The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund

  • MTN Foundation awards scholarships to students

    According to a recent research by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children in the world with the figure of about 13.5 million, which is very alarming for a country that aims at being on the forefront of economic and technological advancement in the foreseeable future.

    It is worthy of note that the major reason why there are lot of kids, teens and youths that are out of school is because many of them cannot afford tuition, feeding in  school and the books required for learning. It is not their fault, neither is it the fault of their parents that they wallow in this unfortunate condition.

    Seeing the need to assist the Nigerian youth get quality education without having to worry about tuition and other bills that comes with schooling, the corporate social investment arm of MTN Nigeria, the MTN foundation throughout the month of September  2018, a yearly N200, 000 scholarships to over 400 students. The scholarship which is divided into two categories; the first, for students studying science and technology related courses, while the second is for visually impaired students.

    Since the beginning of 2018, a total of 1,164 scholarships have been awarded to deserving students in various educational institutions across Nigeria, and over eight thousand scholarships worth more than N1.9 billion have also been awarded to students since the launch of the program in 2011.

    During the award ceremonies that held in Abuja, Owerri and Lagos on the 4th,11th and 18th  of September 2018 respectively, the foundation arm of the ICT company also inducted previous beneficiaries of the scholarship program into the Alumni association of MTNF scholarships comprising both the sighted and the visually impaired.

    Speaking during the event in Lagos, the director MTN Foundation Mr Dennis Okoro said “Aiding and improving the lives of the Nigerian youth is something that is deer to us and close to our hearts, which is why MTNF has been awarding scholarships to Nigerian student since 2011. We intend to impact positively on the nation. Our impact goes beyond statistics and figures, it is to shape Nigeria’s future through education; to invest in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders, by providing them with the opportunity to pursue their dreams despite financial limitations.

    “A total of 7’500 students applied for the MTNF science and technology scholarship scheme. 1,500 students took the test and 500 students won the scholarship. It is a scholarship won by merit as students maintain their good grades, they continue to receive an annual grant of N200,000. However, the scholarship scheme is designed for students of Science and Technology and for visually impaired students. For the visually impaired, any of them could apply irrespective of their course of study.”

  • UNICEF, Lagos govt partner to stop children imprisonment

    Disturbed by strict punishment being meted out to children in conflict with the law, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development and Grace Springs Rehabilitation Home has established Community Rehabilitation Programme to serve as alternative approach for the correction of offending children.

    The programme was created against the backdrop of the growing number of offending children being lumped with condemned criminals in maximum prisons across the country. This pilot scheme is being implemented in three key local councils in Lagos where there is high rate of offending children. They are Oshodi-Isolo, Mushin and Odi-Olowo councils, but the rehabilitation facility is opened in Ilupeju area.

    It was a disturbing moment for participants at a meeting, held at Golfview Hotel and Suites in GRA Ikeja last Thursday, to sensitise the media about the programme, when Child Traffic Consultant for UNICEF in Lagos, Dr. Wilfred Mamah, disclosed that that there are dozens of children between ages 10 and 17 years languishing in prisons across the country.

    Sending children to jail, Mamah said, is as an aberration in a country where legislations supporting rights of children are in force. Going by the Child’s Rights Law domesticated in Lagos, he said any child under the age of 10 years cannot commit crimes, adding that it was an infraction of the law to imprison children below 18 years.

    He said: “In Nigerian law, a child is defined as a person below 18 years. We want the public to know that the underlying principle of punishment for any child offender is rehabilitation. Even, in a case where the child has committed major offence, such as felony and murder, the society must understand that the offender is child. Rather than sending the child offender to prisons, we must take the child to correctional homes for the purpose of rehabilitation.

    “This programme does not support children to be committing offences. But, the Child’s Rights Law stipulates that children in conflict with the law should not be treated as criminals. They should be exposed to child justice system for the purpose of rehabilitation and reconciliation in order to encourage them to be better persons.”

    A Director in the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr Jubril Yakubu, said the rehabilitation programme would provide the law enforcement agents an option to divert children in conflict with the law from going through criminal justice system.

    He said in cases where children are charged to family court with unassailable evidence, the judge needed to consider the provisions of Lagos’ Child’s Rights Law of 2015 to determine how the cases should be adjudicated, including placing the offending children under supervision of rehabilitation homes.

    Speaking on the children recently released from the Badagry prison by the intervention of the Chief Judge of Lagos, Yakubu said the Lagos government was in contact with family members of the affected children, adding that most of them were undergoing medical screening and counselling programme for complete rehabilitation.

    Mrs Toyin Giwa-Ododo, who is managing the programme on behalf of the ministry, said the rehabilitation facility was opened for children between the ages 10 and 17 years, adding that the aim was to ensure adolescent cases are decided in child-friendly manner.

  • UNICEF concludes study tour of Osun’s social protection policies

    UNICEF concludes study tour of Osun’s social protection policies

    • Says Aregbesola symbolises service to humanity 

    The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, (UNICEF), on Friday described the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as a symbol of service to the course of human development.

    The international organisation hinged its commendation passed on the governor on his commitment to human and infrastructure development since he assumed office in 2010.

    The Chief of Field Services of UNICEF Nigeria, Dr. Annefrida Kisessa, made this observation at a get-together party organised by the state in honour of the representatives from 15 states and leadership of UNICEF on a visit to Osun to learn more about the state’s Social Protection Programmes and its successes.

    Dr. Kisessa expressed her delight over what she described as ‘good governance in action,’ saying Osun has revolutionalised governance in Nigeria.

    She applauded Aregbesola’s sense of commitment and passion to humanity, describing Osun social protection programmes as one of the best in the country.

    The UNICEF team head said the social intervention initiatives of Aregbesola have been assessed to be one of the most impactful, beneficial and rewarding.

    According to her: “I have visited about 15 to 20 states in Nigeria and since I have been visiting, I have not seen a leader like Aregbesola with rare passion for people’s welfare.

    “I have seen your passion to banish poverty, banish hunger, restore healthy living, promote functional and quality education for your people among others. I have seen your passion to develop your people and your state. I am really proud of your achievements because I have seen your indelible legacies in all sectors.

    “With what I have seen, it is clear that Osun has shown that education is the key to development. Your programmes are no doubt centred on the people as your social protection projects are designed to better the lives of your people, especially the less privileged, vulnerable and downtrodden.

    “All these have direct impact and reflection of your initiatives like O’MEAL, O’YES, O’HUB, O’REAP, O’AMBULANCE, among others as we all attested to during the course of this visit.

    “I am also happy because all the achievements of this state are properly and accurately documented. I have seen that Osun has genuine statistics and data base for all its programmes.

    “I have seen rare difference in governance in the case of Osun because, since I have been visiting states, Osun is the only state where sanitation takes precedence in the activities of the government as everywhere I have visited was clean and streets tidy even more than some of Abuja streets.

    “Osun is a place I will like to be. I am very impressed with the quality of Osun Social Protection Programme. This shows the quality of Aregbesola’s leadership. It shows that Aregbesola is a very good leader and a symbol of service to humanity. I have come, I have seen and I have many memories to talk about.”

    Director General, Office of Economic Development and Partnership, Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, said the social protection programmes of Osun has indeed helped to ameliorate poverty and improved the well-being of the citizenry since Aregbesola became governor.

    He said the state had been further encouraged by the supports from agencies locally and internationally, saying the contribution of UNICEF in consolidating and solidifying the initiatives of Osun government on its life-long human and capital development projects remains commendable.

    “About two years ago, Osun Government had collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund on the need to strengthen the state’s social protection programme. Today, the visit of the leadership of the UNICEF to Osun is a demonstration of the robust relationship, between the organisation and the state.

    “The idea behind this partnership is to consolidate on the Osun’s social protection programmes, which has been the central concern of this administration.

    “13 of these projects would be discussed and shared with the visiting team. We have been encouraged with what UNICEF had done in ensuring a mutually-beneficial partnership,” he said.

    In their separate remarks, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Moukhtar Luga, said Aregbesola is one of the successful Nigerian politicians that have made the country proud.

    He noted that the governor has changed the face of governance in such a way that old believes and practices have been remodeled.

    He said: “I have seen so many projects. I have seen the quantum of infrastructure development put in place by Aregbesola-led administration. I have seen a revolution going on in all sectors.

    “I have seen how people are made to realise that change is about good governance and commitment to human and capital development. I have seen the passion and commitment to development as some of the Osun policies and programmes have been replicated locally and internationally.

    “Aregbesola had built institution with his unwavering commitment to development. You have chosen a very hard-stick to ensure success for your state.

    “I have gone round some of the schools built by your administration and I am impressed with what I have seen so far. I am going back to my state to ensure the replication of all these programmes.”

    Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sheu Balarabe, said he was elated to see the achievements of the state in all sectors. He described as heart-warming all he saw on his tour of some of the facilities, saying all the governor’s intervention programmes are highly conscious of the people.

    “We have learnt a lot most especially on how things are being done in the state to record these laudable feats. We have been exposed to programmes like Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programmes called (O’REAP); Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). We have also be told of how model schools built across the state came to limelight as well as other social protection programmes.

    “I am proud of all these projects because I have been to schools. I have seen how children are being motivated with government programmes. I have seen the energy in the pupils as a result of support, which your government is making.

    “All you are doing is about building an assured future for your state and the country as your projects are designed to meet the present and future needs of the people of the state.

    “Osun has built a template and as well harnessed its potential in such a way that Nigerian government and by extension the whole world could learn and tap from. Osun has built a template for an education revolution. So, we have learnt a lot and we are ready to apply this in our states.”

    The Head of Service, Kebbi State, Alhaji Abubakar Idris, said the governor has in six years done what his peers would find difficult to do.

    “Aregbesola had achieved within six years of his administration what many of his peers could not achieve even if given third term to administer their states.

    “Aregbesola is one of the most successful politicians in Nigeria. You are one of the respected governors in Nigeria whose passion for development could not be tainted or distorted.

    On his own, the representative from Federal Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Samson Ebimaro, said what he saw in Osun are very amazing, emulating and commendable as they justify the honour given to the Governor in 2013 as one of the few working governors in Nigeria.

    “I know all these are achieved with the supports which Mr. Governor received from his cabinet. So, as donor to both local and international agencies, we shall continue to support and encourage Osun Government to enhance quick realisation of its objectives since the state has been taken first in all sectors,” Ebimaro said.

    The Lagos State Director of Economic Partnership, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Adejola Bankole, noted that with what he has seen in Osun, it is clear that all negative reporting in the newspapers are being concocted by some people to discredit Aregbesola’s administration.

    He said that all he had seen contradicted adverse things that people have been reading on the pages of the newspapers.

    He continued; “I have gone round the state and I have seen real development and change and I encourage Mr. Governor not to be deterred but rather, double his efforts in taking the state to the Promised Land.”

    Earlier, Chief of Field Services, UNICEF, Akure, Nigeria, Dr. Tejinde-Singh Sandhu, asserted that in all practical sense of it what good governance is and how it could benefit the people.

    He said; “Osun government had demonstrated what government and good governance is all about as this was reflected in the passion of Governor Aregbesola to humanity, saying he has not seen “In any state in Nigeria where government caters for its citizens from cradle to grave as is being done by the Aregbesola-led administration in Osun.”

    In his response, Aregbesola expressed gratitude to all representatives of the 15 visiting states most especially the leadership of UNICEF in Nigeria.

    He said, “I thank you all for choosing Osun and for identifying with our successes in supporting our people. Our mission is to provide better quality of life and advance the general welfare of our people.

    “It is our belief that this partnership will be sustained in furtherance of our collective efforts to enhance the condition of living of our people.

    He therefore enjoined UNICEF’s leadership on the need to prioritise seminars and meetings, which according to him would help to further strengthen development among the state of the federation.

  • UNICEF to treat malnourished children in North-East

    The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund says it has so far provided treatment for 12, 000 of the 50,000 severely malnourished children in the North-East ravaged by insurgency.

    Mr. Omar Abdi, the UNICEF Executive Director, Programmes, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Abdi, who led a team of officials on a visit, said that UNICEF was working toward reaching more children affected by the problem in the area.

    “We are seriously concerned about the situation of children as a result of conflict; nearly 50,000 children are severely malnourished as a result of food crisis in the North-East.

    “We have scaled up our programmes in working with the partners to support the government’s efforts toward responding to the crisis.

    “So far, we have scaled up our response at the malnourished community reaching 12,000 children that were severely malnourished,” he said.

    Abdi said that UNICEF still needs to do more, considering the gravity of the problem.

    “We need to double that number four times in order to reach those children that are affected.

    “Children that are severely malnourished, if not treated, can be at risk of dying, not of malnutrition alone, but of diseases like cholera and diarrhea,” he said.

    The UNICEF official said that the visit to Borno was aimed at getting first hand information on the humanitarian crisis in the state.

    “We are here to see the situation of children in this war-ravaged region and to talk to partners, government and non-governmental organisations on response to the emergency.

    “UNICEF has always been around working with the state governments,” he said.

    Abdi described Nigeria as one of the largest UNICEF programmes in the world.

    According to him, the agency is also concern about the protection of children, especially those affected by wars, and also their education

    “Nearly a quarter of kids in the area are still out of school.

    “Those in schools are studying in overcrowded classes, so they need more spacious classes,” he said.