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  • Apr, Thu, 2020
General news

Gombe commissioner urges husbands to sensitise women, children on COVID-19

Women
By Ibrahim Kado
Gombe, April 2, 2020 (NAN) Mrs Naomi Awak, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Gombe, has appealed to husbands to fully sensitise women and children on the dangers of Coronavirus.

Awak made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Thursday.

She said women were the ones close to the children and it was important for them to be fully educated on the virus for them to guide the children against its possible spread.

“If women understand the dangers of the virus and the professional advice against the spread of the virus, they will easily guide the children properly.

“Not only the women, children should observe protective measures such as maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene which have been proven to be effective in the control of the dreaded virus,’’ Awak said.

According to her, is also good for the children to stay at home to halt possible spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The commissioner said the state government had taken proactive measures against the spread of the virus, hence the need for people to comply and continue with prayers (NAN)
IMK/CHOM/AJA
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Adeleye Ajayi

 

  • Mar, Thu, 2020
Health

Comedian advises parents to keep children safe against COVID-19

COVID-19
By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju

Ibadan, Mrach 26, 2020 (NAN) An Ibadan-based comedian, Olakunle Akinsete a.k.a. Shete, on Thursday urged parents to keep children safe against the spread  of COVID-19 scourge.

 Shete told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that parents should desist from sending their children on errands during this period.
 
“Children are very vulnerable and anything can happen while on the road running errands. They have been asked to stay at home to keep them safe.
 
“Parents and wards should ensure that they indeed stay at home during this period for their safety and that of the family.
“They should isolate the children truly. That’s the whole essence of why the schools are closed.
 
“It’s no joke but we need to keep ourselves sanitized and sensitized, but I have a strong conviction that this situation won’t last long,” he said.
He said comedians were social commentators who pass information across in a comic way.
 
 “With our jokes, people do not only laugh but they also get to learn one or two things. Laughter heals the soul and still at that we ease the tension and at the same time pass a message across.
“As a nation, we need to avoid unnecessary contacts with those that have symptoms of cough or fever. We should wash our  hands regularly, use alcohol-based sanitisers often.
“Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. This will enable everyone stay safe.
 
“ The virus is fast spreading and it is causing a lot of panic amongst Nigerians and the world at large. A lot of events, shows, concerts and all are being postponed and even football,” he said. (NAN)
SEY/OSA/WOJ
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Edited by Wale Ojetimi
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Health

NGO enrols 30 children in schools, drills boreholes in Kaduna

NGO enrols 30 children in schools, drills boreholes in Kaduna

By Justina Auta
Intervention
Abuja, Oct. 28, 2019 (NAN) The Centre for Charity and Development for Women and Children in Africa (CCDWCA), an NGO, says it has enrolled over 30 children into various schools in Kaduna State as parts of its intervention at addressing out-of-school syndrome in the state.
The Spokesperson of the organisation, Malam Hamisu Alkhamees, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
According to him, the efforts are targeted at assisting the less privileged children access quality education, as well as provide clean water for the people in Magwanda village in Zaria Local Government Area of the state.
“We initiated free education programme to the less privilege people in Zaria communities where about 30 children were enrolled into primary and secondary schools and we are not only paying their school fees, but also monitoring and assisting their home activities.
“We are also currently building boreholes in three communities located in Magwanda village which is to help children and women in that area to have access to good water.
“One is located in front of the primary school of the village, the other one in the front of their clinic and the last one in the interior of the village,’’ he said.
He decried the high rate of underage beggars and house-helps roaming the streets, giving rise to increased incidences of molestation, rape and criminal activities.
“The number of children left behind most especially in northern Nigeria is something to worry about. Some of them are having lack of access to good education, healthcare why some are used as housemaids. ‘’
He advised parents to embrace family planning to curtail the number of children they could manage within their financial status to avoid incurring any hardship on the children.
“So, there is need for parents to practice birth control in accordance with their economic status on how many children they can easily cater for.’’
Alkhamees, therefore, called on religious leaders, NGOs, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to promote access to education, improved healthcare and provide water to communities to improve lives. (NAN)
JAD/KOO/MST
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Stop attacks on children in armed conflicts, NGOs urges African leaders

Stop attacks on children in armed conflicts, NGOs urges African leaders

By Sumaila Ogbaje
Children
Abuja, Oct. 16, 2019 (NAN) Some child-right organisations under the aegis of African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) and Save the Children International, have called on African leaders to take measures to protect children in armed conflict situations.
Dr Assefa Bequele, the Executive Director of ACPF, made the appeal in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Bequele made the call at the ongoing inaugural Pan-African Conference on Children and Armed Conflict in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He said that children and youth from Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo had converged to demand African decision makers enact changes in their countries to ensure children’s safety in times of conflict.
Bequele said that the conference had been organised to discuss how international and regional mechanisms could better protect children affected by armed conflict in Africa.
According to him, the conference is intended to act as both a wakeup call to policy makers in conflict-affected countries, and as a platform to develop a Road Map for action to protect children in situations of conflict.
“The war on Africa’s children persists and it’s getting worse and African leaders are failing to protect their children from the horrors of war.
“Despite repeated UN Security Council resolutions, international conventions and regional agreements, African children continue to suffer.
“Progress on protection is deplorably slow, and perpetrators are rarely brought to justice for war crimes and grave violations.
“ACPF’s new report, In the Firing Line: The War on Africa’s Children reveals that hundreds of thousands of children are dying every year as a result of conflict-induced malnutrition, disease and the breakdown of healthcare, water and sanitation.
“At least one in four African children lives in a conflict zone and the numbers of ‘grave violations’ against children have almost tripled since 2010, according to Save the Children’s Stop the War on Children report, released in February 2019,” he said.
Bequele also noted that the war on Africa’s children was often fuelled by food insecurity, climate change, poor governance, absence of the rule of law, corruption, inter communal tensions and violent extremism.
He added that chronic underdevelopment, civil war, political instability and terrorism had created a perfect storm of child abductions, forced recruitment, rape and trafficking.
According to him, child protection in African conflict zones is weak, fragmented and underfunded.
“We hope that the Pan-African Conference on Children and Armed Conflict sends a clear message to the UN, AU, all actors to the conflicts, and to African political leaders.
“These tragedies are happening on our watch, and we are currently failing to protect children affected by armed conflict,” Bequele added.
Also, Helena Thybell, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Sweden, urged the UN, the African Union and warring parties to end the numerous wars on the continent and step-up measures to protect children affected by conflict.
Thybell added that children caught up in situations of conflict should be afforded safety, justice and the practical help they need to recover.
“African governments must take all necessary measures to end the killing and maiming, abductions, sexual violence, and recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
“They must cease attacks on schools, hospitals and humanitarian operations, as well as ensure that perpetrators of violations against children are held accountable,” she added. (NAN)
OYS/ASS/MST
Edited by Saidu Adamu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Agriculture

FG says 45% of under-5 mortality preventable

By Cecilia Ijuo
Deaths
Abuja, Oct. 11, 2019 (NAN) The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Umar, says 45 per cent of death of children under five years old was preventable with healthy diet.

This is contained in a statement by the Director of Information in the ministry, Mr Noble Adaelu, in Abuja on Friday.

The statement noted that Umar made this known at the School Quiz Competition organised as part of events to mark the 2019 World Food Day, with the theme: ‘’ our Actions are our Future. Healthy diets for A #ZeroHunger.”

Addressing the students, Umar said: ‘’My dear children, as you may be aware, a healthy diet is a diet that helps to maintain or improve the overall health of a person.

“It comprises carbohydrate, protein, fats and oil, water, mineral, salt and vitamins, and a healthy diet is important because the organs and tissues in the human body need proper nutrition to work effectively.

“Without good diet, the body is prone to diseases, infection, fatigue, poor performance and malnutrition, which experts say is the underlying cause of 45 per cent of all deaths of under five years children worldwide.”

The permanent secretary stated that the Federal Government recognised the role of healthy diet as a developmental issue, which has led to the development of a Food Guide by Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Agriculture, Health, Environment, Information and Education, among others.

Umar said that ‘’the Food Guide is a guide for healthy eating and for all Nigerians. It is a food pyramid that is divided into five food groups using locally produced foods.

‘’At the bottom are bread, grains and tubers, followed by vegetables and fruits eaten sparingly with confectionery.

“A a glass of water is placed outside the pyramid with the advice to always drink lot of water, for full benefits of a healthy diet.”

He highlighted some of the benefits of healthy diet to include weight loss, reduced cancer risk, diabetes management, healthy heart and stroke prevention, strong bones and teeth.

Umar applauded the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), OXFAM, Action Aid and Leventis Foundation Nigeria, for their continual contribution towards agricultural development in Nigeria.

The FAO Country  Representative in Nigeria, Mr Suffyan  Koroma, who was represented by the World Food Day Coordinator, Hajia Saadiya Haliru stated that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recognised the importance of food and nutrition security.

He assured that the organisation would remain focused on its mandate of raising the level of nutrition and standards of living and ensuring humanity’s freedom from hunger by promoting sustainable agricultural development and alleviating poverty.

Koroma further said ‘’on our part, FAO has developed educational materials for universities, trained school’s curriculum developers as well as nutrition education professionals.

“This was as a result of a needs based assessment in seven countries that revealed a lack of adequate training for nutrition educators.

“FAO launched the nutrition course ENACT in 2015, in partnership with African academic institutions, Nigeria inclusive.”

The school quiz completion had 1p secondary schools in attendance including Nigeria Turkish International Colleges, Government Secondary School Tudun Wada Zone 4, and Fou’ad Lababidi Islamic Academy Basic Education.

Others are Olumawu International School, Wuse 11; Government Secondary School, Wuse; Federal Government Day Secondary School, APO,  Garki; and Paris Africana International Secondary School.

The Nigeria Turkish International Colleges emerged first, with the Paris Africana International Secondary School coming second, while Government Day Secondary School, Garki, came third. (NAN)
CJM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Embrace family planning for better health of mothers, children – Clerk urges

Embrace FP for better health of mothers, children – Clerk urges

By Mohammed Baba Busu
Planning
Lafia, Oct. 8, 2019 (NAN) The Clerk, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr Ego Abashe, has urged Nigerians to embrace Family Planning (FP) to boost the health of mothers and children as well as for overall development of the country.
Abashe made the call on Tuesday in Lafia while playing host to Community Link for Health and Family Planning Advocacy (CLHEPA), an NGO in the state.
He underscored the importance of FP to mothers and children as well as to the country and the need for civil servants and other Nigerians to embrace child spacing.
“I want to thank you for the visit and to assure you of my readiness to support your advocacy in order to boost the health of mothers and their children.
“The visit is timely, because the 2020 budget is yet to be presented to the House.
“I will advise appropriately and I will also liaise with the Chairman, House Committee on Health to ensure that FP budget is captured and reasonable in the 2020 budget as well as to ensure its released for utilisation.
“I am a living testimony of child spacing and I will advocate for FP among civil servants and other Nigerians for the overall development of the country,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Mary Ashenenya, Chairperson of the NGO, said that the visit was to seek for the Clerk’s support in ensuring that FP fund is budgeted in 2020 fiscal year.
Ashenenya said that FP was one of the key factors of achieving reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality rate.
“In this group, we are interested in the issue of child spacing/FP in Nasarawa State.
“We are here to advocate for increased government’s budgetary allocation and intervention in child birth spacing.
“This is to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, eliminating risks of abortion that women and girls are exposed to and improving their quality of lives,” she said. (NAN)
BAB/ZGA/MST
Edited by Zainab Garba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Polio: Jigawa vaccinates 45,048 children in Birniwa LGA

Polio: Jigawa vaccinates 45,048 children in Birniwa LGA
By Nabilu Balarabe
Polio
Birniwa (Jigawa), Aug. 26, 2019 (NAN) The Jigawa Government says it vaccinated 45,048 children against polio in Birniwa Local Government Area under the July round of Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs).
Alhaji Umar Bello, the Immunisation Officer in the area, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Birniwa, that the figure represented over 100 percent coverage of the target population.
Bello, representing Primary Health Care Development Agency (JPHCDA), said 46,380 doses of Oral Polio Vaccines were received from the state for the exercise which ended in early August.
He commended Birniwa Local Government Council for donating 45 cartons of chocolates used to lure the benefitting children.
The official thanked the district heads of Birniwa, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar; Diginsa, Alhaji Haruna Umar, and Kazura, Alhaji Isyaku Habibu, for ensuring that none of their subjects rejected the vaccines. (NAN)
NB/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO treats 300,000 children in Benue – Official

NGO treats 300,000 children in Benue – Official
By Emmanuel Antswen
Treatment
Makurdi, Aug. 21, 2019 (NAN) The Christian Aid-UK, an NGO based in Nigeria, said they have catered for the medical needs of over 300,000 children under five years in Benue in the past three years.
The Senior Programme Coordinator, Community Health, Ms Anne Adah-Ogoh, disclosed this on Wednesday in Makurdi at the official close-out of their three years programme in Benue.
Adah-Ogoh said that Christian Aid Nigeria through its Improved Child Health Project (PICH Project) carried out the intervention in Kwande, Konshisha, Obi and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of Benue.
She said 123,640 children benefited from the programme in Kwande local government; 117, 635 in Konshisha; 53,628 in Obi, and Okpokwu 46,648, respectively.
She said most of the aliments catered for were reoccurring ones like malaria, fever, diarrhoea and pneumonia.
She said the organisation made use of Community Oriented Resource Persons (CORPs) as volunteers, 124 Lower Level Health Facility Workers, 340 Faith and community leaders, and two local partners; Ohonyeta Care Givers and Jireh Doo Foundation, during the intervention.
Adah-Ogoh appealed to relevant authorities in Nigeria to conduct continuous capacity building for community development committees to strengthen advocacy at local government levels.
He further appealed for the provision of portable water and good roads in the rural areas for improved health and human capacity building.
In his goodwill message, the Country Director of the NGO, Mr Charles Usie, commended the Benue Government for providing a conducive environment for the effective implementation of their projects over the years.
Usie appealed to government to ensure that available data is made available at all local government areas for effective usage.
He said the project has ensured availability of drugs and improved healthcare delivery in the remote areas where hitherto had access to no medical facilities.
The Executive Secretary, Benue Health Insurance Agency, Mr Tony Egwa, said the state was in receipt of N1.7 billion federal government counterpart funding for the upgrade of 273 primary healthcare centres in the state.
Egwa said the counterpart funding was possible following the earlier N100 million counterpart fund paid by the state government.
He explained that each of the 273 council wards would benefit from the upgrade of a single primary healthcare centre.
He said that funds would also be used for the eradication of malaria in the state and pledged that the state would improve on the intervention of Christian Aid (UK) Nigeria.
The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Sunday Eligwu, commended the organisation for their intervention in childhood illnesses.
Eligwu, who was represented by the State Director of Public Health, Dr Terna Kor, said the state government was planning to establish community based health insurance programmes across the state for improved health.
On his part, Gov. Samuel Ortom, appealed to the NGO to workout modalities so as to carry out similar interventions in the remaining 19 local governments in the state.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Mr Joseph Odaudu, he said the government was ready to facilitate all their projects in the state in every possible way.
“We are ready to partner with you. We will facilitate all your projects in the state because every life saved is worthwhile,’’ Ortom said. (NAN)
AEB/AIJ/MST
Edited by Abigael Joshua/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Rainstorm kills 4 children in Yola

Rainstorm kills 5 children in Yola
By Muhammad Adam
Rainstorm
Yola, Aug. 2, 2019 (NAN) The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) has confirmed that five persons, including an infant, had been killed by rainstorm in Yola, the capital of Adamawa.
Dr Mohammed Sulaiman, the Executive Secretary of the agency, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Yola.
Sulaiman explained that the incident occurred on Thursday evening following heavy downpour recorded in the affected areas.
According to him, property estimated at several millions of Naira was also destroyed by the flood.
He said the agency’s emergency teams were deployed to the affected areas to help victims and ascertain the level of damages.
“Five persons were killed by the flood, including four children, following a heavy downpour experienced yesterday (July 1) in Yola and its environs.
“Property worth hundreds of millions of Naira was also destroyed,” Sulaiman said.
He said the agency was making contact with relevant emergency agencies for quick response and assistance.
He said the areas affected include Yolde-Pate, Damare, Wuro-Jabbe, Damilu and Jambutu in Yola South and Yola North Local Government Areas.
Malam Kabiru Bello, a resident of Wuro Jabbe in Yola South Local Government Area, said he lost two of his children to the flood.
Bello said his neighbour also lost two children to the flood, adding that among the deceased is a 10-month old.
“Other children were aged three, four and seven years, while three of them were girls,’’ he said. (NAN)
AMA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Catholic organisation grants scholarship to 505 vulnerable children in Nasarawa

Catholic organisation grants scholarship to 505 vulnerable children in Nasarawa
By Awayi Kuje
Education
Obi (Nasarawa State), July 2, 2019 (NAN) The Community Based Care and Support Programme (CBCSP), an NGO of Catholic Diocese of Lafia, says it is sponsoring the education of 505 vulnerable children in Obi Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Emmanuel Madaki, the Programme Manager of CBCSP, made this known on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen in Obi.
Madaki said that the organisation decided to provide the scholarship based on the humanitarian ground in order to give the children a sense of belonging and due to the importance of education in the society.
According to him, CBSP started operations on March 28, 2003, as a social arm of the diocese.
“And since then we have been embarking on different intervention programmes in the areas of health, education and household economic strengthening, among others, for societal development.
“We have embarked on different humanitarian gestures such as empowerment of about 400 vulnerable women and caregivers with N10,000 each in this local government alone to improve economic power.
“We are sponsoring the education of 505 vulnerable children in Secondary and Primary schools in this area.
“Out of this number, 263 are female while 242 are males and this gesture is to make them better future leaders,’’ he said.
Madaki noted that the importance of education cannot be over-emphasised to the socio-economic development of the society, hence the need for the organisation’s gesture in that direction.
He also stated that the gesture was to complement government’s efforts in improving the standard of education in the state.
The programme manager maintained that education was the best legacy parents, organisations and government should leave for their children.
He restated the commitment of the organisation to continue to key into different programmes that would have direct bearing on the lives of Nigerians, especially vulnerable children and women.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the children attend Government Secondary School (GSS) Agwatashi; GSS Olosowo; GSS Obi; GSS Ikposogye; GSS Agyaragu Central, and GSS Kaduna Koro, among others.
NAN also reports that the different intervention programmes by the CBCSP is in collaboration with the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN). (NAN)
AKW/MAM/MST
Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola