Economy

The Peril of Screen Addiction Among Toddlers and the Roles of Parents to Prevent the Scourge

Published

3 years ago

08/10/2021

By Rotimi Onadipe

In today’s digital age, technology is an essential tool in our daily lives but when used excessively it may have negative impacts on the spiritual, emotional and physical wellness of users. It may also change the way the human brain processes information.

These dangerous signs are now manifesting among toddlers. Most children within age 1 to 3 are no longer interested in playing with other toys except screen devices e.g. laptop, iPad, iPhone, tablet etc. All they want is to sit down in front of a screen or click on any App that is available on the home screen of electronic devices.

Screen device is now the first thing they view in the morning and the last thing they view in the night before they go to bed. Many of them are addicted to gaming, watching videos or pornographic materials.

Compulsive use of screen devices e.g. computers, iPads, iPhones or watching videos among young children is a problem that can negatively affect their relationship with parents, academic performance or other aspects of their daily lives.

In most cases the faults are from parents because many parents now entertain their children, particularly toddlers with screen devices, not minding the side effects. Many of these young children are so addicted to screen devices to the extent that when they are denied access to these devices, they will cry and they won’t stop crying until they are given access to the devices.

The scourge of screen addiction among young children is a global challenge and it had caused a lot of incalculable damages to society.

For instance, a few years ago, there were several news reports of children, particularly minors that died after following the stunt they saw on the video games they were addicted to.

What are the warning signs that a child is addicted to a screen device?

When the first thing a child views in the morning and the last thing he/she views before going to bed is a screen device.
When his/her grades are dropping in school.
Spending too much time with a screen device.
Having no interest in other toys except screen devices.
Feeling happy only when gaming or using screen device but feeling unhappy when he/she is denied access to screen device.
When parents and family complain about the amount of time spent on screen devices.
When a child complains of headache or neck pain regularly.
When staying with screen device is the only thing that makes a child happy.
When screen time interferes with other daily activities.
When all efforts by parents to reduce the amount of time spent on screen devices prove abortive.

Lasting solutions to screen addiction among toddlers:

All children should be educated about internet safety.
Parents should encourage young children to meaningful screen use.
Screen time should be limited to only weekends.
Parents should supervise screen use.
Parents should always organise real-life programs.
Parents should delete all Apps that the children don’t really need on the devices.
Parents should always turn off all screen devices belonging to children after use and keep them away from them until the next time they want to use them.

Rotimi Onadipe is the CEO of Onadipe Technologies, and National Coordinator of Internet Abuse Awareness & Prevention Project, Nigeria. He can be reached via +234-8169121819 or [email protected]

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Economy

FG Offers 18% Interest on Savings Bonds

Published

6 hours ago

14/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government is offering two new savings bonds with interest rates between 17 and 18 per cent through the Debt Management Office (DMO).

In a statement by the agency, the country said retail investors can purchase the two-year bond maturing in January 2027 at 17.23 per cent interest, while the three-year paper maturing in January 2028 at a coupon rate of 18.23 per cent.

Bonds are very safe financial instrument that serve as investments because they are backed by the federal government, which promises to pay back the money.

According to the DMO, people can buy these bonds starting January 13, 2025, until January 17, 2025, with allotment expected on January 22, 2025, and the interest to be paid to investors every three months – in April, July, October, and January.

These bonds have some special features. They are tax-free under both company and personal tax laws.

Big investors like pension funds and trustees are allowed to buy them and each bond costs N1,000 each.

However, interested investor can only buy at least N5,000 worth, and can’t buy more than N50 million.

This comes after the Ms Patience Oniha-led debt office said the Nigerian government was offering three bonds worth N150 billion in September 2024.

Economy

Reps Express Readiness to Pass Tax Reform Bills

Published

7 hours ago

14/01/2025

Aduragbemi Omiyale

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The House of Representatives has said it would make efforts to pass the controversial tax reform bills forwarded to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu last year.

Mr Tinubu, in a bid to improve revenue of the government, asked the parliament to pass the bills, but this has been resisted mostly by northern lawmakers and others.

At the resumption of plenary session on Tuesday in Abuja, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Abbas Tajudeen, assured that the green chamber of the legislative arm of government would prioritise the tax reform bills.

“The legislative agenda of the House for 2025 prioritises the passage of the Appropriation Bill and the Tax Reform Bills, both of which are pivotal to economic recovery and fiscal stability.

“These reforms are essential for broadening the tax base, improving compliance and reducing dependency on external borrowing.

“The House will ensure that these reforms are equitable and considerate of the needs of all Nigerians, particularly the most vulnerable,” Mr Abbas said through the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ben Kalu, who presided over the session.

He also expressed grief over the loss of lives in stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja and Anambra State last month due to hardship in the country.

Several Nigerians died in the stampedes while trying to receive palliatives given to alleviate their sufferings.

“Tragic events, such as the stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija, during the distribution of palliative aid, underline the urgent need for improved planning and safety protocols in humanitarian efforts. On behalf of the House, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families and communities affected.

“These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the socio-economic hardships facing our citizens and the imperative for policies that tackle hunger and poverty at their roots.

“Turning to the economy, 2024 presented both difficulties and opportunities. While inflation remains a pressing concern, progress in GDP growth and the positive trajectory of economic reforms provide hope for a more stable and prosperous 2025,” the Speaker said.

Economy

NASD Index Appreciates 0.69% to 3,095.00 Points

Published

14 hours ago

14/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a 0.69 per cent appreciation on Monday, January 13, as investors showed renewed interests in unlisted securities.

During the trading session, the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) increased by 21.07 points to wrap the session at 3,095.00 points compared with the 3,073.93 points recorded in the previous session.

In the same vein, the value of the local alternative stock exchange went up by N7.22 billion to close at N1.061 trillion compared with last Friday’s N1.051 trillion.

Yesterday, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc recorded a growth of N3.78 to close at N42.00 per share versus N38.22 per share, Mixta Real Estate Plc improved by 20 Kobo to end at N2.35 per unit versus the preceding closing rate of N2.15 per unit, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc gained 1 Kobo to finish at 25 Kobo per share compared with the previous session’s 24 Kobo per share.

Conversely, Geo-Fluids Plc lost 29 Kobo to quote at N4.56 per unit compared with the preceding day’s N4.85 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc slid by 75 kobo to end the session at N15.50 per share versus the preceding closing rate of N16.25 per share.

During the session, the volume of securities traded decreased by 27.2 per cent to 3.1 million units from 4.3 million units, the value of securities slumped by 81.5 per cent to N3.2 million from N17.2 million, and the number of deals expanded by 57.9 per cent to 30 deals from 19 deals.

At the close of trades, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 1.9 million units worth N74.2 million, followed by 11 Plc with 12,963 units valued at N3.2 million, and IGI Plc with 10.7 million units sold for N2.1 million.

Also, IGI Plc remained the most traded stock by volume (year-to-date) with 10.6 million units sold for N2.1 million, trailed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 1.9 million units valued at N74.2 million, and Acorn Petroleum Plc with 1.2 million units worth N1.9 million.