Month: December 2023

Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s determination to accord dignity to senior citizens by giving them a new lease of life in line with the Renewed Hope Mandate.

Speaking Tuesday at the National Senior Citizen Centre’s, (NSCC) maiden Programme and Services Fair in Abuja, the Minister said Seniors Citizens are adequately factored in all the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.

According to her, “the federal government is mainstreaming older persons into social protection programs, Health and Social Care; building senior centers to promote social connections and care among older persons, encouraging recreation and intergenerational cross learning”

The Minister disclosed that her Ministry was working in tandem with its mandate to support NSCC to evolve Multi-purpose Cooperatives to cascade the indigenous ventures and auxiliary productive activities of older persons within communities to expand the inclusion of more numbers and ensure access to micro-loan schemes and markets.

“The Ministry is also working in the area of its mandate to ensure older persons receive social support, peculiar to their age-specific challenges – notably the mitigation of absolute poverty among very poor and vulnerable older persons through the Grant for senior citizens. Dr. Edu added.

She described the fair as an innovative effort by NSCC to promote the needed awareness and understanding of its mandate, its strategic approach to delivering outcomes for the different target sub-populations of older persons, with their peculiar challenges, and to exploit the economic growth opportunities they present.

Dr. Edu applauded the Centre’s initiative to set aside a day for the viewing of its programs and services, which, she said, it has not only developed through processes and mechanisms that enable older persons and stakeholders’ participation in the conduct of national needs assessments but also in the program conceptualization, designs and the pilot and the monitoring and evaluation phases.

“I believe this FAIR will promote positive attitudes about aging and older persons, and encourage increasing policy shift towards equity and more inclusion of older people in all sector programs” The private sector needs to come into the space to support the various initiatives” she maintained.

Earlier in her address, the Director-General of the Centre, Dr. Emem Omokaro said the fair was geared towards sharing NSCC’s innovative and transformative actions aimed at improving quality of life and wellbeing for older persons.

Omokaro said the center is also to make the human rights and business as well as economic growth case for equity and inclusion of older persons in sustainable development through the Centre’s exhibitions.

Enumerating the challenges facing senior citizens in Nigeria, Dr. Omokaro stated: “Older persons’ right to equality, dignity non-discrimination, lack of income Security, Psychosocial wellbeing, lack of appropriate healthcare, independence, participation etc are majorly affected by ageism – negative stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination of older persons on the bases of age.

“Also, the overarching pessimistic message of aging is that older persons are non-contributing rail members of society and economic burden. Other challenges are exacerbated by ageism leading to exclusion and heightened vulnerabilities”

The DG further lamented that older persons experience discrimination in social protection systems and humanitarian emergency mechanisms which manifest respectively in inadequate pension benefits, lack of access to affordable healthcare, limited social assistance, and right assistance and support for those in need.

Highpoint of the event attended by the UN representative, and other development partners was the launch of the “Older Persons Indigenous Craft and Skills Empowerment Programme for Sustainable Community Development in Nigeria” by the Minister, Dr. Betta Edu.

Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair (ANIPR),
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Honourable Minister, FMHAPA.
12/12/2023

A one-day training session hosted by the Cross River State Tourism Bureau and hosted at the Kada Cinema Marina Resort in Calabar has been officially opened today by Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem.

The training, according to the organisers, aims to guarantee a safe, unforgettable, and trouble-free Carnival Calabar 2023 by educating both military and paramilitary bodies about the state’s culture and tourism.

Baring any last minute changes, Dr. Inyali Peter is set to emerge as the new national President of the University of Cross River State (Unicross) Alumni Association.

Inyali, a graduate of Mass Communication from the University and former Students’ leader was the only Presidential candidate screened and cleared in a list released and jointly signed by the Electoral Committee Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Victor Agbor and John Utibe, respectively.

Two other candidates, Andrew Ntul and Jumbo Isek were disqualified; while Ntul according to the release by the electoral board was disqualified for withdrawing from the race and not attending the screening, Isek on the other hand was disqualified for not meeting the constitutional requirements to contest for the office.

Inyali will be ratified during the 5th National Convention of the association holding at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar, tomorrow, December 12.

When contacted to react to his eminent victory, Inyali said that although he has been announced as the sole candidate for the position, his victory is not yet official as executives of the association can only emerge in the floor of the national convention.

He said: “we have worked so hard to get to the level we are now. For me, even though I can confirm that I have seen the official release where I was the only candidate screened and cleared for the position of national President, I can still not been recognised as President because only a validly constituted convention can determine that.

Hopefully, we will react formally tomorrow if and when the convention ratifies me. Remember that the convention can still refuse to ratify me. So, we are calm and awaiting for the outcome of the convention tomorrow.”

Cross River State, according to Governor Bassey Otu, is prepared to welcome the travel industry to the Carnival Calabar International Festival this year.

Otu made this known on Sunday as he officially opened the third carnival dry run at Calabar’s Millennium Park. Based on the large-scale dry runs, Otu claimed the State has finished getting ready for the carnival’s 2023 edition.

The idea that all of Calabar’s hotels are booked up suggests that travellers and party animals are prepared for an incredible experience at the largest street party in Africa, according to him.

The Governor greeted travellers from all over the world to the 2023 Carnival, emphasising that during their stay in the State, they would have the chance to experience Calabar’s hospitality, which makes it the authentic Nigerian tourism destination.

According to Otu, the ‘Season of Sweetness’ funfair theme this year perfectly encapsulates every other theme that has been a part of the celebration since its beginning.

The Governor commented on the theme selection, saying, “This symbolises the time of year when people smile after a difficult time.

This specific theme emerged from practically every other theme that depicts the funfair from the beginning.

“There was a complete collapse and a great deal of disillusionment following COVID-19. “The Carnival has been trying to pick up since then, but it never really did.

“Whether people like it or not, there will actually come a season where people are going to smile, and fortunately this is that season and people are going to smile,” the governor stated. “People will smile after a season of very tough situation, hunger, and other things.”

Among the dignitaries attending the third dry run, which marked the conclusion of the funfair celebrations’ preparations, were High Chief Edem Duke, a former minister of culture and tourism, and members of the State Executive Council. among other dignitaries

The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem has tasked the legislators to represent their constituents’ needs during their oversight duties about the “2024 People’s First Budget.”

Ayambem, speaking to reporters following the conclusion of the three-day comprehensive budget retreat in Ikom, said that the retreat’s success indicates a commitment to strong legislative procedures and cooperation with the executive branch of government.

Rt. Hon. Ayambem went on to emphasize the benefits of the three-day budget retreat, stating that it has made it easier for the current House of Assembly—which is primarily made up of new members—to comprehend the nuances of the budget and will empower them to conduct in-depth examination and make the required corrections.

Ayambem added, “We must represent the needs of our constituents in the 10th Assembly, which is the people’s assembly. We are ready for the new phase of the budget, which is the passing of the budget. Our focus remains on achieving the People’s first mantra.”

Furthermore, the Speaker applauded the Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, for addressing the critical needs of Cross Riverians as captured in the budget. He urged all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to be prepared for oversight functions while emphasising that “the 10th Assembly will checkmate all MDAs to make sure everything is properly executed.”