Metro
NGO urges FG to make policy decisions that will benefit older persons
A group under the aegis of Greenlight Initiative has urged the Federal Government to understand that they need to start planning and incorporating decision that will further benefit and protect the lives of older persons.This is coming against the background that the Initiative embark on a 12 months research study on Mobility, Transport, and Ageing in Low and Middle-Income Countries with emphasis in Nigeria and Uganda.The Initiative which is non-profit organization that promotes good health and wellbeing; safe and sustainable transportation partnered with the Federal University of Technology Owerri and Makerere University, execute the 12 month study.According the executive Director of the Initiative Mr Simon Obi the study became imminent as available evidence suggested that not much work had been done regarding the mobility needs and safety of older persons which should compel urban developers and transport planners to put key and special consideration during designs.”Inclusive mobility is an important initiative to directly consider in the initial stages of designing and developing mobility services.
According to Mr Obi the twelve month indepth research was painstaking with series of interviews, surveys within the two countries.
“After a 12 months in-depth research study of the mobility pattern of the older people, GreenLight Initiative together with its organised a dissemination workshop for key stakeholders to review the research outcome.
“The research activities examined current transport preferences and policies affecting the mobility of the older persons and how they impact on, and are impacted by different factors, and took a broad, multidisciplinary view of these links.
“One thing we often say is that a lot of persons are too busy doing business in other fields of endeavour forgetting that they will get old one day This is one very important sector that is often neglected in the society.
“That is the rationale for us going into this research project. So in terms of policy, our research has shown that there are no much policies that support the right of older persons in the country.
“We all will get old one day. And we need to prepare for the future, and so there is need first, for government to rise to this challenge. Government must understand that they need to start planning and incorporating decision that will further benefit and protect the lives of older persons.
He also harped on the need for government to be bold enough to start investing in infrastructure that supports the rights of older persons “because our road designs, what we saw in these two countries indicated they do not support the right of the older persons.’
“So the government needs to invest in infrastructure, they also need to provide the enabling environment for these category of persons to thrive to make a meaningful life.
He said the lack of policies and lack of infrastructure are definitely affecting the older persons in Nigeria. “We don’t have structures and infrastructure that supports their wellbeing in our cities.
“The government has to come in and do something urgently because this is an emergency situation. We are losing our older persons and we all will get old one day.
He said the focus on Nigeria and Uganda drew from the fact that in low and middle income countries such as our country and Uganda, these things are not talked about.
According to him, other developed climes, have infrastructural things that support the older persons.
“The mobility system supports them. They have a community transportation system that supports the older persons. But in Africa especially Nigeria and Uganda, there are no policies and there are no transportation network that supports them.”
Obi explained that the dissemination symposium underscored their priority to not only promote safe and sustainable transportation but also inclusivity in mobility.
“It is my belief that this study would knowledge and further assist policymakers, advocates, and transport stakeholders to make evidence-based decisions regarding mobility and access for older persons.
“We continue to thank Volvo Research and Educational Foundation (VREF) for its generous support which allows us to embark on this very important but often neglected area.
According to Dr. Chinebuli Uzondu, a Researcher/Lecturer from the Federal University of Technology Owerri: “It was such a pleasant surprise. I am so thrilled and honoured that we were announced as recipients of a grant from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundation (VREF).
“This grant has enabled us to work on a very important, yet often neglected issue. Our research has explored the mobility needs of older persons in Nigeria and Uganda, to understand their travel patterns, unravelled their travel patterns, transport options available to them, needs and barriers to active mobility.
“We identified country-specific challenges and have presented evidence-based strategies and recommendations to address and improve the condition.
“This research is very important to me because I feel that VREF acknowledges the importance of this research and how it will go on to address the issues around transport inequities and exclusions.
According to Dr. Paul I. Mukwaya, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Geography, Geo-informatics and Climatic Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda: “For Makerere University, the grant is one of those which has opened up new opportunities, locally and internationally, as we build for the future. Most importantly the research has brought to the fore; not only, the kind of transport inequalities that older persons experience to be more specific, but also the transport policy gaps that exist at city and/or national scale.
“We have been able to network with a number of national actors and a conversation on critical transport inequality issues across Kampala City.
**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo
There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,
“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.
“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.
“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.
The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.
No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.
A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.
The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.
By our correspondent
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.
Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.
“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.
“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.
The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.
Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.
The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)
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