Month: July 2023

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AHF tasks NCC on digital sexuality, health education

The AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF), an international NGO, has tasked the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) on access to age-approporiate Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and health interventions through digital empowerment for youths.

AHF gave the task on Friday during a visit to the NCC Digital Economy Department in Abuja in commemoration of the 2023 International Day of the African Child (IDAC), with a theme: “Switched Up CSE Access through digital empowerment’’.

Dr Echey Ijezie, the Country Programme Director, AHF Nigeria, said the visit was to look at how the eight pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy (NDEP) would address the challenges of young people in supporting a digital environment that is sensitive to age appropriate comprehensive sexuality education.

“Youths are empowered with the appropriate knowledge, skills of assertiveness and understanding for them to feel the perils and all issues that they might arise as they grow older in the society.

“Comprehensive sexuality education is important as long as it is age appropriate and comprehensive to empower the youths and make them understand what the facts are and live fulfilled lives that is risk free.

“This is the main advocacy and we are looking at different platforms to disseminate these informations that it will form parts of conversation, education for the youths to be enlightened.

“Many of them need to be informed about some of these things that they hear, see and because they have access to different devices and sources of information, so it is important to educate them so make informed decisions.

“If information is hidden from the youths and they find it from other means, which may be wrong. So we are trying to make sure that the information given to them is appropriate, correct and useful,’’ he said.

Mr Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, highlighted the need to equip youths with appropriate knowledge to make informed decisions about their reproductive and health rights.

He said: “AHF emphasises the importance of equipping them with knowledge and skills to navigate online actions safely, understand their rights and make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

“We call on African communities to support age-appropriate CSE, empowering young individuals to make informed choices and contribute to national development.

“Comprehensive sexuality education covers critical areas including abstinence, gender equality, human rights, gender based violence, sexual reproductive health, ensuring young people have the knowledge to protect themselves and their wellbeing,” he said.

Aborisade said the NDEP provide a platform for the commission to support the wellbeing of young people which allow unfettered access to age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education.

He noted that despite the global and national technology shifts, Nigeria does not have a national data on the state of digital literacy, which has implications for education, empowerment and health information, among others.

He therefore called for the development of a national curriculum and programmes for digital literacy skills, youths friendly digital health intervention, and emergency communication centres, youth friendly toll-free health line to improve access to age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education.

Responding, MS Olatokunboh Oyeleye, the Head of Digital Economy Department, NCC, urged the organisation and other stakeholders to contribute towards incorporating the required digital training in the curriculum for the different levels of education.

“We focus on online safety aspect of it and if you go through the website, you will see a lot that speaks on online safety for children.

“We want to collaborate and contribute to our sector and you should also bear in mind that when it comes to collaboration, we are a regulator.

“Look at your collaboration and how specifically does it impact on the industry and what role do you expect regulators to play that we are not playing and how do you want us to play more in those areas,” she said.

Similarly, Mr Hamisu Yahaya, an official of the NCC, assured the AHF that they would consider their suggestions and articulate it to the management for consideration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that students from Victory of God International Academy, Apo, and Chinakwe Internationl School, Dakibiyu, Jabi, featured at the IDAC event.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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NVMA wants FG to establish Ministry of veterinary medicine

Dr Ifeanyi Ogbu, Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), FCT Chapter has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to establish Federal Ministry of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health.

Ogbu made the call on the sideline of the workshop on Animal (Diseases) Control Act 2022 in Abuja.

The workshop was organised by the Division of Veterinary Epidemiology Department of Veterinary Services, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

He said that the creation of the ministry would ensure speedy control of diseases transmitted from animals to human beings.

According to him, the ministry can generate revenue for the government and create job opportunities for number of veterinary doctors graduating from numerous universities across the country.

“President Tinubu should consider making veterinary medicine a separate ministry in Nigeria, we know that he has the capacity to do it and he has started properly and started well.

“Creation of such ministry will be very useful for the country because it will now be a separate ministry that will be generating revenue for the government, create massive job opportunities for numerous veterinarians graduating from veterinary schools.

“It will enable speedy control of zonotic diseases that affect man. It will be a huge benefit for West Africa if Nigeria has Federal Ministry of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health,” he said.

Ogbu in his presentation on `Strategic Engagement of Private sector Practitioners in the Application and Enforcement of Animal Diseases Control Act’, said there was huge task in the information content of the Act.

He said there were also challenges in its possible implementation of the Act.

Ogbu said the Act also contained the role of the veterinary profession in the prevention, treatment and control of animal diseases for the overall public health.

He said the Act empowered private veterinarian practitioners in importation, exportation, surveillance, notification, animal identification, and animal farm registration.

He it also provided for monitoring and control, biosecurity, animal welfare, bees, live animal market, aquatic among others.

“Animal Diseases Control Act is a holistic guide on the role of the veterinarians in enforcement of animal related laws of the Federal Republic.

“Both the private and public veterinarians will find their strategic role to play here in safeguarding the public health through animal disease prevention and control.

“I observe that the task before vets are enormous as every nook and craning of the country needs to be monitored for compliance,” Ogbu said.

Similarly, Dr ldris Ademoh, Head, Veterinary Epidemiology Department of Veterinary Services, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, said the role of private service providers were enormous in the sector.

Ademoh said there was need for collaboration between veterinarians in private and public in the area of animal information dissemination, diseases among others.

“By law we in the public service set the standard and professionals in private sector reach out and we need a lot of feedback from them for the system to work well.

“For instance we have very few veterinary clinics in FCT. But you can imagine number of private veterinary clinics we have within FCT, now they are treating animals getting information about diseases.

“We need those information from them, it is when we have such information we can now encapsulate them into whatever policy we are rolling out.

“Without that understanding whatever you are dishing out is definitely not a reflection of what the situation is,” he said.

Ademoh said the aim of the workshop was to remind the professional of the existence of the law and aspects that were amended.

He said: “We want to see the new things that are there and how we can now define role for each component so that we can deliver the content of the Act.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Uutoni inaugurates sewage system to 620 erven at Ongwediva

Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni on Thursday inaugurated a N.dollars 15.2 million sewage system to 620 residential erven in Ongwediva’s Extension 15 and Sky Phase 1 informal areas.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Uutoni said the sewage system will greatly relieve the areas of previous problems caused by the continuous emptying of septic tanks to further development and improvement of the resident’s standard of living.

“As many of our towns and settlements are growing in population, we are experiencing a serious lack of access to proper sanitation in many of our communities which is a first vital step to fight community exposure to harmful bacteria and diseases,” he said.

He added that efforts are currently underway across the world and Namibia in particular not only to treat wastewater and offer adequate sanitation, but also to recover and reuse the valuable nutrients and freshwater they flush away daily as waste. This call for concerted efforts of all role players to work together and to improve sanitation in the localities.

Uutoni further said that Council has also resolved to grant the beneficial residents a relief to connect free of charge up to December 2023.

This means that Council will forgo for the sake of the community an amount of over N.dollars 1.3 million, he said, noting that his Ministry will continue to lobby for more funds for local authorities, as they are the ones working closer to the electorate, and are familiar with their needs and aspirations.

‘Our goal therefore, should be to remain focus and work as a team toward bringing the needed development of our communities,’ he said.

On his part, Ongwediva Town Mayor Taarah Shalyefu said council looked into the economic situation which has affected all sectors and decided to relief the residents of the two extensions by availing this service free of charge until 31 December.

“This not only reduces the financial burden on the residents but it is catalyst to improved sanitation in Ongwediva Town.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Shaama appointed as ECN Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer

Petrus Shaama has been appointed as the new Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).

Shaama will replace Theo Mujoro, who has been ECN Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer since September 2019.

Shaama will serve for a period of five years effective from 01 September 2023.

ECN announced in a statement on Friday that the appointment came after an extensive recruitment process was carried out, in which Shaama proved to be qualified and suitable for the position.

Shaama previously served as Director of Operations at ECN and has over 10 years of experience in electoral management, as well as 25 years of experience in Public Administration and Management in the public sector.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Envisaged mine at Leonardville could reduce stock theft:Nganate

The development of the envisaged uranium mine at Leonardville village in the Omeheke Region, will alleviate poverty and drastically reduce incidences of stock theft, which has become a major concern in the area.

This was the view of the region’s Governor, Pijoo Nganate during the official opening of the Uranium One office at the village on Thursday.

According to Nganate, the region this year, recorded N.dollars 5.8 million in livestock theft while only N.dollars 2.3 million has been recovered.

Nganate said poverty is a contributing factor to the high numbers in stock theft as villagers are hungry and desperate to do everything to feed their families.

“Farmers can only be alleviated of the problem of theft if an opportunity for locals to work and earn a living that does not require stealing is developed.

Any economic development in Leonardville will have beneficial spill over effects that will benefit other villages and towns,” he said.

Meanwhile, the governor advised the residents who are for and against the uranium in-situ mining currently in the pipeline for Leonardville to come together and find solutions.

“Advocating for the mine’s approval by the government will help alleviate poverty in the village, which is the main concern for the village’s and region’s high rate of stock theft,” he said.

Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Inspector Lina Binga on the sideline of the ceremony confirmed to Nampa that stock theft has become out of control and a major concern for the police as a problem that is rapidly worsening at the village in surrounding farms.

”The rate at which locals are stealing, butchering, and selling livestock to support their families or feed their addiction has become a major issue for my officers. Because the residents in this area have no other source of money, they resort to crime. People such as police officers, nurses, and teachers are already employed in this area. There are no opportunities for our people other than these specialists,” she added.

She said through the mine, residents will earn an honest income rather than resorting to crime and violence as a means of life.

Headspring Investments is the Namibian subsidiary of Uranium One, which is a subsidiary of Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear energy company.

The company’s exploration has now been halted for nearly a year while it applies for and receives approval from the government for extraction and mining rights.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Rosatom constructing school hall at Naosanabus Primary School in Omaheke

Headspring Investments has availed N.dollars 1.8 million for the construction of a school hall and full-service kitchen at the Naosanabus Primary School in the Omaheke Region.

The investment includes N.dollars 405 000 in feeding scheme support.

Headspring Investments is a subsidiary of Uranium One, which is a subsidiary of the Russian State-owned nuclear enterprise Rosatom.

In an interview on Thursday, Uranium One Deputy Director for Strategic Communications and Reputation Management, Riaan van Rooyen told Nampa the firm has spent over N.dollars 3.8 million on corporate social responsibility (CSR) to date.

He stated that for years, the school used a corrugated shanty to make meals for its learners, but that it had collapsed and was no longer fit to prepare food in a clean and healthy environment.

“We are looking at social upliftment in the Leonardville community with the goal of addressing the people’s actual and real needs. We were able to recognise the need and assist with this initiative through talking with community people,” he said.

Construction started two weeks and will be completed by the end of September 2023.

Meanwhile, Petra Witbooi, Chairperson of the Leonardville Village Council, stated that the village council relies significantly on rates and taxes to fund developmental activities in the hopes that these programmes will be continued to the point of generating more income for the village.

Witbooi said the village council leadership appreciates such private sector initiatives and can only hope that similar investments would be made accessible to the village that will benefit its people.

“We invite stakeholders with business ideas to come knock on our doors. We have enough land to build more infrastructure and enterprises,” she added.

Witbooi said the governor’s recent State of the Region Address emphasised the potential for many developmental efforts in the village, and the council is therefore pleased to note that Leonardville is keeping up with the rest of the region.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency