Hadiza's Blog

By Hadiza Abdulrahman  In his 80-page manifesto, “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a better Nigeria,” candidate Bola Tinubu promised that, if elected, he would work with the National Assembly to boost women’s representation in government to at least 35%. The Federal Executive Council is required by the manifesto to reserve a number of key jobs for women, and the private sector will be encouraged to follow suit. The president during his inauguration on May 29, 2023 reiterated his promised to feature women in his administration. The senate finally received the list of ministerial nominees on Thursday, July 27, 2023, and it included 7 women. Barrister Hannatu Musawa Barrister Hannatu Musawa, is current the special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Culture and Entertainment. Hannatu is a graduate from the University of Buckingham in the UK with a law degree and from the University of Cardiff in Wales with a postgraduate master’s degree in the legal aspects of marine affairs. The K...

Photo: John Hopkins Hospital Writing by Hadiza Abdulrahman The World Health Organisation has launched the “One Life, One Liver” campaign to expand viral hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day. WHO harped on the need to scale up testing and treatment for viral hepatitis, warning that the disease could kill more people than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined by 2040, if current infection trends continue. Every year on July 28, the  World Hepatitis Day  is marked in an effort to spread awareness about viral hepatitis and spur positive change. The Day, according to the World Health Organisation, is a chance to intensify national and international efforts on hepatitis, encourage actions and involvement by individuals, partners, and the public, as well as highlight the need for a more comprehensive global response as outlined in the Organisation’s Global hepatitis report of 2017. The day of July 28 was selected because it is the birt...

  By Hadiza Abdulrahman  Casa Africa, in partnership with the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria, and the Centre for Journalism Innovation & Development (CJID), through its verification platform Dubawa, have trained 35 Nigerian journalists on methods and technology to combat disinformation. The training an initiative of the #PeriodismoÁfrica program of Casa África, seeks to bring Africa and Spain closer together through educational, economic, cultural and informative activities. The Director General of Casa Africa, José Segura Clavell, explained that the alliance was necessary to help strengthen the capacities of African journalists in fact-checking and digital security. “We believe that these skills are essential for a quality journalism that can inform citizens and combat misinformation that can undermine democracy and human rights,” he said. The Executive Director at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Dr. Tobi Oluwatola urged media professionals to use artifi...

Delegation of the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is in Nigeria for an on- the-Spot- assessment of the implementation of the protecting of children caught in armed conflict and their welfare. Abuja .  Photo: Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs Hadiza Abdulrahman A delegation of the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is in Nigeria for an on- the-Spot- assessment of the implementation of the protecting of children caught in armed conflict and their welfare. The Head of the Delegation and Ambassador of Malta to the United Nations, Vanessa Frazier stated this during a visit to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Diaster Management, and Social Development in Abuja. Vanessa Frazier noted that the UN was aware of some mechanisms and measures put in place by Nigeria towards children protection but stressed that much still needed to be done to alleviate violence on children. ” We are here because...

By Hadiza Abdulrahman Drug abuse is a global concern that transcends borders and affects societies. Nigeria has not been immune to this predicament. In recent months the media has been awash with news of the NDLEA confiscating various drugs either in an attempt to be imported into Nigeria or exported to other countries. There have also been reports of increase in the abuse of both illicit and prescription drugs with cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs prevalent on the streets. Codeine-based cough syrups, such as “Lean” or “Sizzurp,” have gained popularity among young people, contributing to a concerning trend known as “pharmaceutical drug abuse.” This practice involves the misuse of medications like tramadol, diazepam, and Rohypnol, leading to addiction and potential health hazards. Extent of Drug Abuse in Nigeria The prevalence rate of drug abuse in Nigeria is alarming. According to  media report,  the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (ND...

Some Persons With Disabilities  By Hadiza Abdulrahman Many stakeholders who have relentlessly fought for the rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) have argued that their precise number in the country is far from accurate.  As a matter of fact, many and varied figures are being bandied about. For instance, as at 2020, estimates ranged between 25 and 27 million Nigerians living with one form of disability or another.  However, according to the 2011 World Report on Disability , approximately 25 million Nigerians have at least one form of disability, with 3.6 million of these having significant functional difficulties.  The most common types of disabilities in Nigeria include: visual, hearing, physical, intellectual, and communication impairments. It of course goes without saying that these forms of impairment are generally met with stigma, discrimination, as well as barriers that militate against their accessing basic social services, political participation,...

By Hadiza Abdulrahman  Since the 2015 general election, there have been 125 electoral offenses filed before various courts across the country. Out of which  60 convictions  have been secured according to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Professor Mahmoud Yakubu. Nigerians have had to contend with Electoral Malpractices for two decades,  from 1999 to 2019  elections which have been tainted by  fraud or misconduct  such as bribery, vote buying, rigging and other vices. The consequences of these offences have continued to affect the nation adversely. Many Nigerians believe that these factors have made it more difficult for credible candidates to win elections and had out-muscled individuals who truly wanted to serve. Implication of Electoral Misconduct Today, many citizens have lost confidence and trust in the electoral system and the commitment of the government towards credible polls, resulting in  Political Apa...