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Don Urges FG To Review Safe School Initiative Policy

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A Security Scholar at the University of Ibadan, Prof Oyesoji Aremu, has advised the Federal Government to review the 2014 Safe School Initiative Policy to include security education.
Aremu stated this in an interview with The Tide source in Ibadan yesterday while speaking on how to curb insecurity challenges in Nigerian schools.
According to him, it was worrisome and very disturbing that as of the second week in July, not less than 348 students, some running to months, according to UNESCO are still in the dens of bandits.
He said that It would take a very serious commitment and efficacy for such distraught students and their parents to think of returning to schools.
“Abductions of school children and personnel should therefore, attract more concerted efforts and zests that will gear toward restoring the school system back to normalcy.
“That itself can be guaranteed if the entire country is safe of banditry and insurgency.
“Above all, it is instructive for the Federal Government of Nigeria to review the 2014 policy on Safe School Initiative with a view to incorporating security education,” Aremu said.
The don said the Nigerian School System especially the Primary and Secondary sub-sectors have never had it so bad as it was presently going by the ceaseless war against it.
“Call it, ‘banditcracy’ if you like. Our school system in the North is under a siege through which, teaching and learning are no longer guaranteed and cannot also be provided.
“Between December, 2020 and the first week of July,  not less than 1000 school children have been kidnapped and millions of naira paid as ransoms.
“The latest being the abduction of 140 students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kajuma in Kaduna State,” he said.
Aremu, who is also the Chairman, Educational Management Board of the Baptist Mission schools of the Nigerian Baptist Convention said never in our history have we lost students to kidnapping as we witnessed in the last eight months.
Speaking on its implications for the education sector, he said “the development has not only portend a bleak future for the entire country.
“I fear that the effects of school insecurity will sooner than later, reverberate to the entire country in terms of a resurgence of crimes in various shades and dimensions.
“This is not to say about the collapse that will greet whatever remains of Western education in many parts of the North,” he said.
“Statistics have it that Nigeria  has the highest record of out-of-school children globally of more than 10 million students.
“Unfortunately, school insecurity accounts for the larger chunk of the reasons, followed by COVID-19 which ravaged the globe in 2020,” he said.
Aremu, however, noted that while COVID-19 had been curtailed to a great extent, violence against the school system was alarmingly on the increase.
He noted that “the entire North accounts for more than 70 per cent of out-of-school children in Nigeria. Unfortunately, school insecurity is more pronounced in the region especially in the North East and West.”
According to him, this in essence means that Nigeria may witness more out-of-school children in some years to come in that part of the country.
“As the country continues to witness school insecurity resulting in abductions, many schools as being reported will be closed down; and  thousands of children will, out of morbid fear and anxiety, drop out.
“Similarly, many youngsters will develop poor school esteem and lack of interest as a result of post-traumatic abduction-ladden stories of many of their peers who either, their parents paid ransoms or were lucky to have escaped from the captivity of bandits.
“All these could culminate into extinction of schools especially in the North if the ugly situation is not halted.
“Unfortunately, if the inperson school system becomes extinct in the North, our educational system is not mature and does not have the technological infrastructure to run a home school system,” Aremu said.

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Monarch Hails Fubara Over Road Project

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Ogene of Asa Asi Asaga Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Andrew Enemuwa, has expressed gratitude to the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the award of the contract for construction of Igiri- Ubimini-Egbeda-Elele road project.
Eze Enemuwa said the people of the local government are proud associating with a visionary leader like Governor Fubara whose interest in the development of his people knows no bounds.
The monarch, also the Secretary of Ogba Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Council said the unprecedented crowd of ONELGA people that attended the event shows that Governor Fubara is greatly loved and cherished by the people.
The Eze Dike Di Nu Obi of Ogbaland said the presence of the traditional rulers at the event speaks volumes.
The Okene Asa Kaka urged the people of the area to support Governor Fubara to attract more development to the local government area.

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1,680 Children Abducted In Nigeria -UNICEF

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As Nigeria marks 10 years anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls, the United Nations Children Fund( UNICEF) has  put the number of abducted children at different schools within the last 10 years in Nigeria at 1,680.
The organisation said this at an event it organised in conjunction with the Faculty of Media and Communications Studies in the University of Port Harcourt to mark the 10 years anniversary of Chibok girls abductions.
According to UNICEF release read by Communication officer, UNICEF Nigeria Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, 180 children were killed within the period under review due to attacks on schools, while an estimated 60 school Staff were kidnapped,14 killed and more than 70 attacks on schools.
It urged the Nigerian Government and security agencies to intensify effort towards the rescue of the 90 remaining Chibok girls.
UNICEF described the Chibok girls saga as a wakeup call to the severe risks children face in their pursuit of education
‘Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s future must be amplified
“Given this alarming statistics, we must address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of this crisis,” it said.
UNICEF also said that the threat of abduction of students is severely affecting children’s learning.
“As at 2021, over one million children were afraid to return to school and in 2020, around 11,500 schools were closed due to attacks”, it said.
It called on the government and the international community to ensure that all schools have the resources and tools to fully implement the minimum standards for safe schools, focus on the most vulnerable regions and address critical gaps in safe schools infrastructure.
UNICEF also called for preparedness for natural disasters, conflicts and comprehensive approaches to violence against children.
Others include, strengthening law enforcement and security measures to protect educational institutions and communities from attacks and abduction, prioritising education and child protection in national policies and budget allocations to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all Nigerian children and ensure the continuity of education and learning when schools are shut through multiple learning pathways such as radio and TV programme and through digital platforms the Nigerian learning Passport.
Ogwe said UNICEF is working with the Nigerian Government to ensure that every child can access safe learning environment.
“The agency has supported the inauguration of state safe school steering committees and the drafting of state costed implementation plans for safe schools in 13 States.
“It also provides school grants, safety kits training and awareness raising to accelerate the implementation of the minimum standards for safe schools.
“As we remember the Chibok girls and all children whose rights to education have been compromised, let this somber anniversary serves as a catalyst for change”, UNICEF said.
Speaking with The Tide, Dr Nwachukwu Ginikanwa said the anniversary should serve as a wakeup call to the authorities to take the issue of security seriously.

John Bibor

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Fubara Has Rekindled Rivers Hope-Former Envoy

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As the one year anniversary of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration in Rivers State draws closer, a former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Amb.Oji Ngofa, says the Governor has rekindled the hope of Rivers people.
Amb. Ngofa said within the one year of the administration, the Governor has shown a sense of connecting the people and the government unlike the immediate past administration led by Chief Nyesom Wike.
The former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) explained that within one year, Rivers people are seeing a visionary leadership whose imagination is essentially focused on the desire to improve the lives of the people, with the sole aim of creating an economy where everyone can participate.
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, the forrmer Ambassador said Governor Fubara has been able to engage relevant stakeholders and sectors of the State which, according to him, remains the hallmark of leadership.
He emphasised that with Governor Fubara, no doubt, Rivers State is in safe hands, saying with Governor Fubara, there is the likelihood that the State would be greater than other States.
He noted that the Governor’s vision to develop and give capacity to the people in order to participate in the economy as well as creating the enabling environment for business to flourish in the State, coupled with his peaceful nature, have all combined to endear him to the people.
Amb Ngofa said real power comes from how well one is connected with the people through good leadership, and the people on their own voluntarily surrender to you just as Governor Fubara has demonstrated within the past one year, stressing that that has informed his decision as an astute politician just like all well-meaning Rivers people to align with the Governor in order to move the State forward .
He described Governor Fubara’s milestones in infrastructure, human capital development, health and agriculture as monumental.
Amb Ngofa urged the Governor to ensure his revitalisa- tion programme on Songhai Farms extends to Buguma and Andoni fish farms and Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), and expand on the initiative, as it is critical in job creation for the teeming youths of the State.
“ In his one year in office as governor, Rivers people have seen the difference in terms of governance and total departure from self. Now Rivers people are having easy access to their governor. His focus is on policies and programmes that are capable of revitalising the economy aimed at improving the wellbeing of Rivers people, not just one man. Projects are springing up in all parts of the State, not necessarily in Port Harcourt and Obio,/ Akpor. All in just one year despite the distractions”, he said.

The Port Harcourt ring road loan to small skill medium businesses are one of the biggest achievements of his administration
Aleto- Woji road abandoned by the last administration had been carried on by a government that has interest of the people at heart
Despite the destruction ,he had demonstrated sense of focus on his primary duties as a governor
We are not just seeing monumental projects ,Rivers people are seeing total commitment to create an economy that will enable Rivers people to have a hold on there lives especially with projects like revitalizing Shonghai ,plaintain farms .
It is critical focusing on human capital development .I am aware of his programme of revitalising the economy ,state owned industries through public private partnership
Rivers people hope had been rekindled and those of us who are critic to the governor Wike led administration had been vindicated
Urging Eleme people to support the administration of governor Fubara to achieve their common dream which is development.

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