Education: Banning under-18 from WAEC, NECO will limit potential of Nigerian children – Olota

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

Oba Abdulkabir Obalanlege, Olota of Ota, Ogun State, says banning under-18 students from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will limit the potential of Nigerian children.

Oba Oloota

Obalanlege made the observation while delivering a goodwill message at the 15th Anniversary of Adedokun International Schools on Monday at Iyana-Iyesi Multipurpose, Ota, Ogun.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had on Aug. 25, announced a move by the Federal Government to ban students below 18 years from sitting for WASSCE and the one conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

According to Obalanlege, restricting under -18 students from sitting for WAEC and NECO examinations will limit the children’s potential in terms of competing with their peers around the world.

“My advice to the Federal Government is to follow the international best practices rather than limiting the potential of our young ones,” he said.

Obalanlege said that this would help to enhance the standard of education in the country.

LASG rescues 3 trafficked children, seals 4 estates, 22 high-rise buildings

AgegePulse Magazine

By Grace Alegba

The Lagos State Government ( LASG) on Thursday rescued three trafficked children serving as  workers in a construction  site in Lekki axis  of  Lagos State .

The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) that effected the rescue also sealed  22 high-rise buildings and four estates for non compliance to quality assurance in the area.

Dr Afolabi Abiodun,  the General Manager of LSMTL during the enforcement warned developers against child labour, stating that defaulters would be prosecuted.

It was reports that the minors, who were  from Benin Republic were rescued during enforcement visit to the construction sites by LSMTL.

AgegePulse Magazine learnt that LSMTL sealed four estates and 22 houses in the Lekki axis during the exercise while it collected  water samples  from the sealed construction sites for analysis.

Abiodun stressed the need for safe water during  construction.

The general manager reacting to the rescued children serving as labourers  said, “It is child abuse, developers should not use children for construction.

“Look at the children, if we estimate, they are less than 10 years old. What will a 10-year- old be doing  on a construction site,” the LMSTI boss said.

He said that the enforcement was necessary to assess  the structural integrity of buildings, to stem the tide of building collapses, in line with Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s  zero tolerance for building collapse  in the state.

He called on owners of completed high-rise buildings to carry out non destructive tests every five years, to ensure the  structural stability of their  buildings.

Abiodun advised construction companies, developers, estate agents, builders and other stakeholders in the built environment to comply with the directive for testing their construction materials.

He said that such tests should be for ongoing and completed buildings to avert  the danger of building collapse in the state.

The general manager said that some estates had in the past refused officials of the LSMTL to carry out tests on their building materials and also ignored notices served on them to submit samples for testing.

He told  the workers on a site near the popular 1,004 Estate,  along the Ozumba Mbadiwe Way,  that it was on record that the place had been served notices.

“What we have done here is partial sealing because we understand that you must go in and out.

“Tell your engineer to bring evidence of all tests conducted to the  Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory”, he said.

Abiodun also  said that  his team discovered  that on some of the sealed sites, the engineers used 10mm iron rods for columns of buildings where the least thickness required was 16mm.

He decried the wrong foundations being laid for buildings on the axis which are mostly wetlands, adding that, the LSMTL was going to carry out urgent tests on some of the foundations to avert risks of collapse.
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Property owners who did not ascertain the structural stability of their buildings risk sanctions,” the general manager said.

He noted that using the right materials and carrying out the required soil tests would prevent construction failure.

Abiodun urged the public to patronise the LSTML to ensure that they test their construction materials for quality to guarantee structural integrity to avert building collapse.

However, some of the trafficked children working as construction workers told journalists they were working as brick layers and painters on site.

They said their daily wages of N400.00  per child were usually paid to their masters while they remained on site to work.

 (NAN)

Security Tips: New Way of Kidnapping Children

AgegePulse Magazine

The New way of kidnapping children  has now been revealed by security agency.

Here is the tips "man and woman will pretend as if they are taking their children to school. They will put their so called fake wards with a particular school uniform. This uniform must be the uniform of a school that is along their route".

AgegePulse gathered that, If they are fortunate to see parents without car waiting for lift, they will stop and tell the parents that they should not worry going with them with a promise to drop their children.

 From there they will take them to unknown place for rituals or for ransom. So parents be careful.

Teachers circulate this for the sake of our lovely children.

Frm Police Children School, Minna

Six Nigerian asylum seekers die as Cameroon forcefully repatriates them

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has expressed shock about the tragic death of six Nigerian asylum-seekers, among them three children, who reportedly died in a blast in the far north of Cameroon.

The United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees has learnt that on 29th of July, 12 asylum-seekers were being forcibly returned to Banki, Nigeria, in a Cameroonian army truck which drove over an improvised explosive device that exploded.

Six Cameroonian soldiers and six other asylum-seekers were also injured in the incident, which took place in Homaka, Mayo Sava Division.



“This tragic incident is a disappointing testament of continuing forced returns (refoulement) of refugees and asylum-seekers from Cameroon, despite numerous appeals by UNHCR to the Government of Cameroon to respect its obligations,” said Valentin Tapsoba, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Africa.

“The forced return of refugees and asylum-seekers is in violation of the principle of non-refoulement which constitutes the cornerstone of international refugee law to which the Cameroonian State is party.”

UNHCR noted that over 800 Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers in Cameroon have been forcibly returned to Nigeria since the beginning of 2018.

It therefore called upon the government of Cameroon to refrain from carrying out further forced returns of Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers.

It also reminded Cameroon of its obligations under international law relating to the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers and the commitments it made by signing the Tripartite Agreement for the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon in March 2017.

UNHCR reiterated its appeal to authorities to provide Nigerian refugees with unhindered access to asylum and also expressed its readiness to support Cameroon to ensure that all individuals seeking safety have access to efficient screening, registration and documentation procedures.

Some 96,000 Nigerian refugees have sought safety in the Far North region of the country, with more than 8,000 new refugees registered since the beginning of 2018, UNCHR noted; stating that Cameroon currently hosts more than 367,000 refugees and asylum-seekers

Punch

HOFOWEM BLESSES CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS

Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative, HOFOWEM, a pet project of the wife of Lagos State governor, Bolanle Ambode, has distributed various gift items to more than 500 children at Massey Childrens Hospital, Lagos and Sought After Childrens Orphanage Home, Langbasa Ajah, in a project tagged: Love at Christmas.

In a statement signed by Assistant Director, Public Affairs
Office of the Wife of the Governor of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Folashade Kadiri, it was revealed that children aged between one month and 15 years, got various gift items, that left them feeling happy and included in the yuletide celebration.

Mrs Bolanle Ambode (m), supported by CEO. HOFOWEM, Ms. Oyefunke Adeleke (L), to present Xmas gifts to Miss Oluwatimileyin Bamgbade 

Commenting on the gesture, the founder of HOFOWEM, Bolanle Ambode, noted that it was intended to put smiles on the faces of those children and integrate them into the celebration of christmas.

Mrs Bolanle Ambode (m) supported by CEO. HOFOWEM, Ms. Oyefunke Adeleke (2nd right); and MD. Massey Street Children’s Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Olugbenga Aina  (r), to present Xmas gifts to Miss Zainab Kotun

What Christmas requires of all of us, is to show love and spread happiness among everyone including children. They are young persons, they need our care and special expression of love to partake in the celebrations.

Christmas celebrations are not complete when we have not touched these children tenderly. As it were, this is just a token of love for the children from the foundation.

Speaking further, the governors wife noted that the cardinal philosophy of her foundation was to affect the lives of less-privileged persons, through interventions that bring radical improvement for them. She recalled that HOFOWEM had organized various programmes in the past, with the sole objective of putting smiles on the faces of that category of persons, promising that the foundation would unfold more children and women-friendly programmes in the coming year.

Also speaking, the commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, represented by Dr. Funmilayo Shokunbi, expressed appreciation to the governors wife and the foundation, stressing that, the gesture would go a long way in putting smiles on the faces of the children.

According to him, This noble gesture goes a long way in putting not just smiles on the faces of the children, but also demonstrates your genuine love and care for them.

That you have left the comfort of your home at this period to spend time with these children, goes a long way in showing your heart of meekness, kindness and love and there is no better way to express love and integrate the children into the celebration of the yuletide, than this visit Dr Idris stressed.

The chief executive officer of the foundation, Ms. Oyefunke Adeleke, thanked the founder for graciously approving the project, aimed at providing succor for the children, stressing that HOFOWEMs agenda was about happiness for the weak and vulnerable. She hinted that many programmes had been lined up for children and women in the new year and would be unveiled one after the other.

On behalf of the parents of the children, Mr. Emmanuel Stephen, expressed deep gratitude to the governors wife and the foundation, for what they described as the great act of kindness, praying that God would reward her most generously.

J.S Babatunde Flags Off Pediatrics Care Week

In a bid to address the issue of inadequate health care attention for children and pregnant women under his jurisdiction, the Executive Chairman of Orile Agege LCDA, Mr. Johnson Sunday Babatunde has began the second phase of the Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week.

The initiative which is regarded as first of its kind in the LCDA attracted infants, nursing mothers and pregnant women across the council.

As a clear sign that the well being and survival of the weak vessels is paramount to the Chairman, the initiative is already being twice within four months of his assumption into office.

J.S Babatunde, Vice- Chairman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Akanni-Pedro, Secretary to the LCDA, Mr James  Agboola, Supervisors, several health workers and other dignitaries across the area thronged Odunmbaku Public Health Centre in Orile - Agege LCDA yesterday to declare the one-week-long and all-encompassing pediatrics care exercise open.

It started with demonstration of Hand Washing by Environmental Health Officers to mothers before the Wife of the Executive Chairman, Mrs Mojisola Babatunde administered Vitamin-A on the children. Subsequently, mosquito nets and hygiene packs were given to the women.

Agege Pulse learnt that within the one week duration of this programme, pregnant women, nursing mothers and their babies will get attention in different areas ranging from  Malnutrition Screening, Deworming Exercise, Polio Immunization, IPT for malaria in Pregnancy and Family Planning.

Also,  it was gathered that the exercise will be carried out in all the four (4) Primary Health Centers in Orile - Agege, Lagos State.

Speaking at the flag off, Mr Babatunde urged mothers to give utmost attention to immunizing their children in order to prevent life threatening diseases adding that it's imperative for pregnant mothers to take adequate care of themselves and their unborn babies.

Lagos begins safety audit in schools - AgegePulse

...safety of school children is of great importance - Hon. Hakeem Dickson

The Lagos State Government, through the State Safety Commission, has commenced safety compliance audit/inspection of all public and private schools in line with the policy of the Ambode-led administration to entrench the culture of safety standard across the State.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony, the Director-General, of the Commission, Hon. Hakeem Dickson disclosed that the State Government will ensure that the environment where children spend a greater part of their day is free of hazards.

He reiterated that the safety of school children is of great importance to the state government most especially in the light of the activities of kidnappers in some quarters across Lagos hinterlands.

In his words, "The essence of the audit is to ascertain that safety measures are installed in these schools to safeguard the students and the teachers as well. This is because the present administration is concerned about the overall safety of school children in the state".

Some of the schools visited are Ipakodo Junior and Senior Grammar School, Majidun Junior and Senior, Goshen College, Government Junior and Senior College, Ikorodu, Yintab College, Ayangburen Junior and Senior College, Oriwu Senior College, United Junior High School, Oriwu Junior College, Oriwu Senior College, Maps College amongst others.

The safety audit team is expected to visit private and public schools across the state, without prior notice, to identify hazards in the schools and report to the appropriate quarters for prompt action.

Ex-Super Eagles player arraigned for battering wife

…victim suffered internal bleeding – Lagos DPP

A former player with the Super Eagles, Godwin Okpara, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly battering his wife, Linda Oladoyinbo, at their house on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja.
Okpara played for the Super Eagles at the France 98 World Cup and African Nations Cup in 2000, among other tournaments.

Okpara and Oladoyinbo, who were based in France, where the former played for French club, PSG, had been married for over 25 years, and the union blessed with four children.
However, crisis started in the marriage in 2005 when the wife reported to the French authorities that Okpara was sleeping with their 13-year-old housemaid, Tina.

He was arrested and convicted for the crime.
While he served a 10-year prison term and was released in 2012, his wife got 15 years for child abuse.
Although Okpara was released early on the grounds of good conduct in prison, he forfeited all his property and money to the French government, who also took custody of the family’s three surviving children.
Oladoyinbo, after her release, returned to their house in Ikeja, in May 2016.

However, she was said to have met some persons in the house, which led to an argument between her and the husband.
Oladoyinbo, who wrote a petition to the police at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, alleged that 45-year-old Okpara later brought some thugs into the house and ordered them to beat her up.
The attack, according to the petition, was because Oladoyinbo questioned the partitioning and sale of the family’s landed property in Ikeja.

One of her relatives was said to have videoed the attack and also took pictures of the injuries sustained by the victim.
Okpara, in his reaction, told the police that the fight happened after he returned home and discovered that his wife had stabbed one of his visitors.

The case was referred to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, which issued advice on it.
The advice, dated September 2017 and signed by the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Y.G. Oshoala, said the ex-international had a case to answer.

The advice said, Facts in the duplicate case file revealed that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo travelled to France for some time and upon her arrival, she was denied access to her matrimonial house by her husband– Godwin Okpara; and when she finally gained access after many weeks, she was only allowed into the guesthouse, while her husband’s brother and wife moved into the main house.

Further facts revealed that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo questioned Godwin Okpara about the joint property he sold without her knowledge and he beat her mercilessly with the participation of his brother and his wife. He equally brought thugs into the house, who beat her up with sticks upon which she suffered internal bleeding.

This is corroborated by a picture showing severe face injuries suffered by the wife and the medical report from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital indicating that she suffered serious injuries and was found bleeding from the nose and mouth as a result of the assault from the husband. The attached video record from the police clearly shows the suspect assaulting the complainant despite pleas from other observers.

The advice, which dismissed charges of forgery, stealing, malicious damage and threat to life due to lack of evidence, said the suspect should be arraigned on one count of assault occasioning harm.

The charge read, That you, Godwin Okpara, sometime in August 2016, on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, unlawfully assaulted and injured one Linda Oladoyinbo, by flogging her with a stick and other weapons, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 173, Ch C.17, Vol.3 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty and elected summary trial.
His defence counsel, Malachi Odo, asked for his bail in liberal terms.
He said, “The defendant is an ex-player of the Super Eagles. He served his country honourably. We pray the court to grant him bail in liberal terms.”
The police prosecutor, Simon Imohwa, did not oppose the bail application.

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• Source: online