Senator wants Nigerian government to give priority to mental health

The senator representing Sokoto East senatorial district Ibrahim Gobir on Tuesday expressed the need to give attention to people with mental challenges.

He stated this at Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware, Sokoto state when he paid a courtesy visit to the management of the hospital.

The senator called on government to give attention to psychiatric facilities in order to ensure desirable impacts in the administration of mental health across the country.

The lawmaker expressed satisfaction with the state of facilities and good managerial leadership of Dr Shehu Sale at FNPH, Kware in compliance with modern standards.

”I am delighted with the level of development so far recorded in the hospital under the leadership of able Board Chairman Dr. Iheanyi Nwachuku, and Medical Director, Dr Shehu Sale.

”I am overwhelmed by the state-of-the-art equipment, manpower and infrastructure in the hospital.

” This has demonstrated Dr Sale’s commitment to the development of the hospital and the speciality which will surely translate to enhanced productivity and efficient services to Nigerian populace as well as overall development of mental health,” Gobir stated.

Kware Hospital has good hands, modern tools and facilities, besides being the mist most affordable in the country.

Gobir said National Assembly would support the hospital by facilitating more government attention to sustain the laudable initiatives and routine activities.

Responding, Dr Sale commended Gobir for the visit which, he said, had demonstrated his concern and urged him to use his position in bring more development to the hospital.

The Medical Director said Sen. Aliyu Wamakko and house member Ahmad Kalambaina had facilitated infrastructural projects in FNPH Kware through their constituency projects allocation, which greatly enhanced the hospital’s face-lift.

”FNPH Kware is fully accredited with Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and met the requirements of speciality training of medical doctors across the country beside, running School of Post Basic Nursing in Psychiatric,” Dr Sale said.

Sale lauded the federal government for supporting the hospital and appealed for release of appropriated funds to the hospital.

The medical director called on people to access the facility and cautioned them against seeking alternative therapy and patronizing unprofessional healers adding that accessing mental health at early stage helps to solve the perceived mental challenges.

He decried the fact that mental health had not been given adequate attention globally, compared to other areas such as HIV/AIDS and Malaria.

Dr Sale along with other directors went round with visiting Senator to inspect hospital wards and other departments.

Source: Today.ng

Buruji Kashamu dies of COVID-19

Sen. Buruji Kashamu is dead. He died of COVID-19, Sen. Ben Bruce announced on his Twitter handle.

“I have just lost my good friend of forever to #COVID19. Until his death, Sen. Buruji Kashamu and I were inseparable. He died today at First Cardiology Consultants, in Lagos. May his gentle soul rest in peace. I pray his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear this heavy loss”, he wrote.

Buruji Kashamu was a Nigerian politician, born May 19, 1958. He served as a Senator representing Ogun East at the 8th National Assembly.

We should never allow division among ourselves– Senator Rochas Okorocha SouthEast Governors and other political stakeholders

CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Rochas Okorocha, All Progressives Congress, APC, Imo West has said that Igbo leadership and responsibilities  has now  fallen on the Senate Chief Whip,  Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and himself.

According to him, Chief  Chukwuemeka Ojukwu is late , politicians like Jim Nwobodo, Arthur Nzeribe and many others are no longer active as they used to be, hence the responsibilities are now on their heads.

Speaking yesterday at  the home of First Vice National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) South East,  Dr Julius Anyim Nyerere in Abuja State, the former governor of Imo State

said that himself and Kalu have decided to work together, even as he suggested that they need to  dramatize their love and peace so that subsequent generations can emulate them.

In a statement yesterday, Okorocha’s meeting with Kalu which was coincidental, stressed the need for the reunification of Igbo elites.

According to him , ” Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu is late , politicians like Jim Nwobodo, Arthur Nzeribe and many others are no longer active as they use to be . Many other great leaders are no more  and  that vacuum must be filled up .So the responsibilities have fallen on other people’s shoulders,  and that shoulder is that of  Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and myself.   So it is important that we gather as brothers and discuss issues that will help the entire Igbo people.  Because if a child knows what killed his father,  he wouldn’t allow himself to die same way.

” I am using this opportunity to tell my brother,  Dr Orji Uzor Kalu that the dance we are dancing now is not for ourselves but to entertain the public and know if they will be happy.  If I dance for you to give me money , that means something is wrong . So the dance now is not for us but to see if there will be a better future for Igbo people.  We have decided to work together.  We are learning on the job on how to work together.  We have  to make a shift from the normalcy.

“The political ideology inherited from our predecessors and political fore fathers are not really the best

. We were taught to maintain political enemies for the rest of your life. That is why the likes of Jim Nwobodo and Alex Ekwueme never agreed until death , Mbakwe and Arthur Nzeribe never agreed until death and so we must carve out a niche so we don’t transfer this to subsequent generation of “Ndigbo”, that is why people like Orji Uzor Kalu and myself must profess love amongst ourselves and not only within us but within our enclave.

“We should never allow division among ourselves.  We must distinguish ourselves in character and at the same time know when to extend our hands of fellowship to our brothers who are not on the same political stand with us . This will help us to know when political war will end and when brotherhood will start . Because in life you need to know when to start and when to stop.  We need to come together to make sure that Igbo people are no longer used as political spare tyres . I saw a protest yesterday in Abuja and Lagos and that protest is a pointer . We need to dramatize our love and peace so that subsequent generations can key in to it.”

In his response,  Kalu who stressed the need for  peace to return to the APC political family in the South East, said that what he needs in life at the moment are limited, adding that he will be very happy  to see the current governor of Imo state,  Hope Uzodimma and Rochas Okorocha on the same page.

Kalu said,  ” I am happy because Owelle has spoken so well, I want peace to return to APC in the Southeast, I am the highest politically elected office holder the Southeast by virtue of my office as the Chief Whip.

“In the Senate,  I am ranked number four and I have never taken it for granted. The only problem I am facing is resolve the issue between the Governor of Imo State (Hope Uzodinma) and the former Governor (Rochas Okorocha) ; for them to be on the same page , I will be fulfilled politically anyday both of them decide to work together. My dream is to have roundtable discussion with Governor Uzodimma, Yourself ( Okorocha), Senator  Ken Nnamani , Hon Minister Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Chris Ngige  and Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and others. Once we achieve that, the sky will be our starting point. If we are unable to resolve the political issues in Imo State it will be difficult for us to move forward ”

Kalu who noted that he is very courageous and not scared of speaking the truth, said that he also want to see a larger Nigeria where every citizen will be comfortable and living in unity.

He said, ” I want to see a larger Nigeria where every citizen will be comfortable , where Igbos will be reintegrate into the socio economic and political fabric of our nation, where our people will be more respected.

“There are  two basic factors in democracy; the software and the hardware of democracy, but people are always focused on the hardware and pay less attention to the software , the software talks about strict compliance  to the rule of law governing the society

“People think democracy is only about building infrastructure but it is also about managing people I am talking about participatory democracy, where we create room for dialogue.”

Kalu also advised SouthEast Governors and other political stakeholders to eschew public criticism of one another,  noting that issues should be resolved internally.