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NGO to reawaken reading culture among Nigerian youths

NGO to revive reading culture among Nigerian youths
By Talatu Maiwada
Youths
Abuja, March 19, 2018 (NAN) Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa (YISHDA), an NGO, has pledged to revive reading culture among Nigerian youths through effective use of libraries.
Mr Joseph Yaba, the President of the organisation, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
Yaba said young people could achieve great potentials in life if they developed interest in reading, as it helps individuals to achieve independence and a great sense of self-worth.
He added that young people had tremendous deposit of unexploited knowledge and skills that could be useful to their wellbeing, immediate community and the society at large.
“ YISHDA is creating a platform that will help revive the reading culture amongst young people in Nigeria through the use of libraries.
“Presently public libraries across Nigeria are equipped with 21st century learning facilities to make information available and accessible.
“Modern technology digital skills training which is able to provide services relating to job search online and offline are available in the libraries.
“Nigerian libraries are not to be seen as a thing of the past but where potentials can be developed through various training, research and interactive activities,’’ he said.
Yaba said that the need to promote effective reading habits among young people had been receiving attention, but the impact have not been felt in the society.
He stressed that libraries could play an important role in the promotion of reading habits among youths which are fundamental to the design, implementation and attainment of educational excellence.
He said it had become necessary not to allow libraries decay, as access to information were not only embedded in books but several other technological services such as the internet.
Yaba added that such culture could also form an integral part of the educational development of young people in the country.
YISHDA was established with a purpose to serve African youths through a platform of discovery, development, leadership and value creation. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Mrs Buhari applauds Nigerian journalists for hardwork, professionalism

Mrs Buhari applauds Nigerian journalists for hardwork, professionalism
NAN-H-85
Journalism
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Abuja, Oct.18, 2017 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has commended the hardwork and professionalism exhibited by Nigerian journalists for keeping citizens informed and educated on happenings around them.

Mrs Buhari applauded the journalists in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday by her Director, Information, Mrs Suleiman Haruna, in Abuja.

The statement added that she was speaking during the formal launch of the Presidential Diary Magazine in honour of her husband organised by the publisher, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, in Abuja.

Mrs Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, also said journalists have the responsibility of ensuring fairness and balance in their reportage.

“As an agenda setting organ in the society, the media also influence public opinion,” she noted.

She therefore called on media practitioners to be patriotic in the discharge of their professional duties.

The wife of the president also commended the publishers of the magazine for supporting government through dissemination of information and educating Nigerians on its public-spirited programmes.

She prayed that the Magazine would continue to enlighten people about happenings within the corridors of power.

The statement quoted the publisher saying that the Presidential Diary Magazine has been in existence since 2015.

Jimoh said that the publication was a deliberate attempt to bridge the communication gap between government and its citizens.

“As my own corporate social responsibility, I decided to assemble a crop of seasoned journalists together to assist me in realising this vision.

“Government is doing so much but very little is being reported, the citizens who are supposed to take ownership of the lofty programmes of government need to know more about them,” he said.

Jimoh said that information on these programmes would enable citizens to appreciate them and take ownership.

He therefore called on journalists to do more to publicise the policies, programmes and activities of government.

Highlight of the event was the unveiling of the magazine by Mrs Osinbajo. (NAN)
AMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Hajj: Nigerian pilgrims most law abiding – Saudi Arabia

Hajj: Nigerian pilgrims most law abiding – Saudi Arabia
NAN-H-65
Commendation
By Zubairu Idris
Mina (Saudi Arabia), Aug. 30, 2017 (NAN) The Saudi Arabia authority has named Nigerian pilgrims as the best in law abiding and exhibiting good behaviour during the 2017 Hajj.
Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, the Katsina State Amirul-Hajj disclosed this on Wednesday in Mina while answering questions from newsmen.
He said that was made known to state Pilgrims Welfare Boards by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) during a meeting in Makkah on Tuesday.
“We are happy that our pilgrims exhibit high sense of behaviour in the Holy land.
“Nigerian pilgrims are the best in terms of law by the laws of the Holy land among pilgrims from other countries in the world during the 2017 Hajj.
“I am calling on the pilgrims to keep up the good efforts so that the country’s image will be portrait positively,’’ he said.
He also said that the state government was selected as the first in terms of preparations and welfare for the pilgrims during the Hajj. (NAN)
ZI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

20m Nigerian women have no access to FP services – UNFPA

20m Nigerian women have no access to FP services – UNFPA

NAN-HG-4

Women

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, July 11, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says no fewer than 20 million women in Nigeria had no access to safe and effective Family Planning (FP) services.

The UNFPA’s Country Representative, Dr Diene Keita, disclosed this at an event to mark the 2017 World Population Day (WPD) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this year’s WPD has its theme as: “Family planning: Empowering people, developing nations’’.

Represented by Mr Osaretin Adonri, the Assistant Country Representative of UNFPA in Nigeria, Keita most of these women that had no access to modern FP method reside in rural areas and region of insurgency in the country.

He said that fulfilling unmet demand for FP in Nigeria would avert 750,000 unintended pregnancies and reduce by one third the estimated over 40,000 annual maternal deaths.

According to him, UNFPA has contributed to two per cent increase in FP between 2003 and 2013 in Nigeria base on the National Demographic Health Survey.

He added that the Fund had also contributed to a near doubling of modern contraceptive use worldwide, from 36 per cent in 1970 to 67 per cent in 2016.

The country representative stated that in spite this dramatic progress, there were still enormous challenges because about 214 million women in developing countries could not access safe and effective FP methods.

He noted that, fulfilling their unmet demand would save lives by averting 67 million unintended pregnancies and thereby reducing by one third the estimated 303,000 annual maternal deaths.

Keita admonished that better reproductive health care including voluntary FP can bolster economies and contribute to sustainable development by empowering women to complete their education.

“Family planning therefore is critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1, to end poverty”

“It is also key to achieving other goals such as ending hunger as well as promoting good health and gender equality.

“UNFPA has set an ambitious, transformative goal to eliminate all unmet demand for family planning by 2030,” the official said.

Keita therefore called on governments and other stakeholders to work hard in achieving the goals. (NAN)

MS/KOLE/MST

Edited by Remi Koleosho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

UN seeks partnership with Nigerian media

UN seeks partnership with Nigerian media

NAN-H-106

Partnership

By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Feb. 17, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations (UN) has directed its agencies to operate an open door policy with the media in Nigeria for the success of the body’s operations in the country.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, made this known to newsmen at a round table in Abuja.

“I am the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator as well as UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria. I represent the UN Secretary General in the country.

“Since my arrival to Nigeria, I have come to appreciate the vibrancy and diversity of the local media.

“In my meetings with partners, I have emphasised that I will be leading a very transparent and accountable UN System that proactively shares information with its partners and the public we owe it to them,” he said.

Kallon, who said media was key to the success of UN operations in Nigeria, stated that he would not be able to achieve his purpose without a strong partnership with the media.

“I have asked all agencies to keep their doors open and respond to your queries as quickly as possible.

“I will also ensure continuous engagement with you on a regular basis so that together, we can share information and ideas as we work towards the good of this great country.

“I count on your support,” he said.

The official, who arrived Nigeria in January, said he had engaged with stakeholders including the Senate President, ministers, governors, senior government officials, representatives of development partners and international NGOs.

Kallon said he had also visited a number of states including Kaduna, Kano, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa during which he came to appreciate the challenges facing Nigeria.

He said that as a strong believer in “being on the ground to know what is on the ground’’, he would continue engaging with various stakeholders in the country.

Kallon said he would continue in his pursuit for stronger partnerships aimed at designing evidence-based solutions to the challenges the people continue to face.

“The challenges Nigeria faces are numerous – from security to governance and the economy.

“During my visit to the three most affected States in North East, I have seen widespread suffering among the survivors of the insurgency.

“I saw children with no food, widows with no source of livelihood, idling youths and hopeless communities,” he lamented.

According to him, the challenges being faced are enormous, but solvable.

“As a UN family, we are providing support to the Federal and State Governments to help in responding to these challenges,” he said. (NAN)

IAA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Minister rates Nigerian doctors ahead foreign counterparts

Minister rates Nigerian doctors ahead foreign counterparts

NAN-H-109

Doctors

By Elusogbon Dorcas

Ile-Ife (Osun), Feb. 13, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Monday canvassed patronage for Nigerian doctors, declaring their services better than their counterparts abroad.

Adewole said this during the commissioning of the Maternity and Neonatal Wards and Central Pharmacy Building at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife in Osun.

The minister commended the hospital management for the effective services rendered for the masses, charging them to publicise the hospital services for more patronage.

He dismissed speculations that the hospital’s services were limited and that it had no effective medical equipment.

He reiterated the plan of the Federal Government to provide standard healthcare for people across the nation.

He emphasised that the Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) of the Federal Ministry of Health would continue to provide quick assistance especially to the less privileged.

“The RRI will continue for the citizenries to benefit the more.

“Majority of the commoners that cannot afford their hospital bills will have their free medical treatment including surgeries,” he said.

One of those who benefitted from a free hernia surgery, Mr Idris Oluwaseun, lauded the federal government for treating his ailment of several years.

Also, Ms Basirat Adesiyan, appreciated the federal government for giving her the opportunity to partake in the free eye surgery and for obtaining free eye glasses.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Victor Adetiloye, acknowledged the commitment of the minister in moving healthcare services forward across the country.

Adetiloye described OAUTHC as the best hospital in the country, noting some of its achievements in surgeries to include the separation of Siamese twins and over 300 laparoscopic surgeries.

“Others include the first renal transplantation; 11 successful kidney transplantations; small incision cataract surgeries; developing the vitreo-retina surgery, therapeutic gastrointestinal respiratory and oncological endoscopic procedures performed on routine basis, and 16 open heart surgeries, among others,” he said.

The CMD, however, said that the hospital management needed fund for the welfare of the staff and equipment, calling on philanthropists to complement government efforts at taking the hospital to greater heights.

Adetiloye appreciated the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for contributing highly to the development of the hospital.

He said the monarch ordered two containers of medical equipment, which he, however, said were seized by men of the Nigerian Customs Service.

NAN reports that the minister paid a courtesy visit to the Ooni who pledged his sustained support for the uplifting of the healthcare sector. (NAN)

EDA/MAS/MST

Edited by Moses Solanke/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

FG condemns killing of another Nigerian in S/Africa

FG condemns killing of another Nigerian in S/Africa

NAN-F-7

By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Jan. 2, 2017 (NAN) Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has described the latest extra judicial killing of a Nigerian in South Africa as “worrying and condemnable”.

Dabiri-Erewa in a statement in Abuja on Monday said the latest gruesome killing of Tochukwu Nnadi by Police in South Africa, was unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria.

The statement was signed by her Media aide, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

She reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s calls to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug peddling which attracts stiff penalties, sometimes death.

The Presidential aide noted that the killing of Nnadi had brought to 20 Nigerians killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in 2016 alone.

While appealing to Nigerians to avoid crimes, Dabiri-Erewa said the extra judicious killing of Nigerians is condemnable and unacceptable.

“The barbaric behaviour of the perpetrators is not only unacceptable, but also calls for urgent attention by diplomatic authorities in Nigeria and South Africa,” she said.

Dabiri-Erewa urged the South African Government to ensure that justice prevails by carrying out investigation and bring the culprit to book.

She reiterated her calls to Nigerians living abroad to always respect the laws of their host countries and be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

She recalled that a Nigerian based in South Africa, Tochukwu Nnadi, was allegedly choked to death by the Police in South Africa on Thursday Dec. 29, after he was arrested for allegedly selling drugs.

According to eyewitnesses, the man, popularly known as King Kingsley, was not struggling after he was arrested and handcuffed, but one of the officers held onto his neck and squeezed tightly until blood started gushing out.

“My heart goes out to the families of the deceased and pray God to grant the departed soul eternal rest,” the SSA prayed.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union in Pretoria had confirmed the latest killing.

The Secretary of the union, Mr Adetola Olubajo, told newsmen in Pretoria that “Nigeria Union is calling on the Nigerian Mission to demand results of investigations of all murder cases involving Nigerian victims from the South African authority’’.

Olubajo said that the union was not happy that all murder cases involving Nigerians in South Africa were never resolved.

In the year 2016 alone, it has brought to 20, the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa under such cruel circumstances.

Among such victims were Ikejiaku Chinedu, Monday Okorie, Gideon Ogalaonye, Nnamdi Michael, Adeniyi Olumoko, Christian Onwukaike and Tochukwu Nnadi.

Nigerians are perennial victims of the xenophobia in South Africa, with Nigerians losing more than 4.6 million Rand or N90 million during the last attacks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 150 South African business organisations are currently operating in Nigeria, despite the former’s allegedly restrictive policies, which have made it difficult for Nigerians to invest in that country. (NAN)

IAA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola