Tag: Alimosho Local Government

Chairman of Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, Hon Israel Adekunle left participants at this year’s Breast-feeding Week with one unforgettable message: there is no substitute for breast-feeding a child.

Many nursing mothers turned up for the event which was held at the council’s Primary Health Care Center in Akowonjo. They showed their excitement for participating with their babies, many delighted at being photographed with their chairman.

But the chairman told them clearly that there is no better way to raise their babies than giving them breast milk from birth until they are six months old.

Adekunle provided statistical evidence for the imperatives of breast-feeding.

He said: “Our babies are expected to be exclusively breast-fed for six months from the date of their birth and subsequently with the addition of a balanced diet as a complementary feeding from six months to about two years. The mothers can successfully do this if they are given support from the family and social network, health care system, government, and in the work place.

“The global coverage of exclusively breast fed babies is 38%. The global target is to increase this figure to 50% by the year 2025. Therefore, this 2013 breastfeeding week is putting emphasis on peer counselling. The key to the best breastfeeding practices is continued day-to-day support for the breast feeding mothers within her home and community.”

Adekunle also left another equally important message with not just the women but everyone else.

He stressed the need to support nursing mothers and encourage them to breast-feed their babies. He spoke about women helping their peers in this regard but it was also clear that the chairman was asking even their husbands to help breast-feeding mothers to realise the aim of the global practice.

The chairman stressed the advantages of breastfeeding, highlighting the promotion of healthy growth and development of babies, prevention of common causes of death including complications from pre-maturity, infections like diarrhoea, pneumonia, reduction of the risk of obesity and diabetes and better Intelligence Quotient.

Some of the services currently being provided at the council are free immunisation, family planning, child delivery, laboratory, emergency and outreach services, as well as provision of free essential drugs, among others.

Those who attended the event were the vice-chairman, Hon. Saminu Adetunji; Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Lukman Orelope; Supervisor for Health, Hon. Wemimo Eebudola; Council Manager, Alhaja A.K Bello; the representative of Quiet Nutrition Mrs. Akiode A ; the Medical Officer of Health Dr. Odufuwa ; the Oba of Shasha Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Akanbi  Ogunrounbi, as well as the Head of Information, Mr Fashola Olaniyi.

The chairman of Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, Hon. Israel Olusola Adekunle has said the challenges posed by climate must be tackled decisively. As the climate is changing, everyone must also change with it by responding appropriately to it.

The chairman was speaking at the Orisunbare Roundabout in the council where he planted a tree before a large crowd.

The tree planting event followed the flag-off of the campaign by the state government, signalling every local government area and council development area in the state to follow suit.

It showed that the state government led by Mr Babatunde Fashola is committed to climate challenges.

At Alimosho, the issue is taken just as seriously. The chairman has planted several trees as a symbol of the council’s good disposition to the challenge.

Adekunle told the huge gathering that people should change their attitude to the dangers posed by climate change by planting trees.

The event attracted several dignitaries, among whom were a representative of the state Commissioner for Environment-Mrs Olokodana Jumah, Vice Chairman of Alimosho council, Hon. Saminu Adetunji, Leader of the Legislative House, Hon. Jelili Sulaiman, Secretary to the council, Hon. Lukman Orelope, and Council Manager, Mrs A.K Bello.

The Onishasha of Shasha Kingdom, Oba Nasiru Babatunde was also there, as were committee members of Alimosho council, community development associations and community development committees.

Boys Scout personnel were there too. So were National Union of Road Transport Workers members, among several others.

Hon. Adekunle said at the event: “It is no news that global warming and climate change is real and the world is also changing, hence the people cannot afford but change with it and the sole requirement for this change now is for everyone to embrace new adaptive methods and strategies wherein tree planting is unarguably a major one.”

Continuing, the chairman stressed: “The Government of Lagos alongside all Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas have exceeded its projection on tree planting since the exercise began on September 2008. However, it has become imperative because trees act as a protection for neighborhoods and against natural disasters.

“In addition, trees also reduce the greenhouse effect by shading houses and office buildings as they also reduce the need for airconditioning by up to 30% which in turn reduces the amount of fossil fuels burnt to produce electricity.

“I seriously implore us all to guard jealously these trees and ensure their upkeep religiously. Govt have invested so much resource into this initiative for the betterment of the generality of Lagosians and require the support of all stake holders to ensure the safety and growth of the trees. Let us desist from from dumping refuse into the drains to avoid flooding as we have been pre-warned that the rains this year will surpass last year’s.”

After providing infrastructure in Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos which enhanced the well-being of residents last year, the council chairman Hon Olusola Israel Adekunle has pledged that his administration will do more this year.

Adekunle was speaking at the presentation of the Budget Appropriation Bill to the legislative arm of the council at its Akowonjo headquarters.

The budget, according to the council chief, focuses on “accelerated growth” geared towards “road construction, free health, social engineering and poverty alleviation.”

Last year the Adekunle administration raised the council’s infrastructural profile by constructing drainage, procuring and distributing three electricity transformers, surfacing streets, clearing silted drains and building a library at a Primary Health Centre in addition to providing a security post in the council.

In the same year, police operations were boosted with walkie-talkies as well as vans, while students got free GCE and JAMB forms, as pupils were given exercise books.

This year, Hon Adekunle has promised to provide more infrastructure and leave a lasting legacy in the council.

For the current year, his administration has proposed a budget sum of N1,880,000,000 with which to provide more facilities for residents of the council.

“It is the wish of this administration to bring rapid development, sustainable groawth, sustainable growth, accelerated progress and prosperity to this local government,” Adekunle said.