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Africa warned of 'slum' cities danger as its population passes 1bn

Posted by 9jabook.com on November 24, 2010 at 12:30am
Africa has joined India and China as the third region of the world to reach a population of 1 billion people, and it is expected to double its numbers by 2050, the UN says. By then, there will be three times as many people living in Africa's cities, and the continent that had fewer than 500,000 urban dwellers in 1950 may have 1.3 billion.Crowded-Oshodi-Market-in--007.jpg
photo:Lagos, with a population set to reach 12.4 million, should, by 2015, overtake Cairo as Africa's largest city. Photograph: James Marshall/Corbis
The breakneck transformation of a rural population into a predominantly urban one is neither good nor bad on its own, says UN-Habitat, the Nairobi-based agency that monitors the world's built environment. But in a report it implored African countries to plan their cities better, to avoid mega-slums and vast areas of deprivation developing across the continent. "The pattern is ... oceans of poverty containing islands of wealth. Conditions in African cities are now the most unequal in the world. They are already inundated with slums and a tripling of urban populations could spell disaster, unless urgent action is initiated today. This situation threatens stability and also entire nations," it said.

Cairo is now Africa's largest urban area, with 11 million people, but the UN said that by 2015 it will have been overtaken by Lagos, with around 12.4 million inhabitants. By 2020 Kinshasa is expected to be the continent's second largest city and Luanda the fourth largest, projected to grow to more than 8 million by 2040.

The speed of growth of some cities "defies belief", said the report. Africa is expected to grow by more than 500 million people in the next 17 years, and a further 500 million by 2050. By then more than 60% of its population will live in cities. The population of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, is expected to soar by more than 80%, from 1.9 million in 2010 to 3.4 million in 2020. The populations of nearly all sub-Saharan cities with more than a million people are expected to expand by an average of 32% in the next 10 years....

"Kinshasa is the fastest-growing city in absolute terms, with 4 million extra people expected, a 46% increase for its 2010 population of 8.7 million. Lagos is the second fastest, with a projected 3.5 million extra people, a 33.8% increase. Abuja, Bamako, Luanda, Lubumbashi and Nairobi are all expected to grow by between 47% and 50% in the next decade, while Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Mbuji-Mayi and Niamey are projected to grow between 50% and 57% ."

The report said providing food and water for the billion extra people on the continent by 2050 will be a huge problem, especially because Africa expects to be hit hard by climate change.

The UN urged governments to strike harder bargains with foreign countries eager to buy up land and water. "Governments should heed the warning bells of 2008 and seriously consider the potential effects of future urban food and water shortages. Significant amounts of African land and water resources are being purchased by foreign governments and foreign food processing corporations. Some even bring farm workers into Africa. Governments must bargain harder for better deals, which contribute to Africa's food and water security."

The authors suggested governments move much of their administrative business out of the capital cities. "They should consider relocating to their secondary cities all government departments and agencies that have no overriding reason to be located in the capital. Relocation would spread economic activity, relieve congestion and the pressures on urban land."

The report found many countries struggling to reverse the tide of slums. Egypt, Libya, Morocco have nearly halved their total number of urban slum dwellers, and Tunisia has eradicated them completely. Ghana, Senegal and Uganda have managed to reduce urban slum populations by more than 20%. More than 75% of Nigeria's population lived in slums in 1990, but that is now 61.9%. In South Africa, slum numbers dropped from 46.2% to 28.7% of the population between 1990 and 2010.

However, numbers of people living in slum conditions have grown in many cases because of the population increases. "As the fastest urbanising continent in the world, Africa is not only confronted with the challenge of improving the lives of slum dwellers but also the challenge of preventing the formation of new slums," said Joan Clos, executive director of UN-Habitat. "This will take considerable political will and financial resources. Most of all, it will require a commitment to strategic urban planning so that the needs of the poor will be met."
African population
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Korean Crisis: How do you solve a problem like Korea? China ! that it’s in its own interest to rein in the Kims

Posted by jackie webLondonGirl on December 3, 2010 at 7:45pm
IF EVER a ruling elite seemed to justify the Bush-era doctrine of “pre-emption”, it is the Kim dynasty in North Korea. No government anywhere subjects its own people to such a barbarous regime of fear, repression and hunger. And the Kims are complicit in international outrages ranging from murderous terrorism and nuclear proliferation to drug-smuggling and currency-counterfeiting. The present dictator, Kim Jong Il, is apparently not long for this world, and seems to be boosting his 27-year-old son and anointed successor as a victorious warrior. When the elder Kim was himself dauphin, in the 1980s, he earned his spurs through international terrorism.

This week the North waged war for the second time this year with South Korea when it shelled a South Korean island near the disputed maritime boundary, killing two soldiers and two civilians, injuring others and burning a score of houses. In March, when one of its torpedoes sank the Cheonan, a naval vessel, killing 46, North Korea could, albeit implausibly, deny culpability. This time, though the North describes its aggression as retaliation (for a harmless South Korean military exercise), there is no gainsaying its responsibility for one of the most serious incidents since the end of the Korean war in 1953. To add to this dismal catalogue, the latest onslaught came just three days after the revelation that, in defiance of international efforts to curb its nuclear programme, North Korea has developed a sophisticated facility for enriching uranium. That gives it a further potential source of material for bombmaking.



The starting-point for answering the North’s aggression has to be that, in the most basic sense, the Kims will almost certainly get away with only a symbolic return of fire. It is entirely wrong for North Korea to act as it does. But punitive military reprisals against the North risk a spiral of escalation and catastrophic war. Deterrence works badly against a dictator who blithely imposes famine and gulags on his people during peacetime. Even if there are doubts about the efficacy of its tiny nuclear arsenal, North Korea has enough men under arms, and enough conventional ammunition within range of Seoul—just 35 miles (60km) from the frontier—to make war seem very much a last resort.

If war and the threat of war are hardly even options, what can the world do? The best card in a bad hand is to heal the divisions among other countries about how to handle North Korea. That means, in particular, making China see that a tinderbox it has long regarded as a strategic asset has become an appalling liability. China also struggles to control North Korea. But a united front would change the environment that encourages the rogue state’s bad behaviour.

China cannot be blind to the Kims’ bungling and bellicosity, nor welcome their nuclear ambitions. But it has had two worse fears. One is of a rekindled war on the peninsula, which would damage China. The other is of North Korean collapse, with millions of desperate refugees pouring into China and South Korea or even American troops on China’s border. It is as a bulwark against this “instability” that China cossets the Kims. It refused to condemn them even for the sinking of the Cheonan, and this week issued blandly even-handed calls for restraint. It apparently believes that if their only ally abandons them, the Kims might do something really rash..

But they already have. Whatever it says publicly, China must surely see that this regime flirts with war as an instrument of diplomacy and that its desire to shock the world into negotiating with it requires ever greater outrages. Ultimately, this pattern of behaviour threatens the very stability China craves. China’s alliance with North Korea thus undermines not just its image as a global power but also its own interests.

So how to nudge China in the right direction? One possibility is the revival of the six-party forum, chaired by China and involving Japan and Russia. Talks stalled after North Korea forged ahead with its nuclear programme. The Kims would regard a revival as a victory. But talks will eventually have to resume if North Korea’s nuclear ambitions are to be negotiated down. If they also help persuade China to rein in North Korea, that would be a double benefit.
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Atiku: Lets debate ! Please where dis man come get brain now ?

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on September 22, 2010 at 11:03pm
A Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for a debate, on the economy, among all the presidential aspirants on the economy.Photo Atiku ? this man looks like a Hitman sha



Abubakar, a former vice-President, made the call after submitting his nomination form at the PDP national secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.



The Adamawa State- born politician said the economy should be the main issue in the 2011 election campaigns.



“The issue of economic recovery for Nigeria cannot be a matter of wishful thinking nor of rhetoric. It is a subject for rigorous analyses and provision of well-thought, viable, practicable and sustainable strategy,” he said.



Abubakar said that all aspirants must be able to tell Nigerians how they intended to confront the challenges of the economy and reposition it for the benefit of all at the shortest possible time.



He said, “Of all the aspirants that have declared interest in the presidential election, I consider myself the most qualified to address the daunting economic challenges facing the country.



“I am the only one who has successfully managed a business and you need extensive knowledge of the private sector to combine its potential with the authority of the public sector to address this challenge.”



The former vice-president said his approach to resolving the economic crisis in the country was contained in a 47-page Policy Document he presented on August 15, 2010 while announcing his intention to contest the 2011 presidential poll.



He said, “We are faced with a job crisis of monumental proportions. Unless we evolve strategies to dealing with the teeming population of young people churned out almost on a daily basis, we may risk the destruction of the next generation.



“If we fail to channel the energies of this huge population, they could be a potent force for instability and social unrest.”



Abubakar, however, stunned journalists when he said that he was not aware that the President had declared his intention to vie for the PDP ticket.



“I didn’t see it (declaration). Honestly, I didn’t watch it,” he said.



Twenty seven out of the 28 PDP governors were among thousands of people that attended Jonathan’s presidential declaration at the Eagle Square on Saturday in Abuja. The event was shown live by some public and private television stations nationwide.



On the reported move by some politicians to produce a consensus presidential candidate among the Northern aspirants, Abubakar said, “There is a process for the emergence of a consensus candidate in the North. It shows that North is even more united if “they” agree to bring out a consensus candidate.”



He also said he was not aware of the support that Jonathan was getting from the northern states.



Reacting to the challenge, the Presidential Adviser to Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, said the President was ready for such a debate.



“We are ready for it (debate) anytime. The President has talked about all the aspects of the economy when he declared. If they want more, we are ready for them,” he said.



Another aspirant, who is also the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also expressed readiness for the debate.



“We are ready for the debate. That is what we have been calling for. Without such an issue-based debate, we will not be able to get the best candidate. Saraki is ready for it,” one of the governor’s aides, Mr. Billy Adedamola, said.
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IBB "bribes" Journalists

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on August 31, 2010 at 11:25pm

Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.

I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.

As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.

One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!

Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.

And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..

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Valentine's Day has its embarrassing moments

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on February 12, 2010 at 11:00pm

Love is in the air. Lovers are already turning out in the colours of the season - more of red - in preparation for the Valentine's Day which comes up on Sunday, February 14. Despite the excitement, there are still the embarrassing moments. ABIMBOLA ADELAKUN and OMOLOLA ADEYEMO got notable players in the art and entertainment industry to talk about St. Valentine's Day and their closely guarded secrets, in their own words.


ARTISTES

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Ruggedman (Musician)

My most embarrassing Valentine's Day was a few years back. It had to do with a girl I was crazy about. I bought her loads of gifts and cards, like 15.When we met and I gave her the items, her exact words were, "You did not have to do all this." To make matters worse, she did not even have one card for me.

Toni Kan (Writer)

The most memorable was the one for last year. My wife and I had planned our Val. We checked into Eko Hotel the night before and planned to go on the wunmi and Tunde Obe cruise but as we were about to leave, the sky opened up. When I tried to get to the park, I ended up getting beaten silly by the rain. At the end, we ended up curled up under the duvet with the AC full blast . When the rain ended, we went to a Chinese restaurant for a candle lit dinner. A ruined cruise ended up in a romantic evening for just two which is perfect for Romance

Olu Ajayi (Visual artist)

My most embarrassing Valentine's moment? It was a long time ago, when I was in secondary school. Am talking about 1975. Then, this Valentine's Day fever wasn't in the air. I mean it was not this popular in the old Bendel State. I attended an Anglican school. Now this is the gist, there was this girl that leaves in the same compound with us. She said to me..."Be my Val," I got angry and took it personal. I felt slighted ... thinking it was immoral, more like making a 'Pass' at me. Years later, about ten years ago, I saw a young girl, now my wife, on a Valentine's Day. By then I knew more about love and the meaning of Valentine. Guess what? My artistic skill came alive, so I splashed her with some of the most exotic cards and gift you can imagine.

Edosa Oguigo (Visual artist)

Ha ha ha…The most embarrassing Valentine? Well, I'd say it was going out with my wife and not having a gift for her. I went out with her on a particular Valentine's Day and I did not have a gift to present to her, meanwhile, she had a gift for me. You see, I had thought that going out with her on Valentine's Day was enough. I was embarrassed.

Jide Kosoko (Actor)

Don't forget I am a polygamist. I have two wives and if I start talking about Valentine, I might have to mention names. I can't talk about it, I am sorry.

Kabirat Kafidipe (Actress)

I don't know if I should call this an embarrassing moment, really. When I was a student at Olabisi Onabanjo University, there was a course mate who more than surprised me on a Valentine's Day. That was when we were in 200 levels.

I did not know he really liked me, because we only related on normal course mate level. Unknown to me, he harboured some affection. He got my photo from somewhere and drew a very good picture of mine. He is very good at drawing. I was in my room having fun with my friends on the year's Valentine's Day when this guy just walked in as a visitor I never expected. He came to present me with the beautiful drawing, a card and a piece of cake. I appreciated his gesture, but I felt a bit embarrassed.

Sasha (Musician)

I have fun with my friends on Valalentine's Day. My most interesting Val's Day? Sorry, it's supposed to be a personal day. It is my private life and I don't discuss my personal life.

Admiral Dele Abiodun

I am not a Val's Day person but at the same time, it is a day to appreciate love. The Valentine's season, on its own, portends love for everyone around you. It is time to show love and get it back. There has not been a particularly interesting one for me. I never really observe it. I am an artiste/performer and I don't have time. This weekend, I will be on stage in Ife and Ogbomosho. When I get back on Sunday, I will take a shower and rest. That's all. My body needs rest.

Azadus (Musician)

My most interesting Valentine is the day somebody sat me down and told me I could love everyday. I got talking with someone and gained a lot. You must see somebody to love. Everyday reminds me of St. Valentine's Day now. Love is not something people should have a day to celebrate. It should be done daily. That kind of love is not really love because it can die at any moment. We often mistake infatuation for love.

JENIFA Funke Akindele (Actress)

I have not witnessed any embarrassing moment. I can't remember any Valentine's day that I am not working. Most Valentine's Days, I am working. I am working this Sunday. I can't remember a particular Valentine's gift that I cherish most. I get gifts from friends, my mummy, my loved ones and yes, my man. Every year, I get something new. This Sunday, I am expecting some very big gifts from my loved ones and my man. I am also giving out gifts to people.
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Legislator acquires private jet . Says its cheaper than cars

Posted by Jane Okinedo on June 15, 2009 at 8:18pm
After six years as a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bala Ibn Na’Allah has made history as the first lawmaker in the country since independence to fly a private jet. He acquired the aircraft recently in the United States of America (USA).Hon Bala Ibn Na’Allahadvertisement http://www.ask9ja.com classifiedsHis recent diatribes against criminality in the Niger Delta struggle, which had attracted flaks notwithstanding, Na’Allah, a lawyer by profession, who became very popular at the Oputa Panel, qualified as a pilot after undergoing training at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria.He was certified to fly an aircraft after he undertook a successful solo flight under the supervision of a professional pilot, according to international practice.Representing Zuru/Fakai/Zakaba/ Dawazagu Federal Constituency of Kebbi State in the House of Representatives, N’ Allah recently flew the small aircraft in the company of this writer from Kaduna to Abuja on a day the weather was clement in the morning, but became turbulent in the evening.Sitting next to him in the cockpit as ‘co-pilot’, one marveled as Na’Allah displayed his dexterity in manipulating and navigating the aircraft through the cloudy weather between Kaduna and Abuja .“There is a way the weather will tell you if it is going to be bad. This is one of the beauties of flying,” he pointed out before entering the aircraft.Apart from the weather telling you what would happen in the next few hours, Na’Allah explained that the aircraft has a way of telling the pilot when it is not ready to fly.“If the aircraft is not ready to fly, it will tell you during the pre-flight check, which must be carried out before any flight is undertaken,” Na’Allah said.As a matter of routine, a pilot must first obtain weather forecast for his/her route from the meteorological station.On this very day, Nallah obtained the weather forecast for Kaduna-Abuja route from the weather station. He came back smiling that the weather was okay, but that “we have to be airborne quickly to avoid rough weather later in the day around Abuja airspace.”Before jumping into the aircraft for the Abuja trip, he carried out the check, he gauged the pressure level, checked the tyre and the fuel levels, and the journey was underway.Watching him manipulating the buttons and communicating with Kano, Abuja and Kaduna airports was a delight. He sought and got clearance from the Kaduna Control Towers before entering the runaway to make way for an in-coming big aircraft.He was cleared to take off and established contact with Kano that he was airborne; and then Abuja to prepare for his landing in less than one hour.Kaduna told him the altitude he must fly to avoid troubled weather. He shared the information with Kano and Abuja and the weather situation at take off.When he gained balance and stabilized the aircraft, he opened discussion with his ‘co-pilot’, not on the weather forecast or the technicality of getting the aircraft off the ground and maintaining a balance against an unstable weather.Why should Na’Allah be interested in flying, a risky thing at this stage of his life, even when he had made it as a lawyer and as a politician? He said flying was the best thing that has ever happened to him.“I am enjoying it more than anything. To fly is the easiest thing to do. I have come to realize it. In fact, if it is possible, I won’t mind flying an aircraft from my bedroom to the toilet,” he said.The high death toll resulting from crash landing and disappearance of aircraft has not instilled any fear in Na’Allah. He was emphatic that cumulatively, the number of death resulting from road accidents was far higher than that recorded from the air.“Flying is million times safer than driving on the roads. Unlike the roads where you have mad drivers that can drive you crazy, there is nothing like that on air.“The number of air mishaps is not comparable with the number of auto crashes we record on daily basis on our roads. Do you know that you cannot jump into an aircraft without knowing the weather forecast? You can’t hop into the aircraft for a journey without certifying the health status of the aircraft,” he explained.Furthermore, he said, “the safety of the pilot, the aircraft and the passengers is paramount and standards have been set internationally to guarantee this without any compromise. This is the only means of transportation that is programmed, monitored and sustained.Unlike in the USA where several senators and members of the House of Representatives own and fly their private jets, acquiring jets in Nigeria is elitist by all standards.Na’Allah agreed that it might look elitist to own a private jet, but insisted that it was cheaper for him to maintain his small aircraft, than to maintain some cars in his garage. Na’Allah was a car dealer before venturing into politics.“The experience I have gathered since I took delivery of my aircraft showed that it was far, far cheaper to maintain than maintaining my cars. Can you imagine that a return flight from Abuja to Zuru, my village will cost me 50 litres of petrol, whereas, my Jeep will consume over 200 litres?” he queried rhetorically.In terms of time, he explained, by road the same journey will take between seven and eight hours, whereas, it will take one hour, 40 minutes by air. “In Zuru, my village, there is an air strip, don’t forget, I am representing the home of generals, not to talk of Kebbi with an Airport. In most cities in Nigeria , there are places to accommodate light aircraft for landing and take off, said Na’Allah.Still debunking insinuation that acquiring a jet is a display of ostentation in the midst of poverty, Na’Allah said that the cost of servicing his Propellered-CESSNA-172 model was not up to the price of 2008 model of Toyota or Honda products.“To service it after a mandatory 50-hour flight, which is the equivalent of servicing a car, costs less than N50,000. And for maintenance, the retainership fee with Aviation Maintenance Organization [AMO] per annum is about N200,000.“Precisely, he said that the C-172 air craft manufactured in 1971 and registered with Nigeria ’s aviation authorities as 5N-BRT cost him about $48,000 to acquire.For his landing fee at any of the airports in the country, the charge paid is N200, while the three tyres cost $182 to replace every three years, depending on the number of successful landing.“In all, you will see that it is very cheap to maintain this air craft than to maintain the latest car in the market. I am not a Christian, but I understand that the Bible says that ‘my people perishes because of lack of knowledge’.“I think if people know that it is cheaper to acquire and maintain a small air craft like my own, many Nigerians would not hesitate to get one today, than the craze for buying flashy cars, with armed robbers trailing you, not to talk of bad roads and frequent car crash,” he said.The idea of owning a jet and flying it came to the law maker after years of consultancy in Aviation Insurance. And to achieve his aim, Na’Allah enrolled at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria for training as a non-professional pilot.He graduated and was certified to fly before he jetted out to South Africa for further training in type rating.He explained: “Type rating is the training in the category of aircraft you can fly. If you want to fly another category of aircraft, you must undergo fresh training and certified by another pilot, unlike driving just any car so long as you have your driving license.”Economically, he said that it was even wiser and cheaper to invest in air strips than put roads everywhere.
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AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse On its 8th anniversary

Posted by 9jabook.com on May 19, 2009 at 12:32am
On its 8th anniversary, AFRUCA outlines its achievements promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK and in Africa AFRUCA – Africans Unite Against Child Abuse was established in May 2001 to campaign against the abuse and exploitation of African children. Since then we have gained recognition as the premier charity working to promote the rights and welfare of African children in the UK. “Many African children in the UK experience a multitude of challenges that affect their ability to flourish and grow. Our main focus has been to ensure we can work successfully with others to address those challenges for the benefit of our children” said Debbie Ariyo, AFRUCA Founder and Executive Director. AFRUCA has played a leadership role in addressing the trafficking of African children to the UK and is known to be very active in this regard. Over the years, our work on child trafficking has imbibed a holistic approach, working with others to highlight the issue, influencing government policy through knowledge gained from working in the community as well as through the provision of direct support to victims. Since 2004, over 50 young people have directly benefitted from our work in this area. With new funding from Comic Relief, we are now able to expand the menu of support and assistance to reach more victims of trafficking in the London area. AFRUCA is deeply concerned about the disproportionate number of African children who are experiencing abuse and harm and who are ending up in Local Authority care across the UK. Most children who are removed from their parents are due to allegations of culture-related child abuse and other practices harmful to children. In tackling this growing problem, AFRUCA has launched an England-wide prevention and early intervention project aiming to help improve the knowledge and understanding of African parents in Child Protection as well as the rules and regulations governing how children are brought up in the UK. With funding from the Big Lottery and the Government Department for Children and Families, this project operates in London, Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool. So far, since June 2007, over 500 parents from a wide range of African backgrounds have benefited from our training programme across London alone. In addition to working with parents to improve their parenting skills, AFRUCA also provides intensive support to families in crisis who are experiencing a breakdown in relationships. This area of work has enabled us to intervene successfully in over 50 families across London and the South East since June 2007. This element of our work has been boosted by our recent success in winning a tender from Thurrock Council in Essex to establish a Service Office offering a menu of support services for Black African families at risk in that area. Aside working with families and within the community, AFRUCA is actively engaging with practitioners to help improve their knowledge and skills so they can intervene successfully when working with African families. In April 2007, we launched a National Training Programme for Practitioners working with African children across the UK by offering a menu of training courses to help broaden their knowledge and skills in intervening in and assessing families. So far over 400 practitioners have taken part in our training programme. Our knowledge and expertise in child protection work with African children is highly valued and respected by agencies and their workers across the country. This is evidenced by the level of demand for AFRUCA’s intervention and expert advice in case assessment. In 2008, AFRUCA was commissioned by Southwark Council to help review its child protection work with Black African families. Our work has helped to highlight key gaps in service provision which is now being addressed by the Council. In recent years, there has been a lot of attention paid to the plight of children and young people accused as witches or as possessed by evil spirits. Many children across the UK suffer untold physical and emotional harm as a result of accusations of witchcraft. In 2007, AFRUCA launched a community consultation to gather views on whether branding children as witches should be a criminal offence. Majority of respondents supported our proposal for the criminalisation of child branding. Through our Safeguarding African Children Network, we continue to work with the relevant community and faith groups and other agencies to address this very important issue. AFRUCA is very proud of our achievements in supporting African children and their families across the country, in helping to keep families together and in helping to support victims of trafficking. As we continue to expand our work across the UK, with a Regional Office in Manchester and a Service Office in Thurrock, Essex, it is our hope that we can continue to make a difference in the lives of African children in the UK and help to address the root causes of the problems they experience. However, it is important to note that our intervention in the past eight years has not been limited to the UK. In partnership with Youth Alive, a children’s charity based in the North of Ghana, AFRUCA is also working to help meet the needs of over 300 street children each year in that country through the provision of access to education, training and health care. In Nigeria, we are working with partners in the East of the country to address the horrific problem of “baby factories”, a fertile ground for child trafficking and exploitation. On the issue of child trafficking itself, we are actively engaging with local groups to conduct advocacy campaigns. In 2004, AFRUCA held a series of awareness raising campaigns as well as an international conference in Lagos, Nigeria to highlight the growing number of Nigerian children trafficked to the UK and the need for urgent intervention. Based on our growing activities across the continent, AFRUCA is now seeking to develop a physical presence in Africa. In celebrating our 8th year of supporting African children and promoting their safety and well-being, we wish to acknowledge the overwhelming goodwill and support we have received over the years from our various partners, including other African community organisations, government local authorities and other agencies, Safeguarding Boards, our funders and sponsors, other charities across the UK and in Africa and most importantly the children, young people and the families that make our work worthwhile. From 22 to 26 June 2009, AFRUCA will hold a series of events in London and Manchester to celebrate its 8th anniversary. Please visit our website at www.afruca.org for further information. For further enquiries please contact: Debbie Ariyo AFRUCA Director Tel: 0844 660 8607 Email: info@afruca.org
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