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More than 1.5 million children at risk as devastating floods hit Nigeria-UNICEF

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By Evelyn Terseer – Abuja 

More than 2.5 million people in Nigeria are in need of humanitarian assistance – 60 per cent of which are children – and are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in the past decade, UNICEF warned today.

The floods, which have affected 34 out of the 36 states in the country, have displaced 1.

3 million people.
Over 600 people have lost their lives and over 200,000 houses have either been partially or fully damaged. Cases of diarrhoea and water-borne diseases, respiratory infection, and skin diseases have already been on the rise. In the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of 12 October.
As rains are expected to continue for several weeks, humanitarian needs are also expected to rise.

“Children and adolescents in flood-affected areas are in an extremely vulnerable situation,” said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “They are particularly at risk of waterborne diseases and emotional and psychological distress. UNICEF is working closely with the Government and other partners to provide life-saving assistance to those who are most in need.” 

In the press release by Godfrey Njoku, the floods are adding another layer of complexity to an already precarious humanitarian situation in the country. Immediate priority needs for children include health, water, sanitation, and hygiene; as well as shelter and food. Additional funding and resources are required to respond to growing needs and to sustain ongoing humanitarian interventions, with a focus on the most vulnerable, including children with disabilities.

According to UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), Nigeria is considered at ‘extremely high risk’ of the impacts of climate change, ranking second out of 163 countries.

Children in ‘extremely high risk’ countries face a deadly combination of exposure to multiple climate and environmental shocks combined with high levels of underlying child vulnerability, due to inadequate essential services, such as water and sanitation, healthcare and education.

To date, UNICEF has supported the government response in three affected States – Jigawa, Niger, and Kaduna, including through the provision of cash assistance, distribution of cholera kits, government-led mobile health teams, temporary learning centres and learning kits and cholera kits. With additional support, UNICEF can scale up its response in other states to provide lifesaving medical equipment and essential medicines, chlorination of water and sanitation supplies, as well as to support the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence.

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FG Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Enabling Environment for Migrants

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The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enabling environments and adequate protection for migrants in the country.

Mr  Tijjani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said this at the International Migrants Day in Abuja on Wednesday.

Report says that the theme of the celebration was  “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting their Rights.

The Commission organised a walk in commemoration of the day to sensitise Nigerians of the danger of not following the right path when leaving the country.

Ahmed highlighted the invaluable contribution of migrants to Nigeria’s development, including remittances exceeding 23 billion dollars annually,  and advancements in technology and agriculture.

He said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a secure and supportive environment for migrants while enhancing migration governance.

“We are here today to celebrate the migrants for their technological transfer.

“We celebrate migrants because of their contributions towards the development of this country.

“We also celebrate them today in order to inform them that the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria are there for them.

“We do not forget the contribution of our migrants in the diaspora towards the development of Nigeria,” he said.

Ahmed emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to lead migration governance globally through the “Rabat Process” in 2025, showcasing its dedication to migration management and human rights.

“Nigeria is preparing  to take over the leadership of the rubber process by 2025.

“We are asking everyone within and outside this country to support Nigeria to succeed in the governance of migration internationally.

“We have at least 10,000 migrants in Nigeria and over 20,000 outside the country that are contributing towards the development of  the country, ” he said.  (NAN)

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FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments

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The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.

Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).

He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.

The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.

According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.

“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.

“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”

The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.

He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.

Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.

Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.

Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.

Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)

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Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors

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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.

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