Nation
1.1m Nigerians May Die If Investment Deficit Continues In N’East, UNDP Alerts
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says the conflict in the North-East could amount to the loss of 1.1million Nigerian lives by 2030 if the current investment deficit in development is not addressed.
The more than one decade of insurgency has directly resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 people and the destruction of several private and public property.
A new UNDP report warned that indirect deaths, including disease and hunger resulting from the conflict’s physical and economic destruction, already far outnumber those from direct causes.
The study, “Assessing the Impact of Conflict on Development” noted that critical aspects of development, including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), poverty, malnutrition, infant mortality, education, water availability and sanitation, may not return to pre-conflict levels even by 2030.
The findings show that for each casualty caused directly by insurgency, an additional nine people, mostly children, have lost their lives due to a lack of food and resources.
Consequently, at least 90 percent of conflict-attributable deaths are of children under the age of five.
The report regretted that the physical and economic destruction caused by the insurgency dismantled fragile health and food systems.
It said below 60 percent of health facilities in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states are fully functional, while a quarter is either completely destroyed or non-functional.
1.8million Nigerians, according to the UN body, are displaced in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, with the vast majority located in Borno.
Also, 1.8million students were out-of-school in 2020.
UNDP observed Nigeria has made great strides in stabilizing some areas of the region, and called for additional investment from national and international stakeholders.
The UNDP Resident Representative, Mohamed Yahya, said, “Without continued investment in development as a long-term solution, the protracted conflict in North-East Nigeria will continue to impact other parts of the country and the entire Sahel region”.
The official said funds are invested not only on life-saving and humanitarian needs but also on mid-and long-term development priorities to Nigeria to help achieve the SDGs and attain the AU 2063.
Nation
Mbah Inaugurates ESUT Governing Council
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has inaugurated the newly constituted Governing Council of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), in line with Section 6 (1) of ESUT Establishment Law, stressing that education remains the strongest weapon to fight poverty.
The Governing Council has Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa as Chairman with Prof. Ikenna Chukwu, Engr. James Ifeanyi, Mrs. Gladys Okoro, Hon. Chinedu Onu and Dr. Eric Oluedo as members.
He noted that the Governing Council was constituted based on competence and the expressed confidence that the institution and state government would benefit from members of the Council, given their track records, networks and experience.
Mbah, while calling on the new Governing Council to ensure operational effectiveness of the institution, urged both Council and the Management to work hand-in-hand to realise the lofty dreams for which the institution was founded.
“You know that your responsibility as the Governing Council of the university is widespread and is far-reaching. And it is my hope that you are going to cultivate a harmonious relationship with the management team of the university. You should see your roles as complementary. That is the only way we can achieve the objective of the university.
“Of course, our expectation is that you are going to put in place an effective control in the area of management of finance and the investment of the university; and that you are going to see yourselves as bringing value to what the management team of the university is doing. So, it is our hope and belief that there will be a harmonious relationship between the Council and the management of the university.
“It is also my hope that this inauguration would in effect redouble the operational effectiveness of the university.”
He reminded the members of the Governing Council that their appointments came at a very auspicious time when the government had earmarked 33 per cent of the annual budget for education, stressing that it underscored his administration’s belief that “education is the strongest weapon with which to fight poverty.”
“We are constructing 260 smart schools across the 260 wards of our state. We are establishing a Centre for Experiential Learning. Similar centers like the tech hubs and the innovation hubs are also being set up in the state
Nation
Kebbi Commences Census Of Almajiri Schools
Kebbi State government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs has commenced the census of Almajiri schools across the State to identify the parents, origin, location as well as number and age of the pupils with a view to finding lasting solution to the educational system.
The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Sani Aliyu, who revealed this at the ongoing ministerial briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture held in Birnin Kebbi, said the Ministry was working round the clock to fashion out modalities that would position Almajiri system of education side by side with the secular education for the overall development of the society.
He stressed that the current state of Almajiri education where children below the age of five were sent to schools without means of sustenance, forcing them to roam streets and houses begging for means of survival was in direct contrast to the teachings of Islam, a problem the Ministry was poised to correct.
Aliyu said the Ministry would henceforth regulate the conduct of Almajiri training, streamline the concept of Almajiri education as well as improve Almajiri system of education in order to curb the vices associated with the deviants amongst the Almajirai who usually end up in political thuggery and drug addiction.
The commissioner also revealed that through the Zakat Department, the Ministry between May 2023 and March, 2024 had treated 23,542 psychiatric related cases across the State free of charge in Neuro Psychiatric Programme Outreach of the State being carried out on Saturdays and Sundays.
The patients, he said, were drawn from the 21 local government areas of the State, neighbouring States as well as Benin and Niger Republics and are treated at Zauro General Hospital, on the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi with medical personnel drawn from Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Usumanu Danfodio Teaching Hospital all in Sokoto.
Nation
Bauchi Rewards Community With 200 Bags Of Rice For Preventing Looting
The government of Bauchi State has applauded Daben Kasuwa community in Ganjuwa Local Government Area for safeguarding a fallen trailer loaded with grains against looting.
For a commendable display of integrity, the community was awarded 200 bags of rice and millet as a token of appreciation.
This act of communal vigilance became widely acknowledged following a viral social media video that captured the villagers protecting the overturned truck from potential looters.
Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Abdu Hassan, during the reward ceremony, lauded the residents of Daben Kasuwa for their exceptional behaviour, contrasting sharply with recent incidents of mass looting in various parts of Nigeria fuelled by rising food prices and widespread hunger.
The governor’s accolades were specifically directed towards the youth of Daben Kasuwa, acknowledging their role in positively distinguishing the LGA and Bauchi State at large.
On behalf of the community, Sarkin Daben Kasuwa, Malam Sanusi Sale expressed gratitude towards the State’s recognition and reward.
He highlighted the community’s long-standing record of peace and low crime rates, and seized the opportunity to appeal to the government for the provision of essential services such as clean water, education, electricity and healthcare facilities in Daben Kasuwa.
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