.

He decried the fact that people built on water ways, “What we are trying to do is to recover the flood plain within Gwarinpa, People built on water way. The area is not properly planned because they are just discharging their waste directly to the stream. And this could be a source of epidemic, so it is a time bomb waiting to happen. If we don’t take action immediately the consequences is unimaginable.

“Definitely I will advice them not to interfere with water channels and to also tell others that guilty that we are coming for them”.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Comrade Ikahro Attah, said he was shocked at the level of illegality in that area,
“I am very surprised at the level of illegality here, thanks to Development Control who spotted this illegality here. People decided to build on water way,constructing on stream making this area Gwarinpa prone to flooding.

“They even pushed the stream to a point that if there is an heavy rain,there will be massive flooding and this is a disaster waiting to happen. Very sad here, the FCTA through Federal Capital Territory, Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and other components agencies had given warning , the Federal Government had given warning through the water resources, NIMET also warned against an impending flooding. But people decided to build on the flood plain and they are arguing about 15 meters but they built zero meters some are on minus 3 meters and thereby constricting the water way so when disaster struck, they will say Government is not serious. And that is why we are removing all of them by the water corridor”.

On number of house that would be removed, he said, the work is still ongoing but all houses on the water plain are going, “We are counting them, we don’t know the number yet. The Development Control are really showing commitment to save lives, so that flooding would not happen in Gwarinpa.

“The FCTA is really committed to ensure lives are not lost as a result of flooding”.

He , however,lamented that, “Not even one soak away in the whole community, once they defecates, urinate everything comes straight to the stream, they cannot dig soak away because it is a water bed. Once anyone defecates in his house it comes to the stream and that is an epidemic a disaster that is waiting to happen. We are also trying to prevent flooding so that when rain comes, it will have a wilder flood plain to pass through”.

1...268269270...445Page 269 of 445

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Newsfocus is your news, sports,politics, entertainment, music fashion website. We offer you the latest breaking news and videos straight from the sports and entertainment industry across the world.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© 2020 Focus Media . All Rights Reserved