News

Succour As HOMEF Distributes Relief Materials To Flood Victims In Six States

Published

1 year ago

November 17, 2022

Editor

In a show of solidarity and support for flood victims who were displaced and have suffered gravely from the impact of recent flooding, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has supported flood victims who were sacked from their homes by the flood across Nigeria.

According to a release made available to INFO DAILY by Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Officer, HOMEF, relief materials were sent to six impacted states: Bayelsa State, Benue State, Delta State, Edo State, Kogi and Rivers State.

In the statement, a total of seven communities were reached in the six states from the 8th to 13th of November 2022.

Odhomor in the statement added that, community members, while receiving the items, expressed appreciation to HOMEF for always remembering them in their ecological travails.

Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, in the statement noted that the move was part of the organization’s effort to cushion the effect of this year’s flood disaster on the people and to show that they were not alone in their travails.

“These food items and materials donated will not replace what has been lost or destroyed by the floods. With intensifying extreme weather events more climate disasters may come in the coming years.

“We are using this opportunity to call on government to take steps to holistically climate-proof our communities to ensure that infrastructure and livelihoods are resilient enough to survive events. We must support each other and also commit to be better defenders of our environment.”

Bassey, while further charging the government to take proactive steps in curbing the situation, added: “This is the time to begin to look for alternative ways to avert the next year flood situation. We should not wait for the next year and expect it not to hit us, rather now is the time to take proactive measures to ensure safety.

“The damaged roads should be fixed immediately and not used for politicking. Comprehensive health checks should also be carried out in affected communities.”

He encouraged the people to continue to stay strong and be courageous as they have always demonstrated in the face of the worsening ecological crises.

He further applauded the people for the response mechanisms they adopted in the face of limited help.

INFO DAILY reports Items distributed included bags of rice, beans, garri, onions, tubers of yams, cartons of noodles, palm oil, water, mattresses, and diapers, disinfectant amongst others.

INFO DAILY further reports that members of Ikarama, Okordia clan in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State heaved a sigh of relief as relief materials were handed to them.

While receiving the items, the paramount ruler of Ikarama, Chief Gospel Okah, and the CDC Chairman, Mr. Joel Ebi expressed gratitude to HOMEF for identifying with them in their time of need.

“We appreciate the organization for delivering the items to us; these things came at a time when we need them the most. We have lost food items, mattresses, and all our belonging but these items have brought joy to our heart knowing that other well-meaning Nigerians see the pain we go through.

“Ikarama community is not new to this organization following all the monitoring training it has held for us. We are grateful for such a gift“.

According to the statement, same gesture was extended to Iwherekhan and Otu-Jeremi communities in Delta State.

The statement quoted Mrs. Otomewo as saying: “In this last three weeks, the experience we have had is something that we will never forget in a hurry. We woke up in the night to find ourselves right inside the river in our bedrooms. I had to run with my family to another community that was not as affected as ours by the flood.

“Today, we thank HOMEF for the kind gesture of providing food items and relief materials to us and identifying with us in our time of need.. We will not forget in a hurry those who came to dry our tears when it mattered most”.

Also, in the statement, Comrade Che Ibegwura, while receiving the support for Erema people in ONELGA, Rivers State, thanked the organization, saying: “NGO’s are there to help people but HOMEF has shown that it is a family that sticks with the people it associates with. I cannot thank HOMEF enough for this gesture. I encourage them to keep up with the spirit of solidarity and comradeship in their advocacy for environmental and climate justice.”

INFO DAILY reports that HOMEF also provided relieve materials to internally displaced persons’ camp (IDP) at Oghomere, in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State and to Odogu in Ibaji LGA of Kogi State and Akpeko community in Benue State.

News

JUST IN: Again, Aircraft Skids Off Runway At Lagos Airport

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Photo: file copy

Barely 16 days after Dana Air was shut down by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authorities, another aircraft belonging to XEJET Airlines also skidded off the runway and landed in the grass at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on Saturday.

Following this development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has shut the 18/Left runway of the airport

The Airbus with registration 5N-BZZ with 52 passengers on board departed Abuja and landed in Lagos at 11.29 am.

Just last month, Dana MD-82 aircraft was involved in a skidding off of the runway, necessitating the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to order the suspension of the carrier for a comprehensive auditing.

Last year, in November, two aircraft from two different airlines skidded off the runway, in one week.

Aero Contractors, flight NG 119 with a registered Boeing 737 aircraft 5N-BYQ from Lagos to Abuja had a total of 133 passengers on board.

All passengers were safely evacuated through a controlled disembarkation.

The temporary closure of the runway by FAAN limits the airport to one single runway which is expected to lead to aircraft delays and landing.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Olajide, confirmed that an aircraft belonging to Xejet Airlines skidded off the runway of the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Saturday.

She stated that a team had been deployed to the site of the incident.

“Our teams are there and on top of the matter. But whether or not the runway will be reopened today, i cannot immediately answer questions on that.” NSIB spokesperson told PUNCH Online.

News

Ededuna Obaseki’s Descendants Congratulate King Charles On Coronation Anniversary

Published

5 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

The entire direct descendants of World War II Veteran and a recipient of World War II Medals of Honour, Capt. Ededuna Walter Obaseki, has congratulated His Majesty King Charles III on his first coronation anniversary.

A congratulatory message signed by Mercy Ededuna Obaseki on behalf of The descendants, and made available to INFO DAILY prayed God to bless the King with long life, honour, and good health.

“We wish His Majesty good health so that he can effectively pilot the affairs of The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and The Realms of The Commonwealth,” the message added.

The descendants, while thanking the British government for preserving the records of their late father, urged the King of the Great Britain to “start soon, the Colonial Legacy review in Nigeria because it is so important to us.”

While approaching efforts being made by His Majesty to review Colonial Legacies, the descendants said in hearing the King’s move to review it, “our Joy knew no bounds, and this feeling of great Joy increased more abundantly when we saw that indeed he was already doing this.”

“We watched with great happiness and excitement, The King presenting replacement World War II Medals in Kenya to the Veterans of The Second World War.

“We hope the King will also take action soon in actualising and fulfilling our dreams that both the British and the Nigerian government meet our demands that our father’s entitlements and work benefits be paid to we his direct descendants. It is also our prayer that the King empowers and supports us in our quests and in the present circumstances that we are in right now, your quick help is highly solicited.

“Our father Ededuna Walter Obaseki was a captain of the British Merchant Navy, a World War II Veteran and a recipient of The World War II Campaigns and Gallantry Medals of Honour. The 1939-1945; Atlantic Star; Italy Star; British War Medals were
Awarded to our father Ededuna Walter Obaseki and other officers and Seamen of the British Merchant Navy by HRM King George VI.

“Obaseki was a pioneer industrialist, governor, prime minister and head of government, and he handled the British administration in Southern Nigeria that brought great success to Nigeria in many areas like modern agriculture, education, healthcare, and maritime Shipping. The forming, shaping and developing of the navies during the time of the boom that both countries enjoyed and its citizens can still speak well of in sheer glories of remarkable advancement today.

“We are aware of some attempts by the Federal Government of Nigeria particularly in 2014 to help bring out and make known, the legacies of those that played active and very important roles in making this country Nigeria to be great, especially the Merchant Navy Officers who were the first ambassadors, head of administration and head of the British Board of Trade that brought about very positive growth and boom in Nigeria through the exports of timber, rubber, cocoa and palm produce, etc.

“We also want the distinguished senators and honourable members of the House of Representatives of Nigeria to grant our request that our father’s entitlements and work benefits for service in Nigeria to be paid to us by the Nigerian government. We need them (The Law Makers) to use their voice to also make our demands from The British Government.”

News

Banditry: Niger Speaker To Marry Off 100 Female Orphans

Published

7 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has announced plans to marry off 100 female orphans who lost their parents to banditry attacks in Mariga Local Government Area.

Sarkindaji disclosed this to journalists in Minna, the state capital on Friday.

The Speaker pledged to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and has procured all necessary materials for the mass marriage ceremony.

Accordingly, the girls who would be married off were carefully selected from the 170 girls whose names were submitted. Sarkindaji stated, without disclosing the age range of the orphaned girls.

The Speaker, who represents the Mariga Constituency, described the initiative as part of his constituency empowerment project, “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished.”

Sarkindaji revealed that the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, and the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Barau, would serve as guardians to the female orphans during the mass marriage ceremony.

The Kano State Commander General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, is expected to attend the event, slated for May 24 at Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga Local Government Area.