22042019 - ACUTE HUNGER: Outrage as IDP children feed on onion leaves

38 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2019
KILLINGS: Ohanaeze
Lagos calls for
reorientation of Police
By Clifford Ndujihe
L AGOS—LAGOS
State chapter of the
Ohanaeze Ndigbo h<strong>as</strong>
called for what it termed
“total reorientation of the
Police Force” to curb
extra-judicial killings.
Ohanaeze Lagos made
the call, weekend, when
its leaders paid a
condolence visit to the
family of late Adaobi
Jessica Ojide, who w<strong>as</strong>
shot dead, l<strong>as</strong>t week by
trigger-happy police men
attached to Trinity police
station, Olodi Apapa,
Lagos.
Led by its President,
Chief Solomon Ogbonna,
the Ohanaeze delegation
promised to ensure that
Miss Ojide’s murder is
not swept under the
carpet. They were
received on arrival by the
father of the dece<strong>as</strong>ed,
Mr. Ifeanyi Ojide, and
Umueri Lagos chapter
Chairman, Mr. Sunday
Eluomuno among others.
Expressing deep
sadness over the
untimely death of Miss
Adaobi Ojide in the
hands of the Nigeria
police force, which he
described <strong>as</strong> unfortunate,
Chief Ogbonna also
promised the family that
Ohanaeze will be fully
involved in her burial. He
said that Ohanaeze,
under his watch, will not
allow the matter of Adaobi
Jessica Ojide to be swept
under the carpet by the
authorities.
The secretary of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos
Chief Everest Ozonweke
commended the Lagos
State police Command
for their proactive action
in handling the recent
ugly incidents involving
police personnels and the
citizens they swore to
protect and called for a
total reorientation of the
rank and file of the Nigeria
police force to curb the
menace of extra judiciary
killings in the country.
Third Mainland Bridge safe — FG
By Ol<strong>as</strong>unkanmi
Akoni
L AGOS—THE
Ministry of Works
and Housing, yesterday,
<strong>as</strong>sured Nigerians that
the structural integrity of
the Third Mainland
Bridge in Lagos is safe
and intact for public use.
The clarification
became necessary
following a trending
story, weekend, on social
media showing a faulty
and weak expansion joint
on the bridge with
warning to motorists to
avoid the bridge due to
imminent collapse.
Mr. Hakeem Bello,
Special Adviser,
Communications, to the
Minister of Power, Works
and Housing, in a
statement, allayed fears
of citizens plying the
bridge, saying there is
no cause for alarm.
The statement read:
“The general Public is
hereby informed that
the expansion joint
shown in a Facebook
video clip, is one of those
slated for change during
repairs to the Third
Mainland Bridge which
will commence soon. It is
still functioning and our
engineers and
consultants have advised
that it does not pose any
structural danger to the
bridge and it is safe to
use.
“Commuters and Lagos
residents will recall that
the Third Mainland
Bridge w<strong>as</strong> shut down for
a three-day Investigative
Maintenance in August
2018. Tests done on the
expansion joints then -
called static and
dynamic load tests -
were to check
functionality. A number
of expansion joints were
identified for
replacement then.
“More recently, in
March this year,
underwater confirmatory
tests preceding the
repair works to be done
on the Bridge, were
carried out on the piles
to determine if there is
further deterioration or
not on the piles from that
done in 2013.
“However, all the tests
done preparatory to
closure of the bridge to
c o m m e n c e
comprehensive
maintenance works
indicate that the integrity
of the bridge is intact.
“Therefore, the Third
Mainland Bridge is safe
for use, and people
should desist from
spreading or sharing
Dettol unveils Funke Akindele
<strong>as</strong> brand amb<strong>as</strong>sador
•Says new campaign to achieve
cleaner Nigeria
LAGOS—DETTOL, an
anti-bacterial brand
from the stable of Rickett
Benckiser (RB) West Africa
said its campaign, ‘Clean
Naija Initiative’ aims to
create awareness, educate
and drive behavioural
change to achieve a cleaner
and healthier Nigeria, <strong>as</strong> it
unveils renowned
Nollywood actress, Funke
Akindele-Bello <strong>as</strong> brand
amb<strong>as</strong>sador.
Speaking about the
launch and partnership in
Lagos, General Manager,
RB West Africa, Mr.
Dayanand Sriram said: “At
RB, we have made it our
responsibility and purpose
to help people live
healthier lives and have
happier homes. It is why
we are launching the Clean
Naija Initiative, which is an
integrated multi-level
campaign with the aim of
creating awareness,
education and driving
behavioural change to
achieve a cleaner and
healthier Nigeria.
''We recognize this is an
enormous t<strong>as</strong>k and we
acknowledge the
partnership of the Federal
Ministry of Water
Resources. It is also my
utmost ple<strong>as</strong>ure to unveil
leading Nollywood actress
false information about
the Bridge on Social
Media platforms.”
F<strong>as</strong>hola explained that
the expansion joints to be
replaced are part of a
regular bridge
maintenance programme
that had been neglected
for decades which the
President Muhammadu
Buhari administration is
now addressing frontally
on many bridges
nationwide.
He added such
maintenance works
included; resurfacing of
the bridge, along with
several others, “which
the
present
administration is also
undertaking <strong>as</strong> the
bridge users will attest to
a better driving surface.”
OLOWO’S DEATH: Ondo lost a great icon
— SARAKI
By Dayo Johnson
A KURE—THE
Senate President,
Dr. Bukola Saraki h<strong>as</strong>
expressed sadness over the
death of the Olowo of Owo,
Oba David Folagbade
Olateru-Olagbegi, saying it
h<strong>as</strong> robbed the state of a
great icon.
He also described the
death <strong>as</strong> a big loss to
Nigeria at a time the
nation’s leadership needs
wise counsel and
experience to solve the
various problems
confronting her.
His Special Adviser,
Media and Publicity
Yusuph Olaniyonu
described late Oba
Olagbegi <strong>as</strong> a humane
monarch, who contributed
immensely to the
development of Owo in
particular, Ondo State and
Nigeria, in general.
Saraki said: “The Olowo
of Owo w<strong>as</strong> one traditional
ruler whose impact
extended far beyond his
domain. His contributions
to the development of
tertiary institutions in the
country <strong>as</strong> Chancellor of the
Universities of Benin,
Abuja and Jos respectively
at various times during his
lifetime speak volume.
“His demise is a colossal
loss to the country in
particular and humanity in
general. He shall be dearly
missed.”
Similarly, Governor
Rotimu Akeredolu of Ondo
State said the death of the
Olowo h<strong>as</strong> robbed the state
of a great icon.
He said this when he
visited the palace of the late
Owo monarch to
commiserate with the
immediate family of the
monarch, the chiefs and the
entire people of Owo
kingdom.
Akeredolu said: “He’s
gone but he lived a good
life. Owo kingdom h<strong>as</strong>
lost an icon. He w<strong>as</strong> a
tower above so many not
only <strong>as</strong> a king but <strong>as</strong> an
intellectual.
“The late Oba Olagbegi
towered above many
people, not only <strong>as</strong> a king
but also <strong>as</strong> an intellectual.”
The governor, who w<strong>as</strong>
received into the palace by
the Olowo-in-Council by
the Ojumu of Owo
Kingdom, said the town h<strong>as</strong>
lost a giant who w<strong>as</strong>
respected for his strides in
education, adding that the
town h<strong>as</strong> lost a great icon.
and award-winning
producer, Funke Akindele-
Bello <strong>as</strong> the Dettol Clean
Naija brand amb<strong>as</strong>sador.
''Mrs. Akindele-Bello h<strong>as</strong>
been a worthy role model
and an inspiration for all
Nigerians. Having also
recorded success in various
selfless activities, we have
deemed her worthy of
leading our Clean Naija
Initiative.
''The initiative comes at a
critical time, <strong>as</strong> Nigeria h<strong>as</strong>
been ranked amongst the
top nations that bear a
significant portion of the
global dise<strong>as</strong>e burden and
high under-5 mortality
rates with over 150,000
<strong>children</strong> dying yearly.
Many of these dise<strong>as</strong>es,
such <strong>as</strong> diarrhea can be
prevented by proper hand
w<strong>as</strong>hing habits and widescale
hygiene education.
This is a major motivation
for the setting up of the
Clean Naija Initiative.''
Expressing delight on the
new partnership, Funke
Akindele said: “As a new
mother, I have come to
appreciate the need for
improved hygiene practices
the more. This campaign
will help sensitise
Nigerians on the health
benefits of adopting simple
but effective hygienic
practices like proper hand
w<strong>as</strong>hing regularly.”