By Laraba MUREY
Multiple award-winning Spanish filmmaker, Itxaso Díaz, has called on relevant stakeholders to initiate actions that will cater for the wellbeing of domestic caregivers, especially in Africa.
Diaz’s visit to Nigeria was to receive an award for Best Short Documentary ‘The Story of All of Us Women’ from the maiden edition of the Women International Film Festival Nigeria, WIFFEN 2022.
She explained that the burden of care in Africa is mostly on families who look after their older ones, persons living with disability and sick loved ones without remunerations, that often leads to isolation, depression and other challenges.
She made the call in Abuja during a press conference organized by the Spanish Embassy in collaboration with Girls Voice Initiative.
She said, “caregiving is not a popular work or job because caregivers do not earn salaries. It is only if you bring in someone outside the family that it becomes a paid job. (Caregivers) are asking for government’s recognition, and the recognition of what they do as a real job, and to get some aid, in order to have more time for themselves, otherwise, you can spend 24 four hours every day looking after someone, and have no time to rest or think about yourself.
“If you don’t have and have to look after your spouse or child, full time, how are you going to survive? And if you have to work, who is going to look after that person. They are asking more help from the government economically or the alternative of having someone sent to their homes for several hours a day, so they have free time to look after themselves, visit the supermarket, cinema, exercise, or go out with friends, to rejuvenate.”
Speaking, founder, WIFFEN and Girls Voices Initiative, Caroline Seaman, expressed appreciation to the filmmaker on being able to present balance the story with both male and female and for coming to Nigeria to receive her award.
“Having balanced stories is extremely important. If women are complaining of the burden of doing this work, you can imagine what that is like for men who are widowers and single parents who are taking care of their children and homes alone.
The 25-minutes short film showcases the life of four women and a male who find themselves as primary caregivers of their elderly parents, spouses, and children living with disabilities, and who for lack of support system, are liable to suffer isolation, mental, emotional stress and physical breakdown from working round the clock taking care of their vulnerable relatives.
Shun all forms of bickering, Ortom charges Nasarawa PDP
By Scholastica JOSEPH, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has charged the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Nasarawa State to unite and take drastic steps to ensure that those who left the party return.
The governor gave the advice at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, when he met with some key stakeholders of the party from Nasarawa State to find solutions to the leadership crises that has plagued the party in the state.
Governor Ortom who charged the leaders to “be united and push harder to bring everyone back,” noted that also advised them to embark on new membership drive to strengthen the fortunes of the party in the 2023 general elections.
Governor Ortom also appealed to the party leaders to build consensus as part of strategies to entrench confidence among its members and winning elections in the state.
“Consensus has worked for us in Benue State. I urge you to adopt same. Look for popular candidates for all the positions and appeal to those who may not get the tickets to work for the party.”
Chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT, of PDP, Walid Jibril thanked Governor Ortom for his leadership role in the North Central region of the country particularly, Nasarawa State.
Also speaking, Senator Solomon Ewuga appealed to members of the party to put the interest of the party above every other interest to scuttle the plot of the APC in the state to disrupt the progress that the PDP has made so far.
Meanwhile, a former Minister of Information and Communication, Labaran Maku, has indicated that he was rejoining the PDP.
He stated this shortly before the beginning of the meeting of the Nasarawa State stakeholders of the party with the Benue State Governor when he was called in to brief the meeting.
In a statement, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, said the governor assured of his support to ensure that Nasarawa State is returned to the PDP.
