Abuja

In an effort to reduce maternal mortality in the country, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has provided “mama kits’ for pregnant woman to encourage ante-natal attendance.

Mama kits contain hospital requirements for expectant mothers.

The Executive Director of the agency, Dr Ado Mohammed, said this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

“That also encourages them. The kits has the normal materials that a woman brings when she is coming to deliver.”

Mohammed said facilities that used to witness three birth per month now record 40 births per month while in some facilities about 100 attend ante-natal care in a month.

He said the development had renewed confidence in the health system.

Mohammed added that a lot had been achieved as more women now attend ante natal care and also demanded for services in terms of skilled attendant.

According to the director, the remarkable achievement is that 1,000 facilities have midwives running 24-hour service.

Adamawa

Alhaji Musa Dantakarda, a PDP stalwart in Mubi, Adamawa, on Sunday called on opposition parties to support the new Murtala Nyako administration to enable it transform the state.

Reacting to Nyako’s victory at the Feb.4, governorship election, Dantakarda said that would also enable the governor continue with the sound programmes initiated in the last four years.

Dantakarda, who was the Chairman of the Nyako campaign organisation, said in Mubi that such cooperation would assist in building a new Adamawa.

“The parties and their candidates should support the PDP administration to work for the progress of our people.

“Adamawa should be our first priority and we must work together as one for the common good of the state,” Dantakarda said.

According to him, the PDP’s victory at the polls has shown the confidence the electorate reposed in its ability to transform the socio-economic condition of the state.

Borno

Women came out in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice in Saturday’s by-election in Konduga constituency of Borno House of Assembly.

Our correspondent reports that the women, mainly housewives, began trooping to polling units as early as 7.30 a.m., outnumbering the men.

Some women, interviewed by our correspondent, attributed the women’s large turnout to the economic situation in the country.

“We came out because we are tired of being left behind. We want to effect a change by ourselves.

“We want to make sure that we elect a candidate that we can trust and who can make life better for us,” Mrs Yagunsu Umar, a voter, said.

Umar said she was mobilised by a women group that went from house to houses to sensitise women on the need to excercise their franchise.

FCT

The Secretary of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Health and Human Services Secretariat, in Abuja Dr Ademola Onakomaiya has on Sunday warned the public against patronising fake medical personnel in some hospitals in the territory.

He told newsmen while parading a suspected fake medical personnel at the secretariat in Abuja on Sunday that most people posing as medical personnel were fake, especially in private hospitals.

The secretary said the secretariat was, through the Private Health Establishment Registration and Monitoring Committee, monitoring and regulating the activities of private health care providers in the FCT.

He said it was in the course of duty that the secretarial staff discovered an unqualified medical care provider in a private hospital in Kubwa.

“The 45-year-old man who was parading himself as an optometrist in a hospital was apprehended by our monitoring team.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government spent N9.2 million on the purchase of forms for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, organised by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, a statement said in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

The statement, issued by Alhaji Abubakar Mua’zu, the Press Secretary to the Governor, said the 2000 forms would be distributed free to encourage good performance among students in public examinations.

It said the forms would be issued to qualified students in six education centers, who possessed a minimum of five credits in the Senior School Certificate Examinations.

The statement, said the gesture was in line with the policy of the state government to encourage students to acquire tertiary education.

Kaduna

Sen. Mohammed Sani-Sale said on Sunday that the just concluded by-election into the House of Representatives in Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State was marked with intimidation.

He told Journalists in Zaria that the by-election was not conducted freely and fairly considering the illegality surrounding it.

Sani-Sale, an ex-army general, who represents Kaduna Central on the platform of CPC said, “I want to press my utmost disappointment over what happened during the by-election. I thought we are matured enough to conduct ourselves well, what I saw we had not learnt any lesson from the past.

“The mass disorderliness among the electorate and the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fully prepare for the election has shown that we still have a long way to go. I therefore call for outright cancelation of the election,” he added.

Kogi

Kogi State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has honoured six journalists and two corporate organisations with awards for excellent performance.

Our correspondent reports that the awards were given in Lokoja on Saturday during the maiden edition of the state NUJ end of year/New Year get together ceremony to take stock of the previous year and plan for the New Year.

The awardees are Mr Timothy Yusuf of NTA, Mr Abel Ada-Musa and Mr James Oyewole, both of Graphic newspaper and Alhaji Yekini Jimoh of the Tribune newspaper.

Others are Mr Mike Abu of the Post newspaper, a Lokoja-based fortnight tabloid, and the state correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Kola Adeyemi.

Kogi Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kogi FM 94) and FRCN Prime FM 101.5, Lokoja, received the corporate award.

Speaking at the ceremony, chairman of the council, Malam Ali Atabor, said the union decided to honour the journalists as a way of celebrating and recognising excellence as well as good conduct and character of members.

Lagos

An actor, Nobert Young, says the lack of professionalism is the bane of the motion picture industry in Nigeria.

Young also identified tribalism, favouratism and mediocrity, among others, as factors militating the growth of the industry.

He made the observation in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, saying, “an otherwise very big industry, very big money-making industry, but people because of their mediocrity will not let it grow.

“If the professionals are handling this industry do you know how much we are talking about here, billions of naira?”

He decried the absence of control in the industry, saying “everybody comes in to do what he likes.

“You can’t tell a man that he doesn’t have talent because whatever he produces, there is always a market for it.

“He may not hit the target but he will make some money from whatever he produces. So, it is up to the viewing public to choose what to buy.”

Young suggested that the personnel involved in creating story lines, scripts, acting and directing of films be trained and retrained in order to get the desired change in the industry.

Ogun

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, has called for collaboration with religious bodies and well-meaning organisations to tackle youth restiveness and juvenile delinquencies.

Orelope-Adefulire made the call at the 2012 Hope Day of the Habitation of Hope, a care ministry founded by Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, the wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

“Government alone cannot fight the scourge,’’ Orelope-Adefulire said.

She said that governments, at all levels, were committed to taking disadvantaged children off the streets and providing them with an enabling environment to develop their talents.

“Our people look up to their spiritual heads for guidance and direction, and it is only appropriate to also put in place other measures beyond preaching the gospel or ministering, through which lives can be changed and more souls can be saved,’’ she stated.

Taraba

The police in Jalingo have intercepted a vehicle allegedly conveying a consignment of arms and ammunition between Zakibiam in Benue and Wukari in Taraba State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ibiang Mbasieke, told newsmen that the vehicle, a Toyota Carina E with Registration No. AA775ABE, was intercepted at a stop and search check-point near Wukari on Friday.

He said nine single-barreled guns, two locally made revolver pistols and one long range gun as well as several rounds of ammunition and cartridges were found in the car.

Mbasieke explained that the driver and one other occupant were arrested by the police, while investigations continue in the matter.