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Increasing Number Of Out-Of-School Children Worries Onaiyekan
Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has expressed concern over the increasing number of out-of-school children milling the streets.
Onaiyekan stated that such kids get exposed to radicalisation and other nefarious activities.
He spoke at the premiere of a movie titled, ‘The Oratory’ produced by the Salesians of Don Bosco, at the weekend, in Abuja.
He said, “This question of abandoned children is not new. It has been in the world almost from time immemorial just that nowadays, in this age and year 2021, there ought not to be any more children abandoned.
“Right now, where are all the criminals coming from? Go to Kuje prison and find out the ages of the people who end up in jail.
“Those who are now insurgents and bandits, information reaching us, is that many of the heads of those bandits are all young people, because of the way they have been trained.
“So, it shows immediately and you don’t have to wait for 10 or 20 years to see the implications of not doing anything to tackle the menace of street children.
“A major concern for the elite in the Northern Nigeria is the fact that they have millions of young people who never went through school.
“10 years ago, these youths were children, but today they are teenagers and young men who have no skill of any sort, and they are ready to be recruited to do anything.
“Today, we are already facing it, and if we say that security is very difficult, this is one of the reasons why. It is not too late, if we decide to work seriously about it.
“It’s not only the children of the rich people who deserve to be alive, the children of the poor also have a future. Some of the poor children of today can be important people tomorrow. I think the film has made the case very strongly and very clearly.”
While congratulating the producers of the movie, he said, “The film has brought in the religious aspects, because in many of these things you need to have a religious enthusiasm, because you will not make money doing this kind of thing.
“I am happy that the work of the Salesians of Don Bosco is brought to the highlight in this film. Of course, they are not the only ones that are looking after abandoned youths and children, but they specialise in this because of their founder, Don Bosco, who spent most of his time looking after abandoned children.
Executive Producer of the movie, Revered Father Cyril Odia, said the idea of the movie stemmed from plights of abandoned children and how they could be assisted to become useful to the society.
He said, “The attempt of this movie is to call for action. As Salesians, we believe in faith in action. If we don’t multiply that effect and get more partners to come on board, we can foresee that there is going to be disaster. The more young people are increasing on the street, the more the threat of insecurity.
“The movie has received a very positive and heart-warming response from two categories of viewers. For some viewers, the positive ending of the story confirms the desire for good to always overcome evil especially in the light of modern-day Christian persecution.
“For other viewers the movie gives hope about the Catholic mission to young and poor people who often have little or no hope in politicians. Many got a validation of the idea that religion has a lot of capacity to bring about social change.
“The film is produced and directed by the Nigerian director, Obi Emelonye with Rich Lowe Ikenna in the leading role.
“It also stars Rich Lowe Ikenna, an American-born actor of Nigerian and Panamanian – Central American descent and Enyinna Nwigwe, a Nigerian actor who has appeared in over 30 cinema films, including Black November, where he played a leading role alongside Hollywood great actors like Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Akon, Wyclef Jean, and Anne Heche.”
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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