The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pledges

  • US pledges to support Fed Govt’s initiatives

    The United States has pledged that it would support the Federal Government’s ‘Save One Million Lives Initiative’ (SOMIL), which was launched last October.

    Speaking in Lagos at the weekend, the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Rajiv Shah, said the initiative has eight objectives, which include: Improving maternal newborn and child health as well as improving routine immunisation coverage, eliminating mother to-child transmission of HIV, scaling up access to essential medicines and commodities, controlling malaria, improving child nutrition, strengthening logistics as well as supply chain management and promotion of innovation and technology.

    He said the initiative would receive the support of the US government as long as the implementation of the project is on course.

    Dr. Shah hailed the success of the US-funded maternal and child health programmes at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.

    The USAID administrator, who was on a tour of health facilities, lauded the hospital management’s zeal in achieving the zero level target of the HIV infection by 2015.

    According to him, “this hospital and its doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians have demonstrated success from 30 per cent transmission to zero per cent last year.

    “Of the 61 cases of children who could have been infected, zero children were infected.”

    Dr. Shah said if the Federal Government could replicate what happened at the Lagos Island Maternity in other parts of the country, it would achieve the goal of saving one million lives.

  • Kwara govt pledges support for Utd to win laurels

    Kwara govt pledges support for Utd to win laurels

    The Kwara Government on Thursday pledged continued support for Kwara United FC of Ilorin to win laurels in the 2012/2013 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) season.

    The government restated its determination to give the Afonja Boys, as the team is fondly called by their fans, all that was required to enable it to excel in the new soccer season beginning in February.

    The club’s Media Officer, Ajide Olayioye, said in a statement in Ilorin that the new Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Ramat Adeshina-Abaya, made the pledge when she visited theclub’s secretariat.

    The statement said Adeshina-Abaya, who led other top ministry officials, promised to hold a closed door talk with the management board of the club to ensure that the team lacked nothing during the season. It quoted the commissioner as urging the board, coaches, players and staff of the club to live up to their billings as government expected a brilliant and result-oriented performance from the club.

    In his speech, Abdulganiyu Abdulkadir-Solagberu, the Vice Chairman of the club, commended the government for its financial and moral support.

    Abdulkadir-Solagberu also thanked the people of the state for their support and assured them that the club would contest for the league trophy. He called for government’s prompt attention to the team’s requests.

  • Governor pledges to uphold human rights

    Governor pledges to uphold human rights

    •’Nigeria has improved on rights protection’

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday pledged to protect the rights of the people.

    Aregbesola spoke in Osogbo, the state capital, at a lecture marking the 2012 World Human Rights Day.

    The lecture was organised by the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OSSC), comprising about 16 rights’ groups, including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), People’s Welfare League (PWL), Independent Masses Forum (IMF) and Justice Now Foundation (JNF).

    Aregbesola said every individual has inalienable rights that must be protected.

    He said the lecture has given him a platform to review his administration’s performance in promoting human rights.

    Speaking on “Corruption as a threat to human rights: Challenges and prospects”, Aregbesola said majority of Nigerian leaders strive for power to enrich themselves, their family and friends.

    He said corruption has crippled the nation’s economy, adding that military rule made people “lose the consciousness that production creates wealth”.

    The governor said: “People now scheme for positions to access wealth and thereafter engage in exploitation. We all know that taxation is the direct source of income for the government, but how many people pay taxes?”

    The guest lecturer, Comrade Debo Adeniran of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), condemned the Federal Government’s approach in the fight against corruption.

    Adeniran said: “Although President Jonathan wants Nigerians to believe his government is working assiduously to combat corruption, a closer look shows that the government’s profligate and wasteful lifestyle constitute the major form of corruption in the nation.”

    Also yesterday, Canada said Nigeria’s respect for human rights has improved since it returned to democracy in 1999.

    In a statement marking the 2012 Human Rights Day, the Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Chris Cooter, said: “Respect for human rights has made great strides in Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999. You have established important institutions to protect those rights, such as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which have demonstrated real leadership.

    “Nigerians are increasingly aware of their rights. Human rights, whether in Canada or Nigeria, are not granted by the government, but are inherent to and belong to every individual. That is why they are universal, as both countries recognise them.”