Fides Media Living the Faith
. . . Honours Sabina Izuorah, Joy Mbachi, Anambra Perm Sec, CMD NAUTH, Comptroller Prisons
By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
The Nigerian Association of Social Workers (NASOW), South East, on Wednesday March 20, 2019, celebrated the 2019 World Social Work Day at Best Western Meloch Hotel, Awka, Anambra State, with the theme: Promoting the Importance of Human Relationship.
The event which had social workers from Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi States, South East, Nigeria in attendance, featured conferment of merit awards on some selected individuals, who had distinguished themselves in social services and touching lives positively, by the association.
Presenting his lecture titled: The Place of Information, Education Communication and Community Development in Building a Healthy and Sustainable Society, the resource person. Dr. Francis Mbah, stressed the need for all to build good human relationship, saying that its importance could not be overemphasized. While tasking, all on good attitude towards one another, he advocated for occasions where colleagues would learn from each other so as to improve themselves, and not to destroy the other person with gossips and backbiting.
Dr. Mbah, who is a senior lecturer of Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), encouraged all to check on their parents and neighbours, and not to abandon their aged ones, due to village fears. This was even as he noted that insecurity does not stop human relationship.
The university don described social work as a helping profession which focused on individuals and group works in the forms of social casework communication and counselling. He noted that social work helped to build human relationship through creation of common understanding and commonness among people in the community, as well as created the sense of commitment to work together in the people.
On the dangers of ethnic differences to social work, Mbah said social work would succeed in any part of Nigeria and the world, it was expected of every social worker to understand the culture of the place he wished to work in, and apply the necessary principles so as to operate well.
Among the awardees were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Anambra State, Dr. Azuka Oformata; the Comptroller Prisons, Anambra State, Dr. Emmanuel Nwakeze and the Principal Correspondent, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Anambra State, Rtn. Joy Mbachi, who was honoured for touching lives through the Rotary Foundation.
Others were the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Professor Anthony Igwegbe and the National Vice President, NASOW (South East), Dr. (Mrs.) Sabina Clara Izuorah, who was honoured as a Pillar of Social Work, in recognition of her services to the group.