The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NGO

  • 100,000 children abused in Lagos, says group

    About 100,000 children are abused in Lagos daily, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Child Protection Network (CPN), has said.

    Its Secretary General, Mr Taiwo Akinlami said this has left them with stigma, inferiority complex and low self-esteem.

    Akinlami briefed journalist at the body’s stakeholders meeting on cases of child abuse in Lagos State.

    He said children as future leaders should be given a voice. Children should be allowed to participate in matters that concern them in the state, he added.

    He said CPN’s aim to discuss issues and actions that complement and contribute to strengthening the overall protective environment for children in Lagos State.

    “CPN has served over a million children through their various projects. There were 15 pregnant teenagers at Oshodi, who have been receiving counselling and support from CPN. They were residing under the bridge before we stepped in. Their intention to leave Oshodi was reported to WAPA. And in the process of rescuing them, we picked 22 of them to WAPA shelter,” he said.

    He said the organisation is committed to promoting a cohesive and coordinated approach to the design, implementation and resourcing of child rights advocacy and child protection responses at the state, LGA and community levels.

    This, he added, will contribute to the knowledge and understanding of child rights and child protection through sharing of evidence-based practice and development of common strategies, training and communication materials.

    Akinlami said the organisation will enhance the participation of children in policy, advocacy programmes that have to do with their health and well-being. “This will contribute to the development of national child protection policy and related state/LGA-level planning process,” he stated.

    Its Lagos State Co-ordinator, Mrs Ngozi Ekwerike, said parenting a child is the responsibility of all parents.

    She said: “There is the need to take proper care of our children as they are the future of the country. Mothers should, therefore, give their children quality education about their rights.”

    A don at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Odun Oruoma called for more awareness on the indigenous language to educate children on their rights to avoid any form of abuse.

  • NGO seeks behavioural change

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Beautiful Nigeria Project (BNP), has stressed the need for behavioural change for the country to move forward.

    The founder of the NGO, Pastor Buchi Thomas, made the call during the formal launch of the group in Abuja.

    Thomas noted that the he is out to restore values, virtues and ethics in the country.

    He said: “Nigeria is God’s gift to us and whatever we do to this great inheritance in our hands shall be accounted for.

    “It is just a question of time.

    “Because of our children who are watching, because of the children who are listening, let us put our differences aside and join hands together to support the transformation programmes of the government.

    “The children can see the future, they are eager to embrace it, they can feel it, they are watching if the legacy will be shown to them.

    “We all owe this nation the responsibility to change it; don’t join the band wagon of the corrupt.

    “Don’t put your name in the record of the spoilers of Nigeria.

    “Be patriotic, be a change agent, be agent of transformation.”

    The Associate Pastor of Graceland Christian Centre, Akowonjo,  Lagos added that the country is known for its peaceful,  loving, blessed, tolerant and happy people.

    He said: “We are beautiful and great people.

    “The Beautiful Nigeria Project has come to restore our values, virtues, and vigour as African pride and hope.

    “Friends, the process of refining pure gold is not the same as refining Bronze.

    “The when of when is when we all begin to change our mindset, behaviour and attitude about this great nation Nigeria.

    “Are you a plus or a minus in the process of making Nigeria beautiful?”

    He lamented that Nigeria has faced many discouraging challenges that could have made the nation to collapse.

    “If it had not been God on our side when corruption and the likes ravaged our fatherland, by now, Nigeria would have been a forgotten brand in the comity of nations.”

    He said the BNP has chosen entertainment as orientation strategy to reach the youths.

    “The youths have been left out of governance over the years, though we can see changes in this administration, but we are advocating for full involvement of our youths in governance,” he said.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Mrs Sarah Jibril called on youths to buy into the project for a better country.

    Sarah, who was the special guest of honour at the event, noted that transformation can only come if people change their orientation and imbibe better ways of doing things.

    She lauded the initiator and founder of the NGO, saying the gesture signposts hope for the country.

  • NGO cautions on Ubah’s prosecution

    NGO cautions on Ubah’s prosecution

    A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Truth, Justice and Fair Play (CTJFP), has condemned the continued detention of the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah.

    The group called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian Police to exercise caution in the handling of the case of alleged subsidy scam, involving Ubah and urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in what it described as a plot to hijack the businesses of Nigerians in the downstream petroleum industry, citing an attempt to rope in a former Minister and Chairman of Integrated Oil, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho for petrol theft.

    Ubah and some top management of the company were detained by officials of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) on alleged fraudulent diversion of petroleum product, forgery and economic sabotage. It is imperative to state that Ubah and his staff voluntarily went to SFU on invitation for interview by the Commissioner of Police.

    In a statement signed by the President of the CTJFP, Dr. Nathan Ochuko, the group noted with dismay, the manner in which the oil guru and his staff were detained and their hasty arraignment in court without proper investigation elicits concern that their travail may be the handiwork of powers that be in Nigeria, who have ulterior motive of bringing down an establishment that has contributed immensely to the economy of Nigeria, through employment creation.

    The group said how could the police apply to the court for a 30 day detention and refuse him bail when his case is not that of murder or treasonable felony.

    The group said that Capital Oil and Gas, one of the major players in the downstream petroleum sector, has very huge investments in the sector and provides direct and indirect jobs for over 5,000 Nigerians.

    The company boasts of the biggest storage depot with a capacity of over 196 million litres of fuel. The depot has a 32 arms loading gantry with a 56 million daily load out capability that can take 1,600 trucks in a day.

    The company also has nine large barges and 12 tug boats and a deepwater jetty capable of docking four large sea vessels simultaneously. To ease the distribution of fuel to all nooks and crannies of the country, Capital Oil invested in the acquisition of 700 road tanker trucks and also constructed an ultra modern truck park with the capacity to house 1,100 trucks.

    The truck park located on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos is also to help decongest the traffic created by trucks that queue and park along the expressway awaiting their turn to be served products at the depots.

    Currently, the facilities of Capital Oil are being used to receive and discharge products on behalf of the government, the NNPC, and other operators under a ‘throughput’ arrangement.

  • NGO set to honour Kanu, Okoya others

    A non-profit organisation, Business Leadership Awareness Group (BLAG) has concluded arrangements to honour three successful entrepreneurs for their invaluable contributions to humanity.

    Ex-international and former Super Eagles’ star, Kanu Nwankwo, Oil & Gas mogul, Walter Wagbatsoma and philanthropist, Sade Okoya will be honoured for their “heart of gold” contributions at a colourful event scheduled to hold this month in Lagos.

    Speaking on the forthcoming event, the Executive Director of BLAG, Ossy Otegba, disclosed that the non-profit organisation is working on a yearbook that will promote these outstanding individuals so that they can be encouraged to do more for humanity.

    Popularly known as Papilo, Kanu Nwankwo came from a humble background but rose to fame with remarkable exploits in football and business. Today, he owns a chain of businesses with diverse interests in oil, property, hospitality and photography.

    The Owerri, Imo State-born businessman is regarded as one Nigerian with a heart of gold because of his immense contributions to the society. Through his many charitable works, it was no surprise that Nwankwo was a made a UNICEF’s ambassador for two consecutive years.

    A few years ago, the former soccer star encountered a life threatening heart ailment but miraculously got healed after surgical operations in the United States as well as prayers from family, friends and fans all over the world. Immediately he got healed, Kanu returned to active football and used his fame to help assist numerous others also battling with heart ailment. He supported many charity organisations including Heart of Gold Hospice and later launched the Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation – a non-profit organisation that raised millions of Naira for children with heart related diseases. With the help of Kanu Nwankwo, many have been treated both at home and abroad and are now living healthier, better life.

  • NGO celebrates international literacy day

    NGO celebrates international literacy day

    A Non- Governmental Organization, JAKIN, joined the rest of the world to celebrate UNESCO declared International literacy Day held Saturday September 8 by organizing a special annual event for Orphans and Vulnerable Children {OVC} within Iwaya and Makoko communities of Lagos State.

    The event tagged: “Dress A Child For School Project” provided basic school items required for the new academic session starting this September.

    Among the items received by each of the 350 beneficiaries are two School uniforms , School bag, Sandals, Exercise books (a dozen), Mathematical sets (Secondary school only), Socks (two pairs), and branded pencil case containing necessary stationeries.

    The President of JAKIN N.G.O, Mrs. Olubukola Adebiyi, while delivering her speech said, “The aim of this life changing experience is to help transform and reform their young hearts.

     “The gesture of love will help them psychologically by boosting their morale. It will definitely spark a new light in them by encouraging them that there is still light at the end of the tunnel, “she told the gathering.

     Adebiyi also went down memory lane on how the project started on September 8, 2010.

     “We inaugurated “Dress A Child For School Project” to commemorate UNESCO declared International Literacy Day by dressing 200 orphans and vulnerable children for the 2010/2011 academic session while last year 300 beneficiaries where dressed for the 2011/2012 academic session.

     “To commemorate this year‘s International Literacy Day, we will fulfill our promise to 350 orphans and vulnerable children from majorly public schools in Mainland Local Government area of Lagos State,” the JAKIN president stated.

     She concluded by admonishing all to support the project such that by next year more children will be dressed for the next academic session.

     Commenting on the gesture of love, the chairperson of the event, Dr. Titilola Akinlade, appreciated JAKIN N.G.O and its President for giving back to the society in a very special manner.

     “I have watched Mrs. Olubukola Adebiyi with keen interest and admiration over the past years. I am continually amazed at her drive and tenancy, no wonder JAKIN N.G.O has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. I am proud to be associated with such an amazing and successful story of love which has yielded much laudable initiative such as Dress A Child For School, “Akinlade noted.

     Among the distinguished guests at the event is – the Senior Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on HIV/AIDS, Dr. (Mrs.) Dabiri represented by the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, Mr. Nathaniel Olushina.

     She praised JAKIN for the laudable and unique way it is assisting orphans and vulnerable children, saying the government is impressed with the NGO’s activities.

     She said, “Giving education to orphans and vulnerable children is not a misplaced priority. When they are educated, it will make the society a better place.”

  • TY Danjuma Foundation gives N180m to NGOs

    The TY Danjuma Foundation yesterday disbursed a grant of N180 million to 17 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs).

    Chairman of the Foundation, General TY Danjuma, who presented the cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja, said that 516 applications were received following the call for proposals in February.

    According to him, the 17 NGOs were approved for the award under the Foundation’s main grants portfolio.

    TY Danjuma Foundation, he said, will support the 17 organisations to implement projects in 12 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He said: “These organisations will be receiving grants ranging from N3 million to N30 million, depending on the scope and reach of the projects proposed. The organisations will also work in the Foundation’s three thematic areas.”

    “About N13 million each will be disbursed to grantees in the Taraba and Edo states community fund scheme.

    “We will not only award you grants to render service to the communities but we will also develop your capacity as individuals as well as a corporate organisation”

    “We are very meticulous in managing our projects and tracking the utilisation of funds to ensure that these are deployed transparently and the activities are implemented in line with plans agreed to by you and us.”

    While stating that this year marks a transition period for the Foundation’s three-year strategic plan, Danjuma said N388 million was disbursed in 2010 while about N193 million was disbursed last year.

  • Unilever partners NGO on children

    Unilever partners NGO on children

    The Unilever Foundation is in partnership with Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) protecting children against avoidable diseases and death.

    The partnership aims to save millions of lives among children and mothers in Nigeria, China, Bangladesh and Kenya.

    The announcement was made at a joint event held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

    The Unilever Foundation has made a three-year, 15 million Euros commitment to support Save the Children’s biggest ever global campaign, EVERYONE, which is working towards eradicating mortality among children and mothers, in support of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals Four and Five.

    Unilever and Save the Children have also partnered with China Development Research Foundation (CDRF), and along with the Meishan Municipal Government of Sichuan province, signed a memorandum of co-operation to jointly carry out a Village Early Education Centre project in Sichuan province.

    “Our partnership with Save the Children will deliver transformational change that will impact millions of lives around the world. Today, over 6.9 million children die before their fifth birthday each year – that’s one child every four seconds,” explains Paul Polman, Unilever CEO. “We have an ambition to double the size of our business whilst reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our social impact; looking after the future generations is an intrinsic part of our vision, and it is also our responsibility.”

    Janti Soeripto, Save the Children International’s Deputy CEO said: “Unilever’s support will bring us a step closer to ensuring that a health worker is within reach of every child, life-saving vaccines are available for all, and children have enough as well as the right food to grow up healthy. Combining our global reach and joint ambition we can achieve long-lasting change for the world’s most vulnerable children.”

    The partnership will involve improving access to health workers and life-saving vaccines, and ensuring children in need are reached with high-impact health and nutrition programmes. It will also provide a platform to catalyse a global movement and generate the public and political will for a global breakthrough on child survival. The partnership encompasses programme funding, consumer outreach, cause-related marketing and employee engagement; and will focus on the priority countries of China, Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria. The Unilever Foundation will be helping Save the Children reach over 2 million children and their mothers by 2015.

    In China, Unilever will invest 1.8 million Euros in three years to support Save the Children’s programmes promoting children’s health, nutrition and early childhood development, including the Village Early Education Center project in Sichuan province in partnership with CDRF and the Meishan Municipal Government of Sichuan province.

    In Nigeria, the Unilever Foundation will support Save the Children’s work to improve the lives of mothers and their babies in Jigawa and Lagos through quality care and support at the time of birth and immediate post-partum period. The partnership will help to build the capacity of health workers to provide quality services and appropriate care to mothers and their babies and improve access to quality mother and newborn healthcare services in hard-to-reach areas.

    With Unilever’s support Save the Children will also tackle childhood malnutrition in Bangladesh by delivering a comprehensive package of nutrition interventions in Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet Divisions. Save the Children will train health workers and support community volunteers to identify and treat malnutrition, whilst providing mothers with the skills to prevent it.

    In Kenya Unilever is supporting Save the Children to raise awareness of the scale of child mortality from preventable causes and launch a high impact, emotive campaign that will not only create awareness but also mobilise Kenyans, the Government and other stakeholders to put more effort and resources towards meeting MDG 4 by 2015: a drastic reduction in the number of children that die before their fifth birthday.

    Finally, Unilever is supporting Save the Children’s Humanitarian Health Workers work to significantly scale up frontline health capacity so that many more children’s lives can be saved in emergencies.

     

  • NGO rehabilitates 470 women

    NGO rehabilitates 470 women

    Non- governmental organisation, Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria (SAP-CLN), has rehabilitated 470 women, including commercial sex workers, in FCT, Mrs Grace Adogo, Coordinator of the organisation has said.

    Adogo made the disclosure in an interview with reporters in Abuja during a sensitisation programme for FCT residents.

    She said the sensitisation became imperative considering that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration had zero tolerance for street hawking, begging and commercial sex work in the city.

    She said that among the rehabilitated women, 137 were repentant commercial sex workers, while the remaining were vulnerable women, single mothers, widows and mothers of child hawkers.

    “We are also rehabilitating mothers of child hawkers in order for them to take their children out of the street and give them meaning future.

    “With the support of the FCT administration, we have been able to train these groups on different acquisition programmes and we gave them starter packs and grants to run their businesses,’’ Adogo said.

    However, she said that 153 children were currently undergoing acquisition programme with the NGO on carpentry, computer literacy, metal works, fashion designing, among others.

    “After their programme, we will give them starter packs and grants and also encourage them to go back to their villages and start what they learned and teach others too,’’ Adogo said.

    According to her, the NGO is partnering with the FCT on the rehabilitation programme to sensitise, improve the livelihood of FCT residents and also compete with other countries in the world on sanitation.

    She said that SAP-CLN had created real and lasting changes in Nigeria by launching and supporting anti-prostitution projects in areas that few programes existed.

    She urged the Federal Government to take advantage of the programmme in every state to reduce commercial sex work, child street hawking, beggars, child trafficking among others.

  • NGO to walk for child cancer

    NGO to walk for child cancer

    To create awareness of children suffering from cancer, a non-governmental organisation, Children Living With Cancer Foundation (CLWCF), is planning a three kilometre walkathon on Saturday, September 22.
    The walkathon starts by 7:00am at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital and proceeds to National Stadium, Surulere and back to LUTH.
    Highlighting the plight of some cases she has handled in the past, CLWCF founder, Dr. Nneka Nwobbi said, “most of the children die, not from cancer itself but from the lack of support system.”
    Apart from creating awareness of children having cancer, the NGO aims to uses the Walkathon as avenue to raise about ten million naira, to buy a 12-bag cold centrifuge for the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.
    The cold centrifuge is a machine which separates the different components of blood and is particularly useful in the cur of cancer patients who particularly require specific blood components.
    CLWCF over the years have been caring for children afflicted with different kinds of cancer as well as their families. Participants in the walkathon are expected to register with five thousand naira at 23, Olatunde Ayoola Street, Anthony Village, Lagos or online via www.clwcf.
  • WACC, NGO train church leaders on HIV/AIDS

    WACC, NGO train church leaders on HIV/AIDS

    Hundreds of church leaders in Lagos last week received trainings on reduction of stigmatisation and discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their worship centres.
    The 3- day training was organised by World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and Hope for Aids International (HFA) Lagos.
    The training, which held at Ifako-Ijaiye local government, was the 8th of its kind in Lagos.
    An officer of HFA, Mr. Tunde Fowe, underscored the essence of the training.
    According to him: “these trainings are important because many are still ignorant about HIV/AIDS and dissemination of the right information about the disease cannot be over emphasised.”
    Fowe said the decision to focus on religious leaders was strategic.
    “They are opinion leaders who command respect in their various communities,’’ he explained.
    Another facilitator, Mrs. Gbemisola Olayinka, encouraged participants to step down the training in their various worship centres.
    She urged religious leaders to avoid words that could fuel stigmatisation, stating that infection with the virus is not a death sentence.
    Mr. Ibukun Raji said with the conclusion of the exercise, the train will move to Oshodi/Isolo and then Ojo local government areas.