06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019
POWA flags off ‘Our Barracks,
Our Pride’ initiative in Delta
Continued from page
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Police Officers’ Wives Association,
Delta State Command, are
here to flag it off also.
“Women residing in the barracks
are to make neatness their
watchword not only outside but
inside the home, because God
created women to be in the forefront
of promoting and sustaining
cleanliness as wives, mothers
and daughters. I will also implore
you to always observe personal
hygiene because cleanliness
is next to godliness.
“The benefits of cleanliness cannot
be over-emphasized. When you
are conscious and always ensure your
house and surroundings are clean,
you will promote sound health, prevent
diseases and save money on
health-related issues, germs will reduce,
and you will be healthy and
happy at all times.
“This exercise is also being observed
simultaneously round all Police
Divisions in the state as we are
here now,” she stated.
Foundation advocates laws to reduce
sickle cell, as 1500 children test
positive annually
…POWA collaborates on campaign
against sickle cell
By Gabriel Ewepu
THE Erikpejaiye Otoikhian, EO
Foundation, is advocating laws
that would reduce the occurrence
of sickle cell anemia in marriages
across the country with the
9th Assembly set to be inaugurated
at both federal and state levels.
The Founder, EO Foundation,
Prof. Cyril Otoikhian, made the
call at the Skills Acquisition and
Public Lecture organised by EO
Foundation in partnership with
Police Officers’ Wives Association,
POWA, Lagos State Command, last
week, at Alausa, Ikeja.
According to Otoikhian, the sickle
cell crisis calls for state governments
to come up with the law in
order to stem the rising tide of children
suffering as result of their
parents’ incompatible genotypes,
hence, the need to criminalise such
marriages.
He further stressed and cautioned
that sickle cell disorder has
no cure as claimed by some medical
practitioners and herbalists,
and that the way out is to know
your genotype and discontinue any
marriage relationship that would
lead to sickle cell anemia.
He also pointed out that women
bear the larger burden in terms of
caring for children suffering from
the disorder, hence the importance
of creating awareness about the
disorder among women.
The Skills Acquisition and Public
Lecture had talks, entrepreneurial
classes and award presentation
to individuals and institutions
that have supported
the Foundation.
Some of the awardees were the
Assistant Commissioner of Police,
Alausa, Ikeja, Olubode Ojajuni,
Lagos State Command;
The Chairman of Saroe Foundation,
Rev Roseline Ohio Ehimiagbe
and the Welfare Officer,
POWA, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos
State Command, Ele-ojo Vera
Saudi.
He said: “The level of pain,
oppression, abuse and exploitation
that persons with sickle cell
anemia go through makes it imperative
for government to intervene
and come up with a law
that will prosecute persons or
institutions that conduct marriages
for persons with sickle
cell disorder.
“It is sad that Nigeria remains
the number one sickle cell endemic
country in Africa with 150,000 children
born with the disorder every
year, and it is unacceptable by us in
EO Foundation. Sickle cell disorder
has no cure but it is preventable and
avoidable.
“I passionately appeal to the 9th
Assembly to make sure that the Sickle
Cell law is passed and President
Muhammadu Buhari signs it into
law prohibiting sickle cell reproduction.”
Meanwhile, Otoikhian also acknowledged
the policies of some religious
organisations on making it
compulsory for their members who
intend to be wedded by them to go
for genotype test in order to avoid
giving birth to children who would
become the victims of sickle cell anemia.
Also speaking on the issue, Welfare
Officer, POWA, Alausa, Ikeja,
Lagos State Command, Vera Saudi,
expressed joy over the enlightenment
on sickle cell anemia, describing
it as ‘an eye opener’ for her and
women in the command.
Saudi added that she would take
the message to her family in order
for them to make the right decision
and choice on whom to marry so they
would not become victims of the
menace.
Also reacting, the Assistant Commissioner
of Police, ACP, Olubode Ojajuni,
who was former Lagos State Police
Command Public Relations Officer said
the information and enlightenment from
EO Foundation was timely as it concerns
the present and future of young
people who are planning marriage relationship
that would definitely produce
children.
Ojajuni promised to support EO
Foundation in its public enlightenment
campaigns across Police barracks in the
state as it would go a long way in tackling
the menace.
“We need to know more about sickle
cell especially for us who are in the
security service of the nation. Most
times, we are not at home, we don’t
have time to check our status.
“According to the foundation, it is not
a curable disease but we are glad to
know that we can avoid it when we
know our genotype and take precautionary
measures so we can have a
peaceful and enduring life throughout
our lifetime,” he said.
•Some women cleaning their surrounding during the launch of ‘Our Barracks, Our
Pride’ initiative in Ugheli Division.
Rotary donation: Our pupils will
no longer see WC as a plate
– School manager
By Elizabeth Uwandu
Mrs. Nkemakola Okere, the
Manager of Teslim Elias Model
Primary School has said that the
donation of 12 cubicles/refurbished
toilets by Rotary Club of Lagos Island,
RCLI District 9110 will
make her pupils not to see water
closet, WC as plates anymore.
Speaking at the handover ceremony
in the school premises recently,
Mrs Okere explained that the donation
by the Rotarians will make children
of the poor heave a sigh of relief.
According to her: "When the Rotary
Club came and asked me what I
needed most to be done among the
challenges facing the school, I told
them that the toilets were in bad
shape. The septic tank was broken
and excreta kept on gushing out of
the soak-away. Surprisingly, within
a month, 10 cubicles of the toilet and
two for the teachers were made available.
“I don’t know how to appreciate
them enough and the chairman and
members of our local government in
making the children of the poor,
mostly those living under the bridge
now, understand how to use the modern
toilet. They will no longer see
WC as a plate,” she beamed.
At the commissioning, Vipul Agarwal,
President, RCLI while noting
that education was one of its key priorities,
reiterated that the humanitarian
body decided to spend over
N2.5 billion to renovate the toilet facilities
of Teslim Elias Model School
and Union Baptist Secondary
School, both at Lagos Island in order
to allow the children from an
underprivileged background enjoy
basic infrastructure.
Thanking the Lagos Island LGA for
making the renovation possible, Agarwal
said: “Good investment is needed
to maintain infrastructure in public
schools. We, therefore aim at giving
the children from the poor background
a big improvement in health and sanitation.
“This first project has seen RCLI fully
rehabilitating the toilet block for boys,
girls and teachers, giving it a new look
and functionality. All sanitary fittings,
plumbing, tiling, doors, windows,
roofs, ceilings, electricity, water borehole,
and soak-away pit and septic
tank have been fully repaired. For the
first time in many years, children have
access to proper toilets with flowing
water,” he said.
Expressing delight on the new shape
of the toilet and the efforts of RCLI,
Vice-Chairman, Lagos Island Local
Government, Wadood Bashorun said:
“We feel elated as the Club has done
a very good job for us in renovating
and alleviating the sufferings of the
pupils."
When asked what the LGA did to
address the issue of dilapidated toilet
before Rotary's intervention, the VC
who doubles as the education supervisor
said: “Before now, the toilet was
in very bad shape. However, on assumption
of office last year, during a
tour of primary schools in the area, we
itemised the problems of each primary
school; that was how we knew about
the dilapidated toilet. So, when they
came and said they needed to carry
out a project, we gave them this one,”
he explained.