COVID-19: James beckons Lagos, others to partner Rotary on palliative distribution - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The President, Rotary Club of Ikeja South, Rotarian Michael Effiong James, has called on the Lagos State Government and corporate organisations for partnership in deploying all palliatives in cash and kind over the ChineseVirus-19 also known as Coronavirus or COVID-19 lockdown, reports ITREALMS.

This call, he said has become imperative following spates of protests and anger over the poor and inequitable distribution of palliatives by government officials and others.

James noted that about 80 per cent of the over 100 clubs in District 9110 are located in Lagos State and they can mobilise their extensive network and know-how to help the government fight this pandemic as well as touch people's lives.

According to the Rotarian, who is also a journalist and the Editor, Ovation International Magazine: “I was in tears as I watched the good intention of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide succour to Lagosians in form of palliatives being rubbished by poor execution, and it occurred to me that Rotary can actually help to right this wrong.

“Rotary is an organisation of professionals, who, as volunteers, are committed to the service of humanity, and, therefore, would be able to use their knowledge of needs assessment, project siting, project monitoring and closeness to the communities to good effect.

“In addition, its time-tested record of probity as a result of the application of the 4-Way test has made Rotary an organisation that is trusted worldwide, which is reason it holds the highest consultative status at the United Nation's Economic and Social Council, which oversees many UN agencies.

“In Rotary, we have a wide range of professionals, from medical doctors to nurses, lawyers to engineers, these are not greedy or hungry people, but Nigerians who are genuinely passionate about putting smiles on people’s faces, so this is a situation that they are best equipped to handle.

“They also have partnered with governments and individuals successfully in the past and see no reason that Governor Sanwo-Olu and Rotary International District 9110 Governor, Rotarian (Dr.) Jide Akeredolu cannot join forces.

“That is not all.

“Due to Rotary's experience with Polio eradication, its huge data bank of facts and figures may actually help the Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Centre For Disease Control in the area of contact tracing and enlightenment.”

Rotarian James also used the opportunity to call on residents of Lagos and Nigerians in general to adhere to the instruction of hand washing for at least 20 seconds, social distancing, cleaning of hard surfaces around their homes and most importantly staying at home.

He said these measures, difficult as they may seem, will help to flatten the curve, stop the spread of the virus, save more lives and enable us return to our normal day-to-day activities in good time.

He revealed that Rotary International has encouraged clubs to intervene in the fight against COVID-19 and while some have already done theirs, Rotary Club of Ikeja of South and others, are fine-tuning plans to embark on impactful intervention projects as contribution to the global effort.

Uj. N. Dominic/Editor

*JOIN our alert's group | Share stories with us | Advert placement: WhatsApp | SMS: +2348033592762 *Twitter: @ITREALMS *Email: itrealms.dsa@gmail.com*

Exclusive: Senator Sani gets backlash for distributing 100,000 transistor radio sets

Exclusive@ITRealms:

Nigerian Twitter enthusiasts also known as Tweeps have lashed out to the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Mr. Shehu Sani, following his commencement Sunday  to distribute some 100,000 sets of transistor radio in seven local government areas under his district, reports ITRealms. 

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had quoted Senator Sani as saying that the gesture was to raise the political consciousness the people and have more access to information on what is happening within and outside their localities.

According to Sani, his people come from the part of the country where the major and most important source of information is the radio, so “Radio is an empowerment, a form of education and enlightenment. It enables people to have access to information and also have an opportunity to express themselves.”

Senator Sani who goes with the Twitter handle @shehusani, also explained that radio has for decades been the only medium where people in the North get better informed, stressing  “I am sharing it to downtrodden within the cities and the rural areas so that they would be abreast with what is happening within their own locality, national and state.“

But reacting to the so-called empowerment project by the Senator, most Nigeria lashed out at him saying wondering if he would provide those beneficiaries with radio batteries for life, even as some alleged that the China made radio transistor was a donation by Chinese businessman who had asked how to support his political ambition via farm implements, but the Senator choose radio transistor sets.

For a Nigerian Tweet enthusiast going by handle ‏@AboSuccess, she hopes that the next item for distribution by the Senator would include salt and broom for housewives, plastic slippers and hat for beggars and probably invite the likes of Cable News Network (CNNAfrica) to cover it.

Another Tweep ‏@estaaba lamented that of all the things Nigerians are crying for now, a transistor radio is what Senator Sani could come up with, describing it as rubbish!

Mustapha Shitu ‏@Musteez was mild to the radio distribution, saying that its not all that bad, although the Senator should have sponsored political programmes on radio to raise the awareness, for instance on the importance of voters registration and rights of citizens in a democracy.

Adding that most of the people in that part of Nigeria have raidio, pointing out that a typical northern person, must, especially always glued to their radio, so the programme should be paramount than the radio sets.

Adesanwo Olugbenga ‏@koolgeea sought to know where the ‘honourable’ senator got the monies for the purchase of radio transistors. While Niyi Popoola ‏@NiyiPopoola suggested that empowering folks so they could buy radios would be more sensible. 

Mr.  Okazu Godspower @PowersOkazu noted that as their Senator, Sani may know better what they need, alleged that many of these guys are not informed hence he knows them more than “we do.” 

For Ayodele Ogunlana ‏@a2dyplay “who takes care of the noise pollution generated by these devices?” he wondered.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) @ShehuSani @omojuwa

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally! 
Pix: Senator Sani presenting a set of radio transistor to one of the beneficiary farmers.