Niger Delta

US Spends N2.3bn On Campaign Against Malaria In C’River

Published

7 years ago

May 8, 2019

In a bid to intensify the fight against the malaria disease, the United States Government through its agency (United State Agency for International Development USAID) has invested the sum of N2.3bn for procurement of 2,376,400 insecticide bed treated nets to be distributed to residents of Cross River State.
Other areas that the money is to be spent by the US Government is for the procurement of insecticide bed treated nets for residents of the state across the three senatorial districts.
Malaria Logistic Manager, Global Health Supply Chain-procurement Supply Management, Mr. Godwin Aidenagbon, disclosed this last Monday in an interactive session with journalists at the Ernest Etim Basset Press Centre, Calabar.
The programme, funded by USAID and implemented by Global Health Supply Chain Programme is set to encourage residents of the state to become malaria free, if the insecticide bed treated net is properly used.
Speaking on the importance of sleeping in insecticides bed treated net, Aidenagbon stated: “insecticides bed treated nets protect us from mosquitoes that spread the parasites. Net last for three years”.
Aidenagbon advocated for test of malaria before taking any drug that would eliminate malaria parasites stressing that any one who takes malaria drugs without visiting an expert to carry out a laboratory test is a sinner.
“Anyone who takes malaria medicine without test is a sinner”.
Other benefits of sleeping on insecticides bed treated nets as enumerated by Aidenagbon include sweet breeze and less mosquitoes bite.
“All we are trying to advocate is to ensure that it becomes a fashion for for every one to sleep inside the net.
“We want to prevent mosquitoes bite and spread of plasmodium, that is if we take preventable measures, you discover that the injected plasmodium won’t have where to spread to”.
Also speaking, NMEP Representative National Malaria Elimination Program, Alhaji Shaibu Abdullahi stated that all what they are trying to do is to reduced the number of vector density so that the number of
death can be reduced.
He urged Crossriverians to form the habit of sleeping in the net so as
not to be infected with mosquito parasites adding that insecticide bed
treated net have been proven world wide of being the best when it
comes to malaria prevention and. Control.
When asked where the insecticide bed treated nets are imported from
the NMEP representative said, “the nets are coming from Pakistan, they
have been in transit in the last 8 months and stressed that with
insecticide bed treat nets mosquitoes bits and malaria disease which
hitherto used be responsible for numerous number of deaths in the
state would become a thing of the past.

Friday Nwagbara, Calabar

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.