Metro
Corps Members to Participate in India’s 75th Independence Anniversary-Envoy
This was disclosed by the High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Mr Abhay Thakur, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the National Youths Service Corps ( NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shu’aibu Ibrahim in Abuja on Thursday.
A statement by the Acting Director, Special Duties, NYSC, Alhaji Musa Abubakar ,said that the Envoy was accompanied by the Defence Adviser to the Indian High Commission in Nigeria, Col.
Sachin Duvet.He said that the decision to invite NYSC to the event was in consideration of the roles played by the scheme in the development of Nigeria.
Thakur added :” The invitation was in consideration of the fact that the NYSC shares a lot in common with the Indian National Cadet Corps, a replica of the NYSC in India.
”Thakur explained that the corps members would be selected through a quiz competition to be organized by the High Commission, in collaboration with the NYSC.
” It will be fully funded by India as part of the country’s desire to ensure human interaction between India and her friends across the globe,” he stated.
Thakur thanked the director-general and the management of NYSC for the warm reception and promised that the country was willing to offer more opportunities to the scheme and Nigeria.
This, he explained, is in the area of for other youth and cultural exchange programmes, among others.
Responding, Ibrahim informed the visiting High Commissioner that upon the receipt of the letter of invitation, the NYSC wrote both the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development , as well as Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The letter was for the request for an approval and clearance for the scheme to participate in the epoch-making event.
He also disclosed that the scheme had already begun the pre-selection process of the would-be participants.
The DG said:” The pre-selected corps members will converge on Abuja for the final selection quiz once arrangements were concluded with the Indian High Commission.”
He lauded the High Commission for its interest in the scheme and congratulated the country on its 75th Anniversary.
He assured the High Commission of the commitment of the NYSC in partnering with the country.
Ibrahim further noted that this type of engagement was not new to the scheme as it had collaborated with other countries.
This, he said, was either in support of establishing similar youth organizations or in providing corps members to showcase their abundant talents.
He also gave some insights into the activities of the corps members, especially during the period of the COVID-19 lockdown.
He added,” they were involved in the production of facemasks, hand sanitizers and other non-pharmaceutical products for the control of the disease.” ( NAN)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.Metro
Catholic Church Welcomes New Apostolic Nuncio
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
Metro
Boundary Commission to Provide Infrastructure Along Disputed Boundary Areas
The National Boundary Commission (NBC), says it has concluded plans to provide infrastructure in flash locations along interstate boundaries to encourage integration and cooperation.
The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday.
Adaji said that the commission would look at flash point areas and provide infrastructures that would encourage cooperation and integration among border communities.
He said that the goal was to see how the commission could bring people in border communities together to share from a common facility.
This, according to him, will douse tension and bring some kind of understanding among border communities.
“The bounder communities will share the facilities, which in the long run will bring the people together and eventually reduce tension and boundary conflicts.
“This is a way of encouraging integration and cooperation by encouraging people to come together, relate with one another and engage in beneficial commercial activities.”
Adaji said that a similar initiative was test runed with a borehole, constructed boundary corridor in Ado Local Government Area of Benue state, where it shared boundary with Ebonyi.
“We have also been able to construct some market stalls in the Ebonyi sector of the boundary between Ebonyi and Cross River,” he added.
“So, our appeal is for people to appreciate, cooperate and understand that boundaries are not barriers.
“The boundary line will not stop somebody from owning properties across and that is what we want to partner with the states to educate people along by the boundary corridors. (NAN)