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.
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
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
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