LEAH CHARITY FOUNDATION @ 2

Undoubtedly, the business of governance, promotion of peoples welfare, empowerment of teeming youth and assistance of the poor masses either in cash or in kind is beyond what an entity called government can shoulder.

In developed economies, non-governmental organizations, associations, women groups, labour unions, students unions among others play their roles in ensuring that the society is lively enough for people to live-in.

Despite the economic and socio-political challenges in this part of the world, some Non-Governmental Organizations also found it imperative to think out of box to genuinely assist the people through empowerment and medical needs of women and children. Among the identified Non-Governmental Organizations is the pet project of the Wife of the Kwara State Governor, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed called LEAH Charity Foundation.

The LEAH Charity Foundation in the last two years has been collaborating with the Kwara State Government and other relevant organizations in impacting positively on the lives of the people in the areas of social welfare, health and education.

The Foundation under LEAH Youth Empowerment Scheme had empowered over 56 Youths with trading tools like recharge cards and call centre opening tents as well as barbing equipment, to unemployed youth, while about 200 have benefited from various trading tools like grinding machines, Deep Freezers, Hair Dressing equipments and capital, ranging from N20, 000 to N50, 000, under the LEAH Women Empowerment.

Also, the Foundation is concerned about the plight of people living with disabilities as 23 men and women received various levels of economic empowerment support ranging from outright cash grants to the provision of photocopier machine, generating set, deep freezers and grinding machines while the Foundation also donated 21 wheel chairs, crutches, hearing and walking aids to some people with one form of disability or the other.

Recently, the Foundation collaborated with another organization, Tolaran foundation to provide artificial limbs to 39 Amputees spread across the State.

Interestingly, the LEAH Charity Foundation’s Clinic-on-the-Wheel is taking free medical care in form of examination, analysis, treatment and referrals to the rural and semi-urban communities in Kwara State and the Foundation has reached out to over 300, 000 people in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Asa, Kaiama, Baruten, Oyun, Irepodun Local Government areas and among others where free Malaria treatments, free eye glasses and sundry rests were carried out on each mission.

LEAH Sight Restoration Scheme is also designed to grant people the access to free eye tests, auto-refraction services and free surgeries and under the scheme about 5, 000 people accessed this programme, 1, 500 received eye glasses and 1, 400 both adult and children were operated on and the rest were either given drugs and eye drops.

Last year’s December, the Foundation hosted a week long reading camp, the first of its kind in the country, where over 200 Junior and Secondary pupils from all over the State were exposed to the benefit of reading as a life-long skill.

Interestingly, the Foundation has gone a step further in organizing breast and Cervical Cancer screening test at Sobi Specialist Hospital, Cottage Hospital, Adewole and Children Specialist Hospital, Centre Igboro with a view to ascertaining their status, manage their health condition and stop further spread of the disease.

It is therefore believed that if the spate of the hardwork, commitment and zeal of touching lives positively already started by the Wife of the Kwara State Governor and Founding Trustee of LEAH Charity Foundation, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed is sustained and improved upon Kwaran women and children would remain grateful to the First Lady as we look forward to more years of humanitarian assistance to those in dear need of assistance.

Happy Second Anniversary in Office.

DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA

Development is a normative word which tends to prescribe what ought to be achieved from one stage of life. It is a process of improvement with respect to a set of values that exist before while to many scholars; it is a comparative state of affairs.

Some other scholars also see development in terms of economic growth accompanied by social, political, cultural and institutional changes and each change is regarded as positive change.

In essence, a critical look at various sectors of Nigerian e

conomy gives a better picture of the state of affairs in Nigeria whether the country is actually developing, developed or stagnated.

Prior to Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the British Colonial Government came up with her development plan to the then colonized territory in order to suit her exploration and colonization objectives in the country.

Upon gaining independence, the nationalists saw the need to ensure a far-reaching development plan that would put Nigeria on the path of growth through its development aspirations.

It is on record that the First National Development Plan of 1962 to 1968 which later extended to 1970 as a result of the military intervention of 1966 and civil war recorded a notable achievements which included the execution of projects like the Port Harcourt Refinery, Jebba Paper Mill, Sugar Mill in Bacita, Niger Dam, Niger Bridge, Ports extension and construction of a number of trunk ‘A’ roads.

Interestingly, the first generation universities which included the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) were established by both the Federal and regional governments.

In 1970, General Yakubu Gowon launched the Second National Development Plan on behalf of the Federal and the then twelve State Governments. The plan was primarily designed to focus on the reconstruction of a war-battered economy and the promotion of economic and social development in the new Nigeria.

Notable among the achievements of the Second Development Plan were the successful construction of many federal roads, take off of the National Youth Service Corps, introduction of Federal Scholarship and loan schemes for Nigerian students.

Equally, the Third National Development Plan was launched in April, 1975 with pleasant objectives of increase in per capital income, more even distribution of income, reduction in the level of unemployment, diversification of the economy, indigenization of economic activities among others. However, all these objectives could not see the light of the day as a result of the incursion of another Military Government in July, 1975, barely three moths after the Plan was launched.

For the first in the history of the country, democratically elected government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari launched the Fourth National Development Plan in 1981, expected to last till 1985. Unlike the previous Development Plans, the Fourth Plan was the first in which the Local Governments were made to participate at the levels of preparation and they were also allowed to have their own separate progrmmes under the Plan.

The Fourth Development Plan was again affected by the change of government in 1983 and by yet another change in 1985. Indeed, the performance of the economy during the Fourth Plan was generally poor and the period eventually saw an end to major National Development.

No doubt, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) introduced in 1986 by General Ibrahim Babangida and Vision 2010 Plan of General Sani Abacha have both negative and positive effects on the social, economic and political spheres of Nigeria. In fact, the two regimes left scars of wound in Nigerian economy which hitherto remain unhealed.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, government at all levels, particularly at the Federal levels have embarked on series of reforms, short, medium and long term plans which include the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies (NEEDS) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Seven Point Agenda, Vision 20: 2020, the United Nations adopted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among others without appreciable result.

A Development Economist, George Leiser once opined that before you can say that one country is making progress; one must provide answers to what has been happening to poverty? What has been happening to unemployment? And what has been happening to inequality between the poor and the rich?

Hence, the accentuated inequality, pervasive poverty and increasing unemployment rate should be addressed to bring about the accelerated development in social, economic and political landscapes of the country.

Government at all levels must shun policy somersault, corruption, favouritism and nepotism, bad governance and stem the rising spate of insecurity with a view to returning Nigeria to the path of progress.

NIGERIA AND ITS FOREIGN POLICY

Since Nigeria’s Independence in 1960 from the British Government, its Foreign Policy has been characterized by a focus on Africa, especially its unity and independence, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes. It has also ensured non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations, and striven to promote regional economic cooperation and development.

In pursuing the goal of regional economic cooperation and development, Nigeria was central to the creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975 which seeks to harmonize trade and investment practices for its fifteen member nations.

It would be recalled that a Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon led a delegation of Nigeria and Togo to tour West African Countries towards persuading them and build a regional body that would promote socio-economic and political emancipation of the region.

To this end, since the return of democracy in the past decade, Nigeria has continued its tradition by playing a pivotal role in the support of peace in Africa. It is on record that Nigeria has provided the bulk of troops for the United Nations Peace-Keeping Missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as the African Union Mission in Sudan while Nigeria’s role during South African Apartheid regime still fresh in our memories.

Suffice to say that Nigeria has demonstrated commitment to the strengthening and renewal of its ties with the International Community. The regimes of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua visited several countries of the world in an effort to renew Nigeria’s ties with some other countries of the world.

In June, 2007, late President Umaru Yar’Adua attended the Annual G-8 Summit in Helligendamn, Germany, after an invitation by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, where he met many world leaders. Among issues discussed with the leaders were the fixing of the crisis-ridden energy sector, economic exchange, as well as questions relating to the African Union and the West African regional organization.

President Goodluck Jonathan has also since his emergence in May, 2011 visited a number of countries which include the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and several other African Nations in the name of strengthening the nation’s diplomatic relations with other countries of the world. The question is to what extent were those overseas trips in the name of strengthening bilateral or multilateral ties or wooing investors have impacted on the lives of ordinary Nigerians?

It must be noted that several regimes have employed many foreign policy thrusts ranging from Concentric, Citizens Diplomacy to Economic Diplomacy with a view to promoting Nigeria’s national interest and attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country.

Emphasizing the new shift of using Nigeria’s diplomatic platform to drive growth and national development, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru stressed that henceforth, Nigerians missions abroad would form the new vanguard and foot-soldiers of the country’s economic diplomacy.

At the opening of the 3-day seminar to review the nation’s foreign policy, Ambassador Ashiru maintained that the new thinking in government is the use of the nation’s foreign policy initiatives to induce economic growth and overall national development at home, pointing out that Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust must translate into putting food on the table of ordinary Nigerians at home.

In essence, all diplomatic gestures of the Federal Government must be tailored towards improving the living standard of the people, while Nigeria should make effort at making meaningful presence at sub-regional, regional and international community rather than unproductive and unfruitful diplomatic assistance like "Old Father Christmas" to some countries under the guise of being the giant of Africa.

Nigerian leaders should therefore halt the growing spate of insecurity, corruption and non-adherence to the rule of law as key instruments towards attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country. This is because, domestic events would tell much on the success or otherwise of any foreign policy objective.

Hence, there is the need for a strong domestic policy in order to build a vibrant foreign policy abroad by adequately funding the Nigeria missions abroad to enable them perform diligently and promote the image of Nigeria, her people and goods in their various places with a view to wooing more foreign investors into the country.

NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMMISSION @ 20

On August, twenty-four, nineteen-ninety-two, a remarkable history was made in Nigerian broadcast industry with the establishment of the regulatory body for the nation’s electronic sub sector of the media industry, that is, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

The Ibrahim Babangida administration promulgated Decree thirty-eight of nineteen ninety-two, now an Act of the National Assembly which created the National Broadcasting Commission and simultaneously ended the over fifty years of government sole ownership of broadcasting in Nigeria.

It is not with doubt that the action broke government monopoly of the broadcasting sector and opened the playing field for private investors to join the information revolution that was gradually engulfing the world through the integration of digital technology.

Apart from advising the Federal Government Generally on the implementation of the National Mass Communication Policy with particular reference to broadcasting, the functions of the commission include; receiving, processing and considering applications of the establishment, ownership or operation of Radio and Television Stations, including cable television services, direct Satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting.

Other important functions of the National Broadcasting Commission are to recommend applications through to President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for the grant of radio and television licenses and issuance, renewal and renovation of licenses of broadcast Industry as well as setting standards through the National Broadcasting Code on acceptable content and quality of programming and non-programme materials broadcast.

Interestingly, the Commission which started operation in nineteen ninety-two from its office at Tafawa Balewa squares in Lagos has gone nationwide with ten zonal offices and seventeen offices spread out in such a way that every broadcasting station in the country is within on-air monitoring reach.

Today, Nigeria can boast of one hundred and twenty-three private radio and television stations as well as two hundred and thirty-three broadcasting stations owned by the Federal and state governments compared to twenty-four stations at the Commissions take off stage in nineteen ninety-two.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on the twentieth anniversary of the NBC, the Director-General of the Commission, Engineer Yomi Bolarinwa explained that the most important achievement of the Commission was the laying of a strong institutional foundation that would effectively continue to pilot the affairs of the broadcast industry in the manner anticipated by the fundamental objectives and Directives of state policy in nineteen ninety-nine constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Engineer Bolarinwa added that the Commission had internalized defined vision and mission to enable the emergence of a sustainable broadcast industry, which satisfied the social, political and economic need of the people of Nigeria.

In spite some of the achievements of the Commission in the last twenty years, there are still some obvious challenges confronting the regulatory agency ranging from the inability of the commission to solely grant licences without recourse to the President to the issue good quality programming.

On the issue of digitization of broadcast industry, it is not an understatement to say that Nigeria is already lagging behind meeting the deadline for the conversion from analogue to digital in line with International standard.

Hence, the time has come to empower the NBC like the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) in licensing and regulating the operations of broadcast stations in Nigeria with a view to raising the bar for swifter response to ethical and regulatory infractions.

The NBC Act should also be amended to take care of emerging challenges in broadcasting industry to make the regulating body relevant in the sector while the campaign for community radio should be intensified as well as promoting quality broadcasting among broadcast stations in Nigeria.

GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY: ANY HOPE?

The issue of global insecurity has become a recurring decimal; resurfacing almost everyday, everywhere, attracting different reactions from various categories of the people in all parts of the world.

Bomb blast, missile or bomb testing, assassination, armed robbery, ethno-religious riots, kidnapping, coup de tat among others are typical news heard around the globe today, showing the level of threat and insecurity in the world, thereby making the world an endangered place.

In September two thousand, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted an eight point declaration referred to as United Nations Millennium Declaration. It encompasses peace, security and disarmament, development and poverty eradication, protecting the environment, human rights, democracy and good governance.

Under the Peace, Security and Disarmament Declaration, the United Nations disclosed that effort would not be spared to free people from the scourge of war, whether within or between states, which has claimed more than five million lives in the past decade.

Today, it is so difficult to identify a nation that is free from insecurity or conflict, most especially in the African and Asian Continents.

The lingering Niger Delta crisis is a big challenge to the Nigerian government to address, Darfur crisis in Sudan, America’s invasion of Iraq, the Taliban and Al Qaeda issue in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Israel-Palestine dispute, Russia’s attack on Georgia, political crisis in Kenya, Niger Republic, Zimbabwe, Guinea Bissau and Xenophobic attack in South Africa are just a few to mention, showing the level of violence and unrest across the world.

Speaking at a Symposium organized by the National Assessment Synthesis Team for the United States Global Research Programme, Professor Anderson George of Cambridge University debunked the notion that the United States is succeeding in addressing the problem of global insecurity.

The Professor explained that the futility of US-Mission in different countries now could be inferred from the alarming rate of emergence of new terrorism.
Therefore it there is any disturbing fear about terrorism it is that rarely do military forces defeat or obliterate it.

To strengthen campaign on the need for peace from local to international level, the United Nations dedicates every twenty-first of September as International Day of Peace or the World Peace Day. The day which was first celebrated in nineteen eighty-one, is meant to be a day of non-violence and cease-fire.

Hence, the day will remain fruitless unless the world body, United Nations, regional bodies like African Union (AU), ECOWAS, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Arab League and European Union as well as other international organizations like the Red Cross truly work towards promoting peace and security, by stressing the need for all countries of the world and international organizations to foster friendship, peace, justice among nations as well as fighting poverty at all levels.

Former United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, once said “if war is failure of diplomacy, then diplomacy both bilateral and multilateral, is our first line of difference. The world today spends billions preparing for war, shouldn’t we spend a billion or two preparing for peace?”.

No doubt, without peace, there would not be friendly relationship and without friendly relationship, there would not be development and without development, the whole world would not be conducive for all to live in.

It is very imperative for the United Nations to be truly effective without fair or favour in maintaining peace and security by providing resources and tools for conflict re-building and reconstruction to ensure peaceful co-existence of the whole world.

Community leaders, traditional rulers and government at all levels should strive towards ensuring peaceful co-existence in their respective societies.

IMBIBLE THE LESSONS OF RAMADHAN

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become pious. Fasting for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number should be made up from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, they have choice to either fast or to feed a poor person everyday. But whoever does good of his record, it is better for him.

And that you fast, is better for you only if you know.

The above quotation as contained in chapter two verses one hundred and eighty-three to one hundred and eighty-four of the holy Qur’an is the commandment of Allah, the Exalted, on all Muslim faithful but with few exception.

For about a month, Muslim faithful across the globe have being fasting in line with Allah’s commandment to reap Allah’s maximum reward through their total submission to the will of the Almighty.

Indeed, apart from spiritual benefit, it has been established that other benefits derivable from fasting include, medical or health benefit, social and psychological benefits.

During this period of spiritual rejuvenation, Muslims move closer to Allah by reading from the glorious Qur’an day and night, cultivate good manners, eating and drinking with members of the family and share other things among friends, relatives and other members of the society, thereby promoting peace, love and enhance unity within and beyond each family.

It is also important to note that fasting is a period of learning self-restraint and patience. And with patience, Muslims are able to strengthen their resolve to worship Allah alone, with sincerity and also to cope with other world activities without much ado.

Apart from abstaining from eating and drinking during this period, Muslims also restrain their souls from greed and stinginess, telling lies, adultery, fornication, backbiting, impatience and hypocrisy, and instead seeking Allah’s blessings, forgiveness, mercies, reading Qur’an and making supplications day and night in order to seek Allah’s maximum reward.

However, if all the virtues and lessons accrued during this month are imbibed, no doubt, there would be peace of mind, love, unity, harmony and cohesion needed in the society.

If Ramadan lessons are properly imbibed, it would go a long was in helping the nation to achieve the desired development as every individual would be providing selfless but purposeful services to the nation.

We must therefore resolve to sustain the present good deeds like recitation from the Glorious Qur’an, prayers day and night as well as restraining from don’ts of the Almighty Allah, the Most High.

All wealth individuals should sustain giving alms to the poor and needy to better their lots as poor do not live during Ramadan alone while everyone must work towards promoting love, unity and peace within our various families and the society at large.

Above all, let the fear of God continue.

TACKLING THE MENACE OF CHOLERA IN NIGERIA

For a very long time, Nigeria has been bedeviled with series of communicable and non communicable diseases which have claimed several lives.

It is on record that on many occasions, diseases like polio, yellow fever, dengue fever, river blindness among others do erupt across the country, taking away great potential leaders.

In fact, it is hardly difficult for two months or so to pass in Nigeria without the outbreak of any disease across the length and breadth of the country.

Presently, there is outbreak of Cholera in about eleven states, which had claimed over five hundred lives. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Vibro Cholera which can be acquired by food or water contaminated by fecal material.

Today, Cholera is ravaging States like Osun, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Taraba, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, making other States susceptible to the dreadful disease.

Confirming the ugly development, the Chief Epidemiologist in the Federal Ministry of Health, Doctor Henry Akpan said about six thousand suspected cases had been reported, while there were other reports in the media which said the victims are more than that.

Available records show that Bauchi State had two thousand, four hundred and seventeen cases and about one hundred deaths, while one hundred and twenty and sixty five deaths had been recorded in Borno and Katsina States respectively.

Medical Experts have however attributed the outbreak to lack of access to safe water and good sanitary environment, which, in fact, makes all States of the Federation susceptible to the outbreak of the disease.

The fact that the case has not been reported in some parts of the country doesn’t insulate such states from the disease.

Hence, government at all levels must therefore ensure proper supply of potable water and proper maintenance of public utilities, particularly toilets and boreholes with a view to guaranteeing sound environment and hygienic for all and sundries.

Attitudinal change also needs to be advocated among Nigerians on making their environment tidy at all times as well as ensuring that water, fruits and foods are safe before taking them.

Epidemiologists and sanitary inspectors must be employed and supported in all the seven hundred and seventy- four local government areas of the country, to increase surveillance, treatment and enlightenment campaign across the country.

Conclusively, it is necessary for the president to be proactive and develop long term mechanism that will put an end to this scourge of epidemic while comprehensive probe should also be made into how the money budgeted and released by governments and development partners like UNICEF,WHO,MDGS and the World bank on water supply are expended in the last ten years.