Nation
COVID-19: Corps Members, Staff To Be Tested Before Orientation Exercise-DG
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, says corps members and staff of the scheme’s 2020 Batch “B” orientation exercise will be tested for COVID-19 before they are allowed into the orientation camps.
Gen. Ibrahim disclosed this yesterday in Jos at the opening of the NYSC 2020 Batch “B” pre-orientation workshop.
The four-day workshop is themed: “Evolving a Dynamic Operational Strategy in the Management of Camps in the Context of COVID-19”.
He further disclosed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had worked out procedures to ensure that staff and corps members who tested positive for the virus would be adequately taken care of.
According to him, the NYSC management has ensured strict compliance with the NCDC guidelines in the corps’ activities.
The director-general said that the NYSC had been interfacing with relevant bodies such as the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the various state ministries of health on ways of ensuring safe and efficient conduct of the orientation exercise.
He said that all orientation camps had been prepared and remodelled in line with the approved safety protocols.
He commended the NCDC for donating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth millions of Naira for use at orientation camps.
Ibrahim said that the aim and objective of the pre-orientation workshop was to appraise the conduct of the previous orientation courses and to fashion out ways to improve on their performance.
He thanked Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau for donating a 14-Seater bus to the NYSC in the state and for his government’s unflinching support to the scheme in the area.
Lalong, who declared the workshop open, commended the NYSC management for its active support to the government in the fight against the pandemic, as the NYSC orientation camp in Mangu was used as a quarantine and an isolation centre in the state.
He appealed to the NYSC management and corps members to avoid laxity in the observation of COVID-19 safety protocols, as the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had warned of the likelihood of resurgence and a second wave of the pandemic.
He said that Plateau remained the leading state in testing for the disease, and that corps members who were posted to the state would be accorded with such service.
The governor also disclosed that the State Government would work with the NYSC to enhance the safety and comfort of corps members posted to the state.
He called on the NYSC to include in its orientation course, the issue of social media usage and responsibility.
He further urged the NYSC to sustain building the spirit of entrepreneurship among the youths throughout their service year as a means of making them self-reliant and innovative.
Lalong assured the director-general of the state government’s unflinching support to the scheme in the state.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants of the workshop comprised NYSC state coordinators and camp commanders, among others, and were drawn from the 36 states of the federation.
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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