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Bauchi
The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has donated 45 scanning machines to Bauchi State Government for Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state to reduce pregnancy related complications.
The machines were last Wednesday presented to Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSHCDA) by NPHCDA in Bauchi at the end of a 10-day training for midwives in Bauchi.
Reports indicate that the scanning machines were earlier donated by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named GE Healthcare supported by USAID.
Handing over the equipment to the state, the Coordinator of NPHCDA in the state, Mr Bashir Maidabino said the equipment would go a long way to improve maternal health in the state.

Borno
Governor  Kashim Shettima of Borno State says President Muhammadu Buhari’s appeal to the World Bank is to address economic rebuilding and humanitarian crisis in the North-East.
Shettima said while reacting to reports alleging that the president called on the World Bank to focus its interventions to the northern region.
A statement signed by the governor’s Special Adviser, Communication and Media Strategy Isa Gusau,in Maiduguri, said the presidential appeal was aimed at addressing the destruction by the insurgency in the region.
“The request was made by the President in the open and everyone thought it was the right thing. States in the northeast like Borno have been working with the World Bank, putting all the collaborative machinery in place.

FCT
The Monkey Pox virus outbreak has spread to 11States with 74 suspected cases recorded, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said.
Adewole made the disclosure in Abuja last Wednesday when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
President Muhammadu Buhari chaired the meeting held at the State House Council Chamber, Abuja.
The Federal Government, on October 11 confirmed that 33 suspected cases of the virus were recorded in seven states.
Monkeypox is a rare viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms in humans similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although less severe.

Gombe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has assisted 5,623 disaster and crisis victims in Gombe State between March and July this year.
The Head of Operations, Gombe and Bauchi NEMA office, Malam Abani Imam disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Gombe State last Thursday.
Imam said that 4,200 were affected by flood in Akko, Kaltungo and Yamaltu Deba Local Government, while 1,148 were victims of Billiri/Shongom Local Government communal clash.
He said that 231 people in Dadin-Kowa community were also affected by flood, while 44 others were victims of inferno at Gombe Timber markets.

Kano
Two brothers who allegedly strangled their father are to cool their heels in prison until November, a Kano Chief Magistrates’ Court ruled last Wednesday.
The duo of Rabiu Adamu, 27, and Auwal Adamu, 26, had strangled their 55-year-old father, Adamu Gamji, in Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano, the prosecution said.
The accused pleaded not guilty.
Chief Magistrate Muhammad Jibril, ordered that the accused should remain in prison until next date of adjournment.
The accused are facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide punishable under Section 97 and 221 of the Penal Code, Laws of Kano State.

Kwara
The Kwara State Government has denied rumours that soldiers are injecting school pupils in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of the state with killer vaccines.
The Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Alhaji Amusa Bello made the denial in a statement last Wednesday in Ilorin.
Our correspondent reports that parents and guardians had on hearing the rumour rushed to schools to withdraw their wards.
They besieged both private and public schools in the area as early 9 a.m. on hearing the rumour of the presence of vaccine injection team allegedly accompanied by soldiers in the town.

Lagos
A media consultant, Adebisi Boboye has called on the three tiers of government to partner with the mass media to inculcate the right values in young people.
Boboye told newsmen last Wednesday in Lagos that the partnership would go a long way to orientate the youth properly on leadership and some other responsibilities.
According to him, the media remained the best tool for such orientation.
“In recent times, the media through technology have become the biggest platform that can be used to either make or mar.
“Government must find means through which it can partner with the media as well as control what it  puts out for public consumption.

Niger
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has urged rural communities in Niger State to support the fight against corruption.
“We have embarked on a crusade against corruption and want everyone, especially rural dwellers, to be part of the effort to rid Nigeria of the menace,” ICPC acting chairman Bako Abdullahi said last Wednesday in Minna.
He spoke at a one-day engagement with Community Development Associations (CDAs), organised in partnership with a democracy action group, Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative.
Represented by Mr Baba Ashiru, the commission’s Head of Education, Abdullahi asked rural communities to assist the commission with useful information about corrupt practices in their localities.

Oyo
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba last Wednesday urged workers not to lose hope on the actualisation of proposed minimum wage.
Wabba made the call at the National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) in Ibadan.
He said NLC would not rest on its oars until the current minimum wage was reviewed upward and workers’ welfare ascertained.
He added that “I assure you that this struggle will take us to the promise land; be determined for a people determined can’t be defeated.

Plateau
Worried by the incessant midnight attacks on Plateau State rural communities, Chief Alexander Mwolwus, a PDP chieftain has urged the state government and security agencies to “act decisively” to end the trend.
“The attacks are frightening; they have become a daily affair. Governor Simon Lalong must rise to the challenge because we cannot continue like this,” Molwus told newsmen  in Pankshin.
According to reports, 35 people had been killed and several others injured in midnight attacks on Bassa rural communities in the last three weeks.
According to figures released by the Plateau State Police Command, 25 people were killed at Ncha village, six in Taegbe, while four were killed in Jebu-Miango.
Last Friday, the attackers visited Wereh, a village in Barkin-Ladi Local Government and killed four persons, including an unnamed soldier and former Plateau State Head of Civil Service, Mr Moses Gwom.

Sokoto
The newly-established 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto has taken off with the assumption of duty of its pioneer General Officer Commanding (GOC), Brig.-Gen. Olabanji Samuel,
Samuel disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Aminu Tambuwal at Government House in Sokoto  last Wednesday.
He said necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure the smooth take off of the new division.
He said the bulk of the men and officers of the division  had  now been mobilised to ensure its proper take off .
“As you may recall, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Burutai, announced the establishment of this division when he visited Sokoto earlier this year.

Taraba
The wife of Taraba State Governor, Mrs Anna Ishaku last Wednesday launched the payment of N5,000 stipend to 4,350 destitutes in the state under the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme.
Speaking at the inauguration of the programme in Ardo-Kola, Ishaku commended the Federal Government and the World Bank for collaborating with the state to support its poorest citizens.
She urged the officials disbursing the funds to fear God and ensure that due process was followed in the disbursement.
“I urge you to avoid sentiments in the disbursement and focus only on the poorest of the poor who are the target of this programme.
“Be mindful of the fact that if you select people who are not poor, you are leaving the state with a high burden of poor people,” Ishaku said.
The governor’s wife urged the beneficiaries not to misuse the stipend but rather to invest it wisely to improve their living conditions.

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Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

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Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.

She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.

Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love  has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.

The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.

Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.

 

He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.

Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.

He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.

According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.

Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.

Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them

 

John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah

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We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

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Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.
Speaking through Director General of the Rivers  State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.
“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.
Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.
Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now  and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”
The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.
“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.
The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.
He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government  policy of gas utilization.
Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.
He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.
In her remarks, Chairperson of  the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.
Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.
Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized  need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.
By Kevin Nengia
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SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB),  Yemisi Edun,  said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.

Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.

 

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