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Health

Ageing: Experts advocate social protection, abolition of myths

Ageing: Experts advocate social protection, abolition of myths
By Talatu Maiwada
Protection
Abuja, Nov. 5, 2018 (NAN) Panelists at the 1st Annual African Regional Conference on Ageing on Monday in Abuja called on African governments to provide social protection towards improving senior citizens’ rights and ending myths for older persons in Africa.

Speaking on `Ageism, the myths and older persons rights, challenges and prospect of inclusive implementation of SDG’s/Au Agenda 2063’, the experts called for innovative approach to enhance rights of older persons in the regions

Prof. Uzoma Okoye, Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said there was need to place demand on African governments to adopt the right based approach and sustainable frame work for older persons.

Okoye stated that there was need for governments to invest in older persons by providing social protection through the provision of free health care, nutritional support, unemployment insurance and pension.

She added that such investment would address challenges of wellbeing, poverty and discrimination encountered by older persons.

She appealed for innovative interventions by governments to address total dependence of older people on the family structure which was currently fading away in the society.

She noted that older people in Nigeria were also tagged as witchcrafts which was demeaning and must be put to an end.

She further urged the governments to include courses on Gerontology in secondary and tertiary institutions curriculum to curb myths and imbibe the knowledge in younger population.

According to her, Gerontology means care for older persons and their wellbeing.

Mr Sam Togba Slewion, Country Representative, International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse from Liberia, appreciated the collective will by various organisations to move the agenda for older people forward.

Speaking on the myths on older people, he said they were perceived by the society as witchcrafts and people that should live in poverty till they die.

Slewion further noted that images from the African movie production also portrays the older people as witchcrafts.

He said the movie industry must change the narrative by portraying them as powerful people who have the capacity to contribute to the society positively despite their age.

He noted that many countries in Africa were yet to pass policies and intervention programmes for older people that care for their welfare.

Slewion further called on governments to see older people as vulnerable groups besides women and children and to engage them in political processes and nation building.

Mr Andrew Kavala, CEO, Malawi Network of Older People’s Organization (MANEPO), said older men and women have become invisible in the society as they were perceived as the most vulnerable.

He said there was need to change the terminology used by building their capacity, while giving them a chance to stand up and speak on issues that affect them.

Kavala also called on government officials and key stakeholders to ensure that various sectors in the society are able to address the challenges that come with ageing.

Dr Esi Ansah, Founder and Director, Association of Ghana’s Elders (AGE), said that there was no institutional support for the older people as there was only seven perc ent coverage for pensioners in Ghana.

She decried the absence of social security for the older people in Ghana, noting that it is perceived as the responsibility of families to care for their parents.

Ansah added that the family structure was changing due to responsibilities as senior citizens are left alone to cater for themselves while ageing was seen as a disease.

She called for a more multi-disciplinary commitment and support from institutions and the academia to invest in research for the aged.

Similarly, she called for the building of an eco-system of social businesses that are willing to invest in ageing through the provision of shuttle buses for transportation as well as discounts on medications from pharmaceutical companies.v(NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Lassa fever: Delta Govt donates protective kits to FMC Asaba

Lassa fever: Delta Govt donates protective kits to FMC Asaba
NAN-HG-1
Protection
By Carol V. Utulu
Asaba, Feb. 1, 2018 (NAN) The Delta Government has donated personal protective medical equipment to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, as part of efforts to curtail the scourge of Lassa fever in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, presented the items to the Chief Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victor Osiatuma, on behalf of the state government on Thursday in Asaba.
He stated that the kits would enable the medical personnel in the hospital to effectively fight the disease which recently re-emerged in the state.
The commissioner revealed that so far two confirmed cases had been recorded in the state and the victims receiving medical attention at the facility.
He said the first case of the disease brought to the FMC was a 43-year-old man resident in the state who was successfully treated and later referred to the Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo.
Azinge further stated that family members of the man and the ambulance driver who conveyed him to the hospital are being closely monitored while other contact tracing are on-going.
He assured residents that relevant authorities are on top of the situation, assuring that there is no cause for alarm as the state had effectively handled the disease the last time it emerged.
According to the commissioner, all primary health care centres in the state have been activated and sensitised on how to respond to any suspected case of the disease.
He therefore advised the residents to report suspected cases of malaria and typhoid that are not responding to treatment to the nearest medical facility as early report of cases would help save lives.
Azinge disclosed that he was in contact with his counterpart in Anambra regarding the death of the second victim brought into Asaba.
He said the corpse would be handed over to his Anambra colleague to ensure proper burial of the corpse in order not to expose more persons to the disease.
Receiving the items, Osiatuma expressed gratitude to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for the gesture and assured of the effective use of the items.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protective items included 250 pieces of disposable coat/suit, 500 pieces of Elbow Length Gloves, 50 packets of surgical hand gloves and 50 sets protective boots, among others.
On the death of the second victim of the disease in the hospital, Osiatuma revealed that the woman was brought in from Anambra last Sunday, but unfortunately died on the next day.
He said the hospital is strictly following the protocol of handling the corpse in order not to spread the disease as workers were following laid down procedure in handling such cases.
Osiatuma assured residents of the state on the ability of the hospital to handle the disease, saying with the donated items and training given to their personnel the disease would be effectively curbed. (NAN)
CVU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO to establish child protection committee in 8 FCT schools

NGO to establish child protection committee in 8 FCT schools
NAN-HG-1
Children
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2018 ( NAN) The SOS Village Nigeria, an NGO, says it will support the establishment and build the capacity of Child Protection Committees in eight public schools in Gwagalada, FCT-Abuja.
The Programme Director, Mr Ahmed Bappare, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria during a campaign rally, tagged “Care for Me – End Violence against children’’ in Abuja.
“SOS Abuja will also be collaborating with other stakeholders to advocate for the establishment and resourcing of a family court and local child rights implementation committee and build capacity of the child care providers on UN guidelines on Alternative Care and CRA.
“Family courts are not alien to this country, establishment of the family courts will help in the smooth running of CRA in Gwagalada,” Bappare said.
He said the campaign was launched in different locations across the world, saying the campaign will bring to the front-burner policies and practical issues of violence against children.
Bappare said violence was a combination of social issues and political decisions that can be resolved with relevant knowledge, political will and resources.
The Chairman, Child Protection Network (CPN), Gwagalada, Mr John Amokaha, called for the need to promote preventive education measures for both children and their parents formally and informally.

He added that with functional knowledge of the fundamental character of children as persona, and the appropriate roles of adult as guides would easily participate in making the provision of quality care more natural and less cumbersome. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Kano police commissioner assures Igbo residents of adequate protection

NAN-DS-1
Security
By Tukur Muntari
Kano, June 13, 2017 (NAN) The Police Commissioner in Kano State, Mr Rabi’u Yusuf, has assured Igbo residents in the state of adequate protection of their lives and property.

This is contained in a statement released in Kano on Tuesday by DSP Magaji Majiya, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state.

Yusuf gave the assurance on Monday at a meeting with the leadership of the Igbo community in the state.

The commissioner also assured the Igbos of the commitment of the command to ensuring the safety of their lives and property like every other Nigerian living in the state.

“The meeting is to assure you of the commitment of the command toward ensuring safety of your lives and properties as every other Nigerian living in the State,’’ Yusuf said.

He called on Igbos living in the state to remain calm, continue to carry out their businesses lawfully and live peacefully with other ethnic groups.

In his remark, Eze Igbo Kano, Dr Boniface Ibekwe expressed gratitude to the commissioner for summoning the meeting “at this crucial time’’.

Ibekwe also extolled the virtues of the people of Kano State, saying they are tolerant and well-mannered toward other ethnic groups living in their midst.

He called on all Igbos and other ethnic groups in the state to remain calm “as Kano remains our state of origin where most of our children were born and brought up’’.

He also urged them to continue to pursue their legitimate businesses without fear of harassment. (NAN)
MTM/YEE

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

====================

General news

Environmental pollution: NHRC assures Niger Delta communities of protection

Environmental pollution: NHRC assures Niger Delta communities of protection

NAN-H-6

Pollution

By Wandoo Sombo

Abuja, April 5, 2017 (NAN) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has assured the Niger Delta region that it will conclude investigation into alleged environmental pollution and human right abuses in the areas.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the commission, Mrs Oti Ovrawah, gave this assurance in Abuja on Wednesday when the Akwa Ibom Oil Producing Community Development Network (AKIPCON) and the Niger Delta Consolidated Forum (NDCF), led by Mr Ufot Phenson, visited her.

Ovrawah said that the commission had not given up its quest to ensure that the environmental rights of people living in the region were protected.

However, the acting executive secretary maintained that the commission was always careful not to interfere in any matter that was before the court.

According to her, “we want to wait for the outcome of the cases in court’’.

Mr Abdulrahman Yakubu, Director, Protection and Investigation in the commission, also assured the delegation that NHRC would do everything within its mandate to ensure that the investigation was concluded.

He said this was necessary in order to have a safe and clean environment that would sustain lives and means of livelihood of the people of the region.

Earlier, Phenson who is the President General of AKIPCON, commended the efforts of the NHRC for inaugurating the Special Investigation Panel on Oil Spill and Environmental Degradation.

He noted that the committee had held four successful sittings before it was interrupted by some oil and gas companies through court processes.

Phenson explained that both the NDCF and AKIPCON in the past 10 years had been at the forefront of ensuring adequate compensation for losses suffered from hazardous effects of hydrocarbon pollutions caused by activities of oil and gas companies in the region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation (NPDC) had in 2016, obtained an ex parte order from the Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop the NHRC from continuing its investigation into oil spillage in the country.

The court had ordered the commission to suspend its investigation pending the determination of the substantive suit. (NAN)

WS/MNA/MST

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Xenophobia: FG demands protection of Nigerians in S/Africa

Xenophobia: FG demands protection of Nigerians in S/Africa

NAN-H-52

Attacks

By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Feb. 23, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government on Thursday urged the South African government to put in place measures to end the incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.

 

The Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, gave the task in Abuja during a second summon to the High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the issue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Ministry had on Monday, Feb. 20, summoned the South Africa High Commissioner over the matter.

 

NAN also reports that Nigerian buildings, properties and places of worship worth millions of dollars were destroyed by South Africans on Feb. 5 and 18.

“The Federal Government strongly urges the South African government to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and foreigners living and working in South Africa.

“Furthermore, the federal government urges the South African Government to bring perpetrators of these deplorable acts of violence to justice.

“The ministry continues to urge Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding, and be vigilant at the same time.’’

“The Federal Government of Nigeria will strenuously work towards the protection of Nigerians everywhere, including in South Africa,” she added.

However, the minister said that no Nigerian lost their lives in the attacks contrary to reports in some media.

According to her, the reports that mentioned the killing of Nigerians in the xenophobic attacks are unsubstantiated.

 

“The ministry has not received the report of any death of Nigerian in the latest incidents of attacks against foreigners.

 

“The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria is in constant touch with the Nigerian Union in South Africa, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa, as well as the South African police.

 

“All these agencies have confirmed that no Nigerian life was lost in the recent incident,” she said.

 

The minister said the government was in touch with South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians there.

The minister therefore appealed to the media not to fuel the crisis further with unconfirmed reports.

 

Responding, the South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria said his government was on top of the situation.

Aaron-Mnguni said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South African will hold a briefing with the diplomatic community in his country on Friday to fashion out more ways to solve the problem. (NAN)

IAA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola