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Lassa Fever: Senate Summons Minister …As Death Toll Hits 41
L-R: Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, his wife, Justice Suzzette and the Archbishop of Anglican Church, Niger Delta Province,Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, at the Inter-denominational service to mark the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The Senate yesterday directed that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, should appear before the members to brief them on the outbreak of Lassa fever in 10 States of the federation.
This followed a motion by Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso (APC-Ogun Central), which was co-sponsored by five other senators.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus.
The Senate, just back from Christmas and New Year holidays, urged the Federal Government, health agencies and non-governmental organisations to carry out aggressive sensitisation in affected states.
It also suggested that the awareness on preventive measures of the scourge should be created at markets, restaurants, schools and other public places.
While condoling with families that had lost persons to the disease, the lawmakers advised Nigerians to adhere to rules of personal hygiene as well as report cases of persistent high fever to the nearest health centre.
Tejuoso, while moving the motion, expressed concern that since a similar outbreak in 2014, which claimed 20 lives, nothing had been done to check further outbreak of the disease.
He claimed that the fever had frequently infected people in Africa and resulted in 300,000 to 500,000 cases annually, and no fewer than 5,000 deaths each year.
He said that in spite of “this awareness, health and corporate agencies in Nigeria, emphasise on awareness creation only after new cases appears.’’
The legislator expressed concern that if nothing urgent was done to curtail further outbreak and spread of the disease, it would reach a magnitude where it could be declared a national emergency.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, called on the Federal Ministry of Health to provide adequate fund for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
He said that it was expedient for the centre to be adequately funded to enable it function effectively in curtailing the spread and further outbreak of the disease.
He also called on the Senate Committee on Health to interface with the ministry in ensuring that the disease was properly managed.
“The most important issue is that the Committee on Health should do its oversight by engaging with the Minister of Health on how far the ministry has gone in tackling the problem,’’ he said.
A minute silence was, thereafter, observed for those who had lost their lives to the disease.
Our correspondent reports that states currently affected by the outbreak of the disease are Taraba, Rivers, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Niger, Kano, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo.
Meanwhile, The Federal Government says Lassa fever has claimed 41 lives from 93 reported cases in 10 states of the country.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government on Friday put the death toll at 40 out of 86 reported cases of Lassa fever outbreak in same 10 states.
The number of the suspected cases also rose from 86 last week to 93.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, confirmed this in Abuja yesterday at a joint ministerial news conference on the update of the outbreak of the disease.
However, Adewole said there were no new confirmed cases or death in the last 48 hours.
He did not disclose the state from which the additional life was lost.
“In the last 48 hours the government raised a four-man expert committee, chaired by Prof. Michael Asuzu, to visit Kano, Niger and Bauchi, the three most endemic states.
“The committee will embark on a fact finding mission, assess the current situation, document response experiences, identify gaps and proffer recommendations on how to prevent future occurrences,’’ he said.
The minister assured the public that the task of the committee was not to apportion blame but rather to document lessons learnt for better planning of an affective responsive.
According to Adewole, part of the long term response is to establish an inter-ministerial committee to deliver a final blow on Lassa fever and other related diseases.
The committee comprised the ministers of Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Environment, Information and Culture as well as Health.
Adewole advised communities to improve on their hygiene, including food hygiene and food protection practices.
He also urged the public to avoid contact with rodents and rats as well as food contaminated with rat’s secretions and excretions.
“Avoid drying food in the open and along roadsides, it is also important to cover all foods to prevent rodents contamination,’’ he said.
The minister said affected states have been advised to intensify awareness creation on the signs and symptoms of the disease.
According to him, the affected states are Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo.
“The public is hereby assured that government and other stakeholders are working tirelessly to address the outbreak and bring it to timely end,’’ said the minister.
He said the ministry had ordered for the immediate release of adequate quantities of “ribavirin’’, the specific antiviral drug for Lassa fever, to the affected states for prompt treatment of cases.
Adewole said Nigeria has the capability to diagnose Lassa fever, adding that “all the cases reported so far were confirmed by our laboratories’’.
The first case of the current outbreak was reported from Bauchi in November 2015.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.