Nation
THE STATES
Abuja
In an effort to reduce maternal mortality in the country, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has provided “mama kits’ for pregnant woman to encourage ante-natal attendance.
Mama kits contain hospital requirements for expectant mothers.
The Executive Director of the agency, Dr Ado Mohammed, said this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
“That also encourages them. The kits has the normal materials that a woman brings when she is coming to deliver.”
Mohammed said facilities that used to witness three birth per month now record 40 births per month while in some facilities about 100 attend ante-natal care in a month.
He said the development had renewed confidence in the health system.
Mohammed added that a lot had been achieved as more women now attend ante natal care and also demanded for services in terms of skilled attendant.
According to the director, the remarkable achievement is that 1,000 facilities have midwives running 24-hour service.
Adamawa
Alhaji Musa Dantakarda, a PDP stalwart in Mubi, Adamawa, on Sunday called on opposition parties to support the new Murtala Nyako administration to enable it transform the state.
Reacting to Nyako’s victory at the Feb.4, governorship election, Dantakarda said that would also enable the governor continue with the sound programmes initiated in the last four years.
Dantakarda, who was the Chairman of the Nyako campaign organisation, said in Mubi that such cooperation would assist in building a new Adamawa.
“The parties and their candidates should support the PDP administration to work for the progress of our people.
“Adamawa should be our first priority and we must work together as one for the common good of the state,” Dantakarda said.
According to him, the PDP’s victory at the polls has shown the confidence the electorate reposed in its ability to transform the socio-economic condition of the state.
Borno
Women came out in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice in Saturday’s by-election in Konduga constituency of Borno House of Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that the women, mainly housewives, began trooping to polling units as early as 7.30 a.m., outnumbering the men.
Some women, interviewed by our correspondent, attributed the women’s large turnout to the economic situation in the country.
“We came out because we are tired of being left behind. We want to effect a change by ourselves.
“We want to make sure that we elect a candidate that we can trust and who can make life better for us,” Mrs Yagunsu Umar, a voter, said.
Umar said she was mobilised by a women group that went from house to houses to sensitise women on the need to excercise their franchise.
FCT
The Secretary of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Health and Human Services Secretariat, in Abuja Dr Ademola Onakomaiya has on Sunday warned the public against patronising fake medical personnel in some hospitals in the territory.
He told newsmen while parading a suspected fake medical personnel at the secretariat in Abuja on Sunday that most people posing as medical personnel were fake, especially in private hospitals.
The secretary said the secretariat was, through the Private Health Establishment Registration and Monitoring Committee, monitoring and regulating the activities of private health care providers in the FCT.
He said it was in the course of duty that the secretarial staff discovered an unqualified medical care provider in a private hospital in Kubwa.
“The 45-year-old man who was parading himself as an optometrist in a hospital was apprehended by our monitoring team.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government spent N9.2 million on the purchase of forms for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, organised by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, a statement said in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
The statement, issued by Alhaji Abubakar Mua’zu, the Press Secretary to the Governor, said the 2000 forms would be distributed free to encourage good performance among students in public examinations.
It said the forms would be issued to qualified students in six education centers, who possessed a minimum of five credits in the Senior School Certificate Examinations.
The statement, said the gesture was in line with the policy of the state government to encourage students to acquire tertiary education.
Kaduna
Sen. Mohammed Sani-Sale said on Sunday that the just concluded by-election into the House of Representatives in Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State was marked with intimidation.
He told Journalists in Zaria that the by-election was not conducted freely and fairly considering the illegality surrounding it.
Sani-Sale, an ex-army general, who represents Kaduna Central on the platform of CPC said, “I want to press my utmost disappointment over what happened during the by-election. I thought we are matured enough to conduct ourselves well, what I saw we had not learnt any lesson from the past.
“The mass disorderliness among the electorate and the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fully prepare for the election has shown that we still have a long way to go. I therefore call for outright cancelation of the election,” he added.
Kogi
Kogi State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has honoured six journalists and two corporate organisations with awards for excellent performance.
Our correspondent reports that the awards were given in Lokoja on Saturday during the maiden edition of the state NUJ end of year/New Year get together ceremony to take stock of the previous year and plan for the New Year.
The awardees are Mr Timothy Yusuf of NTA, Mr Abel Ada-Musa and Mr James Oyewole, both of Graphic newspaper and Alhaji Yekini Jimoh of the Tribune newspaper.
Others are Mr Mike Abu of the Post newspaper, a Lokoja-based fortnight tabloid, and the state correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Kola Adeyemi.
Kogi Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kogi FM 94) and FRCN Prime FM 101.5, Lokoja, received the corporate award.
Speaking at the ceremony, chairman of the council, Malam Ali Atabor, said the union decided to honour the journalists as a way of celebrating and recognising excellence as well as good conduct and character of members.
Lagos
An actor, Nobert Young, says the lack of professionalism is the bane of the motion picture industry in Nigeria.
Young also identified tribalism, favouratism and mediocrity, among others, as factors militating the growth of the industry.
He made the observation in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, saying, “an otherwise very big industry, very big money-making industry, but people because of their mediocrity will not let it grow.
“If the professionals are handling this industry do you know how much we are talking about here, billions of naira?”
He decried the absence of control in the industry, saying “everybody comes in to do what he likes.
“You can’t tell a man that he doesn’t have talent because whatever he produces, there is always a market for it.
“He may not hit the target but he will make some money from whatever he produces. So, it is up to the viewing public to choose what to buy.”
Young suggested that the personnel involved in creating story lines, scripts, acting and directing of films be trained and retrained in order to get the desired change in the industry.
Ogun
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, has called for collaboration with religious bodies and well-meaning organisations to tackle youth restiveness and juvenile delinquencies.
Orelope-Adefulire made the call at the 2012 Hope Day of the Habitation of Hope, a care ministry founded by Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, the wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
“Government alone cannot fight the scourge,’’ Orelope-Adefulire said.
She said that governments, at all levels, were committed to taking disadvantaged children off the streets and providing them with an enabling environment to develop their talents.
“Our people look up to their spiritual heads for guidance and direction, and it is only appropriate to also put in place other measures beyond preaching the gospel or ministering, through which lives can be changed and more souls can be saved,’’ she stated.
Taraba
The police in Jalingo have intercepted a vehicle allegedly conveying a consignment of arms and ammunition between Zakibiam in Benue and Wukari in Taraba State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ibiang Mbasieke, told newsmen that the vehicle, a Toyota Carina E with Registration No. AA775ABE, was intercepted at a stop and search check-point near Wukari on Friday.
He said nine single-barreled guns, two locally made revolver pistols and one long range gun as well as several rounds of ammunition and cartridges were found in the car.
Mbasieke explained that the driver and one other occupant were arrested by the police, while investigations continue in the matter.
Nation
Gombe Opens Bid For Construction Of Three-Arm Zone Project
Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation has opened bids for the construction of three arms zone complexes within the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which held at the Ministry’s conference hall.
Speaking while presiding over the bid opening proceedings, the Commissioner, Engr. . Usman Maijama’a Kallamu assured the bidders that the bid opening would be carried out using procurement process which is based on specific regulations that are credible, fair, and transparent.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Idris Yambiu Buba said that the Ministry will continue to align itself for optimal results in the implementation of government policies and projects in line with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to bringing development to the State.
While assuring the bidders of a transparent process, the SSA to the Governor on Special Project, Arch. Yakubu Mamman thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight in infrastructural development of the State, adding that government is committed to ensuring that all bidders had an equal chance to participate and compete based on merit to maintain standards and specifications.
Nation
Gov Mbah Signs Bill To Establish Teaching Hospital In Enugu
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital Bill 2024 into Law, promising to expedite action to actualise the teaching hospital immediately to provide quality training and healthcare services in the Enugu North part of the State and the State in general.
Mbah, while commending the Enugu State House of Assembly for accelerating action on the processing and passage of the Executive Bill, said that establishing SUMAS Teaching Hospital was in line with his manifesto.
He said, “What we have done by signing into law the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital Bill is that we now have in place a legal framework to immediately begin to put in place all that is required to upgrade SUMAS to a teaching hospital. This is part of our campaign promises and we are committed to delivering on that expeditiously.
“We believe that the importance and significance of siting a teaching hospital in our Enugu North zone can never be lost on us. So, we are not going to spend any time in making sure that everything that is necessary and required to upgrade and get the teaching hospital operational is put in place. With this Law, we are going to redouble our commitment and our efforts to achieve that.”
He assured the Governing Council and the Management of SUMAS of his continued support, adding that his administration would equally be counting on their pedigree and contacts to bring the teaching hospital to fruition in record time.
“We are going to continue to support you and we are also going to continue to count on your experience, network, and profile in raising resources to actualize the project.
“This year alone, we are going to spend 33 per cent of our budget on education. This underscores the importance of education to this administration. So, be sure to come to us whenever there is a need. We are going to support you because we are interested in education and we are investing heavily in it,” he said.
On his part, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, who also spoke at the Bill signing witnessed by the Chairman of SUMAS Governing Council, Msgr. Obiora Ike, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ogbonna, and top hierarchies of the institution, commended Governor Mbah’s speed and faithfulness in delivering on his campaign promises. He assured that the House of Assembly was ever ready to fast-track every executive bill that would impact positively on the state and its people.
“We promised we are going to support this administration by doing our job expeditiously to ensure that there is no delay in your delivery of democracy dividends to our people. Therefore, the SUMAS Teaching Hospital Bill received expedited hearing and today you have the signing of the bill into law,” he stated.
Nation
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has applauded security agencies in the State for their efforts in the rescue of 43 bus passengers.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the governor welcomed the news of the release of the abducted bus passengers in Okehi Local Government Area of the State and called for sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering and prevent crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
Ododo commended the caretaker chairman of Okehi LGA, Mr Amoka Eneji, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Professional Hunters, Ebira Local Hunters Group and other security agencies for their intervention, which led to the rescue of the passengers who were abducted outside the state.
“Governor Ododo also commends the response of security agencies to the robbery incidence in Felele area of Lokoja and called for more urgency in addressing cases of insecurity in any part of the state.
“The Governor reassured the people of the state that his administration will not relent in its efforts in deploying maximum resources to ensure that all communities in the state remain unsafe for criminal elements.”
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