The Nation Newspaper

Tag: join forces

  • Foundations join forces against mental health challenges

    The Nous Foundation Nigeria and Sparkle Foundation have collaborated to enhance mental health awareness in Nigeria.

    They held a two-day workshop in Lagos on November 2 and 3 to discourage stigmatisation of and discrimination against persons facing mental health challenges.

    The workshop, themed “Breaking the barriers of mental health in a changing world”, featured an awareness walk from Jibowu Bus Stop to Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and a seminar.

    The Convener, The Nous Organisation, Lade Olugbemi, said there was an urgent need to talk about mental health due to the increasing cases of mental issues including suicide and drug abuse.

    Olugbemi explained that the organisation was passionate about creating awareness and was willing to collaborate with professionals in mental health.

    She said: “We cannot stop talking about mental health, because it is a condition that can affect anybody. It is important that professionals in the field collaborate with organisations to educate people and this should be sustained.

    “Also, the government needs to put in place enabling environment for people to thrive and achieve their potentials in life.”

    Olugbemi urged stakeholders to come to the aid of the youth population, who, she suggested, were increasingly at risk of mental issues.

    “A lot of our young people are going through pressures and these pressures are so immense we can’t allow them to go through life alone,” she added.

    Mrs Olasimbo Ojuroye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sparkle explained that she collaborated with Nous Foundation because she believes that mental health is a conversation that should also be taking place at the grassroots level.

    “No one should be left out,” Ojuroye added.

    Speakers at the event included Dr. Oluwaniyi, who represented the acting Medical Director of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba; a psychiatrist with over a decade’s experience in the public and private sector in mental health practice and hospital management, Dr. Otefe Edebi,; Dr.  Oyekanmi, a renowned Adolescent Mental Health Psychiatrist Consultant and a Disability Specialist, Mrs. Grace Alexander.

    They lamented the growing trends of suicide, depression, as well as a lack of proper education on mental health amongst the demographic of young people.

    Participants at the events included members of World Health Committee, staff of both Local Government Councils in Yaba and others within Lagos, teachers, students, community leaders, among others.

  • APC, 20 others join forces to tackle anti-Buhari coalition

    Balarabe Musa knocks PDP-led coalition

    Moghalu: it lacks agenda

    Twenty-four hours after a group of 38 parties announced the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to wrest power from President Muhammadu Buhari, another group of 20 political parties yesterday joined forces with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in an alliance to form the Coalition of Progressives Political Parties (CPPP)

    Also yesterday, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Balarabe Musa described the coalition against Buhari “as an act of opportunism.”

    A presidential aspirant of the Young Progressives Party (YPP)   also lashed out at the PDP-led coalition for its “lack of any real agenda to improve the lives of Nigeria.”

    There are 68 registered political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering the application for registration of about 138 others.

    The political parties in pro-Buhari’s CPPP which met in Abuja yesterday, are: All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), United Progressive Party (UPP), Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

    Others are: Freedom Justice Party (FJP), Fresh Party (FP), New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP), Nigeria’s Peoples Congress (NPC), Nigeria Peoples Movement (NPM), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), National Action Congress (NAC) and NDLP.

    The chairman of the coalition, who is also the National chairman of PDM, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, told reporters after hours of meeting at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja that the coalition was made up of like-minded political parties who believe in Nigeria’s unity and stability.

    He noted that the coalition, which was formed in 2014 ahead of the 2015 presidential election aligned with the candidature of President Buhari, then the APC candidate.

    Ibrahim said the coalition was merely resurrected to counter the orchestrated PDP coalition against the APC-led government.

    Berating the PDP coalition, he said the parties were driven by selfishness and hunger to capture power in 2019.

    He explained that the parties that formed the coalition with the PDP lacked the agenda to drive a new Nigeria.

    The PDM chairman alleged that most of the parties in the PDP coalition were fraudulently included to sign the MoU to deceive Nigerians.

    He noted that while the Accord Party chairman and his party, the PDM, among others, abstained from the PDP meeting, their parties’ names were listed without their consent. This, he said, raised doubts about the credibility of the coalition.

    He said: “Yesterday (Monday) we woke up to a new development where PDP outside power has now managed to create another coalition. As facts continue to emerge, they listed 36 political parties. Our analysis of that coalition reveals that a number of political parties were included in that coalition fraudulently.

    “Part of the 42 political parties they listed is Accord party and the chairman of the party is here with us. If you are creating a coalition, you need to be honest about it as to who and who are members of the coalition.

    “As of today, the membership of that coalition is in doubt. Two members also listed at that coalition are here. We are not part of that coalition because we represent a political type of politics which is in total contradiction of what they are doing.

    “We do not believe that our country should be governed by people whose only objective is to capture power. For what purpose is that coalition built? Is it for the purpose of taking Nigeria back to 1999 and 2015 or is it for the purpose of building a new Nigeria?

    “That purpose has not been stated, even their in their memorandum. The only thing in their MoU is to agree to capture power in 2019. Their programme has not been made known to the Nigerian public . We will not be part of a coalition that does not have a programme for Nigeria.”

    On the objective of the CPPP coalition, Ibrahim said it was to mobilise Nigerians to play a greater role in political activities and ensure that they are given the right to elect their leaders in a free. fair and credible electoral process.

    He said the agenda included to monitor and exert pressure on INEC to uphold the sanctity of elections and to help identify security threat, among others.

    The secretary of the Coalition and National Chairman of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Shittu Muhammed Kabiru, noted that the coalition was to advance the course of democracy and to stabilise the economy which was mismanaged by past PDP- led governments.

    Shittu said the coalition would bring Nigeria out of economic impoverishment.

    “We want Nigerians to know that our coalition is for a new Nigeria and to advance the cause of Nigeria and democracy and also to change the country from impoverishment to economic prosperity.

    “We want Nigeria to survive. We will do everything to defend the economy of this country; we are concerned about the unity and stability of Nigeria,” Shittu said.

     

  • 15 political parties to join forces with PDP

    Former Minister of Information Prof Jerry Gana has said over 15 political parties have indicated interest to join forces with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections.
    He said these parties were not satisfied with the way the present government is leading the nation and have decided that PDP is the best party.
    Gana stated this while presenting the report of the strategy, intra and Inter Party committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida at his Uphill Residence in Minna, Niger State.
    According to Gana, who is the Chairman of the committee, a meeting have been slated in Kaduna or Abuja for the parties involved to chart the best way forward.
    He expressed the determination of the party to take over power from the APC-led government. He said: “We are ready to take over power from those who do not have a clue on how to govern Nigeria. We are rebranding PDP and we will come out bigger and better.”
    Gana called on the government to approve a two party system and allow a healthy opposition without stalling their growth.
    General Ibrahim Babangida said that the two party system remains the best option for Nigeria as it provides a choice for the people.
    He said that gradually his suggestion about the practice of a two party system is gradually coming to fore in the nation.
    “In 1999, when I was advocating for a two -party system, some of my colleagues came to me asking why I am for a two party system and I told them the good thing about a two party system is that it provides a choice, which is the first essence of democracy.”
    Babangida then expressed his belief that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can rule for 60 years if they can put their house in order adding that it is the only political party whose presence have been felt, known and accepted by the people in the country.
    “PDP presence is felt not only in Abuja or Lagos but down to the lowest level, if you go to the grassroot, the ordinary man will talk about PDP, that is the asset the party have and can use to come back on board. Already it is accepted and known and all you have to do is to work on this.”

  • Troops for waterways as Fed Govt, states join forces

    Troops for waterways as Fed Govt, states join forces

    The Federal Government and Niger Delta states yesterday agreed to join forces to stop the bombings of oil and power installations in the region.

    This was part of the decisions reached at a closed door meeting of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Service Chiefs and states from the Niger Delta region.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting in the Presidential Villa, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his Edo State counterpart Adams Oshiomhole, said that the collaboration will also include intelligence sharing.

    Stressing that the meeting was “very fruitful”, Okowa said that a lot of other decisions that will mitigate the crisis in the states particularly, Bayelsa and Delta, were also agreed upon.

    One of the decisions, he said, is deployment troops on waterways around troubled communities.

    He said: “We governors of the oil producing states, security chiefs and ministers who are concerned met with the Vice President and I believe we had a very fruitful meeting.

    “One thing we identified is the synergy between the Federal Government and the States, which is very important and this meeting has raised a lot of issues and we believe that the collaboration will help us to tackle the issues in the Niger Delta.

    “Of course we were briefed by the service chiefs and the governors also have their own perspectives along with the minister of state petroleum. We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states particularly Bayelsa and Delta.” He said

    The governor added: “We believe we are going to find solution to it. One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence, which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward. “

     

     

    “We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations directly in communities, but the military needs to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways itself while we engage the communities and that engagement process is starting any moment from now.” He stated

    When asked to give a date the amnesty programme will be revisited as a way out of the crisis, the Governor said that the programme was never stopped.

    He said: “I think the process is still ongoing, we have a Special Adviser in charge of amnesty and it is doing very well. I am aware that he did come in to talk with some of the communities and along with the advocacy team that was put up in Delta State.  He did brief us today and I believe it is going to be maintained.”

    On when the implementation of the meeting’s outcomes will start, he said: “Right from today, there is a meeting right after this and we are going to be collaborating even as we return to our  various states.”

    On his part, Oshiomhole said: “You have been briefed by my brother from Delta and what ever he told you that is the truth of it. We agreed that we all have to work together to refocus on development issues, economic issues, military issues and community issues. Whatever he has told you there, that is what we have agreed to do.

    While stating that the amnesty programme has been on, he noted that a time lag could have resulted from the little transition of having a new leadership.

    Stressing that there have been stories about non payment concerning the programme, he said that the problems are being addressed while funds are being provided.

    He said: “I believe the government recognizes that the amnesty programme has to be sustained but also we can improve on it because we have trained people.

    “People have been sent for training and they have come back and they should be able to apply those skills. If they don’t apply the skills they become skilled but then unemployed, then the problem persists.

    “We need multiple tool to deal with the issues. Fortunately for the people to be able to apply the skills that they acquired in the course of the amnesty training, they need an environment that is investment friendly  because unless for example if you have skills in underwater welding, you need the oil companies to be doing business to recruit people like that to carry out those kinds of special skill.

    “If you have skill in all sorts of things without economic activity, you cannot deploy your skills. One thing leads to the other. In the first instance the man has no skill, the first challenge is to give him skill.

    That is being done and when he has finished and acquired that skill the final challenge is to get him a place to work to earn money and to develop a lifestyle that is sustainable to add and contribute to the development of his community and the rest of our people they need to see the quality of life improving.

    “What Okowa said was the correct representation of what transpired at the meeting.

    Nigeria is not at war and we cannot be at war with ourselves.

    “If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts. There are laws that have to be enforced. I think that in all of these the whole  idea is to find peace that is functional, that creates environment for very decent Nigerians to live their lives.” He added

    Other state governors at the meeting included Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo and Abia.

    Also at the meeting were the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru.

     

  • Security agencies join forces to track down Lagos bank robbers

    Security agencies join forces to track down Lagos bank robbers

    The various government security agencies in the southern part of the country have joined forces to track down the deadly armed robbery gang terrorising the region.

    This is just as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase deployed the force’ Air Wing as well as Federal Anti-Robbery Squad to hunt the armed gang that attacked commercial banks in Agbara, Ogun State.

    Also deployed by the IG were operatives of the Federal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, with a marching order to get the criminals dead or alive, The Nation gathered.

    It was learnt that the joint security operation became paramount following suspicions that Niger Delta militants could be responsible for the vicious attacks.

    The Nation gathered that the security dragnet will extend to the creeks in the Niger Delta,  while an offensive may be lunched in the various swampy areas in Lagos and Ogun, suspected to be their hideouts.

    Although the robbers who attacked the Agbara Industrial Estate in the early hours of Thursday seemed to have escaped successfully, security sources believe they are trapped within Lagos and Ogun creeks.

    Reacting to reports published on Thursday,  Ogun State command spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi said only a policeman was killed.

    He stated that every other person shot were responding to treatment including the pregnant woman.

    Adejobi boasted that the robbers would  be apprehended soon, adding that robbing in Ogun was a mistake.

    “Let me make it clear that they would be caught soon. I cannot give too much information for now. But people do not rob in Ogun and go scot-free.

    “I want to also clarify that it is untrue that they killed more than one policeman. Only a policeman attached to the bank was killed.

    “The other policeman injured did not die. He is currently receiving treatment. No pregnant woman was killed as earlier reported. Members of the public who were shot are receiving treatment,” he said