The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eradicate

  • Obaseki mandates task force to eradicate human trafficking

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has mandated the task force on Human Trafficking and Ilegal migration to eradicate these twin evil traits by 2020.

    Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration Mr. Solomon Okoduwa told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin yesterday that the task force had, meantime, been mandated to reduce the menace by 50 per cent, before December.

    The aide spoke after the signing of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law by Obaseki in Abuja last Wednesday.

    He said the signing of the law, which was passed by the Assembly, would send a message to the traffickers that “it is no longer business as usual.’’

    Okoduwa said the signing showed the commitment of the government to stem the scourge.

    “It is a warning to the traffickers and their managers that when caught, they will be made to face the law.

    “We will ensure that the law works, to the letter. The governor has made it clear that there will be no mercy to whoever is caught violating the law.

    “This law will also strengthen the task force to deal with the menace of human trafficking.

    “The governor’s mandate is to eradicate human trafficking by 2020, and to reduce it by 50 per cent by end of the year.

    “To me, the mandate is clear and it is achievable as we remain on course towards the realisation,’’ he stressed.

    Okoduwa said the commitment of the governor was a pointer that human trafficking no longer had a place in Edo.

    He noted that the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, and the government has demonstrated that the “business’’ no longer has a place in the state.

    “The Oba has condemned it by placing a curse on traffickers, while the government also condemned it by setting up a task force to stop the menace.’’

    NAN reports that Edo has been described as a hub for human trafficking and illegal migration, as the state accounted for more than half of returnees from Libya within the last eight months.

    According to Okoduwa, the returnees from Libya in Edo are 3,400.

  • How Fed govt can eradicate poverty, by scholar

    An Islamic scholar, Ustadh AbdulGaniy Raji, yesterday claimed that over 112 million Nigerians are unemployed.

    Relying on figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Raji quoted the bureau as saying that two million Nigerians lost their jobs early this year.

    He spoke during the distribution of The Companion Zakat Fund at Old Secretariat, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

    According to him, between 1993 and 2013, World Bank reported that over 35 million graduates joined people living below poverty level in the country.

    He defined poverty as people living below a dollar per day.

    “Between 1993 and 2013, nations like China, Russia, Indonesia and few others have reduced poverty rate in their countries, but the employment rate kept increasing in Nigeria,” he said.

    Raji said the essence of Zakat is to banish poverty in the land, adding “there is no religion that wishes its adherents to be wealthy than Islam if only Muslims followed its laid down principles.”

    The Companion National President, Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso, said the Zakat fund was created to ease Muslims desire to fulfil their obligations and earn mundane and spiritual rewards.

    Oyefeso added that it was also meant to better the lives of the less privileged.

    “This year alone, we have disbursed N7 million to 83 beneficiaries. Some are for medical relief, education support, accommodation, among others,” he said.

    He appealed to the beneficiaries to utilise the items received.

    Zakat, he said, if well managed would eradicate poverty in the society.

    Oyefeso appealed to government to re-structure various financial assistant programmes to cater for Muslims.

    “The way it is structured now, Muslims have been excluded because it is forbidden for Muslims to collect interest-based loans. Let them involve Muslim experts in the scheme to ensure that the Muslim populace benefit from it,” he said.

    A Muslim leader, Dr Muiz Banire, said Nigeria needed divine intervention because it seems the nation is not progressing.

    “So many things that earn you the wrath of Allah abound in this country. Apart from lack of fear of God, we have wronged Allah badly, hence my call for divine intervention. Other countries that do not worship God are doing things that please Allah,” he said.

    Nigeria, he said, would continue to face one crisis or another “because poverty leads to hunger, hunger leads to anger and anger will definitely leads to crime.”

  • ‘Let’s eradicate crashes on our roads’

    The Corps Commander/Chief Executive Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Mr Ayo Sangofadeji, has urged Nigerians to join hands in ending the frequent crashes on our roads.

    He spoke while delivering a lecture on safety at the Engineering Search and Disposal Regiment, Sappers Barracks, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.

    He said crashes on our road could be minimised if commercial transport unions, companies and individuals co-operate with the traffic management agencies to embark on regular safety training/workshop for their drivers.

    He said, TRACE is one of the traffic management services in Ogun State to solve the envisaged transport problems, checkmating and controlling traffic and to effectively manage the heavy traffic flow.

    He said: “Accident is an unexpected, unpleasant or undesirable occurrence involving automobiles, which in any manner, must involve vehicles, human beings or other properties. Noting that accidents do just happen without any cause, he said accidents are categorised in three categories namely minor, serious and fatal.

    “Minor accidents, he said, involved neither life nor injury, but vehicles or property may be damaged. Serious accidents, he revealed, do not involve loss of life but internal or external bodily harm. And in fatal accidents, there may be no scratch on the vehicle(s), yet life is lost,” he said.

    He urged motorists to always consider these three factors that cause accident, human/institutional factor (driver), mechanical (vehicle) and environmental (road or weather) to ensure the safety of lives on the roads.

    Other factors he highlighted that cause car crashes were poor driving culture, illiteracy, poor eye-sight, drunk driving, over-speeding, psychological, reliance on metaphysical powers, temperament and road rage, over confidence and economic factors, even as he said they also contribute immensely in car crashes.

    Sangofadeji also appeal to motorists to always follow the due process of buying tyres, insisting that manufacturing and expiry dates should be considered.

    He said tyres are made of chemicals whose components breakdown after a fixed period, either used or not.  Noting that date of manufacture is stamped on one side of the tyre and indicated by four digit numbers.

    Sangofadeji advised motorists to shun dangerous overtaking where there is mountains or valleys, sharp corners and mining areas.

    The Zone II Commanding Officer, Mr Kunle Ajibade, appealed to all road users to maintain discipline on the road as Christmas is approaching.

    He urged them to embark on defensive driving and shun hazard parking, overspeeding, drunk driving and highway trading to ensure crashes are eradicate on our roads.

  • ‘I’ll eradicate poverty in Anambra’

    The standard-bearer of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, Dr. Ifeatu Ekelem, has said if voted into office, he would eradicate poverty.

    Ekelem, said he would provide the people with the good things of life.

    He decried governments at the federal and state levels for failing the masses.

    Ekelem told The Nation that he wants to rule Anambra to alleviate the suffering of the people and create wealth.

    He said he wondered why electronic voting should be rejected, adding that he suspected that the ruling party wanted to rig.

    The ADC candidate said his stay in the United States of America for 30 years was a blessing and that he wants to replicate what was on ground there in Anambra.

    “If I become governor, I will pay the unemployed a monthly stipend of N20,000 and train them for a brighter future,” he added.

    Ekelem urged the electorate to reject money bags and money politics, saying they should vote for a credible candidate that would develop the state.

  • Attah Igala vows to eradicate hunger, starvation

    The Attah of Igala, His Eminence, Idakwo Ame-Oboni, yesterday reiterated his determination to eradicate hunger and starvation in Kogi State, particularly in Igala kingdom.

    He spoke when he led some of his subjects to a farm site.

    According to him, people should be involved in aggressive farming.

    He noted that to achieve the objective, everybody should embark on large scale farming.

    Attah Igala, who has 150 hectares of farmland at Ojuwo-Ocha in Ofu Local Government and 200 hectares at Oforachi in Igalamela Odolu Local Government, said on his ascension to the throne, he prayed for the extermination of hunger and starvation from Igala Kingdom, Kogi State and Nigeria.

    He said his leadership was proactive by matching words with action.

    Attah Igala urged the indigenes to fight hunger by embarking on farming.

    Said he: “With the help of God, during my reign, food will be in abundance in the kingdom, in the state and in the nation.”

    The monarch noted that government alone could not meet the demands of the people, adding that with abundant arable land, everybody should embark on farming to complement government’s effort.

    The Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Agriculture, Prof. Abubakar Akpa, said the assurance from the royal father on food sustenance for the country, state and Igala kingdom was a welcome development.

    He said Kogi State Government had taken a bold challenge of industrial breakthrough by ensuring that agriculture was the vehicle to realise the dream.