Ireland-Based Women Group Empowers Children With Disabilities

Image courtesy of Anambra State Association Women Ireland

BY OSIBEROHA OSIBE

AWKA, ANAMBRA (THE GUARDIAN)--A non-governmental organisation has empowered three special centres in Anambra State and tasked wealthy members of the public to see it as a challenge to give hope and succour to the less privileged.

The group, Anambra State Association Women Ireland (ASA WOMEN Ireland) presented school desks with chairs, wheel chairs, computers and accessories, among other educational equipment to Recdott Secondary School, Ozubulu, Diocesan Special Education Centre, Nnewi, and Special Education Centre, Umuchu, all in the state.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, the group’s President, Lady Theodora Ayagwu said the organisation, comprising of women of Anambra State descent, was formed and registered in 2012 to uplift the less privileged in the state.

Ayagwu said they mobilise for fund and materials abroad and channel them home to add value and give back to society. She said aside donating school materials, the group also carries out cancer awareness for women.Also, the group’s Vice President, Nonye Anuche said the gesture was to give children with disabilities a sense of belonging, especially during the festive period.

Anuche berated parents, who hide children with disabilities, urging them to bring them out for proper care.Delivering a paper entitled, World of Disability and Health, a lecturer with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr. Ifeyinwa Iloh, said people should focus more on abilities, rather than disabilities of an individual, stressing that there is ability in any disability.

Experts Want Critical Thinkers To Lead, Transform Nigeria

Chimalu Nwankwo. Image: Chimalu Nwankwo

BY UZOMA NZEAGWU, OSIBEROHA OSIBE

AWKA, ANAMBRA (THE GUARDIAN)--Stakeholders who converged on the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka, Anambra State have canvassed the emergence of critical thinkers in leadership positions with a view to transforming Nigeria.

They stated this during the Ninth World Philosophy Day of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, with the theme, “Critical Thinking, Leadership and Social Transformation.”

A former Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Rev. Fr. Professor Obi Oguejiofor noted that leaders are drawn to the led if they possess critical thinking, analytical, communicative, creative, open-minded and problem solving to lead and transform organisations or institutions socially and economically.
He lamented that the problems dogging Nigeria and Africa’s developmental path stem from absence of leaders who could think critically from time to time, likening the failure of Nigerians to think critically in the clamour for power shift, which he said, does not produce the best leader who could give justice.

Also, former Chair, Department of English and Speech, A & T State University, North Carolina, United States of America, Professor Chimalu Nwankwo lamented that Africans do not think critically hence their inability to think on their own, but rely on dictates of foreigners.

Another stakeholder, Professor A.U. Igwe wondered if Nigerians apply critical thinking in whatever they do just as he condemned leaders who choose to become egocentric rather than critical thinkers when occupy leadership positions,

Igwe, who is a Professor of History, at NAU, said there were few African leaders who were guided by critical thinking, particularly the former President of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara who he described as an ideal leader who employed critical thinking and rational application of force during his regime.

He observed that the UNESCO knows the important role philosophy plays in leadership; hence the declaration of November 21 every year as World Philosophy Day, stressing that critical thinking propels leaders to better the lot of their people.

On his part, Dr. Emmanuel Umezinwa of the Department of Music and the first Master Degree Graduate of Philosophy Department, said western system of thinking has inadvertently made Africans to sharpen their intellect and give too much thought to thinking, adding that there is an “overblown idea of thought.”

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Anambra Moves To Upgrade Agency After Onitsha Fire Outbreak

Fuel truck fire in Onitsha. Image: Silver Bird TV

BY OSIBEROHA OSIBE

After the latest fire incident in Onitsha, Anambra State and the destructions that came with it, the State Fire Service appears to have woken up from slumber. The Guardian learnt that Governor Willie Obiano has ordered the agency to step up its activities to forestall a reoccurrence of such incident. Meanwhile, the statistics of fire incidents in the state has been on the rise. In 2018, the Fire Service recorded 110 fire outbreaks across the state while no fewer than 30 fire incidents have been recorded this year.

Nevertheless, investigations showed that the Fire Service has fire stations located in strategic places in major cities state but were hitherto not well-equipped to discharge their duties effectively. For instance, at the state capital, Awka, there are three fire service stations located at the state command headquarters situated at Eze-Uzu junction, Agu-Awka. In Onitsha, the commercial nerve-centre of the state, there are three fire stations, namely, the Main Market fire station, Nkpor fire station and Okpoko fire station, Obodoukwu road. It was learnt that the state was planning to build an additional fire service station at Okpoko to tackle incessant fire incidents around Onitsha and Okpoko axis.

In Nnewi, the fast-growing industrial city in the state, there is the Nnewi fire station at Nkwo Nnewi Main Market, Nnewi. Other stations are the Building Market fire station, Ogidi, Idemili North local council headquarters; Ekwulobia fire station at Sports Stadium, Ekwulobia and Otuocha fire station in Anambra East local council.

There are also newly-established fire stations at Umunze, Orumba local council; Agulu in Anaocha local council and Ihiala in Ihiala local council.

Meanwhile, there are areas in the state that ought to have at least one fire station each have have none. Such places include Abagana/Enugwu-ukwu axis in Njikoka local council; Awka North local council, Okija in Ihiala local council and Oko in Aguata local council.

It was gathered that the state has about 20 fire-fighting trucks in all, including back-up water tankers spread across the fire stations. Out of these, eight are non-functional, but following the recent fire incidents in Onitsha, the state governor directed the repair of all the non-functional trucks of the Fire Service.

Further investigations showed that the State Fire Service is an appendage of the Ministry of Power and Water Resources. The ministry had as estimated capital expenditure of N1.827 billion in 2017; N2.375 billion in 2018, and N2.850 billion in 2019. Out of this amount, N3,756, 183 was earmarked for the Fire Service in 2017; N4,131,800 in 2018, and N4,544,982 in 2019.

The State Director of Fire Service, Martin Agbili, an engineer, who is also the state chairman of Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), could not be reached for comments. However, a member of staff of the Service who pleaded anonymity told The Guardian that the governor has ordered for the provision of six additional big trucks to the Service.

“In addition, orders have been placed for four mini-fire trucks that will act as first responder and be able to penetrate the nooks and crannies where the big ones cannot access,” he said.

The staff also noted that the welfare of employees in the Fire Service has been improved, saying: “Salaries and allowances of the fire service officers have largely been improved by about 100 per cent from what we earned before now. Also, our hazard allowance has been increased to N20,000 monthly.” But he bemoaned poor budgetary provisions to the Service, noting that it was hampering their efficiency.

He added: “The staff strength is not anything to write home about. In fact, the conditions of service were not encouraging. But with the recent fire incidents, the state government has come to the realisation that the Fire Service needs adequate attention to perform efficiently. The governor has ordered the increase of the staff strength from 70 to 120.”

Another source, who also pleaded anonymity, said the government was being reactive, questioning the rationale behind the many years of neglect the Fire Service had endured.

“How could past governments place staff on salaries and allowances that are not motivating. Also, there are no boreholes to make water available for the Service and where they exist, they are dilapidated and non-functional. It is now that government is rising to the occasion,” he said.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN SATURDAY MAGAZINE NOV. 2, 2019