Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Tokyo games have come and gone. It was a celebration of humanity which has now been consigned to history. The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government deserve kudos for pulling off such successful games inspite of strong opposition from within, and other risks associated with Covid-19 pandemic. What the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government displayed was a robust committed leadership.
Many nations celebrated, some wept and others was just there – indifferent not realizing what hit them. Where did Nigeria fit in? Mr. Sunday Dare the Minister of Sports at the Airport said Nigeria came 62nd (not true, we were 74) out of 205 countries. He said his contingent did very well. Mr. Minister your standards must be terribly low.
The small failure. P American re
The Swiss government, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are collaborating with the federal government to provide relief for 450 vulnerable returnee migrants impacted by COVID-19 in Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kano and Yobe states over the next nine months.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq this at the launching of the programme.
She applauded the Swiss government and IOM for supporting the initiative that enhances the livelihood of the persons of concern in Nigeria and for entrenching better migration management in the country.
She said the programme would tackle emerging issues and challenges confronting the protection and livelihood of returnees and potential migrants in Nigeria.
The minister noted that returnee migrants in the northern states, especially the elderly, the chronically ill, people living with disabilities, women and child-headed households, unemployed youths and refugees, would benefit from the programme.
The Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr George Steiner, said Switzerland had committed some of its funding in support of Nigerian government agencies in the fight against the pandemic and its consequences.
Steiner was represented by the Programme Officer Migration, Embassy of Switzerland, Ojoma Ali.
He described the pandemic as the biggest crisis facing humanity, making international solidarity and cooperation to tackle the challenges vital.
He stated that Switzerland had been supporting Nigeria in the difficult times, which explained why it swiftly mobilised financial resources to support the UN COVID-19 Basket Fund in Nigeria in June 2020.
“In the past 10 years, we have successfully implemented more than 50 projects in various areas. This particular project is another proof of the well-functioning migration partnership and the importance Switzerland attaches to Nigeria,” Steiner said.
