Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Chief Matron, Bauchi State Urban Maternity, Hajiya Fatima Dangambo, has said that health workers were being counselled on tolerance for better service delivery.
In an interview in Bauchi, Monday she said there was the need for counselling to improve relations between health workers and patients’ relatives, who often rain abuses on health workers at their duty post.
Dangambo said that such issues which were related to free drugs for women and under-five children had being on going in the state.
“We have to counsel our staff to be tolerant and not make such abuses stop them from performing their duties because such words will not have any impact on them physically”, he said.
FCT
The Director-General, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Mrs Joy Bob-Manuel, on Tuesday in Abuja reiterated the commitment of the council to provide legal aid to the indigent.
Bob-Manuel made the call at a sensitisation campaign organised by the council to create awareness on its activities.
She said the campaign was a nationwide project meant to sensitise Nigerians of their right to seek legal services and the readiness of the council to provide free legal aid to them.
According to her, the processes involved in getting the services of lawyers in the council are not complicated, adding that the major requirement was a written application.
Gombe
No fewer than 2,806 patients were admitted at the Snake Bite Treatment and Research Centre, Kaltungo, Gombe State from January to November, 2012.
The Medical Officer in Charge of the centre, Dr Habu Ballah, made this known in an interview in Kaltungo on Tuesday.
He said of the figure 33 patients died owing to the delay in reaching the centre, while four others died on arrival at the centre.
Dr Ballah recalled that 316 patients attended the centre in 2011, saying the existing figure was higher owing to factors such as flooding, lack of awareness of treatment at the centre and increase in farming activities.
He said apart from the state, patients were brought from Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano, Yobe and even Cameroun.
Jigawa
Residents of Dutse, Jigawa on Tuesday described President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to the state as a positive step to fast track the rapid development of the state.
A cross section of the residents in Dutse, said that the visit was a ‘’welcome development’’.
Alhaji Garba Abbas, a teacher, said that the two-day official visit by the president would attract federal projects to the state.
A Labour Party (LP) chieftain, Isa Haruna, said the visit would enable the president to meet his people and assess their needs.
Kaduna
The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), in Kaduna State, on Tuesday ordered local council workers protesting delay in salary payment to return to work.
Comrade Shehu Abubakar, the President of the union gave the order after a close door meeting with NULGE officials of Kaduna North Local Government.
The meeting followed protest by members of the union of the local council, which began on Monday, over delay in the payment of their three months salaries.
Kaduna North, Igabi, Sabon Gari, Kaduna South and Kaura Local Governments have been unable to pay the salaries of their workers for months due to inadequate funds.
Abubakar said the state government and the union were meeting on the matter, and assured the workers that the issue would be resolved amicably. He advised members of the union to always follow due process in demanding for their rights.
Kogi
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended the prompt response mechanism instituted by the Kogi Government toward handling internally displaced persons in relief camps.
The Director, Emergency Risk Management and Humanitarian Response, Dr. Brennan Richard, gave the commendation on Tuesday, when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Idris Wada. Wada was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr Yomi Awoniyi.
Richard said that the health impact associated with the flood could be devastating, if not properly managed.
Kwara
The Kwara Government said it planned to create 16 additional parastatals in the state to energise its activities.
This is contained in a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Abdulwahab Oba, in Ilorin, Monday.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said this when he received the Chairmen of Boards of parastatals and agencies who paid him a courtesy call in Government House, Ilorin. According to him, the parastatal will be sixteen new boards and with over members.
The governor said they would be charged with the responsibility of running various segments of government to ensure efficiency in service delivery among others.
Nasarawa
The Chairman of Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) Dr Abdullahi Modibo, has assured all political parties in the state of a level play ground in the forthcoming local election.
Modibo gave the assurance in an interview in Lafia on Tuesday
The chairman, however, appealed to the electorate to come out enmass and vote for the candidates of their choice during the exercise, adding that their votes would count.
He also assured all the constants that the poll would be free, fair and credible.
Niger
As part of its Four-Year-Strategic Plan for the education sector, the Federal Government on Tuesday launched a capacity building programme for teachers in English Language, Mathematics and Science.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, who was launching the programme in Suleja, Niger State, said the programme followed a needs assessment carried out in selected secondary schools in the 36 states and the FCT.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike said that every effort would be made to ensure that resources provided were used regularly to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Ogun
A 33 year-old mechanic, Mr Yemi Oyeniyi, fled his matrimonial home in Abeokuta, following a scan revelation that his wife was carrying triplet.
The mechanic’s wife, Mrs Esther Oyeniyi, said her hospital bed that her five year-old marriage had earlier produced two children.
She said that her husband absconded since June 3, 2012 when the result of the scan revealed that she was carrying triplet.
She described the disappearance of her husband as worrisome, saying that the development had forced her to relocate to Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Oke Yidi in the metropolis.
Oyo
Three commissioners were dropped from the from the Oyo State Executive Council in a cabinet reshuffle in Ibadan, Monday.
The reshuffle was announced by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Waheed Olajide, after the council meeting. Olajide also announced the swapping of portfolios by some commissioners.
He said that those dropped include, Alhaji Yunus Akintunde; Works and Transport, Mr Bosun Oladele; Information and Orientation and Mr Kazeem Adedeji, Trade, Investment and Cooperatives.
Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State on Tuesday in Jos signed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) bill into law.
While performing the ceremony, Jang warned against the diversion of relief materials meant for victims of emergencies.
Stakeholders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had severely criticised Plateau over its inability to establish a SEMA, in spite of its numerous man-made and natural disasters.
Shortly after signing the bill, the governor said:“I believe this bill I signed into law is holistic and positioned to be relevant to the present realities of global trends in disaster management.
Sokoto
Electricity Consumers Association, Sokoto State chapter, on Monday, demanded the payment of N1 billion as compensation from the PHCN for allegedly disrupting electricity supply to the state in the last three days.
Electricity workers in the state carried out their threat of disconnecting the state at the expiration of a two-week ultimatum to Governor .Aliyu Wamakko to apologise over an alleged manhandling of one of their colleagues, an allegation which the governor had since denied.
With significant achievements recorded across thematic areas of the Ogoni cleanup programme being executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Project Coordinator of the Project, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that all these are enabling pathways to the development of Ogoniland.
This is coming on the heels of milestone achievements in the following areas and their impact on Ogoni communities. They are mangrove restoration which is 94 percent complete; shoreline remediation which stands at 67.1 percent; and the phase 2 land remediation progressing to 36.55 percent.
Moreso, HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities. With the commissioning of the water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities, the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water will be 45. The process of operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which is at 92 percent complete, is ongoing. The same for the Ogoni Power Project which is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations ongoing
Similarly, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital are at 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent respectively.
This is alongside other public health interventions and the Human BioMonitoring Survey also in progress.
Under the livelihood
programme, over 7,000 direct jobs have been created for Ogoni women and youths, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up kits, workshops, education grants, scholarships and other empowerment programmes. This quarter, training will commence in other demand-driven skill areas, such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, commercial diving, and underwater welding.
Zabbey had reeled out these achievements, during the third quarter interactive session between the Project Coordination Office engagement with Ogoni youths in Port Harcourt on Friday, in line with HYPREP’s strategic stakeholders policy to provide an interface opportunity to abreast Ogoni youths on the Project’s activities, while garnering their feedback.
Zabbey noted that, “This
quarterly engagement was,therefore, designed as an inclusive strategy to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. Also, it reflects our firm belief that a project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory”.
” I am delighted to inform you that the Project remains on course to achieve its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on the Ogoni environment and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. HYPREP is committed to transparency and accountability in the implementation of the cleanup projects and activities”, he said.
He stressed that HYPREP’s achievements are pathways to a better Ogoniland, assuring that the Project’s goals are aimed at benefiting all categories of Ogoni youths, whether in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship or community development.
”This Project belongs to all of you, and its success depends mainly on your participation, unity and constructive engagement. And with your support, we are confident that all challenges will be addressed in the overall public interest,” Zabbey said.
The Project Coordinator urged Ogoni youths to continue to support the Project by promoting peace, discouraging misinformation, and collaborating with project teams working in the communities, and address challenges through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Prof Dinebari Badey, a Professor of Development Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, delivered the keynote address, linking the nexus between HYPREP and youths in the development of Ogoniland through unity of purpose while Engr Solomon Akere, gave a talk on Ogoni youths in business.
Participants raised questions concerning the maintenance of the water projects, remediation efforts, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW), among others.
In attendance were management staff of HYPREP who provided responses to the interventions.
Members of the Association of Community Health practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN),Rivers state Chapter have marked the 2025 Community Health week with a call for the state government to employ more community health practitioners to mann the various health centres across the 23 local government areas of the state .
The theme of one week event “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of community health practitioners in reducing maternal and under _five mortality in line with sustainable development goals”attracted community health practitioners across the state.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event held at the conference hall of the state primary healthcare office in port Harcourt, the state chairman of the Association,Dr Justina Onuwa appeal to the state governor,Sir Siminalayi Fubara to approve the employment of more community health practitioners in other to effectively mann the primary health centres in the state.
Onuwa stated that the call become imperative following the decline in community health practitioners in the civil service and the need to ensure that the people in rural communities have more access to primary healthcare services in their localities.
The state chairman of ACHPN averred members of the association were not captured in the employment scheme during last employment of medical health workers by the state government.”our people need to be employed like other health care service providers”
She appeal to the state government to provide vehicles and office secretariat for its association and as well ensure that their members are promoted as at when due.
Also speaking,the state Health Educator,Dr Babbo Diana who represented the commissioner for health and Executive secretary RSPHCMB while congratulating them on their celebrations called them to partner with the state government to build more efficient healthcare services in the state.
She urge them to be passionate with their work, stressing that all hands must be on deck and everyone must play their roles in other to ensure the success of government primary healthcare services in the state.
In his good will message,the representative of the state Director of Health planning Research and statistics, Dietician Buduzhi Gift Oguzor described members of the association as foot soldiers of health services care providers in the state.
He called on them to be more dedicated in their responsibilities especially in the areas of infrastructure development, noting that the state of infrastructure under their custody are in a detoriating conditions despite the huge of resources released to them by the state government.
Earlier in her lecture on the theme “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of the community practitioners in reducing the under _five mortality in line with the sustainable development goals”prof Alice Nte urge them to review their association curriculum in other to upgrade their profile and become more relevant and attend to the optimum value in the profession.
She opined that the WHO according to the Nigerian Demography survey didn’t included members of the association as stillbirth attendant, adding that they should restrategise and look into their curriculum and see where it can be updated.
The climax of the week long celebrations ended with road work,free medical care services and church thanks service.
Akujobi Amadi
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Bldr. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, has called on Nigerian builders to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for addressing the nation’s housing deficit.
Speaking at the inaugural council meeting of the Institute held at its National Secretariat in Abuja in his speech themed, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Key Driver to Housing Delivery,” the NIOB President said the Institute is poised to lead transformative change in the nation’s housing delivery system.
Bldr. Kolade described the meeting as a strategic platform for redefining NIOB’s policy direction for the next two years, stressing that the housing challenge presents both a national problem and a professional opportunity.
“We, as custodians of building production management, must reposition ourselves not only as technical experts but as innovators, entrepreneurs, and national solution providers,” he stated.
He emphasized that innovation must now be embedded in the professional DNA of builders, urging practitioners to embrace sustainable technologies, research-based construction methods, and digital project management tools.
According to him, the Institute will promote innovation through research collaborations, innovation labs, and pilot projects that showcase emerging construction techniques.
On entrepreneurship, Bldr. Kolade noted that competence alone was no longer sufficient, and that builders must evolve into enterprise creators capable of driving employment and economic growth through construction-based ventures.
He further outlined the Institute’s five key policy pillars for the next two years, to include innovation
and research; entrepreneurial
development; professional regulation and ethics; advocacy
and policy influence;
capacity building and youth empowerment.
The NIOB President also paid tribute to past leaders of the Institute for laying the foundation upon which the current administration will build, saying leadership must go beyond preservation to purposeful expansion.
“If we can harness innovation, embrace entrepreneurship, and strengthen our professional unity, we will not only close the housing gap — we will redefine the standards of housing delivery in Africa,” he affirmed.
He called on builders nationwide to view themselves as not only craftsmen but nation builders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs committed to delivering sustainable housing and national development.
The NIOB President earlier led the National Council members to a site visit to the NIOB construction site at Idu, Abuja.