Opinion I Today is World Water Day!

PROMOTING REGULAR INTAKE OF CLEAN WATER AS THE 2018 WORLD WATER DAY IS COMMEMORATED ON THURSDAY MARCH 22

     

      

Today, Thursday March 22, the world over is marking the 2018 World Water Day. The international World Water Day is held annually across the globe as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year’s theme is ‘Nature for Water.’

         

Water is a clear, colourless and transparent liquid that has no taste or smell, and that is required for the survival of all plant and animal lives. In the same vein, a large amount or area of either natural or manmade water such as lake, pond, pool, river, sea, ocean, and so on, can be referred to as water or waters.

        

Water, which is as old as the world, is consumed as food by both animals and humans, and it is also required in various fields of endeavour or human activities including, farming, cooking, manufacturing, sports, bath, hand washing, brushing of teeth, laundry, sanitation cum other forms of domestic and environmental activities, just to mention but a few.

         

The functions of water in the body ranging from cell life, to chemical and metabolic reactions, transport of nutrients, body temperature regulation, elimination of waste or toxic substances, among others, are numerous and innumerable. Water is a carrier that distributes essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and glucose, to cells. Furthermore, it removes waste products including toxins rejected by the cells through urines, sweats and faeces. It also participates in the biochemical breakdown of whatever we consume.

         

Inter alia, water has a large heat capacity which helps to limit changes in body temperature in a warm or a cold environment. It allows the body to release heat when ambient temperature is higher than body temperature. Most importantly, water is an effective lubricant around joints; it also acts as a shock absorber for eyes, brain, spinal cord, and even for the foetus through amniotic fluid.

         

Water is indeed at the centre of life. This is why nobody can live more than three to five days without any water intake. Suffice to say that, its role in the body is not just important, but inevitable. It has succeeded in proving to mankind that it is the most important form of food among the six classes of food in existence.

        

 Considering the agricultural sector; the absence of water would simply cripple the entire activity in the aforementioned area thereby terminating the lives of crops or livestock, as the case may be. Same is obtainable in the manufacturing industry, like the pharmaceutical firms, bakery and breweries, that requires water as one of the basic raw-materials for its day-to-day activities.

         

The positive impact of water on cooking and other household cum industrial works, is another factor that cannot be taken for granted whenever the societal importance of water is discussed. It is noteworthy that without water, most other forms of food or diet would not be prepared or provided. On the other hand; swimming, which is one of the most lucrative kinds of sporting activities in recent times, wouldn’t have been founded if water is not obtainable.

         

As it is widely noted that the significance of water to mankind cannot be overemphasized, it is also worthy to note that intake of dirty or impure water remains one of the primary causes of several diseases or infections such as, typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, staphylococcus and other sexually transmitted diseases, experienced across the globe.

         

Without mincing words, statistics show that over sixty percent (60%) of death rate recently is attributed to consumption of unclean water as well as residing in an unsafe environment. We shouldn’t forget that accommodating dirty stagnant water such as gutter, pool et cetera, in our environments or vicinities attracts mosquito which remains the sole cause of a killer disease known as malaria. According to the United Nations (UN) findings; 768 million people worldwide lack access to improved water sources while 2.5 billion persons have no improved sanitation.

         

As the global community commemorates the World Water Day, I call on all stakeholders and the civil society to pledge to develop the policies needed to ensure that sustainable water and energy are secured for the many and not just the few as it is presently the case. In this regard, we should ensure that our respective communities are provided with adequate and safe water sources.

          

On their part; the various ministries of Water Resources and their Environment counterparts, ought to ensure that adequate and reliable boreholes are sunk in every community that is related to them and also endeavour to sponsor series of radio/television jingles to sensitize the populace on the unavoidable role of clean water as well as safe environment. The various Water Corporations are also expected to live up to the expectations. 

         

Similarly, there’s equally an urgent need to monitor borehole drilling by residents in various quarters with a view to avoiding any future manmade disaster such as earthquake or what have you. Improper sinking of borehole and other related activities poses environmental threat to the affected dwellers.

          

Among all, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) ought to, from time to time, endeavour to checkmate the activities of the various registered water companies. Also, it should not hesitate to sanction or closedown any one that is set up illicitly.

           

Most importantly, in our individual capacities, we ought to endeavour to properly boil any water we intend to drink, and also adequately sanitize any stagnant pool of water within our surroundings as well as fumigate the said environments when necessary, in order to guarantee purity and thorough sanitary thereby boasting the safety and well-being of our bodies. To before warned is to before armed. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador                    

Opinion I On The Controversy Trailing NASS' Pay Package

ON THE CONTROVERSY TRAILING NASS’ PAY PACKAGE

        

There are three major arms of government in any democratic terrain to include the executive, legislature and the judiciary. The legislature, which is our subject matter, is a group of people with the power to make and pass laws. We aren’t unaware the crucial and inevitable role of law-making in every existing country across the globe, hence Nigeria isn’t an exception.

       

Nigeria operates a bicameral system of legislature, whereby the country’s legislative responsibilities are shared among two separate assemblies. They are regarded as the Upper (Red) and Lower (Green) Chambers otherwise called the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives, respectively.

       

It’s noteworthy that a bill can originate from either chambers but cannot become law until it has been duly passed by both as well as assented to by the President. However, constitutionally, the Legislature can override the President’s veto, if both assemblies agree to do so with a two-third majority vote of its overall members after thirty days.

        

In recent times, many in various quarters have opined that the bicameral legislative mode being operated in Nigeria is an epitome of bureaucracy. According to them, the system has bedevilled the country’s financial status. This has overtime ensued tremendous debates among concerned citizens both home and in the Diaspora.

        

It seems the set of Nigerians with the above notion was vindicated penultimate week. In the period in review, during his interaction with the TheNews Magazine, the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani reportedly disclosed that each of the legislators in the Red Chamber goes home every month with N13.5 million as ‘running cost’ allowance. He further informed that that was in addition to the N750,000 monthly consolidated salary coupled with other allowances the senators invariably receive.

        

It’s worthy of note that ever since the shocking revelation was publicly made, the colleagues of the whistle blower have began to condemn such an abrupt gesture. In their words, they could not expect Sen. Sani to act as the Spokesman of the Senate let alone ‘misinforming’ the people. Having claimed that the notice was false and unfounded, they feared that it could make their respective constituents lose their trust in them.

        

It is apparent that Sen. Sani who is a well known activist may have spoken against the wish of his colleagues. Little wonder they reacted in a displeased mood, stating that the said legislator had brought his ‘silly’ activism cause to the Senate. But, the question is; why did they think it wise to refute such information that bears an element of truism? Does it imply that they are not only seeing Sen. Sani as a ‘silly activist’ but an insane lawmaker?

       

This is exactly reminding me of the case of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin who sometime ago equally blew a whistle in the legislature, the Green Chamber though. At the time, Hon. Jibrin disclosed that the country’s 2017 budget was ‘padded’ by his fellow legislators. In consequence to the unexpected avowal, his colleagues ganged up against him and subsequently succeeded in suspending the poor lawmaker who was seemingly standing alone.

        

In the same vein, Sen. Sani’s colleagues are ostensibly making a frantic move on how to silence him. They are perhaps of the view that relegating the whistle blower to the background would enable them to discredit his confession. Whatever move they intend to make, they ought to acknowledge that the actual figure, which has long been shrouded in secrecy, has eventually been divulged.

         

A discussion has been on that some persons venture into politics for service whilst a few others do so for self. I cannot concur less with the belief that several Nigerians participate in the aforementioned profession for the sake of the latter. This is the reason, for instance, a lawmaker having collected his/her constituency allowance, rather than using the fund for what it is meant for, would end up siphoning it into his personal purse.

        

Our politicians are really taking advantage of the civil servants. In other words, the former is obviously cheating the latter. How could one reconcile the fact that a lawmaker that sits at intervals and also goes on a recess is entitled to a bogus monthly allowance of N13.5m or thereabouts while a civil servant that works on a daily basis receives a minimum wage of N18,000? No wonder a Nigerian politician, on the average, is apparently ready to kill just to win an election.

        

Each day, we are being reminded that Nigeria is passing through recession, yet the pay package of a certain group of workers is enough to revive the country’s moribund refineries as well as resuscitate her dying institutions. The acknowledgement of such occurrence does not in any way bring hope for the weary citizenry. Hence, the time has arrived for us to take our future into our hands.

       

The public servants, particularly the political leaders, must take into cognizance that they were only mandated to plough our land, and not to plunder it. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

 

   

ShortStory I Greater Day Ahead

GREATER DAY AHEAD

        “When would this suffering end?” Uzo soliloquized. “Or, could it be for eternity?”

         Uzo whose father died four years back after a brief illness when he (Uzo) was barely thirteen, was lamenting alone right in his family’s bedroom. He was obviously an exemplarily brilliant chap who was about sitting for his Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) which included WAEC and NECO. Apart from his academic excellence, he was an out-and-out child every parent wished to behold.

         Uzo who happened to be the first child among him and his four siblings, was residing in Lagos State with his family. It’s noteworthy that the whole family was living in only one-room apartment. That was where they had been managing since two years back life became tougher and unbearable than it was.

         What actually prompted the above lamentation was owing to the fact that the poor boy was yet to register for the aforesaid exams because the needed fund was not available. What else could he do than to wallow in anguish?

         His mother, Ugonma who just obtained her National Certificate in Education (NCE) via in-service programme was a primary school teacher, and was in Grade Level 5. She actually entered the Civil Service few years back with her Senior School Certificate. Life wasn’t in any way easy with her; taking care of a family of six including herself was not unlike asking a palm wine tapper to ensure that he produced at least five kegs of palm wine from a particular palm tree on a daily basis.   
         Indeed, the poignant state of the family was seriously telling on every of its member.

        “God,” Uzo called sorrowfully. “Please, come and rescue me from this unending bondage.” He cried, looking at the ceiling.

        “Why can’t I be like Musa?” He wondered. “Or, Segun?”

          Musa and Segun were his classmates whose parents were well-to-do; their respective drivers drove them to school daily. Just like the saying invariably goes ‘all fingers are not equal’.

          Hence, he kept on wondering if his own world was different from that of his aforementioned colleagues, but more pitiably, his candid questions were left unanswered.

         He therein began to sing frantically. He was an ardent singer since his childhood. In his church, he happened to be one of the gifted and respected choristers in spite of his tender age.

         The soliloquy continued unabated not until his mother who was busy in the kitchen entered the room to checked on him having sensed his absence, unknowingly to her that her precious and lovable son had almost committed suicide.

          Uzo’s face coupled with the pillow that was lying on his thighs was covered with fathomless tears. He was helplessly sitting on a bed.

         “Uzo...!” His mum exclaimed as soon as she walked into the room, hastily walked to the bed and sat very closely to him, tenderly placed her left arm on his shoulders. “Uzo my son.” She soberly called.

         “Mum,” He managed to dish out.

         “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

           It was on Saturday morning at about some minutes past nine O’clock, and a very sunny moment. His siblings were as usual busy catching their funs outside.

         “At 17, you are not meant to bother yourself so much about things of this world.” Ugonma asserted, paused.

           He adjusted himself a bit.

         “Besides,” She rode on. “That you are poor this year 1994 doesn’t imply you remain poor by next year.”

        “Who knows if I would be alive till next year?” He thought aloud.

        “Stop saying that.” she scolded. “Where does your faith lie?”

          Uzo remained calm, couldn’t utter a word.

        “Is this what I have been teaching you?” she queried, frowning. “I keep telling you that God knows everything we are passing through in this family.”

          He seemingly became sober.

        “And only He knows the expiring date.”

          His calm posture that abruptly metamorphosed into a pensive countenance was really absorbing the opium.

         Ugonma’s pious nature had obviously helped in her children’s upbringing. Each day that passed in the family was loaded with the needed recipe as regards faith uplift. That was the only gold the poor widow could offer them come rain come shine.

         “That you are yet to register for your SSCE does not mean you won’t sit for the exams.” She faithfully assured.

          This time, Uzo became stronger emotionally and psychologically.

         “Don’t worry,” Ugonma continued. “God will surely provide the money, okay?”

           He nodded passionately as he remained seated on the weary bed.

         “So, wipe your tears.”

          Ugonma who was only putting on a single purplish wrapper, partially untied it and used it to assist him in wiping out the tears in his face.

          Thereafter, she made effort to rise him up from the bed and he complied accordingly. “Come and help me in the kitchen.” she urged the moment he rose.

        “Okay mum.” He wholeheartedly concurred without hesitation.

          To be continued, please.

 

Fred Doc Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador