The Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI), the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Benin-City Edo State has been rated as the best performing centre in Nigeria.
The feat followed CERHI’s achievement of the World Bank’s Disbursement Linked Indicators at the ongoing West African conference in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
The Centre Leader of CERHI, Prof. Friday Okonofua, who is currently attending the conference, made this known yesterday in an online statement.
Okonofua hailed UNIBEN’s “transformational and dynamic” Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, on her commitment and support, which he said had translated to immense growth and development of the centre.
CERHI’s leader also commended the hardworking staff and associates of the centre for their dedication.
Since its inception in 2014, CERHI, UNIBEN, has been making an impact in the health sector in the country, including contributing manpower and state-of-the-art equipment to efforts to check the COVID-19 pandemic.
The programmes being offered by CERHI include M.Sc. and PhD in Reproductive Health; MPH and PhD in Public Health, with specialisation in Reproductive and Family Health; M.Sc. and PhD in Nursing Sciences; M.Sc. and PhD in Health Economics; M.Sc. and PhD in Maternal and Child Health Nursing, and other short courses.
Also, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State during the September 19, 2020 polls, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has urged Nigerians to register as voters, thereby owning valid Permanent Voter’s cards (PVCs), and be ready to vote for good, tested and credible candidates during next year’s general elections.
He also stated that politics in Nigeria was seen to be dirty, largely because many good people had allowed the bad people to be in it and dominate it.
Ize-Iyamu, a former Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), stated this yesterday in Benin-City, the state capital, in an interactive session with reporters, to mark his 60th birthday.
He said: “It is time that we take the bull by the horns and be active in politics, to reverse the system. As the Bible puts it, when the righteous person rules, the people are happy and rejoice.
“When you have bad people in politics, the system will be bad. It is true that in Nigeria, politics is seen to be very dirty. It is so because we have allowed the wrong people to be in it. Because good and decent people do not participate in politics, that is why we are facing what we are facing in the country.
“The truth is that for a long time, there have been quite some wrong teachings among us Christians. In the past, there was the wrong teaching about poverty that rich men would not make heaven, only poor people would do. So, a lot of Christians would shun good jobs, to make heaven.
They later realised that there was no scriptural basis at all for such belief.
“When Jesus talked about how hard it would be for a rich man to make heaven, he was just referring to those who carried riches above the things of God, not that rich men would not make heaven. Rich men would make heaven if they use their wealth in a manner that would please God. In fact, your riches could actually guarantee you heaven, if well used.”
The Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) also stated that in a democracy, good leaders would always emerge through participation in politics, while stressing that politics and the actions of the leaders would definitely affect the daily lives of other Nigerians.
He said: “I ventured into politics because I am concerned about the situation of our state (Edo) and the condition of our people. No matter the much you do as an individual, you can only scratch the surface. The only institution that has the capacity to contribute meaningfully to the welfare of many people in the government. Government is the custodian of our commonwealth.
“So, anybody with a passion for good governance and empowerment of the people, like me, must be in government.”
The former standard-bearer of the APC also urged his teeming supporters and other Edo residents to keep hope alive, ahead of the 2024 governorship election in the state, in order to truly benefit from the real dividends of democracy.