…say ignorant of  International Children’s Day of Broadcasting

SPECIAL REPORT

By ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna

As part of activities to mark the International Children’s Day Of Broadcasting (ICDB) 2021, Center for Media Advocacy for Mother and Child (CAMAC), recently organized a sensitization and awareness meetings with students of two secondary schools in Kaduna State.

The schools are; Government Secondary School, Ugwan Boro in Chikun Local Government Area and Government Secondary School Kakuri, Kaduna South Local Government Area.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Unite to reverse the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children”. The theme highlights the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that all children irrespective of their status and situation should enjoy their rights to Survival and Development as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003.

ICDB, is celebrated every first Sunday of March annually.
The day is set aside by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for a media campaign by children to promote their rights, especially their right to participation by taking charge of broadcasting throughout the day. The Broadcast Media in Nigeria has participated in commemorating the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting since 1992.

However, most children in Nigeria, especially those in rural settings said they are not even aware of the day, talk less of having the opportunity to participate in the celebration, which they blamed on Broadcast organizations for not carrying them along in the celebration that is meant for them and also said there are no publicity to let children know about the day.

CAMAC is a media advocacy group that focuses  on advocating for policies and programmes that favour vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children in areas of education, health, child’s rights, protection, development and survival, while also drawing the attention of government and other stakeholders to their plight, with the view to finding lasting solutions to their problem. As well as creating awareness and sensitizing the public on the above areas.

Before the sensitization and awareness meetings which was facilitated by the NGO’s Program Officer, Christina Alex, CAMAC’s team visited several rural communities in Kaduna to find out if rural children know about the Day and finds that none of the children spoken with ever heard of such day.

The lack of knowledge of ICBD, by the children prompted CAMAC, to organize the meetings so as to enlighten them about the day and most especially provide them an opportunity to talk about some of the challenges they are facing in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Talking about the impact of Covid-19, on their lives and education, the children enumerated, domestic violence, drugs abuse, rape, corruption, kidnapping, banditry amongst others which they noted are now on the increase especially during the lockdown as the greatest threat and fears to their future.

17 year old, Miracle Sunday, an SS3 student of Government Secondary School Kakuri, said the world is supposed to be a place filled with good things for children, but that the reverse is now the case as bad events such as corruption, kidnapping, banditry, rape, child labour, domestic violence, etc have taking over, making the future dark for them.

”Some of the challenges in the present world affecting our future today is the high rate of drug abuse among young people, especially since the outbreak of Covid-19 and parents should take responsibility of watching their children and the kind of friends they keep. Likewise teachers should educate children in schools on the dangers of drug abuse. The government should enact laws and ensures they are enforced.

“Also, since COVID-19 pandemic, the price of thing in the market have increased and people find it difficult to buy things in the market like before” He added.

According to Bassil Favour a 12 year old JSS 2 student of Government Secondary School, Ugwan Boro, said what she feared the most about COVID -19 pandemic was the fact that she have been taken back academically.

“It has affected my studies by taking me backward instead of forward. I am suppose to be in JSS 3 but am still in JSS 2. And if you know the number of some of students that were raped and violated during this period, that also has a lots of fears in many of us.” She said.

As for 13yrs old JSS2, Possible Adamu, COVID-19 didn’t just affect their progress in moving to another class, but also pull them a term backwards, saying “we are suppose to be in 2nd term but we are still in 1st term.”

Another student of Government Secondary School Kakuri, Kauna Aminu, 18 who is in her SS3, told CAMAC that, examination malpractice is on the increase since the outbreak of Covid-19, because most children now pay more attention to social media than their books.

“Also COVID-19 has affected the children in the sense that schools were closed down for along time and now that its opened we are expected to cover a year’s syllabus within 3 months. And during the lockdown some young girls were raped and they got pregnant and can’t continue with their education. She added.

17yrs SS3, Felicia Donatus, also of Government Secondary School Kakuri, expresses fear over the insecurity being created by life after school which she said is leading many into crimes and criminality.

According her, “many young people today are unemployed after going through the stress of going to school with the hope of becoming something great in the future, they graduate and become unemployed and this has led to the high rate of kidnapping, stealing, drug abuse, armed robbery. This is discouraging for us that are coming up. It’s making the world to be imbalance.”

For 19yrs Oluwatosin Segun, SS3, GSS, Kakuri, “as a young girl with dreams of becoming an Electrical Engineer, at time I have fear of coming to school, I get scared of being kidnapped like the recent happening in schools within the country. We no longer feel safe in school, place of worship and at home.

“The insecurity is discouraging education. A country cannot be developed without a sound education. We are the future of this country and we need to have our future secured.

“Personally COVID-19 has affected me because I have missed a lot academically and am finding it difficult to assimilate due to the rush work being given to us.

“Even though there was an E-Learning system during the lock down, It was difficult for me to understand the method of teaching done, I could not ask questions during the lesson and at times the phone number given to call are not going through or I don’t have recharge card to call.”

Oluwatosin, therefore appealed to government to provide them with modern books for them to read during their learning processes and also in the libraries. Book that can help them in their various fields.

For Monica Moses, 18, equipping schools laboratories for science practicals at this point would be the best gift from the government, saying “we only get the theory without practical. We don’t know how to carry out scientific experiment and we are preparing for WAEC.

“For us in SSS 3 are almost leaving, the laboratory is not just because of us, but for the benefit of those coming behind us.”

Suaiba  Abubakar, 17, also agreed with  Monica, saying “sometimes last year our hope was raised to build and renovate our laboratories by a group of people we don’t know who they are but since then we haven’t seen them again.”

Felix Precious, of GSS, Ugwan Boro, want government to build more classrooms so that they can be sitting one per bench to observe the Covid-19 social distance protocol, provide enough hand sanitizers so it could go round and be kept in front of each classroom.

And that someone should be assigned to stand and be dropping the sanitizer on the students hands before allowing them enter the classrooms, as many do not use the sanitizer, adding “they should also bring the vaccine to end this pandemic.

13 years old Jennifer Bitrus in her opinion “government should provide us with more text books so that we can improve in our reading in everyday life  since we are backward academically.”

Principals of both schools in their separate remarks expressed their appreciation to the management of CAMAC, for sending a team to sensitized and create awareness among their students and also giving them a voice on issues that is bothering in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Principal GSS Ugwan Boro, Mrs. L.J Gandu,  appeal for CAMAC to take the necessary steps to ensure that the government and other civil societies hear and see what children are facing, especially those in public schools so they can come to their aid in order to secure the future of the world which the children represents.

..Returnees being allocated new homes, food, cash ,,

Cameroonian officials, led by Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji have repatriated and handed over first batch of 5,000 Nigerian refugees  to Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.

The hand over took place on Monday, at a brief ceremony in Amchiide, a border community between Nigeria and Cameroon, close to Banki in Bama local government area of Borno central.

The returnees were part of thousands of Nigerians, mostly from Borno, who since 2014, fled in batches to Minawao camp located in Mokolo, far north region of Cameroon, to escape Boko Haram’s killings. Many Nigerians in uncertain numbers, some accounts saying more than 60,000, fled to the camp from parts of Borno and Adamawa but over the years, the number came down following isolated returns.

The handover ceremony was attended by top officials from Cameroon, including Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakary and officials of United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR.

Cameroonian Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji Paul announced that President Paul Biya had approved a big relief package which included food items, mattresses, blankets and other non food items for distribution to all 5,000 returnees as support.

The Minister commended Governor Zulum for constructing homes were the refugees were to be resettled.

Governor Zulum had approved funds and supervised the ongoing construction of over 6,000 urban and low-cost resettlement houses sited in Banki, Gwoza, Kondugu, Kaga and different others, with substantial number already completed. Majority of them are used for resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Zulum, on behalf of Nigeria, thanked Cameroonian President, other officials and host communities, for taking good care of Nigerian refugees in the last six years. The governor appreciated the donation made by President Biya.

“I wish to sincerely convey our deepest appreciation to the government of Cameroon under the distinguished leadership of President Paul Biya, for the enormous support to my fellow Nigerians who took refuge in the Minawao [refugee] camp. We remain eternally grateful” Zulum said.

The repatriation was to implement the outcome of a tripartite commission meeting held in Marwa, Cameroon, February 10, 2021, which was attended by officials from Cameroon, the UNHCR and a Nigerian delegation that comprised Governor Zulum and top officials from federal ministries of foreign affairs, humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs as well as Zulum’s special adviser on monitoring and evaluation, who chairs a technical committee on the repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe.

… Zulum distributes food, cash to returnees

After receiving the refugees, Governor Zulum in Banki town, flagged-off presentation of food and non food  items to the 5,000 Nigerian.

Male heads of families were each given N30,000 while each woman was given N10,000 and a fabric.

The governor showed his sympathy for how they lived as refugees, promising that government was committed to their security, welfare and the creation of enabling environment for them to return to normal life.

Commissioners for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Engr. Mustapha Gubio, Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, and Former Commissioner of Housing and Energy, Babagana Tijjani Banki were part of Zulum’s delegation.

Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, Bauchi State Governor has donated land and operational vehicle to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to establish a science institute and kick off successful operations in the State.

Gov Mohammed made the donation on Tuesday in Bauchi when he received in audience, Professor Mohammed Sani Haruna, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman.

Governor Bala who said knowledge based economy through science and technology has the potentials to drive development, also described NASENI as an important agency in the development of science.

“Your agency has crucial roles to play in driving the nation’s science and technology development policies and programmes,” he said.

He urged the agency too woo Nigerian science experts abroad back home to support its activities.
“I have seen innovations and inventions by NASENI. I appreciate the way you establish partnerships and opening more frontiers.

Professor Muhammed Sani Haruna, NASENI executive vice chairman, said that the agency had established its institutes in Enugu, Niger, Anambra, Kano, Ondo, Taraba, Kwara, Kogi and Osun states.

Professor Sani who regretted that the heavy equipment and machinery development institute sited in Bauchi State has yet to kick start said with commitment from the current leadership in the State, NASENI will soon commence operations.

“This institute was approved in 2001, it is supposed to be the hope of North-East, it has not been actualised till date

… Governor wants speed

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Tuesday met with the officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Bauchi zonal office to receive updates of the ongoing repair work to restore electricity to Maiduguri.

Briefing the Governor, Zonal General Manager, TCN, Engr. Ganiyu Aliyu said, the repair work have reached 75% completion stage and the remaining part will be completed very soon.

Recall that the electricity transmission tower linking Maiduguri and Damaturu have been destroyed on 26th of January by insurgents, which caused disruption of supply to Maiduguri Metropolis and environs.

While extending appreciation for their determination and effort, Zulum urged the TCN workers to redouble efforts in obtaining all the necessary technical requirements and restore the damaged parts back to normalcy.

Zulum had conveyed to TCN, the assurance from the security operatives to ensure 24 hour surveillance to protect the staffs as well as the infrastructure during and after the repair work.

The Governor also directed the state ministry of housing and energy to provide all the necessary support to the field workers to connect Maiduguri back to the national grid as soon as possible.

Zulum extends his appreciation and appealed to the people of Borno state to continue exercising patience in respect of the problem associated with the blackout that caused water scarcity in the state capital. He assured that government is doing all within its power to find lasting solution to the problem.

“I wish to extend my profound appreciation to the good people Borno state, for their considerable maturity, patience in the face of the blackout occasioned by the destruction of electricity transmission line. I want to assure the people, that the state government and the management of TCN had in a concerted effort drawn all our attention to ensure proper and adequate repair of the damage done to supply lines with the urgency it deserved.” Zulum said.

The Chairman House Committee On Petroleum Resources Downstream, Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya has said Nigeria, a gas rich country but relies heavily on oil for its revenue and failed to amend the law on gas, is costing her billions of naira.

He  was speaking at a National Assembly Public Hearing, organised by the Joint Committee on Gas Resources, Petroleum Resources, Upstream and Downstream, in Abuja.

According to  him,  public hearing is an important part of the joint committee’s assignment and also an opportunity for stakeholders across the oil and gas sector and the country to present information, and contribute ideas that will help the joint committee arrive at the proper conclusions and propose effective solutions.

Hon Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya added that Joint Committee were working  around the clock to amend the law that will   including the natural gas sector in Nigeria’s oil contracts, saying  some of the Gas laws in Nigeria  has been  in place since 1970 and was not been properly corrected.

Added that Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has reiterated house efforts to achieve wholesale reform of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria which has  demonstrated his  unweaving patriotism toward  making the country’s  economy better.

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State and his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, have expressed optimism that only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will pull Nigeria from the brinks of collapse.

While speaking at the PDP South-South zonal congress in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the duo say only their party can improve the living condition of Nigerians which has diminished under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing party members, Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said the PDP has a bright prospect to return to power in 2023.

He maintained that Nigeria was much better under PDP rule than the APC, adding that the PDP will pull back the country from the brink and Nigerians will be better for it.

He praised the zone saying, “as a party and we thank God, because you know when the South South zone of the Peoples Democratic Party speak, we speak with one voice. And being the strength of our party and the South-South being the strength of our nation, Nigeria, we cannot but continue to give glory to God because God has brought us together and as long as we stay united and strong, we will be continually respected in this nation.”

He said going forward the leadership will continue to give direction that will help to rebuild the party and to take back country.

While addressing members of the party to be steadfast, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state said, “the hope of this party in this country is the South-South zone. Since 1999 that has been the case and it has never changed, and by the grace of God it will not change.”

“Let us conduct ourselves to show that PDP is different from all other political associations. And that of course will show we are more committed; we mean well and are waiting by the grace of God to take over power in 2023.”