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Kaduna: Eye Opener Foundation Hosts Historic Graduation For People With Disabilities, Launches 20 Poems On SUD
Kaduna witnessed a momentous occasion as the Eye Opener Youth and Women Foundation hosted the first-ever graduation ceremony for the Training of Trainers (ToT) program on Substance Use Disorder (SUD) for People With Physical Disabilities (PWPDs) in Nigeria. This remarkable achievement by the Foundation, a renowned Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and multiple recipient of the WHO World No Tobacco Award (WNT) in the Africa region, took place in Kaduna on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the Tobacco and Substance Abstinence Club of the Eye Opener Youth and Women Foundation, also featured the launch of 20 new poems dedicated to SUD treatment and recovery professionals. These poems added value to an existing collection of 80 prevention poems.
The ceremony commenced with the Nigerian national anthem and was skillfully anchored by Malam Lawal Magaji, the Kaduna State Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Hausa Program Coordinator.
During the occasion, Dr. Omolara Ibrahim, Head of Treatment Services at the Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse (KADBUSA), represented the Hon. Commissioner for Health and Director General of KADBUSA. Dr. Ibrahim expressed appreciation for the Foundation’s efforts and conveyed a commitment to future collaboration on Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) initiatives.
Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, Deputy State Commander Operations, represented the NDLEA Kaduna State Commander. He shed light on the misuse of individuals with physical disabilities by drug traffickers and urged the graduands to utilize their newly acquired knowledge to stay drug-free. He also encouraged them to serve as prevention ambassadors.
Hajiya Rakiya A. Unar, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board, represented the Hon. Commissioner for Women and Humanitarian Affairs. She expressed satisfaction with the students’ presentations and promised to ensure that the graduands make good use of their training. Hajiya Unar also urged the students to abstain from drugs and become prevention ambassadors in their respective local governments.
Alhaji Rilwan Mohammed Abdullahi, National President of the Association of Physically Challenged People of Nigeria, commended the initiative and praised the groundbreaking nature of the program. He pledged to expand its scope nationwide.
Mrs. Gormwa Gotus, the 2024 WHO WNT Award Winner in the Africa region and a prevention educator for PWPDs in Kaduna State, welcomed the dignitaries and guests. She emphasized the training’s goal of helping individuals with physical disabilities avoid smoking and drug abuse. Mrs. Gotus highlighted that the vocational training provided by the Eye Opener Foundation enables even those unable to read or write to understand the importance of abstinence.
Margaret Kwa’ada Julius, CEO and Founder of “The Eye Opener Tobacco and Substance Abstinence Club,” and an alumnus of Ecolink Institute of Well-Being India: 2024 global leadership award winner, spoke about the club’s holistic approach to combating drug misuse and smoking addiction. She emphasized that the club aims to serve all communities and groups without discrimination. The training is conducted in languages best understood by the beneficiaries. Mrs. Julius mentioned that the Foundation is hopeful for future financial support or grants.
Miss Vanessa Adeshola Julius, President of the Tobacco Substance Abstinence Club for Biblical Approach on Children and Teenager SUD Prevention in Nigeria, launched the 20 new poems for those under SUD treatment and recovery. She recited several selections, captivating the audience with her powerful delivery.
The representative of the Commandant of the Kaduna Vigilante Service (KADVIS) urged the graduates to utilize their training effectively and report any attempts to involve them in drug-related activities.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of graduation certificates and free jackets to the 16 graduating students. These students also made impactful presentations on the effects of drug abuse and smoking. The graduands are: Dalhatu Yahaya, Ridwan U. Iliyasu, Usman Abdullahi, Sagir Yasha’u, Abdulkarim Adamu, Buhari Salisu, Ramatu Alhassan, Firdausi Aliyu, Ruth Falayi, Patience Markus, Rakiya Daniel, Mohammed Abubakar, Auwal Ibrahim, Rabiu Sani, Addaillu Abubakar, and Bala Aminu Ibrahim.
The event was graced by other distinguished guests, including Mrs. Hajara Silas Bala, HOD Training and Empowerment, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board; Mrs. Esther Yohanna, Center Manager, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board Kaduna South Center; Hajiya Zainab Tanko, Social Welfare Officer, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board Kaduna South Center; Mai Angu
By Our Reporter
The National Productivity Centre, NPC organized the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 2025 Productivity Club Quiz Competition, which brought together students from selected secondary schools in Abuja.
The event, held at the Newton Park hotel, Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja on Thursday, March 6, aimed to test participants’ knowledge on productivity and its concepts.
The competition featured students from eight secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT including: Government Secondary Schools Karu, Wuye, Apo Resettlement, Byazhin, Jabi, and Kurudu; as well as Government Day Secondary Schools Karu and Dutse Alhaji, all in the FCT.
In his opening remarks, the Director-General, Hon. Dr. Baffa Babba Dan’Agundi welcomed participants and observers, highlighting the aim of the programme.
Dr. Dan’Agundi said: “This unique programme is targeted at bringing young students together to showcase their knowledge of productivity they have acquired over the years, through the Productivity Coaching and Mentoring (PCM) Programme”.
Explaining further, he added that “Productivity Coaching and Mentoring Programme is an arm of the Productivity Awareness Campaign programme designed to take productivity messages to secondary schools to drive their productivity consciousness and introduce them to basic Productivity improvement tools and techniques, that would guide them on how to improve their productivity in their academic pursuit”.
The Executive Secretary, FCT Secondary Education Board, who was represented by Mr. Henry Sunday Mamman commended the Centre for impacting productivity knowledge to the students. He also encouraged the students to use the knowledge acquired to enhance their overall performance.
After a keenly contested finale, the quiz competition came to a thrilling conclusion with GDSS Dutse Alhaji emerging as the overall winner.
The second and third positions were secured by GSS Karu and GSS Byazhin, respectively.
The event was graced by distinguished guests, including the Director-General, National Productivity Centre, and his team of Directors, as well as Mr. Henry Sunday Mamman, who represented the Executive Secretary of FCT Secondary Education Board.
Hajia Maimuna Musa Adaji, Director/HOD Corporate Affairs and Information, delivered the Vote of Thanks.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday quizzed the immediate-past Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, for her alleged roles in the misappropriation, violation of procurement process and diversion of public funds of ₦138.4m in the course of disbursing the 2023 budgeted funds for the Ministry.
According to authoritative sources, the ex-minister arrived at the Commission’s headquarters around 11am on Thursday and faced interrogators on her alleged involvement in the fraud.
The sources claimed that investigations by the EFCC showed that funds donated for the funding of P- Bat Cares for Women Initiative were diverted for her self-enrichment.
She reportedly has not been admitted to administrative bail, as the sources added that investigations are still ongoing.
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye was one of the ministers President Bola Tinubu relieved of their duties in October 2024.
She was appointed as the Minister of Women Affairs by Tinubu on August 21, 2023.
A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of an Independent Authority for the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties in Nigeria has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill seeks to establish a dispute tribunal and regulate the funding of political parties as well as utilisation of the funds.
The bill, which was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and another lawmaker, Marcus Onobun, further seeks to ensure transparency and a stable democracy.
At the moment, there are 19 registered political parties in Nigeria. The roles to be performed by the new independent authority are currently the responsibilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The independence and neutrality of INEC have been questioned by many including former President Goodluck Jonathan and former INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, who decried the influence of political interference on the appointments of electoral commissioners.
“The electoral commission must be fully independent and we must have credible people. Political leaders who are so domineering and over-pressuring you (INEC staffers) to do what is wrong should resign and leave,” Jonathan said at a Yiaga event recently.
Similarly, Jega said, “There is political interference in the appointment or removal of electoral commissioners and other election officials.”
Bishop Isaac Idahosa, the 2023 Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), also lamented that nobody puts INEC in check.
Meanwhile, INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu has been pushing for the creation of an electoral offence tribunal.
“A major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice in this regard is that electoral offences are not time-bound as is the case with post-election offences through the tribunals. Furthermore, they are solely prosecuted by the Magistrate and State High Courts in the jurisdiction where the alleged offences are committed.
“No priority attention is given to such cases as the courts deal with a variety of other cases. Consequently, electoral offences are carried over from one General Election to another which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases.
“It is therefore imperative to renew our call for the creation of the Electoral Offences Tribunal that has a specific jurisdiction and limited timeframe for the speedy dispensation of cases,” he said.