Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has expressed commitment to combatting societal loss of morality to end the culture of violence and its attendant vices in communities in Nigeria.

The newly inducted national president of NRCS, Oluyemisi Adeaga, stated this in Ibadan after a five-day induction programme was held for the new executives.

Ms Adeaga said part of the new administration’s agenda was the “catch them young” approach to training on first aid and emergency response.

“We have 800,000 volunteers spread across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, but for a country with over 200 million population, the number of the volunteers is too measly.

“There are some countries that have about 15 to 20 per cent of their population as members and volunteers at the Red Cross,” Mr Adeaga said.

He stressed the need to inculcate moral values, especially ones that are core to Red Cross principles, as youth are now more into drugs and are now promoting immorality at the expense of morality.

“And, it is culminating in a high degree of criminality within our various communities.

“And, you know, the implication is that criminality is breeding a high level of vulnerability within the society, and it is going to stem the growth of the society.

“If we are able to achieve that through education and engagement of our children in their moral upbringing because whoever knows how to care to kill, whoever knows how to rescue people from danger would not create dangerous situations,” Ms Adeaga said.

He called for the support of the government and other stakeholders in achieving the mandate and objectives of the Nigerian Red Cross, especially in training many citizens in first aid and emergency response, as well as donations.

Also, the secretary-general of NRCS, Abubakar Kende, said the movement collaborates well with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency and other sister agencies responsible for conflict and disaster management.

“Recently, we are having collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and FRSC to train average drivers and motorists in Nigeria in first aid.

“And, also provide first aid kits across the board for all motorists,” he said.

Bhupinder Tomar, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Head of Delegation for West Coast- Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana, said communities in Nigeria were facing different types of risks, whether it be climate-induced or flood, drought, conflicts or increase of violence.

“And our efforts are to increase the presence of the Red Cross in the communities and work in these communities to ensure that the Red Cross can respond appropriately to that risk,” Mr Tomar said.

Also, the British Red Cross Country Manager for Nigeria and Sierra-Leone, Karsten Voigt, said there had been a long historical relationship between the two countries.

(NAN)