Rights Group calls on A'Ibom govt, NDDC, ors to empower Female Youths

 

The CHRAN Director, Otuekong Franklin Isong (middle), receiving the Director of Female Youths Association (purple girls) with her team in his conference room in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state 

By Freshgist 

Human Rights group under the aegis of The Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network, CHRAN has called on Akwa Ibom government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the oil companies in the state  to make it a deliberate policy to empower female youths (otherwise called Purple girls) in the State with life enhancement and skill acquisition training.

The state Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, made the call while receiving the audience of the Progenitor of the Female Youth Association (Purple Girls), Mrs Edna Udeme who paid the Centre an advocacy visit yesterday in Uyo.

The purple Brass band

The Centre celebrated Udeme for using her meagre resources to train and empower the downtrodden, while commending her resilience and passion in bridging the gap between male and female youths in the State, Isong urged her to expand the academy to also accommodate skills acquisition training for the male youths.

Hairdressing and Wig Artistry

The CHRAN Boss also applauded the former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for the supports he gave to the Association, expressing optimism that the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno would collaborate with the Academy in training and empowering of female youths on various skills.

Lady Mrs Edna Udeme, Director general of Female Youths Association (purple girls) Akwa Ibom state 

Mrs Udeme conducted the CHRAN’s team round her Academy’s facility, including Haute Couture and Creative Arts (Fashion and Designing); Information and Communications Technology (ICT); Culinary Arts and Hospitality (Catering); Hairdressing and Wig Artistry; Cosmetics and Headgear Artistry (Make-up and Gele Tying); Cinematography and Photographic Arts; Music and Instrumental Performance (The Purple Brass); and Business Management Advisory.

Haute Couture and Creative Arts (Fashion and Designing)

She expressed worried due to lack of space, that the academy could only accommodate 200 trainees every year from the 31 local councils and has trained and empowered with starter packs 800 female youths in the last four years.

she further stated that four new trainees are always attached to each of the graduands for training and mentorship.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

Udeme also revealed that the visit to CHRAN was her part of activities to mark 7th Anniversary of the Association and listed her challenges to include lack of better accommodation for the academy, she explained that if the governor can donate Even a plot of land and fund for building that should would accept more students to the academy, also inadequate funds for transportation trainees who come from rural communities daily and high cost of running the academy, appealing for supports from Eno and his wife.

Culinary Arts and Hospitality (Catering)

She also called for support from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), EXXON Mobil and other multinational oil companies operating in Akwa Ibom, as well as, well-placed Nigerians to support the Purple Girls.

AkwaIbom: NAFDAC Intensifies Campaign Against drugs hawking, ripening fruits with chemicals

 

By Freshgist 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned the general public especially residents of the South-southern states of Nigeria that fruits ripened with calcium carbide and consuming drugs from hawkers was prohibited and very dangerous to health.

The workshop was aimed at sensitizing the South south media men on dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbides, ethyl acid and other chemicals in order to disseminate  or convey the information to the  general public.

Delivering a key note address during a media sensitisation workshop on topic “Dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide” held in the federal secretariat, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, the Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye,  disclosed that the chemicals in calcium carbide were hazardous to pregnant women and children and will lead to headaches, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids, sleepiness, seizure, etc.

Adeyeye’s ably represented by the Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research of NAFDAC, Dr Leonard Omokpariola,  “The consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide may cause cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure and we must avoid such.

“Calcium carbide generally contained impurities such as arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, and others that pose several serious health hazards.

‘Fruits ripened with calcium carbide could cause frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcer.

“You can identify such artificially ripened fruits if you notice that the fruits are all yellow whereas the stem is dark, this is true especially with banana and plantain. In addition, naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.”

Prof. Adeyeye appealed to Nigerians to stop buying milk, oatmeal, bonvita, corn flakes among other beverages that are being measured with cups or plates and sold in the open markets, as drugs are sensitive life saving commodities that should not be sold or bought in an open market.

On his part, the Director of Public Affairs of NAFDAC, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, maintained that the media was very critical when it comes to getting  the country rid of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide, added that NAFDAC had already trained over 800 journalists on the dangers of bleaching cream this year..

He appealed to the Journalist to help disseminate information regarding the dangers and risk or drugs hawking to the general public in order to save lives.

Lectures were also delivered on the dangers of artificially ripening of fruits with calcium carbides, menace of drug hawking in Nigeria, influence of mass media campaign on health behavioral change, among others.