The Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) said that current shortfall of humanitarian services in the country is attributed to high rate of insecurity and appealed to governments to engage quick intervention.
Prof. Peter Katchy, Chairman of NRCS, Anambra Chapter, made the call in his address at the 2022 World Red Cross Day held at the state headquarters in Awka, yesterday.
Katchy said that governments should take urgent step to end the upsurge of insecurity in the country to encourage philanthropists not to cease from its humanitarian services due to fear of unknown.
The World Red Cross Day is celebrated May 8 of every year to commemorate the birthday of its founder, Henry Dunant, a Geneva traveller who lived between 1828 and 1910.
2022 theme for the annual celebration was tagged “Be Humankind To Achieve Truce and Peace”.
Katchy said the increasing number of people in need as a result of insurgency and insecurity was putting pressure on the Red Cross and called for truce.
According to him, the miserable loud wailings all over nation, sequel to the wanton killings and kidnappings of people all over Nigeria is a terrible concern, extreme worry, fear, fright and trepidation.
“We, therefore, fervently and passionately beg every Nigerian to be involved in this campaign for truce which is an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting, arguing for issues.
“The present security situation is a clear threat to peace, conflicts and violence are forcing millions to leave their homes and seek safety elsewhere as Internally Displaced Persons,” he said.
Katchy blamed the crisis on hatred, animosity, political competition, and economic deprivation between groups, regretting that youths and able bodied adult were targets of recruitment for violent clashes.
He called for more volunteer donors of blood to grow the nation’s blood bank to enable emergency to respond to victims on need at any given time.
Red Cross society in Anambra, as part of the celebration of the day, hounored some media practitioners for their contributions to healthy mass education and mobilisation against insecurity.
Katchy said that the efforts of the society to provide services and support to the public would not have gained much awareness if not for the committed reportage of the media personnel in the state.
Some of the media awardees included Mr Gabriel Okpalaeze, acting Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service,(ABS), Chief Chukwujekwu Ilozue, Chairman Correspondents ‘Chapel of Nigerian Union oof Journalist, Anambra chapter.
Also awarded included Mr Sunny Davids, Mr Paul Ezeoke of ABS, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Okpalaeze said the task of ensuring a peaceful atmosphere was for everyone and assured that media would continue to partner developmental process of the society.
He also reassured the that media would continue to make themselves available and disseminate the right information that would promote peace and harmony over any misunderstanding and crisis amongst citizens.
