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How Lagos plans to achieve sustainable tourism, by Ambode

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How Lagos plans to achieve sustainable tourism, by Ambode

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has stressed his administration’s intention to encourage sustainable tourism, which can further catapult the state’s internally-generated revenue (IGR) to the heights.

Akinwunmi-Ambode
Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State

According to the governor, this can be done by taking full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism, and addressing the needs of visitors, the industry and host communities.

This is contained in his keynote address during the 2017 Walk for Nature programme themed “Cleaner Lagos: The Foundation for Sustainable Ecotourism” at the State House car park, Marina, Lagos, on Saturday, October 21, 2017 organised by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for the Environment, Samuel Babatunde Adejare, disclosed that the state “has great advantages in nature-based tourism and ecotourism activities”.

Sustainable tourism, he said, can be achieved through making optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development.

“We have good examples of how we can achieve this here in Lagos. The Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC) offers us a glimpse into what is achievable if we set our minds to it, and shows that working together is our best chance of success,” he said.

Speaker after speaker at the event, which took place after a trek from the car park through the Marina stretch to outer Marina and back to the park, agreed no less that the state was on course in its journey towards attracting tourists with a cleaner, beautiful environment.

The Commissioner for the Environment, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Babatunde Hunpe, in his welcome address, said the event was an opportunity to celebrate the environment and respond to environmental challenges posed by nature.

And according to the President, Board of Trustees (BoT) of NCF, Philip Asiodu, stressing the importance of a clean environment, said even “if the state succeeds in attracting tourists”, with a dirty environment, the visitors would not want to come back.

The governor continued: “The primary aim of our administration with regard to tourism is to create an enabling environment for the growth of the (tourism) sector and maximise the benefits of tourism for the development of our state, by influencing patterns of visitor flows and behaviour.

“The Cleaner Lagos initiative (CLI), which encapsulates the ongoing broad reforms in the solid waste management sector, and the newly-passed environmental laws are both geared towards the preservation of our environment in Lagos State in a holistic and sustainable manner, as well as the attainment of a cleaner, healthier and more livable state that transforms into a tourist haven.”

He expressed optimism that the Walk for Nature initiative would continue to encourage all sectors of the society to take small but incremental steps towards environmental sustainability and support the programme “which is one of the effective means to advocate the protection of the environment”.

In his vote of thanks, the Chairman, National Executive Council of NCF, Ede Dafinone, urged all to appreciate and conserve nature, otherwise coming generations would not have the opportunity to appreciate nature.

He thanked the state government for continued partnership with NCF to conserve nature.

Ambode, while launching the CLI in June, said the initiative would provide 40,000 jobs while ensuring health safety.

By Innocent Onwuji

Nigeria urged to expand family planning access to reduce climate vulnerability

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Nigeria urged to expand family planning access to reduce climate vulnerability

Expanding family planning access to women who need it, will help Nigeria to drastically reduce it’s citizen’s vulnerability to impacts of climate change as well  as meet at least six goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty eradication, zero hunger, gender equality and reduced inequalities.

Roger-Mark De Souza
Roger-Mark De Souza, Director of Population, Environmental Security and Resilience at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholarship. Photo credit: newsecuritybeat.org

Roger-Mark De Souza, Director of Population, Environmental Security and Resilience at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholarship, made  the submission recently during a webinar for Nigerian journalists.

Speaking on a topic: “Challenges climate poses for Population Dynamics”, he noted that Nigeria alongside 33 others mostly in sub-Saharan Africa fall under what he referred as as “climate change hotspot” which is an area with high population growth, reducing agricultural potential and high vulnerability to impacts of climate change.

He explained that climate change has fueled inequalities, poverty, and water scarcity, among development indices, such that people with large families are unable to adequately cater for the needs of their children, thus even widening the inequality gap.

Another angle to the issue, he said, is that  in event of climate change disasters such as insecurity, flooding, and others, resources are not sufficient to attend to the needs of victims where population is huge.

His words: “Population is an important wedge to stabilise emission. Population control if voluntarily carried out would reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts. If you want to have three, four, to five children, you want to provide for them and climate change impacts – weather pattern, agricultural productivity, water scarcity, conflict and natural disasters, is making all of these difficult. Ultimately, how can Nigeria policy makers recognise that while having a large population size means you are powerful, but at the same time strike a balance between powerful and the need of the community.

“When disaster or conflict occurs, that may be tied to natural resources and people are to be displaced. There are many of the communities particularly in United States. Vulnerable communities can be relocated.”

Nigeria’s population is estimated at 180 million, representing an increase by 40 million in 11 years, but about 70 percent of the citizens live bellow the poverty line.

De Souza, who observed that large number of women in sub-Saharan Africa are faced with the problem of unmet need for family planning, said high level policy support from government is needed to make the birth control commodities available to the people.

“Give more high level support to national reproductive health and family planning programmes to reduce the high unmet need for contraception and improve maternal and mortality.

“Note that large families are not currently Sustainable and to expand access to family planning in addition to other adaptation strategies, example food and water.”

He maintained that where women can properly control child bearing, they will be free to empower themselves through skill acquisition or education, earn income and improve their lives and those of their families, thus contributing to the realisation of the SDGs.

Earlier, Samantha Newport, Head of Communications, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Nigeria, said more aids were needed to provide essential services to properly cater for victims of Boko Haram activities at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

According to her, the mouth-watering aid by the United Nations this year, has helped in no small measure to ensure regular supply of portable water, food, and medication, among other SDGs requirements to IDPs in the North East.

“The international system has rapidly scaled up and saved millions of lives. We reached two million people with food assistance every month and have provided hundreds of thousands of children with life-saving nutritional support.

“We have averted famine, but millions of people are still at risk if more international help is not forthcoming,” he said, warning that the humanitarian situation remained precarious.

According to statistics from the UN, the nine years of conflict in Nigeria has left about 17 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the Lake Chad Basin, including 8.5 million in the North East.

By Innocent Onoh

Abuja chamber lauds VP’s economic planning, development efforts

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Abuja chamber lauds VP’s economic planning, development efforts

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has commended Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), for the conclusions reached at the recent National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, saying they are critical first steps towards harmonising economic planning and development among the various levels of government.

Osinbajo
Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo

Making the commendation, the incoming President of the Chamber, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), described the new approach by the Vice President as “a determined step to create synergy in national economic planning to provide a common sense of development direction for the country”.

He observed that “until now the National Economic Council (NEC) has not fully launched out to initiate and coordinate national economic direction for which it was established by the constitution.

“The ACCI commends the Presidency and particularly the Vice President for finally activating the constitutional authority of the NEC to initiate, integrate, and direct the focus of national economic development so that the various tiers of government will no longer be working at cross purposes, or in silos.”

Prince Kayode, who was cabinet minister in four capacities, explained that under the 1999 Constitution, the structure for effective political and economic governance of Nigeria is broadly divided.

The legal luminary noted that while the President as Chief Executive presides over the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Defence, Security and Police Councils and also chairs the National Council of States (NCS), on the other hand, the Constitution mandates the Vice President to chair the NEC with membership including all state governors, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and others.

“It is thus clear that the constitution intended the Vice President to superintend the economy, of course, under the general direction of Mr. President. So if the Vice President is enabled to fully implement the authority already given to his office by the constitution then as the focal authority for the management of the national economy along with the state governments, we can easily develop an integrated approach to economic planning and execution.

“The NEC is a potent and veritable platform to ensure a concerted approach towards national economic development, the surest way forward for economic growth and betterment.

“The next stage is now for the NEC to be fully institutionalised with a functioning secretariat through which inter – governmental economic planning can be coordinated with the National Planning Commission (also by law chaired by the Vice President), the state governments and other government agencies under the leadership of the Vice President,” the Organised Private Sector chief said.

“For the economic prosperity, growth, peace and progress of our country, the Vice President must work towards strengthening the National Economic Council so that joint efforts at planning can make a difference in Nigeria’s quest for greatness,” he concluded.

 

World Trauma Day: Injury kills more than HIV, TB, Malaria combined – Pharmacist

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World Trauma Day: Injury kills more than HIV, TB, Malaria combined – Pharmacist

A pharmacist, Lanre Alege, says injury is a trauma that kills more people every year than Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), tuberculosis and malaria combined.

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Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole

Alege made the assertion in his lecture at the monthly keep fit exercise for staffers of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) on Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the Main Bowl of the Kwara Stadium.

He advised Nigerians to always prevent themselves against trauma.

Alege, who said World Trauma Day is being celebrated on Oct. 17 every year, listed some of the preventive measures to include keeping children away from electric switches, sharp objects and medications, and following road safety rules carefully.

Others, according to him, include having a First Aid Safety Kit handy and to learn basic life support techniques, adding that timely emergency care saves life.

Also, on Osteoporosis or bone loss, Alege, who is the Coordinator of the keep fit exercise, said that one in three women, and one in five men over the age of 50 will experience arthritis.

“We need to reduce the rate of bone loss through regular exercise, consumption of calcium and vitamin D supplement.

“You have to love your bone to protect your future,’’ Alege said.

He said that World Osteoporosis Day is also being celebrated every Oct. 20.

The lecture is part of the exercise that includes jogging and walking as well as flexibility exercise.

By Olayinka Owolewa

Reps to pass bill on climate change agency soon

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Reps to pass bill on climate change agency soon

Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change, Samuel Onuigbo, says the House of Representatives will soon pass a bill seeking to create an agency on climate change.

Sam Onuigbo
Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change, Sam Onuigbo

Onuigbo disclosed this on Saturday, October 21, 2017 in Abuja at a climate change walk programme organised by Ecolife Conservation Initiative, an NGO, as a pre-event to mark the International Day for Climate Change Action on Oct. 24.

Onuigbo, representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State, said the bill would address challenges of climate and environment in the country.

He said that the bill would also provide a legal framework for the mainstreaming of climate change, seek responses and actions into government policy formulation.

He said that the bill had passed through first and second reading in the House, adding that it would soon be considered by stakeholders at a public hearing.

“With the passion the Speaker and Senate president are having towards ensuring that the law is being passed, I am sure that this bill will become law by second week of November.

“The bill has gone through first and second reading on the floor of the House on Thursday, Oct. 19, and the bill is also going to get everyone involved because climate change issues concern every citizen,” he said.

Onuigbo however advised all the Ministries, Department and Agencies as well as other stakeholders to support the government in ensuring that the environment was protected.

Mr Henry Akwitti, the National President of the NGO, said that the walk programme was to create awareness about climate change and educate FCT residents on steps to take to reduce carbon emission and develop climate-resilient pathways.

Akwitti said that the programme was to commemorate this year’s International Day for Climate Change Action marked on Oct. 24 annually.

“We all are aware that climate change is a very important subject matter considering its devastating effects as we have seen in case of floods, drought, famine and practically all spheres of human life.

“Therefore, our environment must not be ignored, we must protect our environment for better and healthy life,” he said.

He said that the organisation was focused in achieving environmental stability through sustainable green projects and massive public campaign.

He called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of keeping the environment clean to promote environmental health.

This theme for this year’s programme is: “Sustainable Solution’’.

By Vivian Emoni

World Habitat Day: Awards will promote human, capital development

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World Habitat Day: Awards will promote human, capital development

The World Habitat Humanitarian and Philanthropic Awards for Excellence is designed to encourage notable Nigerians to do more in the area of human and capital development.

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World Habitat Day 2017

Chief Sunnie Chukumele, the Chairman, Board of Trustee of the World Habitat Ambassador Foundation (WHAF), made this known on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Chukumele also said that the award was to mark the UN World Habitat Day.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia says, “World Habitat Day is observed every year on the first Monday of October throughout the world.

“It was officially designated by the United Nations and first celebrated in 1986.

“The purpose of the day is to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic human right to adequate shelter.

“It also aims to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the habitat of future generations.’’

According to Chukumele, it is also aimed at promoting environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and healthy livings, while encouraging human capacity building through schemes and jobs creation, promote culture, cultural pride, intercultural communication and religion tolerance.

“It is also aimed at encouraging and promoting social and environmentally sustainable human settlements, development, urbanisation and shelter for all.

“WHAF is working to help people to access decent, healthy and secure shelter through identifying innovative housing policy, practices and promoting these ideas through programmes, events, summit, workshops and conferences,’’ he said.

Chukumele also said that essence of the World Habitat beauty pageant was to give young women the opportunity to come together, regardless of their background, tribe or religion to build and foster better relationships.

He said that the pageant was to inspire and empower young women to develop and utilise their inner strength and qualities positively to impact on their society and the world.

The WHAF chairman, Board of Trustee, said that the foundation, annually gave a maximum set of awards to celebrate and appreciate the efforts of certain individuals, organisations, corporate bodies and government parastatals agencies.

“These are organisations that have shown dedication to the growth and development of Africa and have been in the forefront in addressing issues affecting urbanisation, environment and human capital development.’’ he said.

According to him, the 2017 awardees are selected on criteria set by the Advisory Governing Council of WHAF.

The 2017 awardees include Retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the President Amnesty Programme and DIG Emmanuel Inyang, Department of Training and Development, Force Headquarters.

Chukumele said that the 2017 Miss UN-World Habitat winner, Miss Fawaz Zahra, won the crown in a highly-contested competition.

He said that the first runner-up was Miss Goodnews Otor; second runner-up is Miss Rosella Iferike; third runner-up Miss Joy Israel, while Miss Joy Salami, emerged the fourth runner-up.

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

AfDB strategy to guarantee tons of additional food production

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AfDB strategy to guarantee tons of additional food production

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has developed a new initiative called the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative – a knowledge and innovation-based response to the recognised need of scaling up proven technologies across Africa.

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Acting Vice President of AfDB, Dr. Kapil Kapoor

Already, 25 African countries have written letters to the AfDB confirming their interest and readiness to participate in TAAT, and help transform their agriculture.

It will support AfDB’s Feed Africa Strategy for the continent to eliminate the current massive importation of food and transform its economies by targeting agriculture as a major source of economic diversification and wealth, as well as a powerful engine for job creation.

The initiative will implement 655 carefully considered actions that should result in almost 513 million tons of additional food production and lift nearly 250 million Africans out of poverty by 2025.

TAAT will execute bold plans to contribute to a rapid agricultural transformation across Africa through raising agricultural productivity along eight Priority Intervention Areas (PIAs).

The commodities value chains to benefit from this initiative are rice, cassava, pearl millet, sorghum, groundnut, cowpea, livestock, maize, soya bean, yam, cocoa, coffee, cashew, oil palm, horticulture, beans, wheat and fish.

“TAAT was born out of this major consultation and brings together global players in agriculture, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, World Food Programme, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, Rockefeller Foundation and national and regional agricultural research systems, ” said AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina, at a TAAT side event at the 2017 World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s the biggest consolidation of efforts to accelerate agriculture technology uptake in Africa. Technology will address the variability and the new pests and diseases that will surely arise with climate change,” he said.

Adesina explained that TAAT would help break down decades of national boundary-focused seed release systems. Seed companies will have regional business investments, not just national ones, he said. “That will be revolutionary and will open up regional seed industries and markets.”

TAAT, he explained, is to be implemented through a collectively agreed central delivery platform, coordinated by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, with national, regional and international agricultural research centres.

“TAAT is a transformative and landmark partnership effort. The African Development Bank, World Bank, AGRA, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation intend to mobilise $1 billion to help scale up technologies across Africa.”

The Director, External Communications in the African Region of the World Bank Group, Haleh Bridi, described TAAT as a regional technology delivery infrastructure for agriculture, linking countries across agro-ecological zones.

Bridi stressed that Africa can learn from Asia, which had made “amazing strides” in its agricultural revolution. “This is why we are involved in the TAAT programme,” she said to resounding applause.

The Director for Agricultural Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nick Austin, said, “Technology obviously evolves the journey to prosperity, the way economies transform and the way small-holder farmers engage.”

“Locally, there are varieties. Locally, there are new technologies and solutions to small-holder farmers. We are in the position to play a key role in bringing the best technologies available and supporting new ways in delivering this to farmers. We are delighted and excited to be part of this initiative.”

President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Agnes Kalibata, stressed that African governments should drive technological development in agriculture.

“What TAAT is going to have to do is work with the governments. We have lots of institutions that are ready for these technologies. We should work with governments to ensure that the technologies are not just ready to work, but become available to their country people. I think that ensuring that the farmers get all the technologies they need is going to be very important,” she said.

President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Raj Shah, highlighted the impact of technology on agricultural yields.

Amina Mohammed seeks leadership opportunities for youth

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Amina Mohammed seeks leadership opportunities for youth

The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, has asked older Nigerians to pave the way for the youth by creating leadership opportunities for them.

Amina Mohammed
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, speaking at the Cultural Night at Nigeria House, New York, organised by Nigerians working in the UN System

Mohammed, who stated this at a Cultural Night organised by Nigerians working at the United Nations System, urged older Nigerians to stop competing with the younger ones for employment opportunities.

“Whenever there are opportunities, try and pave the way for the young ones; you are getting old and we want to see the young ones in the system.

“We need to give the youth the opportunity because if we don’t give them the opportunities, they can easily fall victims of crimes,” she said.

According to her, the Nigerian employees at the UN system are getting old and there is the need for the Nigerian youth to be allowed to come into the system.

Mohammed has repeatedly stressed the need for Nigeria to create opportunities for its burgeoning youth population  at the UN System through the Junior Professional Officers’ (JPO) Programme, including internship for young Nigerian graduates.

According to her, Nigeria has the opportunity to sponsor its youth for UN careers through the JPO.
But Nigeria has not seized the opportunity in a long while, she noted.

JPO is a programme for the young people to come and grow their career at the UN and it has 37 positions for Nigeria – one for each of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

The JPO programme provides young professionals with hands-on experience in multilateral technical co-operation, and is one of the best ways to gain entry level positions within the UN system.

JPOs are sponsored by their own government, which fund their placement in one of a range of UN organisations.

“Home really does need us; there are leaders and we are trying with the professionals that we see in the United Nations.

“The work we need to do is not just to the world but also to remember that at the root of all that, you are only as good as where you come from.

“And it’s really important that we remember, with what we do here, what we can get back home, that we can encourage those at home, and inspire them.

“It’s not just what we do for the world but can’t we take those expertise back home? Amina said, urging them to make the best use of every opportunity they got.

She condemned what she termed alarming gender-based violence in Nigeria, saying it has increased in dimensions that one could never imagine.

“So when I look back home and I see that there are women that are coming back from Boko Haram captivity, they come back with a type of violence that many, for the rest of their lives, can’t recover from.

“But I also see that what is worse is the kind of violence that is visited upon the young girl. She is indoctrinated and convinced to tie a bomb around her and blow it off; that’s violence against girls; that’s violence against women.

“But what I wanted to say was that as we look at the gender-based violence initiative that we put a spotlight on our own nation; we all have a part to play.

“I know we would spend some money in Nigeria on this initiative but we all have a part to play individually and collectively in trying to bring it to zero,” she said.

Mohammed also lamented how girls were left behind in education, stressing that everyone needs to have an education – the boys and the girls.

“The boys we didn’t educate are the same ones that kidnap the girls that we educated.

“So education for everyone is exposure for everyone; it matters so much; it really does give us the basis, the moral compass to help us navigate through life.”

Nigeria’s Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Samson Itegboje, commended the Nigerians in the UN and particularly lauded the appointment of Mohammed as the UN Deputy Chief.

Itegboje said Nigeria was proud of Mohammed, describing her as an “ultimate authority and a reference point when it comes to Sustainable Development Goals’ issues”.

The Nigerian envoy said: “Nigeria is a great country; we are a happy people, you can’t take that away from us; we have gone through difficult times but we are happy that we have a government that is responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of dear people of Nigeria”.

Col. Jolly Abu (rtd), President, United Nations Staff Recreation Club Nigeria Association, said the cultural night was organised to showcase Nigeria’s culture.

According to him, the Nigerians in the UN are very proud of their culture adding, it is also for them to mingle, rekindle and renew their bonds.

“The UN encourages that we should meet and foster unity among ourselves and also enjoy ourselves; so that’s what we’re doing,” Abu said.

Amb. Audu Kadiri, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN Office and Other International Organisations in Geneva and Nicholas Ella, acting Consul-General in New York also attended the event.

By Prudence Arobani

World Polio Day: Rotary urges Etsu Bwari to sensitise his subjects

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World Polio Day: Rotary urges Etsu Bwari to sensitise his subjects

The Rotary Club of Abuja has urged the Etsu Bwari, Mr Ibrahim Yaro, to always sensitise his subjects about polio immunisation to prevent recurrence of the viral infection in the community.

Polio immunisation
Polio immunisation. Photo credit: Ruth McDowall for Rotary International

Mr Ben Omogbene, the President of District 9125 Kubwa-main Rotary Club, gave the advice at the courtesy visit of  club members to the Etsu’s palace on Saturday, October 21, 2017 in Bwari, FCT.

The visit was organised in conjunction with other Rotary Clubs such as Maitama, Life Camp, Kubwa gateway, Gwarimpa and Kubwa Federal Housing, all in Abuja.

He said that the aim of their visit was to commemorate this year’s World Polio Day with the theme: “A walk keeping Nigeria on zero’’ being celebrated globally on Oct. 24.

“We are here to sensitise the residents of Bwari on the need to bring polio to zero level; we are celebrating the ultimate quit notice given to polio in Nigeria.

“We also want to put an end to polio infection in the community and the country at large.

“You are the eye of Bwari, we want you to sensitise your subjects on the need to go for vaccination to achieve the goal,” Omogbene said.

The Chairman of the organising committee, Mr Festus Agbazue said that the Rotary awareness campaign started since 1985 in the bid to create relevant awareness on danger of the disease.

“Over time, Rotary has always employed sensitisation as a tool to stem fights against polio, it is so good we have been able to sustain it yearly and we will also do it in 2018 until it is eradicated.

“You are the eye of the people of Bwari, we want you to sensitise your subjects and through your support, we will be able to kick polio out of the community.’’

Responding, Yaro decried the practice by some community dwellers who disallowed polio vaccination in their houses to hinder efforts driven toward eradication of polio.

Yaro said: “we all know polio virus infection is a bad disease, we tell our subjects to get immunised, but the only quarter that gives us problem is the Hausa community.

“All we wish for is that they should allow their families to take the vaccines; the campaign is to help us and if the vaccine is free, we should be able to stamp out polio to zero in Bwari.

“I am determined to work with you; we have been trying on our part. Going forward, we will meet with Hausa community leaders and clerics to spread the message,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the high points of the visit were installation of the Etsu Bwari as Polio Ambassador by Nollywood actor, Bruno Iwuoha and a 26km-Polio-Awareness Walk by the club members.

By Fortune Abang

250,000 Nigerian women die of cancer annually

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250,000 Nigerian women die of cancer annually

Wife of the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, Dr Zainab Bagudu, on Saturday, October 21, 2017 said  about 250,000 Nigerian women die of cancer annually.

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Women

She said this during a walk to create awareness on cancer in Abuja with the theme: “ Walk Away Cancer’’.

According to her, the walk is to create awareness as well as to try and save 250 women who die from cancer annually.

Bangudu noted that 95 per cent of women who developed cancer in the developed society had five years of survival, saying that Nigeria had only five per cent survival rate.

She said that this year’s event was using football as a tool to mobilise and create awareness, adding that “cancer is a global epidemic but it is worse in Africa’’.

She, however, stressed the need for every hand to be on deck to remedy the poor statistics.

“Health care facilities in Nigeria are poor and weak and there is no effective screening system in place.

“We at MedicAid Cancer Foundation are reaching out for the low and poor people, and to improve awareness and as well disabuse the minds of people about cultural and traditional beliefs that cancer is caused by witchcraft.

“We also bring people together to raise funds so as to help the poor and the ignorant women of Nigeria who are dying from cancer yearly.

“Early screening of the breast and cervical for cancer will help to effectively detect and treat it,” she said.

Mr Abubakar Bagudu, the governor of Kebbi State, said  creating awareness on cancer would help beat the disease as well as save lives.

According to him, awareness is an important element to ensuring that everybody, both the rich and poor had the knowledge about cancer.

“My wife, who is passionate about humanity took up the challenge and through Medicaid Foundation, has been organising cancer events annually.

“We are glad that people are responding and more awareness is being created and the significance of the walk is that something can be done about cancer.

“ Exercise is very important in order to help prevent it,’’ he said.

A cancer survivor, Folake Olabisi, said that early detection was important to saving lives and therefore stressed the need for women to have routine checks.

She admonished women with family history of cancer to always have themselves checked as well as pass on the habit to their children and future generations.

She, however, said that creating awareness and being courageous to talk about cancer would help in encouraging people to come out.

Mr Kanu Nwankwo, professional footballer and a former Super Eagles player, in his words advised that the awareness be taken to the rural areas  to reach the unreached.

He also appreciated the wife of the executive governor for the cause and pledged his support for the walk against cancer.

By Chinenye Offor

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