WOMEN,OUR TIME TO STAND UP TALL

Foundations laments on gender inequality in the Nigerian society

By Tayo Oredola

Championing the course of empowering women in Nigeria, the Founder of the Haske Wateraid and Empowerment Foundation, Miss Azubuike Mirian has recently called on the society to support the girl child in actualizing her full potentials.

She said this during a seminar in Lagos to mark the International Day of the Girl Child in line with the United Nation General Assembly Resolution on the right and challenges of the girl child.

Azubuike told The Guardian,; “in this part of the world, most girls do not  fulfill their dreams because of gender constraints and societal fallacies about the girl child”.

“I have been able to break this circle, and I discovered many girls need help to do same, that is why I decided to reach out to them through this seminar”, she added.

According to Azubuike, The theme of the seminar, “ The Role of the Girl Child and Boy Child in Ensuring a Balanced Society” was to raise awareness on gender inequality as well as advice young people that girls and boys are not competitor, but partners in development.

The author of the girl who found water also noted culture as a major cause of hindering the girl child in Africa. “I agree that Africans are westernizing everything, but we should not retain the wrong values that suppresses the woman in our society”, she remarked.

In her keynote address, a writer and feminist, Joy Ise Bewaji, lamented that  “ the toughest job in Africa is to be a girl or woman, because we teach our girls to be good wives, and ignore the boys, society should begin to teach both gender to breach that gap”.

She told our correspondent that, it is very important the awareness of gender equality continues, “ because for a long time, women have been relegated to the background, this has hindered them in embracing opportunities”. “African need to begin to realize the woman is equal to the man, she said.

Bewaji further said that people do not like change, and more so culture in this part is very rigid and unfavorable to women, and that show the inequality in the society.

While commending Azubuike, the feminist urged women to support in programs of such to educate young people to live a better life as well as start breaking the strong hold of culture that brings them down.

 The Principal, West Minster College, Lagos, Mrs. Helen Ayisire, who   was also present, appealed to the general public to change their orientation about the girl child and recognize her, because of her importance, “the girl makes the society, without her, we will not have people for tomorrow’s society”, she said.

BE MINDFUL OF WERE YOU GET YOUR SUYA FROM.

Suya lovers exposed to cancer causing compounds, say experts By Tayo Oredola

     The debate on the health issues regarding the consumption of suya, a traditional delicacy of skewed meat, has again drawn the attention of health experts.

       Experts have explained that many suya sellers make their suya by burning all sorts of materials, such as firewood and charcoal to make their fire, while plastics and kerosene are used as well to make their ember burn brighter in order to cook the meat.

     This process exposes the meat to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons      (PAHs), a chemical compound that poses as risk factor to smokers.

    Also, reports have it that meat cooked over open flames often causes the formation of toxic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are carcinogenic (cancer causing compounds).

    This spicy delicacy has defied even racial boundaries, and is enjoyed by almost everybody, young and old.

    Referred to as ‘chichinga’ in neighboring Ghana, this street fast food is consumed in many West African countries.

In Nigeria, mostly the Hausa people of the north prepare it, and they are called ‘mai suya’.

    The enterprise has acquired significant developments over the years, with suya joints found almost at vantage places, pubs, and beer bars especially at nights.

     Speaking with one mai suya at the Ladipo market on the Oshodi- Isolo expressway in Lagos, about conditions under which the suya is prepared, Ibrahim Sani told The Guardian that the meat is prepared under hygienic conditions.

    Speaking in Hausa, he said that most of them buy meat and prepare it at the abattoir. He cited the instance where more than four people share a ram depending on their financial capacity.

      Sani also said he marinates the meat with the following ingredient, “Maggi star, shear butter, dry grounded pepper, onions and cabbage”, but individuals have their various spices for marinating, he added.

     When The Guardian challenged him to the use of non-food grade additives, he debunked this, saying for the past six years of doing the suya business; he has never added anything not edible, though he cannot vouch for other sellers.

       In an interview with Dr. Folake Samuel of the Department of Human Nutrition of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, she said suya is meat and can be enjoyed just like any other meal, however, the conditions of hygiene by the makers is the issue.

      According to her, the issue of the type of meat used is another downside of the roadside fast food. It becomes difficult to ascertain weather the meat they use is veterinary approved.

      Also, “originally traditional spices are used in its preparation”, but of recent there are concerns about the use of non – food grade additives which poses dangers to consumers, she added.

      Samuel told The Guardian that people have concerns over the way it is produced, and that roasting exposes the meat to carcinogens              (cancer causing compounds).

      Speaking with another Chief Nursing Officer from the Kajola Primary Health Center in Lagos who pleaded anonymity, she told The Guardian, “there are many hazards to the improper cooking of meat”.      

     And most of these mai suya subject the meat to improper cooking and blood spots are found on the meat even after roasting sometimes.

      Most of these suya joints are located at unhygienic places, with most close to gutters and dirty environments she cited, and all these poor sanitation can even expose consumers to ailments like diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis B and C among others.

    She further explained that excess intake of it poses threats like obesity and heart disease among others.

      Evidently, when The Guardian visited another suya joint along the old Ojo road in Mazamaza in Lagos, our correspondent observed that the meat was kept in a black polythene bag on the floor close to the gutter where the joint was situated, and the seller brought fresh lean meat from the black polythene to be marinated with an unknown spice also in a transparent polythene before roasting. The mai suya declined to speak with our correspondent when he was approached.

      Consumers of it can even be affected with zoonotic diseases that can be passed from animals to humans, experts say.

THE FUTURE OF THE WEIJA DAM.

Weija dam which is located at weija a suburb of Accra was built between 1945 and 1949. The main brain behind the building of the dam was to store water in it to enhance water supply through out the year.

The weija dam which dept is 48 fit has its main source from the Densu River, Atiwa Mountains to be precise. It travels all through to nsawam and to the atiwa mountains and then to the weija dam where it is stored.

But during the raining seasons where the water flows heavily from its source, the weija dam gate is opened to release some of the water to avoid the dam to over flow. This excess water pass through to ‘Tetegu and Botiano’ in to the sea.
The current view of part of the dam.

Currently the dam help supply water to all the western side of Accra and also according to MR. ANDREW, a supervisor there, 55 million gallons of water is produced a day from the weija dam for consumption.

The dam is situated at weija because of certain reasons which include the location of weija which is 120 fit above sea level and also the direction which the water flows is also a contributing factor, and all these aid and help the supply of water from there.


It might amaze one to know that the sight of the water stored in the dam which is processed for human consumption, is as green as the green plants and can scare one to stop consuming water from our pipes.

Speaking to one Mr. Andrews. A worker at the weija dam, he disclosed that the water passes through ten strong processes before it is release for consumption.

These ten processes he said is termed to be the ‘ten commandments’ of water processing, which are as follows: storage, screaming, aeration, quaculation,flocculation,sedimentation, clarification, filtration, sterilization, ph adjustment, softening. He further said these ten processes are well recognized by the world health organization {WHO}.

MORE CHEMICALS TO PURIFY.....

But the question asked is that why is it that the water is very dirty. And then Mr. Andrew respondes by saying that the activities of people along side the river in the various villages it pass before getting to the dam is causing a lot of havoc to the dam.


He also explained further by saying these dwellers along the river dump rubbish into it, some ease into the flowing river, other wash and even bath in it. All these human activities affect the water before it is stored in to the dam.

Not only this he also said people from weija has also used the dam as a fishing ground and some of their activities like pouring harmful chemicals into the water to kill fishes is also a contributing factor. All attempts have been made to stop this and is to no avail.

For this matter, a lot of chemical has to be used on the water before it can be clean and safe. Some of which include aluminum sulphate, chlorine gas and chlorine residual.

According to the laboratory technician at the water processing area, he said every water is checked for safety before it is distributed. “ we make sure there is no bacterial harmful to human health in the water and also check the amount of chlorine and other component to put in it that will not be harmful to human health before distribution” Mr. Emmanuel the technician says.

But the question is that despite all these processes this water pass through to clean and safe drinking, we still some times find dirt flowing with water through our pipes at home. What should we say it’s the reason?

And then Mr. QUAE also a worker there explained that, that problem mostly is from the pipe lines that carry the water through various pipes. He said because the pipe lines are old, they turn to pill off some times when the water flows through them. And other times we have burst pipe line in gutters, and for that reason the dirty gutter water can find its way into the pipe lines and flow through the various lines connected to that pipe line. “So it’s not some times our fault” he says.

Mr. Andrew also said in a conversation with him that the dept of the dam is gradually reducing as a result of the activities of people living along side the dam and other activities mentioned earlier on.

He said the construction of houses alongside the dam is making a lot of sand get into it. And because its storage is all year round, there is nothing like washing of the dam to prevent the closing in dept of the dam.

He said construction of housing structures were stop some years ago, but the past KOFOUR administration gave the go ahead of construction so that problem has not been solved yet. And if some thing is not done about it like nothing has been done to stop the fishing activities, then we should be prepared to face the quencequences.


Even currently they claim this water is safe for drinking, most people don’t deem it still safe for drinking but just domestics activities whiles others drink it.

If nothing is done to curb the negative activities of some ignorant human beings, the dirt will increase from this to a worse condition in time to come

We therefore appealing to environmental educators and the government to help curb and educate the people on the need to see and realize the harm their activities are causing to they themselves and every in the whole.

KPESHIE LAGOON DIES SLOWLY.

lagoons are part of nature's beauty, and encarta students dictionary defines
lagoon to be the coastal bodies of water separated from the ocean by a series of Barriers Island which lies parallel to the shore line.

The kpeshie lagoon is not an exception of this description, it is located at Teshie, a typical GA domineering community in the capital Accra.

Among other lagoons, like the korle lagoon, the kpeshie lagoon covers relatively area of 110 km2.

It is bounded on the east by the military academy at teshie, whiles on the north by line south of medina and Aginganor. It covers the eastern part of Accra, ridge, cantonment, Osu, Labadi, and Burma camp.


For the past few years, the kpeshie lagoon has and is still experiencing some environmental hazards which have left the lagoon dying slowly


The lagoon which is one of the most that produces the species of fish called tilapia which is a nice and taste fish which most Ghanaian enjoy its consumption does no longer produce this fish species because of the level of pollution.

Part of the land which the lagoon occupies are been sold out for construction works for both housing and other structions like churches. The apostolic continuation church is an example of such construction. This causes flood around.

ATTITUDE DAMAGES KPESHIE.

Not only this but then human activities like using that place as a refuge dump and also a place of convenience is a popular act among dwellers near and far from the lagoon. Some residence said that people even in classy cars bring rubbish to dump into the lagoon

The situation became worse when the rehabilitation of the ohene djan stadium began for the African cup of nations which Ghana was the host.

The contractors of this project took advantage of the nearness of the lagoon and used it for a dumping site of all their debris. This no authority stopped them from doing.

I think what Ghanaians are refusing to realize is that this lagoon leads to the sea and that whatever environmental hazard caused to the aquatic world will also affect us in a way or the other. This is a contributing factor to the gradual collapse of the fishing trade.

Except from all these environmental hazards caused to the lagoon, part of the forest mangrove around it that protects it from evaporating, has been destroyed by some irresponsible Ghanaians.

And it’s so sad to hear or even sight what these destroyed parts of the mangrove are used for. People have built brothels in the little mangrove and illegal paths have been constructed leading to these brothels. This they say its no man’s land so they can do what they like. ‘Wee’ smokers have also taken their portion of the ‘no man’s land’ and this place has been turn to smoking grounds and also the illegal act of selling marijuana.

In a conversation with a man called ‘RAS TIM’ who claims he comes there i.e. the lagoon’s mangrove to relax and smoke as well. He is a resident of teshie and that the local people have attributed the lagoons inabilities to produce more fish to spirit forces attach to the lagoon water. He further said they believe there are goddesses in the lagoon and for that matter they have day which they fish from the lagoon.

Mean while, currently the link between the lagoon and the sea has dried up and some resident explains that until this link is connected they are not allowed to fish. When the linkage occurs, then the kpeshie goddess can allow them to fish, that’s what residence around believe. It is surprising that even in this modern era some people still believe in things that are supposed to be obvious.

Speaking to another man named ANAS, who resides there in the mangrove forest, he reveals he sometimes clean the dirt that has gathered along the lagoon and those the sea has brought back to the shores. He also says.” I can’t do all by myself so sometimes those who come to play clean sides they will use”. According to this man no one pays him for his services he claims.


The destruction of the kpeshie lagoon, I think is the attitude of we the people, but we should also remember that there is no such thing like free lunch, and hence what goes round comes round. We are affected by our own attitude, so let’s learn to change and let it begin with you.