Red Cross activities, way of life – Madumere

As Nigeria joins the world in marking 2016 World Red Cross Day, the Deputy Governor of Imo State and Chairman of Red Cross, Imo State chapter, Eze Madumere, has commended members for their resolve to be life-savers, describing the activities of the body as a way of life.
In an interactive session with newsmen at his official residence in Owerri, Imo State capital, to commemorate the World Red Cross Day, Madumere reminded the public that Red Cross was primarily founded with a view to ensuring that conflicts have acceptable rules, with a view to reducing human suffering.
He added that the body cares more about proactive measure of engagements rather than wait for outbreak of conflicts that may bring untold hardship to the people.
While disclosing that World Red Cross Day is marked on a day its founder, Sir Jean Henry Dunant, the first recipient of Noble Prize was born, Madumere narrated Dunant’s sad experience during the battle of Solferino in Italy, which led to the suffering of the people and wanton destruction of lives while those who ought to be saved were left to die in excruciating pain.
He attributed the laws protecting civilians and other personnel in times of conflict to Geneva Convention, which could not have been possible without the activities of International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC).
Madumere stressed that Red Cross members worldwide “are volunteers for service”, unified for one single purpose of saving lives and making the world a better place, while caring less about race, tribe, religion, ideology or even political divides of a people.
He also listed, among others, neutrality, independence, impartiality, universality and with primary aim of saving humanity as major principles of the Red Cross.
While piloting the activities as the chairman, Imo Red Cross championed a lot of life-saving causes during floods, accidents, abandoned children and other interventions as well as procurement of ambulance to ensure quick intervention during accidents.
“We are making efforts at opening up Red Cross across the schools in the 27 local governments of Imo, to keep them busy, teach them rudiments of first aid, what to do in times of dangerous incidences and general techniques in saving lives.”
The Imo deputy governor also averred that the Red Cross, through Governor Rochas Okorocha, who is also a Red Crosser, has achieved so much in the area of demolishing baby factories, illegal abductions and ensuring that orphans do not suffer or lack the basic needs of life while educating them to become useful citizens of Nigeria.