Nation
Foundation Distributes Food Items To 215 IDPs, Vulnerable Children
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Hope for the Village Child Foundation, has distributed food items to 215 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable children in Kasuwan Magani Community of Kaduna State.
Kasuwan Magani, an outskirt community in Kaduna, under Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA), has a number of IDPs hosted by the community, who are living within the indigenous people, not isolated in camps.
The food items distributed to the IDPs were rice, beans, maize, vegetable oil, tomato pastes, and seasoning, among others.
Deputy Director of the foundation, Sister Juliana Ekwoanya, said their encounter with vulnerable people when on field work, had constantly called for the idea of food donation.
According to her, when they go on field exercises on various activities in line with their foundation’s mission, they often come across women with malnourished children.
Ekwoanya, who is also in charge of the foundation’s health section, added that women with malnourished children also go to the hospital for medical services.
She said the foundation had to delve into soliciting for food support to assist the IDPs and other vulnerable children.
Ekwoanya noted that the food items may not be enough, but would help cushion the hunger the beneficiaries were battling with.
“In the course of our interaction with them, some do tell us that they sometimes stay a whole day without food.
“One of them told me that she only boils water in the morning, afternoon and evening, then drink it just to keep the intestine warm because there is nothing to eat”, she said.
She explained that the food items they distributed to the IDPs were about 20 per cent provided by Microvis Bank, while 80 per cent came from the international society.
Leader of Imams forum under the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Kajuru chapter, Malam Akilu Muhammad, said the gesture by the foundation needed to be emulated because people are in very difficult conditions.
He said it was a joyful moment to see both Muslims and Christians all along with their children benefitting from the foundation’s kind gesture.
“Kasuwan Magani filled with so many people from neighbouring and far communities who are bedeviled by bandits and kidnappers, have found home here, but they still have numerous challenges.
“We from JIBWIS are trying our best to ensure our contributions to the IDPs. We collect Zakat (a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth to help the needy) from farmers and distribute the grains judiciously among them,” he said.
Muhammad also said that they take responsibilities of some of the IDPs education.
The Kajuru LGA Youth Coordinator, Mr. Jonathan Peter, said the gesture by the foundation was timely.
He said despite the Kasuwan Magani community being divided along religious line, the food distribution exercise has brought the Muslims and Christians together.
Peter added that women, girls and children, being the most affected by insecurity which displaced them, are more vulnerable, noting that some members of the host communities take advantage of them.
“Some of the IDPs, resident in Kasuwan Magani, find it very difficult to feed their children, we think food items distributed to them will sure go along way”.
He thanked the foundation for the support and called on other wealthy groups or individuals to emulate the kind gesture.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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