Editorial

Confronting High TB Burden

Published

5 years ago

March 24, 2021

Today, March 24, 2021, is observed as World Tuberculosis (TB) day by the United Nations, with the theme: The Clock Is Ticking. The day is commemorated every year since 1982 to raise awareness and educate the public about the impact of the deadly disease around the world. The UN designated the date in memory of Dr Robert Koch who announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the organism that causes tuberculosis on March 24, 1882. At a time when TB killed one out of every seven persons in the United States and Europe, Dr Koch’s discovery became the most important step that opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
However, nearly 150 years after, TB has remained one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, claiming nearly 4,000 lives and close to 28,000 people falling ill on a daily basis. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the TB bacteria, usually attack the lungs, and any other part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain, and though not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick, if not properly treated, the disease can be fatal.
The TB bacteria are spread when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks or sings with nearby persons breathing in these bacteria and become infected. Symptoms of the disease in the lungs include a bad cough that lasts for three weeks or more; pain in the chest; coughing up blood or sputum; weakness or fatigue; weight loss; loss of appetite; chills; fever; sweating at night.
Tuberculosis mostly affects adults in their most productive years. However, all age groups are at risk with over 95% of cases and deaths occurring in developing countries. The risk of active TB is greater in persons suffering from other medical conditions that impair the immune system with people who are infected with HIV being 18 times more likely to develop active TB.
Worldwide, TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause from single infectious agent. In 2019, an estimated 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis, comprising 5.6 million men, 3.2 million women and 1.2 million children, while a total of 1.4 million people died from the disease (including 208,000 people living with HIV).
In same 2019, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new cases of the disease while eight countries including India, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa account for two thirds of the total burden.
Nigeria is the country with the highest TB burden in Africa and the 5th in the world with children, women of reproductive age and people living with HIV the hardest hit. Not less than 400,000 people contract TB while more than 150,000 lives are lost to the disease each year in the country. This is in addition to 63,000 people living with HIV that get it annually.
Tuberculosis incidence in Nigeria is said to have risen from 418,000 cases in 2017 to 429,000 cases in 2018, and deaths also rose from 155,000 to 157,000 within the same period while treatment coverage for the disease remained stagnant at 24%.
On the heels of the first global ministerial conference on TB hosted by the WHO and the Russian government in November, 2017, followed by the UN’s first ever high-level meeting on TB which elevated the discussion about the status of the TB epidemic and how to end it to the level of heads of state and government on September 26, 2018, leading to the political declaration agreed by all UN member-states, in which existing commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO’s End TB Strategy were reaffirmed and new ones added, on this year’s World TB Day, the global health body calls on everyone to keep the promise to:
Accelerate the End TB Response to reach the target set in Sustainable Development Goals, WHO End TB Strategy, the Moscow Declaration to: End TB and political declaration of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB; diagnose and treat 40 million people with TB by 2022, including 3.5 million children and 1.5 million people with drug-resistant TB; reach 30 million people with TB preventive treatment, including 24 million household contacts of TB patients – 4 million of whom are children under 5 – and 6 million people living with HIV; mobilise sufficient and sustainable financing to reach $13 billion a year to support efforts to end TB; invest in TB research to reach at least $2 billion a year for better science, better tools and better delivery.
As a member-state of the UN and particularly, as a country that is so heavily impacted, The Tide expects Nigeria to be committed to the vision and mission of the WHO in its effort to reverse the negative narrative of TB. To this end, we urge government at all levels in the country to muster the political will and strike right partnership with relevant stakeholders –and strengthen existing ones where necessary – to achieve the desired objective.
Government must also step up continuous sensitisation and advocacy to women and children, especially in the rural areas. Training and retraining of health workers to build and strengthen their capacity in order for them to be able to deliver quality services to the people must be taken seriously. In this regard, efforts must be made to ensure industrial harmony and stability in the primary health care sector in particular and the health sector in general. Continuous and sustainable community engagement and good data collection are as well pivotal to achieving desired results beyond clinical treatment.
It is not untrue that there are many misconceptions about TB. While some believe that tuberculosis is caused by smoking and drinking, others believe that it is caused by witchcraft or even that it is hereditary. The result of such erroneous beliefs is that people ignorantly seek solutions where there are none and compound the problem when they resort to traditional fetish and religious rituals instead of accessing the tested, proven and reliable medical treatment.
Unfortunately, there are yet people who neither are aware of nor believe that tuberculosis testing and treatment are free in public health facilities in Nigeria.
It is the goal of the UN to eliminate tuberculosis by year 2030 and if an estimated 60 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between year 2000 and 2019, the target is not unachievable with the right attitude, commitment and action. A TB-free Nigeria is as well possible in record time even as The Clock Is Ticking for ending a preventable and curable deadly disease.

Editorial

Improving Surveillance in Rivers’ Boundary Communities

Published

5 hours ago

July 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government’s promise to improve boundary security has given residents hope at a time when insecurity is becoming a serious concern. Speaking at the 3rd Annual National Assembly/Border and Boundary Community Stakeholders’ Interface in Abuja, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu called for stronger cooperation between the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional rulers, and local communities. The meeting focused on how better border/boundary management can improve security and support economic growth. Rivers people now expect these promises to lead to real action.

However, many residents are asking whether enough is being done to protect the state’s boundaries. Crimes that were once common only in some northern parts of the country are now being reported in Rivers State. According to the Nigeria Security Tracker of the Council on Foreign Relations, the South-South recorded 287 violent deaths linked to crime in 2025, representing a 19 per cent increase compared with 2023. These figures show that strong action is urgently needed.

Many communities, especially those near state boundaries, have little or no police presence. Some have no police post or station at all, making it easier for criminals to operate. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reported in its 2024 Crime Survey that only 31 per cent of rural communities in the South-South have a functioning police presence within 10 kilometres. This leaves many residents without adequate protection.

There are also repeated reports that armed herders have entered forests in the Ikwerre area and other parts of the state. If these reports are correct, they should be treated as a serious security threat. Many people say they face kidnapping, attacks, and harassment from armed criminals hiding in the forests. Slow official responses have increased public worry and reduced confidence.

Although the Federal Government controls the country’s security agencies, the Rivers State Government also has an important role to play. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as the state’s chief security officer, should take stronger steps to protect lives and property. Criminals should not be allowed to enter the state freely while people live in fear. Waiting for others to act is like burying one’s head in the sand.

Security at the state’s boundaries should start with thorough screening of everyone entering Rivers State through officially recognised entry points. The Nigeria Police Force has the authority to carry out stop-and-search operations where necessary. Well-planned, intelligence-based checks can help prevent criminals and illegal weapons from entering the state without affecting lawful travellers and businesses. Weak borders/boundaries encourage crime.

Local government chairmen should also play a leading role because they are closest to the people. They can work with vigilante groups, traditional rulers, and community leaders to gather and share useful security information. According to the CLEEN Foundation’s 2023 report, Policing and Public Safety in Nigeria, 68 per cent of Nigerians believe that properly supervised community policing helps to reduce crime. Rivers State should make better use of this approach.

The Deputy Governor’s call for inclusive border/boundary governance should include local chiefs, youth leaders, women groups, and other community stakeholders. Their involvement will improve the sharing of information and make it easier to respond quickly to security threats. After all, prevention is better than cure.

The state should also invest in modern security equipment such as drones, communication radios, and solar-powered surveillance posts at important boundary locations. These are practical tools that can improve security in a state as important and geographically complex as Rivers. No community can truly develop where people live in fear.

Better security will also strengthen the economy. Boundary communities support farming, trade, and social ties with Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa states. Insecurity disrupts business activities, discourages investors, and affects lawful trade. The World Bank stated in its 2024 Nigeria Development Update that insecurity at the state level can reduce local economic growth by as much as 2.5 per cent each year.

The Rivers State Government should, therefore, move beyond meetings and public statements by taking practical steps. More police posts should be established, community vigilante groups should receive proper training and support, and regular security meetings should be held with neighbouring states. The decisions reached in Abuja will have little value unless they are fully implemented.

The safety of Rivers people should never be delayed or left to others alone. While cooperation with the Federal Government is necessary, the state must take the lead in protecting its people and boundaries. If urgent actions are not taken, lawlessness could become more common. Rivers State must act now before the chickens come home to roost.

Editorial

A Fair Wage for Difficult Times

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The latest demand by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) for an upward review of the national minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000 should not be dismissed as another routine labour agitation. Rather, it should be seen as a reflection of the deep economic pain confronting millions of Nigerian workers whose purchasing power has been severely eroded by inflation, rising living costs, and a struggling economy. Whether or not the figure being demanded is attainable, the message behind it cannot be ignored.

The decision of the Forum to proceed with a nationwide protest also underscores the growing frustration among federal workers who believe that repeated appeals have produced little meaningful action. Their complaints over unpaid entitlements, wage awards, promotion arrears, and other outstanding benefits deserve prompt attention from the authorities. A government that expects dedication and productivity from its workforce must also fulfil its obligations to them.

It is significant that the Chief of Staff to the President recently acknowledged that federal workers are poorly remunerated. Such an admission is welcome because it confirms what workers have consistently argued for years. However, acknowledgement alone is insufficient. Nigerians expect practical measures that will improve workers’ welfare rather than statements that only recognise the obvious.

The economic realities confronting workers are doubtlessly harsh. Food prices have climbed beyond the reach of many families, transportation costs have risen sharply, rents continue to increase, and the cost of healthcare and education has become unbearable for many households. Salaries that appeared modest a few years ago have become grossly inadequate in today’s economic environment.

Compounding the hardship is the persistent challenge of insecurity across the country. Many workers travel daily under difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions to earn incomes that barely sustain their families. The emotional and financial burden of this situation has created widespread frustration and anxiety, contributing to the tense atmosphere that now pervades the nation.

Against this background, the call for a living wage is both reasonable and urgent. The purpose of a minimum wage is not just to keep workers employed but to enable them to live with dignity. When full-time workers cannot adequately feed their families, pay school fees, access healthcare, or meet basic living expenses, it becomes clear that existing wage structures require serious review.

The Federal Government should, therefore, approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves. It should immediately commence purposeful discussions with organised labour and representatives of the Federal Workers Forum to examine realistic options for improving workers’ welfare. Delaying action or relying on promises will only deepen public dissatisfaction and erode confidence in the government.

Equally important is the need for the government to honour existing commitments. Reports of outstanding wage awards, unpaid allowances, and promotion arrears should be independently verified and settled without unnecessary delay. Keeping faith with agreements already reached would demonstrate sincerity and rebuild trust between the authorities and their employees.

That said, the workers must also appreciate the importance of sustained dialogue. While peaceful protest remains a constitutional right, industrial disputes are more productively resolved through negotiation than confrontation. Every effort should be made to avoid actions capable of disrupting essential public services or escalating national tension.

The leadership of organised labour also has a crucial role to play. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) must rise and provide united, responsible, and strategic leadership. Workers need strong representation that combines firmness with wisdom and places national interest alongside legitimate labour demands.

There is no doubt that the government faces enormous fiscal challenges. Declining revenues, mounting debt obligations, and competing development needs make public finance increasingly difficult. Nevertheless, these realities cannot become excuses for allowing civil servants to sink deeper into poverty. Sound economic management must ultimately translate into improved living conditions for citizens.

In truth, paying workers a fair and sustainable wage is not only a social obligation; it is an economic necessity. Better-paid workers stimulate consumer spending, enhance productivity, reduce corruption arising from financial desperation, and contribute to greater national stability. Investment in workers is an investment in economic growth.

Nigeria can ill afford another prolonged confrontation between government and labour at a time when insecurity, inflation, and public discontent already threaten social cohesion. Both sides should exercise restraint, avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and demonstrate genuine commitment to finding common ground. Nigerians expect solutions, not endless disputes.

The message from the current agitation is unmistakable. The Federal Government must heed the legitimate demands of workers by urgently pursuing a new living wage that reflects present economic realities and restores hope to millions of households. At the same time, workers should keep engaging the government through peaceful dialogue, mutual respect, and responsible negotiation. At this critical moment in our country’s history, compromise, compassion, and decisive leadership offer the surest path to industrial harmony and national progress.

Editorial

Getting State Police Right

Published

4 weeks ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria appears closer than ever to embracing state police, a transformative reform that has dominated national security discourse for years. Such a move, however, requires constitutional amendment to eliminate existing legal obstacles. The National Assembly deserves commendation for expediting work on the necessary legislation to amend Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently provides for a single, centralised national police force. Having secured passage in both chambers, the amendment bills should now be transmitted without delay to the state Houses of Assembly for prompt consideration.

The urgency of this reform is indisputable. Nigeria has been grappling with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, and organised crime, all of which have overstretched the existing security architecture. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigerians paid an estimated N2.23 trillion in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024, while about 51.9 million crime incidents affected households during the same period. These disturbing figures underline the necessity of strengthening policing through a more pragmatic and responsive system.

State police could remarkably complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), bringing law enforcement closer to local communities. Officers recruited from within their areas are often better acquainted with the terrain, languages, and cultural dynamics that shape criminal activity. Such local knowledge could produce a more perspicacious approach to crime prevention, intelligence gathering, and rapid emergency response.

Critics rightly fear that state police could become instruments of political persecution if left unchecked. Unscrupulous governors may be tempted to intimidate opponents, suppress dissent, or influence elections through the misuse of security agencies. Any constitutional amendment must, therefore, establish firm precautions that guarantee operational independence and prevent such capricious abuse of authority.

Another serious concern is finance. Running a modern police organisation requires sustained investment in personnel, equipment, technology, training, and welfare. Many states already struggle to pay salaries and pensions promptly. Without reliable funding, state police could deteriorate into poorly equipped institutions that weaken rather than strengthen public safety. Fiscal prudence must accompany political ambition.

Nigeria’s ethnic and religious diversity also demands careful reflection. Minority communities in several states have legitimate concerns that locally controlled police could be manipulated against them during periods of political or communal tension. Recruitment based on ethnicity, family ties, or political loyalty would further undermine professionalism. Only transparent procedures founded on merit can cultivate an equitable policing culture.

Equally important is the need for a comprehensive legal framework to regulate state police operations. Clear provisions are required to define jurisdiction, disciplinary procedures, civilian complaints, accountability mechanisms, and the limits of operational authority. Without such legal clarity, disputes and uncertainty could quickly overwhelm the new institutions.

The relationship between state police and the Nigeria Police Force also deserves meticulous attention. Cross-border crimes, insurgency, and organised criminal networks rarely respect state boundaries. Unless command structures, operational responsibilities, and emergency coordination are carefully defined, jurisdictional rivalry could produce dangerous ambiguity at critical moments.

A fragmented security system presents another risk. Thirty-six separate police commands operating under different priorities and standards may complicate coordinated national responses to terrorism, banditry, and other transnational threats. Intelligence sharing between federal and state agencies must be seamless, timely, and cohesive, leaving no room for avoidable security gaps.

Human rights protection should occupy a central place in the reform agenda. Nigeria’s experience during the #EndSARS protests exposed deep concerns about police brutality, impunity, and excessive force. Establishing additional police formations may merely multiply opportunities for abuse. Independent complaint commissions, judicial oversight, and regular human rights training are indispensable guarantees.

Political transitions pose another challenge. Changes in state administrations should never trigger wholesale dismissals of police leadership or politically motivated appointments. Professional continuity, rather than partisan loyalty, must define career progression. Uniform training standards, ethical codes, and promotion procedures will help preserve the integrity of the institution regardless of who occupies government office.

History also offers a critical lesson. Nigeria operated regional police forces before 1966, but their widespread political misuse contributed to their eventual abolition. That experience should not automatically condemn present reforms, yet neither should it be ignored. Policymakers must undertake a judicious assessment of past failures and design institutions capable of preventing their recurrence.

Ultimately, state police represent an opportunity to strengthen security, but only if reform is pursued with wisdom rather than haste. Constitutional amendment alone will not guarantee success. Strong oversight institutions, transparent recruitment, sustainable funding, effective intelligence sharing, respect for human rights, and genuine accountability must accompany decentralisation. If these essential conditions are fulfilled, state police could become a valuable pillar of national security instead of another source of instability.