Post-elections conference in Abuja on Electoral Gender-Based Violence

By Taiye Agbaje

The United Nations and the European Union (EU) on Monday condemned gender-based violence against women during elections.

Ms Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said violence against women in elections had been recognised as one of the key obstacles to advancing womens participation in public life.

Violent acts committed towards women are gender-based and they tend to discourage women from being politically active.

It is often used to intimidate women from practising their political rights in the first place, she said.

Eyong spoke during a post-elections conference in Abuja that was titled: Where Do We Stand Regarding Electoral Gender-Based Violence?

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the Spotlight Initiative, UN Women and EU in partnership with Canadian government.

According to Eyong, some women have had to quit their positions after receiving death threats.

Some women have also often withdrawn from public life citing abuse including online abuse and cyberbullying.

Women candidates have faced various forms of targeted, gender-based violence, she said.

Eyong said lack of data on violence against women in politics (VAWP) had negatively affected evidence-based advocacy for influencing changes in laws and policies and for establishing comprehensive protection systems for women in politics.

Mrs Samuela Isopi, the Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said it was a well-known fact that women are underrepresented in Nigerias political environment.

Unfortunately, the 2023 elections show a trend in the wrong direction, she said.

Isopi, represented by Esme Stuart, Project Manager, Human Rights and Gender Section, said concerted efforts must be made to break the barriers to meaningful participation of women in leadership positions.

According to her, the full and equitable participation of women in public life is essential to building and sustaining strong, vibrant democracies.

Mrs Djifa Ahado, Head of Cooperation, Government of Canada, corroborated that the 2023 elections saw another decrease in the overall number of women candidates, while the overall number of women elected to office at the national and state levels remained relatively unchanged.

Ahado, who said that the country now ranks as one of the lowest in womens representation in African Parliaments, said: Together, we need to sustain the efforts and the advocacy to see a real change happening.

Ms Aishatu Abubakar, who is the AIG, Gender Advisor, Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, said during the 2023 general elections, the Nigerian police ensured that the vulnerable groups like the pregnant women, nursing mothers, people living with disabilities, the ageing population, were given priority to cast their votes.

We are gender sensitive and gender responsive. The Nigerian police is mindful of issues of gender-based violence in Nigeria, she said.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yabagi Sani admitted that violence and stigmatisation contributed to low women participation in politics.

He said women are the biggest player in the art of growing a stable society, hence, the need to encourage them.

A university professor, Mrs Joy Ezeilo, hinted that out of about 1, 533 women candidates in the 2023 general elections across the country, only 72 candidates won their elections.

She said in the Senate, three women won the seats as against eight women currently in the upper house while 14 women were elected in the House of Representatives.

She described the trend as disturbing. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

By Blessing Ibegbu

The Luvu Madaki community in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has inaugurated 30 cabinet members to oversee the progress and development of the community.

The village head of the community, Madaki Musa, during the coronation at his palace in Luvu, urged the new cabinet members to ensure peace in their various domains.

According to him, the cabinet members are expected to facilitate easy and speedy development of the community.

The 30 cabinet members, who now hold different titles, will be assisting the king in making key decisions and executing them.

Just like most communities in the country, the cabinet will help in ensuring peace, growth, security and coexistence of the people and others who settle here, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the cabinet members were given titles like Santali, Galadima, Aminiya, DanIya, DanMaliki, Sarkin Yaki, Dalatu, Gimbiya, Madaki, Kuyabmana, Abananya and Pakachi.

Others are Magaji, Sarkin Noma, Aboki Sarki, Danmasani, Shamaki, Awodo-maijinda, Jidoniya, Magajiya Luvu, Ajiya, Tafida, Jakadiya, Makama, DanGaladima, Giko, Wakili, Machi, Secretary and Dogari.

Mr Afami Habila, the Padaki of Luvu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) expressed gratitude to the community for the honour.

He promised to ensure that the community got the best of their services within and after the period they would serve.

Habila said that the community would achieve its dreams as they new leaders would project it positively far above its current status in the state.

Also speaking, the Jidoniya of Luvu Madaki, Mrs Grace NaAllah, pledged her unreserved commitment to the growth and progress of the community.

Mr Tanko Todayi, the Aboki Sarki of Luvu community, whose task involves serving as The Kings friend, said his duty was to serve the community.

My commitment to the community will be unquestionable, he said.

He said that aside helping to grow and develop the community, another special duty was to ensure the safety of the king.

NAN reports that other traditional leaders from other neighbouring communities, who graced the occasion, pledged their support to the community.

Among them are Silas Musa of Aso Pada, Micah Rabo of Jankawa, Gaiya Shifilo of Apiawoyi, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Joseph Edeh

Source: NAN News

By Bridget Ikyado

The newly elected National President of Boys Brigade Nigeria, Prof. Samson Duna, has called for partnership to train the boy-child for future leadership responsibilities.

Duna who made the call at his investiture on sunday in Abuja, said that the brigade was designed to discipline the boy-child and train him in the fear of God.

He said that the brigade had existed in Nigeria for 120 years and all its efforts were geared towards installing in the boy-child, responsible leadership and fatherly skills.

As an organisation, we have a lot of challenges, we need to have basic facilities needed in training, we do not have a standard headquarters.

We are constructing nine two-bedroom residential flats and we want all well meaning Nigerians to partner with us, join hands with us to complete the project.

We intend to rent each of them at N800,000 for a year and use the funds generated to address the needs of boys in the country, he said.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Sen. Adeleke Mamora, expresses worry at the rate of moral decadence among young people especially the LGBT community.

According to him, medically when a baby is born, the gender is determined but there is a movement that wants the child to become of age and to decide to be a male or female.

Making reference to the Bible, the minister said that we are the salt of the earth and the metaphor of salt is significant as it is the greatest preservative.

As Christians we are called to protect societal values and we must protect it; the force of morality is greater than the force of law as demonstrated in the story of the Good Samaritan.

That is what we are called upon to do, he said, he said.

Mamora prayed God to grant strength to Duna to manage the Herculean tasks and urged the boys bridgade not to rest or their oars.

In a sermon, the Senior Pastor of Evagenliical Church Winning All (ECWA) Rev. Ogidi Dickson, called on faithful to be ministry minded in all the days of their lives in their dealing with one another.

Dickson explained that being ministry minded was to make life better for other persons, irrespective of title, tribe or race.

He said that whatever privilege God gave, it should be used to benefit people in the community, especially the poor and the weak.

The cleric said that God-given privileges did not last forever, charging Christians to make maximum use of it while available.

He called on public officials to be mindful of their roles and play them in accordance with the rules and regulations and not for personal interest.

The Executive Secretary of Boys Brigade Ghana, Rev David Aglo, said that the Ghanaian delegation had come to show solidarity.

According to him, the visit is to strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana because there has been a long relationship and should be strengthened.

He presented gift items, including symbol of authority and friendship to the newly elected national president. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

Igbo group displaying their culture

By Emmanuel Afonne

A pan-Igbo cultural organisation, Ekwe Igbo International, has launched a campaign for the promotion of Igbo language in private and public schools in the country, especially in the south-east.

President-General of the organisation, Chief Chinedu Onwudinjo, said this in Abuja on Sunday at an event to mark the groups 14th anniversary.

Onwudinjo said the organisation decided to embark on the campaign in schools as most parents no longer speak or teach their children Igbo language at home.

We are also calling for the sustainability of Igbo language in schools curriculum to encourage younger ones to speak it and to avoid it going into extinction, Onwudinjo said.

According to him, the group will be touring the five south-east states to engage with school authorities on how best to promote Igbo language amongst pupils and students in the zone.

With our effort, there will be change.

We were in Anambra two months ago and we met with the governor and we told him our mission which is the promotion of Igbo language in schools.

He assured us that learning the language will be a must in schools in the state, he said.

Onwudinjo, who blamed most parents for the gradual extinction of Igbo language, noted that the language was compulsory during their school days but wondered what had gone wrong in recent times.

It is unfortunate that most of our kids dont speak Igbo language, it is a shame for the parents.

We plead with parents to speak Igbo language to their kids the same way they speak English to them, whether in London or America.

It is a known fact that without speaking Igbo language, he or she cannot compete favourably with others in the south-east in different fields of endeavour, Onwudinjo added.

He used the opportunity to congratulate Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the newly-appointed President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and urged him to ensure that the rights of Igbo people were not trampled upon.

He also urged him to always stand on the truth and the unity of the country.

We urged him to hit the ground running immediately because there are plenty of works to do which were left undone before the demise of the late President-General, George Obiozor.

Also speaking, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Chief Ekenechukwu Aloefuna, said Ekwe Igbo International has members and branches worldwide but wanted to make an impact at home first before highlighting our achievements abroad.

Aloefuna said the group had been preaching oneness and peace just to help unite Nigerians after the 2023 general election that almost divided Nigerians among tribal and religious lines.

He also urged the youths to shun the attitude of getting rich quick through dubious ways and other social vices as the group would not hesitate to expose such people to law enforcement agents. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

Otunba Segun Runsewe, Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has commended the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for playing leading role in enhancing peace and unity in the country.

Runsewe made the remarks in Abuja at a dinner to celebrate three fellows of the institute who were promoted to a higher level in their various field of endeavours.

The fellows included Wale Adeniyi, who was recently promoted to the rank of Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, newly elected as National Internal Auditor of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The other fellow, Osondu Ohaeri, was elevated to the position of Deputy Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

He said NIPR had promoted unity in the country through its various policies and activities.

The Institute puts the peaceful co-existence of the country at the forefront in all its activities and I urge similar professional organisations to borrow a leaf from NIPR in advancing the campaign for brotherliness in Nigeria.

Runsewe while congratulating the newly promoted fellows urged them not to relent in giving more in service to their fatherland.

Also speaking at the event, the President and Chairman of Governing Council of the NIPR, Malam Mukhtar Sirajo, attributed the exploits of promoted members to hardwork, dedication and commitment to principles of Public Relations.

The NIPR President urged the celebrants to remain good ambassadors of the institute and continually uphold dignity in their service to the nation.

Council Member representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the Institutes Governing Council, Dr Ike Neliaku, said it was crucial to recognise and celebrate their achievements in order to teach others the value of excellence.

Neliaku stated that a nation that thrives in excellence excels in success, emphasising that those who have demonstrated success in their endeavours should be celebrated while alive.

The celebrants who could not hold their joy expressed gratitude to the NIPR family, friends and associates for coming in their numbers to identify with them.

The event had in attendance, Senator-elect, Imo West Senatorial District, Mr Osita Izunaso; House of Representatives Member-elect (AMAC/Bwari, Federal Constituency, FCT), Mr Joshua Obike, and Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

Source: NAN News

Rauf Aregbesola

By Yahaya Isah

The Federal Government says it spends N1 million annually to cater for each of the inmates at the correctional facilities in the country.

Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the minister said this while inaugurating a 20-bed COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund Hospital and Equipment at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Port Harcourt.

The minister said that the project would be an enduring legacy and a testimony of the utmost importance the Federal Government had so far taken corrections, the welfare of inmates as well as the staff.

Aregbesola added that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had, to a large extent, addressed the problem of inmates contracting diseases in custodial centres.

The custodial centres were frighteningly centres for contracting diseases like scabies and tuberculosis, among others.

Happily, this has been addressed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and is now a thing of the past.

We not only have well-manned clinics and well stocked pharmacies, the inmates at the custodial centres now have access to excellent medical cares beyond the centres, he said.

The minister also decried the enormous challenges of running correctional services with huge demands for infrastructure, equipment and maintaining the welfare of inmates.

He, however, assured that the Federal Government had provided long term solution to the challenges.

This centre in Port Harcourt, with a capacity for 1,800 inmates, presently houses about 3,067 inmates. This is just a reflection of the situation in most urban custodial centres where we have congestion at the moment.

The facilities and even the personnel are overstretched, but we are coping and providing long term solutions to this challenge.

One of such solutions is the construction of mega 3,000-capacity custodial villages in six geo-political zones of the country. The one for the South-South is in Bori, not far from here in Rivers.

The ones for the North-West in Janguza, Kano and the North-Central, in Karshi, Abuja, are ready. Hopefully, we shall inaugurate the one in Kano in a few days, before our departure.

Even work is steadily going on in the others and has reached appreciable level.

Let me also reiterate that the Federal Government will stop feeding inmates incarcerated for breaching state laws. As you commence your budget process for next year, include feeding of your inmates, he said..

Aregbesola said that he had no doubt that the facility would go a long way in addressing the medical concerns of inmates and correctional service personnel.

The minister commended the management and staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for working hard to keep the virus away.

He added that the new hospital was an intervention aimed at making robust healthcare for those in custody and the NCoS staff.

Aregbesola said that the beauty of all the interventions in consonance with other reforms in the NCoS would obviously translate to security, peace and tranquility in and around the centres and ultimately the entire country.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Secure-D-Future International Initiative (SDF), an NGO, has advised Nigerians to embrace periodic mental health check-ups to help tackle the increasing suicide and depression rate in the country.

Mrs Saadatu Adamu, the Founder of the organisation, gave the advice during the second Abuja Counsellors Summit and Expo in Abuja, titled Assessment, Method and Application of Counselling.

Adamu said counselling was very important as it tends to focused on helping deviants in the society and tackles the increasing suicide and depression rate in the country.

According to her, mental health comes in any form and leads to depression, suicide and self-harm.

It is important for Nigerians to embrace mental check-up and engage in therapy.

Counselling is very important because counsellors work in rehabilitation centres, welfare offices, schools and hospitals in our communities.

If you hear the stories we get regularly from schools, you will know that there is a need to really have these professionals around us.

We hear stories of dysfunctional families, where children pick little things they see from other children and begin to act on them.

I believe that counselling is very important in every aspect of our life; parents and children needs counselling and we need to shun stigmatising mental health patients, she said.

However, she called on parents to develop a good channel of communication and relationships with their children to enable them know their mental health status for a better future.

The founder also said there were lots of mental health issues in the society, hence the need for government to come up with policies that could address same in the country.

The Chairperson, Summit Committee, Mrs Hasiya Adamu-Biu, said there was a need for every Nigerian to always consult a counsellor whenever they are faced with challenges.

Adamu-Biu maintained that there are issues in Nigeria that affect our mental state, that are temporary which could be addressed by visiting a mental health counsellor within us.

According to her, there is a new mental health and counsellors Act aimed at teaching the counsellors how to use their profession to help address mental health challenges in the country.

The Head of Department, Guidance and Counselling, FCT Education Research Centre (ERC) Laison Officer, Mr Yahaya Abdulawahab, said the summit was aimed at training counsellors to meet world best practices in the profession.

Abdulawahab said the government has developed an Occupational Interest Inventory in FCT schools, where counsellors use to admit and place students to their appropriate subjects. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Source: NAN News

Some of the returnees at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, on Saturday in Abuja

By Ruth Oketunde

The Federal Government has so far evacuated 2,371 Nigerians stranded in war-torn Sudan.

Dr Onimode Bandele, Director of Special Duties, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) gave the figure in Abuja on Saturday when 125 stranded Nigerians arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the batch was the 15th set of Nigerians the Federal Government airlifted back to the country.

They were airlifted from Port Sudan.

Bandele, who welcomed the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government, said there were no more stranded Nigerian women and children in Sudan.

He said arrangements were already made to airlift the remaining Nigerians stranded in Sudan who are mainly male, adding that another batch of evacuees would arrive later on Saturday.

Representatives of the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs, Foreign Affairs, NEMA, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, among others were on ground to receive the returnees. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

An Iranian journalist was shot dead in the countrys south-western province of Khuzestan, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday.

Akbar Limuchi, the Chief Editor of the Tavsa-e-Jonob (Expansion of the South) newspaper, was killed by a gunman who entered a cafe in Izeh city and opened fire on him.

The attacker managed to flee after the shooting.

Police have launched an investigation to identify the culprit.

Attacks, the motives of which remain unclear, have increasingly been reported in the country in recent weeks.

In April, a senior police investigator and his wife, as well as a senior Iranian cleric, were killed in separate attacks.

In addition, two religious students were injured in a car-ramming incident.

Iran has been gripped by unrest since last autumn, following the death of an Iranian-Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody for allegedly violating dress codes. (dpa/NAN)()

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Edited by Halima Sheji/Ijeoma Popoola

Source: NAN News

Gov Nasir El-Rufai (middle in white), government officials and adolescent girls during the official inauguration of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in Kaduna on Friday

By Philip Yatai

The World Bank has commended the Kaduna State Government for taking ownership of its supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.

The Banks Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, gave the commendation at the official inauguration of the project in Kaduna on Friday.

Chaudhuri, who was represented virtually by the banks Senior Education Specialist, Aisha Garba, also praised Gov. Nasir El-Rufai for the support to ensure the success of the project in the state.

Describing the project as a huge success in Kaduna State, Chaudhuri said that supporting women and girls in Nigeria was at the top of the World Bank agenda.

According to him, AGILE is one of the biggest projects in the bank with .2 billion.

This is to demonstrate the commitment of the bank to the development agenda of enhancing education opportunities and empowerment of young girls and women in Nigeria.

We appreciate the full cooperation and partnership of stakeholders, and we will continue to support the government of Kaduna state in achieving this important agenda.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator, Hajiya Amina Haruna, explained that the AGILE project was the initiative of the Federal Government with funding support from the World Bank.

Haruna said that the project aimed to ensure adolescent girls access quality secondary education, through enhanced learning, digital literacy and life skills which empowered and assured better life chances and experience.

She said that the project, which disbursement began in February 2022, was being implemented in Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Ekiti, Borno and Plateau states, adding that the project would be extended to other states soon.

The national project co-ordinator said that so far, Kaduna State made a giant stride towards the achievement of the project objective and commended the State Project Implementation Unit for the efforts.

She urged the relevant stakeholders to support the implementation of the project for the beneficiaries to reap the full benefits of the project.

Inaugurating the project, Gov. El-Rufai pointed out that the talents of girls were being wasted either by not educating them, getting them out of school, or subjecting them to early marriages.

He explained that his decision to appoint many women in his cabinet as deputy governor, commissioners and head of departments and agencies was not by accident.

According to him, the step was a deliberate effort to inspire young girls to be whoever they aspire to be.

He explained that the AGILE project was specifically designed to encourage and promote girl child education, which he equally described as one of the most successful World Bank financing projects in the state.

On her part, the Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Halima Lawal, said that the project has currently reduced gender disparity in secondary school to less than one per cent.

Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Haliru Soba, added that the project had equally reduced the distance to the nearest secondary school to less than a kilometre.

She added that enrolment of girls in secondary school had equally improved due to the project.

A virtual presentation of the achievements recorded so far by the State Project Implementation Unit showed that a 779 classrooms were renovated in the state.

The report also indicated that 2,629 Water Sanitation and Hygiene facilities were constructed and rehabilitated in schools, 46,252 sets of furniture provided, while five schools have fully fenced and five currently ongoing.

It also showed that the project equally renovated Government Girls Secondary School Kawo, and renovation of Barewa College Zaria, is ongoing, while 155 new secondary schools will be built.

The project is establishing safe spaces across 142 schools with girls being trained in leadership, self- agency, nutrition, menstrual hygiene, safeguarding against gender-based violence, reproductive health and climate change and action.

Also, a total of 6,250 students are currently participating in the projects digital literacy programme while 35,575 girls have received scholarships.

AGILE project is also supporting 550 secondary schools with information and communication technology infrastructure and devices for the delivery of digital literacy, the report indicated.

The Project Coordinator in the state, Hajiya Maryam Dangaji, ascribed the successes recorded so far to teamwork, stakeholders collaboration, and the overwhelming support from Gov. El-Rufai and his Executive Council. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News