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FG Vows To Prioritise Healthcare In N’Delta

The Federal Government has assured the people of the Niger Delta region of its resolve to give priority to healthcare delivery in the area.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura, he gave the assurance during a visit to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, on the sideline of medical outreach to the state, said the government was determined to address pressing health issues of the rural communities.
Alasoadura told Uzodinma, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku that, “The purpose of the visit was to provide Medical Outreach and Enlightenment Campaign for Women/Youths on HIV/AIDS for the people of Mmabu, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
“The minister at the medical outreach said the “Enlightenment programme organised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in collaboration with the health care mission was specifically designed to address pressing health issues of the rural communities.”
He informed the people that “President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is concerned about the welfare of the people of the Niger Delta and will like to restate the Federal Government’s desire to ensure that the people of this region enjoy basic healthcare as has made healthcare a priority in its developmental plans for the Niger Delta region.”
In his welcome address earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olusade Adesola represented by the Director, Community Development and Education, Mrs Lauren Briade, said this health intervention plan is in line with the Federal Government Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
She said the plan was also, “In line with the World Health organization (WHO), recommendations for member Nations to Commemorate Worlds AIDS Day on the 1st of December, World Malaria Day on the 25th of April and World Cancer Day on the 4th of February, annually.”
According to the permanent secretary, “These days are marked to create awareness about the diseases and provide professional advice and information on prevention and treatable measures to the people.”
Adesola noted that the “Ministry’s medical outreach programme is designed with dimensional objectives to bring healthcare services to the door steps of the people of the Niger Delta region and also provide free consultations, drugs/medications and referrals where necessary.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku expressed his gratitude to Mr. President for his great concern for the happenings and to the people of the Niger Delta region, and thanked the ministry for organising an enlightenment programme for the people Mmahu, Ohaji/ Egebma local Government area.
Njoku, pleaded with the ministry to provide social amenities to the oil producing communities as he is concerned about the plight of the Niger Delta people, especially on poor Infrastructure in the region.
In his remarks, the Ezioma 1 of Mmahu autonomous community, Eze A.I .Iwuogu, pleaded with the ministry to “Help resurrect the gas turbine that was brought to the community in 2006 and has since been abandoned and also high rate of unemployment in the community.”
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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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
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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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