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NGOs commence monitoring disbursement of recovered $322.5m loot in Bauchi

NGOs commence monitoring disbursement of recovered $322.5m loot in Bauchi

By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Monitoring
Bauchi, Oct. 21, 2019 (NAN) African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in collaboration with Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI), a group of NGOs, has commenced monitoring of the disbursed $322.5m loot recovered from late Abacha under the Federal Government conditional cash transfer.
Hajiya Maryam Garba, the Executive Director of Fahimta, disclosed this at a media engagement on Monday in Bauchi.
She said ANEEJ and FAWOYDI would coordinate and facilitate the second phase of the monitoring of the disbursement of the recovered loot in Bauchi.
She said 53 monitors were selected for the exercise and they would be reaching 3,374 beneficiaries in three selected local government areas of Bogoro, Dass and Ganjuwa.
Garba said the monitoring tools would be analysed and transformed into report to be submitted to ANEEJ for further action.
According to her, part of the monitoring exercise involved more public awareness creation and we conducted townhall meeting for religious and traditional leaders and training of monitors from North East in Bauchi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government has announced that $322.5m would be used to support the poorest of the poor through the cash transfer programme of the National Social Safety Net Programme, which started in 2016 with N5,000 to each beneficiary.
NAN also recalls that the SWISS Government repatriated stolen funds from Nigeria during the Abacha regime a total of $322.5m, following a negotiation between SWISS and Nigeria. (NAN)
MAK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Boko Haram: Why soldiers in N/East deserve compensation – Committee

Boko Haram
By Emmanuel Afonne
Abuja, Oct. 17, 2019 (NAN) A joint committee of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights have urged the National Assembly (NASS) to recommend adequate compensation and recognition for troops fighting Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.

The call was made in Abuja in a report of preliminary findings submitted to the leaderships of NASS after investigation on allegations of human rights abuse made against the Nigerian military by some foreign media organisations.

The committee while absolving the soldiers of wrong doing said the troops have approached the war on insurgency with international standards on human rights and as such deserved to be compensated to serve as source of motivation and encouragement to others.

Chairman of the committee, Dr Isaac Dikko, said the committee sacrificed a lot during the investigation because of national security.

Dikko stated: “if not for the interest of national security, nobody would dare to have a committee secretariat situate in the North-East for firsthand information given the low and gloomy media reportage of the military successes in the region especially by foreign media organisations.

“It is also to fact check if the war against insurgency is being truly successfully prosecuted.

“Unknown to us like majority of Nigerians, a lot of successes have been made in the war against insurgency in the North East.

“The only challenge is resettlement, rehabilitation and rebuilding of infrastructure hitherto destroyed; but this is beyond military mandate and will take time,” he said.

According to the chairman, the committee dared the region with double pronged view to validate or invalidate the allegations against the military authorities and censor the activities of the non-governmental organisations operations in the North-East.

This, he said was to come up with facts that are verifiable.

The report was coordinated by a foreign NGO, the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Foundation Nepal.

Senior Programme Officer for the foundation, Rev. Solomon Semaka noted that their involvement in the committee’s fact finding mission was to ensure that the interest of NGOs and media organisations were represented and given fair hearing.

He acknowledged on behalf of NGOs that the representations in the report were fair given the glaring evidence and testimonies the committee received.

Semaka said: “One of my lowest points and greatest shocker as a development worker, whose interest in the committee was to protect NGOs was when a medical doctor and Staff member of ACTION AGAINST HUNGER (AAH), one of the NGOs working in the North-East region, confessed before the committee that truly, they offer random treatment and provide food to wounded insurgents.

“However, under cross examination, he admitted that the action was not their major purpose in the North-East.”

Semaka rejected the confession of the doctor that they offer medical assistance to the insurgents just to protect themselves.

The committee therefore recommended to the NASS “that issues of human rights abuse are subjective, and that the National Assembly leadership submit in clear terms expulsion as a punishment for erring Non-Governmental organisations in the country.

The committee also demanded that the National assembly Leadership legalise the auditing of non-governmental organisations by security agencies and also invite “Action Against Hunger and Amnesty International with a view to answer why they should not be banned from operating within the Nigerian territory. (NAN)
EMAF/IS
=======
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

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

Health

Kano Govt to partner NGOs to provide quality healthcare

Kano Govt to partner NGOs to provide quality healthcare

By Aisha Ahmed
Healthcare
Kano, Sept. 20, 2019 (NAN) The Kano State Government says it will continue to partner Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), individuals and groups to provide quality healthcare.
The Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Bala Usman, made the pledge on Friday when he received the Head of UNICEF, Kano Filed Office, Mr Maulid Warfa.
Usman commended the organisation for its tireless efforts and huge investment in immunisation, sensitisation, demand creation and other child health related activities.
“UNICEF has remained a strong partner and a stakeholder of the state, so we will continue to work closely to attain the organisational goals for the benefit of our children,” he said.
The permanent secretary maintained that Kano has a nature of being accommodative and peaceful thus welcoming all that would complement the state’s effort especially in the health sector.
He said the state government was ready to continue to collaborate with organisations to improve the health sector in the state.
Warfa had earlier said he was in Africa for the first time and sent to Kano for an assignment.
He expressed delight over the warm reception accorded to him, adding that he is impressed with the good collaboration and fraternal relationship between UNICEF and the state government.
Warfa expressed optimism that the collaboration would be sustained, assuring that UNICEF will to be on the same page with government policies and programmes for speedy development in the health sector. (NAN)
AAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGOs partner to provide menstrual hygiene education for FCT girls

NGOs partner to provide menstrual hygiene education for FCT girls
By Ummul Idris
Menstruation
Abuja, May 30, 2019 (NAN) Mercy Corps, an NGO, says it is partnering Procter and Gamble to provide menstrual hygiene management education for girl- children in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ms Wemimo Onikan, the Communication Officer, Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) II, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
She said this is coming as the world commemorates Menstrual Hygiene Day.
She stated that globally, 2.3 billion people lacked basic sanitation services, adding that in developing countries, the situation is more challenging.
She noted that Nigeria as a developing country was struggling to provide adequate sanitation services that would benefit girls in all schools, but nothing had significantly contributed to girls missing out of school.
Onikan who said that education was a right, stated that girls had the right to attend school and engage in their education without interference, irrespective of their menstruation.
According to her, the inability of in-school girls to manage menstruation properly often results in discomforts, poor self-esteem and absenteeism from school.
She stated that this often made it difficult for them to maximally participate in academics and complete a cycle of learning.
“Menstruation is a normal biological process and should not negatively affect the social wellbeing of girls.
“In the FCT, Procter and Gamble’s always Keeping Girls In School (AKGIS) project, implemented by Mercy Corps Nigeria as a complementary intervention to the DFID funded Educating Nigerian Girls In New Enterprises (ENGINE) II programme.
“This is reaching over 2,000 girls and secondary school teachers in the territory,’’ the spokesperson said.
She stated that the project provided training to adolescent girls, boys and teachers on Menstrual Health Management (MHM) in schools, provision of psychosocial support, counselling services and life skills.
According to her, over 73,440 sanitary pads have been provided as emergency sanitary pads for adolescent girls in 29 secondary schools in the FCT.
“With teachers and principals trained to build MHM into their various school systems, increasing awareness on the proper management of menstruation in schools,’’ she added.
She said that it also addressed myths and creating a conducive environment for girls to stay in school during their periods. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

VC wants NGOs to complement government efforts in providing healthcare services

VC wants NGOs to complement government efforts in providing healthcare services
By Dorcas Elusogbon
Healthcare
Ile-Ife (Osun), April 15, 2019 (NAN) Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile- Ife, has called on Non-Govermental Organisations (NGOs) to complement government efforts in providing healthcare services for Nigerians.
Ogunbodede gave the task in his address at the free medical mission organised by UNIFEMGA at the Central Mosque of the University, on Monday, in Ile-Ife.
He lauded the initiatives of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslims Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) by providing free healthcare services to all and sundry.
“Government is saddled with a lot of responsibilities which health is a major factor, but with the current population of the country, it is expected that healthcare services should spread round the nooks and crannies of the country.
“But government alone cannot do it; it needs the support of organisations for this to be achieved.
“With the present economic situation in the country; many could not afford good healthcare services, but with what this noble association has done.
“It will go a long way to assuage those who have health challenges to benefits immensely,” Ogunbodede counselled.
The vice chancellor urged other associations to emulate what UNIFEMGA is doing by assisting government to provide health services.
The Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the free medical mission, Prof. Akeem Lasisi, said that the purpose of organising this free health programme is to give back to the community that helps them to actualise their dreams.
“You know many are dying silently because of lack of money to cater for their health, but with what we have done; it will go a long way to assist them to have better healthcare.
“We provided consumables and drugs for them, surgeries, general medical screening, all free,” the professor of Ear, Nose and Throat said.
Lasisi, who is the Chief Medical Director of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo, said the event was in collaboration with the National Council of Nigerian Muslims Organisations (NCNMO) and the Diaspora.
Dr Alirat Agboola, a beneficiary of the free medical mission said: “I am grateful to the organisers of this event by providing free medicine and drugs for me.
“These are trying periods and for an association to do this lofty programme, I really commend them.”
Another beneficiary, Mr Isiaka Ahmed thanked the organisers for providing for his needs, saying “I was screened, test and given drugs too’’.
On her part, Mrs Adesewa Adelekan said “the programme was specially designed for me because my three children and humble-self were treated free of charge and given drugs worth N10,000’’.
She appreciated the organisers for assisting the masses in their area of health challenges. (NAN)
EDA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Drama group partners Bauchi Govt, NGOs on healthcare delivery

By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Drama
Bauchi, Jan. 26, 2019 (NAN) A popular drama group in Bauchi, Yanke Yanke Production, says it is partnering the Bauchi state Government and Non Governmental Organisations to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.

The Chairman of the Group, Alhaji Danlami Adamu, stated this at the lunch of a project titled “Da Haihuwa Tara yu yu yu” (giving birth to nine children without a proper plan) in Bauchi on Saturday.

According to him, the group through their participation in event preparation, creation of awareness, education and advocacy campaign will be used to influence and increase knowledge.

“With persuasive communication, geared towards public policy, personal behaviour and attitude change, political, public debate and legal change that will improve health status of the state.

“That is why we are collaborating with the state government, stakeholders and relevant NGOS to obtain better understanding of the role of palliative care in reducing pain and suffering, improving quality of life and restoring dignity of patients and family members across the state.

Adamu explained that this could be done through the stage drama and music with broad approach that involves engaging all key stakeholders ranging from policy makers, care providers, educators, the public, patients and families.

“The main focus of the engagement to address some core interventions geared towards improving knowledge, awareness, strengthening skills and attitudes about palliative care.

“These interventions include educating health and allied healthcare professionals on the palliative care-related problems of patients and best practices for care, explaining palliative care such as a HIV, AIDS, child birth spacing, Immunisation, clinical and holistic discipline and demonstrating its effectiveness,” he said.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Zuwaira Ibrahim, represented by Director Administration, Alhaji Habibu Yelwa, stressed the importance of the collaboration with the drama group in the state.

“The artistic nature of drama must entertain and as a channel for entertainment it can be strategically exploited for educative purposes. In other words, what drama does is to take the human social incidents and present them as something that needs an explanation and is not to be taken for granted.

“As such constructive criticism from a social point of view is highly encouraged because it mirrors the social issues of its time.

“The issues arising from safe motherhood such as improved family planning utilization, safe delivery, and access to quality and appropriate health care and ante natal care are all social issues within our communities that affect women and drama as an art of social relationships has the potential of changing behaviour,” she said.

Ibrahim assured effective partnership between the state government and the group on awareness campaign, Advocacy and sensitization of general public on palliative and health care delivery in the state.

On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Inuwa Bello, charge the group to make effective use of the partnership to promote health status of the state.

“Make good use of your skills and talent to sensitize policy makers and the public on improving the health system for effective coverage in the state,” Bello said. (NAN)
MAK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Bauchi Govt partner NGOs, Media to raise CBS issues

Bauchi Govt partner NGOs, Media to raise CBS issues
By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Partnership ‎
Yankari (Bauchi State), Nov. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Bauchi State Government says it is collaborating the media and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to tackle low uptake of Child Birth Spacing (CBS) in the state.
The Deputy State Health Educator Primary Health Care Development (SPHCDA), Alhaji Ribadu Jibrin, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Yankari on Tuesday.
“CBS uptake was found to be low in the state because of low literacy rate.
“That is why we need NGOs and media to embark on adequate awareness creation and advocacy on the benefits of CBS.
“To also improve knowledge that uptake may impact positively on health indices especially in the rural communities in the state,” he said.
He said presently the state government is working with other NGOs including Challenge Initiative, Plan International and Breakthrough Action Nigeria in implementing CBS services in the state.
According to him, myths, misconceptions and beliefs play a role that people who practice CBS or contraceptives end up with health problems or permanent infertility.
“Or contraceptives reduce sexual urge and on the other hand increase promiscuity among women.
“Other contributing factors include low access to healthcare facilities and the patriarchal nature of societies,” Ribadu said.
He stressed that traditional rulers, religious leaders, health educators and caregivers were engaged to mobilise and sensitise the public on the importance of CBS in the state.
“We also constitute Social Behaviour and Communication Committee (SBCC) that comprises journalists, health educators, youth groups and Maternal Newborn Child Health officers of Local Government Areas.
“The committee is responsible for demand creation that is to developed Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials for public awareness on effective CBS,” he said.
He however called on the general public to embrace the CBS services with all seriousness.
The health educator noted that CBS services allows individuals to achieve desired birth spacing and family size and contributes to improved health outcomes for infants, children, women and families.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bauchi state government in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative (TCI) organised the training for journalists, health educators and MNCH officers of local government areas on IEC materials.
The materials would be developed for adoption and implementation of high impact CBS that would improve maternal health in the state. (NAN)
MAK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Ogun partners FG, NGOs on malaria prevention

Ogun partners FG, NGOs on malaria prevention
Nets
Abeokuta, April 9, 2018 (NAN) The Ogun Government on Monday renewed its commitment to control malaria scourge in the state.
Mrs Nkoyo Ogar, Malaria Campaign Team Leader, said this at a one-day interactive training for media practitioners in Abeokuta.
Ogar said prevention strategies would be implemented in collaboration with Federal Government, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
According to her, the partnership will lead to the distribution 3.3 million free mosquito nets to residents across the state.
She said there would be 1,255 points across the 20 local government areas of the state for the distribution of the Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) scheduled to hold between May 1 and 5.
“Before the distribution, there will be registration of households from April 14 to 22, where mobilisers will move from house-to-house to register and issue net cards.
“Households must ensure that they collect net cards during the registration,” Ogar said.
The official therefore enjoined residents to take advantage of the programme, urging them to hang the nets under a shade for 24 hours before use.
Ogar explained that Cash and Asset Transfer (CAT) strategy using android devices through a mass distribution campaign would be adopted for the programme.
According to her, the distribution campaign will be led by the Ogun Ministry of Health through the state Malaria Elimination Programme with technical assistance from the Catholic Relief Services. (NAN)
YAF/YMU/MST
Edited by Yakubu Uba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

HIV/AIDS: Foundation, CSOs want China to raise contribution to global fund

HIV/AIDS: Foundation, CSOs want China to raise contribution to global fund

NAN-HG-10

HIV/AIDs

By Talatu Maiwada

Abuja, May 18, 2017 (NAN) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an NGO, and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have appealed to China to increase to one billion dollars its contribution to global funding to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Mrs Oluwakemi Gbadamosi, AHF, Senior Manager, Public Relation and Communications, African Bureau, made the appeal while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the event was “China be generous, pledge one billion dollar to the global fund to fight AIDs, tuberculosis and malaria’’.

Gbadamosi appreciated the international donor community for its contribution to the global fund with 12.9 billion dollars raised to curb AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

She said that at the fifth replenishment cycle, China, which was the second largest economy in the world, only pledged 18 million dollars.

The AHF official said that Japan and UK, who are the third and fifth largest economies, pledged 800 million and 171 million dollars, respectively.

According to her, China makes a lot of money from its trade and investment deals in Africa but has continued to perform ‘abysmally’ in funding global public health issues.

“As the world’s second largest economy, an increased contribution commensurate with China’s size would offer it a greater level of involvement and stature in addressing global health issues.

“We urge the global fund secretariat to open an ongoing high-level dialogue with the government of China in an effort to explore opportunities to increase its contribution.

“Our request is simply China do the right thing by pledging one billion dollars to the global fund,’’ Gbadamosi said.

Also speaking, Mr Moses Okpara, National Secretary, Youth Network on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, said civil society engagement was the foundation of global funds around the world.

He said the unique collaboration between the community based organisations and the fund helps transform financial resources into life saving programmes.

“Without the global fund, civil societies would not be able to achieve impressive gains that have been attained to date against the three epidemics.

“CSOs play a vital role in complementing national strategies and interventions in HIV, TB and malaria response.

“We are able to link the hard reach populations and vulnerable communities to health facilities.

“However, we urge respective countries benefiting from the global fund to scale up support for civil organisations involved in community interventions,’’ Okpara said.

In the same vein, Mr Isah Mohammed, Coordinator, Association for Positive Youths in Nigeria (APYIN), appealed to the Nigerian government to tow the path of South Africa by taking ownership of its HIV/AIDS response.

“Our over dependency on foreign donors has lasted longer than it is accepted and Nigeria has the resources to take responsibility for its citizenry.

“Now is the time to create an AIDS Trust Fund, Now is the time to increase domestic funding.

“If countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa can fund their response, there is no justification for Nigeria not to do same,’’ Mohammed said. (NAN)

TIM/AOS/MST

Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola