Day: August 5, 2023

As part of activities to mark the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, some Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos have sensitised women on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2023 World Breastfeeding week, with theme: “Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents”, is to enlighten nursing mothers on the importance of breastfeeding to babies and their health.

The Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, District 5, flagged-off a sensitisation programme for nursing mothers to commemorate the World Breastfeeding week 2023.

Alhaja Folashade Yisa, Wife of the Council Chairman, who was also the chairperson of the programme, encouraged mothers to breastfeed babies at least six months straight without water.

Yisa advised nursing mothers to take care of their personal health as “whatever you take in also goes on to the baby”.

She urged the women not to allow breastfeeding hinder them from performing their duties as wife in the house.

“We urge you the mothers to breastfeed your babies exclusively and pay proper attention to their hygiene internally and externally,” she said.

Also, the Isolo LCDA in Lagos, joining the world to commemorate the year breastfeeding week, organised a health talk and workshop to advocate proper and exclusive breastfeeding.

Mrs Olajumoke Olasoju, Wife of the Council’s Chairman, who played host to hundreds of nursing mothers encouraged them on adherence to breastfeeding guidelines and its exclusive practice for the recommended period.

Olasoju, speaking on the theme “Enabling Breastfeeding: Making A Difference For Nursing Parents” called for support and encouragement for breastfeeding mothers especially at workplace.

“I salute every nursing mother here for the deliberate effort we are investing into nurturing our babies.

“Breastfeeding provides essential nutrients, protection against disease and also provides emotional and cognitive development for infants and that underscores it is important in the life of our babies.

“It’s important that we encourage exclusive and proper breastfeeding to raise healthy, bright and promising children like ourselves.

“As nursing mothers, we have to remain deliberate about this act and not allow any environmental barriers like we might have in our workplace discourage us,” she said.

According to her, breastfeeding is not only beneficial to babies but also to mothers and our society at large.

The council first lady added that breastfeeding has long-term benefits for individuals and society leading to healthier populations and reduced health conditions.

She called on stakeholders in the private sector and community to take a cue from government by creating support systems and consideration for nursing mothers in order to promote breastfeeding.

Olasoju said that nursing mothers needed to be supported.

“As you can see, government has shown commitment to this in many ways.

“I will call on other stakeholders to take a cue from government. Husbands should be a support system to their wives more during nursing also, the community should create a supportive environment,” she said.

Mrs Abisodun Odusina-Adeoye, the Councilor Representing Ishagatedo/Ire-Akari in Isolo, said exclusive breastfeeding for over six months helped her children’s growth.

According to Odusina-Adeoye, exclusive breastfeeding boosts immune system and she encouraged nursing mothers to embrace the act reiterating that the benefits inherent were countless.

Dr Shola Tanimowo, the Medical Officer of Health, Isolo LCDA, also said that breastfeeding enhances the bond between the mother and child.

Tanimowo said it helped to create oxytocin, and prevent heart attack for the mother as well as cancers.

He added that breastfeeding also helped develop strong bones.

Mrs Bose Aroyehun, a Nurse in Isolo PHC, encouraged the mothers to ensure they ate a balanced diet.

She enlightened the nursing mothers on the right ways to breastfeed a baby, urging them to “bring their babies to the breast and not the other way round.”

According to her, positioning is important during breastfeeding.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

About eight fishermen have been killed by elements of the Boko Haram cult in the locality of Darak in the Lagone and Chari division of the Far North region

The incident took place on August 2, 2023, on the shores of Lake Chad.

According to reports, the cult was deployed to levy taxes on fishing activity in that locality. They were however met with stiff resistance from the fishermen. Boko haram militants then decided to put an end to their lives and most of them were found with their throats slit.

According to the President of the fishermen’s association of Darak, Abba Kabir, it was an attack by the Boko Haram sect as their bodies had received several bullets.

“Wednesday evening, we found the bodies of six fishermen floating on the water at the height of Karakaya Island located in the canton of Darak”

This locality has been a target of Boko Haram attackers for years now. Last February, it was reported that six persons all fishermen suffered the same fate after militants of the cult demanded for fishing levy in the Logone and Chari division.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Members of the South West Regional Follow-up Committee for the Public Investment Budget met on August 4, 2023 in Buea, chief town of the South West Region, to examine the different projects carried out so far.

The Chairperson of the SW Public Investment Budget Committee, Malomba Eseme Donald stated that, councils are very lax in the realization of projects awarded, making the SW region amongst the worst regions as far as project execution is concerned.

“We have realized that these councils are not doing their work the way it is supposed to be done, especially when it comes to the award of contracts. There are unnecessary delays, unnecessary project files which are kept. So, we have come up with measures stating that, sanctions have to be given,” the chairperson said.

“It is not the committee that needs to sanction but we are recommending this to the authorities who have the regulatory powers when it comes to public contracts, to look into this matter in the South West region and where sanctions are meant to be necessary, should be given. If this is not done, we are not sure to come out of this kind of performance,” he continued.

Malomba Eseme went further to say that: “Compared to this time last year, there is significant improvement in execution rates. However, we are not yet satisfied because it is still below 50 %. What we have just done, is a mid-year evaluation.”

The councils are said to be managing over 91% of the public investment budget based on the constitutional drive towards effective decentralization.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

A grandmother living in Nkoulouloun, Douala II subdivision has raised alarm over what she qualified as “a building of death” over her roof. She was referring to a five – floor storey building erected on a narrow piece of land. Following a series of building collapses in the city of Douala, with a deadly one at mobile Guinness still fresh in the minds of Cameroonians, the woman in her 70s fears death is already looming around her.

“If it collapses now on my house, it will kill everyone of us. Parts of roof and ceiling have already been destroyed by pieces of bricks from the structure. I have complained several times to the owner but he has ignored me.”

The head of bloc F Nkoulouloun Dernier poteau, Dontsa Raymond testified that Mr. Okorie Chukwuemeka, the owner of the building went far beyond the authorized number of floors.

“The nature of the land required a normal house or just one floor storey building. What he has raised is crazy. The construction was mostly done in the night.”

Chukwuemeka Okorie, said he owes no one any explanation because he has all the legal documents authorizing his construction.

“Here are all the documents issued me by the competent services of the Douala city council,” Okorie said, presenting the documents.

It is not only this structure that scares surrounding locals, scores of them exist in all municipalities in Douala.

A Civil Engineer and expert in urban planning, Aurelien Ngonga who spoke to CNA said authorities should take stringent actions such as the demolition of such buildings as a means to protect the population.

Aurelien Ngonga had also advised the population to be conscious and be first protectors of their lives by evacuating risk zones.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

As speculated, the Limbe District head of the Social Democratic Front party, SDF, Ndenge Godden Zama, has declared his intentions to table a candidacy in the upcoming SDF elective national convention.

The charismatic Zama made this known in a press conference held in the Seaside resort of Limbe.

“Our story is a story of a people who still wear a smile despite all of these odds. And This is why I am running for the chairmanship of the SDF. I am running because I believe like you dignity is possible. I believe like you that no matter what they do to us we have a collective will that is unbreakable. It is not possible to see a people more resilient than the Cameroonian people, it’s not possible to see a generation of young people more vibrant than the Cameroonian youth. Despite everything that has been thrown at them they get up every day with a smile and try to find solutions to these very complex problems.” Godden Zama said in a declaration speech.

The Limbe-based politician said he is the right person to change the narrative and bring the party back to track, “As Chairman I want to accompany you; I want to lead from in front so that this great national party can take its rightful place in the Cameroonian nation and finally deliver on its huge promise. Like you I have never given up; I didn’t give up when they kept me in a rat hole in SED for a month; I didn’t give up when locked up in the dungeons of Kondengui for 7 months. The Cameroonian prison system didn’t break me; it didn’t stop me from my dreams of leading our people. Nothing can break me! As leader of the party, we would build back better, we would inspire a new generation of militants, and we would fight for the dignity and honour of the Cameroonian youth.”

Zama also said his major task if elected national chairman of the party, is to stop the war in the two Anglophone regions that have caused devastating effects to its population.

Now is the time to end the war and develop our villages and cities, now is the time to end the war and allow our kids to go back to school. As chairman, I promise to capitalize on these gains and put an end to the war within 6 months of my ascension to power. Nothing concrete can be achieved without peace, our dignity cannot be restored with the constant raping of our mothers and sisters, the kidnapping and ransom taking, the arbitrary detention and wanton killing, the extortion and the crazy abuse human rights. My dear brothers and sisters,Incessant bloodshed will never be the path to dignity. There is no glory in War!! We lost alot already, our mothers, wifes and sisters have shed enough tears. Now is the time to bury and differences and find what dignifies us.

Zama 2023

He criticized the government for not taking care of her people. The people, he said, have been left to fend for themselves. Thus, thousands in search of greener pastures have fled Cameroon risking their lives even in the deserts.

“These compatriots have come face to face with death, slavery, and sexual violence all for the promise of a better life and who can blame them? Their parents worked hard and sent them to school, they studied and offered their blood sweat, and tears to serve the nation but in return, the nation gave them nothing.”

The “Limbe boy” said his team will kickstart the campaigns to meet and greet members and sympathizers and personally inform them of the plans he has for the party.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The 30-40-30 fruit development project under implementation in South Region is a new perspective that has been transforming the livelihood of farmers and pastoralists, according to Agriculture Bureau Head of the region.

South Region Agriculture Bureau Head with the rank of Deputy Chief Administrator, Usman Surur told ENA that the project is a means of lifting farmers and pastoralists out of poverty.

According to him, the project is changing the livelihood of farmers and pastoralists, and created new perspectives from the usual trends of the agricultural production.

Citing the success of the 30-40-30 fruit development project in the region, the bureau head said the project will be expanded to all areas of the region as the inhabitants are benefiting from the large-scale production of avocado, banana, papaya and apple.

Many people in various areas of the region have indeed benefited during the first year implementation period of the development project as the project entered its second year of implementation.

Recall that the 30-40-30 fruit development project is a program in which a farmer or a pastoralist benefits by planting 30 fruit seedlings in the first year, 40 in the second year, and 30 in the third year.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency