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FG Names Kuje Hospital Ebola Centre Amid Protests
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Bala Mohammed, has designated the General Hospital, Kuje, in Kuje Area Council, as Isolation Centre for persons infected with the Ebola virus.
He also inaugurated 25-man committee to work out modalities for responding to the threat of Ebola virus and create awareness on the nature and symptoms of the virus.
The minister, who spoke during a high-powered stakeholder’s interactive forum in Abuja, said the hospital was chosen because it would be easy for residents of the FCT to access it.
He said a ward in the hospital would be exclusively made a place where people with the disease could be quarantined and be on surveillance, among others.
Mohammed also noted that adequate infrastructure and equipment would be put in place to manage affected persons and guard against the spread of the virus, stressing that “all precautionary measures have been put in place to ensure that the designation of the ward will not endanger the health workers and residents of Kuje”.
He then directed the Chairman of the council to sensitize its populace, rather than preventing FCT Administration from using the hospital.
His words, “The hospital is the only option for us to isolate as a centre for Ebola patients; Gwagwalada hospital that is for FCT has being taken from us, we have no other option than to use it.
“We will put all infrastructure needed in place to avoid its spread; doctors will be given adequate training and best way to curtail the disease from spreading’’, he said.
The minister further advised the six area council chairmen to enlighten their people on routine cleaning and disinfecting their hands at all times.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the FCT Health Secretariat, Dr Demola Onakomaiya noted that the transmission of the disease in human was through direct contact with blood or body secretion, among others.
He denied the recent rumours of Ebola in the territory, informing that the three suspected cases being raised by FCT residents were mere rumours.
Onakomaiya pointed out that the people at risk of the disease are the health care givers and family members of infected persons, stressing that there is no specific medication or vaccine for its cure.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Rui Jaz, in his reaction, said the organisation would support the administration in its plans to curtail the disease.
Jaz argued that bitter kola could cure the disease as speculated, adding that it had not been proven by scientists.
The Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Medical Association, FCT chapter, Dr Akeem Lawal, who noted that the association had held two meetings since the outbreak of the disease, said, “we are planning to hold another meeting very soon to call off our strike that has lasted for more than six weeks’’, he said.
For the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Mr Shabal Tete who also spoke at the forum, the designation of the hospital as Ebola centre was not a welcome development to the people of the area.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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