As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark Zero Discrimination Day, a nongovernmental organisation, Nigeria Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+), has called for more awareness creation amongst women to end discrimination in society.

The National Coordinator of NINERELA+, Amber Erinmwinhe, while speaking at an event to mark the day in Abuja, said that women perpetrate most of the discriminatory acts against fellow women.

She noted that women still practice some old traditions that shows signs of discrimination against other women all over Nigeria.

“Women need a lot of orientation especially those in rural communities where some old practices still exist. In some communities where widowhood practices still take place, it is usually the women that will shave a fellow woman’s hair. It is the woman who also takes children for circumcision,” Ms Erinmwinhe said.

Ms Erinmwinhe also said that women need to unlearn some old traditions that they hold on to, if the country is to end discrimination.

She called for more awareness for men and women for Nigeria to achieve zero discrimination.

According to the Programmes Manager of the group, Mr. Ikenna Nwakamma, everyone has a role to play in ending discrimination in society.

“The Family has a role to play in training a child, at the community level there are barriers and practices that are discriminatory and at the government level, there is a need to ensure equitable access to opportunities and resources,” he said.

Mr Nwakamma explained that the group engages various stakeholders including faith and community leaders, as part of its effort to achieve zero discrimination in the country.

Zero Discrimination Day is celebrated on March 1 every year to promote equality in practice and before the law. The day aims to create global solidarity towards ending all forms of discriminations.

Zero Discrimination Day 2021 aims at highlighting the urgent need to take action to end the inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, drug use, gender identity, race, class, ethnicity and religion that are prevalent around the world.

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), “inequality is growing for more than 70 per cent of the global population, exacerbating the risk of division and hampering economic and social development.”

Participants at the event gave their commitments to end gender discrimination in their localities.

Lateefah Ibrahim

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology, has advised contractors handling the construction and renovation of primary schools projects across the state against the use of substandard materials.

This, the committee said, was to ensure that quality jobs were done to improve the standard of education in the state.

The Chairman of the committee, Daniel Oga Ogazi gave the advice on Monday when he led other members of the committee on an assessment visit to the ongoing construction and renovation of primary schools in Lafia and Obi Local Government Areas of the State.

Oga Ogazi ( APC), who represents the Kokona East constituency said that the committee inspection visit was aimed at ensuring that contractors adhere strictly to specifications.

The House Deputy Majority Leader said that the committee would not allow any contractor to jeopardise government’s efforts in providing quality education in the state.

Ogaz commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his efforts in improving the standard of education through the award of school projects across the state.

He has also commended the management of SUBEB for an effective supervision of school projects  and called for its sustenance.

The lawmaker commended some contractors for quality jobs done.

“Some contractors used poor and substandard materials. We advise those contractors to go back to the site and do the needful as we are going to make appropriate recommendations  on them to ensure that good jobs are done for the overall development of the education sector and the state at large”

” We are here on- the spot assessment of the new constructions and renovations of classrooms across the state.

”  We want to ensure that contractors adhere strictly to specifications to improve on the standard of education in the state.

” As the visit was not meant to witch hunt anybody but to ensure that the right things are done in the interest of our children and the education sector,” he said.

Huge investment in the education
Ogazi also urged the community and teachers to take ownership of school projects in their domains to ensure that good jobs were delivered for stability.

The lawmaker gave assurance of the committee’s readiness to supervise school projects across the state to justify the government’s huge investment in the education sector.

Some of the schools visited include LGEA primary School, Lafia East, GJSS, Lafia South, LGEA Primary School, Angwan Galadima, LGEA Isyaka Islamiya, Command Secondary School, Lafia, LGEA Primary School, Kwandere, Danka Bako Primary School, LGEA primary School, Danka Sarki, RCM Pilot Science School, Aridi,  LGEA primary school, Shabu, LGEA primary school, Gimare, LGEA primary school, Wakwa Baba, LGEA primary school, Mararaba, LGEA primary school, Bukan Kwato as well as the construction of roads, drainage, culvert and walkways at Vocation and Skill  Acquisition Centre, Lafia, all in Lafia Local Government  Area of the state.

Others are LGEA primary school, Akunza Migili,  LGEA primary school, Duduguru in Obi Local Government Area of the State.

Lateefah Ibrahim