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Minister task stakeholders on implementation of Persons With Disabilities Act

Minister task stakeholders on implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Disabilities
Abuja, March 28, 2019 (NAN) The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, has tasked stakeholders on proper implementation of the Persons With Disabilities Act and prosecution of violators.
Abubakar gave the task during a stakeholders meeting and development of an implementation strategy for popularisation of the Discrimination against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act on Thursday in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Rehabilitation, Mrs Nkechi Onuwukwe, the minister said the meeting was aimed at acquainting stakeholders with the provisions of the Act and to come up with a drafting imply strategy for the new Act.
“The signing of the Nigerian Disability Law by the President has demonstrated this administration’s transparency and empathy towards this vulnerable group.
“It is the first time in the history of our nation that PWDs are being given their rightful place and attention officially focused on them to highlight their issues and concerns.
“Thus, in a bid to popularise some of the provisions of the new Act, among stakeholders, and equally develop implementation strategies in order to prioritise some the provisions, this meeting has become very important,’’ she said.
Abubakar however called on the stakeholders to work together to ensure that millions of Nigerians living with disabilities were given a sense of belonging, adding that all hands must be on deck to achieve.
The Chairman, Nigeria Association of the Blind, FCT, Mr Ekujeronye Obinna, said although the bill had lingered for 18 years, appreciated the president for signing the bill into law.
“No stone should be left unturned, the implementation should be done to fullest and the establishment of Commission for PWDs will address the plight of PWDs in the country.
“At least PWDs who are educated could have jobs and it will go a long way to address unemployment,’’ he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Mrs Ifeoma Anagbogu, who was represented by the Assistant Director Rehabilitation, Mr Sunday Hezekiah, said the meeting would awake the consciousness and responsibilities towards the global realisation PWDs welfare and the need to pay attention as one of the most important social units of every community. (NAN)
OEO/FF/MST
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Implement Child Right Act to curb malnutrition – CISLAC urges FG

Implement Child Right Act to curb malnutrition – CISLAC urges FG
By Angela Atabo
Malnutrition
Abuja, Dec. 24, 2018 (NAN) The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), an NGO, on Monday appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the full implementation of Child Rights Act to effect adequate nutrition status as a child right.
Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of CISLAC, made the call while addressing newsmen on the Status of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Nigeria and the human rights of the Nigerian child in Abuja.
Rafsanjani said that the call became imperative because sustainable growth in Nigeria would not be achieved without prioritised attention to scale-up and sustain investment for nutrition.
“Adequate nutrition status constitutes component of the rights of a child enshrines under Section 13(1) of the Child Rights Act 2013, which provides for every child to enjoy the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health.
“More importantly, Section 3 mandates the government to reduce infant and child mortality, ensure health service, and provide nutrition and most importantly provide affordable primary health care service,’’ he said.
He said that Nigeria was blessed with enough resources to curb the menace of malnutrition so that no child would have to die, but corruption was limiting the process.
He urged governments at all levels to be responsive and responsible to tackling malnutrition so as to save the future generation of the country.
Ms Lovelyn Gabriel, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, CISLAC, said that malnutrition by implication increased susceptibility to infection, slow recovery from illness, low quality breast milk and development.
Gabriel said that an estimated 2.5 million Nigerian children under-five suffer from severe acute malnutrition annually, exposing nearly 420,000 children under-five to early death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria.
She said that apart from challenges associated with poor domestication of policy, other shortcomings like weak nutrition governance and non-implementation of strategic plan, among others, were prevalent across many states.
“The future of Nigeria seemed bleak with the huge number of children under age of five that were unlikely to see their fifth birthdays as shown by statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics.
“The highest prevalence of global acute malnutrition based on middle upper arm circumference was reported in Zamfara with 10.3 per cent, followed by Katsina with 8.5 per cent and Sokoto with 8.4 per cent.
“The lowest was recorded in Imo with 0.8 per cent, followed by Anambra with 1.3 per cent then Bayelsa has 1.9 per cent, Delta two per cent, Kaduna 2.4 per cent and Jigawa 2.1 per cent.’’
Gabriel said that lack of uniformity in data presentation across levels of government on nutrition budgetary allocation and utilisation, inadequate legislative oversight on nutrition budget and delay in budgetary release hampered funding for nutrition.
She said that Nasarawa State fell within the worst hit region on malnutrition prevalence with 37.2 per cent, yet it had the least released counterpart funding.
She said that Sokoto ranked among the 12 northern states with high malnutrition and also lagged in counterpart funding, thereby putting the state at risk of socio-economic setback.
She said that the statistics buttressed the fact that a high percentage of Nigerian children were denied their fundamental right to life through inadequate provisions and releases of funds for treatment of acute malnutrition.
She noted that only Kaduna State provided the full counterpart funding as promised, adding that most states failed in keeping to their promise.
Gabriel said that government at all levels needed to take opportunity of the available matching funds by development partners before the Dec. 31 deadline to address the nutrition scourge across the country.
She also called for the release of funds committed to treatment of acute malnutrition in the 2018 budget and includes the treatment in the 2019 budget.
She called for the prioritisation of the establishment of community management of acute malnutrition programmes in states and implementation of National Health Act 2014.
She also called for improved focus on prevention and support early child development centres across the country to sustain nutrition interventions. (NAN)
ATAB/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

S/East adopts Child Rights Act – NAN Checks

S/East adopts Child Rights Act – NAN Checks
Rights
Enugu, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) Some state in the South East region have adopted the Child Rights Act to stop abuses in the process of child adoption, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The states included Enugu, Imo and Anambra, while Ebonyi and Abia states were yet to respond to a survey conducted by NAN.
NAN recalls that the Act was promulgated in 2006 by the Federal Government for domestication by states to protect the rights of children in the country.
Respondents to the survey on child adoption process in South-East states said the process of adoption had been made been simplified and made free.
The stakeholders expressed delight over the development and called for full implementation of the law with enforceable sanctions.

In Enugu, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, the Chairman of Child Adoption Committee of the Ministry of Gender Affairs, said that child adoption was simplified and made easier presently in the state since the committee was inaugurated.

He said the committee, which has seasoned professionals, community and religious leaders, was constituted by the state government in 2016 after the state passed and signed the Child Right Act into law.

Chukwuma, also the Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Ecclesiastical Province, revealed that the committee had received over 4,000 applications of people who wanted to adopt a child in the state.

He said that the application would go through due consideration and investigation, while the process must be backed legally “to ensure that the child’s right is well protected’’.

The chairman said that the government through the committee ensures that those that wants to adopt any child are credible people with the capacity to take good care of the child without any form of molestation “since the governor is concerned about the future of these children’’.

“The adopted children are gotten from mothers who do not need the child. The mother is made to sign an undertaken that she does not need the child and that the government should assume responsibility of the child henceforth.

“The adoption process is very easy and not cumbersome. It begins after credibility of the adopter had been ascertained together with some other investigations. When this is concluded, we then place the child accordingly.

“We as religious leaders play the role of counselling the parents and child that have been adopted.

“The responsibility of the adopter is to perform all necessary duties as should be done by a parent if it were to be their biological child.

“The adopted child is entitled to all the parents’ inheritance and that’s the essence of the legal framework done before adoption process is concluded.

“They should not see themselves as foster parents because adoption in this case is totally different and holistic,’’ he explained.

NAN recalls that a week ago the committee met with the state’s Chief Judge on modalities to create family courts that would tackle child and family related cases including child abuse, molestation, trafficking and divorces, among other issues.
However, an Enugu-based human rights lawyer, Mr Olu Omotayo, said that although the Child Right Act had been signed in the state, it had not be domesticated since some physical and institutional provisions of the law were yet to be on ground in the state.
Omotayo, who is the former South-East Coordinator of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), stressed that the family courts and child foster homes that are important institutions needed and embedded in the Act, were not yet to be established.
He thanked Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for setting up the Child Adoption Committee that is bringing sanity, probity and responsibility to the whole issue of child adoption and welfare of adopted children in the state.
On rising cases of baby factories especially in the South-East, the human rights lawyer noted that the negative development had continued to grow since government officials and security agencies refused to take concrete action against the development.
“For some cases of baby factories and sales of babies I have investigated, it is clear that there is a tacit compromise between government officials and law enforcement agencies in protecting culprits involved and the homes or make-shift hospitals where these girls deliver and hand over their babies inappropriately,’’ he said.
In Owerri, a staff of the Ministry of Gender and Social Development, Mr Obinna Nneji, stated that adoption in the state was free.
Nneji however said a thorough evaluation and assessment of intending parents is done to determine their eligibility and preparedness.
He said applicants have to submit their application at a family court together with their marriage certificate, age declaration and certificate of medical fitness.
“Applicants are further investigated to ensure they will be able to raise a child satisfactorily.
“The income of the couple is investigated and their home inspected to ensure they satisfy the safety requirements in accordance with the Child Rights Act.
“Great care is taken to ensure that biological parents of adopted children sign undertakings that they willingly relinquish their rights to the child to avoid legal problems.
“This gives the adoptive parents the right to fully claim the child as theirs and procure a birth certificate after the adoption is finalised,’’ he said.
Nneji also said that the child upon adoption becomes entitled to the same rights as any other child the couple might have had biologically.
He stressed that the safety and welfare of the child is given priority in any adoption process.
An adoptive mother of two who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that adoption in the state could be done in less than five months or take as much as two years, depending on the process followed.
According to her, going through private homes for unmarried mothers such as those run by churches and managed by reverend sisters, is often easier as the paper work is easier.
She said that although the process of applying and determination of eligibility was similar, government owned institutions take longer to process.
She added also that while you would not pay for adopting through the government established orphanages, the fees are often exorbitant in privately run institutions.
According to her, most couples prefer going to such private institutions because of the shorter waiting list.
“Although you pay next to nothing when you apply through the state ministry in charge of adoption, you might have to wait for years before you can get your child.
“The process is somewhat fast tracked if you know someone who would be willing to move your name up on the waiting list.
“The process of adopting my first child through the government cost nothing less than N350,000 but it took a while before it got to my turn.
“However, I was advised to go through private means when I wanted to adopt my second child; in addition to a fee of N650,000.
“I also bought foodstuff and other provisions to donate for the care of other children in the orphanage where l adopted from.
“It cost me a total of N1.2 million for the second adoption including the baby care items they insisted l must buy and submit for inspection but l got my child four months from when l first applied,” she said.
However, in Anambra, Mrs Iruka Nwokedi, the state Deputy Coordinator of Coalition of Eastern Non-Governmental Organisations (CENGOS), urged governments to quicken the process of child adoption.
Nwokedi said quickening child adoption process by the state ministry of social welfare and women affairs would eliminate the patronage of baby factories.
“In Anambra, the first port of call is the Ministry of Women Affairs where one fills a form and is screened.
“It is only when the ministry is convinced that the adoption is not for trafficking that the process begins.
“There are many people on the queue who desire to adopt a child but most of them are frustrated and have resorted to visiting baby factories because the process is cumbersome due to bureaucracy,” she said.
Nwokedi, who is also a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), said in spite of the domestication of the Child Rights Act in the state, stigma still persist in the society.
“The problem why people don’t really go for adoption is because of the perception and stigma that goes with it, especially among uninformed persons,” she added.
Nwokedi expressed concern over the emergence of more baby factories in the state, noting that individuals pay about N300,000 to adopt a female child while the male child goes for about N500,000. (NAN)
Reporters/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FG explains delay in implementation of National Tobacco Control Act

FG explains delay in implementation of National Tobacco Control Act
By Mustapha Sumaila
Tobacco
Keffi (Nasarawa State), July 24, 2018 (NAN) Dr Nnenna Ezeigwe, the National Coordinator, Non-Communicable Disease Control Division, Federal Ministry of Health, said the need to regulate some provisions of the National Tobacco Control Act caused the delay in its implementation.
Ezeigwe made this known in her presentation at one-day training of some government officials on Tobacco Taxation in Nigeria in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday.
The training was organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Tobacco Tax Advocacy in Africa.
Represented by Dr Malau Toma, a Branch Head of Tobacco Control Unit, the Coordinator said that 70 per cent of the provisions required regulations before the full implementation of the law.
She said that those provisions had been worked on, presented and approved by the Federal Executive Council.
According to her, any moment, it will be sent back to National Assembly for final approval.
“We have developed a work plan on other ones that require no regulation like tobacco smoking in public places, ban on selling cigarette in one stick as well as sending minor to buy tobacco.
“Necessary measures are being put in place to commence enforcement on those provisions that do not need any regulation,” she said.
Ezeigwe disclosed that the ministry of health had paid advocacy visits to law enforcement agencies for collaboration to ensuring a smooth implementation of the act.
She underscored the need for continuous media sensitisation to educate the citizenry on the act.
The coordinator suggested ratification and implementation of protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products.
She stated that proactive adoption and implementation of WHO-approved track and tracing system should be used to reduce illicit trade on tobacco.
Ezeigwe described tobacco as a killer product with no permissible limit.
The participants were officials of the ministries of Health and Finance, Customs, Police, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Assembly and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Child labour: NGO urges full implementation of Child Rights Act

Child labour: NGO urges full implementation of Child Rights Act
By Ummul Idris
Protection
Abuja, July 5, 2018 (NAN) Girls and Youth Re-Integration Network (GYRIN), an NGO, has called for the full implementation of the Child Rights Act to discourage child labour in the country.
Mrs Kehinde Awujoola, the President of the network, made the appeal while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Awujoola spoke against the backdrop of rising cases of child abuse and human trafficking in the society.
She said that the abuses and injustices going on affect the child beyond imagination.
“As child labour is so widespread and so complex, the only way we can put a stop to it is to all act together, at the same time.
“Governments, workers and employers, organisations, law enforcement agencies, teachers, parents must take a stance together, across the world, to demand the elimination of child labour.
“Child labour is an abuse of children’s rights and it is a vast and urgent problem all around the world.
“Children as young as 10 are forced to spend long hours doing back-breaking labour, often in harsh weather and without access to health care,’’ the president of organisation said.
She said that every parent should prioritise their children education and take it that education is one legacy.
Awujoola also urged parents to support the education of their children and to recognise the future benefits of training them in such things as technology.
According to her, education is what the parents owe the child and not hard labour.
Besides, she called on government to help establish centres that provide schooling, recreational activities and health services for less privileged child.
She said that exploitation of children in the workplace must end and recommended for more children to be in school as the best defence against child labour. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FIDA seeks domestication of Justice Act to stem rape

FIDA seeks domestication of Justice Act to stem rape
By Martha Agas
Partnership
Jos, June 19, 2018 (NAN) The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has called on the Plateau Government to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to stem domestic violence and child rape in the state.

The Chairperson of FIDA in the state, Mrs Mary Izam, made the appeal on Tuesday in Jos during a courtesy visit to the state Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Chrysantus Ahmadu.
Izam said the advocacy was to seek the assistance of the attorney general in the amendment of the Act to fast-track its submission as an executive bill to the State House of Assembly.
She said when domesticated and enacted into law, the ACJA would enforce the protection of women and children’s rights and other issues that protects them.
“This law would ensure all accused persons in legal proceedings are assumed defendants till proven otherwise.
“The pregnant woman cannot be harmed or issued death sentence till she delivers her child and weans for six months.
“ACJA generally strives to enforce justice especially to indigent women and vulnerable children,’’ she said.
The FIDA chairperson said that the group had sought partnership with the AG’s office and the state police command because of its concern over reported incessant cases of wife battering and defilement of minors in the state.
She said that the federation had at its recent meeting with the Commissioner of Police advocated that cases of child rape should be prosecuted at the High Court for appropriate judgment instead of the lower court.
“This is because it is a capital offence in the Nigerian constitution to be handled by the High Courts.
“We are optimistic too that the gazette of the Gender Equality Opportunity (GEO) Law by the State government would protect women.
“The GEO Law prohibits all forms of violence and infringement against women rights in public and private places; eradicate socio cultural harmful practices and eliminates gender stereotyping and prejudices,’’ Izam said.
Responding, Ahmadu pledged the state’s commitment to domesticate the ACJA, saying progress is already being made on its amendment to suit the peculiarities of the state.
The commissioner said the state government would consider granting ‘fiat’ to FIDA to prosecute accused persons in matters such as rape and wife battering instead of waiting for the bureaucracy of the police. (NAN)
MAA/AOS/MST
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Gwagalada Chairman wants enforcement of Child Right Act

Gwagalada Chairman wants enforcement of Child Right Act
NAN-HG-8
Children
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, Jan. 24, 2018 (NAN) The Chairman, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT-Abuja, Mr Adamu Danze, has called for the domestication of the Child Right Act by all tiers of government.
Danze made the call at a stakeholders meeting on improving alternative care for children in the area, tagged ‘ Care for Me – End violence against children campaign’, organised by SOS Children’s Village, Nigeria, in Abuja.
He emphasised the need for relevant stakeholders to find lasting solution to child abuse and enforcement the act in the country.
Danze was represented by the Head of Department, Education and Social Welfare of the council, Mr Numan Sheshi.
The chairman said the creative and productive values of vulnerable and less disadvantage children cannot be overemphasised.
“We have been involved in carrying out these activities such as repatriation of children as far as Anambra, Enugu, Kaduna state, taking care of abandoned children and referring them to conducive home care centres.
“The council wish to establish family courts, transit home and children parliament. These will enhance smooth management of the children and family related programmes in the council,’’ he said.
Earlier, the Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, FCT, Mrs Aina Sanni, called for proper care of children irrespective of whose has custody of the child.
She also called on the FCT administration and stakeholders to increase the support structures that would enable adequate discharge of duties and responsibilities.
The Speaker, FCT Children Parliament, Gwagalada, Oralgrandeur Nwaka, said the federal government to ensure the enforcement of the already existing laws on child protection embedded in the Child’s Right Act (CRA).
The Programme Director of SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Bappare, said the campaign was aimed at bringing to the front burner the issues of violence against children in area.
Bappare further said that the campaign also aimed at finding way to mitigate the issues through the Child Right Act.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SOS Children’s Villages is an international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs, and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949.
It was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in Imst, Austria. (NAN)
OEO/BOLA/MST
Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Association supports proposed amendment of NHIS Act

HMCAN supports proposed amendment of NHIS Act

NAN-HG-6

Amendment

By Talatu Maiwada

Abuja, May 18, 2017 (NAN) The Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) has endorsed the proposed amendment of the National Health Insurance Scheme Act 2004, to ensure effective and quality healthcare delivery.

The association made its position known in a memorandum it presented at a public hearing on the repeal of NHIS Act organised by the Senate Committee on Health in Abuja.

The proposal was to effect some major changes in the nomenclature and operations of NHIS to make it more effective as a regulatory body similar to PENCOM, NDIC and NAICOM.

A copy of the HMCAN’s memorandum was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja by the Publicity Secretary of the association, Dr Lekan Ewenla.

It is titled “Memorandum on a Bill for an Act to repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme Act CAP N42, LFN 2004 and to enact the National Health Insurance Commission Bill, 2017 (SB.278)’’.

In the memorandum, the HMCAN said it wants the NHIS to be transformed to National Health Insurance Commission strictly as a regulator with a strong regulatory apparatus to coordinate, monitor and sanction erring Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs).

“For good succession plan and systematic growth of National Health Insurance Scheme in Nigeria there should be at least two other directors in the Council of the commission,’’ it said.

While recommending that the appointment of the Director-General of the commission should follow global standard of recruitment of professionals for strategic regulatory bodies, the HMOs said it was not interested to be part of the council’s commission.

However, HMCAN canvassed for the expansion of health insurance to cover majority of Nigerians, adding that HMOs should be given an enabling environment to operate on the concept of Public Private Partnership (PPP).

“That the fund for the public sector social health insurance scheme and other funds that may come from the consolidated revenue or international donors for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and programmes for the vulnerable should be handled by a Board of Trustees (BOT), independent of the commission,’’ it further recommended.

The association advised the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf, to provide documentary evidence for all his allegations of sharp practices against the HMOs as a way of strengthening the health insurance operations in the country.

Besides, HMCAN urged the NHIS executive secretary to be guided by existing laws governing the operations of the scheme and stop smearing the integrity of HMOs. (NAN)

TIM/OSA/MST

Edited by Shittu Obasa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Implement National Health Act, others – Doctors urge FG

Implement National Health Act, others – Doctors urge FG

NAN-H-5
Strike
By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, Jan. 11, 2017 (NAN) The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Ogun chapter, on Monday urged the Federal Government to implement the National Health Act to revive the health sector.

The doctors, with members from the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) Sagamu, the Neuropychiatric Hospital (ARO) Abeokuta, and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), made the call at a press conference in Abeokuta.

They threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if their demands were not met, describing their planned action as a “mother of all strikes”.

NAN reports that some of their demands included provision of adequate equipment and infrastructure, inclusion of resident doctors into pension scheme, welfare of health workers, and the implementation of the National Health Act.

The Southwest leader of the association, Dr Aderinwale Oluseyi, said the news conference was strategic.

“We have had it in all the states of Southwest with the purpose of getting the public be informed and intervene,” Oluseyi said.

“The health sector as we speak is in coma state. We cannot even boast of essential needs like water and disposables in our hospitals,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria has the poorest health indices among the comity of nations.

He appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and other well meaning Nigerians to address the myriad of problems threatening the sector.

“The situation is that bad now. All efforts to get the Federal Government to meet our demands have been to no avail. We are on mission to save lives.

“If this we fail this time, we would have no option than to go on the national strike in the country,” Oluseyi said. (NAN)
YAF/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola