Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has  declared  that his administration has made significant strides in the health sector in the past two and a half years.

Fubara, who stated this on Tuesday  at the Government House,  Port Harcourt, listed some of his notable achievements to include the revamping of  health facilities, the establishment of the health insurance scheme and the employment of over 2,000 health workers to boost the manpower and  efficiency of the sector.

The governor further disclosed that the administration has revived and expanded several abandoned health facilities, including the Zonal Hospitals in Bori, Omoku, Ahoada, and Degema.

He explained that the Ahoada Zonal Hospital is a 105-bed secondary facility that has capacity to cater for the health needs of the people in its catchment area.

In addition to the Zonal Hospitals, Fubara stated that his administration has also  paid very close attention to the Primary Healthcare Centres across the state to ensure that citizens of Rivers State, especially  those in the rural areas,  have easy access to healthcare within their communities.

According to him, the administration  approved the remodeling of 153 primary healthcare centers across the State to ensure their functionality.

“As an administration, we are very passionate about  the health of every citizen and resident of Rivers State. When we realised that many people have been under stress as a result of economic hardship, we decided to introduce mental health services at the primary healthcare level. We  are not just catering for those down with the common diseases such as malaria fever, we  want to ensure that our people get the right attention to their mental health at the right time.

“At the tertiary level, we have also  revamped the Intensive Care Unit of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital  and provided it with modern equipment, including monitors, ventilators, and scanners. Most of these innovations are massive and unprecedented,” he said.

On staff welfare, Fubara also disclosed that he  approved the  promotions for over 400 staff of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and recruited an additional 500 staff.

In the same vein, the governor  said the  number of scholarships for indigenes of Rivers State studying at the  PAMO University of Medical Sciences has been increased from one hundred 100 to 150 under his watch.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the composition of sub-committees for its 2026 National Convention, setting the stage for what it described as a transparent, credible and well-coordinated exercise.

This was contained in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, and obtained by The Tide, yesterday.

The party said the committees would drive critical operational, administrative, electoral, logistics, security and programme components to ensure a seamless convention.

To oversee the screening of aspirants, the party appointed Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji, as Chairman of the Aspirants’ Screening Committee, alongside Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, as Co-Chairman, and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, as Vice Chairman.

For the Screening Appeal Committee, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, will serve as Chairman, with Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, as Co-Chairman and APC former National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as Vice Chairman.

The Election Committee will be chaired by former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, while former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, will serve as Co-Chairman. Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, and Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, are Vice Chairmen.

Governor Agbu Kefas will head the Election Appeal Committee, assisted by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as Co-Chairman and Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, as Vice Chairman.

The Venue Committee will be chaired by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, with Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, as Co-Chairman. Minister of Works, David Umahi, and former Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, will serve as Vice Chairmen.

On security arrangements, retired Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Gwabin Musa, will chair the Security Committee, alongside Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, as Co-Chairman and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as Vice Chairman.

The Finance Committee will be led by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, with Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as Co-Chairman and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, as Vice Chairman.

For media engagement, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, will chair the Media and Publicity Committee, supported by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris Malagi, and Senator I. D. Gyang.

The Ceremonial, Programme and Events Committee will be chaired by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as Co-Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, as Vice Chairman.

Other key committees include Delegates’ Accreditation chaired by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; Protocol led by Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu; Accommodation and Transportation chaired by David Umahi; Entertainment and Welfare headed by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Convention Legacy and Rapporteur chaired by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Legal Advisory led by Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Medical and Emergency Response chaired by Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris; and Secretariat/Technical Support headed by Hon. Mustapha Dawaki Bala.

The party through the statement, urged all committee members to discharge their duties diligently and in strict compliance with its constitution and approved guidelines, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening internal democracy and consolidating its progressive ideals through a credible 2026 National Convention.

At least 25 people were killed in two separate jihadist attacks in Adamawa state, local sources told AFP, yesterday.

The attacks in the towns of Madagali and Hong in the border region with Cameroon were attributed to Boko Haram jihadists, whose fighters have been active in the area since the group began its violent insurgency in 2009.

“Gunmen, we believed to be Boko Haram on many motorcycles… attacked the market. They opened fire on people and killed 21,” a Madagali local government official told AFP about the Tuesday evening attack, on the condition of anonymity.

“We are still searching for more bodies as some might have died in the bush from gunshot wounds while trying to find safety.”

The attackers also looted a market and stole food items and motorcycles, the source said.

Four others, including three troops, were killed in neighbouring Hong, resident Ezekiel Musa told AFP.

“Boko Haram attacked us after they left the town. We saw the corpses of three soldiers and one woman was killed,” Musa said.

Now the town has security personnel but some of us have already started leaving the town because of fear of what happened.”

Adamawa State Governor, Adamu Umaru Fintiri, condemned the attack without providing an official toll in a statement.

“We will not let terrorists undermine our efforts to restore peace and stability,” he said in the statement.

“I warn perpetrators: desist from these senseless attacks or face the full weight of our collective resolve.”

Since 2009, the jihadist insurgency in Nigeria, led primarily by Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has left more than 40,000 dead and two million displaced in the northeast of the country, according to the United Nations.

Nigeria is also grappling with other armed groups that have compounded its insecurity challenges in the north of the country.

The jihadist conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to fight these groups.

The coalition has lost steam in recent years after the withdrawal of Niger due to a diplomatic spat with Nigeria following a 2023 military coup in Niger.

Earlier this month, the United States began deploying troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to the country’s soldiers in fighting the jihadist groups.

The US Africa Command said 200 troops were expected to join the deployment overall.