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  • Delta community protests ‘abandoned’ road project

    Those indigenous to Asaba-Ase community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State have staged a peaceful protest over the alleged abandonment of the 7km Asaba-Ase/Abari Road linking Ndokwa East, Isoko South and Patani local government areas.

    Ase is a coastal community on the shores of the Ase River, off River Niger in Ndokwa North.

    Ase River derives its name from Ase Town.

    Ase is an idyllic countryside with a spectacular and breathtaking natural beach, evergreen rain-forest vegetation rich in flora and fauna which overhangs the Ase Creek.

    It shares common boundaries with Ibedeni, Onyah, Aviara, Uzere, Patani (all in Delta State) and Trofani (in Bayelsa State).

    During the colonial era, Ase served as the commercial and administrative headquarters for the colonial administrators. Relics of colonial presence still dot the landscape. John Holt and the United African Company (UAC) are some of the companies that had trade offices and warehouses in Ase.

    The town is made up of descendants from Ndokwa speakers who have inter-married with the Isoko and Ijaw over the years.

    The protesters alleged that the road project (a major artery) had been abandoned for over one year ago.

    The scene was charged as women, youths and the elderly, singing solidarity songs trooped out to demand a return of the contractor to site.

    Many placards-carrying protesters decried the neglect and disruption of social life occasioned by the bad road.

    Placards with inscriptions such as “Asaba-Ase is suffering for lack of road”, ‘The Road Master come to our aid” “Our road have been abandoned” and “Senator Nwaboshi, Ossai, Osanebi, Okowa, Buhari, please come and help us Asaba -Ase people’’, dotted huge crowd of protesting residents.

    The residents lamented that farm produce could not get to the cities due to the deplorable nature of the road.

    Speaking during the protest, President-General of the community, Anabogu Nosike Godfrey said: “My people in Asaba-Ase community have been suffering because of the bad road. We have had this problem before 2012 and subsequent government has been coming to say they have been doing this road but thank God Ekuweme (Governor Okowa) you came to office. You awarded contract for this road three times to people but the unfortunate part of it is, the contract was awarded to people without names, signpost or whatever and when they came, the drainage we were managing before, they crushed it and the internal roads were destroyed.”

    Continuing, he said: “Since the award of contract for the 7km Asaba-Ase/Abari Road by you over a year ago, nothing has been done. We are begging you Ekuweme to come to our aid. We dropped our written letter with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Works in Asaba about this road and nobody has come to verify our complaint.

    “The road from Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area to Asaba-Ase was destroyed by the 2012 floods. When the community cried out, by the special grace of God, intervention came through the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) which worked on it.

    But last year’s flood disaster destroyed the road and nothing has been done since despite our cries and series of written letters to the concerned authorities.”

    He further added: “Governor Okowa, we know what you can do. Kindly help us and call FERMA on the Uzere /Asaba-Ase Road and prevail on the contractor handling the Asaba-Ase/ Abari Road back to site to resume construction on the abandoned road in the area to give us a sense of belonging.

    “We are also experiencing ecological problem here; erosion is affecting us seriously and if urgent measures are not taken, Asaba-Ase will be wiped out from the face of the earth. We need help or else Asaba-Ase which is the gateway to other coastal communities in Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra and other states, will be cut off from the state.”

    Mr. Anagbogu said the road constructed in the late 1980s during General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime, was annually washed off by flood.

    Anagbogu expressed sadness that residents’ commitment to President Buhari’s call to agriculture had been defeated by their inability to move their produce out for higher economic gain, thereby rendering the local farmers hopeless and helpless.

    According to him, the President advised Nigerians to go back to farming which we complied with. But the state of the road has rendered us helpless.

    His words: “The condition we are experiencing is terrible because the place is extremely bad and any moment from now, as the flood is coming, we will not know the state we belong to; Delta, Bayelsa or Rivers.

    “Our only occupation is farming and if there are no roads to market our goods, then we are in danger. We are part of Delta State and we also want to feel the presence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Ossai Ossai and Friday Osanebi and government in Asaba-Ase. We are peace-loving people hence this peaceful protest. We are begging government to come to our aid,” he said.

    Mrs. Queen Obodoagu lamented the poor patronage of their farm produce because of the bad nature of the roads.

    She said: “Customers are no longer coming to buy our goods because of the bad nature of Asaba-Ase Road and for that reason our goods from the farm are getting bad on daily basis because nobody is coming to buy or trade market with us.”

    But, in a swift reaction, Delta State Commissioner of Works, James Augoye debunked the insinuation that the road project has been abandoned. He said this while briefing reporters in Asaba, the state capital.

    His words: “We appeal to the community, especially the demonstrators, to bear with us as the contractor will mobilise fully to site as soon as the rains subside.”

  • 100 days: It’s multi-sectoral approach in Ogun

    Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary Kunle Somorin examines the achievments and constraints of his boss in his first 100 days in office.

    After the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, 10 new first-term governors emerged, including the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun. The emergence of Prince Abiodun, first as flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and later as the duly elected governor of the Gateway State, is well documented.

    Partly because the people of Ogun State had a forgettable eight years preceding Prince Abiodun, it became telling that the new governor must immediately swing into action to address deficits in welfare, infrastructure, inclusiveness and result-oriented and policy-based leadership. The governor himself, upon taking the oath of office, set a lofty height of target for himself and his team for the rapid fulfillment of his electoral promises.

    Prince Abioduns vision for Ogun is to give the state’s focused and qualitative governance and to create the enabling environment for a public private sector partnership, which is fundamental to the creation of an enduring economic development and individual prosperity of the people of Ogun. He aims to achieve the above by improving citizens confidence and trust in government through transparent and accountable leadership. He also wants to develop and enhance the value chain for the abundant resources for the purpose of galvanising economic and social development of the citizens of Ogun State.

    Prince Abiodun also promised to improve the development of the human capital of Ogun State, through greater investment in qualitative education, skills acquisition as well as entrepreneurship.

    As a private sector player keen on good governance before heeding the call to serve his people in his present capacity, Prince Abiodun promised that: We shall, through prudent, transparent and accountable leadership, ensure that public resources and opportunities are made available to all our citisens to ensure they have a fulfilling livelihood.

    While the electoral mandate of four years cannot and should not be evaluated within the first 100 days, one of the most simplistic yet effective ways of measuring progress in governance is to appraise the relationship between word and action. Thus, we should take a cursory look at Ogun, 100 days after Prince Abiodun took office, to see if his actions match the promises made earlier.

    Provision of Infrastructure:

    At more events than one, Prince Abiodun had decried the inability of previous administrations to take advantage of Ogun States status as the gateway to entering Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital and gateway to exiting it. His vision is to open up the state by providing infrastructure for private sector-led investment and one area that has received unprecedented attention within the last 100 days is the rehabilitation of roads across the state.

    During his post-inauguration tour of the state, Prince Abiodun was appalled by the poor state of Ogun roads and immediately raised a team of experts to address the situation.  Work on the abandoned 32km Sango-Ojodu-Abiodun Road has received fresh breath of life.  Prince Abiodun has also decided to intervene in the rehabilitation of three federal roads of strategic importance to the state. They are: the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Epe-Ijebu-Ode Road and Ikorodu-Sagamu Road.

    We have identified other roads like the Agbara-Atan-Ota, Ewekoro-Ifo, Sagamu Interchange and the Ilaro-Ibese roads which are in bad shape and working to put them in good condition, Prince Abiodun told a meeting of organised private sector executives.

    Rural roads are also a priority to the Abiodun administration. The Ogun State Road Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act 2019 has empowered the agency to intervene in fixing deplorable rural roads. In fact, there is a road project ongoing in every local government of Ogun State since May 2019.

    Prioritising Human Capital Development:

    Early in the life of the Abiodun administration, the governor admitted that there were gaps in the education sector of the state. Agreed, we have the largest number of tertiary institutions in this state. However, the performances of our students are not encouraging and we have to change that so we may be declaring a state of emergency in the education sector, he said, promising to bring the education sector up to standard.

    The governor has since set up visitation panels on state-owned tertiary institutions to investigate issues affecting the quality of education offered and received in those institutions. Recently, the panel of the Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, submitted its report and the reports of both the Moshood Abiola University of Technology and the Ogun State Polytechnic are being awaited. Also recently, the committee set up to look into the situation at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) has submitted its findings and implementation of its recommendations has started in earnest.

    We are going to repair and refurbish one school per ward across the state. We are also looking at vocational centres and turning some schools to technology hubs, and create a job portal to warehouse skilled youths for employers, the governor has promised.

    Affordable Healthcare Delivery:

    One of the first official functions performed by Price Abiodun as governor was to visit the OOUTH, where he lamented the state of the tertiary hospitals facilities. An 8-man committee, chaired by Dr Yemi Onabowale of Reddington Hospital, was set up to assess the modes of operation and state of facilities at the OOUTH, with a view to reinventing the institution into a world-class facility providing world-class services.

    In the course of 100 days, the governor has also met with the management team of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), where he shared his administrations resolve to rejuvenate the delivery of primary healthcare to the citizens of Ogun State.

    Health facilities across the state are in shambles and we are going to restore them to life-saving facilities. We are focusing on primary healthcare centres because they are the closest to the people and it will reduce the pressure on secondary health facilities. We will ensure that a befitting primary healthcare centre is made closer to the people. Only cases that cannot be treated at PHC can be referred to secondary health institutions, Prince Abiodun promised.

    At the flagging off of the Free Medical Services at Ilisan, Ikenne Local Government, Prince Abiodun reiterated the importance of affordable healthcare for the Ogun public.

    Agriculture and Sustainable Job Creation

    To Governor Abiodun, there is a direct correlation between job creation and tapping the abundant agricultural potentials of Ogun State. The state is poised to collaborate with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on its Anchor Borrowers Scheme to set up modern farmers with knowledge, tools, land and seedlings for the cultivation of food and cash crops. The Abiodun-led Ogun State Government has also met with the African Development Bank (AfDB), on the possibility of raising an ambitious 10,000 smart farmers.

    To ease the bottleneck of starting a business in the state, a bill to establish the Ogun State Investment Promotion Agency, a one-stop-shop for investment, is before the State House of Assembly. This is in addition to the establishment of the State Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) to strengthen Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and boost their capacities.

    Proactive Stance on Security and Safety:

    As earlier promised at a security and intelligence meeting, Prince Abiodun recently inaugurated the committee to oversee the now-amended Ogun State Security Trust Fund, in response to the recent security situation in the state. It is a demonstration of our governments unreserved commitment towards ensuring that the people have a good life and pursue their legitimate business in a secured environment, Prince Abiodun said.

    The governor’s proactive disposition to issues of security was demonstrated during the recent kidnappings experienced in parts of the state. Providing leadership when there is a crisis is a mark of commitment and a vital note of assurance to the public that the governor understands the situation and is working to address it. Also, considering the strategic location and positioning of the state, a sense of insecurity in the state would have a ripple effect on the security of other states, especially Lagos which shares its only internal boundary with Ogun. As a seasoned administrator and private sector executive, it is unsurprising how Governor Abiodun responded to the challenge insecurity poses to the development of the state.

  • Rotary Onigbogbo donates to health centre

    Rotary Club, Onigbogbo has donated some items to the health centre in Onigbogbo, Lagos State. Items donated included mosquito nets, vaccines, fridge, plastic chairs, pillow cases and a scale for weighing.

    Making the presentation, the club’s President, Olajide Ajayi, said the aim was to augment what the government allocates to the health centre, adding that it would help boost its service delivery.

    Rotary International District 9110 Governor, Dr. Jide Akeredolu, said the materials were donated by the club members who tasked themselves. He said before such presentations, the club would have done needs assessment to enable it know what a particular community  needs. He thanked the club for focusing on one of the major areas of Rotary, which is healthcare provision.

    He advised nursing mothers to ensure that their children were immunised, warning them that some physically challenged have the problem because they were not immunised when they were babies, which exposed them to polio. Dr. Akeredolu announced that Nigeria had been declared free of polio, a deadly disease that Rotary has been fighting to eradicate over the years, advising all mothers to continue to embrace immunisation to avoid a recurrence.

    In her response, Mrs. Abioye Ayodele, a staff nurse/midwife, who represented the head of the health centre, Dr. Folashade Tawak, thanked Rotary Club for its gesture.

    also during a visit by the Rotary team to the regent of Onigbogbo, High Chief Tajudeen Ajao Irawo, the monarch praised the club for its humanitarian efforts.  “All Rotary clubs are good, but that of Onigbogbo is very good,” he said.

  • Tribunal upholds lawmaker’s victory

    The National and State Houses of Assembly Petition Tribunal sitting in Ikeja has struck out the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Tajudeen Agoro, challenging the victory of a member House of Representatives, Jide Jimoh of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the Lagos Mainland Constituency.

    The election was held on February 23.

    The PDP candidate alleged unlawful declaration of Jimoh as winner. He also alleged that the poll was marred with rigging, multiple thumb printing and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

    In a unanimous judgment read by Justice Olamide, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of malpractices.

    At the press briefing held at the APC Secretariat, Yaba, Jimoh praised the judiciary, describing it as the greatest defender of democracy.

    He said: “Today is a joyous day in the history of democracy, and in particular, Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency. We have accepted the verdict in totality. We witnessed the verdict and the judges upheld our results as the winner of the election. I thank the three judges for a job well done for the justice delivered judiciously, in line with the constitutional provisions and the Electoral Act as amended.

    “I thank the Almighty God, the ruler of heavens and the earth, who has given us all the supports where necessary financially, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Our lawyer stood vehemently on this case for three months and victory has come. Today’s judgement is a victory for democracy, APC and Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency.”

    The defence counsel, Wahab Shittu, said the tribunal’s verdict was a victory for constitutional democracy and sanctity to the electoral process.

    He added: “Today is a victory for constitutional democracy and Sanctity to the electoral process. Above all, its a victory for Hon Jide Jimoh who has been confirmed as duly elected representative of the Lagos Mainland federal constituency. Today is also a mark for celebration and there’s no law against celebration. We fought that battle and we won that’s why I give gratitude to the Almighty Allah and the supporters of the lawmaker who stood by him throughout the proceedings, he said

    “Interestingly, the tribunal has delivered the verdicts and all the three members of the  tribunal delivered a unanimous verdict. The tribunal confirmed that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the provisions of the electoral acts. The tribunal also confirmed that there was no case of over voting, multiple thumb printing, forgery, no case of falsification of results, that everything was conducted within the provisions of the electoral acts and the winner is Hon Jide Jimoh.

     

  • $251m lifeline for African women entrepreneurs

    Leaders of the G7 nations have approved a $251 million package in support of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative to support women entrepreneurs in Africa.

    AFAWA aims to raise up to $5 billion for African women entrepreneurs and the AfDB will provide $1 billion financing. The risk-sharing mechanism used by AFAWA is a practical approach to international commitments.

    It is a direct response to the demand by women to ease access to financing, specifically on the need to establish a financing mechanism for women’s economic empowerment.

    AFAWA was adopted during a summit of African Heads of State in 2015 and assigned to the African Development Bank (AfDB) for implementation.

    The $251 million package for African women entrepreneurs was announced at a press conference at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, during the week.

    French President/G7 president Emmanuel Macron said: “I am particularly proud, as the current G7 president, that the programme we are supporting today, the AFAWA initiative, comes from an African organisation, the AfDB, which works with African guarantee funds and a network of African banks.”

    Beninese artist Angelique Kidjo, a guest at the press conference, in her role as programme ambassador, described African women as the continent’s backbone. “I’m thrilled to bring their voice to the G7. AFAWA is essential for our continent,” she said.

    AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina applauded the “extraordinary support of all the G7 heads of state and government, which will provide incredible momentum” to the AFAWA programme.

    “This is a great day for African women. Investing in women entrepreneurs in Africa is important, because women are not only Africa’s future, they are Africa’s present,” he said.

    Adesina said women operate over 40 per cent of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, but there is a financing gap of $42 billion between male and female entrepreneurs.

    ‘’This gap must be closed, and quickly,” the AfDB president said, adding, “This financing effort for women is the most significant in the continent’s history.”

    The initiative, backed by the G7 nations, was based on three fundamental principles. The first was to improve women’s access to financing through innovative and adapted financial instruments, including guarantee mechanisms to support women entrepreneurs.

    In cooperation with strategic partners, the second principle was to provide capacity-building services to women entrepreneurs, including access to mentoring and training courses in entrepreneurship.

    AFAWA also assists financial institutions in responding to specific needs of women-led businesses through specially adapted financial and non-financial products.

    The third principle was improving the legal and regulatory environment, eliminating obstacles that specifically affect women by engaging in policy dialogue with governments, central banks, and other institutions.

    The press conference on AFAWA was part of the G7 Summit’s emphasis on reducing inequality, specifically including a renewed partnership with Africa.

    This partnership will be highlighted by creating sustainable employment and supporting entrepreneurship, particularly women entrepreneurs.

    France holds the presidency of the G7 this year, and Macron is championing gender equality as a major theme of his five-year term.

  • MAN to senators: patronise made-in- Nigeria cars

    Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged Nigerians to drop their penchant for foreign goods in favour of made in Nigeria ones, saying that patronising made-in-Nigeria products was necessary to stimulate the growth of the local economy.

    Briefing reporters, in Lagos, ahead of its 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM), MAN President  Ahmed Mansur said there was the need to develop the national economy through consumption of local goods, especially Nigerian assembled cars.

    Mansur frowned on the alleged planned purchase of foreign cars worth over N5 billion by the Senate, arguing that if such huge amount was spent for the purchase of locally made brands, it would tremendously impact on the country’s automobile sector.

    “The planned purchase of vehicles worth over N5 billion by the Senate for official duties would have tremendous impact on local automobile sector. I urge Nigerians to consume what is produced here, as this will impact positively on the local economy,” Mansur advised.

    MAN, he said, was working hard to improve the value chain in the manufacturing sector and create jobs.

     

     

    He stressed that this informed the theme of its 47th AGM, “Improving Value Chain in the Manufacturing Sector for Competitiveness and Job Creation.”

     

    According to him, this was borne out of the need to highlight the significance of improving manufacturing value chain linkages as part of efforts to make the sector competitive and contribute more to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create the much-needed jobs.made-in- Nigeria cars

  • Ortom’s second term will be better, says Speaker

    Benue State House of Assembly Speaker Titus Uba has praised Governor Samuel Ortom for his peace-building initiatives.

    He said peace is critical to the progress of the state in the governor’s second term.

    Uba said Ortom is now free to use his initiatives to govern and foster development because he is not teleguided by any godfather.

    The Speaker spoke in Lagos, shortly after attending the conference of 36 Speakers of the House of Assembly organised by the Nigerian Institute for Lagislative and Democratic Studies.

    He said: “We are now having peace becuase the anti-open grazing law is now in place. That was the basis of the crisis. Now that the law has come to stay, we have relative peace.

    “There are communal crises due to border issues, farmland issues. An inter-state conference with Taraba State has been held. We had robust deliberations on border issues. The two governments agreed that there should be an end to the crisis.”

    Uba said during Ortom’s first time, he faced the challenges of insecurity and godfatherism, adding that he will perform better in his second term because some of the problems have been resolved.

    The Speaker hailed the governor for focusing on infrastructural development and welfare of workers.

    Uba spoke on the challenges of the national minimum wage, saying that states and the Federal Government should sit together to reconsider it.

    He feared that some states may not be able to cope, owing to the meagre allocation from the Federal Government.

    Uba stressed: “The last minimum wage was implemented in Benue. The governor wants improvement in the wages of workers. He will implement it before he leaves office.”

    The Speaker lamented that Benue’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is small, adding that the federal allocation to the state is also small.

    He also lamented that, at a time, Benue was being run on over-draft.

    However, Uba thanked Ortom for paying salaries in the last two years.

    He assured that the governor will also pay the arrears in his bid to enhance the welfare of workers.

    Uba said the state faced serious political crises, particularly during the last general elections.

    In his view, politicians heated up the Northcentral state in their disperation for power.

    He thanked the people for supporting the governor to retain power.

    Uba said: “Governor Ortom enjoys the goodwill of the people of Benue. He has their mandate to perform. In his second term, he is not under the influence of godfatherism. He has initiatives. He has been restoring peace in the state. We need peace so that there can be development.”

     

  • You and your mental health (5)

    In the preceding article, we discussed psychotic mental illness and specifically, we explored the features and treatment of mania and hypomania. In this concluding part of this series, we shall discuss schizophrenia. And in rounding off, we shall take a look at mental health in some peculiar situations.

    Schizophrenia, on the other hand, may not be as dramatic as mania or hypomanic patients. The illness may be slow in coming or be a sudden breakdown. One key distinguishing feature is the fact that schizophrenic patient may claim to be hearing voices from as far as anyone can imagine or perceive a voice within him/her or from nearby or from any object. He or she may even claim that he has ability to hold conversation with God. They may experience abnormal smell perception or changes in body image which is unreal or make a completely strange claim that in reality is untrue in a delusional manner. Further, the thoughts of schizophrenic individual are totally disordered. Thus, their way of life may become disorganised. Their thoughts (and hence speech) being chaotic may lead them to suffer self-neglect or become violent or aggressive to themselves or members of the community. The latter is the type that the society often sees and thus wrongly projects unjust apprehension against the rest of the mentally unwell. In reality, most schizophrenic go about their lives unnoticed.

    Treatment of schizophrenia: The most important thing is to notice and take seriously changes in one’s way of life and thought or note should be taken by members of the family and friends. Once such notice is taken, a stitch in time saves nine. The sufferer should be taken, urgently, to the most appropriate healthcare personnel;  not a place to further physically, psychologically or chemically harm the mentally unwell, which by now is vulnerable and unable to self-defend. There are suitable medications to help deal with disorders of schizophrenia. The sooner this is taken and maintained the better the outcome; the more the delay the worse the outcome. The result of lack of medical care and supervision is glaring for all to see. It’s not my intention to make prescriptions of the specific medications here.

    Mental illness in the children: Children are very vulnerable and they frequently suffer abuse, neglect, deprivation and injuries in the hands of their carers, guardians, family members and rarely in the hands of strangers. Such experiences are the perfect grounds for mental illness, which may also develop in childhood or in adulthood. Mental illness in childhood may develop as a result of injuries at birth or damages that occur during pregnancy, whatever the cause.  Very often, such injuries may give rise to low intelligence or epilepsy seizures in the child.

    Treatment: It’s crucial to note that the mentally infirm and in particular children are vulnerable to exploitation. They need to be protected and be treated in an appropriate environment away from the mentally unwell adults. Mentally unwell child should not be classified as a “witch” or “evil child” on the basis of their behaviour. Such clarification is a recipe for abuse that may follow.  In a lot of ways, counselling, in combination with suitable medications, tender love and care environment may be all that may be required as well as family therapy with appropriate professionals.

    Mental illness in the elderly: An elder is someone who is 65 years and above or anyone being not yet 65 years old but whose physical and mental condition allow him or her to be appropriately cared for as an elder. Like an adult person, an elderly person is also subject to various forms of mental illness that I have discussed here but most especially depression/anxiety and dementia. The depression is often due to loneliness, loss of partner, retirement or lack of daily productive activities. Dementia can be due to the natural aging process (senile dementia) or Alzheimer (most marked by memory loss) or other variants of dementia. As in children, so is in the elderly. They are physically weak and being now further vulnerable due to mental illness. Older people are subject to serious exploitations. The family should take note of any deterioration in the health of their elders. Steps should be taken to protect the interests of the elderly and to take the ill to a good place of care where they can receive attention.

    Mental illness related to pregnancy: About 2 per cent of women will develop psychotic illness in situations relating to childbirth and about 20 per cent may develop experiences of “blue” or depression as a result of childbirth. Most of such women don’t come forward for help. Partners and families should not classify such deterioration as “spiritual attack.” Steps should be taken urgently to seek psychiatric attention for the new mother.

    Mental health and the law:  Some criminals are mentally unwell. Some mentally unwell have criminal behaviours. This is one of the areas where medicine meets the law.  Sadly, we do not have effective law in Nigeria as yet that may compel doctors and law enforcement agents to subject mentally unwell to compulsory detention and treatment. Relying on my personal experience working in the United Kingdom in mental health, I suppose the time is overripe for Nigeria to have an up-to- date mental health Act that will care for the mentally infirm in our communities.

    Prevention of mental illness: Good rest, stress less lifestyle, exercise, good nutrition, avoidance of trauma and abuse, avoidance of dangerous substances will go a long way to preserve our mental health in addition to seeking medical help urgently when things do go wrong in our mind. There is nothing to be ashamed of in mental health. It may be you. So seek help. Have you have been impacted by the content of this article or you need some clarification?  Kindly call 07087733114 or 08188343865 for support.

     

  • Fed Govt adopts Sept 16 as National ID Day

    The Federal Government  has approved the recognition and observance of September 16 of every year as National Identity Day. It said it is in line with the  United Nations (UN) position on  the contribution of dates to the achievement of the purposes of its Charter to promote action on political, social, cultural, humanitarian/human rights issues,

    This is a move to create awareness among the citizens on the importance of  identification as a modern tool for national development and social cohesion.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha conveyed the approval in a letter dated August 29, 2019 and addressed to the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz.

    In the letter signed on the SGF’s behalf by David K. Gende, the Director, Planning, Research & Statistics in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Mustapha conveyed government’s approval to the NIMC chief executive officer that Nigeria “should join the Coalition for International Identity Day,” in response to the latter’s earlier request.

    “I am to inform you that the SGF has considered and approved that Nigeria should join the Coalition for International Identity Day, which will recognise the role of identity management for proper planning, governance and efficient service delivery; that the National Identity Management Commission should proceed with educational and awareness campaigns on the proposed identity day to other public and private sector stakeholders including institutions in the movement,” the letter read.

    By that approval therefore, Nigeria becomes the first country in the world to formally adopt September 16, otherwise called 16.9, as Identity Day (ID-Day).

    Aziz said already, NIMC has lined up a number of activities to formally launch Nigeria’s Identity Day on September 16, 2019, year being the debut edition.

     

     

  • Sigh, sigh west

    The challenge of insecurity in the Southwest region of Nigeria assumed alarming dimensions, particularly between April and July, this year. From intermittent incidents of crime associated with most parts of the country, acts of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and murderous banditry became almost daily occurrences on various inter-town and inter-state roads across the region. Its vast forest reserves reportedly became the haven from where elements foreign to the region invaded the highways to kidnap, rob, rape, maim and commit other barbarities before retreating into their hideouts.

    Leading traditional rulers from the region cried out while their representatives met with President Muhammadu Buhari to apprise him of the situation and seek urgent action. Restive youth groups in the region threatened to resort to self-help while some partisan elements sought to exploit the situation politically and further fracture the country’s already fragile cohesion.

    It is thus heartwarming that the pledge by the Federal Government to deal decisively with the situation has been no mere words after all. In recent weeks, the situation has been somewhat stabilised and normalcy is noticeably being restored to the region. There have been concerted and coordinated efforts on the part of all stakeholders to arrest what amounted to a descent to anarchy in the Southwest. The presence of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, in the Southwest throughout this week underscores the seriousness of the police in rising to the challenge.

    Addressing a security summit attended by Southwest governors, traditional rulers and other critical groups in Ibadan on Monday, the IGP gave details of actions taken by the police to combat insecurity in the region. These include the deployment of Special Forces in the Southwest, particularly to take the battle to the criminals in the forests and other hideouts, intensive aerial surveillance of the region, the impending launching of the ‘Safer Highway’ Motorized Patrol Scheme across the Southwest as well as the ‘Safer City’ Scheme, which will involve the deployment of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in the most critical and vulnerable locations.

    The IGP further revealed that the Special Forces will be under the command of a Commissioner of Police and will be equipped with all necessary facilities, including technology. They will work closely with designated Community Police Officers (CPOs) to be drawn from the various communities and representing diverse interest groups such as artisans, road transport unions, traders’ associations, academic associations, religious bodies, women and youth groups as well as vigilante groups such as the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC). The CPOs will support the efforts of the police through the performance of functions considered critical but non-sensitive and with low-risk.

    While we commend this kind of fresh and creative thinking, it is important that these CPOs be well trained and properly monitored and supervised so that they don’t themselves become threats to the security of the communities in which they will operate. No less laudable is the action of the Southwest governors in not only convening two security summits but also coming up with a coordinated security arrangement for the region, to which they are committed to pulling resources together to achieve.

    It is also noteworthy that the traditional rulers in the Southwest have been at the forefront of participating actively in safeguarding the security of lives and property in their respective domains. This shows that the traditional institution is still very relevant to ensuring security and other aspects of good governance in the region. With the seriousness demonstrated by respective stakeholders in tackling insecurity in the Southwest, the reflexive tendency in some quarters to engage in divisive ethnic stigmatisation as a result of the rampant criminality has happily abated. This is certainly the way to go for all parts of the country.