The Nation Newspaper

Tag: relief

  • Relief for the displaced

    Relief for the displaced

    Internally displaced persons or IDPs at the Karshi and Kuje camps have had cause to smile, a rare development. Camp life is tough, but thanks to workers of Skye Bank, good-natured gesture of kindness  changed the camp mood.

    The IDPs said it was a special Sunday when workers of the bank paid them a visit that left a lasting impression on the victims of natural disaster and insurgency.

    The visitors’ first port of call was New Karshi’s trafitional ruler’s palace. Though the monarch was away, the distribution of the materials went on without any hitches. For about four hours, the bank staff distributed food and household materials to the IDPs.

    No one was left behind, the old, the young and the elderly all went back with something to cherish and were grateful. The fears anticipated by the IDPs that the materials brought might not go round was soon dispelled when it was discovered that each IDP might even get double share of the materials.

    Prior to that time, the IDPs were on the brink of breaking protocols with the surging crowded overwhelm the security operatives until they were assured that everyone would go home with enough.

    Musa Abdulahi, Chairman IDPs, New Karshi, Karu Local Government summed up the feelings of his colleagues in the camp with prayers for the bank workers.”May almighty God bless them with their families as they give us supports with the best understanding of how we have been suffering in this place. We pray for them and their families too, including the bank where they are working. God will bless them all”.

    Abdulahi said the prayers were necessary because of the kind of life and living the IDP were suddenly exposed after being displaced from their homes. According to him, it is difficult surviving as a displaced person who is now exposed to a new environment, culture and at an advanced age.

    “I go for hard labour before I could take care of my family. Some-time, they give me a portion of land, so I farm because it’s over 12 months I got to karshi. Since I left my area on 5th August, 2014, in Gwoza, Borno State. They pay me after the labour before I now help my family.” Abdulahi said that was the typical daily routine of an IDPs in new Karshi where all the IDPs were housed by indigenes of the village rather than being housed in a camp.

    The train moved to Abuja at 30 Village, Pegi, Kuje where most of the IDPs were of Chibok origin. It was the same complaints that it was more of abandonment by the government. They were equally grateful to the bankers for creating time to be with them.

    The bank workers also expressed fulfilment at the gesture they were able to extend to the victims of insurgency. According to the leader of the team, Idris Yakubu, Executive Director Abuja and Northern Directorate of Skye Bank, the initiative to give back to the society was entirely hatched and executed by the workers – from the Chief Executive to the last worker. A pointer to the fact was seeing Yakubu physically involved in off – loading and sharing of the materials. He said the bank workers were not forced into donating to the cause, as it was voluntary, “There is joy in giving. Even the workers of the bank are very happy in doing this. This is not the first time we are doing this. So our workers are not tasked, it’s a voluntary contribution. You give what you can give. We don’t force anybody to give but we only encourage them. Our staff wants to identify with the environment and the people, they were very happy even to contribute the funds we have given all together. Next year, with the success of this, we will do lot more and our shareholders will be very happy that we are identifying with the IDPs at this point in time. On why the bank workers identified IDPs for the gesture, Yakubu added, “This year, because of the situation we founded ourselves in the country; we decided to identify with our brothers and families in the northeast who are displaced. So our desire was to identify with the IDPs who are living in these areas and come to their needs and minimize the impact of the suffering they are undertaking currently. We partnered with two of our partners NGOs who had done this before, so what we are doing is a painstaking exercise because we wanted to be sure that whatever we do as bank workers reach the communities that deserve them. So we are doing both Karshi in Nasarawa State and Kuje camp in Abuja”.

     

     

  • Relief as Jos gets facelift

    Relief as Jos gets facelift

    Bulldozers have moved in to rehabilitate dilapidated roads in Jos, the Plateau State capital. Residents are thrilled not just for the roads but also because the government is completing the abandoned projects of previous administrations. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU reports

    It is easy to see why the residents are happy seeing bulldozers get to work on Jos streets. The city has been in decay for years, robbing it and its residents the charming beauty for which it was known. In various parts of the capital city roads are in such disrepair that driving through them has been quite an uncomfortable task, rather than pleasure. So when the bulldozers moved in, the people expressed relief.

    But there is another reason for their relief. Several projects initiated by previous governments were not finished before the end of their tenures. This almost makes Jos the capital of uncompleted projects. The uncompleted projects cost taxpayers money, so why not celebrate if a new government decides to complete, rather than abandon, them.

    That is why the people are happy with the Simon Lalong administration,which took the  rare decision to complete such abandoned projects.

    Such continuity has been rare in Plateau State where every administration would not want to have anything to do with the project of the previous government.

    This negative development has slowed development and rubbished consistency, among other consequences. That is why  abandoned projects dot the Plateau landscape.

    By May 29 when Governor Lalong took office as the fifth civilian governor of the state, Jos, the  capital city was a ghost of itself. The beauty of a capital city had faded out, its attractions, allure and nature all but gone. The city has not been at its best. The situation of the famous Tin City then was necessitated by what residents described as ‘bad government policies and misplaced priorities’ by the immediate past administration of Jonah Jang.

    The immediate past administration left the city in a very bad shape with a good number of uncompleted projects scattered all over the city. Though the list of uncompleted projects is long, the one that is causing severe pains to residents  is the road projects, particularly the one that started from Secretariat Junction at Yakubu Gowon Way through to Maraba Jamaa Roundabout. This road cuts across the city centre and remains not only the longest and most popular in the city, but perhaps the most useful.

    Given this scenario, the hardship encountered by motorists plying the city of Jos is similar to what those in the rural areas are currently facing.

    Given the numbers of cars that ply the roads in the city, the situation is obviously worse in the state capital. When there is no rain, the roads are full of dust. When it rains, the uncompleted road becomes muddy, the pot holes giving motorists a nightmare.

    While the construction of road began in June last year, motorists endured the traffic gridlock. Everyone was restricted to one lane of the road as the second lane is closed for construction. People endured the hardship and prayed it will end soon, but all of a sudden, the construction company disappeared from site and left road users with a disorganised city road. The roundabouts are worst hit especially those of Old Airport Junction, Secretariat Junction, Miango Junction, Zaramaganda Junction, D B Zang Junction, Zawan Junction as well as Vom Junction.

    But based on the culture of a new government always not giving room for continuity of governance in the state, residents refused to place their hope on the project. This made Governor Lalong to re-assure citizens of the state that he will complete the project.

    People never believed him, It had never happened before in the history of the state. But while the new administration was battling with the huge financial challenges he inherited, Governor Lalong kept appealing to citizens to endure.

    “The governor understands the challenges faced by motorists with the state of major uncompleted roads within Jos-Bukuru metropolis. The governor further assured citizens that the situation would be remedied immediately to ameliorate the difficulties faced. The governor assured that the Transition Committee consultation with contractors would be intensified to ensure that a common understanding is reached with government to facilitate their immediate mobilization to site for the continuation of the road projects which were suspended.

    But even with the assurances by Gov Lalong, citizens doubt if such work will commence soon. Some said that cannot come untill next year. Mr. Joshua Bitrus said, “Yes, the governor has been promising, but these are politicians, you don’t trust their promises, but let’s see how it will go because as citizens we are aware he has no money to work with, that is why we are not expecting the project soon” Indeed, their doubt was based on clear understanding of the economic mess of the state at that point. But sooner than later, Gov Lalong mobilised contractors back to site for the road work to continued.

    The effects of these uncompleted roads is not only for motorists and those who ply the roads, far from that, according to a resident Mr Yohana Lukeman, “a lot of residents are suffering due to the fact that their water source was destroyed in the course of road construction, a lot of residents have been disconnected from electricity because the road project affected their power supply poles. Several other residents are already facing the challenges of flooding due to uncompleted drainages. So, generally speaking, no one is spared of the hardship, it is not only motorists, it affects every residents”

    Governor Lalong followed this appeal to citizens by inspecting the road project in the city after paying official visit to the contracting firm handling the road project Pw Construction Company Nigeria Ltd. According to Gov Lalong, “From the information available to me, the contractor has no reason stopping the construction since he has claimed 60% of the contract sum from the last administration of Jonah Jang.

    He said, “I have therefore directed the contractor to return to site and complete the road to alleviate the hardship our people are facing, you can’t just deface the city roads and abandon it like that for no good reason. I’m sure the contractor knows the implication of ignoring my directive on this particular project, I will not sit down here and allow citizens to continue to face this hardship for no fault of theirs. Something must be done.”

    Interestingly, the construction company knew the implication of flaunting the order of the governor and so, they moved their earth moving equipment and resumed work on the road. Many would not belief it. But the bulldozers are currently working on the main road projects left uncompleted by the immediate past administration. Especially the gingantic flyover bridge at Secretariat Junction in Jos city.

    Lalong did not only continued with the inherited road project, he initiated new ones, some of which are near completion especially that of Rantya-Federal Low-cost roads. The governor also embarked rehabilitation of all the streets within the Jos-Bukuru metropolis.

    With the high amount of rains in on the Plateau, almost every road in the city has developed into potholes and gullies. The whole of the city center has become a city of potholes, there is virtually no street that vehicle can ply smoothly. Since the month of May when the rains became a daily affairs, motorists have been driving with tears, many motorists can be seen gnashing their tooth while on starring. You have to meander and negotiate through the potholes.

    Apart from flagging off the rehabilitation of existing road network, Lalong has also impressed the people of the state by mobilizing the construction company Pw Company Nigeria Limited to go back and continued the uncompleted road contract awarded by the immediate past government led by Jonah David Jang. The uncompleted road which cut through the heart of the city has been a source of nightmare since last year when Jang began the construction.

    With the rehabilitation of the bad roads and the return of construction on the uncompleted road, residents of Jos are hailing the governor for moving out to alleviate their plight particularly commercial taxi drivers. One of them Ahmodu Bala said, “My relief is because, recently I began to hate my driving profession because of the nature of roads in Jos, the roads are terribly bad, by the time you get home after the days work, you feel so devastated and it makes you get discourage of continuing the work the next day. But I have been a taxi driver all my life and I don’t want go quit. That is why I say this governor is a savior for repairing these roads.”

     

  • More cash for states as 11 get CBN’s loans relief

    More cash for states as 11 get CBN’s loans relief

    11 more states to get clearance for Fed Govt bonds

    Cash-strapped  states will soon clear their huge backlog of workers’ salaries.

    The Federal Government has approved the restructuring of the loans holding down their financial capacity.

    Of the 22 states which applied for the rescheduling of their loans, 11 have been cleared.

    Federal Government Bonds have been issued to 14 banks for the loans being owed by the 11 states.

    The news was broken yesterday as  part of the briefing on the outcome of the 60th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, one of the four governors who spoke to reporters after the meeting, said the remaining states would be cleared after the verification of their documents. He did not name the 11 states.

    Ahmed said: “Discussions were looked at in terms of restructuring of states’ indebtedness to commercial banks. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Debt Management Office (DMO) told the Council that based on the approval of Mr. President of the plans to restructure the bank loans of states into Federal Government bonds to address fiscal imbalance, 22 states have submitted reports and applied for restructuring as at August 19, 2015.

    “The DMO has requested states to reconcile figures with banks where disparities have been noticed and have been jointly authenticated with the banks as at June 30, 2015. As at August 14 2015, of the 22 states that applied for the federal government bond, 11 states have so far scaled through with respect to submission of necessary documentation to support disbursement.

    “Others have been urged to quickly put their documentation in place to see that they fit into the time schedule. The DMO is reviewing the additional submissions by other states so that it comes as phase two of their programme.”

    The governor added that the Permanent Secretary in the  Ministry of Finance reported to the Council that the Excess Crude Proceeds stands at US$2.207 billion as at this month.

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano said CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele briefed the Council on the state of the economy and the exchange rate of the Naira.

    According to him, the CBN governor attributed the situation to some of the following: “Declining oil price, which put a drag on the foreign reserves; Exchange rate movements and pressure on the domestic currency; Inflation and tight monetary policy.

    He said the CBN governor told the Council that the apex bank had come up with some policies to address the situation. They include:

    • specific intervention in the foreign exchange market to stabilise rates;
    • cessation of foreign currency cash deposits in banks;
    • closure of CBN official foreign window; and
    • reclassification of eligible goods and services to the window.

    Obiano noted that the naira had appreciated as a result of the CBN’s stoppage of dollar cash deposit.

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun said Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole presented a provisional report of the five governors ad-hoc committee set up by NEC to review the operations and management of the ECA/Federation Account.

    He said: “He told the Council that the Committee invited all the relevant revenue generating agencies that contribute to the Federation Account in the course of its assignment.

    “The Ad-hoc Committee recommended to the Council that in order to have a comprehensive report on the operations of the ECA/Federation Account, two International Audit Firms have been appointed to carry out Forensic Audit of the ECA/Federation Account between January 2010 and June 30, 2015.

    “Regarding the above, Council will in the near future receive a more comprehensive report.” He added that there is no law that bars NEC through the committee from appointing the audit firms.

    Amosun explained that NNPC Group Managing Director Ibe Kachikwu briefed the Council on the ongoing reforms in the petroleum industry.

    “He told the Council that the reforms will cover aspects of performance management, transparency and accountability, proper focus in investment attraction, zero tolerance for corruption, cost auditing improved stakeholders management and relationship and image rebranding among others.”

    The GMD, he said, also urged the governors to assist in protecting oil and gas infrastructure in their states.

    Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badero spoke on the meeting’s decision in respect of the power sector.

    He said the Council was briefed that there was overall increase in power supply by 29 per cent as at the first six-weeks of the new Administration, compared to the last weeks of the previous administration.

    The Federal Government is targeting generation and distribution of 5,000 megawatts of electricity by December.

    According to him, power generation reached 4.662MW by July 29.

    He said that the Council has urged state governments to pay electricity bills by their vendors’ MDA, stressing that the Council was informed that at the moment, there is a 45 per cent default rate.

    The governors, Badero said, were also urged to assist with security to reduce vandalization of power distribution assets.

    He said they were also urged to encourage embedded generation for state-owned facilities.

    According to him, the TCN management contract has been extended for one year.

    Badero said that the Council was also informed that the top priorities in the next two months included repair of stranded hydro capacity, reduced load rejection by Discos, stopping hemorrhage of gas from power plants to industrial off-takers and fixing major transmission and transformation constraints.

  • SEMA provides relief materials

    The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has provided relief materials for victims of Sunday’s morning flood at Wuro-Dole in Akko Local Government.

    The SEMA Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Mohammed Garba, who presented the materials yesterday, said they were at the village the previous day to take stock of the damage and sympathise with the victims.

    He said the agency’s findings showed that the flood affected 46 houses.

    Garba, who spoke on behalf of the SEMA Executive Secretary, Dr. Danlami Arabs Rukujei, urged the people not to see the relief materials as compensating their losses, but an attempt to meet their needs.

  • SEMA distributes relief materials

    The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) yesterday distributed relief materials to the victims of a flood, which ravaged more than half of Ngelzarma community.

    SEMA’s Executive Secretary Idi Musa Jidawa, in an SMS to our correspondent, said the agency had loaded 100 bags of rice, 200 bags of maize, 200 cartons of Indomie Noodles, 300 pieces of wrappers, children’s wears, 100 bags of beans, 25 gallons of vegetable oil and 50 cartons of Cerelac for delivery to the victims.

    Thousands were displaced and millions of property destroyed at Ngelzarma and Jajere after a heavy rain on Monday night, which lasted seven hours.

    Although nobody died, the villages were submerged.

    Our correspondent learnt that most of the victims are taking refuge at a primary school.

  • Taking a peep at the APC reform, relief and recovery tripod

    I  fulfill  a promise  I made  last week  today  to take  a look  at the tripod  of action and concept  namely Reform, Relief  and  Recovery  that  the  National  leader  of the APC Asiwaju  Bola Tinubu  reportedly  said  would be  strategy  the APC  would  adopt in tackling the challenge  of governance  on assuming power  on May  29  2015, the  official  handing  over date  of  government by  the outgoing incumbent   president  who  lost  power in the last presidential  election.  Since  I  have  no formal  or informal  briefing on this self – given assignment. I take liberty to allow my  imagination to  roam wide in hazarding  a guess on the choice   and  rationale  for   these three key  words.  Also since  I  am  a Nigerian living at home and conversant with the challenges  and problems  my fellow countrymen faced under  the last  government’s  yoke  I am  confident  my perceptions and, definitions and expectations on the concepts can  not be very much  off the mark. Especially for a writer who  has watched his nation led to the an abyss  by poor  leadership  before being rescued  miraculously  and unbelievably by the victory of the  opposition  APC at  the last  presidential  elections.

    I  will  start with the basic  definition  and usage  of  these words and link  them  with the socio – economic, cultural and political  problems associated with  them  in Nigeria  and hazard  some guesses  on  solutions  envisaged  to resolve  such  problems and move the  Nigerian state  forward  under the incoming government  of  the APC. This  really is easier said  than  done,  given  the myriad  of problems facing Nigeria and the  great   difficulty  in   setting of priorities  given  the mass  urgency of these problems because  of   the callous indifference  and  neglect  of successive Nigerian  governments   whether  civilian  or military.

    Reform  to me is a new  way of looking at problems  and  proffering solutions  in conformity  with  the best  standards in the field  or industry  or  comity of nations. Relief  is bringing urgent, relevant  and  lasting  succor to those in distress or  suffering such that they  can  move on to the next  level  of comfort  in their  lives  or calling. Recovery is  the retrieval  of  lost opportunities,  public goods, property and  services  not legally acquired  or  enjoyed  by individuals,  corporations  and entities  in any  nation or community  in this case  the   Nigerian  nation.

    In  Nigeria in recent times especially  during the Obasanjo  Regime  from 1999 till the end of the Jonathan Administration  next  Saturday May  29, the economic  reform we  have    to  our  collective detriment   have  been dictated  by the IMF  and  World  Bank  and have culminated  in the award  this week  of a Doctorate  Degree Honoris Causa  for our Coordinating  Minister  of the Economy  and Finance  Minister, Dr Mrs  Okonjo  Iweala by  the prestigious  University  of  Yale  in the US. The  timing of the award  and the present perilous  state of the  Nigerian  economy says  a lot about  the sense  of humor of the authorities  of  Yale  University with  regard  to the plight  of the average Nigerian at this point  in  time. As  at  now Nigerians  have no  electricity, no  kerosene, petrol  or  diesel, our youths are  jobless  and the state of security  of life  and property  is hazardous  and  yet a major university is giving   an  award  to the Minister  who led us to this dire economic strait. Obviously  the Minister  danced in office to the music played  by the IMF, World  Bank  and the US  Treasury  controlling both and is being rewarded for  running Nigeria aground according  to the dictates of these US institutrions. Which  are  speedy  privatization and marketization without regard for the laws to facilitate them or the sequence and pace of actualizing them. IMF conditionalities have no bail out for the poor,  the needy   or   retrenched to balance budget costs but can  never allow banks and financial institutions to fail.

    It  is  therefore necessary  to compare the state of our  economy with  the way the president of Chile has written  about true development of any  nation so that the APC  can  borrow  a leaf  from   her  educative  insight. Writing  on The  Politics  of Inclusion In The World  in 2015,  Chile’s President,  Michelle  Bachelet,  a lady  like  our Yale  Doctorate Awardee and  Finance  Minister  wrote that ‘true  development comes with sustainable  growth, inclusion ,social  cohesion,  governability   and  the broadening of democracy.  It  goes  hand  in hand with diversity, accountability and transparency. It  requires freedom but also  social  justice.  It is synonymous with caring for the environment and respecting human rights. It  needs markets  that prosper thanks to productive innovation and are  not  based  on speculation.  ‘The  Chilean  president went on about making the bridging of gender inequality a priority  to  make  women  contribute  more  productively to the economy and  to make every citizen have  access to opportunities  in the economy.  To  me the Chilean  initiative  on   true  development     is  akin  to  a working  agenda  on   Reform   and   is well  recommended  to  the incoming  APC  government  for adoption  especially as the  contents  were  so clearly  missing  in the  agenda  of the  Jonathan  Administration that  nevertheless got our Coordinating  Minister  her strange  and dubious  Yale  Award.

    On  Relief  it  is  not difficult to see what Nigerians  need  relief from. We  need  relief from having no  light or electricity in our homes and industry . We  need  hospitals that are well stocked with  drugs that  make  life bearable  and  endurable.  We  need industries that produce goods and services and employ Nigerians while observing common and basic industrial relations rules and regulations. We  need  courts  that  function as state institutions and  not at the whims  and caprices of lazy judges who adjourn arbitrarily  and seat only when they  have cases  that they have a stake in. We  need  fearless, upright  and just  judges  to dispense  justice and make  the common man have confidence  in our judiciary as the last  hope of the common Nigerian  for  justice that is not expensive in terms of time and money. These  as the Relief  part  of the APC tripod will make life more bearable  for  Nigerians so that they can devote their lives  and work  to improving the quality  of life for themselves and their  families.

    On  Recovery the  APC government should focus on Poverty  Alleviation to close  the gap  between  the rich and the poor. Former UN  Secretary  General  Perez de Cuellar  recommended that to do this the developing world should  focus development  on labor intensive goals  and projects as labor  is the major asset of the poor. The  APC  government should adopt  this under its  Recovery  arm  of  the  tripod. Infrastructural  developments, market reforms  and development   should focus on supporting labor intensive  projects  to decrease  unemployment  and increase  productivity  and  manpower  development  and  reduce  the  rampant  income inequalities  that is the bane of our present economy  A  major  way  to start  is by  cutting down drastically   the emoluments  of our law  makers  which is said  to be the  highest  in the world.

    Education  should  be made free at all levels as well as basic heath care especially prenatal ones so that infant  mortality recedes  from its alarming rate of many of our infants dying before the age of five.  Affordable  housing should  be a priority  of government such  that schools  and working places and shops are within walking  distances   or affordable transport fare.

    One  cannot  talk  of this   Recovery  without  mentioning the recovery  of stolen goods  and embezzlement in the public  service. Independent judges  should be appointed and empowered  as in the  French  legal  system  to investigate  and  prosecute  fraudulent officials and  those found guilty  should be made  to cough up their ill gotten gains into the coffers  of the state. Of  course  there  should be in built safety valves to  prevent  witch  hunting  of political  opponents and  former  adversaries but the message should be clear  that the new government has  zero  tolerance for  bribery  and corruption.

    I recommend  my   musings  on the APC  tripod to the incoming administration of the APC and  wish  the new administration a happy and peaceful  enjoyment of its hard earned victory at the last elections. Once again as we finally approach  May 29 2015 next  week, long  live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Poultry group canvasses electricity tariff relief

    Poultry group canvasses electricity tariff relief

    The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN)  is seeking  the government‘s support for  electricity tariff relief for producers.

    Its National President, Dr Ayoola Oduntan, said  electricity tariffs are too high for profitable business.

    Addressing its summit in Lagos, Oduntan said PAN has got the support of Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) for a reduction in electricity tariffs.

    To this end,he  said the association is working with NERC to ensure the directives to Electricity  Distribution Companies to implement the agriculture and agro based industries tariffs for the  sector, including poultry farming.

    According to him, the price  poultry  farmers are  offering  the market does not even recover cost of production, let alone a reasonable profit margin.

    He warned of  declining production while pleading for a rescue package, including some concessionary loans for farmers to bring them back into business and deferring loan payments for those who are surviving on the edge.

    According to him, if the poultry business is not rescued, the situation can worsen: production would decline further as more farmers leave, leading to squeezed supplies.

    He  urged  the  government to introduce policies and programmes for reducing their production cost, adding  that  though  poultry entrepreneurs  are trying  to achieve   self-sufficiency in poultry products,   they cannot compete with  smuggled  products from neighbouring markets .

    According to him, around 70 per cent of their investment goes to procure feed, adding that the producers have no option but to import feed as local production cannot meet the growing demand.

    He urged the government to encourage farmers to grow maize and soybean to bring down poultry production costs, adding that the industry will be competitive only if the government encouraged farmers to embrace new technologies.

  • Fire victims get relief materials

    Fire victims get relief materials

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated relief materials to the Iwaya, Yaba, Lagos Mainland fire victims.

    General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA)  Dr Femi Oke-Osayintolu, who presented the materials to the about 507 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), expressed government’s determination to return them to their homes.

    The items included clothes, mattresses, foodstuffs, beverages, among others.

    While thanking NEMA’s coordinator, Southwest Zone Dr Bandele Onimode, Oke-Osayintolu promised that the victims would be given vocational training so as to start living a decent life.

    He said: “We appreciate the gesture shown by NEMA to complement the efforts of the state government. Of the 653 persons that were affected, 507 are in the camp and we have been taking care of their needs. We have doctors who are taking care of them.

    “We provide transportation to take those who are working among them to their work places in Iwaya and they are brought back in the evening. Before we could harvest them back to the society, we would have trained them on some vocational training and given them some financial assistance.

    “We are collaborating with general hospitals to attend to those who need specialised treatment. The state’s ministry of education will assist us in placing the children to schools that are not far from the camp.”

    Some of the IDPs appealed to government to provide transportation for their children, who had stopped attending schools since the incident happened on January 14.

    One of them, Mr Israel Olori, said he and his family would have turned destitute but for the timely intervention of the state government.

    “We thank Fashola for providing this place for us. We were moved here on January 17. Some of us might have been sleeping on the streets if not for this gesture.

    “Some of our challenges here include prompt medical assistance for our sick children. We also need buses that will be taking them to and from school. This requires a lot of expenses which we cannot afford for now,” he said.

    Oluwo Oladiji (54) said the camp accommodated his two wives and five children, adding that its ambience was relatively conducive for them.

    “We came here with only dresses we were putting on. All my property was lost to the fire but I thank God this camp takes care of us to some extent,” he said.

  • Relief comes to Apapa general hospital 

    Relief comes to Apapa general hospital 

    It was a day of joy  for the management, staff and patients at the Apapa General Hospital when a block of six toilets was commissioned for their use. OZIEGBE OKOEKI was there.

    For the Management of Apapa General Hospital it was relief at last when a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Apapa 1 constituency, Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe renovated and commissioned the public toilet in the hospital penultimate Wednesday. Before then the hospital had been battling with the problem of lack of toilet facility for general use.

    According to the chairman of Randle Community Development Association (CDA) in Apapa, Engr. Bolaji Ayinla, the public toilet at the hospital had been “in a terrible state” for some time until Egberongbe came to the rescue when he accepted the community’s plea for assistance towards renovating the facility.

    Speaking at the commissioning, Ayinla who disclosed that the community has always benefited from the poverty alleviation programmes of Egberongbe said the issue of the toilet was brought to the notice of the lawmaker because of its terrible state and because it was constituting health hazard to the community. “When we presented the case to Egberongbe, he promised to renovate the toilet and today we can see that he has delivered on the promise.

    Egberongbe also made donations of some hospital equipment at the event ranging from hospital beds for adults and babies, industrial fans, fridge, satellite dish as well as DSTV decoder.

    The lawmaker who disclosed that before he was elected into the Assembly, he was an executive member of Kofo Abayomi  CDA as well as the Community Development Committee (CDC) in Apapa, said he undertook the renovation of the toilet as part of his resolve to “continue to serve my people in my own little way, service is the watchword, a cause I have been so well identified with”.

    He stressed that “inadequate sanitation is a major cause of disease worldwide and improving sanitation is known to have a significant beneficial impact on health both in households and across communities. The absence of toilet facilities wherever they are needed has major consequences on human existence. Today I have reason to thank God and you all for making this dream a reality and with this toilet we now have a well structured general hospital”, Egberongbe said.

    He also promised to assist the hospital in tackling another major challenge confronting it which is provision of electricity generator. He said, “I am reaching out to companies around Apapa as regards the issue of generator and I am using this medium to call on them to continue to live up to their corporate social responsibility; although some of them have been trying including some individuals”.

    While thanking Egberongbe for renovating the hospital toilet, Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. (Mrs.) Olanike Oduwole said the hospital is known for excellence and has been given several awards; we have dedicated members of staff and we foresee a future as a world class hospital”.

    Commending the lawmaker, a director in the state Ministry of Rural Development who represented the commissioner, Mr. E. O. Awoderu called on other residents to assist in developing the community like Egberongbe. “As big as America is, the country still believes in assistance from well meaning people”, he said, adding that the government is aware of the challenges facing the hospital “but it cannot do everything once, that is why the privileged are always encouraged to assist”.

    The representative of the Commissioner for Health, Dr. O. O. Enigbokan thanked Egberongbe for his contributions to the success of the local government. “We should realise that government cannot do it alone, synergy is important, we all need to contribute our effort. The renovation and donation of equipment will further strengthen healthcare services in Apapa and help humanity”, Enigbokan said.

    The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Tunde Balogun said, “it is heartwarming that a member of our party is doing this, Egberongbe has always been helping our community. He has always taken issues concerning Apapa seriously and I hope others will emulate him”. And the Apapa local governemnt chairman, Hon. Ayodeji Joseph said, “Egberongbe has served us very well, he has done very well with this project; a project like this in this Ebola ravaged season is well appreciated”, he said.

    While Senator Muniru Muse who was chairman of the occasion thanked Egberongbe for his effort “and for coming to the aid of the hospital, reminded all present  that “this hospital requires help from all of us and the companies should make donations to improve the hospital. Let us emulate Egberongbe to improve the standard of the hospital; let us contribute our widow’s mite to improve the hospital”.  He also commended the medical director who he said has contributed a lot to the hospital.

    And a community leader, Alhaji Moshood Tijanni said he as well as the community is proud of Egberongbe, “he has set a record, we are happy that we produced him here. Let other elected representatives emulate him, he has shown good example and inspired many”, he said.

    The CDA chairman, Ayinla appealed to the hospital management and staff to take good care and make proper use of the toilet.

  • Fitness relief for Azarenka

    Fitness relief for Azarenka

    Former world   number one Victoria Azarenka has said she is glad to be back competing following her recent injury nightmare.

    The Belarusian has been plagued by a foot injury over the last few months, crashing out in the second round of Wimbledon, a competition in which she looked extremely rusty having barely played in the first half of the season.

    Fortunately, her fitness woes seem to be behind her and she can now turn her attentions to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, an event she reached the final of in 2013.

    However, after all of her problems with injury, the two-time Australian Open champion says she now has a new perspective on the game and has found a way to enjoy her tennis again.

    “Yes, it’s more fun now. Sometimes you need a little bit of a break,” he told Tennis Space. “But maybe not a break as long as that, and not a forced break.

    “You do realise, when you’re away, how much you enjoy it. When you’re caught in a daily routine, maybe you don’t realise that.I’ve found a better way to enjoy tennis.”