News
Nigeria Ranks 4th In TB Prevalence
Despite the huge sums of money budgeted for the health sector over the years, Nigeria still ranks 4th among the 20 tuberculosis (TB) high-burden countries in the world, with more than 400,000 estimated cases targeted for identification and treatment each year.
Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Prof Chike Princewill, who disclosed this at an event to mark this year’s World TB Day in Port Harcourt, last Saturday, with the theme, “Wanted: Leaders For A TB-Free Nigeria. You Can Make History. End TB”, said this was why the state government was increasing public awareness of the scourge and the challenges of TB treatment in the country.
According to Princewill, “TB remains the world’s leading infectious killer disease, being responsible for deaths of 1.7million persons each year, and representing the ninth cause of death globally”, adding that “most of the severe forms of deaths due to TB occur in Sub-Saharan Africa”.
Princewill pointed out that despite the gloomy picture of the scourge in the country, considerable successes have been recorded in the fight to eliminate TB in Rivers State through the provision of about 284 treatment facilities and 12 highly specialised diagnostic centres, which are accessible to residents of the 23 local government areas.
“Diagnosis and treatment of Mycotuberculosis infection is free at all supported sites. Drugs are available and given under supervision to ensure rational distribution to patients. State government supported supervision for quality service delivery is routinely carried out whilst active case search has been intensified in targeted clinical settings and high-burden communities,” Princewill explained.
He noted that the strong synergy between the state government and other relevant partners has facilitated the establishment of a specialized centre for Drug Resistant TB Treatment in the state, which according to him, has now become a service point for the neighbouring states in the South-South.
The health commissioner stated that although the journey to the elimination of TB was far from over, the state government was increasing investment in infrastructure and equipment necessary for optimum quality TB service delivery to international standards through the renovation and upgrading of the general hospital facilities across the 23 local government areas to help nip the scourge in the bud.
Princewill said that although the government was doing a lot to stem the tide, all stakeholders needed to be involved in the education and orientation towards a better health seeking behavior as a veritable means of strengthening control efforts, adding that “This year’s theme speaks to us as a people to work together and become champions in the fight against TB”.
“We, therefore, call on everyone to be an advocate for the elimination of TB infection. It is preventable and curable, especially when diagnosed early. Join the fight against TB,” he pleaded.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhaha
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
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
News
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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