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Health

NCWS demands 35% affirmative action

NCWS demands 35% affirmative action
By Dorcas Jonah
Women
Abuja, June 3, 2018(NAN) The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) has demanded for the implementation of 35 per cent affirmative action in favour of females in all development national issues.
Dr Gloria Laraba Shoda, the President of NCWS, made the demand in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
“While we appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts at repositioning the country and look forward to a free, fair and inclusive political process in Nigeria come 2019, we urge him to remember the women and give us our 35 per cent.
“Women have the right to participate in political processes that affect us, our families and our societies.
“Countries with increased women’s participation and leadership in civil society and political parties tend to be more inclusive, responsive, egalitarian and democratic.
“When women meaningfully participate in peace processes, they can help to expand the scope of agreements and improve the prospects for durable peace,’’ Shoda said.
She said that strengthening women’s rights and addressing barriers to political participation are critical to achieving gender equality and female empowerment.

However, the NCWS president commended Buhari for signing the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill into law.
NAN recalls that Buhari accented to the bill into law on May 41, in fulfillment of a promise made in his Democracy Day address.
Shoda noted that signing the bill into law was a call to nation building and practical ways the president demonstrated that Nigerian youths could no longer remain spectators.
“The action is a welcome development and a new dawn for our youths to take a centre stage of political activities in the country,’’ she said.
“I congratulate Nigerian youths over the signing into law of the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday,’’ she said. (NAN)
DE/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Nasarawa youths demand release of Peace Corps National Commandant

Nasarawa youths demand release of Peace Corps National Commandant

NAN-H-12

Youths

By Awayi Kuje

Lafia, March 23, 2017 (NAN) The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called for the release of the National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria, Mr Dickson Akoh.

The Chairman of the council in Nasarawa State, Mr Mohammed Bako, made the appeal on Thursday at news conference in Lafia.

Bako criticised the recent attack on the headquarters of corps in by the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security (DSS).

He also condemned the subsequent arrest of the national commandant of the corps and other principal officers of the organisation by the security operatives.

“This ugly incident by the Nigeria police and DSS is coming on peak of the passing of the Bill of the Nigerian Peace Corps by the National Assembly. The bill is only awaiting presidential assent.

“Peace Corps is a Voluntary Youths Organisation (VYO-NGO) affiliated to the National Youth Council of Nigeria with the primary aims and objectives of training the teeming youths of Nigeria in civil education and duties, volunteerism and community service for the nation’s benefit.

“Instead of the police to seek for collaboration with the Peace Corps in bridging the gap of insecurity in the country, they instead engaged on this illegal action of closing the Peace Corps office and detaining their principal officers.

“This development is unprovoked, unwarranted and therefore illegal, and hence generating undue animosity between the Peace Corps, the police, DSS and therefore condemnable.

“It is in view of the above that the Youth Council in Nasarawa state is calling on well-meaning Nigerians and indeed the youths to appeal to Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, to append his signature to the bill and finally put to rest this controversy,” he said.

According to him, the bill will go long way in enhancing peaceful co-existence, help in augmenting the efforts of security agencies as well as fight the high rate of unemployment and crime in the country, if signed into law, among other benefits.

Bako explained that the bill would avail employment opportunity to the army of unemployed youths across all states and local government areas of the federation been the change mantra of the present administration on job creation.

He called on its members in the state to be wary of a certain organisation called National Unity and Peace Corps, pointing out that it is not the same as the Peace Corps and it is not known to the council.

The state youth council chairman also called on Nigerians especially youths to live in peace; be law abiding, respect constituted authority, vigilant, responsible and productive in the support of genuine efforts towards nation building.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Akoh and other principal officers at the organisation headquarter in Abuja were arrested on Feb. 28, by a combined team of security operatives.

Akoh, who is facing trial on alleged conspiracy and extortion, was also accused of using unauthorised uniforms and training facilities. (NAN)

AKW/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Resident doctors demand implementation of National Health Act

Resident doctors demand implementation of National Health Act

NAN-HG-1

Demand

By Awayi Kuje

Keffi (Nasarawa State), Jan.13, 2017 (NAN) Resident doctors in Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Friday staged a peaceful protest demanding for the implementation of the National Health Act (NHA).

The doctors, acting under aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), appealed to the Federal Government to urgently implement the Act to improve access to quality healthcare services by Nigerians.

Dr Isa Ohyoma, the branch President of the of association, told newsmen in Keffi that the Act would eliminate quacks in the sector as well as ensure quality health care service delivery.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NHA was signed into law in 2014 by former president Goodluck Jonathan, but yet to be implemented by the federal government.

According to him, the implementation of the NHA is extremely necessary to access basic health funds and regulate the country’s health system.

“The implementation of the National Health Act will tackle the problems and challenges facing the nation’s health sector as most of the people especially the poor masses cannot afford or access quality healthcare service delivery which had affected their health negatively.

“Other demands of the NARD includes payment of full salary to all of our members, appropriate placement of all doctors, uniformity in the no application of `no work, no pay’ rule, reinstatement of the unfairly sacked resident doctors, pension deduction and remittance, appropriate entry step for House Ifficers,” he said.

Ohyoma also urged the federal government to release a white paper on residency training programme, an end to victimisation of its members and the unions as well as to enrol all resident doctors into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to prevent leakage in the system.

“I also want to appeal to the Federal Government to fund the health sector adequately in order to tackle the infrastructural decay in the nation’s hospitals so as to tackle the health challenges of Nigerians and to discourage medical tourism in the country,” he said.

The association decried the infrastructural and personnel deficit in health facilities, adding that it is only adequate funding of the health sector that will tackle such problems.

The president reiterated the commitment of the association to continue to key in to project that have direct bearing on the lives of the doctors and other Nigerians. (NAN)

AKW/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola