The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sit at home

  • QHSES Leadership Academy marks first Safetainability Day with donation to orphanage

    QHSES Leadership Academy marks first Safetainability Day with donation to orphanage

    In a celebration of community and care, the Quality, Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability (QHSES), a leadership academy, has donated safety equipment, waste management items, books and food items to an orphanage heritage homes in Anthony, Lagos. 

    The donation during the weekend was to commemorate its inaugural Safetainability Day after a comprehensive assessment of Heritage Homes’ facilities, resulting in significant upgrades. 

    The improvements ranged from waste management items and air conditioning units to fire safety equipment and CCTV installations. 

    The team also exceeded the orphanage’s request for eight fans by providing twelve and installed government-approved waste bins to enhance waste segregation practices.

    QHSES, a prestigious, tuition-free institution, accredited by the American Council of Training and Development (ACTD) and certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards, is dedicated to fostering leaders skilled in Quality, Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability 

    Embodying the academy’s mission of selfless service. 

    Jamiu Badmus, an engineer and founder of the QHSES Leadership Academy, emphasized the academy’s commitment to adopting at least 20 orphanages by the end of the year, highlighting the long-term vision of their Safetainability for Orphanage Program, “Our goal is to eventually support all orphanages in Nigeria,” he said.

    According to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Nigeria is home to approximately 17.5 million orphans and vulnerable children, with 278 orphanages as of April 2024. The need for support and resources is immense. “The essence of this outreach goes beyond providing food,” Badmus explained. 

    “While addressing SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 1 (No Poverty) by donating food and money, we aim to create a safe and healthy environment for the children. Our concept of ‘safetainability’—combining safety and sustainability—guides our actions.”

    Additionally, the academy conducted intensive first aid and firefighting training for the orphanage’s staff and caregivers, and donated copies of a safety-themed book, “Sam Learns Safety,” along with various educational materials.

    Manager of Project Development & Realisation at Henz Henon Limited, Engr. Henshaw Eyo Enyenihi, lauded Engineer Badmus’s vision and swift execution of the project. “When Engineer Jamiu mentioned this project to me less than 10 days ago, I wondered if the timeframe was too short. But today’s event proves that no timeframe is too short for achieving something worthwhile,” Enyenihi said, encouraging others to learn from this exemplary initiative.

    Dr. Enobong (Lauretta) Ezekiel, GM Strategy, Transformation & Corporate Performance at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), praised the initiative, noting its significance in a time when self-interest often prevails. “This effort is a testament to thinking beyond oneself and making a lasting impact on others,” she remarked.

    The general manager of Heritage Homes, Reuben Amara expressed his heartfelt gratitude. 

    “We are overwhelmed by the thorough and impactful contributions of the QHSES Leadership Academy. Their support has not only improved our facilities but has also inspired our caregivers and staff with detailed and robust training. 

    “On behalf of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the founder of Heritage Homes, we say thank you, ” Amara remarked.

  • Sit at home impeding growth in southeast, says Kalu

    Sit at home impeding growth in southeast, says Kalu

    Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said that the “sit-at-home’’ ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is impeding the growth and development of the southeast region.

    Kalu spoke when he received a delegation from Aba Creatives Collective, the organisers of the Aba Fashion Show, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the National Assembly on Friday, November 11.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Udora Orizu, the Deputy Speaker said the issue of insecurity in the region has been a great challenge.

     He said the sit-at-home agenda of non-state actors has led to the loss of manpower, increasing unemployment, and an exodus of investors from the region.

    The Deputy Speaker urged Igbos to reject the sit-at-home agenda, and say no to the fear sold by “these faceless individuals who don’t mean any good for the Indigenes”.

    Kalu said: “I am genuinely excited about Aba Fashion Week, an initiative that promotes our local economy. I know what fashion, fashion designing, tailoring anything that has to do with clothing can do to an economy because we talk about the three basic needs of man, shelter, food, and clothing.

    “The economic losses that the region has suffered by the sit-at-home agenda of the non-state actors has integrated impediments to regional growth, regional economic integration, even into our regional leadership integration and into regional development integration.

    “It has affected the fabric of everything that we hold dearly. Now fashion designers are feeling the direct impacts because investors are saying the place is not activated for our investment.

    “And the pain in your hearts is the same pain that is felt by those in all sectors of our economy, in the agricultural sector they are crying because post-harvest productions that are supposed to be taken to the markets are destroyed at home due to sit at home.

    “The educational sector is suffering because students can no longer go to school freely, without fear. Why we’ll think about fashion week, let’s think about mindsets that are devoid of sentiments imposed on all by non-state actors, who want to sell to us, Laziness when our people are hard-working people. Our people don’t sit at home, we don’t relax at home, our people are farmers so we farm.

    “We are fashion designers and tailors so we make clothes. We are bricklayers so we build houses. We are not home sitters. This is a call to every youth whose mindset has been influenced negatively by a call from the pit of hell that says that Igbo people will sit at home one day every seven days.

    “The impact is not only felt by you it is felt by others and that is why we must all come together to say no to sit at home, to say no to this insecurity, the sell of fear that has been sold by these non-state actors, this faceless individuals who don’t mean any good for us.

    “I am a proud Abia son, I am a lover of Abia state, but I am sad with what I have seen happening to our dear state. I applaud the organizers for this commitment, their commitment, and dedication to this remarkable initiative, your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

    “Despite all the odds, you still want to push on and I’m eager to explore ways in which we can collaborate for the betterment of Abia state and for its vibrant fashion industry. To the organizers and stakeholders of the Aba Fashion Week, I assure you of my full support.

    “I invite you all to join us on the journey of collaboration and innovation. This is the strength of the region this is the strength of Abia state. The fashion Industry is one of our strengths we must leverage it, and we must welcome the world back again.

    “Cameroonians used to come to shop in Abia state, the Benin Republic used to come to shop in Abia state, most of the states used to come to shop in Abia and new markets. It is high time we welcome them back so that we can increase the economy of the state.

    “Let us harness the power of fashion to shape the future of Abia states to empower our youth and to showcase the incredible talents that our states possess.”

    Earlier, the team led by Chinyere Akataobi told Kalu that they visited to congratulate him on his emergence as deputy speaker and solicit his support at the upcoming event.