The Nation Newspaper

Tag: women

  • Gbagyi women move against developer

    Gbagyi women move against developer

    Situated along the airport road in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Gosa Market for years now has remain one of the most popular markets in the nation’s capital.

    Gosa Market comes alive every Friday with people come all over Abuja including neighbouring towns to buy and sell.

    According to investigations and patronage, commodities of all kinds are cheaper.

    It was like a joke when traders at Gosa Market learnt that some developers are laying claim to the land occupying the market.

    Gbagyi women in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Gbagyi Women Association (GWA) have taking it up and staged a peaceful protest against move by an estate developer to take over the market space, calling on the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello to intervene and rescue the traders from been evacuated from the market.

    The traders who said that their lives are been threatened by developer’s moves, stated that the market has been the source of survival for the indigent people in the FCT and if allowed to be taken away lives may br lost.

    Mrs. Ladi Danladi, President of the Gbagyi women association, who led the protest said that they are appealing to the FCT Minister to protect them, so that this market will not be taken away from them.

    “This government of President Muhammad Buhari is a government that came to fight for the poor and we believe that this government will fight for us. We are here because we do not want the developer Alhaji Umaru Usman to take our market.

    “Because this market is meant for the poor people in Abuja, as this is the only place we can afford. If you go to Garki or Wuse market, you cannot find our type there, because we cannot pay their exhobitant shop rents which ranges from N500,000 to N1,000,000.

    “However, in this market a trader can comfortably do business with N2,000 and take care of his or her family. So, we do not want this market to be taken away from us, because this is our source of survival,” she said.

    Speaking on behalf of GG-DIN, Comrade Jethro Iliya, Special Adviser on Media to the President of GG-DIN, who who was amongst the protesting women said that the case is a very critical one, in the sense that the market has been in existence for ages, and the interest of an individual cannot override the interest of the public.

    “This is a market for the general public and one man cannot just come and chase thousands of traders away simply because he has money and wants to develop the place for his personal interest. This is a market that feeds not just residents of the FCT, but also people from the neigbouring states.

    “This market serves as a meeting point between those from the town and in the villages. Those in the villages who go to farm bring their produces to the marker and those who need them at cheaper rate come here and patronise them.

    “In the struggle to ensure that this market is retained, we had a meeting with the former Minister of the FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed and he told us that as long as the original inhabitants are here, and they are not been resettled compensated, this market will stay.

    “That whoever comes here that he has been alloted this plot, should come back to the FCTA for reallocation of another plot of land, other he should wait for the original inhabitants to be resettled and compensated. So, we expect that this Minister should assist us by following the same line as his predecessor, because we beleive in his government,” he said.

  • ‘Women can enjoy their menopause’

    ‘Women can enjoy their menopause’

    Women do not need to be 40 years before they prepare for menopause. Menopause is a natural thing that every woman should experience in her lifetime, so it must be made as pleasurable as possible. A good way to achieve this is adequate planning. My advice is that women should not be afraid of it.

    What I usually tell women ageing is to make half of their daily food intake raw. This will ensure that women complete their transition to menopause without any hitch.

    Menopause is not a disease. It is a point when a woman stops ovulating and menstruation.

    Many years before a woman gets to menopause, her ovaries slow down the production of important hormones- estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Estrogen is very important for a woman’s reproductive activities. It also performs non-productive functions. Estrogen can act on the cell of the skin, mammary glands, especially the breasts, heart, liver, bones, arteries, brain and the vagina wall. These cells have estrogen receptors and require hormone to stimulate the receptors to function at optimum.

    There are early symptoms a woman would experience as pointers to her arriving at the menopausal stage. These are hot flash, irritability (mood swing) and frequent vagina infections, cold hands and feet, night sweat, fatigue, headache, decreased sex drive, breast tenderness, palpitation of the heart, insomnia, dry skin and vaginal irritability because the body flora and fauna are affected.

    Others are dizziness, inability to concentrate, urinary incontinence, weight gain, anxiety, reduced stamina and the feeling that they are bloated.

    These symptoms are normal, but they often subside when a woman gets into menopause because a new balance has been achieved in all the hormones present in the body.

    But, this also is a difficult period for the woman because new health challenges will emerge, especially cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy. Osteoporosis is the major problem women often face after menopause with about 75 per cent or more experiencing it.

    Women in their menopause should avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar, so also spicy food, hot soups and drinks. They should also ensure that they are not stressed out with tasks.

    Furthermore, there is need for them to stop taking salty food and get used to salt substitute. This is because salt increases urinary excretion of calcium, which might lead to bone loss in the long run. Salt substitutes are low-sodium table salt alternatives marketed to circumvent the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease associated with a high intake of sodium chloride while maintaining a similar taste. The salt substitutes are currants and raisins, white beans, dark leafy greens (spinach), baked potatoes (with skin), dried apricots, baked acorn squash, yogurt (plain, skim/non-fat), fish (salmon), avocados, mushrooms (white), bananas.

    Others are sun-dried tomatoes, sweet potato (with skin), kale (raw), green (snap) beans, cowpeas, pigeon peas, yam, beans, walnuts, cashew nuts, carrots, onions, sugarcane, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, papayas (pawpaw) and dates.

    These women should drink not less than two and half litres of purified water daily. It is advisable at this stage for such women to avoid fried food and junk meals.

    Menopausal problems showed that there was a transition and as such some women experience frightening symptoms that suggest they have terminal diseases but that is usually not the case. That is why we encourage women to try natural medicine approach to their condition.

    Menopausal symptoms could be very disturbing; it may look as if the life of the woman getting into menopause is in danger when the situation arises. This is why most people treat it as a disease instead of a natural transition that women experience as they grow.

    Medics usually prescribe various medications to ameliorate the symptoms. Whereas, all they need do is to aid the body to overcome the symptoms naturally. The use of hormonal replacement therapy by orthodox medicine practitioners has its disadvantages that outweigh the benefits. Primarin is commonly used in the treatment but it contains estrogen that is derived from the urine of pregnant mares. The danger of synthetic progesteron is that it has many reactions, which are adverse to the woman system. They are present in the blood. It is always good to stay close to Mother Nature at this phase of a woman’s life.

  • Gbagyi women move against developer

    Gbagyi women move against developer

    Situated along the airport road in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Gosa Market for years now has remain one of the most popular markets in the nation’s capital.
    Gosa Market comes alive every Friday with people come all over Abuja including neighbouring towns to buy and sell.
    According to investigations and patronage, commodities of all kinds are cheaper.
    It was like a joke when traders at Gosa Market learnt that some developers are laying claim to the land occupying the market.
    Gbagyi women in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Gbagyi Women Association (GWA) have taking it up and staged a peaceful protest against move by an estate developer to take over the market space, calling on the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello to intervene and rescue the traders from been evacuated from the market.
    The traders who said that their lives are been threatened by developer’s moves, stated that the market has been the source of survival for the indigent people in the FCT and if allowed to be taken away lives may br lost.
    Mrs. Ladi Danladi, President of the Gbagyi women association, who led the protest said that they are appealing to the FCT Minister to protect them, so that this market will not be taken away from them.
    “This government of President Muhammad Buhari is a government that came to fight for the poor and we believe that this government will fight for us. We are here because we do not want the developer Alhaji Umaru Usman to take our market.
    “Because this market is meant for the poor people in Abuja, as this is the only place we can afford. If you go to Garki or Wuse market, you cannot find our type there, because we cannot pay their exhobitant shop rents which ranges from N500,000 to N1,000,000.
    “However, in this market a trader can comfortably do business with N2,000 and take care of his or her family. So, we do not want this market to be taken away from us, because this is our source of survival,” she said.
    Speaking on behalf of GG-DIN, Comrade Jethro Iliya, Special Adviser on Media to the President of GG-DIN, who who was amongst the protesting women said that the case is a very critical one, in the sense that the market has been in existence for ages, and the interest of an individual cannot override the interest of the public.
    “This is a market for the general public and one man cannot just come and chase thousands of traders away simply because he has money and wants to develop the place for his personal interest. This is a market that feeds not just residents of the FCT, but also people from the neigbouring states.
    “This market serves as a meeting point between those from the town and in the villages. Those in the villages who go to farm bring their produces to the marker and those who need them at cheaper rate come here and patronise them.
    “In the struggle to ensure that this market is retained, we had a meeting with the former Minister of the FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed and he told us that as long as the original inhabitants are here, and they are not been resettled compensated, this market will stay.
    “That whoever comes here that he has been alloted this plot, should come back to the FCTA for reallocation of another plot of land, other he should wait for the original inhabitants to be resettled and compensated. So, we expect that this Minister should assist us by following the same line as his predecessor, because we beleive in his government,” he said.

  • Where are all the good men?

    Where are all the good men?

    Men, men, men!!! We can’t live with them, we can’t live without them. Picture this, boy meets girl, boy asks girl out, girl does small shakara but eventually agrees. Just when girl starts to fall in love, boy dumps her and moves on to the next target. It’s a classic scenario.  You could have met a guy that likes you, but once you start showing even a hint of affection, he gets scared and runs away.

    He might start missing your call and never call back; he might get so busy you never spend time together anymore. He might even give you a sob story; he just realized he’s not ready for a relationship. It’s him not you (yeah right)! And then it hits you. You’ve been stringed along again.

    Why are guys like that though?  I admit there are still some good guys left, but my question is; where have all the good guys gone? And by “good” guy, I mean a confident and trustworthy man. He respects and adores his woman. He loves her in spite of her flaws and  is sincere and God fearing. In short, a good man treats his woman like a Queen because he wants to be her King.

    Forget about fairy tale stories of Prince charming on a white horse. I think most women will prefer a regular guy that doesn’t play games with her or toy with her feelings. A regular good guy. I have to say that it is very frustrating being a single girl in Lagos. I wonder if it’s as tough in other states. You’re constantly bombarded with images and stories of supposedly happy couples and you wonder when you’ll have your own happy ending. It’s tough because sometimes you think you’ve finally met “The One” but then he goes out of his way to prove to you that he’s not for you. How hard can it be to show care and give attention?

    Also, it seems loyalty and monogamy is alien to men nowadays. Having side chics or piece or whatever they call it has become some sort of norm. In fact, even wives and girlfriends have accepted their fates and they console themselves by saying: it’s just sex, he loves me, not her, and he comes back home to me and things like that. I could scream!!!!

    But I refuse. I refuse to accept that fidelity is a thing of the past. I refuse to believe that cheating should be expected in a relationship. I refuse to share my man with another woman and I refuse to lower my standards. But my question still remains.

    If there are still good men out there, then where have they gone? Are they like the beautiful ones and they’ve not been born? If that is the case, finding a soulmate in this lifetime is not certain. Are they all married or in serious about-to- wed relationships? I didn’t receive the memo that advertised good men searching for suitable wives. Are they in another country entirely? I am seriously considering migrating. Lol

    Where have all the good men gone? My very own JAMB question!!!

  • Group advises women on family planning

    A group, Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health in Nigeria (PACFaH) has advised women who are yet to undergo family planning to see it as succour to the micro and macro- economic development.

    Speaking at an advocacy skills and Strategy Capacity Building Workshop, representative of PACFaH, Mrs. Anu Rotimi said family planning is essential to enhance economic well-being, especially now that the country is witnessing economic downturn

    Mrs. Rotimi noted that couples with fewer children are better able to provide for them with healthcare, food, housing, clothing and education and enable protection against unintended pregnancy.

    She said they were only advocating and not lobbying the government to see the initiative as a way forward to save lives of mothers and their babies by at least contributing about 18 per cent into the health care initiative.

  • VC’s wife sensitises women on breast cancer

    Wife of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Gladys Ahaneku, has held a public lecture on breast cancer.

    Tagged: Creating breast cancer awareness among Nigerian women and putting a stop to sexualisation of breast cancer, the event was attended by staff and students, including medical professionals. It was held at the university auditorium.

    The guest lecturer and Head, Unit of Breast Multidisciplinary at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, Prof Stanley Anyanwu, said many women die of breast cancer yearly, noting that the disease could be caused by genetic disorder and exposure to dangerous radiation.

    Anyanwu, who is president of Nigerian Oncologic Society, said some cancer could be cured, stressing that breast cancer was not restricted to women alone. He said 1.4 per cent of males have chances to suffer breast cancer.

    The professor of Surgery and Breast Oncology advised women to go for regular medical check-up to prevent the disease. He also told participants to report suspected case to the hospital for attention.

    The VC, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, hailed the organisers for what he called “innovative programme” aimed at sensitising members of the university community on ways to prevent cancer.

    If people are educated on the causes of breast cancer, Prof Ahaneku said, the disease can be prevented.

    The convener, Dr Ahaneku, expressed satisfaction on the turnout at the seminar, urging women to spread the message to their respective communities.

    Highpoint was the free test for breast cancer on the participants.

  • Women plan nude protest over Rivers killings

    Women plan nude protest over Rivers killings

    A women’s pressure group in Rivers State has threatened to march naked through the major streets of the Port Harcourt, the state capital, and visit the National Assembly in Abuja to protest the incessant killings across the state.

    The group, which comprises prominent Rivers women, noted that with the current situation, the state government and security agencies, especially the police, were either incapable of stopping the violent killings or were paying lip service to the escalating insecurity.

    In a statement in Port Harcourt, the group’s spokesperson Mrs Charity Okere Nwankwo said the women were worried about the unprecedented violent killings, which she said had permeated all parts of the state since the inception of the Nyesom Wike administration.

    The statement said: “The people of the state have never had it so bad. There have been various forms of violence in the past one year. We are all witnesses to these because we were born here and we live here.

    “Just like us, our children are here and we cannot fold our arms and allow some misguided trouble makers to shoot down our children like dogs on the city.”

    Another indigenous pressure group, The Rivers Pathfinders, has also flayed the state government and security agencies for losing the grip on security.

    It recalled that 53 persons had been killed violently in Ahoada and Omoku.

    In a statement in the Port Harcourt, the group’s spokesman Adokiye Sokari Princewill said it had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on the seeming inefficiency of his officers in Rivers State.

     

  • NGOZI AKABUEZE – Economy is changing women

    NGOZI AKABUEZE – Economy is changing women

    Ngozi Akabueze is the head of the Foundation for Sapphire, an organisation that teaches women to be virtuous, hardworking and dedicated. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, she talks about the challenges facing women today, how to find solutions to them, passion for mediation and life being married to Ben Akabueze, Special Adviser to the President on National Planning and Provincial Pastor, RCCG Kingscourt, Province 39, Lagos.

    What are some of the things that helped you in your marriage?

    From day one, we had a standard and the standard was the Word of God. So, whenever there is an issue, we go back to God. That is what has been helping us.

    Has it been very smooth?

    No! I would be lying if I say it’s been very smooth. As a matter of fact, it is not about being problem-free, it is about how the problem is handled. The scripture says ‘that a man born of a woman is of few days, full of trouble.’ So, it means that the world is characterised by trouble. So, if that is the case, then it is how you handle the trouble that matters. If you are married and there is no trouble, no issues, then I would believe that it is artificial and they are not telling themselves the truth.

    What are the things that occupy your time?

    I always keep myself busy. I have a business and one thing that I love doing so much is going to school.

    What areas are you interested in?

    Any area that interests me. Now, I am concentrating on my Law programme. I just finished a programme on mediation advocacy and I got a letter that they have approved of my being a mediator come July. I still cook for my husband.

    Can we say that it was food that you used to win his heart?

    No! I think it was fate that brought us together. When I met him, I wasn’t thinking of getting married. God just helped us and had mercy on us and He is still having mercy on us. Somehow, when a woman understands her husband well, my people would say you have gone to make medicine, but the truth is that, it is not so. It is because you have taken your time to understand what it takes and God helping because there are some people that you understand; you put in your best but things just do not work as planned.

    What were the things that you liked about your husband?

    For me, I like intelligent people. I don’t like people that are not intelligent. So, that was the first thing that attracted me to my husband. He is easy going, but not very easy going because when you are dealing with intelligent people, you have to be articulate yourself. It is just the mercy of God.

    Which is your favourite book or quote?

    I read anything and everything. I read whatever captures my interest. It depends. My advice to young people is that they should read and have a strong reading habit. The truth is that ‘my people perish for lack of knowledge.’ Without knowledge, so many things would elude you.

    What is the Sapphire Foundation about?

    We are the Women’s Ministry of RCCG, Kingscourt. God has given us a mission for the International Women’s Prayer Conference. This is the maiden edition and it is taking place this weekend. The focus of the conference is to deal with the issues around us; basically cry out to God to help us. We are talking about issues around the family, things that befall us as a nation. There are so many unpleasant things happening around us, things like the children’s need, provision for food, business and everything you can think about.

    The premise is of the fact that even the scripture recognises that there is a problem. It says: “A man born of a woman is of few days and is full of trouble.” You have not done anything for there to be trouble. That means that the world is about battle.

    We are called to the families in Kingscourt, our communities and the nation. For you to take care of somebody, you must have taken care of yourself. We do things to be able to take care of and affect our environment. We would be have training sessions on home management, cooking, skill acquisition like soap-making, how to hear from God, how to pray, and we are very expectant. We also talk about health, real life issues and things that affect our husbands. Sometimes, we organise programmes on relationships, the do’s and don’ts and share experiences. So that if you find yourself in a particular situation you would know what to do. When you are experienced, it is not everything that people would teach you.

    Why do you think that it is the women that should pray?

    We are co-creators, having children is not just a matter for women. There is something about women; we care to the details and everything gets to us. A man can go on as if nothing is happening but it is not possible for a woman. So, somebody has to take it on and at the end of the day, whatever happens in life affects us more as women. If it happens to a man, we are affected, if it happens to our children, we are affected.

    Most times, we are affected by other people’s issues than what concerns us, our personal issues. I think that it is high time to do something, not just sit in our corners complaining. Some of our children are not in school right now because of the economy. We just can’t sit down and be crying; we must talk to the person that has the solution. We are calling the conference because we have hope. We know that in spite of everything, He has the solution. So for the two days, we will be crying and creating the right atmosphere for God to intervene. Apart from the prayers, there will be praises, worship and prophecies.

    The economy is in a state and it is affecting everyone. What should women do at this time?

    We are doing what we are supposed to do. Apart from prayers, I know that a lot of women are doing things; there is a change in perspective. There is a change in lifestyle and there are so many changes going on around us, just to adjust to the economy. The issue is yes, it is tough and it is going to get tougher. Our daddy in the lord had told us earlier in the year that things will be tough but towards the end of the year, things will get better. The word of God says, ‘believe in the Lord your God and you would be established, believe in His prophets and you would prosper.’ So, we don’t just hear these prophecies, just sit back and wait for it to happen. Apart from taking the battle to the gate of the enemy, we are also trying to call upon the lord to have mercy, because at the end of the day, it is not about what the devil has done, it is about what God is doing and what he is about to do. We are in a critical stage now, everybody needs help.

    Apart from the economy, there is also the problem of insecurity in the nation. The Chibok girls have not been found; what message do you have for their mothers?

    Oh my God! Whenever I remember that, it is heart-breaking for every mother and we have not ceased praying for them because God is on the throne. He knows the times and the seasons. Those girls, by the special grace of God, we are still expecting them back; we have not given up. Our God is able; He knows where they are now. At this point in time, we pray for God to give the family exceptional grace. It is mindboggling for you to know that your child is somewhere and you don’t know what is happening to your child. You don’t know who is with your child, you don’t know what they are doing with the child and more importantly, when you think about whether your child would be violated or defiled. So, mothers need exceptional grace and the only one that can give the kind of grace that they need is God. That is basically the message – we are with them. It is not just about them. It is something that has happened to all of us, even though they are the ones that have brought these children into the world, it is a slap on the faces of us, as women. We would not just let our labours go in vain like that.

  • Surging Domestic Violence Rate Against Women In Nigeria

    Recently, the news making rounds in the print and social media is the sad story of Ronke, a banker, who was allegedly beaten to death by her husband. Ronke a mother of two was found dead in her Lagos home on Friday last week, while her husband was said to have fled the scene of the crime. The Lagos State Police Command has since launched a manhunt for her husband, Mr. Lekan Shonde, and hopefully he will be caught soon and made to answer for his crime. This is just one of the many cases of domestic violence that is suddenly on an upsurge in the country. Every week, at least a domestic abuse case often becomes a headliner in the print and electronic media. “Husband beats wife to stupor, wife stabs husband to death, father rapes daughter”, and many more are making headlines of various news stories. From all indications, domestic violence in Nigeria is on the increase as the statistics are alarmingly daunting.

    Sadly, domestic violence, especially violence against women has been part of the fabric of many societies and cultures worldwide. It is so commonplace that it is often going unnoticed. It has also failed to garner the level of concern it deserves in light of the devastating effects on children and the family as a whole. 25% of women in Nigeria have to go through an ordeal of domestic violence and every fourth Nigerian woman suffers domestic violence in her lifetime. The worst forms of them are battering, trafficking, rape and homicide, various reports have claimed. With regards to the deceased Ronke, residents in the area where she lived confirmed that she had been enduring an abusive marriage. Reports have it that she was serially abused and assaulted by her husband until the last attack led to her death. “He would tie her, beat her and take her mobile phones away. She should have left him long ago” one of the residents was reported to have said.

    Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.  Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Domestic violence in Nigeria is a problem as in many parts of Africa. There is sadly a deep cultural belief in Nigeria that it is socially acceptable to hit a woman to discipline a spouse. Traditionally, domestic violence is committed against females. Common forms of violence against women in Nigeria are rape, acid attacks, molestation, wife beating, corporal punishment and homicide.

    Studies have shown that battered women suffer physical and mental problems as a result of domestic violence. Domestic violence has serious destructive social consequences including physical and psychological disorders. Also, the poorer the women are the greater for them is the risk of suffering from domestic violence. Women with fewer resources and those experiencing physical or psychiatric disabilities or living below the poverty line are at greater risk of domestic violence and lifetime abuse. Children are also affected by domestic violence even if they do not witness it directly. Also, despite Nigeria’s constitution vows to eliminate discrimination and violence against women and promotes the idea of freedom, equality and justice, Nigerian women’s’ rights are often violated with impunity. In some communities, wife-beating is often seen as justified, particularly in cases of actual or suspected infidelity on the part of the woman. A woman, who is abused in her family, has very low chances to get protection from the law. In most cases the victim of domestic violence is mistreated by law and dehumanized by society. Recent research has also shown there to be a direct and significant correlation between a country’s level of gender equality, and actual rates of domestic violence.

    To remedy the domestic violence against women surge in Nigeria, all stakeholders must be involved. All hands must be on deck to tackle this surge. Firstly, government at all levels, religious institutions and the community needs to band together in propagating an anti-domestic violence campaign, emphasizing the fact that violence in the home serves as a breeding ground for violence in the society. Secondly, there should be an urgent need to begin regarding domestic violence from a psychological perspective rather than from the socio-cultural one. Thirdly, girls and women in general should be sensitized and educated to draw a line between love and abuse. They should be made to know that if your partner truly loves you, he wouldn’t abuse you. Fourthly, men and boys should also be sensitized and educated that it is never okay to hit a woman. They should be told that any form of violence against women and girls doesn’t improve your machismo, instead, it lessens it. Fifth, due to lack of positive response from the authorities, victims no longer seek legal redress. Hence, existing laws on the violation of women rights should be solidified and implemented on perpetrators.

    The power to change the social norms that justify domestic violence against women in our society lies in our hands. Never has commencing a social change been an easy process. However, no matter the reasons, domestic violence against women is an aberration in our society and must be treated as such. Our existing laws must prosecute and punish those who inflict psychological and physical pain on women and girls; while protecting the victims of such reprehensible acts.

  • UNICEF, Rivers colaborate to protect women, children in Niger Delta

    United Nation Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is set to partner Rivers State government to protect the rights of children and women in the Niger Delta.

    Mr. Wilbroad Ngambi, UNICEF Chief of Field office led other members of the organisation    on a courtesy visit to Rivers State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Isaac Kamalu in his office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    Ngambi  informed the commissioner of the creation of UNICEF Port Harcourt office that would coordinate the organisation’s operations in four states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta. He  said the port Harcourt would help them to serve the people better.

    He  said the idea of making Rivers State the zonal office was to help protect  the rights of women and children in the region.

    He noted that the partnership with Rivers State government is a sign of commitment to strengthen the existing collaboration, adding that part of the effort is the opening up  of a field office to cover four Niger Delta States within the region.

    He thanked the Ministry of Budget and Economic planning for the effective coordination of the programmes and collaboration between UNICEF and Rivers State government.

    Ngambi said: “With a deep sense of humanity and poise  to work with your Ministry toward delivering result for children and women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, South-South geopolitical zone, I found it highly important to perform my first official function to ensure a good synergy.

    “On behalf of UNICEF, I extend our hand of partnership to record positive exploits for children and women in the region. UNICEF has been supporting Rivers State in programme such as health and nutrition for child survival and development, education, water and sanitation.”

    Kamalu assured UNICEF’s team of Rivers State government corporation and assistance in all area it’s may  want the government to render assistance.

    He said Governor  Nyesom Wike was delighted when he heard that UNICEF has opened their regional office in Port Harcourt. He also announced that the governor has ordered the release of counterpart fund for better cooperation.