FULL INFORMATION ABOUT "NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS HEALTH INNITIATIVE FOR RURAL DWELLERS " (HIRD)

NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS HEALTH INNITIATIVE FOR RURAL DWELLERS (HIRD) PROFILE INTRODUCTION 

 The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was established in 1973 with the mandate to raise a class of patriotic, morally and physically disciplined Nigerian Youths who graduated from Universities and Polytechnics to undertake the national service. During the mandatory one year service, corps members live among and within the host communities facilitating unity and integration as well as championing community development by executing projects jointly with the people of their host communities.

 A major impact of these development programmes is in health care delivery. The Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) is another programme designed to provide timely health intervention to the large population of Nigerians in the rural areas

2. The Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) which is an innovation of the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, is expected to reach-out to core rural areas to enhance the accessibility of health care services by rural dwellers. This programme will engage corps medical personnel in the sensitization of the core rural dwellers on disease prevention, provision of first aid services, monitoring of cases and provision of appropriate referral when necessary.

3. GOAL The goal of the programme is to mobilize volunteer corps medical personnel to the rural dwellers who under normal circumstances will not be able to access medical attention as a result of neglect and remoteness of their location.

4. RATIONALE
i. The health care facilities provided by government, private and faith based organizations in the country are grossly inadequate to take care of the health needs of the populace. These facilities are either present in name or completely absent in most rural communities.
ii. The high mortality rate often associated with rural areas is a product of the abject lack of infrastructures/facilities. Hence the low income status of the populace and the unattractiveness of the area to conventional health workers, makes many of them resort to herbal medication or attribute even mild ailments to external spiritual causes and so loss their lives or become permanently impaired.
 iii. The scheme has a crop of energetic, skilled volunteer corps medical personnel (medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, dentists, ophthalmologists, etc) who serve as intervention agents in the all the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. They are disposed to providing correct information and medical palliatives to Nigerians in every nook and cranny of the country if provided with the logistics and medical facilities.

5. STRATEGIES
A. Capacity building of Corps medical personnel with the assistance of partners in the health sector (public/private).
2 B. Advocacy/need assessment visits to communities to find out their felt health needs and seek for their cooperation.
C. Outreaches by team of volunteer corps medical personnel to rural communities. These volunteers will be empowered with basic amenities (vehicles, medical facilities, drugs, etc.) to reach out to identified communities at least once a week on a rotational basis.
 D. Monitoring and evaluation of the entire programme implementation.

6. OUR STRENGTH The HIRD Programme of the NYSC has the following strengths:
i. NYSC has skilled medical personnel (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.) who are corps members that are available for the programme.
ii. Corps members are spread throughout the Federation and are ready to carry out the visions of the scheme.
iii. Corps members have basic intellectual capacity requiring minimum training to pass correct information and give minimum skill to rural people.
 iv. Corps members belong to a centralized organization making Monitoring, Evaluation and feedback process relatively easy
v. All the health related disciplines are in the scheme and can be easily mobilized as national response to the issue of healthy living in the rural areas.

7. JOURNEY SO FAR KWARA STATE The Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers was officially flagged-off in Igbo Owu community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara state on Thursday, 13th November, 2014. The programme which attracted dignitaries from all works of live in Kwara state was flagged of by the Director General of NYSC, Brig Gen JB Olawumi. The ceremony was witnessed by the representative of the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Honourable Saheed Popoola, Hon. Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

8. Following the flag off of the programme in Kwara state, the HIRD team in the state has carried out four other follow up outreaches to Igbo Owu community. The team attended to the health needs of 527 persons. 520 were treated and some being followed up, while two were referred. Cases investigated include – malaria, hypertension, typhoid, blood sugar level, arthritis, upper respiratory infection, peptic ulcer.

 9. LAGOS STATE National Youth Service Corps in Lagos state, partnered with the Lagos state Ministry for Health, Primary Health Care Board, Omron Healthcare Ltd Nigeria and Ministry of Rural Development to Flag-off Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers on Tuesday 3rd February. Present at the flagging-off ceremony were EganOromi, Itogbesa, Ojota, Ishagira and Ese-Ofin communities under Otto-Awori Local Council Development Area (L.C.D.A.).

10. The outreach programme was held at Ese–Offin community Primary School. Residents of the five communities namely Egan-Oromi, Itogbesa, Ojota, Ishagira and Ese-Ofin communities under Otto-Awori 3 L.C.D.A converged at Ese –offin for this exercise. However it is important to note that these communities are located on an ISLAND. The only means of transportation to the nearest health care facility which is in the city is via a Canoe/Boat. Kindly find attached the pictures for more clarification on the residents of these communities’ means of transportation.

11. OUR REQUEST Kwara and Lagos state are just how far the HIRD programme has gone so far. This is just like dropping a pint of oil in an ocean. The health care needs of the less privileged and rural dwellers in the country is overwhelming and the NYSC, though has the human resources to reach out to them all, does not have the logistics and material resources. The focus of this programme, however, is to reach out to as many rural communities in all the States and FCT.

12. In order to promote the quality of life of people, especially the rural dwellers residing in remote communities, by taking health service delivery to their door steps, the NYSC wishes to solicit for partnership and support from individuals, organisations in the provision of logistics (Vehicles), consulting equipments and basic drugs (and medical consumables) for the treatment of the following ailments:
a. Malaria
b. High blood pressure
c. Control of sugar level
d. Eye, ear and throat
e. Anti-biotic etc.

13. We shall be available for further discussions and
 can be reached on phone numbers 08037862255 or 08023511846. EMAIL – nysccdsdepartment@gmail.com 

COPY – 
1. okakwuvb2014@gmail.com 
 2. awak_eno@yahoo.com

download full  in PDF HERE

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Pasuma Was Never Invited To Our Church’ -RCCG Denies Viral Flyer

The controversial flyer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 20, Lagos Island Family with picture of fuji maestro, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma has been proven to be hand work of enthusiast printer.




According to information made available to ENCOMIUM Weekly on our visit to the parish on Sunday, September 27, 2015, located on Martins Street, opposite Oluwole Car Park, Lagos.



“It was the printer that made that mistake, nobody instructed him to place pictures of Pasuma and other artistes on the flyer. More so, we had not even seen the flyer before it went viral on social media. I guess someone must have seen it with the printer and smart it with phone, thereon via social media. As a matter of fact, the flyer was rejected and destroyed immediately, so, it was surprising to now hear it was on the internet. The outreach will still hold as planned, but not with all the misleading information on the internet,” the source said.




The controversial flyer
On the alleged suspended pastor, ENCOMIUM Weekly was reliably informed that Pastor Toyin Ogundipe was never in connection to the controversial flyer neither was he affected in any way. We further gathered that Pastor Ogundipe is a professor of Botany, a former Dean of the School of Post-graduate studies and currently the Director of Academic Planning (the Academic and Research unit of the University of Lagos).

“The only thing I can say is that, National (the Governing Council of The Redeemed Christian Church of God) has resolved the issue, Prof. (referring to Prof. (Pastor) Toyin Ogundipe) was not affected at all. He was our former Area Pastor as well as Zonal Pastor until March this year. Our area headquarter had been carved out of his area long before this issue came up. So, it does not have any connection with him at all.

“At the last Holy Ghost service in Camp, Prof. was among the pastors who ministered with Daddy G.O (referring to Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the general overseer), if he is truly suspended, you cannot see him on the altar. He is a revered man of God who enjoys the goodwill of the vast members of the church and the public.”

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Talkative NONI

Over 200 arrested after Kano attacks

inShare

Nigeria has arrested some 200 people, mostly Chadian "mercenaries," after last week's attacks in the northern main city of Kano, a police source said today.

The deadliest violence to hit Kano came last Friday, when coordinated gun and bomb attacks, claimed by the Islamist group Boko Haram, killed at least 185 in the primarily Muslim city.

"Many arrests have been made since the attacks," the police source said on condition of anonymity, referring to the Friday assaults.

"We have arrested around 200 attackers and 80 percent of them are Chadians. They came in as mercenaries."

There were indications the Chadians had been paid to participate in the recent attacks attributed to Boko Haram, the source added.

A UN report on regional security released on Wednesday said there was evidence suggesting the Nigerian group had Chadian members who had received training from Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate.

But a Nigeria specialist with the International Crisis Group (ICG) said it was unlikely the sect had such a high number of foreigners in its ranks.

"I was shocked to hear that myself. Personally, I don't believe it," said Kunle Amuwo of the ICG, when asked about the police claim that most of those arrested had come from Chad.

"We know some foreigners have been implicated and continue to be implicated, but that number is huge," he said, adding that, based on his research in the region, he believes most Boko Haram members are dejected Nigerian youths.

Nigerian authorities have come under immense pressure over the spiraling violence blamed on the Islamists and have in the past been accused of rounding up innocent civilians in response to attacks.

"Following previous attacks by Boko Haram, the security forces have often resorted to dragnet arrests, rather than arresting people on the basis of a reasonable suspicion that they committed an offence," Amnesty International said earlier this week.

...Seeking dialogue?

The police source who reported the Boko Haram arrests, also said that suspected members of the sect had reached out to the police for potential dialogue, with the Emir of Kano as mediator.

"They said they want the Emir to mediate in the dialogue they proposed," the source said.

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Talkative NONI

Terrorist outrages: It’s unfair to blame Jonathan!
From the Other Side By Lindsay Barret

Thursday, January 26, 2012


It has become commonplace for some commentators to accuse Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of everything from negligence to incompetence as a consequence of the outrages perpetrated against innocent Nigerians by the dreaded “Jamatul Ahlil Sunnah lit daawati wal jihad” generally called “Boko Haram”. Since the Kano debacle we have been fed with various forms of “expert advice” from many who claim to have the answer to what is fast becoming Nigeria’s greatest aberration.

Many have of course called for the sacking of the security chiefs, and one can hardly blame them. The disgraceful revelations of what is beginning to look like collusion rather than confusion in the behavior of some security agencies, especially the Nigerian Police, justifies almost any allegation of professional delinquency on the part of these bodies.

For example, the presence of Commissioner Zakari Biu in the police force without any apparent qualified scrutiny, given his well-documented record of abuse of office in the past, beats the imagination. But the President could not be expected to personally monitor the deployment of rogue appointees. It was a serious breach of both professional intelligence and ordinary common sense for someone with Biu’s antecedents to have been put in charge of such a sensitive assignment.

The interrogation and investigation of a miscreant with the profile of the individual who is now being described as the mastermind behind the Madalla Christmas Day bombing should have been handled by the State Security Service (SSS) right from the outset. From the moment that he was captured the suspect should have been in the custody of what is assumed to be the most effective arm of state security without any chance of escape. The coincidental timing of his escape and the terrifying outrage in Kano has raised the criminal profile of the terrorist organization, which has warned all commentators to desist of from calling it “Boko Haram”.

This organisation now poses a serious threat to the common good in Nigeria as a whole even though so far its most determined attacks and operations have been concentrated in some Northern states. The provocation of sentiments of resistance and chauvinistic protectionism in some Southern states will certainly follow the outrage in Kano although the victims of this outrage have overwhelmingly been people of Northern origin who in many cases were adherents of the Islamic faith. Those who claim to be the perpetrators have made it clear that they wish to provoke a division of national interests. Their pre-attack warning, which was widely circulated in Kano for days before the actual operation commenced indicated that their targets would be the agents of government enforcement and security that they regarded as having targeted their members.

This same document characterised “Christians” as collaborators with the official agencies. This showed that while the perception of their rationale is widely allied to religious bigotry their true purpose is even more sinister. The perpetrators of this outrage are determined to impose anarchy on the society in pursuit of an improbable objective. Dr. Jonathan cannot by any stretch of the imagination be accused of having created the climate for such an intrinsically destructive agenda. Even though the security apparatus of the government, which he largely inherited rather than created, has been impotent in confronting the rise of terror represented by these outrages it is wrong to attribute the tragic development to the failure of the government that he is presiding over. To do so would be to legitimise terror as an instrument of change. The slaughter of innocents cannot and should not be condoned on any count and those political opportunists who have been quick to point fingers at the President are not helping matters at all.

It is very easy for us to point fingers but we should not forget the old adage that says “When one finger points at others four point back at the pointer (accuser).” The underlying focus of the problem represented by the rise of home-made terrorism keeps changing as the nature of the outrages change. Let us not forget that last year’s UN bombing forced us to consider the extent of international collaboration and what the ultimate objective of the core perpetrators might be. Since then we have heard of territorial and religious motives for continuing outrages but one thing that has been clear is that the main purpose of the perpetrators has been to intimidate ordinary citizens and create chaos. Unfortunately they have achieved what can be described as a qualified success in promoting their agenda.

It is quite clear that the security apparatus of the state has failed either to adjudge the extent and strategic weight of the terrorist organisation or to comprehend the true nature of its organisational form. The success of its tactical initiative of surprise uprisings in increasingly populous and strategically important metropolises has signaled the existence of a formal plan and motives that are quite predictable. In spite of this the security forces have constantly been wrong-footed by the perpetrators of these outrages. They have continually claimed to be making headway against these forces while consistently being taken by surprise. In fact it is becoming quite clear that Dr. Jonathan has been misled by his security advisers to the same extent that he appears to have been misled by some of his economic advisers over the likely consequences of the abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy. It is unfair to accuse a leader of causing problems caused by circumstances that precede his tenure but he must be answerable for the consequences of condoning inefficiency and accepting bad advice.

These are the only grounds on which the outrages in the North could possibly be blamed on Dr. Jonathan but in the present circumstances he is clearly not entirely at fault. Just as his advisers on the economic and social fronts have come equipped with impressive recommendations his security advisers lay claim to impressive professional credentials. What is becoming increasingly obvious is that the level of threat to the overall stability of the nation that is being faced by the Jonathan Administration is unprecedented. Those of us who can remember the period preceding the start of the Nigerian Civil War find the present circumstances frighteningly similar if not even more distressing. The fundamental differences between the form of the nation then and now could easily conspire to aggravate negative sentiments of territorial distrust. In the sixties Nigeria was a flawed federation replete with inequalities among the four regions.

Today Nigeria is an even more flawed federation beset by diverse interests and objectives being manipulated by the political leaders of thirty six unequal states. Dr. Jonathan bears no responsibility either for the foundation on which the nation that he leads is built or for the fundamental processes that have undermined its stability. Nevertheless he cannot totally extricate himself from blame over the failings of the security and other forces under him. He must restore confidence in the ability of government to anticipate and react with courage to a strategy of unprecedented brutality, but he cannot accept blame for the emergence of this strategy. Those who want him to admit culpability are overlooking the true dangers that the new terrorist element poses in Nigeria’s historic evolution. They are suggesting that regional equity is a secondary element in defining leadership in Nigeria. That suggestion spells doom for the nation. Under the present circumstances Dr. Jonathan cannot be accused of setting the stage for this.

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Talkative NONI

inspector General of Police Ringim "Retires"

Posted: January 25, 2012 - 15:55

By SaharaReporters, New York

SaharaReporters can confirm that Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim has been ordered to go into mandatory retirement following a series of bomb attacks launched in various northern cities by members of the Islamist movement Boko Haram. An Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko  Abubakar, has been tipped to replace the departing IG.
Saharareporters had revealed in recent reports that Ringim was due for retirement in February 2012. Top police and security sources in Abuja as well as aides of President Goodluck Jonathan had described Mr. Ringim as an incompetent head of the Nigerian police. Even so, the president decided to keep Ringim at his post for so long in order to reward him for years of loyalty and political support to Mr. Jonathan since his days as deputy governor in Bayelsa state.
“Let’s face it, Ringim’s performance has been abysmal,” said a security source, adding that the now sacked IG should not have been appointed in the first place. Under Ringim’s watch, Boko Haram has enjoyed an almost unchecked run in the country. Mr. Ringim’s incompetence was highlighted by the recent escape from police custody of Kabiru Sokoto, a suspect in the Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State. The attack claimed scores of lives and caused many injuries. The fugitive has yet to be rearrested.
Insecurity and terrorist attacks reached their worst levels in Nigeria under Mr. Ringim's watch.

Except last minutes changes occur, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar will replace Ringim.
Mr. Abubakar, Ringim’s replacement, has served as an Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 12 in Bauchi. Mr. Abubakar was born May 5, 1958 and hails from Guzau local government area in Zamfara State. He holds a diploma in public administration.
Mr. Abubakar joined the police force on July 30, 1979 and was promoted to the position of AIG on November 30 2006. He is due for retirement in 2014.
A source at police headquarters in Abuja told SaharaReporters that Ringim, on finding out yesterday about his removal, immediately de-mobilized 17 commanders of the Mopile Police Unit (MOPOL) and replaced them with his loyalists. “Why should a man on his way out put his men in place to head MOPOL?” asked the source, adding that he hoped the new IG would reverse Ringim’s decision.

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Talkative NONI

An only child, mate felled by Boko Haram bullets
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano 
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tragedy has an ugly face and there is no better manifest of this cruel fate than what is evident in the homes of scores of victims of last Friday’s multiple attacks in Kano by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

But of all the stories of tragedies spinning in the city, that of Mr. Kingsley Madu stands out for so many reasons. Here is a man who lost two of his apprentices in the hands of the sect that Friday.

At No 43, New Road, Sabon Garri Kano, where he was seated under the shade, supervising the carpenter constructing two coffins, it was not the same old Mr. Kingsley Madu that was there. It was a different man who has been shattered by the impact of the terror.

He looked dazed, his voice lowly most of times and his eyes red in tears. The coffins were being put together, as relatives flocked around him in tears and sympathy.
The arrangements are underway. The corpses of the deceased have been deposited at the Aminu Kano Hospital and will be conveyed home, to their parents later in the week.
Madu told Daily Sun that the boys were his own blood brothers  in every way adding that through the years, he had developed a deep love and friendship that went beyond business and age with the two deceased persons and their families.

The two young men are Innocent Agba, aged 26, from Abor Isikwe, in Achi town in Oji River Local Government Area  of Enugu State and Chinonso  Eze, aged 25 a native of Imo State .
According to a relative, Mr Augustine Chukwugeme, the late “ Inno’s” case is a very pathetic one, adding that that is why tears are not enough for him. He recalled that, “Innocent is the only child of his parents. He is also the only boy of his parents and his parents are already very old to have another child. They are too old to fend for themselves now. And now they are all alone anguished by grief”

But that is not the end of the long sad story. According to Mr Chukwugeme, the late Innocent was not even doing business in Kano State. He was in charge of the company’s branch in Potiskum, Yobe State, adding that he decided to relocate temporarily to Kano, to escape from the regime of terror in that area only to be killed in  Kano.
According to him, the deceased was hardworking and due to complete his apprenticeship, having served his boss for six years, only to die in his prime. The late Chinonso, he recalled, would also be solely missed “Look at us now, we are full of grief. Why must it be these two young chaps? Why should any one kill them in this way? Why?” he lamented.

Giving detailed account of how they fell to the grip of death on that day, he recalled that none of them had any premonition of danger or strife as the day, like any other Friday, bore no sign of trouble. They went after their task and closed shop somewhere about when the trouble started. 
According to him, on that sad day, three of them, Innocent, Chinonso and another mate who escaped to tell the story, Chukwuma Agha, all rode on the same motorcycle from work. Their house is located in the Hadejia Road area of the state and they went through the Bompai axis. But somewhere along the road, close to the Club Road roundabout, they were halted by two members of the sect.

While on the journey, some Almajiris (small boys) had warned them about the impending danger, shouting “Ba Hanya” (meaning no road). But they did not heed the warning. The trio were encouraged by the fact that the same persons who turned out to be the killers stopped and passed the car that was right before them.
When they got to the roundabout, they were stopped. Chukwuma somehow wriggled out of the grips of one of the persons stationed at the post.

While his colleagues were encouraging him not to run, he stayed afar and watched. But soon after, the sect member that was interrogating Chinonso and Innocent urged his partner, who was standing at the centre of the roundabout to come nearer. Given the advantage of his location, Chukwuma was able to notice the gun that was hidden behind the sect member’s jacket, and decided to run away from the scene.

The assailant aimed the gun at Innocent and Chinonso, killing two of them instantly.
According to those who saw their corpses, one of them was holding his upper arm  where he was shot as he lay dead.
But apart from the death and dying, there is the feeling of pains in the heart of the master of the slain young men. Several questions have been asked and answers are not immediately available: For example, “How is he going to convey the two corpses on the same day to their homes?

On the surface, it is simple. But on a deeper reflection, it is traumatic and this trauma is already evident in the man in the centre of the storm. There are other questions too.  “What is he going to tell the parents of the deceased.
As the plans are being concluded regarding how to retrieve their bodies from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hopsital, Kano to begin their final journey from Kano, Mr Augustine Chukwugeme is consoled by the judgment of God which is final.

But he insisted that as human beings, we must take steps to avert the reoccurrence of the same problem in the land.
To this end, he made a passionate appeal to the Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime and the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha to assist the families of the deceased in whatever ways possible, given the circumstance of the death, adding that they are martyrs of the Nigerian nation. He extended a similar appeal to the Kano State Government.

He also appealed to the governors of the South-east states to immediately meet and take a holistic look at the event of last Friday and come up with a strong position regarding the menace of the Boko Haram sect as it affects the Igbo people.
“The killing of the Igbo people in the North is very sad. The number of the dead so far is very alarming and our governors cannot afford to keep quiet and watch us die like flies. Let them discuss with the Federal Government. If we cannot stay as one country, let us divide in peace. Our people have suffered a lot from this crisis,” he lamented.

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Talkative NONI

Ghanaian award-winning R&B Singer and activist, Chemphe has dedicated one of his songs, ‘Trinity (Money Fame and Power). Although the ‘Trinity’ song was composed two years ago, it is an apt soundtrack to Nigeria’s current situation generally. The singer comments that the riots in Nigeria will affect the socio-economic development of the country and recommended dialogue as the best way to solve the issues. Chemphe has been very instrumental with social issues right from the beginning of his career, preaching against violence against women, unity and more. He is YMCAs Ambassador for poverty eradication and is embarking on various social projects around the world. His latest single, ‘Number 1’ is currently enjoying massive airplay nationwide and it is a favourite particularly in the Westerb Region. He is also set to release a new single which features 4x4 in February. Chemphe is also expected to release “Titi” a valentine song on February 1. He is currently signed on to E-Jam record label. * Use link below to listen to the music http://soundcloud.com/ameyawdebrah/chemphe-trinity-money-fame-nd

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