Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: ActionAid

  • Insecurity: ActionAid Tasks FG To Overhaul It’s Architecture Now

    Insecurity: ActionAid Tasks FG To Overhaul It’s Architecture Now

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Federal government has been called upon to as a matter of urgency overhaul the national security architecture in order to win the war against the rising wave of insecurity state in the country.

    ActionAid Nigeria made the called in a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja after the 43rd meeting of the organization Board of Trustees held virtual on Saturday.

    “Kidnapping, especially of school children is gradually becoming a norm in the country as insecurity is still on the rise, with many records of banditry, insurgency and killings, especially in the North West, North East and North Central Nigeria.”

    “The rising cases of abduction of school children is alarming and will further disparage stakeholders’ efforts at reducing the rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly, the girl-child. Schools are now seemingly unsafe for girls and give parents undue justification to force their girl-child into early marriage.”

    The Non governmental organisation pointed out that community ownership is key to winning the battle against insecurity as evidenced by ActionAid Nigeria Community Action Response Teams (CARTs) piloted in 24 communities in Kogi and Nasarawa states.

    The role of the LGAs as the third tier of government in the Nigerian 1999 constitution includes the provision of infrastructural developments at the grassroots. Yet, state governments have continued to usurp the powers and functions attributed to the local governments and only acknowledge them as a subunit of the state with no autonomy.”

    The Non-governmental organization urged the Federal government to prioritize policies that will reduce poverty that is target based in each community of the country.

    “Tackling poverty requires a multidimensional approach and considerations and Implementing interventionist programs to reduce poverty is difficult when violence is on the rise across Nigeria. Poverty alleviation schemes put in place by the government have been rendered ineffective largely due to corruption, uneven distribution, and lack of accountability.”

    “While other African countries spend an average of 17% of their revenue on debt servicing, Nigeria is currently servicing debts with 50% of its revenue. Despite the huge borrowings, there is not enough infrastructure to show for it as many Nigerians remain in abject poverty.”

  • Women’s Day: ActionAid Nigeria Charges Govts To Incorporate Care Centered Approach To Redress Policy

    Women’s Day: ActionAid Nigeria Charges Govts To Incorporate Care Centered Approach To Redress Policy

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi has charged Governments at all levels to incorporate care centred approach into their policies and programmes for the benefit of women and children.

    Ene Obi who gave the charge in a press release made available to Journalists in Lokoja said it was in commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration and as a strong reminder of the unanticipated struggles of Nigerian women.

    ActionAid Nigeria, a Non-governmental organization working to promote women’s rights, combat poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria, described women as the hardest hit by social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020.

    According to her “Many have lost their paid jobs and women became saddled with the unpaid responsibility of caring for sick family members and providing their needs often in vulnerable, low paid roles with little protection.”

    “Currently, insecurity has further plunged the country into multiple and intersecting crises with women as primary targets and easy preys. As the country re-strategizes to rise above this current situation, we call for the adoption of a care-centered approach which recognizes that care and well-being are critical to sustaining societies, economies, and the environment.”

    “A care-centered approach also entails investing in gender-based violence prevention and response in all public and private spaces. Care needs to be valued, redistributed and should be integral to humanitarian preparedness and response policies.”

    The Country Director noted that the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” is apt as there is widespread evidences against gender based inequalities across the country.

    While calling for commitment to challenges of gender bias and inequality, her Organisation will join the world to amplify Choose to Challenge to celebrate women’s achievement.

    “Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive Nigeria where the empowerment and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls is normalised.” Ene Obi assured.

    “As the world beams a spotlight on women, we call on the Nigerian government to reflect and move from policy to action. Governments at all levels should classify and prioritize all Gender based violence as essential services and ensure that they are publicly funded.”

    “ ActionAid Nigeria also calls for a scale up of investments in public services, including public healthcare services in order to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care and domestic work and ensure women public sector workers who are at the frontline have decent work and a guarantee of international labour standards” She solicited.”

  • ActionAid Nigeria tasks FG on downward trend of governance

    ActionAid Nigeria tasks FG on downward trend of governance

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, has tasked the Federal Government on the downward trend of governance by the current administration particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic as it affects Nigerians in areas like hike in electricity tariffs by 100 percent, ASUU continual strike, increase in rape, food crisis and the #EndSARS protests.

    The Board of trustees of ActionAid Nigeria made these observations and gave recommendations after a virtual 42nd meeting to review the State of the Nation on the 14th November 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

    After the virtual meeting AAN observed the downward trend of governance which has led to lack of proper accountability mechanism for the Police Special Anti- Robbery Squad, SARS and government responsiveness which snowballed into #EndSARS protests as a result of harassment of innocent citizens, extortion at gunpoint and extrajudicial killings of suspects as well as decadence in other sectors of the economy.

    AAN Nigeria recommendations to the Government of Nigeria includes definite timelines for response to youths demands with investigations into what transpired at the Lekki Tollgate, sponsored hoodlums attack to disrupt peaceful protests. They also called on government to ask the Central Bank to unfreeze the accounts of #EndSARS promoters.

    AAN urged government to declare a State of Emergency on the Education sector to end the already deteriorating educational sector, adding that government should review it’s stand on the IPPIS, pay salaries of ASUU members and inject proper funding into the sector.

    That government should strengthen the health sector and investigate problems associated with COVID-19.

    They called on government to reverse the price and 100 percent hike in electricity tariff and provide meters to electricity consumers.

    To mitigate and prevent sexual Gender Based Violence services in the country by ensuring access to reproductive health services for survivors, especially for rape victims and other SGBV survivors.

    AAN also called on government to avert the looming food crisis by through increased access to low interest credit by the small-scale farmers, especially smallholder women farmers who produce over 70% of food consumed in the country.

  • ActionAid Nigeria tasks Buhari on police brutality, youths grievances before it is too

    ActionAid Nigeria tasks Buhari on police brutality, youths grievances before it is too

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As Nigeria begins to withness a spring of youths Protest to end police brutality and societal grievances across the country, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, has called on President Muhammad Buhari to address the nation on reforms and put governance structures in place before it is too late.

    In a statement signed by Country Director of AAN, Ene Obi on the current #EndPoliceBrutality protests and agitations by citizens, it noted that the protests has moved from being a social media campaign to a peaceful protest by Nigerians across the globe in the last 13 days with clear demands on the abolition of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad accused of unlawful arrests, torture and extra- judicial killings.

    The statement read, ” ActionAid Nigeria therefore calls on President Muhammad Buhari to fully address the nation in a national broadcast as a father, leader and the President of Nigeria with the mandate of the people to manage the affairs of the country to give cut- clear responses to the demands if the protesters before it is too late.

    “Nigerians anticipate clear plans, timelines and commitments which will be in a form of pact with the citizens”, adding that this would give the President the opportunity to write his name in the sands of time by starting the process of transforming the country especially by responding to the demands of the citizens.

    So far the protests is about young people airing their grievances on their rights violations and the need for an overhaul of the country’s security and governance structure.

    ActionAid Nigeria also called on security agencies to keep securing the streets to get unscrupulous elements with illegitimate interests off the peaceful protests, while respecting the rights of peaceful protesters.

    We applaud the resolve of Nigerian youths leading the revival across the country and the resolute to hold government to account. However, it is pertinent that decorum is maintained while resisting any calculated attempts by unknown elements to disrupt, the just cause for total reformation of our country, Nigeria, the statement read.

  • ActionAid, NGO partner against poverty in 14 A’Ibom communities

    ActionAid, NGO partner against poverty in 14 A’Ibom communities

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Worried by widespread poverty among vulnerable people in Akwa Ibom, the Africa Human Development Centre (AHDC) in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, have intervened in 14 communities spread across four Local Government Areas of the State.

    Speaking at the impact assessment forum in Uyo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)  of AHDC, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, identified major areas of intervention to include basic education, primary healthcare, women rights and responsible governance.

    Commending ActionAid for funding the programmes in the last 14 years, Umoh, a Professor of Agricultural and Development Economics at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), explained that the intervention has gone a long way to addressing myriads of social issues confronting the local residents, but lamented that “a lot still needed to be done to effectively address the challenges”.

    He listed the four benefitting LGAs to include Etinan, Oruk Anam, Itu and Mkpat Enin and appealed for more  support to improve the local rights programs including access to education by the very poor, quality health care, consistent advocacies and women empowerment.

    As ActionAid is set to conclude its rural development programmes in the state next year, Umoh, harped on the need for the local intervention projects in education, health and vocational schemes to be sustained as “most of the facilities including town halls, water projects and vocational training facilities have started wearing off due to lack of proper maintenance”.

    “Let me thank ActionAid for their intervention to address the challenges of the rural dwellers especial in the areas of women rights, healthcare, education and good governance advocacies in 14 communities in four Local Government Areas in the last 14 years.

    “Their commitment in partnering with us at AHDC has gone a long way in tackling the problems of out-of-school children, access to healthcare, vocational training for women especially widows and the vulnerable people in rural areas.

    “The programme would have covered more areas but for limited funding and that is why we implored the local action committees to work towards sustaining the programme in the affected communities as ActionAid concludes its intervention projects in the state and is getting set to move to Cross River state in continuation of the exercise.” Umoh said.

    The Manager, Local Rights Programme (LRP) at ActionAid and Mr. Chidi Agbaraji, who reviewed the activities of the organization in Akwa Ibom in the last 14 years, stressed the need for effective collaboration with stakeholders including the media, government agencies for effective advocacies against some poverty challenges in the rural communities.

    RELATED POSTS

    Disability Commission: ActionAid calls for domestication at all tiers of governance

    ActionAid condemns violence against Front line workers , tasks governments on security

    COVID- 19: ActionAid urges FG to focus on protection of women, girls

  • Disability Commission: ActionAid calls for domestication at all tiers of governance

    ActionAid, CSOs take gender based violence protest to Police HQ

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Following the recent presidential appointment of executive members of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), ActionAid Nigeria has called for domestication of the Disability Commission at all the three tiers of Government.

    ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Ene Obi who spoke in Abuja said“ With an estimated population of 25 million Nigerians with disability (Human Rights Watch 2019), the need for a Disability Commission is long overdue and we applaud the Federal Government for making efforts to bring an end to years of exclusion of this valuable population through the establishment of a Commission, that is charged specifically with the responsibility of ensuring the inclusion and welfare of persons with disabilities as enshrined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law in Nigeria.”

    ” We earnestly hope that the Commission through its mandate will ensure that the education, healthcare and other social and economic rights of the people with disabilities contained in the 1999 Constitution and the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be upheld.”

    ” Also worthy of emphasis is the need to ensure that at least five per cent of all public appointments go to people with disabilities as backed up by the law supporting the establishment of the commission; only PWDs can proffer solutions to challenges they face and we call governments at all level to honor this provision of the law”.

    In a statement from AAN urged governments to leverage on additional revenue from closing tax loopholes to provide disability friendly public transport and other public services.

    “We call on state governments to expedite action in domesticating the Disability Commission as further delay will amount to great injustice especially at a time when the world is battling COVID-19, one of the most lethal pandemics in the history of mankind.”

    AAN stated that for persons with disabilities, the freedom to move safely around urban and rural areas in Nigeria is greatly restricted by the plan and design of transport systems that is insensitive to their needs, and by negative social norms that tolerates violence towards certain disabilities.

    It lamented that these insensitivities expose them to violence whilst on the streets, especially women with disabilities facing multiple burden as they are exposed to the threat of gender-based violence while they go about their daily life.

    The agency noted the Key areas that requires immediate attention includes lltransformation of transport system to ensure adequate buses and stops, street lighting, recruitment of female transport staff, disability friendly public toilets and infrastructure that caters to their mobility and protection.

    Meanwhile AAN noted that tgovernment should investment in infrastructure and public services that account for the needs of it’s teeming population, adding that more tax, well spent, can help make this happen.

    Governments should ensure that PWDs participate equally and meaningfully in all processes around designing, legislating and budgeting for city planning and public transport, AAN, emphasized.