By Henry Ibya, Abuja
Inadequate Sensitization and
absence of collaborative efforts between government, co-operate organizations,
community associations and individuals have been identified as a major
challenge to the success of child immunization against polio especially in the
northern part of the country.
A member of the National Assembly
representing Igabi Federal constituency of Kaduna state Hon. Ibrahim Bello
Rigachikun made the observation in Danangaza village while flaging off a three
day free polio immunization, medical consultation and distribution of assorted
drugs worth 700 thousand naira to the
people of this community by a philanthropist Mohammed Sani.
Damangaza community a fifteen minutes drive to
Apo legislative quarters is the community that host the senate president
Senator David Mark, Alh. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the speaker of the National Assembly, most
senator both former and serving, top politicians including members of the House
of representatives as occupants yet, the community still lack basic social
amenities such as water, good roads electricity and quality schools.
The law maker lamented that polio
has robbed most parents of children especially in the northern part of the
country maintaining that it was high time stakeholders come together to ensure
that all hand are on deck to kick out polio a major children killer disease in
the country.
He emphasized that to make this
possible both stakeholders including traditional rulers, community leaders, and
those en trusted with the leadership of the people most take up the challenge
adding that this should be done through massive sensitization.
The National Assembly member who
called on the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to go an extra mile by mobilizing more manpower to ensure that the war against polio
reach all the nocks and crannies of the country also advised parents to erase
negative reasoning’s in their minds but feel free to bring out their children
for immunization pointing out that there
should be participation which is the key to its
success.
He also commended the organizer of
the programme for his modest contribution maintaining that even though the
project was not being carried out in his constituency he decided to honor the
invitation as a most considering the nature of the assignment.
He emphasized that youths as leaders
of the further any programme that has to do with the children must be taken
seriously and therefore called on other
well to do individuals to emulate what the youth copper has done maintaining
that issues of the welfare of the people must not be left in the hands of
government alone.
One of the beneficiaries Hanatu
Zubairu in her remarks on behalf of the mothers lamented government neglect of
the community in the past but however commended the youth copper for his
initiative and called on the government and other well to do individuals to
emulate the good will by also organizing similar programmes for the benefit of
the people.
On the choice of Damangaza
community Mahammed said the absence of social amenities such as hospitals made
him arrive at his decision.
He lamented that despite its
closeness to the Apo legislative quarters development has eluded the community.
While emphasizing the need for
public enlightenment to be carried by government to erase the negative
impression held by most villagers he
condemned in strong terms politicians using deceit to score cheap political
points that vaccines brought to people in the north were killer in nature aimed
at only reducing northern population.
By Henry Ibya, Abuja
All is now set for the 6th
Interpol Global programme on anti-corruption, financial crimes and Asset
Recovery conference scheduled to take place in Abuja the Nigerian capital city.
Conducting Journalists round the
Economic and financial crimes commission academy which is the venue for the
event on a facility tour as part of preparation for the world event, commandant
of the academy Mr. Ayo Olowonhyi said arrangements are at about 70% completion
for the 5 day event billed to start Monday 7th October 2013.
He revealed that the international
event which is the first of its kind in Africa is organized by the Economic and
Financial crimes commission (EFCC) in collaboration with Anti corruption office
(ACO) of the Interpol, collaborative countries, agencies such as the United
Nations and the common wealth.
He said the conference which is
meant for senior investigators and prosecutors
will have two participants each expected from about 25 countries of West
Africa, eastern region, central, south and eastern Africa.
According to the commandant,
president Godluck Jonathan in company of other world leaders will declare the
event open and for this reason as well as the nature of the event, security
around the area have been beefed up.
He noted Nigeria to be a major
player in the fight against corruption but however lamented that despite this
efforts people still accused Nigeria of corruption.
He maintained that very silently
government through the Economic and financial crimes commission EFCC and other
stakeholders as well as other anti-corruption agencies in the country have done
well in this fight and therefore see this hosting right an opportunity
to show case to the rest of the world especially our African brothers what we
have being doing.
“They have read so much about the EFCC, now it
will be the opportunity for them to see practically where as the EFCC we expect
constructive criticisms,” so that the EFCC can have corrections he added.
He also told newsmen that for the
world to have chosen Nigeria as venue for this event it was a clear acceptance
of the efforts of the Nigerian government in its anti- corruption drive adding
that with one of the vision which is the reason for setting up the
anti-corruption academy, very soon African countries will stop going to Asian
countries in search of knowledge in the area anti – corruption.
In a run down he said Guest are
expected to start arriving Sunday, with the opening ceremony taking place at
the EFCC academy auditorium karu.
He also stated that with the 42
standard Hotel like facility of the academy, it will accommodate guest but said
should there be spill over’s, neighboring Hotels have been indentified adding
that the accommodation is arranged in such as way that both speakers and
participants will stay together because of the serious nature of the business
which may likely span through the nights.
He further disclosed that because
of the bi-lingual nature of the countries, interpreters will be engaged and
added that the restaurants is functional as well as the medical unit of the
academy fully equipped with drugs and doctors, nurses being on stand by in case
of emergencies.
The commandant who said experts to
deliver lectures are carefully chosen across the globe also expressed hope that
at the end of the conference solutions will be found and such decisions taken
will bring improvement in the fight against corruption.
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