Category: Insight

 In a bid to reduce maternal and child death in many developing countries, governments are partnering with Traditional Birth Attendants, TBAs on how to reduce risks of infection, mortality rate and generally improve their services. Medinat Kanabe takes a look at how well this partnership is working, taking Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, as a case study.

Traditional Birth Attendants are pregnancy and child birth care providers that have been well-rooted in our society, well before the advent of modern medical practices. Going by their origin and orientation, they were not formally educated, as they get their knowledge through apprenticeship and oral teaching. Usually, they are seen in remote and other medically underserved areas, where their services are welcome, albeit despite the risks. It should be noted here that orthodox health practitioners are particularly against Traditional Birth Attendants, not necessarily because of competition or neo-colonialism as many want to claim, but according to former Director of Nursing Services in the Lagos State Ministry Of Health, Mrs. Olubumi A. Raheem, because of their weaknesses, which “lie in harmful traditional practices, which may have harmful effects for her clients; unhygienic practices and inexistence of the referral system.”

Government however recognises their relevance nevertheless, especially in the remote areas where they are top choices and sometimes, the only available choice, hence the decision to train them in government hospitals and imbue them with the power of referral, such that they are able to refer patients who need special medical attention. They now also get certifications, licensure and registration.

In a Lagos State Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction (MCRC) Program released last year, Nigeria is one of the 187 countries that signed the Millennium Declaration in 2000 with the aim of reducing the 8 identified goals/targets substantially by 2015.  Notably, reducing maternal mortality rates is one of the goals.

However, the country, as at 2015 still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, which varies between 800 to 1,000 births based on the geographical location. In 2008, the figure, though slightly better than the national average of 650/100,000 live births (NDSHS 2008), was still unacceptably high.

The figures also show that two decades after various Safe Motherhood initiatives since its launch in Nairobi in 1987, Nigeria has failed to make any remarkable impact on the maternal health indices.

This may therefore be one of the reasons a state like Lagos is relaxing its noose on Traditional Birth Attendants, reputed to be one of the major factors responsible for the poor indices.

Investigations also confirm that more Nigerians prefer the Traditional Birth Attendants to the orthodox health facilities. In 2013, 154,304 attended antenatal at the Primary health care (PHC) centres, while only 16,699 delivered. The same trend continued in 2014, where between January and August, 121,451 attended PHCs for antenatal, but only 13,000 delivered there.

Coordinator of Reproductive Health, in the ministry, Taiwo Johnson also said that the state Ministry of Health reviewed maternal death records from secondary facilities in certain areas and uncovered the causes of maternal deaths to find solutions.

“In March, we went to Ajeromi-Ifelodun because we noticed a high incidence of maternal deaths in cases referred to our facilities from quacks. Then, we came to Epe, where records showed that a number of maternal deaths can be traced to TBAs,” she stated.

During the first convocation of the TBAs at the Lagos State College of Health Technology, wife of former Lagos State governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola said their training is in line with the vision of the state to reduce infant and child mortality.

Chairman, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, (LSTMB), Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi who also spoke at the convocation explained that the TBAs have been classified as Community Based Health Workers (CBHW) by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA. She added that it is in line with the World Health Assembly, WHA strategy on development of traditional medicine to improve health-care coverage.

Indeed, for a state like Lagos, with over 21 million people, it is not surprising that its government has chosen the path of reason, as the facilities on ground are grossly inadequate to service the huge population. Besides, the economic situation and phobia for Caesarian section has also contributed in no small ways to the thronging of people to the TBAs.

However, some states in Nigeria may still be living in denial, as they continue to outlaw and discourage patronage of TBAs in their domains.

In a recent report, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, quoted Dr Ngozi Nwosu, the South East Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA to have said that the TBAs are major threat to maternal health in the region.

She said the increased patronage of TBAs in communities have become worrisome; she also claimed that the proportion of women who receive ante-natal care in health centers is a lot more than those who are eventually delivered of their babies in those health facilities – a confirmation of the fact that women opt for the TBAs at the last minute.

However some of the reasons some women opt for TBAs in the South-East may be a bit vane. Said Dr. Nwosu, “In parts of Anambra and Ebonyi states, the people believe that women who are delivered of babies in hospitals are not strong and this is part of the illiteracy problems we face. Pregnant women who patronise such places are prone to infections, as the TBAs lacked the requisite knowledge and facilities to take care of deliveries,” she said.

For Mrs. Modupe Kolawole, her reason may however border on fear of the surgeon’s knife. Mrs. Kolawole registered with a private hospital where she underwent her antenatal. It was her first child, so she kept all her appointments until her last weeks when she was told that her baby was leg-breeched and would therefore be delivered through a Caesarian Section.

After an argument with the doctors and nurses on duty, Mrs. Kolawole went home to her petty trading. She later told her story to a friend who introduced her to a TBA. She told the TBA that it was her first child and that the doctor has said the baby is breeched and will be delivered through a CS. As is often the case, the TBA assured her that all would be well, and that all she needed to do was to pay twice the regular fee.

On the day of her delivery, she went to the TBA, who uses a room in her home to deliver women and the process started. When she was dilated to the last stage of delivery, one of the baby’s legs came out. The baby’s other leg however remained stretched inside the mother.

The TBA immediately held the baby’s leg and forcefully pulled her out. The force caused the baby to tear from between her legs. She didn’t cry as she was weak and injured. It was then the mother realised she had made a mistake. Regretting her actions, she immediately took her baby to Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital, Lagos.

The doctors and nurses on duty did their best to save the baby, but she gave up the ghost after some days.

Without any gainsaying, one could say that it is for cases like this and several others that Lagos particularly opted to co-opt the TBAs, rather than leave them to their practice.

LSTMB chairman, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, who spoke to The Nation, said the TBAs in Lagos are guided by rules.

First they must be registered by the board and trained by the board. After that, they are sent to general hospital for 6 weeks orientation, where they observe procedures and thereafter they can take deliveries.

He acknowledged that many of the TBAs have been on their own for many years, and said “they just come to us to refine them.”

Stating what they must have and how the place must look, he said they must have a delivery bed and the necessary delivery tools like scissors, and other things that are used in the hospital.

“The environment must be clean and they must have at least two rooms – one for delivery and one for consulting.”

Asked if it is allowed for them to convert a room in their homes into delivery room, he said no. “It is not allowed for TBAs to use homes where they live with their husbands and children as their delivery rooms; but it is the practice and we are trying to make sure it stops because of basic hygiene, space and privacy.”

Asked to comment on which is better between TBAs and public health facilities, he said patients choose between delivering in the hospitals and going to TBAs; so he could not say categorically that one is better than the other. “The fact is that two of them complement each other. Many people prefer the TBAs because of their culture and because they have more empathy than the hospitals.

“Another thing is that majority of the TBAs reside in the communities, so they know the person that is pregnant and understand where they are coming from. It is like a family doctor, they have more confidence in them and after delivery they can still help out with taking care of the baby.”

On what happens when a TBA that is not registered is caught, he said the law states that the person is fined and can be jailed for at least two years.

Asked what happens when a woman is in a critical condition, he explained that the normal thing for a TBA to do is to refer her to the nearest general hospital. “That is why we say that they should be trained in the general hospitals nearest to their local government.

“This is so that they can have interactions with them, to prevent any delays when they go to them with such cases, and they must not allow a patient to stay long before they refer.

“Patients that must be advised to go to the government hospitals include patients who have done CS before, because they have tendencies to have complications. They must also refer first-time pregnant women. If they don’t refer and the patient dies or becomes a case of emergency, they will be sanctioned.”

He advised the TBAs to make sure they are registered with the Traditional Medicine Board. They should be ready to go for continuous study at the general hospitals and college of health technology and must take good care of the patient and encourage them to take their immunizations.”

Several TBAs still not registered

However, when this reporter visited TBAs in Badagry, a good number of them still operate unregistered, thereby running fowl of the new government rules.

 At Latabas House in Metoho Street, Badagry, a woman uses her room in a self-contain apartment, where she also lives with her family, as delivery room.

The place is converted to a delivery room anytime she has a patient in labour.

She claims that she has a lot of pregnant women, who come to her, when it is time for them to deliver, and that so far, no case of emergency has been recorded.

At Cele Bus-stop, Ansar-ud-deen Road, also in Badagry, a TBA takes delivery in his compound. As the landlord of the property, a ‘face me-I face you,’ he has a number of tenants. He also has a building to himself where he lives with his family and takes delivery for pregnant customers. Although his elder children live outside the building, the compound itself does not look suitable for a clinic.

Rumour has it that apart from taking deliveries, he also does abortions in the building.

For Mr. Adenigba Henry of Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development (HUFFPED), in the past there were great improper operating procedures noticed before their interventions with the TBAs.

“Such practices included unclean environment, inadequate staff, inadequate equipment, space and lack of skill for referral. But things have improved, as capacity building of different areas of operations are being introduced by the government and the Community Service Officers, CSO. Some were very primitive but have improved over a period of time. Some were ignorant of what their Terms of Reference (TOR) should be and the limitation of their activities, as some try to go beyond their permissible activates; but some adhere strictly to the ethnics of the job.”

He noted that the government has put in place strong monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure standardization.

Speaking on the TBAs he has worked with, Mr. Adenigba who claimed he has been working with TBAs for the past 10 years said they have worked with over four hundred TBAs on several funded projects.

“For instance, on FHI360/LSACA project, we are working with over 80 TBAs in four local governments – Lagos Island, Agege, Shomolu and Badagry; and we have worked with over 300 TBAs since inception of the project three years ago in these four Local governments.”

On what risks a child and mother are exposed to if attended to in TBAs, he said, there is no risk for a child and mother that attended registered TBA that follow ethics of the job, but for the TBAs that are not registered, there are lots of risks, which include the child being infected with HIV if the mother is HIV positive and is unawares of her HIV status; dirty environment, dirty water, infection and even death.

Asked to confirm if indeed many women register at TBAs, he said: “Yes, both educated and uneducated. Some attend because of their traditional beliefs and nobody can discourage them. Some attend because of the attitude of healthcare providers and some attends because of funds as the TBA bills are very moderate and affordable.”

He called on the Lagos State government to reduce the registration fee to encourage unregistered TBAs to register because many women go there without knowing whether a TBA is registered or not.

“Lagos State government is supporting the TBAs very well, especially in capacity building in term of regular training for registered TBAs, organizations also work with government in area of testing and counseling for pregnant women during their clinic days. The government also finds time to hold meetings with registered TBAs.  But there are many TBAs that are yet to be registered. I think government did not realise on time how many women patronise the TBAs. They were looking down on them before. But now both are collaborating to save the lives of mother and child; collaborations between TBAs and orthodox facilities are becoming very strong now.”

He called on TBAs to embrace change. “They should forget about what is obtainable during the ages of their grand-parents, which have become tradition and imbibe new and standard ways of doing things that will be in conformity with the government and universal tenets.”

Another expert, an Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Consultant in Primary Health Care, Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Mrs. Olayinka Abosede who spoke with The Nation seemed to agree with Mr. Adenigba.

Mrs. Abosede, who started working with TBAs since 1983, said many more of the TBAs are trained now on conventional method. “We train them on how to prevent infections, especially with HIV/AIDS challenges. Most of them are registered now. We train them at the Institute of Child Health and Primary Care and I also interact with a lot of them.”

She also agreed that a lot of the ones that have been trained are performing much better than they were doing some years back, adding that studies have shown that in the North, where there are no midwives, the community health workers working with the TBAs have reduced the rate of maternal mortality. “As a matter of fact they refer mothers to the primary health clinic and they are utilizing these clinics more than before. Although there is still room for a lot of improvements, with training, they are doing more than before.”

She explained that a lot of women register with TBAs, saying if 100 mothers attend antenatal clinic in the government hospital, when it comes to delivery you find out that 60 per cent of them deliver with the TBAs.

She called on the government to work with TBAs as they graduate, “For instance, from College of Technology, they are attached to a Primary Health Care centre within their wards, so that the midwife can supervise what they are doing.”

She also called on the TBAs to relate more with their primary health facilities that are well equipped and take their deliveries there, noting that it can happen in Nigeria just as it has happened in Ghana.

“Primary Health Care centers are also beginning to have anti-shock garments, which the TBAs normally do not have; so if a woman is bleeding, she can be taken to the nearest Primary Health Care centre to access good more adequate health care.”

On TBAs who convert a room in their homes into their delivery rooms and keep them untidy, she said this is why if they have a link with the primary health facility, “it will be better for them, because the nurses and midwife at the primary health facilities will be able to inspect and see where they are taking those deliveries, and help them to improve the facilities. The practices must change because they will be supervised.

“Before, they were functioning on their own without the intervention of the primary health facilities, but now, if they really want to function in our communities, they must be attached to a primary health facility. And those that are working there are now responsible for checking on what standards they are maintaining wherever they are taking those deliveries. That is in addition to their ward health committee members, because those being delivered in those untidy facilities are mothers and therefore there must be a check on what the TBAs are doing.

“I will advice them to make sure they are trained, registered and must go according to the national standing order that have been set for them. They should not go beyond the limitation of the standing order and as soon as they find that there is any problem, they must refer. They must be close to and link with the primary health facility within their ward.”

Following nights of horror at the hands of the dreaded armed robbery gang, 1million Boys, residents of Aradagun/Mosafejo in Badagry have been crying out for help. Gboyega Alaka who visited the area reports

Little children, they say know no fear; but little Aanu does know fear, no doubt, as she made copious efforts at running away from this reporter’s camera, as he tried to snap her picture. Strange, you may think, but if even as a two-year old, you’ve seen your father receive a deadly machete blow to his lap, with blood gushing out, all in a bid to shield you from thieving marauders’ attack, then you would be wary of fear.

Aanu’s home was one of the houses attacked in the recent attacks on Aradagun, Badagry, Lagos by the notorious armed-robbery gang, 1million Boys. The boys, numbering about 60, had besieged the community penultimate Wednesday/Thursday night, wielding machetes, axes, knife and cudgels and unleashing maximum terror on the inhabitants.

Neighbours who saw how she ran from the camera said they were not surprised, as she had been carrying on with adult suspicion since that experience. One woman said: “She still thinks it’s the robbers, you can’t blame her. If you saw how and they attacked the house and made to cut her with a machete, then you will understand her trauma.

But it is not only little Janet who is traumatised. The whole neighbourhood is. Probably the first house to be attacked was the house of a retired naval commodore, who owns a relaxation spot in the neighbourhood and in Igbo-Elerin in Okokmaiko, also along the Badagry axis. The commodore, apparently out of fear, as at the time of our investigation had left the area, albeit temporarily. Mr. Olanrewaju, chairman of Aiyelaju CDA, where he resides said he first got a call from the commodore that a horde of robbers had attacked his home and that he had had to run off from the house, leaving his wife and children, when it became obvious that they were on a killer mission. He said they dealt him several machete blows, forcing him to run for dear life.

In Aanu’s house, a young man, Jimoh Kabiru, a driver is still in pains, with plasters all over his body. You could tell the fear and pains in his eyes as he answered this reporter’s questions. He said he had just returned from a trip to his hometown for the festivities late Wednesday. Tired, he had gone to bed, only to hear some strange noise in the passage in the middle of the night – around 2am. Curious, he got up and made his way to the passage. But before his eyes could even take in the scene in the dark, he felt flash torches hit his eyes and some hands grabbed him. Seeing that these were probably robbers, he snatched himself from them and ran towards the back door; but lo and behold, he ran into another group.

“As I snatched myself from them and ran out through the back door, I immediately discovered that I had only run out into another group, as they immediately descended on me with machetes and all sorts of weapons. In my quest to escape to safety, I saw a group of people coming from another direction, thought it was neighbours who had come to rescue me and ran towards them but again this group blinded me with their flash-torches and descended on me with their weapons, butchering and hitting me mercilessly. I ran again into another gang, but these were fewer, so I was able to wrestle my way through them and into a banana plantation down there. That was how I managed to escape. And that is why you’re able to find me alive today.”

After that, Kabiru said the boys spread into the community almost with a kind of military precision, attacking almost all the houses simultaneously, wantonly destroying doors and windows and cutting as many people as were unlucky to fall into their part.

Not too far from Kabiru’s house is a storey building, where the gang again left an unforgettable memory of horror. In one of the apartments is a family with a new-born baby. As is the case with the traditional African system, the mother-in-law had come over to be with the family and help nurse the baby. According to the CDA chairman, the robbers gained entry into the flat, inflicted machete blows on the nursing mother and also on the elderly mother-in-law, probably for interfering while they were cutting her daughter. But the robbers were not done. They also dealt the husband a cut scooped over N50, 000 – all the cash in the house, but demanded more. Because the family couldn’t come up with more cash, they threatened to cut off the little baby’s head. But as one of them raised his machete threateningly, the father dove and covered the baby, leaving the machete to land on his back. Apparently, the innocent baby would have been sent back to his Creator, but for his father’s chivalry.

30 meters away and opposite, the neighbours here were a bit lucky. None of them had injuries inflicted on them. But they were nevertheless traumatised. The lady of the house, a homely woman peeped suspiciously as this reporter and the CDA chairman appeared in the horizon. But when she saw a familiar face, she came out and said, “Sorry, I had to peep first. I thought it’s the boys again.”

She said the boys broke all the window panes, broke down the door and held them. “They were like bees. They swarmed on us and carted away all the money in the house and handsets. Luckily however, we were not harmed. But we were scared stiff. Even my husband. We’re still scared as I’m talking to you.

Unfortunately, this reporter was not able to speak to any of this family, as he was told that they had relocated temporarily. But who wouldn’t, especially when daily news reaching you is that the boys are still very much around, terrorising other communities in the neighbourhood on a nightly basis and leaving tears, blood and sorrow in their wake. An unconfirmed story even said the boys were raping, although this reporter couldn’t confirm that. Chairman of the CDA said that may have happened in other communities in the area, but definitely not theirs.

A facebook post by one Benjamin Amaechi read: “Help broadcast, the hoodlums called “One million boys” are terrorising, maiming, raping and killing in Aradagun, Ibereko, Limca axis of Lagos – Badagry exp way. Leaving sorrow, tears and blood in their trail.”

Tales from other land

It will be recalled that in the notorious gang’s other exploits in areas such Ajegunle, Alimosho and co, they had maimed, killed and raped recklessly. A certain story that emanated from Ajegunle told of how the robbers after raping some women in a community got to a room occupied by an elderly mother and her teenage son. When they could not get any money from the little family and apparently because they were not interested in carrying out the evil deed themselves, the robbers ordered the boy to sleep with his mother. It was said that they forced the woman on her back and forced the boy on her. But because the boy naturally could not do anything with the mother despite their threats, they beat him mercilessly and dealt him machete blows.

Back to Aradagun

Not too far away, at Engineer Sammy Street, opposite AP Filling Station, the gang also struck. At a mini-estate that consists of nine one-bedroom apartments, Mrs. Okurabi, told The Nation of how she is still in shock of their visit. She spoke of how they pulled down burglary proof in a matter of seconds.

“They came around 1am; they didn’t even border to knock. I wasn’t even asleep then, because I was nursing my baby. First I heard them tampering with the net, then they broke the window glasses and started sawing at the burglary. I think about four of them were sawing at the same time, and then they used a flower vase to finish off the job. They broke down the burglary proof within minutes, making a mess of the whole burglary thing.

“Within seconds, they were in my sitting room. They took over the whole space and I had to stand aside and look. Believe me, it wasn’t a funny sight.” She said she couldn’t even scream, as the mere sight of their number was enough to gag anyone.

“Immediately, they started searching everywhere. They took my phone, my gold necklace; and my pack of recharge cards and vouchers. I sell phone recharge cards. When they finished, they rushed out in the same way they rushed in, only this time, they used the door. Then they spread and swarmed on other flats. Only one flat escaped their onslaught.” She said.

Mrs. Okurabi showed the reporter round the house to see the relics of the gang’s visit. There were pulled down burglary proofs everywhere, broken window panes on the floor. At one of the apartments, the boys broke through the ceiling to gain entry, after finding it difficult to force open the front door.

The lucky woman out

Mrs. Bissong’s flat was the only one that was not broken into. This afternoon, she was blending pepper for lunch, looking relaxed. She however said the fact that her flat was not broken into does not mean that she didn’t go through the trauma.

“I was scared too, especially because I was alone with the children. My husband was away. I heard them knocking on other apartment. They rushed past my apartment; after a while, they rushed back again. Then I heard them remove my window pane, but as one of them made to attack the burglary, another said ‘Leave that one, let’s go to this other flat first.’ So, I was left here apprehensive and praying hard. And then I heard them say ‘Let’s go, there is no time anymore.’ That was how I escaped the boys. To God be the glory. It was prayer.”

Almost opposite the Bissong’s blocks of flat is a bungalow of two flats owned by a Mobile Police officer, Abba Jonah. He was not at home on the night, and neither were his wife and children. But the boys nevertheless broke in. They gained entry through his wife’s bedroom, opened the front door to allow their colleagues in and searched the whole flat thoroughly.

Abba said “I was on duty on the night. I’m a MOPOL officer attached to border patrol at Seme Border. I got a call from my tenant at about 2am that some boys were attacking the neighbourhood, and that they had attacked the house. Immediately, I told my inspector and the team drove down immediately. But by the time we got here, they had gone. We tried pursuing them, but they disappeared into the bush.

“They took away all the money I had at home, N50, 000. They also stole my touch and left theirs behind. They even broke my visitor’s toilet. Maybe they thought I had some valuables in there. They also left behind one of their weapons, a golf stick. (He shows it to this reporter.) One of my neighbours who was peeping upstairs said he counted them and that they were up to forty in number.”

Abbah said the boys had been coming to the neighbourhood every night since then (as at Tuesday last week). He said the boys also went to Sawmill and as far as Ibereko after the visit to his neighbourhood. He revealed that the community has formed vigilante groups to keep watch. “Even our baale has invoked the Oro cult in every community now, such that if you’re caught anytime beyond 9-10pm, you’ll have to explain yourself.”

The okada (commercial motorcycle) rider, who conveyed this reporter through the sandy streets in the community, spoke of how “the devilish boys unleashed terror on the people. Knowing the gossip nature of okada riders, this reporter prodded him further. He said it’s been a bloody experience in the neighbourhood, as the boys have been coming in great numbers to attack houses. He said they also cut people mercilessly with machetes. As he rode through the sandy roads, he pointed at dark wiry spots and said “Oga, those are bonfires o. nobody dey sleep for this side again.”

He also said some of the boys have been caught and handed over to the police. He also spoke of another rumoured version that says some of the boys had been ‘wasted’ in the bush.

Asked if he knew where the boys came from, he said “I learnt that they’re Delta (state) boys, but that they’re lodging with some guy in Badagry, who is hosting them. The other night, some guys said they spotted them on a bike, as they rode away on bike. They said they saw a group of boys on a bike; come and see people running.”

Suspicion everywhere

As this reporter alighted from the bike, the CDA chairman, Olanrewaju took another look at him and asked “Where did you get this okada man. We’re wary of them all now, because we don’t know who is who. Since the gang is made of boys from afar, it means they would have informants. So every stranger is a suspect.

He also said everybody has been on alert since then and that strangers or anyone who moves suspiciously in the neighbourhood is accosted and queried. “You have to be able to explain yourself otherwise you’re handed over to the police.  Even people in other communities, where the boys have not visited are on the alert and keeping watch.” He said it was a good thing that this reporter first went to the baale of the town before proceeding on his mission.

He also said that all the communities have night guards but that no-one in the neighbourhood sleeps anymore, as they have to complement their efforts. He revealed that the communities have also informed the police, SSS and all relevant security agencies and that they are in constant touch with them. “Some of us are members of PCRC (Police Community Relations committee) and we already have a relationship with the police, so we now update them on daily happenings and our own actions as well. Sometime in the process of being repelled in other areas, they spill over and may still come here, so we keep bonfires alive, so they know we’re awake and go somewhere else. Thank God for modern communication, we get information on their movement in other communities as well.”

Asked to confirm the news that some of them have been arrested, he said yes but that that’s the much he knew. He also said he does not know where the boys come from. From what he heard, Olanrewaju said the boys “speak a variety of languages, while others speak broken; so it is hard to say where they come from. “It also beats our imagination how they’re able to gather themselves in such large numbers.”

Baale of Aradagun speaks

The baale (traditional head) of Aradagun, Chief Joel Bolaji Falola said what the community has witnessed in the last couple of days should be better imagined for those who have not experienced them. He explained that their attack extended as far as Ibereko and the neighbouring Mosafejo, which he says has literally merged with Aradagun. To avoid any confusion, he said Mosafejo also has its own baale.

He however said they have not visited his immediate community, but that they have sent a message that they’ll soon pay them a visit and that they should prepare.

He said the areas the boys have visited are the new towns on the other side of the community, namely Oremeji, Arowolo and Aiyelaju. “They went to the other side of town, where we have new houses and robbed so many houses. You can get the bike men to take you there when we’re through, so you can go there and see for yourself and speak with the victims.”

Asked if they have killed anyone so far, the baale said, “I’m not quite sure of that, but from what I heard, they come with machetes, knives, axes and all sorts of dangerous weapons.” He also could not confirm that anyone had been raped, but insisted that it was a harrowing experience nevertheless.

He confirmed that the community has deplored the revered Oro cult to police the town, in addition to regular night guards and vigilante groups which the people have formed. To underline the seriousness of the matter, the baale said even he is not left out of the vigilante mission.

Baale also confirmed that some of the criminals have been arrested. “When I heard that some of the boys had been arrested, I went to Badagry Police Station to see for myself. These are young boys of between 19 years and 22. In hope the police would speed up investigation and round them up, so we can sleep peacefully again. We heard that they once terrorised Ajegunle and that it was after the police busted their gang that the people regained peace.

Police: We’re on top of the matter

Not done, this reporter visited Badagry Police Station in Badagry in a quest to get a confirmation from the Divisional Police Officer, but one of his subordinates Inspector Tuboh said the arrested members of the gang had been transferred to the headquarters and that he couldn’t comment further on the matter.

A phone correspondence with the new State Police PRO, Dolapo Badmus however confirmed the arrest.

The message read: The police is on top of the situation. Heavy number of policemen deployed to the area. As we speak, operation officer RRS has been redeployed to monitor the operations, while Area K commander, Mr. Ekpo is supervising. Several arrests have been made.

Following the return of nauseating heaps of refuse to highways and roadsides across the city of Lagos, Dorcas Egede goes to town to raise pointed questions. Have Lagosians become dirtier, or have the authorities suddenly gone lax? Below are her findings.

For years, the government of Lagos State has campaigned for a cleaner mega city that will be a pride of the nation and a model to other states of the federation. For a city nicknamed ‘Centre of Excellence’, the last administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola adopted the slogan, “Eko o ni baje” meaning ‘Lagos will not deteriorate,’ to motivate the citizenry and all government agencies towards attaining that dream Lagos. Remarkably, it seemed like this feat was being achieved, until recently when the bad old days literally resurfaced. Suddenly from Ajegunle to Apapa, Ketu to Ojota, Mushin to Safejo and even along Oshodi-Apapa express way, piles of rubbish are returning in heaps. The question has therefore been: have Lagosians become dirtier? Or have the government and the relevant agencies and partners suddenly gone to sleep?

Naturally, The Nation went to town asking questions; and the first point of call was the Lagos State Ministry of the environment office in Alausa, Ikeja, where the commissioner and other top officials were not available for immediate interview. A release made available to this reporter however reiterated the ministry and indeed the government’s commitment to the ‘excellence’ goal, claiming that a new agreement between the ministry and the body in charge of waste management, the Lagos Waste Management Service Providers’ Forum (LWMSPF), through its chairman, Apostle Akin Adewole, has assured that, “the Lagos Metropolis will regain its sparkle and cleanliness before the new year rolls in.”

Essentially, the release suggested that everything about waste management in the state has been committed into the hands of LWMSPF.

According to the release, the Honourable Commissioner of the Mininstry of the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejara, addressed a number of waste management issues in the state. Aside appealing to the managers to do everything within their power to clean up wastes in the city and ensure a cleaner Lagos capable of attracting more investors and boosting the state’s economy, he equally urged citizens to shun the habit of disposing wastes on highways and other restricted areas. He said the government would soon establish a mobile court to address issues of people who default in the payment of the refuse evacuation bills. He also said PSP managers who default in their responsibility would be dismissed.

Lagosians cry out

One Festac resident who simply identified herself as Alhaja, told our reporter that she has resorted to patronising truck-pushers in disposing her wastes because of the many disappointments at the hands of PSP operators, despite the fact that she never failed to pay her bills. She said their services have continued to deteriorate since they begun serving the area. First, she said they reduced the number of times they collect the refuse per week to once, from twice; she also said even that once has become ‘unbearably inconsistent.’ She revealed that they sometimes show up 3 to 4 days after the appointed time, thereby allowing heaps of refuse to rise in the neighbourhood and leaving them no option but to patronise the local truck pushers.

 This, she said, is in spite of the fact that the government has been trying really hard to discourage patronage of the truck-pushers because of the manner they dispose the wastes, which it considers malicious to the sanctity of the environment.

Another resident in the area, Mama Joseph, revealed that even though her husband has paid his PSP bills in advance till February this year, they still aren’t enjoying the services of the PSP operators, because of their inconsistency. She noted with irritation that they are sometimes forced to patronise the truck-pushers whose mouths, she said ‘have become too wide’, and now charge exorbitant bills. She considers this a waste of resources, especially because her husband has already paid the PSP operator in advance.

Another Festac resident, Amina, told The Nation that residents in the block of 32 flats, where she resides, are notorious for not paying their bills. At a point, she said the rubbish in front of their block piled up to a worrisome level, because the PSP operators refused to service their block. She thus admitted that she and her next-door neighbour have taken to the patronising truck pushers because they are cheaper and readily available.

She advised the PSP operators to bill the block collectively rather than individually, as the chairman of the block would be able to rally people together to pay as at when due. She also urged the PSP operators to be consistent, adding that if people see their consistency and efficiency, they will inevitably patronise them and fulfill their own part of the obligation.

In the same vein, a resident of Sparklight Estate, Berger, Ojodu, Mr Sam, equally complained of the inconsistency of the PSP operators. He said they collect wastes once in two weeks, which is too far between and to which they don’t even adhere consistently. Resultantly, he said wastes piled up and they are forced to patronise truck-pushers. He also believes part of the problem is that the PSP operator servicing his area has bitten more than he can chew, and is therefore finding it difficult to meet up with his obligations.

Mr Sam also noted that a good number of residents in the area do not pay their bills, which he says partly accounts for the inconsistency of the waste disposal operation in his area.

At Jakande Estate in Oke-afa, Isolo, a gentleman, Ade, expressly told our reporter that his household does not patronise the PSP operators, since they do not generate much waste. He said he considers it a waste of already limited financial resources, to pay for a service he does not have need for. He therefore prefers to patronise an elderly truck pusher- in the area, who he believes dumps the wastes at a longstanding dumpsite in the area.

A resident of Abesan Estate in Ipaja told our reporter that the reason for the piles of rubbish seen around the area was because of the festive period. She testified that the PSP truck assigned to the area adheres strictly to the once a week waste collection arrangement.

At Coconut bus stop area of Apapa, the Iya Oloja of Ibafon Main Market, Alhaja Adeola told The Nation that LAWMA has become more responsive in the collection of their wastes, unlike what obtained two months before. Until recently, she said they were not consistent in their waste collection duties, and being a market where waste is continuously generated, it was a big problem to her and the other market women. She however expressed gratitude for the change and said she would be glad if waste collection for the market is done up to four times in a week.

Voice of a LAWMA police

A resident in Ilasamaja area, Tajudeen Hassan, who also introduced himself as a LAWMA Policeman, assigned to oversee the area, tried to explain why the piles of rubbish along that axis of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway never seems to go away. He said residents are prohibited from dumping their wastes along the express, and that the only people permitted to do so are the highway managers, who are supposed to pack the waste gathered on the highway and keep them in wait for the LAWMA truck officials, who would in turn pick them up. “But as soon as residents discovered this trend, those who run from paying bills started sneaking up at odd hours to dump their wastes along the express. What’s worse is that these wastes are never well-packed.”

Corroborating Tajudeen’s claim was a police officer (who craved anonimity). In his words, “The main reason you always see this place lined with waste is because people from within the streets, keep coming to dump their wastes here, even though this young man (referring to Tajudeen) keeps warding them off.” He added that they (residents) would sometimes team up and beat up the young man. He said police officers at the station have had to come to his rescue several times in the past. He advised LAWMA to laise with the Nigeria Police Force to help them enforce waste management laws, because according to him, humans, Lagosians especially, sometimes need some strict measures to comply with certain laws.

While commenting on the need to employ the use of the police force in enforcing waste management laws, LAWMA Boss, Mr Olumuyiwa Adejokun said that the government and the agency has to be careful when it comes to handling people (waste law offenders). “It’s better not to rough handle people because of this issue, so as not to generate other problems. We need the service of the media more than ever before. We need you to sensitise the people more.”

Another LAWMA Police, who simply identified himself as Shola, told our reporter that the challenges they face on the work are numerous. To begin with, he said he alone has to oversee Sadiku Area of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway to Iyana Itire, which he said is too expensive for one person. Between Sadiku and Iyana-Itire, there are over six streets, he revealed. He also said that if he moves from Sadiku to Ijaiye to ensure that there was no resident of the area dumping waste along the express, he would be greeted by a heap of rubbish on his return to Sadiku. He thus said that the work would be a lot easier if more LAWMA policemen were employed.

Obviously incensed by the attitude of residents of the area, he said it beats his imagination how people can be so cruel, as to be creating more work for the highway cleaners, the PSP and LAWMA people all at once. He wondered if Lagosians do not realise that the people responsible for collecting the wastes are human beings like them. He opined that one way to put a stop to people dumping refuse on the highway would be for the government to employ strict measures in dealing with offenders.

Shola also suggested another idea, which he said could make the dream of a dirt-free Lagos a reality. He said if the Local Government Council chairpersons are made to talk to their various landlord associations and mandate all member landlords to provide big waste containers for the tenants in their houses to dispose their wastes, things would improve remarkably. He also advised that the state takes drastic disciplinary measures against those who refuse to comply, so that others can learn from them.

Otega Kanu, another resident in the area said, “To be fair to this LAWMA people, they are doing their job o. It’s just that many people in this area are not cooperating with them. All these wastes you see along the express are dumped there by people from these streets: Sadiku, Hassan, Taiwo Lane, Ijaiye Close, Araromi, Balogun, Adijatu. So, even though the LAWMA people clear the wastes on the express every morning, by the next morning, you will see fresh wastes.”

One roadside trader, who said she does not live in the area but only comes there to do business on a daily basis, said the wastes are often cleared up every morning by LAWMA personnel, but said it always surprised her to find them there when she returned to do her business each new day. She said she was sure that the residents in the area usually come and dump those refuse there behind their backs.

The other side of the story

Some residents in the area however claim that the reason some residents dump refuse on the highway is because the PSP trucks do not get into their streets regularly. When our reporter confronted Tajudeen with this allegation, he said of a truth the PSP trucks that ply the area have difficulty getting into the streets because the roads are too narrow for their big trucks. Sometimes, he also said these trucks break down, making them unavailable for service.

Responding to this, LAWMA boss, Adejokun, said the agency is aware that some streets in Lagos are inaccessible to big trucks, and that the body has provided mini-trucks that can access such streets. He added that further arrangements have been made to reach areas with bad road networks, with muster points being created in such communities, to enable easier waste collection.

Regarding trucks breaking down, he said that is unavoidable, because they can develop mechanical fault at any given time. To address that issue, he said LAWMA has told all PSP operators to have at least two operating trucks, so that in the event of one breaking down, the other can serve.

Should both trucks fail, which Adejokun said is a possibility, there is a toll-free line which has been made available to operators and the general public, which they can call so that alternative arrangements can be made to clear the wastes.

PSP Operators state their case

An initial attempt to get the PSP operators to respond to the issues at hand, failed owing to their claim of not being allowed to speak to the media, except by the permission of LAWMA. This reporter’s persistence and resolve to at least get the people’s angle however paid off, as she eventually came across two PSP trucks, owned by Nureni Saka Enterprise and Bauh-Bon Environmental Services, whose supervisors willingly offered helpful and honest information.

The first, Yinka, of Nureni Saka Enterprise, revealed that they (PSP operators) contend with a lot of abnormalities in the discharge of their duties. Obviously perturbed by the said abnormalities, he asked, “What would it take for people to bag their wastes properly before dumping them on the express?”

He said: “People should make bagging their wastes a culture. It reduces the litter on our roads.”

He also wondered how residents who do not pay their PSP bills expect the companies to be able to pay their workers and remain in business.

The supervisor attached to Bauh-Bon Environmental Services, Mr. Ajose, on his part said the greatest problem PSP operators have is with residents, who have refused to cooperate with them. As if to validate his lamentation, a short drama unfolded right before this reporter, in which one of the residents whom the supervisor claimed had not been paying their refuse disposal bills, approached him and demanded that he cleared his refuse.

“You see exactly what I’m talking about?” The supervisor said, turning to this reporter; “These are the defaulters who are making our work difficult.”

Aside the challenge of difficult residents, he also said many PSP operators face the challenge of insufficient tools to work with. By tools here, he was referring to their trucks. He said a PSP operator who has insufficient trucks will find it extremely difficult to meet up with waste collection, because, according to him, it will be difficult to service up to ten streets in a day with just one truck.

As a parting shot, Ajose said the solution to the daily problems of waste collection in the state is enforcement, adding that government’s advocacy and reorientation is not enough.

Make out time to sort your waste – environment expert

In a chat with The Nation, an environmental scientist and independent waste management consultant, Mrs Olakitan Oluwagbuyi said the solution she believes in will not only bring about a cleaner and healthier Lagos, but also present an opportunity for wealth creation.

She said, “The citizenry needs to be encouraged to get involved in waste sorting from source – at the point of generation at household and industry levels.”

“Recyclable materials like glass, metals, bottles, cartons, newspapers, sort them out. The organics too can be sorted out and turned to compost. People may be wondering, why do I have to keep two or three baskets for collecting wastes in my house, when I don’t even have space for more important things? But that is because they don’t understand the value of waste sorting. The first advantage is that we will be helping in providing neat clean wastes for those in the recycling business, and they can make some money by just doing that little bit. When you have clean bottles as feed and they don’t get mixed up with other rubbish, it is a good raw material for the industry who wants to recycle it, because they don’t have to keep mining, they just recycle and make other good things out of it.”

She stressed that there are opportunites of wealth creation from the wastes we generate at home and in industries. Giving an example of the popular light bulb, she said the filament in the light bulb is used in making corper. So, even though the bulb ceases to work, the corper value in the filament remains intact.

She also said our inability to sort waste is increasing our health challenges. She said: “Now, you hear about cancer in people, both old and young. The reason for this is quickly attributed to witchcraft activities, but actually, it’s because we do not sort our wastes, and the PSP operators just carry everything and trash them in the dump site. We still operate dumpsites in many of our states, it’s only in Olusosu that dumpsite activities have reduced to a large extent because they do daily cover. When there is no daily cover on our dumpsites, what happens is that there is spontaneous burning and sometimes, conscious burning.

With open burning of plastic, there is a release of dioxin and furan; and these two heavy metals are precussors for cancer. And there’s no boundary for it; whether you’re living in Victoria Island or Badia, you get your own share of it because the air has no boundary….”

Asked if government advocacy alone can help achieve a dirt-free Lagos, she stressed the importance of taking responsibility for one another. She said as citizens, Lagosians and indeed Nigerians should be able to act as check on one another, and by ourselves, be able to enforce the litter free laws of the state rather than waiting for the government to force us. She also challenged the government to encourage and engage citizens, so that those who are ready to be champions for their neighbourhood can be. “They can get champions for the environment, champions for waste collection in every single street  in this state. That will be something. And then they can give awards for it, such that those people will have a sense of having made a contribution…” she said.

THE uproar over the N7billion earmarked for the upcoming National Conference by the federal government is yet to fizzle out, with more prominent Nigerians questioning the propriety of expending such a huge sum on a three-month exercise.

With just 492 delegates expected to take part at the Confab, not a few Nigerians are taking the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government to task for not making public a clear breakdown of how the N7b will be spent.

While it was anticipated that the dialogue would have significant financial implication, nevertheless critics argue that the figure of N7 billion projected for it certainly stretches the imagination.

Speaking on the issue recently, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, described the N7billion earmarked for the proposed conference as a waste of resources, insisting that the exercise would not result in any fundamental difference in the condition of the country.

Kukah, who was Secretary of the National Political Reform Conference, organised by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration in 2005, also described the planned proposed conference as another forum for political noise-making.

In the 2005 National Political Reform Conference, which Bishop Kukah was Secretary, N932 million was proposed by the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

A spendthrift government

In apparent reference to the profligacy that has become the hallmark of government’s programmes in Nigeria, Kukah added, “N7 billion is just pocket money; it is chicken feed by Nigerian standard, considering how much money has been stolen from this country.

“Frankly, even if they are going to commit N10 billion for people to stay in hotels in Nigeria, the money is not the issue, building a nation is a serious matter.”

Also reacting to the N7billion budget, the Lagos State House of Assembly advised Jonathan to divert the N7 billion budgeted to fund the proposed National Conference to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

According to its Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Hon. Segun Olulade, the House slammed the president for “plotting to distract Nigerians with his self-made confab rather than addressing pertinent national issues.

Olulade made reference to a recent statement made by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, over lack of funds as one of the threats to a successful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

The lawmakers observed that Jega has on several occasions reiterated that the nation’s expectations over 2015 elections might not be met.

According to the statement, the INEC boss’ many excuses are ways of making excuses for himself ahead of the poll while the president is busy funding and giving intense attention to what it called an ‘unpopular confab.’

Also lending its voice to the criticisms that has trailed the N7billion budget for the National Confab is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Stakeholders Forum. Its Convener, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, in an interview said, “To spend N7billion for a conference which will be having only 492 participants is wasteful. Why should the federal government spend N7billion for a conference in a country where unemployment rate is rising daily with dilapidated infrastructure?”

The federal government’s 2014 budget proposal, which puts the cost of hosting the conference at such a staggering sum, many have argued, deserves to be viewed with suspicion.

In particular, it is difficult to avoid distrust of the planned expenditure for the dialogue because there is curiously no breakdown of how the funds will be spent. Indeed, it would appear that this seeming omission is actually a commission.

Again, what could be the possible explanation for the oddity of presenting a total figure without defining its details? Some concerned stakeholders argue that the seeming oversight perhaps suggests that the details do not add up, or would not add up. They added that it would amount to a fraudulent approach if the calculation is to get the budget estimate passed by the National Assembly before providing the required details.

It should be expected that such absence of “full disclosure” would be rejected by the legislature, which would hopefully insist that Nigerians ought to have a full picture of the projected cost of the dialogue before it is passed.

However, there is the possibility that the exclusion may be a deliberate attempt by the administration to provoke a pre-determined situation.

The House of Representatives appears to have correctly gauged the mood of Nigerians, when, sometime last week, it mandated the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to provide to the House the detailed estimates of the 2014 Budget as a condition for the deliberation and consequent approval of the House.

To appreciate the importance of the missing information, it is relevant to highlight a similar project designed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who in January 2005 sought legislative approval of N932 million to fund a three-month National Political Reform Conference. Significantly, the Obasanjo administration gave a breakdown as follows : Delegates would earn N21.68 million as sitting allowance and N650.25 million as allowances in lieu of accommodation; N1.7 million for return tickets from London, Washington, Beijing and Johannesburg in addition to N28, 800 for return flights to Abuja for the inaugural session and subsequent conference meetings; N14, 400 for delegates for airport taxi and local transportation within Abuja ; provision for, at least, two CVU long wheel cars to be hired and fuelled at N2.9 million.

Making reference to this, concerned Nigerians have been asking questions as to why President Goodluck Jonathan’s government seem unwilling to break down the expenses for the proposed conference.

Besides, some are contending that the nine-year gap between the two projects cannot explain the huge difference in specification.

“More importantly, the huge gap between Obasanjo’s figure of N932 million and Jonathan’s N7 billion cannot be on account of time factor alone,” said an economist, who does not want to be named, being a federal civil servant. While apologists of the Jonathan administration will expectedly cite inflation as a definitive factor responsible for the mind-boggling difference, critical observers have pointed out that such argument is far-fetched.

Many questions readily come to mind as regards how the N7billion will be spent. One, how much will each of the 492 delegates earn as allowances over the three-month period of their assignment? What is the cost of the hotel accommodation, feeding and other logistic needs of the delegates? Will the federal government create a distinct Secretariat that would oversee the N7billion or is it the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) that will supervise the funds as it is being speculated in certain quarters?

Until satisfactory answers are provided to these posers, the controversy over the N7billion budget may turn out to be a major distraction when the proposed confab eventually takes off.