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  • NAS demands commitment by all tiers of govt to end suffering, insecurity

    NAS demands commitment by all tiers of govt to end suffering, insecurity

    Worried by the spate of insecurity across the country, the Excravos deck of the National Association of Seadogs, NAS (Pyrates confraternity) Warri, Delta state chapter has impressed on all the tiers of government the need to step machinery in motion to contain the menace.

    The body made this appeal during its annual feast of Barracuda recently.

    Justifying the theme of this year’s event tagged: “Insecurity in Nigeria: Hope of the ordinary man,” the Deck Cap’n Engr Edema Bawo in his opening remarks said the theme was carefully chosen for the body to contribute meaningfully towards evolving an enduring solution to the ugly challenge.

    Also speaking on the occasion, the keynote speaker, Fred Olokor Esq who is also a senior member of NAS, said it was unfortunate that the nation’s security situation had degenerated to the sad state, urging Nigerians to see security of lives and properties as a shared responsibility.

    While urging government at all levels to take necessary steps to tackle challenges of poverty, corruption, weak judicial system and unemployment, Olokor advocated for a strong legislation to control population growth, which he also blamed for the sad situation.

    A significant proportion of Nigeria’s population live below the poverty line, driving many young people to criminal activities or making them susceptible to recruitment by insurgents and criminal groups, he lamented.

    Expatiating, Olokor said, “high unemployment rates, especially among youths, have exhausted many, leading them to engage in crime, just as unequal distribution of wealth among ethnic groups contributes to insecurity.”

    He therefore called for adequate funding of security agencies in the country, including the military, stressing that Nigerians should stop being docile on matters of their security.

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    “Nigerians also need to “Reboot-Reset” and should come out from the cocoon of docility and agitate for reforms in the socio-political, economic and institutional sectors. Nigerians therefore have to work together to attain a stable and egalitarian society and also give the necessary push to powers that be to address the causes of insecurity aforementioned and also by way of remedy implement the suggested remedies to curb insecurity in Nigeria so that the ordinary man can have a sense of security in his home, village/town, state and the country,” he stressed.

    He also called for strengthened policing, intelligence gathering, increased funding for police training, and equipment facelift.

    Olokor who called for a reform in the area of military engagement noted that such efforts would help in promoting human rights, reduce civil-military tensions among security personnel just as the advanced training in intelligence gathering, innovation in terms of drone technology, surveillance techniques would get the officers and men better motivated to combat insurgency with vigour.

    “Funds budgeted for arms purchase should be fully released and used for the intended purpose. Security agencies should pay more attention to early warning signs and prioritise intelligence gathering and the sharing of intelligence reports with other security agencies.”

  • Don, Sani, NAS proffer roadmap for girl-child education

    Don, Sani, NAS proffer roadmap for girl-child education

    The Deputy Rector (Academics) of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr Grace Jamila Bila-Jolaosho, the former Senator representing Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, Senator Shehu Sani and the National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity (NAS/PC) have proffered a roadmap to ensure education for the Girl- Child and children living with disability in Northern Nigeria.

    They all spoke at the 15th edition of the Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture with the theme: Quality Education for The Girl-Child and Children living with Disabilities in Northern Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward organised by NAS/PC at Arew​a House.

    Dr Jolaosho while stressing the importance of education as a fundamental human right lamented that girls and children in Northern Nigeria face barriers such as education system, cultural practices, poverty, religious affiliations and negative social perceptions in accessing education.

    She pointed out that in some northern states, the gender inequality in education is greater against the girl-child with or without disability adding that children with disability are severely discriminated against.

    ‘’On the other hand, children and persons with disabilities suffer devaluation, discrimination and disconnection from family, community and society owing to misperception of their ability to study or perform any task meaningfully. As such most persons with disabilities are denied their human right to education so driven by circumstances to eke out being homeless as beggars, and vagrants. Similarly, the girl child suffers discrimination, early marriage, child labour, gender-based violence, gender stereotyping and teenage pregnancy,’’ Dr Jolaosho said.

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    According to her, while 12 states in Northern Nigeria have domesticated Persons with Disabilities Law and a general level of compliance, challenges in accessing education still persists.

    Dr Jolaosho identified poverty and insecurity as other factors preventing children in Northern Nigeria from accessing education.

    ‘’Another challenge to quality education in contemporary Northern Nigeria is security, issues of banditry and kidnapping. Women and girls are the most affected in times of conflict and crisis being victims of horrendous acts of violence including rape, torture, human trafficking, and sex slavery. We are all familiar with the accounts of bandits and kidnappers capturing many girls from schools across the region with many still currently in their captivity.

    “This situation has discouraged parents in such vulnerable areas from sending their children to school. In some rural areas especially, the activities of bandits and kidnappers have crippled the educational system since the safety of the teachers and the students cannot be guaranteed. The situation is so bad that essential workers do not want to be posted to the rural areas to carry out their legitimate duties. The situation has further aggravated rural urban migration and the internal refugee situation because many parents and guardians have relocated to urban centers in a bid to escape the insecurity.’

    For the way forward, she recommended the hydra-headed monster of insecurity in Northern Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole must be tackled head-on, adding that the insecurity dimension of banditry and kidnapping are relatively recent developments in the region and if not arrested immediately, any investment in education, especially, as it affects the girl child and children with disabilities will remain a mirage.

    ‘’There is a need for continuous advocacy on the importance of availing the girl child and children with disabilities with quality education in Northern Nigeria. To this end, the media must take the lead in enlightenment of the public and creating more awareness against the militating challenges; beliefs and practices that encourage discrimination against inclusion of the girl-child and children with disabilities.’’

    Speaking, Senator Shehu Sani lamented that education had been neglected in Northern Nigeria and has triggered insecurity in the region.

    He bemoaned the fact that the failure to educate the nomads and the young children has been responsible for the series of insecurity in the region.

    Sani therefore recommended investment in education to ensure that Northern Nigeria comes out of its present crisis.

    The NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje said NAS/PC was concerned about the state of education for the girl-child and children living with disabilities in Northern Nigeria which prompted it to feature it in the 15th education of the Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture.

    He described Opara as an outstanding Nigerian who joined Prof Wole Soyinka and five others to form the Pyrates Confraternity at the University College Ibadan which has sustained the social advocacy posture of speaking for the voiceless.

  • Hamonise minimum wage for quick assent – TUC tells NASS

    Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on Monday called for quick hamonisation of the N30,000 national minimum wage bill to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent to it.

    Kaigama spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    NAN reports that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress had urged the President to sign and implement the new wage before the end of the 8th National Assembly.

    The TUC president said that the House of Representatives and the Senate needed to harmonise the agreed sum and pass it to the President for his assent.

    ”The N30,000 figure is one, but the aspect of law might not be the same. There is the need to come together and harmonise, produce a clean copy and forward to Buhari to sign.

    ”If that is not done as soon as possible, it will be difficult for the President to sign and implement the agreed national minimum wage.

    ”The day Buhari signs the new minimum wage bill, it becomes a law effective from that day,” he said.

    The labour chief said that implementation would be seamless since the Federal Government had said that it included its provision in the budget, but might take a while in some states that had not included it in their budget.

    He urged the private sector not to delay its implementation as soon as the bill is enacted into law.

    The TUC president advised the government to look into the issues of punishment for minimum wage defaulters and frequent review of the process.

    He also said that Value Added Tax should not be tied to the implementation of the new wage, particularly in the public sector.

    ”VAT is paid by consumers; it is paid by the lower class, while the business conglomerates and corporate organisations don’t pay appropriate tax.

    ”It is unfair to tell workers who pays appropriate tax that you will tie VAT to minimum wage. The organised labour disagrees with the government,” he said.

    Kaigama said that labour would resist any plan to fund the new minimum wage through increase in VAT.

  • Earth tremor: Nigerians warned against blasting of rocks

    Some scientist have called on regulatory agencies to check the incessant rock blasting in the country in order to prevent recurrence of earth tremors.

    They made the call on Friday in Abuja in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    According to them, regulatory agencies should come up with rules and regulations that will prevent people from indiscriminate blasting of rocks in order to preserve the environment as well as save lives and properties from natural disasters.

    They said persistent and uncontrolled blasting of rocks through the use of powerful explosives could lead to earth movements.

    Prof. Mosto Onuoha, the President of Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), said rock blasting may be responsible for the earth movements in Mpape and parts of Maitama, Abuja.

    “The use of explosives to break or blast rocks would have vibrating power and ability to the last end of the rock.

    “It will get to the stage that could be seen visibly and to the bottom of the ground where we cannot see but where the rock has ended.

    “When this action is continuous, the vibration from the rocks blasted with explosives will be transmitted to the body-like water that is already settled under the ground.

    “The release of the vibration in form of energy back to the earth will lead to earth shaking.

    “ The FCT Emergency Management Agency, National Agency for Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA) and other relevant organisations should continue to monitor the situation in Abuja and in other places,’’ he said.

    Dr Adeneye Talabi, a former Director of Technology Acquisition and Adaption in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, urged the Federal Government to enforce all existing rules on exploitation of natural resources.

    According to him, government must ensure that due processes are followed to address the earth movements that happened recently in the FCT.

    Talabi explained that Nigeria was not immune to such occurrences, adding that appropriate measures ought to be put in place to avert future incidents.

    “If there is a tremor, it is an indication or symptom that the eventual higher degree of it which will translate into earthquake can occur.

    “Earth tremor is very close to earthquake. The earth tremor is just the shaking of the ground earth crust while earthquake is a total collapse or opening up of the ground, ‘’ he said.

    He said the tremor recorded in the South-South Zone was as a result of distortion in the balance of the eco system during oil extraction.

    Talabi said the vacuum created by extracting gas and crude oil ought to be replaced with close density commodity to avoid any future disaster.

    “ There is need for the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in particular to enforce all the existing rules guiding exploitation of natural resources like crude oil.

    “ Regarding the tremor in Bayelsa and Rivers, a vacuum has been created through the exploitation processes and methods,“ he said.

    He urged the Federal Government to direct oil companies to ensure best practices in extracting natural resources such as crude oil and natural gas.

  • NAS helps Abuja IDPs

    The National Association of Seadogs has started distributing  medical and relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in New Kuchingoro and Waru IDP camps in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The initiative, according to Vice President of the Association, Uzor Ziko, aligns with the NAS key objective of positively impacting the communities we operate and is aimed at ameliorating the pains and suffering of families affected by insecurity and violence in the North East.

    He said, “We have identified and are concerned about these communities of displaced people who find their limited resources quickly depleted and are unable to cater for their basic needs, hence the need for the intervention.

    She further asserted that the association have a borehole project they are working on that will go round different part of the IDP Camps across the nation.

    “This is the fourth IDP camp we are visiting and our intervention initiative will continue to focus on working together with the government, other humanitarian stakeholders and donors to deliver basic assistance and support to displaced people and IDP populations.”

    Also, Director of Media, John Oke explained that the government can’t do everything alone as its needs the assistance from other stakeholder’s ýin impacting in the community.

    He further explained that Seadogs is like an old sailor and they are acting like an old sailor.

    The Medical consultant of NAS, Dr Oteri Joseph, said “this is something we do every quarter of the year in different communities. We have gone to Oyo, Bayelsa State among others.

    One of the recipient of the relief materials Aisha Garba lauded the association’s good gesture saying, “God will bless the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) . The number of lives they touched today is unbelievable, not to talk of other camps, which are 10 times bigger than the camps here,” she said.

    Another of the recipients Musa Bako, also lauded the NAS’s philanthropic gesture and appealed to other prominent Nigerians to emulate the good deeds.

    Dangote Foundation recently provided succour to the victims of Nepal’s disastrous earthquake by donating $1 million to the government and people of that country. The amount was in line with its mandate to provide relief in times of disaster, with a message that the Chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote, and the people of Nigeria shared in that country’s moment of grief.

    The Dangote Foundation has been touching lives both within and outside the shores of Nigeria since its establishment in 1993, providing opportunities for social and economic transformation through investments and interventions that improve and promote health, education and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.

    Aliko Dangote endowed the Foundation with $1.35 billion in March 2014 to ensure that the Foundation had secure and steady funding to carry out its mission and significantly scales up its work both within and outside the shores of the country.

  • Publicise research findings for national growth, scientists told

    President, Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Prof Oyewale Tomori, has urged scientists to publicise their findings to promote national development.

    Tomori,  said in Lagos that scientists embark on researches regularly without channelling their findings to the authority for action.

    The challenges scientists are facing, he said, are communication gaps and poor networking between policy makers and researchers.

    “There is no functional partnership between researchers and policy makers to attract strong political commitment to developing scientific innovation.

    “Many scientists carry out research and they lock themselves in the test tube of their research and never tell anybody what they are doing.

    “Disseminating it and letting people know is what will show your relevance to the people. Because if you are doing all these things and nobody knows about it, then no one will know your relevance.”

    He said, “I have always maintained that one of the errors we as scientists have made in this country is because, we we are a bit too proud,  thinking that we are educated academics, or we are researchers.

    “We do not want to talk to those politicians. That is the mistake we have made all these years. Go to the University of Ibadan (UI), you will find 5000 publications on malaria and our people are still getting malaria.

    “So, what happened to all the 5000? Unless people know and make use of it for the good of the people, then something is wrong. It is important for us to get together with then, the politicians, let them know, let them appreciate what is happening. We are helping our country.”

    Prof Tomori said, “They own the money, and unless they know what we are telling, they would never know where to put the money.

    “So, we need to work with them whatever it takes, let them know that there are other areas where they can spend money“.

  • Nigeria yet to wake up as Ebola advances

    Nigeria yet to wake up as Ebola advances

    Is Nigeria prepared for the Ebola virus disease (EVD), which is ravaging Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone? No, says the Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS), but things are expected to change following the return of Minister of Health Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu from the World Health Organisation (WHO) retreat in Accra, Ghana, where EVD issues topped the agenda. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA and WALE ADEPOJU report.

     

    Experts are worried that Nigeria seems not to be prepared to tackle the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which has hit some of its neighbours. EVD is a severe, often fatal illness. It was formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent. It is one of the world’s most virulent diseases. The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected animals or people. Presently, the disease is ravaging the West African coast.

    In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.

    The first case was recorded in Guinea. Liberia and Sierra Leone have since recorded casualties. Nigeria is susceptible to an outbreak, yet it is shocking that the government is neither proactive nor aggressive in preventing an occurrence.  And should there be an outbreak, Nigeria does not have a laboratory that can diagnose Ebola.

    According to the President, Academy of Science, Oyewale Tomori, the Nigeria Academy of Science has observed that precautionary measures, such as effective laboratory diagnosis, strict barrier attention, public health education and awareness, as well as domestic airport monitoring of travellers, and other important actions to contain Ebola virus, are yet to be put in place.

    Responding to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) warning to all West African countries about strengthening their response mechanism to the disease, Prof Tomori, said: “If these things are not already in place by now, we are in trouble, should the disease enter the country today, especially if the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) strike lingers.

    Tomori said: “The simple truth is that Nigeria is yet to prepare to handle an Ebola outbreak. Perhaps when the Minister returns from Ghana, we will start preparing. Although the ministry sent out an alert letter on March 24 and followed it with another on  June 30 to hospitals and others, not much has been done and the current strike by doctors; will set our preparedness back by decades.

    “One area we have neglected is our border. The Port Health team should have been up and doing, monitoring travelers from other West African countries, especially from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, checking them for fever on arrival, their travel history etc. The team must have the contact phones and addresses of such travelers. They should be monitored over a period of two weeks or more to check if they fall sick or display any sign of the EDV. Yet containing Ebola is simple, good surveillance before an outbreak to rapidly identify cases is the first step; while strict adherence to infection control within the hospital environment and avoiding direct contact with body fluids of an infected person, and with the body of an Ebola victim who has died are important.”

    Prof Tomori said further:  “Healthcare workers must be able to recognise cases of the disease when they appear, as well as use barrier isolation techniques to avoid direct contact with infected people. One more thing, Nigeria does not have a laboratory that can diagnose Ebola. This is the greatest shame of all. If we have any case in Nigeria now, the samples will have to be taken to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States that is why a lot of health workers are getting infected. There are no vaccines and there are no drugs to treat it. The drugs available are just to treat the symptoms unlike Lassa fever that one can administer drugs”.

    Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. During an outbreak, those at higher risk of infection are health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick people and deceased patients.

    Ebola virus disease outbreaks can devastate families and communities, but the infection can be controlled through the use of recommended protective measures in clinics and hospitals, at community gatherings, or at home.

    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ebola disease is an often fatal illness in humans characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.

    Containment of this outbreak requires a strong response in the affected countries and especially along their shared border areas.

    As one of the response elements, WHO organised a high-level meeting for the Ministers of Health in the sub-region scheduled between Wednesday and Thursday, last week in Accra, Ghana.

    The meeting brought together Ministers of Health and the Directors of disease prevention and control from 11 African countries (Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda), as well as partners, Ebola survivors, representatives of airlines and mining companies, and the donor communities. The objective of the meeting was to analyse the situation, identify gaps, develop operational response plans, and to ensure increased political commitment and enhanced cross-border collaboration for EVD response activities among the countries in the sub-region.

    Ebola spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. If an outbreak is suspected, the premises should be quarantined immediately. Culling of infected animals, with close supervision of burial or incineration of carcasses, may be necessary to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission. Restricting or banning the movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease.

    It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and the use of personal protective equipment. WHO is not recommending any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone based on the current information available for this event.

    Consultant Public Physician, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Dr Sofela Oridola, identified three key factors that can predispose people to diseases: the agent, host and environment.

    Dr Oridota said, “Nigerians need to be educated that when they travel to those places where Ebola virus outbreaks were reported they should not touch any dead person, should they be involved in burial at all. And they should not touch dead bats or dead wild animals. If they are not exposed to some of the infected sources mentioned they would not contract the disease.

    “Health workers should be educated and protected with the right and adequate kits against contacting this disease because. The data of the outbreak in Guinea showed that about 14 health workers had Ebola and eight of them died. When the disease first broke out in 1995 in Congo, a quartre of the carriers were health workers. Health workers should use gloves, goggles and clothing that are normally used as a universal precaution. It is not when it gets to the country that people should start running helter-skelter.”

    He said the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), has eqully developed a manual for viral haemorrhagic fevers known as universal precaution manual, to protect health workers from contacting the virus, which any country can adapt.

    “People who have been to the sites where there were outbreaks happened have a high risk and as such should be identified and properly screened. This is known as contact tracing because they have a history of contact in the place they visited. Nigerians should embrace personal hygiene such as hand washing with soap and water after contact with filth. Environmental sanitation and positive lifestyle changes are also important,” he stated.

    Speaking further on how to handle those infected, Dr Oridota said: “People who are sick should not be admitted with those having the virus because of its highly contagious nature. This is a wake-up call for the Western coastal region to maintain personal hygiene like in the 60s when there was regular environmental sanitation and cleanliness.

    “About 70 per cent of deaths are caused by ignorance and poverty. The government should increase surveillance to track the disease. There are other epidemics growing in the society from lifestyle diseases. These outbreaks depend on people’s hygiene level and lifestyle.”

    And should there be suspected cases, Dr Oridota said the spread of an outbreak can be contained by ensuring that those who have the Ebola virus are “barrier north” or secluded to avoid direct contact with them.”

    According to him, health workers and family members of the patients who have Ebola disease should not have direct contact with the suspected body, body fluid and other secretions.

    The public health expert said: “People can incubate Ebola from three to 21 days and still look okay. The government should create awareness for people not to touch dead bodies, dead animals or eat leftovers of fruits eaten by bats.

    The region, Oridota said, should ensure that there is “contact tracing” to stop the spread of the disease, saying those who have had contact with the cases of Ebola virus and who have not used universal precaution should be screened. Health workers should have a high index of suspicion when patients come to their facility and not assume that it is malaria a patient is suffering from. The government should also plan ahead. We should having a response system to track the virus in place. Experts cannot go and investigate Ebola without having a system in place, especially universal precaution materials. Hygiene and environmental sanitation are crucial to ward off an outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. Moreover, Nigeria and other countries in West Africa have what it takes to contain Ebola disease.

  • Don’t scuttle 2015 polls, NAS warns politicians

    The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has cautioned political office holders against using state resources and the machinery of government to manipulate the 2015 general elections.

    It also called on the Federal Government to imbibe the spirit of good governance and encourage popular participation of the citizens in the electoral process, even as it urged the government to strengthen democratic institutions and the practice of rule of law; equity and justice to enhance socio-economic and political development of the country.

    Speaking at a lecture organised by NAS in Abuja with the theme: “Unity in Diversity: Our Nation’s Strength for the Future,” a senior member of the group and a senior lecturer at the Plateau State Polytechnic, Emmanuel Nanle said all votes should be allowed to count in the 2015 elections.

    He said: “All over the world, the focus for Africa is actually mandate protection which is that when you vote, the votes should count. I think that is what happened in Ekiti State.

    “If the people are desirous to effect a change, they can effect a change. If they are desirous to protect those in government and protect the mandate given to those in the government, they will be able to do it.”

    Mr. Nanle said the election of a President for the country in 2015 should not be based on religion or ethnic extraction but based on competence.

    He urged politicians to subject themselves for approval by the publics, adding that past Presidents that ruled Nigeria evolved as a final solution to the country’s lingering problems.

    He added that there is nothing wrong in the South continuing in the Presidential Villa if they have good things to offer than the North.

    According to him, there should be give-and-take syndrome in the country to allow for integration and representation.

    “What is the justification for power shift to the north? If the north wants power shift, I hope we are not talking about having a president for the north because that unfortunately is the situation we are having.

    “When you bring a President from the South, it becomes a Southern President. When you bring a President from the North, it becomes a Northern President. I understand that in this project called Nigeria, there must be a give-and-take situation to allow for integration and representation.

    “I believe that the selection or the choice of a candidate should not be premised on religion, should not be premised on ethnic extraction but should be premised on competence.

    “If we find such person in the North why not, but I am an ardent believer of Nigeria as a project and I do not see anything wrong in anybody from the South continuing if he has anything to offer,” he said.