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Tag: Nigeria News

  • Edo, NDDC fight over ‘shoddy jobs’

    There seems to be strained relationship between the Edo State government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Emergency road projects appear to be the bone of contention, writes OSAGIE OTABOR

    The relationship between the Edo State government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has not been cordial since Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office in Edo State. The strained relationship is connected to the shoddy and sub-standard jobs executed by the NDDC contractors.

    Few months after Obaseki assumed office, he paid an unscheduled visit to some road projects being executed by the NDDC in the state. Obaseki was peeved that the contractors’ jobs were shoddy and the drainage were not linked to any primary drain. This, the governor observed, would make the water stagnant in the drains and make the road easily damaged.

    Obaseki directed the NDDC contractors handling various road projects in the state to stop work immediately. He said the NDDC would not be allowed to execute any projects in the state without meeting the state’s specifications and designs.

    The NDDC contractors were given seven days to submit the design drawings, Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation of their respective projects to the State Ministry of Works.

    After some grey issues were resolved, NDDC resumed construction and rehabilitation of roads in the state. Governor Obaseki entered tripartite agreement with the NDDC and the Edo State Oil and Gas Development Commission (EDSOPADEC) on the repair of the Benin-Abraka Road. The NDDC was to pay 40 per cent of the fund. Construction work has commenced on the Benin-Abraka Road and the NDDC is yet to meet its obligation.

    Crack re-emerged in the relationship between Edo government and the NDDC over who was responsible for the massive repairs and construction of many internal roads in Benin-City and its environs.

    When agents of Obaseki listed roads constructed by the administration, those opposed to second term coming of Obaseki were quick to point out that majority of the roads were constructed by the NDDC but there were counter-arguments that under previous administrations, the NDDC did not execute much projects as it is doing under Obaseki. Former Edo NDDC Commissioner, Hon Saturday Uwuilekhue, published list of roads executed by the NDDC apparently to out a lie to claims by agents of Edo Government.

    However, many of the newly constructed and rehabilitated roads were washed away by heavy rains and developed potholes. Obaseki’s administration was criticised for constructing poor roads. The Apostolic Street in Bénin-City that was just asphalted was washed away and houses in the street were flooded.

    Some roads such as the College Road, Joromi Street, Aiguobasimwin and others recently reconstructed by the NDDC have developed potholes.

    Last week when the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on abandoned NDDC projects visited Edo State, Governor Obaseki opened up on his reservation for the NDDC and why probe into its activities should commence. Obaseki stated that the N20 billion emergency funds allegedly expended by the NDDC on projects in the state in the last six months must be probed.

    Governor Obaseki said his administration was exploring the option of suing contractors handling the Commission’s projects for delivering sub-standard projects, which caused flooding in parts of the state.

    Obaseki, who reiterated his desire to stop NDDC contractors from executing sub-standard projects said there was need for synergy between the state government and the NDDC in delivering quality projects.

    He faulted claims by the interim management of the NDDC that the sum of N256 billion was spent on emergency project work, out of which N20 billion was spent in Edo State in the last six months.

    “This kind of action is embarrassing to our administration and causing us political problems as our citizens are confused about the roads we are constructing and the sub-standard roads executed by NDDC contractors.

    “I have instructed the state’s Solicitor-General to begin the process to take legal action against NDDC contractors, who execute sub-standard work in the state, particularly the contractor who handled the project on Apostolic Street off Sokponba Road, which led to flooding in the area. We will blacklist them.

    “I am surprised that the NDDC management is here as I invited them months ago when I received complaints about the quality of work done by their contractors but they ignored the invitation. There is no need having NDDC in the state when they have total disregard for the state government.

    “A year ago, barely 10 per cent of the NDDC budget for Edo State was implemented. The immediate past interim management team of the NDDC needs to come and show us how they spent N20 billion in the state.

    “Beyond what the House Committee is doing, there must be a judicial enquiry into the activities of the NDDC. People must go to jail for their corrupt acts. The 13 per cent derivation fund collected from oil-producing communities that was supposed to be used for the development of the region has not been spent by NDDC.

    “We have registered our displeasure on NDDC projects in Edo State and contest the claims of their spending N20 billion in the state for emergency work. We signed a tripartite agreement with NDDC. They were supposed to commit 40 per cent while the state provides 60 per cent. We opened an account but they didn’t remit one kobo into it,” he noted.

    Speaking during inspection of NDDC projects in Edo State by the Ad hoc Committee, Governor Obaseki said the NDDC and its contractors must pay compensation for victims whose properties were affected by flooding at the Apostolic Street.

    He said: “The contractor did the asphalt work on the road without taking into consideration the fact that there were manholes to channel water in the area. When the community advised the contractor not to block the manholes, he disregarded the complaints and blocked them. You can see the devastation that it has caused?

    “We are holding the NDDC and the contractor liable and we will take legal actions to ensure they compensate the victims affected.

    “The NDDC was supposed to contribute 40 per cent, while the state government and its agency would contribute the remaining 60 per cent to the Benin-Abraka Road project but the commission reneged on the agreement.

    “The state government has commenced work on the road and it will be completed with or without NDDC’s counterpart fund because the NDDC is grossly mismanaged.”

    Leader of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee, Hon. Sergius Ogun, stated that they were in the state to investigate abandoned NDDC projects.

    Ogun, who expressed disappointment with the number of NDDC abandoned projects in Edo State, said some projects awarded since 2012 could not be accounted for anywhere in the state.

    “It is obvious that NDDC has not partnered with the state government. We are talking about projects awarded by NDDC in 2012. Seven years after, we cannot see any visible projects. These are some of the things we will take back to Abuja.”

    Uwulekhue berated the Ad-hoc Committee and Governor Obaseki for making what he termed unfounded allegations without asking relevant questions.

    Uwulekhue said he attracted projects worth N20 billion to the state but the money was not paid to contractors as it was the NDDC policy not to mobilise contractors to site.

    He said contractors must finish their jobs and certificate issued before payments are made.

    On why the NDDC did not fund Benin-Abraka Road project, Uwulekhue stated that the contractor should show evidence of job done before money would be released.

    His words: “People are talking without reading the NDDC Act. Once you bid for job, you go to site with your own money at your own risk. If our engineers did not certify the jobs as good, we will not pay.

    “Any NDDC contractor that does substandard jobs will not be paid as files go through 43 offices before payments are made. NDDC cannot go to Treasury Single Account (TSA) account and make payment anyhow.

    “I did my best to attract N20 billion projects but the question is whether the money was released. The Ad-hoc Committee does not have any information. They are just making noise. A right thinking person will not talk like that.”

  • Man arrested for ‘cocaine possession’

     Chris Njoku, Owerri

     

    A MAN who claimed to have played for Shooting Star Football Club, Oyo State has been arrested by the police in Imo State for allegedly being in possession of cocaine.

    The man, Aidomoaki Samson, 28, was arrested on September 30 at Aleke Hotel, Nekede, Imo State alongside his girlfriend, Ezinne Iwuagwu.

    Upon interrogation, he said at the State Command headquarters on Wednesday that he was an ex-footballer who played for Shooting Star Football Club, Ibadan.

    The suspect said that he was barred from playing football due to drug-related offences.

    Read Also: Native doctor, five ‘robbers’ held in Imo

    The Police Commissioner, Rabiu Ladodo said while parading them that the suspect claimed he was based in Benin Republic and Ghana.

    “He impersonates as a national of Ghana while investigation has revealed that he is from Edo State, Nigeria,” the CP said, alleging that the suspect deals in hard drugs in several countries like Uganda, Addis Ababa, Turkey, Ghana, Morocco, Colombia and Nigeria.

    “His syndicate member, one Mr. Eric, in Italy disappointed him in Nigeria hence he then started the manufacturing of fake hard drugs with the intention to dupe and defraud people.”

  • Foreigner with pistol among suspects arrested at borders

    AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

     

    IN justification of the ongoing partial border closure, the Nigerian Customs Service said it has arrested one illegal immigrant attempting to enter Nigeria with a pistol.

    It also said it has in the last few days arrested 146 other illegal migrants and also seized 18,759 bags of foreign rice along the borders.

    The Customs which said some of the illegal migrants were coming into the country to cause havoc by engaging in criminal activities such as arm banditry, kidnapping among others, said one of the illegal immigrants was caught with a pistol.

    National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service, Deputy Controller Joseph Attah disclosed these during a sensitisation engagement with rice farmers and other stakeholders in the Kaduna.

    Attah stated emphatically that the partial border closure was aimed at ensuring that dangerous items don’t come into the country and not meant to create hardship for Nigerians.

    Read Also: Recruitment: Kaduna shortlists 13,700 applicants

    He said, “We arrested 146 illegal migrants within a period of one month. Imagine if just 46 out of the 146 arrested were coming into the country with the mindset to create havoc, to kidnapp, for armed robbery, to snatch vehicles. You can imagine the positive effect this action has already brought to Nigeria.

    “We also arrested an illegal immigrant with a pistol. What is he coming into the country to do with a pistol if not to commit crime.

    “We also seized 18,759 50Kg bags of rice, arrested 131 bags of NPK fertiliser which can be used to make explosives. We intercepted 50 cartridges. We also intercepted 4,765 jericans of vegetable oil and also stopped two tankers loaded with PMS about to be smuggled out of the country.” He said.

    He also added that, there is need for Nigerians to stop encouraging Asian rice farmers by only patronising local farmers so that they can also growth which will help promote the economy of this country.

    In his remarks, the Secretary of  Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Ishaya. G. Audu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the decision to close the borders and for providing job opportunities for local farmers in the country.

     

     

     

  • Man arrested for ‘defiling’ nine-year-old in Imo

    Chris Njoku, Owerri

     

    IMO State Police Command has arrested a 60-year-old man, Alexander Madu from Umuoziri Inyishi in Ikeduru Council area of the state for defiling a nine-year-old girl who lived with him.

    Madu, who was arrested on September 24, was said to have defiled the victim several times before the case was reported at Ikeduru Police Division by one Mr. Chijioke Agu of Umuoziri Inyishi in Ikeduru LGA, Imo State, who is also the father of the victim.

    The Commissioner of Police Rabiu Ladodo told newsmen in Owerri Wednesday that the victim’s father reported a case of defilement against one Alexander Madu of same address.

    Read Also: Imo eyes five-year development plan

    “The complainant alleged that the suspect severally defiled his 9-year-old daughter (name withheld) who lived with the suspect and his wife at their house, whenever the suspect’s wife went to market until the victim finally opened up on September 23.

    Acting on the complaint, he said the suspect was arrested on September 24, adding that medical report from the Police Hospital Owerri, revealed that the victim was defiled.

    The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded, he added.

  • Six girls abducted from Kaduna school

    AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

    GUNMEN suspected to be kidnappers on Thursday morning stormed a boarding secondary school in Kaduna, taking away six female students and two staff members of the school.

    The private boarding school, Engravers College, is in a Kakau Daji village of Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

    The state police command confirmed the abduction, adding that anti-kidnapping, special anti-robbery, and conventional police operatives have been deployed to rescue the victims.

    The Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo who confirmed the kidnap in a statement Thursday, said IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has equally been contacted for technical support.

    Sabo said, “The Command received an information through DPO Tall Gate, in the early hours of today 03/10/2019 at about 0310hrs that, some armed men gained entry into the Engravers College, a Boarding secondary school in a remote area near Kakau Daji village in Chikun L.G.A and took away two staff of the college and six (6) female students to unknown destination.

    “On receipt of that information, the Command immediately mobilised combined teams of Anti-kidnapping, SARS, and conventional police to the area for possible rescue of the victims and arresting the perpetrators of the unfortunate incident.

    “IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has been contacted for technical support.

    “The Command, therefore, is using this opportunity to reiterate its call on all the private school proprietors within the State to liaise with their nearest Police formation and promptly report incidents or suspicious persons around schools to forestall future occurrence of ugly incidents.

    “On this note, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command, CP Ali Aji Janga  is assuring the general public that the Command is doing everything possible to secure the release of all the victims unhurt.

    “He equally called on the good people of the State not to relent in giving the Police prompt and useful information at all times,” he said.

    “We’re working hard to rescue the abducted school girls.

    Read Also: Buhari denounces Kaduna school of torture

    The state government also assured that every effort was being made to free the six abducted students and staff of the school.

    The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan gave the assurance in a statement on Thursday.

    He said the state government condemned the abduction, describing it as despicable and most unfortunate intrusion of crime into the life of young students and the staff teaching them.

    He said, “Governor Nasir El-Rufai has dispatched a government delegation to sympathise with the school community and assure them that security agencies are working to rescue the abducted persons.

    The state government delegation was led by Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs.

    Accompanied by security agencies, the commissioner spoke to parents and staff of the school and assured them that every effort will be exerted to free the abductees and punish this brazen crime.

    “The school management and the parents of the students will be given updates as appropriate,” the commissioner said.

  • ‘Emmanuel’s N180m largesse fueled Qua Iboe crisis’

    Bassey Anthony, Uyo

     

    AS the church at 112 Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, remains shut with police operatives keeping an eye on the premises, new facts have emerged on the real reasons behind the crisis.

    The Ikot Ekpene Road branch of Qua Iboe Church, where Governor Udom Emmanuel worships, was on Sunday sealed  by police following a subsisting dispute among church leaders and members.

    Many had thought the crisis resulted from the controversy surrounding the change of name from Qua Iboe Church to United Evangelical Church.

    However, our correspondent gathered exclusively from inside sources that the major reason causing the infighting is the N180 million which Governor Emmanuel donated to the church for the welfare of members.

    The governor, according to sources, last year gave  N250 million to the church for the welfare of members, directing that every registered member regardless of age and status should benefit from it.

    The Nation also learnt that the governor had also given the branch pastor, Reverend Ibup Emah N25 million for his personal use.

    The bone of contention is the insistence of Pastor Emah that the church management committee chaired by Elder Onofiok Etang account for the governor’s N180 million largesse.

    The situation has split the church into two factions, with the faction loyal to the church committee chairman pressing for the transfer of the pastor.

    Read Also: Three killed in Akwa Ibom cult clash

    ”The church pastor, Reverend Emah is insisting that the committee chairman Elder Etang account for the N180 million and this is what is causing the problem.

    ”The situation has led to two factions in the church. While one of the factions is supporting the pastor to request for accountability, the other faction is standing with the church committee chairman.

    ”The governor I can tell you is on the side of Pastor Emah. He recently set up a meeting to resolve the crisis. The governor at the meeting demanded the N180 million must be accounted for and that Emah remain as the branch pastor.

    “It was agreed that election should be conducted to elect a new executive of the church committee as the tenure of Etang’s committee had long elapsed but as I speak to you none of resolutions reached at the meeting is being adhered to,” the source told our correspondent.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh denied that the governor’s largesse was behind the crisis or that he is taking sides. Rather, Udoh said, the governor is committed to brokering peace in the branch of the church where he worships.

    “This is an absolute falsehood,” he said. “The Governor, as has been widely reported, is dedicated to ensuring that peace returns to both the local assembly on 112 Ikot Ekpene Road and the National at large.

    “The members have commended him for his efforts and I would advise you to discountenance this  manufactured lie.”

  • ‘Intimidation led me into robbery’

     Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

     

    ONE of the most wanted killers and armed robbery suspects in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Chukwuebuka Esoga, aka Kaka, has said he took to crime in order to withstand constant intimidation by bad boys in the state.

    Esoga, 21, with an alleged  member of his gang, Kachi Nwalolo, also 21, and 11 others, were paraded before journalists by the state commissioner of police, Rabiu Ladodo.

    The suspect, who sustained gunshot injuries, said before he joined the gang he was always suffering at the hands of some boys around Douglas Road.

    “Intimidation by Owerri people led me to crime,” he said. “They were always intimidating me and taking my goods on Douglas Road. Everybody seemed afraid of them. So I decided to join one of the gangs so as to stop them, since being a hard guy is what people respect.”

    He requested that his mother be brought to him so he could apologise to her for not being “a good boy she had always wanted me to be.

    “Please call my mother for me. I want to apologise to her for not being a son she wanted me to be. Please bring my mother to me, I want to apologise to her”, he begged.

    Read Also: Kwara police arrest man for alleged bank robbery

    CP Ladodo said the gang was operating in army and police uniforms, using taxis and buses.

    Ladodo added that apart from being armed robbers, the suspects were known for killing and abducting innocent persons.

    He said that apart from being on the police wanted list, the suspects had also been declared wanted by the state government.

    According to him, the arrest of the suspects was a major breakthrough for the command.

    The CP expressed optimism that residents and traders at the busy Douglas Road and other adjoining roads and streets in Owerri would now be able to have some relief.

    Some of items recovered from the suspects, Ladodo said, included guns, a Glo SIM card and three MTN SIM cards.

    “I present to you Imo’s most wanted armed robbers and serial killers in recent times. I am happy and walking tall because of this wonderful breakthrough. I commend the SARS commander, Victor Godfrey, and his team for an exceptional job.

    “The suspects have made confessional statements about their involvement in robbery and killings. We seek cooperation from members of the public in our commitment to fighting criminals to a standstill in the state.”

  • 84-year-old monarch kidnapped in Bayelsa

    Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

     

    MASKED gunmen on Thursday abducted the 84-year-old traditional ruler of Tarakiri Clan in Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, His Royal Majesty, King Agbabou Week.

    The monarch, who is the father of the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Doodei Week, was whisked away from his country home at Ayama-Ijaw in the council.

    The Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Clan was reportedly kidnapped about 11:20pm on Wednesday by seven masked men, who carried weapons including AK47 rifles.

    The assailants were said to have ransacked the king’s palace, carting away a television set, jewelry and other valuables.

    They were said to have  dragged the king on the ground to the waterside, where they fled with him on speedboats.

    Speaking on the development, the paramount ruler of Ayama-Ijaw community, Chief Amen Sariki, confirmed the incident, saying the gunmen were in the community for about an hour looking for his house.

    Read Also: Four foreigners held for ‘illegal’ fishing in Bayelsa

    He said, “About 11:20pm on Wednesday, the wife and children of our clan head ran to my house crying. It was clear that they had been beaten up. They broke the news to me that the king had been kidnapped.

    “They told me that the gunmen held them hostage, while they searched the house. After searching, they carried a television set, collected jewelry and other valuable items. They then dragged the King who was wearing only pants on the ground up to the waterside.

    “At that point, I started receiving reports that the gunmen were still in the community. So I tried to reach the Joint Military Task Force and the Nigerian Police but didn’t get any response. After about an hour, I was told the gunmen had left the community.

    “When we got to the waterside, I learnt that the kidnappers held a 20-year-old girl they saw on their way at gunpoint and asked her to tell them where my house is. According to her, she lied that she is not from the community and wouldn’t know my house.

    “To mount pressure on her to talk, they stripped and sexualy harrased her for several minutes but she refused to tell them where my house was. When they got tired, they untied a speedboat belonging to the commissioner and fled the community.”

    When contacted, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident and promised to give details later.

  • ‘Multiple taxation killing businesses’

    Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are groaning under multiple taxation with the attendant low turnover by the company’s.

    They urged government at all levels to harmonise their tax policies towards reducing the tax burden imposed on various categories of businesses in Nigeria, in other to promote business growth and job creation.

    Speaking at a business forum in Lagos, an industrialist, Managing Director/CEO, Layus Investment Company Limited, Mr. Olatunji Lawal, said multiple taxation has been hindering steady growth of businesses and regretted  that government at all strata have not n shown  genuine concern to address the situation.

    He relieved a scenario where government at all strata harass manufacturing companies and other SME’s operating at various localities within their jurisdiction, demanding all forms of taxes which are not healthy to such businesses and asked them to harmonise the taxes for the growth of businesses.

    The industrialist implored government to encourage business growth through their policies including moderate taxation, and also improve on other enabling infrastructure like improved and regular electricity supply and good road network to facilitate industrial growth and development, leading to more job creation for our teaming masses.

    Commenting on the menace of fake and adulterated health products in circulation, Mr. Lawal whose Company manufacture Cacatin, a brand of Skin & Hair care products with Herbal mixture for women, called on the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to re – engineer it’s product registration policy by establishing a training centre for local manufacturers/producers, where they could undergo training and also subject their products to proper scrutiny before approval.

    He explained that by so doing, sanity would be brought into product registration, control and monitoring. He also advocated  that Herbal Products  producers  should be made to go through the training school for Herbal Medicine practitioners established by the Lagos State government.

    On his company’s projection for growth the industrialist revealed that Layus Investment Company Limited has put machinery and necessary infrastructure  in place to become a full – fledge Pharmaceutical company in a few years time by going into production of drugs like paracetamol, blood tonics, and the likes to generate more employment opportunities for Nigerians.

    He added that he was determined to promote youth employment in the country while also advising parents to encourage their wards to start small scale businesses on a low key rather than being idle away or waiting for huge elusive business capital before venturing into business engagements stressing that government alone cannot provide employment for our teeming youths.

  • Abuja groups take care of the elderly

    In life they say, every beginning has an end and every newborn will someday grow old. With better health care and healthy living, people are beginning to live longer than before. Right now, it is estimated that almost 700 million people are over the age of 60. It is also estimated that by 2020, two billion people, which is over 20 per cent of the world population, will be 60 years or older.

    While most societies care for their elderly ones through numerous initiatives and homes, the elderly in Nigerian are left to their families who sometimes abandon them or can barely take care of their needs due to financial difficulties.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Abuja branch, Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga, explained that there are several laws that have been promulgated to address issues of older persons but that implementation has remained as serious problem.

    She added that Nigeria has the relevant laws and other arrangements in place, but that there are no structures to get the initiative going. For this and other reasons, Ogunlana-Nkanga said it cannot be said in earnest that the older people in the country are being provided for or are being taken care of by the government.

    As Nigeria joined the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of Older Persons on October 1, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, a few groups came together to celebrate the elderly in Abuja. The elderly citizens were given free medical treatment, food and supplies.

    Founder and President, Amazing Grace Foundation Abuja, a non-governmental organization (NGO) Dr Ifeanyinwa Obegolu, explained that her foundation was set up in 2004 when the elderly were dying in the streets. Some of them, she said, were found under bridges.

    According to her, most of them were waiting in vain to collect their pensions, which they never got, while a number of them died while struggling to get their pensions.

    Obegolu said it was the plight of the elderly that motivated the Amazing Grace to focus on the elderly poor, leading the Foundation to start fetching them from the streets. Now the Foundation has been providing them with accommodation, food and medical treatment.

    “When most of them recover, they return home and are re-united with their families because this is not supposed to be permanent home”, Obegolu said.

    She added: “The Federal Government is beginning to listen now because we have created enough awareness. Even old people and many NGOs are springing up talking about elderly people. And with that, government is beginning to listen to us and I am sure they will help.

    “That is why we are here to create more awareness that people are not taking care of the elderly in the society. In fact, everything in this country is geared against the interest of the elderly. The roads we walk on are geared against the interest of the elderly.

    For instance, in other countries, you create pathways for the elderly, for those of them who struggle to enter bus. In Nigeria, they are pushed down. Nothing has been put in place for their benefit.

    “There is no foundation for the elderly. There is no medical welfare in this country. No social welfare, no laws protecting the elderly. We have sent this to the National Assembly. In fact, in 2006, under Senate President David Mark, they were able to pass one of the bills saying that parks should be created for the elderly. But the elderly need to eat before they go to the park. So, we want more of that legislation to ensure that the rest of the elderly are protected because in the present circumstance, the elderly have no laws protecting them.

    “Government should make laws protecting the elderly and intervene to help the NGOs like us who are trying to help. If they give us land, we can do something more like building more houses for the elderly and make their lives interesting. The government does not need to do everything for us. If the government is able to provide land, we can get people to help to build old peoples homes everywhere so that the elderly people can become more comfortable and happier”.

    Ogunlana-Nkanga also said: “You can start with widows. Widows are treated badly in some societies. We have seen a case of a widow that came and complained that she was being raped by a neighbour. We are talking a woman of over 80-years -old that was being raped. That is what we go through and nobody is taking care of them.

    “We have to understand that the society itself is already stressful for the young ones to even be able to take care of themselves. Extending that same care to the older persons may not be easy for these young ones. Government has that duty to take care of our older persons. They deserved it, they have paid their dues. Let us create social contract and social welfare package that will take care of these people”.

    She added that what should be addressed by the Federal Government is how to really take care of these older people without putting them through unnecessary stress. If they are told to come and receive their pensions, structures should be put in place to make them comfortable while they wait.

    “Also we don’t have to make it so stressful for them, we have to make sure that whatever policies that are being done are properly implemented. For instance, government should take it upon itself to build old people’s homes and the elderly should not be seen in street corners, in shackles or in bad shape.