Okada Ban Complete in Two States

The governor of Kaduna state has just signed a law banning operation of Okada (commercial motorcycles) in the state while the ban on Okadas has been reiterated by the Governor of Niger state.

Mukhtar Yero, the governor of Kaduna state has put his signature to a law banning Okada in the Kaduna metropolis, as well as, some other towns of the state. The law has been approved by the House of Assembly of Kaduna state.

 Ben Bako, the State Commissioner for Information, said that the ban was being enforced for security reasons. Mr. Bako said the ban in Kaduna was due to the influx of Okadas from some neighboring states where the ban on Okadas had already been implemented. These states include Kano, FCT, Niger and Plateau.

The commissioner said that the ban would be implemented in areas like Kaduna South, Igabi, Chikun, Kaduna North, Jema’a, Zaria, Birnin Gwari and Sabon Gari local government areas. The ban was to take effect from May 21st. He warned that anyone found operating an Okada could face three months imprisonment or N 10,000 fine.

He urged all motor cycle owners to desist from commercial activities or be prepared to face the full fury of the law. He also emphasized the commitment of the state government to health, security, and the other issues affecting the lives of the public.

In Niger state, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, the governor said that there were some political elements, which wanted to destabilize the state on the issue of ban of Okadas. The state government had begun implementation of ban on Okadas in capital city, Minna starting from January 2014. 

The governor alleged that a plot was being hatched to destabilize the government by some elements that had lost in the political equation of the state and they were bent up on using the issue of the ban on Okadas as cause for trouble.

Malam Danladi Ndayebo, the chief press secretary of the governor, released a statement containing the allegations made by the governor. According to the statement, a protest was being organized on Okada ban by political figures including leaders of the opposition.

The statement said that the Niger state government condemned the cheap blackmail by discontented politicians who had lost in the political game, but were catching any straws to retain their voice.

Aliyu claimed that the government had acted in the best interest of the public and would not repeal the ban on Okadas in the state capital. The governor re-emphasized his conviction that the newly introduced alternative means of transport, the tricycles called as ‘Keke Talban’ had more advantages than the Okadas. He stressed that no responsible government would watch helplessly as more and more people were being killed in accidents involving commercial motor cycles.

The governor said that there was no need to politicize the issue on any ground as all residents, irrespective of what their political affiliations are, suffer a great deal, sometimes even at the cost of their lives, due to accidents involving Okadas.

If you wish to follow this story, or any delta state news on Okada, visit www.deltaherald.com.

Nigerian Hospitals Suffer From Lack Of Funds

Anambra state is one of the few states in Nigeria that has been showing improvement in health indices. This is mainly due to the efforts of the state government to work for achieving the health aspects of the Millennium Development Goals targeting 2015.

 

Diseases like measles and cholera epidemic are now less in Anambra state, thanks to proper use of resources to combat these. Also, the state has not had a case of Polio in the last seven years as the state ministry of health conducts immunization programs on a regular basis.

The government has reformed over 200 health agencies owned by the government like Primary health care centres and general hospitals spread in the rural areas. But there are still many tasks to be completed.  A few of the hospitals revived by the government have yet to function at optimum capacity due to lack of equipment.

For instance, the state government has set up the Teaching Hospital of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, which is fully operating. It has been accredited for training doctors and the other medical professionals by the Nigerian Dental and Medical council.

This teaching hospital has a screening centre for sickle cell disease for newborns. The state government has also set up a dialysis centre in Onitsha General Hospital for patients where costs are also subsidized by the state government.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital is also a hospital set up by the federal government that has churned out medical professionals in the last 15 years. Officials of this hospital are seeking funds amounting to N2.5 billion to help develop infrastructure at its new permanent site at Nnewi. The Nnewi community has contributed a large tract of land for the permanent site of the hospital but the shifting has been stalled due to lack of funds.

According to Prof. Ivara Esu, delay in moving hospital to Nnewi was causing hindrances in proper delivery of health care services. He pointed out that the present hospital was functioning at optimum capacity and could not accommodate more patients. Hence, many patients requiring treatment were being denied the facilities.

 He said that even the N2.5 billion may not be sufficient for the total project but it could help develop priority projects. Knowing that the government cannot achieve anything alone, state governor Peter Obi has tried to enter into partnership with Churches in health and education.

Some of the hospitals which received such assistance were Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Iyi Enu Hospital, Ogidi , Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha Ihiala, Diocesan Hospital, Amichi,  St. Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu ; among others. Also, recently the governor pressed into service 39 life ambulances to different state hospitals including missionary owned ones. These ambulances are equipped with surgical facilities, and can function as hospitals in times of emergency. The governor said that he admired how funds were properly utilized by the missionary hospitals.

He said state governments would spend another N200 million in all these hospitals in the coming 3 months to help them improve infrastructure. Due to the benign governorship by Obi, the state was procuring most of the funds in the health sector form donor agencies.

If you wish to pursue this story or any other latesthealth news in Nigeria, visit the site www.deltaherald.com.

Is Nigeria Turning into Next Rwanda?

The world’s eyes have turned to Nigeria after the shocking incident of abduction of 276 schoolgirls from a government school in Chibok, in Borno state of Nigeria. Islamist radical group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility.

The Group has threatened to use the girls as child brides as a new tactic. Previously, it has employed the tactic of pressing young boys into service in the form of child soldiers. 

The group has been terrorising Nigeria but only the mass kidnapping brought the attention of the world to Nigeria. Since its campaign which began five years ago, it has murdered over 4000 people and caused half a million to flee their homes. This has created large swaths of ghost towns in the arid North of Nigeria.

In addition to pervasive poverty, residents of capital Abuja and town of Lagos have come to suffer frequent car bombs. This is the daily grind for 170 million citizens of the most populous nation of Africa.

The kidnapping of the girls might have escaped attention too, if not for two social media campaigns.  The first was a support group on Twitter angered by the slow response of the Nigerian government which found a worldwide following under the hash tag #bringbackourgirls. It found following from the likes of Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie and Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai.

A second campaign by Boko Haram galvanised the international government machinery to action. In a horrifying tape released on Monday, the group leader Abubakar Shekau threatened to auction the girls as slaves.

Whether Shekau has as many captives is still unconfirmed, but the tape with its dangerous sexual tone has unleashed an international frenzy. Help has been pledged from the White House to Downing Street to free the girls through military action. Nigeria’s insurgency has come under the global spotlight, overnight.

Boko Haram, like most radical groups, finds followers by portraying modern, secular government as immoral and corrupt. This is easy to believe given the problems that Nigeria faces. Despite being the eighth biggest producer of oil in the world, it remains desperately poor especially in Muslim dominated North where 70% of people subsist on less than a dollar a day.

Thus, when a cleric named Mohammed Yusuf formed Boko Haram in late 90’s in Borno’s capital, Maiduguri, he was able to garner popular support. He was bent upon imposing Sharia law (floggings and amputations) and to ban Western education –Boko Haram means Western Education is sinful. The leaders of the group want to convert Nigeria into a theocratic state but the soldiers are all derived from the poor.

When Boko Haram took up insurgency, the Nigerian government met it with a robust response. A battle in Maiduguri in 2009 left over 600 dead and Yusuf was captured and executed. Surviving members fled to Niger, Chad, and Mali. Here, they received training from the Al Qaeda. By 2011, Boko Haram was back in Nigeria, pursuing a fresh Jihadist agenda. This time the leader was Shekau, a former follower of Yusuf.

Today, much of North East is under the control of Boko Haram. It is against this background that the US and British anti-terrorist experts arrived in Abuja yesterday. Though priority is rescuing the girls, they will also assist the Nigerian government with anti-terrorism strategy.

If you wish to follow this story or latest currentaffairs in Nigeria, visit the site www.deltaherald.com.

Mixed Fortunes for Okada Riders in Nigeria

Okada or commercial motorcycle riders in different parts of Nigeria experienced mixed fortunes with some places promising them a bright future while others imposing an outright ban on their operation.

Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, the candidate for governorship in Ekiti state, representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) assured Okada riders that they would enjoy the freedom to operate without fear that their activities would be proscribed, once he became governor.

Fayose made these statements in Ire-ekiti in local government area in the state while he was campaigning ward to ward.  He requested Okada owners not to vote for a party   which on forming government was likely to throw them into the swelling group of unemployed in the country.

Mr. Idowu Adelusi, spokesman for Fayose released a press statement in Ado Ekiti saying that Fayose was concerned that the APC party would exploit the vote bank of Okada riders to clinch the election, only to later curb their operations. He, on his part, assured Okada riders that he would not curb their operations, but only provide them an environment conducive to reduce Okada accidents to the bare minimum.

The number of registered Okadas in Nigeria is around 8 million. Babangida Maihula, president of National Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders Association said that around 8 million Okadas were registered with his association. Maihula said that out of 8, five million Okadas did not possess micro insurance policy.

He told News agencies sin Lagos that micro insurance had been designed to help Okadas and tricycles. The payment of premium depended on the type off policy- whether third party, comprehensive or personal (sickness/accident).

He explained that Okada riders could pay the premium after doing the work for a week. Before Okada riders could not benefit from insurance. Now the story is different and they have been provided micro-insurance to suit their needs.

Once the problem has occurred, the Okada rider could contact the unit head and could immediately get indemnified. An annual premium payment of N 160,000 could be paid annually without feeling the pinch.  Mr. Maihula said the micro insurance policy products were selling well as it was proving as   beneficial.

But there was bad news for Okada riders elsewhere. The House of assembly in Kaduna state passed a law banning commercial motorbikes in parts of the state.

Hon. Peter Adamu, the speaker of the house, said that the law would cover areas like Kaduna North and Zaria Township. He said that anyone who did not adhere to the law would be punished with a fine below N 10,000 or imprisonment for three months or both.

He said all offenders will be tried by magisterial courts related to areas established in the schedule that will impose punishment, sanctions, or orders like confiscation of motorcycles.

Okadas have been banned in other states like Lagos and Kano.

If you wish to follow this story, or the other Delta state news on Okada, visit the site www.deltaherald.com.