News Editor
By Edwin Philip
Nasarawa State government is to deworm and feed over a hundred Street children known as Almajiri as part of the events to mark the 2024 world humanitarian day with activities sparning four days beginning from Wednesday August 14 to Monday August 19, 2024
The Commissioner Ministry for Special Duties, Humanitarian, Social Services and Non-Governmental Organisations, Dr. Margaret Elayo disclose while briefing newsmen in her office, also stated that her ministry is concerned over the plights of the children roaming the streets to fend for themselves. She said, “it is not their making, as such, they deserve the attention of government and public spirited individuals.
She noted that the mode of feeding of this children is unhealthy as they get unwholesome foods from the ground in the streets straight into their system which has made them prone to diseases and may not get adequate treatments from the guardians the mallams.
” I have done that before, during Ramadan, the fasting period for Muslims along side a couple of organizations, we went into various communities that we know that this Almajiris go for their day to day activities interms of studying, we spoke to their guardianship who happens to be the mallams , they are the ones that will submit their names,data, we have people that will go to pick them up.
” I have deworm more than a hundred of them interms of outreaches in the past.” “Some of these kids, infact we know the way they eat is not healthy some of them in the streets pick up food on the ground to eat, that is what informed our decision, we intend to clean up their system give them a better health lifestyle, we plan to cook for them so that they can understand that they are also humans, it is the situation that they found themselves that they cannot help”
According to the Commissioner, the humanitarian day is to celebrate what humanity is all about as the program for the four days event is drafted to cover poorest of the poor people that has already done well for their communities, to capture people the government believes have a lot to submit to the community but are not properly recognized.
She added that the activities will commence with a healthy walk on day one which is to create awareness on various topics, they are going to be talking about environmental challenges, awareness on open defecation, issues that will affect the youths, the girl child, saying that the walk around the town is to promote the idea that health is wealth.
Dr. Margaret Elayo appreciated the Governor Abdullahi Sule for the opportunity he has given her to serve as commissioner in his cabinet and to translate his love for humanity through the Ministry for Special Duties On Humanitarian Social Services and Non non-Governmental Organisations, promising to exceed all expectations inline with his administration’s drive of making life better for the people.
World humanitarian day will be celebrated Monday August 19, 2024 , it is commemorated every 29th August to pay tribute to humanitarian workers killed in the course of their work and honour all aid workers who continue to promote life serving support and protection of people most in need, the theme for world humanitarian day 2024 is #Actforhumanity.
