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Nigeria: Empowering Children to stem the tide of the Coronavirus in Lagos

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Thirteen-year old Elizabeth Ogunsanya is not happy with the temporary closure of schools in Lagos, Nigeria.

The closure is meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria’s bustling commercial capital. But Elizabeth is not enjoying the enforced holiday. From the little she has heard about the virus, she is afraid that in the one-room apartment that she shares with her mother and two other siblings, in a densely-populated suburb of the city, they are likely to get infected sooner, rather than later.

“We all share one small room, and ventilation is poor,” said Elizabeth, worriedly.

Lagos has a population of 21 million, according to figures released by the National Population Commission in 2016. But four years later, with an annual population growth rate of approximately 3 per cent, about two million people are estimated to have been added to that number.

The population density of about 7,000 people/square meter doesn’t help – and Elizabeth’s concern of an onset of community transmission of COVID-19 is not unfounded, despite the fact that currently, all of Nigeria’s 46 cases of the virus – expect one – are of people who had recently travelled outside the country.

To prepare communities to protect themselves from infection, UNICEF has adopted a three-pronged strategy to support community and social mobilisation efforts by the Government. At the grassroots level, the emphasis is on strong interpersonal community awareness raising. To reach larger communities, mass media is used, and on the individual level, U-Report, the SMS-based platform, is used for education and public engagement. These three methods combined are reaching millions at a time with lifesaving messages designed to keep them safe from contracting the COVID-19 virus. UNICEF Nigeria’s U-Report platform alone has nearly four million subscribers, the highest in the world.

In February, when the first COVID-19 index case was reported in Nigeria, U-Report launched a COVID-19 Bot to respond to urgent questions, supporting the Nigerian Government’s immediate response. The COVID-19 Bot now also serves to tackle misinformation about the virus, which is rampant across Nigeria. It facilitates reliable information-sharing in local languages, particularly in hard-to-reach communities with access to only SMS technology.

The COVID-19 Bot has also been deployed to reach thousands of internally displaced people in conflict-ravaged north-east Nigeria. More than 30,000 people have already accessed the COVID-19 Bot in the north-east, receiving vital information about how they can protect themselves in a very challenging environment.

Elizabeth took part in the UNICEF-supported awareness-raising and sensitization training of community members in the Mende suburb of Lagos. She is among the hundreds of adults and children in the 378 wards of Lagos State being empowered with information and training on how to communicate COVID-19 prevention messages to their communities and peers.

Her new role as a volunteer peer counselor in her community has given Elizabeth new skills and an important role and purpose to fulfill in her community. It has also served to allay her own fears.

“With what I have learned, I feel confident. If I take proper precautions, there is really no need to be afraid anymore,” she said, assuredly.

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Oyo South APC Candidate, Oseni, Takes Delivery of 20 New Transformers for Distribution

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Oseni, has taken delivery of 20 additional transformers for distribution to communities across the district as part of efforts to address electricity challenges and strengthen local infrastructure.

The latest consignment is expected to provide relief to communities grappling with inadequate power supply, particularly households, traders, artisans and small-scale business owners whose economic activities are often hampered by unreliable electricity.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Saturday, Oseni, who currently represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), described electricity as a critical driver of economic growth, community development and improved living standards.

He said the intervention was informed by the need to respond to the everyday challenges confronting residents, noting that access to reliable electricity remained essential to both domestic and commercial activities.

“We recognise the difficulties our people face as a result of inadequate electricity supply. For traders, artisans, small business owners and families, reliable power is not a luxury but an important part of their daily lives. The arrival of these 20 additional transformers is another practical step towards responding to those concerns and supporting our communities,” he said.

The lawmaker explained that the transformers would be distributed to identified communities based on their electricity needs, adding that care would be taken to ensure the equipment served its intended purpose and delivered tangible benefits to residents.

He further stressed that effective representation should go beyond political promises and public pronouncements, noting that elected leaders must demonstrate their commitment through practical interventions that address the needs of their constituents.

“Our people deserve more than promises. They deserve leadership that pays attention to their challenges and is committed to finding practical ways to address them. We will continue to support initiatives that improve living conditions, strengthen local businesses and bring development closer to our communities,” he added.

The latest delivery adds to Oseni’s infrastructure support efforts across Oyo South, with electricity supply remaining a major concern for many communities in the senatorial district.

The intervention is also expected to complement his earlier efforts to improve electricity distribution and service delivery across the affected communities.

Oseni reaffirmed his commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of residents and promoting sustainable development across Oyo South.

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‎Oseni Hails Folarin’s Political Experience, Contributions at 63

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‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 63rd birthday, acknowledging his years of political experience and contributions to public service.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, conveyed his felicitations in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, on Friday and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He described Folarin’s birthday as an occasion to reflect on a career marked by years of involvement in legislative affairs and the political development of Oyo State and Nigeria.

‎The federal lawmaker noted that Folarin had established himself as a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape, having served in different legislative and political capacities, particularly as Senate Leader.

He said the former Senate leader’s experience in the legislature had given him valuable insight into governance, public service and the responsibilities of political leadership.

The APC chieftain added that Oyo State needed the collective wisdom and contributions of its political leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, to sustain peace, stability and development.

He said, “Senator Teslim Folarin is a man whose years in public service have given him considerable experience in the political and legislative affairs of our country. His contributions to Oyo State and his commitment to public life are worthy of acknowledgement.

“On this special occasion, I celebrate him and wish him many more years of good health, wisdom and fulfilment.”

Oseni further wished the former Senate Leader renewed strength and greater opportunities to contribute to the development of his community, Oyo State and the country.

‎He also prayed for God’s continued protection, sound health and guidance for Folarin, expressing hope that his new year would bring him peace, happiness and greater accomplishments.

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Oyo South: Oseni releases N110m for ICT, water, solar streetlights in Ibarapa East

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The Oyo South Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has released N110m for youth digital training, boreholes and solar-powered streetlights across the 10 wards of Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to a statement by the lawmaker’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, the intervention comprises N10m for equipping the Eruwa Youth Movement (EYM) Secretariat’s Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICT) and N100m for the provision of boreholes and solar-powered streetlights in Eruwa, Lanlate and other communities across the local government.

Oseni, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the ICT centre allocation was intended to provide modern equipment to strengthen digital training and equip young people with practical skills relevant to employment and entrepreneurship.

He said the investment was driven by the need to prepare young people for the demands of an increasingly technology-driven economy.

“Our young people have talents and ambitions, but they need access to the right tools and opportunities. Equipping the Eruwa Youth Movement (EYM) ICT Centre is a practical step towards helping them develop useful skills, become more self-reliant and compete for opportunities in the digital economy,” he was quoted as saying.

The lawmaker explained that the larger allocation of N100m would support the provision of boreholes and solar-powered streetlights across the 10 wards of Ibarapa East.

He said the boreholes would improve access to water for households, while the streetlights would enhance security, improve visibility and make community roads and public spaces safer after dark.

Idowu said the latest intervention was in addition to the lawmaker’s earlier constituency development efforts in Ido and Ibarapa East local government areas, particularly in basic infrastructure and youth development.

He added that distributing the projects across the 10 wards was aimed at ensuring that communities across the local government benefited from the intervention.

“Our responsibility is to support projects that respond to the real needs of our people. Access to water, safer public spaces and opportunities for our young people are important to the well-being of our communities,” Oseni was further quoted as saying.

The APC senatorial candidate reaffirmed his commitment to effective representation and sustained grassroots engagement, assuring residents that he would continue to support initiatives addressing the needs of communities across the district.

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