The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Red Cross

  • Building collapse: Red Cross, others appeal for blood for victims

    The Nigerian Red Cross (NRC) has appealed for blood donations for victims of the collapsed building on Lagos Island.

    Mr Olakunle Lasisi, Secretary of NRC, Lagos made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

    Publication trending on social media to appeal to the public for blood donations

    Speaking on the hashtags #DonateForItafaji and #savetheitafajichildren trending on social media, to solicit for blood donations from the public, he said Red Cross would partake in the exercise.

    Lasisi added that he spoke with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service on Wednesday, and confirmed that the information was true.

    “They said, yes, they are aware of it.

    “It was launched by the MD of the General Hospital, so they can have enough blood in the bank to assist the casualties of the collapsed building.

    “When an incident like this happens, blood donations is always required to meet the demand of those in need of blood transfusion.

    “It is a good opportunity for the blood bank to replenish because there are people who want to assist.

    “Some of our members who are due for blood donation will be available,” he told NAN.

    Lasisi commended the Red Cross volunteers and other agencies such as LASEMA, LASAMBUS, NEMA, FED FIRE and Nigeria Police, whose efforts ensured that lives were saved.

    “We left the point at about 12:30 am; we were moving out the debris there.

    “There are a lot of agencies and two construction companies also assisting.

    “The data we were able to collate tells us that we have about 45 persons that were evacuated and a good number of them are students,” he disclosed.

  • Flood: Marine Police, Red Cross evacuate residents of Yola

    Marine Police and members of Nigerian Red Cross yesterday went to the aid of hundreds of stranded residents of Yolde-Pate Ward of Yola, Adamawa State following a flood caused by a downpour.

    The early morning rain caused a stream that passes through the ward to overflow its banks and submerge   houses, bridges and major culverts in Modire area of the ward.

    The policemen and Red Cross personnel transported  stranded residents of Modire area, particularly women and children, from the disaster zone.

    Other areas affected by the flood included Yola cattle market, Shagari Low Cost Housing Estate, Sabon-Pegi and Tashan-Sani.

    Also a bridge in Loko village on the road linking Yola to the northern part of the state was washed away by the rain, as a result many travellers on the route were stranded.

    Governor MuhammaduBindow  visitedYolde-Pate to sympathise with the victims and directed the State Emergency Management Agency to ensure food, drugs and shelter were provided for those affected.

    He advised the people against building on waterways to minimise flooding in residential areas.

     

  • Red Cross marks 30th anniversary with Through Their Eyes

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has held a photo exhibition in Abuja in commemoration of its 30th anniversary in the country.

    The exhibition tagged Through their eyes featured a collage of 50 photographs by youths living every day with the consequences of armed conflict or violence.

    “The exhibition puts the spotlight on what has always been at the heart of our work over the last 30 years – the voices of people who have been affected by armed conflict or violence”, said Eloi Fillion, ICRC head of delegation in Nigeria.

    “The collections of amateur photographs were taken by teenagers whose lives have been irrevocably marked by the consequences of violence, from being separated from their families to being forced to flee their homes. The photographs provide an authentic and un-edited account of the humanitarian challenges many Nigerians are facing today,” he added.

    Fillion said in the last two years, his colleagues worked with teenagers in Maiduguri and Port Harcourt, helping them use photography to express how armed conflict and other situations of violence have affected their daily lives.

    “You will be able to see today a selection of fifty of their photographs that depict the trauma they lived through, their pain, and their hope. Their voices will be further highlighted in a short film, Not Forgotten, which will premiere tonight. These young people, in their own words, provide a backdrop for our daily work,” he said.

    The exhibition featured works of almost 30 teenagers in Maiduguri and Port Harcourt with whom the ICRC worked with on two photography projects in 2016 and last year. Their photographs expressing their surroundings, their longing for lost family and feelings of pain and hope. The short documentary, Not forgotten, which premiered at the event, introduced in more detail the stories of some of the young photographers featured at the exhibition.

    “The reason I took this photo is because I want to show the world how people in our community work hard to get food to eat”, said Mercy, who lives in one of the shanty communities in Port Harcourt.

    The exhibition was attended, among others, by the representatives of the Nigerian institutions that the ICRC has been partnering on different projects over the years, such as the Nigerian Red Cross Society, armed and police forces and representatives of the Nigerian government.

    The ICRC has been alleviating suffering caused by armed conflict or armed violence in Nigeria since 1988 in partnership with Nigerian authorities and organisations. From promoting the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law to reconnecting families separated by conflict and providing humanitarian assistance to communities, the ICRC has put affected people at the heart of its humanitarian action.

    With a staff of over 650 in Abuja and 11 other offices across the north-east, Niger Delta and Middle Belt, the ICRC continues to ensure close proximity with, and its accountability to, vulnerable populations.

  • United Nations pays tribute to 140 fallen staff members

    The United Nations has held a memorial service to remember 140 personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty between July 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2017.

    “I wish we never had to mourn the loss of colleagues,’’ Secretary-General António Guterres said at the ceremony held at UN Headquarters in New York.

    “But the sad fact is that people do lose their lives while serving the United Nations and it is our duty to honour their service and sacrifice,’’ Guterres said.

    Of the 140 killed, 123 were military personnel; three police; and 14 civilians and they came from 42 nations.

    “Were it not for the sacrifices of United Nations peacekeepers, humanitarians and other personnel, the people who needed urgent support in the most difficult and dangerous environments would have experienced greater suffering.’’

    The UN chief invited the bereaved families and others in attendance to join him in observing a moment of silence.

    Guterres noted that over the past years, respect for those wearing UN symbols had diminished, making them a target of those who oppose to peace “despite all our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our personnel.’’

    He recalled that between 2005 and 2015 when he was UN High Commissioner for Refugees, symbols like the Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN used to be respected even by militant groups.

    He regretted that this respect was progressively being lost and in the end, he was starting to see situations in which UN staff were targeted exactly because they were UN staff.

    Guterres, however, stressed that all around the world, the blue UN flag represented the hopes of some of the world’s most vulnerable people for peace, security and an opportunity for a better future.

    Since 2011, the UN Secretariat has held an annual memorial service to honour fallen colleagues.

    Guterres said that the UN faced “a terrible dilemma” about sending staff to the most difficult areas at the most dangerous moments.

    “If they don’t go, the people we care for will suffer, even more, facing more dangerous situations and circumstances,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • …none of our workers died- ICRC

    …none of our workers died- ICRC

    The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has declared that none of its aid workers was killed in the Thursday night attack on Rann community of Borno.

    ICRC’s Communications Coordinator, Aleksandra Mosimann, made the clarifications in a statement yesterday in Maiduguri.

    Mosimann said that the organisation conducted food distribution exercise throughout the week of the attack, adding that the aid workers were confirmed physically unharmed.

    “There is inaccuracy of the information in reference to the ICRC.

    “Concerning Rann, the ICRC and Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) had a food distribution ongoing in Rann throughout the week of the attack.

    “The staff and volunteers of the NRCS, our partner organization, were present on the ground. All of them have been confirmed physically unharmed.

    “At present we remain concerned about the safety of two midwives working in a Ministry of Health clinic in Rann, supported by the ICRC, whose whereabouts we don’t know yet.

    “We would like to express our sincere condolences to the families of all persons killed or injured in the attack, including the families of the humanitarian workers tragically killed or injured in Rann,” Mosimann said.

     

  • Communities raise alarm over cracks in Kaduna dam

    Communities raise alarm over cracks in Kaduna dam

    Six communities around Kangimi Dam in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State have called on the state government to quickly repair the damaged walls of the dam to avert imminent disaster.

    The communities in a statement said the walls of the dam had developed cracks after a thunder hit the site in October 2017.

    The statement signed by Malam Usman Jikan-Mudi, said thousands of communities living in the area now live in perpetual fear that the dam may burst at any time.

    “If you look at the place where the thunder struck, you will see clearly that water is coming out, some grasses are growing up from the cracked wall and once it is not tackled we are scared of what will follow.’’

    He listed the villages as, Gobirawa, Ruhogi, Barkonu, Cikaji, Unguwar Yamman Likoro and Girkawa.

    “There are thousands of people that are residing with their families in those villages, we are really afraid of what will happen when the dam breaks.

    “We are worried about the situation and are living in fear; we are scared of what will happen to everyone in this area.’’

    “Kangimi dam is the largest dam in the state and has many links to many  rivers and is the source of water for the state.’’

    Jikan-Mudi said the communities had written series of letters to the state Ministry of Water Resources and the Water Board without response.

    “It seems as if they don’t care about the lives of the people that are residing around the dam.

    “The volume of water in the dam is very high presently and it is advisable for the authorities concerned to start gradual release of the water.

    “We are begging the state government to come to our rescue.’’

    Also, the ward head of Gobirawa, Malam Umaru Gobirawa, said: “We are living in a critical situation and that is why we are calling on NEMA, SEMA, the Red Cross, and other humanitarian agencies, to intervene before we are washed away.

    “They should compel government to take quick action before it is too late.’’

    Responding, Alhaji Sa’idu Adamu, Councillor on Information and Communication Strategy to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i, assured that the state government would respond swiftly to avert the impending disaster.

    “The governor will be intimated on the situation and I assure the communities that government is going to look into the situation and tackle it swiftly before any damage is done.’’

    NAN

  • Natural disasters affect 41 million people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal

    Natural disasters affect 41 million people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal

    The UN on Thursday said at least 41 million people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal have been directly affected by flooding and landslides from the monsoon rains that begun in June.

    The monsoon, according to the UN, might continue until October.

    It said that over 1,700 people have died in catastrophic floods in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan as torrential rains pound swathes of South Asia during its worst monsoon season in more than a decade.

    Estimates from the National Disaster Management Authority ( NDMA ) and reports showed that more than 1,300 people, mostly villagers died since the beginning of the rainy season in India alone.

    The eastern Indian state of Bihar is the worst-affected with more than 500 deaths, as major rivers in spate caused large-scale inundation affecting hundreds of villages across 21 districts.

    The country’s financial capital, Mumbai was slashed by heavy rains on Tuesday that claimed over 30 lives, including several from a building collapse on Thursday which officials said was caused by the intense downpour.

    “In neighbouring Pakistan, heavy rains caused a massive deluge in the port city of Karachi on Thursday, killing at least a dozen people.

    “The overall death toll for the season stood at more than 100, Nepal was also experiencing heavy floods which have claimed 159 lives so far,’’ NDMA said.

    The country’s eastern hills and plains along the border with India were severely affected.

    In Bangladesh, 141 people have died after floodwaters from upstream rivers from Indian hills swelled Bangladeshi river systems.

    “Tens of thousands of homes, as well as schools and hospitals, have been destroyed leaving people displaced and homeless,’’ the UN said.

    According to Jagan Chapagain, Undersecretary General for Programmes and Operations at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said “this is the worst flooding that parts of South Asia have seen in decades.

    “Entire communities have been cut off, and the only way to get aid to some of these villages is by boat and many are running out of food.”

    Floodwaters also become a breeding ground for diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria, aid agencies have warned.

    The death toll across the region could rise as conditions could deteriorate in the coming days with more rain forecast.

  • I met only N1,500 in LG account, says Chairman

    I met only N1,500 in LG account, says Chairman

    The Chairman, Mubi North Local Government in Adamawa, Alhaji Musa Bello, said on Monday that he met only N1,500 in the account of the local council when he assumed office.

    Bello told newsmen in Mubi that he also inherited a liability of over N200 million.

    “I met only N1,500 in the council’s account and a liability of over N200 million, while the Internally Generated Revenue of the council, then, was N150,000 weekly,’’ the chairman said.

    According to him, he had to use his experience as a former councillor in the local government to mobilise the business community to pay appropriate taxes, to shore up the council’s internal revenue.

    Bello noted that at the time, the council had faced drastic revenue shortfall which made it difficult to even pay salaries.

    “We set up a committee and were able to boost the local revenue, which we use in executing a lot of projects within the short period we assumed office,” he said.

    According to him, the local council had drilled 13 boreholes and rehabilitated 104 others using internally generated revenue.

    He listed some of the projects executed by his administration to include evacuation of drainage to avert flooding and construction of six feeder roads.

    Bello said that activities were picking up after the insurgency which affected social and economic activities in the local government.

    He said that residents were waiting for government to carry out rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, as pledged by the Presidential Committee on North East.

    Bello commended the state government for the construction and rehabilitation of 14 roads in Mubi town.

    “I also want to commend the contributions of Non-Governmental Organisations, National Emergency Management Agency, Victims Support Fund, North East Regional Initiative, UNICEF, Red Cross, Rescue, Oxfam and others.

    “I commend foreign countries that have been assisting our people in various areas including health, education, water supply and sanitation,’’ he said.

    The chairman also lauded the contributions of the military and other security agencies which facilitated the return of peace to the area.

    “The council is always in touch with the military and other security agencies to ensure the sustenance of peace, ’’ Bello said.

  • Kenya: Three killed in northeast bank attack

    Kenya: Three killed in northeast bank attack

    Police said attackers shot and killed three people in a raid on a commercial bank in northeast Kenya’s on Friday.

    Police commander Charles Chacha said that the civilians and a police officer died in the attack in Mandera County.

    “There were five armed gangsters. When they arrived at the bank, they shot the officer at the door, and the police managed to shoot one of the criminals, but …they escaped,” Chacha told Reuters by phone.

    In another development, the Kenya Red Cross also said an improvised explosive device had also been detonated on a road in the same town but no injuries had been reported.

  • Second body found in collapsed Kenyan building – Red Cross

    Second body found in collapsed Kenyan building – Red Cross

    The Red Cross on Wednesday confirmed that a second body was been found in the wreckage of a collapsed residential building in Kenya’s capital.

    Emergency crews made the discovery on Tuesday night, the agency said on Twitter, around 24 hours after the seven-story block fell down in Nairobi’s poor southern Pipeline Estate.

    Most of the residents had fled after cracks appeared in the building on Monday.

    One woman was found a day later and died from her injuries in hospital.

    The second body was found dead in the rubble.

    Forty-nine people died in 2016 when another building collapsed during a heavy nighttime downpour in a poor neighbourhood.

    The government ordered the demolition of many buildings after that incident, including the block that collapsed on Monday.

    The Red Cross said another missing person it had been searching for had been found alive.

    Two children were pulled out alive on Tuesday evening.