The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Corps members barricade secretariat over pay

    Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) staged a protest over the inability of the council to pay their six months allowances owed them.

    The corps members, numbering about 60, barricaded the entrance of the council secretariat displaying placards on which were scripted “Pay us our six months allowances, we are hungry and starving.”

    Miss Edna Akpan, the leader of the corp members, explained to journalists that they had earlier written to the Kuje area council authorities demanding that their allowances be paid, but the issue was not given the desired attention.

    “We have not been paid for over six months and we do not have good mattresses at the Corpers Lodge; we are starving in this place. Other corps members that served in this area council were not owed.

    “It is surprising that we are witnessing such during our time. The reason why we embarked on this peaceful demonstration is to show our grievances over the matter,” she said.

    Reacting to the development, the Chairman of council, Mr. Shaban Tete, said that the council administration, together with the NYSC Coordinator, would hold a round table discussion to resolve the issue, that the inability to pay the corps members was due to the reduction in the councils’ allocation.

    He however said that the council would ensure that the corps members were paid their allowances.

    “The councilors have not been paid their imprest and some allowances for over eight months because we have a shortfall in our allocation.

    “Even in my office, we are entitled to some allowances but they are no longer available because we no longer get security vote in the area council,’’ the chairman said.

     

  • ‘FCT health system based on quality’

    The Secretary, Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS) has reaffirmed the commitment of the FCT Administration to continue providing qualitative health care services that is based on quality, equality and sustainability.

    Dr. Onakomaiya disclosed this when he received the Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development, Canadian High Commission (DFATD) who paid him a visit in his office.

    He said that FCT health sector witnessed a radical change even with ever decreasing budgetary allocation with the provision of additional infrastructure in all it’s hospitals, additional hospital equipment as well as expansion of services.

    According to a statement issued by Head, Public Relations Unit of HHSS, Badaru Yakasai, the Secretary added that the FCT health has also improved health indices with decrease in maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate, increase in immunization coverage and family planning and also massive reduction in polio outbreak.

    He further added that  the FCT Administration  has already awarded the building and equipping of three 60 bedded cottage hospitals in Gwagwalad, Karshi and shere with the aim of decongesting the city hospitals, and are all at various level of completion.

    In her speech, the leader of the delegation Emily Alexander said the Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development of the Canadian High Commission through the UNH4+ (United Nations Health 4) project has supported the FCT implementing activities through WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNAIDS and World Bank that are delivering maternal and child health program as one.

    She said the team came to conduct monitoring visit to facilities they support in the FCT and also monitor the activities of the maternal newborn and child health week which is presently on going in the territory.

    Dr. Andrew Mbere from World Health Organization said the World Health Organization indicated areas UNH4+ support FCT and other states which includes the review of policies that have bearing on health, development of training materials, distribution of commodities, public awareness of key household practices, capacity building and support of the maternal newborn and child health week.

    He added that the UNH4+ project is founded by the Canadian Government and is a catalytic fund to support stats with strategic planning and also look at the areas of human development challenges. In addition help with health financing and analysis.

  • ‘1,000 environmental offenders prosecuted ’

    ‘1,000 environmental offenders prosecuted ’

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has revealed that a total of 1,186 street traders and hawkers have been arrested.

    No fewer than 1,105 of them, Mohammed said, were prosecuted and convicted, 177 of them sentenced to various jail terms.

    He said 172 beggars and destitute persons alongside 48 minors were arrested by the FCT Administration between September and October.

    FCT Administration, the minister said, is committed to keeping the Abuja environment clean and healthy as it evacuates 57,609.2 tons of solid waste to designated disposal sites between the months of September and October 2014.

    Mohammed disclosed this in Abuja on an official visit.

    His words: “A total of 57,609.2 tons of solid waste was collected and disposed at the designated disposal sites between the months of September and October 2014”.

    He disclosed that the FCT Administration has established temporal dumpsite at Bwari to ease pressure on existing but, inaccessible dumpsites at Gossa and Ajata.

    According to a statement issued by the Asstant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule: “The implementation of the policy on self-serving of housing estates by respective owners/Resident Associations has commenced after three successful stakeholders meetings.”

    The Minister said that his Administration is more than ever determined to continuously keep the Abuja sanitary condition on the high pedestal, as that would proactively contribute to well being of the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

    Mohammed insisted that the sound health and the well being of the residents of the Territory couldn’t be compromised because it is of paramount importance to his Administration and the way of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He disclosed that the FCT Administration has put on ground an effective machinery to report any environmental nuisance, which is usually cleared within 72 hours of such reports.

    The Minister noted that vegetation control along Bill Clinton Drive, Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airoport, Exit/Entrance Highways and Ring Road 2(RR2) were recently addressed.

  • A sour carnival dinner

    The arena and settings to host the Abuja Carnival 2014 Command Performance and dinner at the State House, Abuja, last Wednesday, were promising to those who saw the elaborate preparations before the programme kicked off.

    The carnival, which involves the 36 states, the FCT and foreign countries, is packaged by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, headed by Edem Duke, while the FCT is to provide all necessary facilities and welfare for the state contingents.

    At the dinner, 74 round tables, with ten chairs surrounding each table, were well decorated for the occasion billed to hold for four hours from 6.30 pm to 10.30pm.

    Apart from the tables decorated with new green super print wrappers and assorted drinks and water on them, the white curtains on the wall surrounding the hall was intermittently decorated with the same green super print wrappers and orange-coloured version of the wrapper from the ceiling to the floor.

    Besides the drinks on the table, there were several drinks’ service points by the walls surrounding the hall. There were also eight service points for assorted local and continental dishes.

    Signs that the elaborate occasion may not be well attended started showing when the hall was barely half-filled by 7.30p.m.

    According to the programme for the occasion, guests were expected to be seated by 6.30p.m., special guests to arrive by 7.00p.m, while the National Anthem was supposed to be rendered when the President arrives by 8.00 p.m.

    Probably because of the poor turnout at the occasion or the hectic week for President Goodluck Jonathan who returned from London last week Sunday after attending Honorary International Investors Council (HIIC) meeting, went to Chad on Monday, was in Kebbi State on Tuesday, and went for screening at the PDP secretariat on Wednesday afternoon, the President’s podium and security details were withdrawn from the arena few minutes to 7p.m.

    Those who noticed the withdrawal of the podium and security details still kept hope alive that the event will be attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    But the hope was dashed when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, was ushered into the scanty hall as the President’s representative by 7.40p.m.

    To make the hall a bit presentable, guests who were scattered round the 74 tables, planned to seat 740 guests, were made to move to unoccupied seats between them and the special-guests’ high-table.

    After the scattered guests have been moved forward to sit together, the unoccupied tables in the hall were 35 in number, which would have sat 350 guests.

    Analysing of the guests seated in the hall also showed that almost half of them are foreigners.

    Interestingly, out of the over 30 ministers in the present cabinet, only three ministers were present at the event including Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, and Supervising Minister of Health, Khaliru Alhassan.

    The Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed and the Minister of State, Akinjide Olajumoke, who are the host for the carnival and whose pictures were in the event programme, also did not attend the function.

    The Director-General of an agency under the ministry, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, Sally Nbanefo, who came in around 8.40p.m after the event started for about one hour, stayed only for about ten minutes at the occasion.

    She completely stayed away from the high-table as she sat among the guests in the middle of the hall before leaving.

    The few dignitaries and guests at the occasion, no doubt, had a splendid time as there was food and drinks in abundance. Some of them helped themselves to double ration of the food. Some artistes and cultural dancers from Nigeria and outside the country also performed at the occasion.

    When the stewards noticed movement of some of the guests to the unoccupied tables, including ladies wearing dresses that expose their cleavage, breasts and barely cover their backside, to take away the can drinks in their bags, the stewards started removing all the drinks on the unoccupied tables.

    But there was more than enough to eat and drink in the hall.

    The poor turnout at the event could be partly attributed to the seemingly disarray in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which has been weighed down by fraudulent allegations and counter-allegations.

     

    Unending clashes of the titans

     There seems to be no end in sight for the frequent clashes between the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan.

    In the past, such clashes were underground and most times discarded as rumor and figment of the imagination of bad-wishers.

    To confuse Nigerians then, the two leaders were often seen together after such report of rift between them with the former President paying visit to Aso Rock or attending one official function or the other at the seat of power..

    Such was the situation until Obasanjo released a letter on the 2nd of December last year raising weighty allegations against Jonathan.

    Among the allegations was that Jonathan was training snipers and keeping over 1000 Nigerians on watch list towards the 2015 elections.

    Jonathan, through a statement issued on 22 of December last year by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, replied Obasanjo accusing his administration of carrying out many irregularities during his tenure.

    Jonathan then accused Obasanjo of granting questionable signature bonuses waivers, and lack of carrot and stick approach in the invasion of Odi.

    Jonathan then also declared that Obasanjo’s letter was a threat to National security as he ordered the probe of Obasanjo’s allegations.

    Almost a year after that clash, the result of the probe has not been made public as many Nigerians believed that the two leaders have finally reconciled. They have even been seen together several times since then.

    But surprising the hostilities between them came to the fore again with the former President raising fresh allegations against Jonathan twice in the past ten days.

    Obasanjo on Friday 21st November, 2014 during an encounter with book writers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, scored Jonathan’s administration low when asked of his view on Jonathan’s performance.

    Jonathan replied through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, claiming that Obasanjo’s comments were untrue, misleading and that his achievement is better than any administration since 1960.

    Obasanjo fired back on Wednesday 26th of November Obasanjo, insisting that the economy “is in the doldrums, if not in reverse”

    The earlier these issues are addressed and laid to rest the better for Nigerians as they are not only heating up the polity but increasing the apprehension of the citizens towards the 2015 elections.

     

  • Man remanded for defiling minor

    A Kuje Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has remanded a 24-year-old Mason, Mukailu Ajibe, for impregnating a 15-year-old student.

    Ajibe who resides at Anguwan Gade in Kuje is facing two-count charges for abduction and adultery.The presiding judge, Mr Azubike Okeagwu, remanded Ajibe after he pleaded guilty to the offence and adjourned hearing till Dec.12 for sentence.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Niyiom Ishaya, told the court that the report was lodged at the Kuje Police Station on Oct. 16, by one Mr. Ismaila Jezhi, who resides at Local Education Authority (L.E.A) in Kuje.

    Ishaya said that on the same date the complaint was filed, the complainant reported that his daughter was missing for a week did not know her whereabouts.

    When the complainants’ daughter returned home she said she was with Ajibe at Anguwan Gade Area.

    After several questioning it was discovered that she was pregnant and she said that Ajibe was responsible for her pregnancy.

    The prosecutor said that during police interrogation, Mukail admitted that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

    Ishaya also said the offence contravenes the provision of sections 272 and 387 of the penal code.

  • Waste on the bridges

    Waste on the bridges

    The pedestrian bridges are gradually becoming a source of mockery for the authorities and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Once, they were not there, and many residents were hit and killed or injured by motorists while dashing across the highway. Many cried foul, calling on the authorities to build bridges across the roads. Eventually, the bridges were contructed, and good ones at that, but what happened afterwards?

    Residents, it was discovered, still seemed to prefer making the dash to safely taking the bridge steps.

    Now, there is a new worry: not only are the bridges sparingly used, they are steadily becoming refuse dumpsites.

    Maintaining the structures seems to be a problem. Many now say that soon after the administration completes a bridge, it looks the other way, not caring what happens to it.

    The major streets and roads in the city centre actually look relatively clean until you climb some of the bridges.

    Most of them look like a place that refuse retires. It is not that the bridges are unusable as a result of heaps of waste. Sometimes they are swept, but the sweepers do not do a good job and are far from committed to their duties. It looks as if they come to work once or twice a month.

    For instance, a little tour on the Papei Bridge can be quite irritating for someone with a light stomach. The bridge is so dirty. Because of the rains, refuse seems to decompose much faster on the bridges and stick to its floor like a second skin and the fact that it is not always swept makes it so irritating. Many people rather run across the highway than take the irritating steps.

    The Second Gate/NNPC Junction Bridge in Kubwa is another untidy sight. Residents of Kubwa have become accustomed to the dirt especially since the bridge is the busiest overhead bridge in the whole of Kubwa but recently, a popular beggar on the bridge has taken it upon himself to sweep it daily.

    This beggar who is crippled and can only navigate on a small board with wheels, sweeps the whole bridge every morning before settling down to his usual spot to beg for alms. Residents mostly appreciate the gestures and can be seen giving him money as they walk past every morning.

    Even though he refused giving The Nation his name, he said, “I don’t like being in a dirty environment, since they are not ready to sweep it and this is where I stay, I decided to always sweep it every morning before settling for the days business.”

    Mrs Sarah, a resident of Kubwa and ardent user of the bridge said, “what he does is really impressive, I used to be really apprehensive about taking the bridge because I hate dirt, especially those that have been around for a while, in fact, sometimes back, someone excreted on the bridge, just next to the stairs, so that you see it and will have to avoid matching it as you climb the bridge.

    “You will not believe that thing stayed there and took weeks until it dried up and disappear on its own because no one bothered to sweep it away. I like that he is keeping the bridge clean and I often give him the little change i have when i walk by as a reward for his foresight and hardwork, especially knowing how difficult it must be for him being handicapped.”

    The Gwarimpa Bridge is another example of the dirtiest bridges. It is a known and popular alternative market on the Kubwa express and always busy with people buying and selling and pedestrians trying to cross to the other side of the road. The traders sweep refuse aside and recently this traders have devised a way of packing the refuse into sacks and hanging it on the rail, so it dangles at a slight platform on the bridge that could tilt dangerously and even fall onto oncoming vehicles.

    As it is typical with most Nigerians, the traders try to keep the position where they sell clean so you find them sweeping refuse from the part of the bridge that they are using and dumping it on the staircases as well, sometimes it can get so messy that passerby’s will have to carefully pick their ways through the refuse to avoid falling down.

    When asked, one of the traders explains, “This is where we sell our market and get money to eat so we try to keep it as clean as possible; the government does not always care about sweeping the bridge so everybody sweeps in front of his place and we dump it on the stairs and when they get ready and feel like sweeping it, they come and sweep it.”

    These days unfortunately most of the pedestrian users will observe that the bridge is no longer just a means of crossing the road but has turned into a market that can sometimes get annoying with the way buyers and sellers sometimes block the road without a care, this is common around the Banex, Nicon, Gwarimpa, Galadima and as far as the Dei-Dei junctions with people not only having to contend with the market at the Dei-Dei junction but the ever presents thugs and drugs users always hanging around.

    Another common scene on the Abuja bridges are the sites for beggars who can sometimes get pushy or aggressive with people who fail to give them money. It is even worst at the Maraba Bridge although technically Maraba is not in Abuja. Here, the female beggars who cluster on the steps cannot not only touch people in the process of begging but also grab.

    One might say that those bridges are a bit outside the city centre and might be expected to be neglected but even those in the centre like Banex and Nicon junctions for instance are not always kept clean, they are not left out in the mess even though it is not always as messy as those outside the city centre.

    The Nicon and Banex bridges are amongst the latest over head bridges recently constructed but to be honest, that of Banex for instance looks like it is a thousand years old mostly because even an amateur or architectural illiterate will know that it was done poorly, it honestly looks like the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) gave the job out to someone that was not in the mood of doing a good job.

    The most difficult bridge to climb in Abuja is the Banex bridge, it was steps are constructed in a way that as a person climbs, the person will have to bend is body slightly and probably hold unto the rail to keep from falling backwards. The floor of the bridge from day one after it was ready for use looked like a bridge that its floor was never plastered and when climbing the bridge and observant person will be able to detect holes and cracks when the bridge is actually less than 6 months old.

    So climbing the bridge is so tasking and stressful that most residents only take it because of the barricades constructed to avoid people running across the road and some stubborn residents still find a way to run across the road with all the barricades.

    Rhoda Daniel, a resident of Kubwa who spoke on the state of the Banex bridge said, “I honestly don’t know what they did on this bridge to claim that they have worked, if you check, you will probably realise that they will claim to have used so much money to construct this bridge that looks like it might crumble any day, sometimes it is so disgusting walking on this bridge.

    “they do not send their people to check on it and the beggar that sits on the stairs sometimes makes her daughter defecate down the stairs, not even inside the bush but you will see the child clearly defecating by the stairs where if someone is not watchful when trying to climb the bridge, he might match it.

    “If she knows that she can get severely punished for it, i am sure that the beggar will not allow her daughter do it but she does not care because it seems like no one else cares.”

    So the truth is that when residents curse and abuse pedestrians for not taking the bridges, this can be seen as a reason for the failure of most people preferring to run across the road even though this excuses or reasons may honestly not be enough for residents to risk their lives since the bridges are not places in which they are expected to sit and relax but dash across to their more important business.

    Authorities of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) could not be reached for comments on the state of the bridges as at when contacted and an SMS to them was not replied as well.

     

  • ‘Now, babies can be spared of HIV’

    ‘Now, babies can be spared of HIV’

    It is possible to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV in our lifetime, reports OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA

    It was as much for mother and child as it was for the entire humanity. The venue was the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. The event was organised to prevent the needless transmission of HIV to children. It was basically to show government’s commitment to the elimination of HIV from mother to child, and to tell Nigerians that effective interventions can be introduced to achieve that.

    It was termed the Presidential Launch of the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) Plan 2015 to 2016. The event featured a roll call of who is who. The President, Goodluck Jonathan was represented by the Vice President Mohammed Namadi.  Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Linus N. Awute, and Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), Dr Ado Muhammad, were all there.

    Representatives of traders, religious leaders and many organisations of people living with HIV/AIDS were part of history to end Mother to child transmission of HIV, which is characterised by infection of an infant with HIV during pregnancy, birth or when breastfeeding.

    According to World Health Organisation (WHO), up to 90 per cent of all infants and children with HIV are infected through vertical transmission. In the absence of any interventions to prevent the transmission, between 15 to 45 per cent of infants will be infected with the virus, and currently more than half of these infants who do not receive treatment die before their second birthday. Scaling up an effective elimination of mother to child transmission, or EMTCT, approach globally can reduce rates of transmission to less than five per cent annually, and avert more than one million new HIV infections among children by 2015, while at the same time improving overall maternal and family health.

    Taking this cue, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) worked out a two-year plan on how Nigeria can achieve the eMTCT goal.

    According to the Director General NACA, Prof John Idoko, global focus has shifted from the prevention of mother to child transmission, to elimination. Activities are now centered on eliminating all new infections of HIV transmitted from mother to child by 2015. ‘To achieve this objective, eMTCT activities focus on specifically strengthening activities to prevent HIV infection among women and their partners, and to expand efforts to reach men and to reduce the stigma of the disease in both rural and urban communities. It is also important to ensure access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatments for every HIV-infected woman and her partner. EMTCT activities will also strengthen linkages that support safer motherhood and reduction of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV/AIDS. Finally, EMTCT activities will continue to test ways to expand antenatal and post-natal care services, referrals and ways to maximize each contact with clients, and expand capacity-building efforts to enhance the quality of service delivery,” he explained.

    The President said his government took active interest in the eMTCT because it desired that no Nigerian child should be born with HIV nor live with HIV acquired from its mother, for the 2010 National Sentinel Survey for pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nigeria recorded a HIV prevalence of 4.1 per cent, while the population survey carried out in 2012 observed an HIV prevalence of 3.4 per cent. “Nigeria records an estimated six million births annually and out of this number, a huge percentage of deliveries are outside health facility settings. The unfortunate implication of this is the high birth of HIV positive babies in Nigeria, which according to the United Nations, accounts for over 25 percent of the global burden of HIV positive births. Without treatment, 20 per cent of these children will die before their first birthday and 80 per cent will not live to see their fifth birthday.

    “This is unacceptable to the government of Nigeria which recognises that the lives of all mothers and their babies can be saved through a combination of HIV testing and counseling; access to effective antiretroviral prophylaxis and treatment; safer delivery practices; family planning; and safe breast feeding practices,” stated the President.

    Recalling previous efforts, the President who spoke through his vice said: “In June 2011, the Government of Nigeria with other world leaders launched the ‘Global Plan towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping Their Mothers Alive.’ This plan aims to reduce the number of new infections among children by 90 per cent and to reduce AIDS-related maternal deaths by 50 percent. Following this and other resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Government of Nigeria hosted the Abuja+12 Special Summit of African Union Heads of States and Government on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which resolved to implement a Post-2015 strategy to accelerate the eradication of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa by 2030.

    “As part of the overall commitment of the Government of Nigeria to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, I launched the President’s Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS and Other Related Infections (PCRP) in 2013. The Government of Nigeria has since recognised that the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) is intricately linked with and directly contributes to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals that have to do with gender equality, reduction of child mortality, improvements of maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS.”

    He said since 2011, the Nigerian Government through the collaborative and supportive efforts of her International Partners has achieved significant progress towards the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV.

    President Jonathan said the number of HIV counseling and testing sites increased from 1,357 in 2011 to 7,075 in 2013. During the last three years a cumulative total of 8,202,124 people have been tested for HIV and know their status. The number of PMTCT sites increased from 959 in 2011 to 5,622 in 2013, while the number of pregnant women counseled and tested for HIV and received their results increased from 900, 000 in 2010 to 1.7 million in 2013. The PMTCT program coverage increased to 30 percent in 2013 resulting in a 20 per cent decline in new HIV infections among children. “In addition to these, the Federal Government through the Subsidy Re-investment Program (SURE-P) and other programmes has initiated health systems strengthening projects that are critical to achieving the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in various communities.

    Despite the genuine and commendable progress made in combating HIV/AIDS, Nigeria is faced with several gaps because of her huge population. There are huge coverage and access gaps in Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV.

    Only about 61 per cent of pregnant women attended antenatal care in 2013 and only 36 per cent delivered in health facilities. Government is aware that support from international partners has flattened in the last three years and government has been informed by some International Partners of a gradual withdraw of funding support for some aspects of HIV services in the country.

    The President said in response to these challenges, the will continue to provide the needed level of commitment to ensure progress in combating HIV. “To this end, the Government of Nigeria is committed to the implementation of the plan to eliminate of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV by 2016. The Government wishes to inform Nigerians that it has begun the release of fund for the implementation of the Presidents Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS (PCRP).  Government recognises that a huge amount of resources would be required to effectively combat the HIV epidemic which poses significant threats to the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20/20/20. I therefore call on Government at all levels, the Private sector and civil society organisations to support Government in sustaining a robust response to HIV in Nigeria.”

    He used the opportunity to profoundly thank International Partners who have stood by the country all these years and continue to be a formidable ally in the quest to eliminate Mother to Child Transmission of HIV.

    “The Government of Nigeria is particularly grateful to the United States Government PEPFAR program, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, the Global Fund, the European Union, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United Nations System to mention a few. I appeal to our International Partners to be patient with the Government of Nigeria as it strives to provide more resources to the many challenges confronting the nation. No Nigerian child should be born with HIV. Together we shall end the AIDS epidemic among children,” stated the President.

    Giving further insight into the reasons for government’s commitment to eMTCT, Senator Anyim said: “HIV in Africa is deepening its hold on our vulnerable population. The effect of HIV on women, young people and babies born HIV positive has turned up unacceptable figures especially in sub-Saharan Africa. It is indeed clear that the fight against HIV would hasten the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and sustainable development.  One of the most devastating consequences of the HIV epidemic is the Transmission of HIV from Mother to Child (MTCT). This route of transmission accounts for a significant percentage of the HIV burden globally. The potential impact of Mother to Child Transmission on the achievement of the MDGs is becoming increasingly clearer. HIV has been recognised as a major contributor to the persistently high Maternal Mortality in Nigeria.”

    Senator Pius said: “Nigeria contributes about 25 percent of the global burden of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. The elimination of Mother to Child Transmission is therefore a priority health issue in Nigeria. Some of the challenges being addressed are access to quality and comprehensive Reproductive Health services and low uptake of antenatal services especially in rural areas. This has become very important due to the fact that a 61 percent of women access antenatal care but majority of these women deliver outside medical supervision or by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). There are still gaps in integrating Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services into existing reproductive health programs at various service delivery points. All these have necessitated the need to accelerate the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission in Nigeria, hence, the launch of the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV Plan 2015-2016.”

    He reassured that the government is fully committed to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals as part of the overall Transformation Agenda. “The robust management of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which received commendation from the International Community is a further demonstration of Mr. President’s commitment to the wellbeing of Nigerians. The President’s Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS (PCRP) which was launched by Mr. President in 2013 is currently being implemented. I assure you all that the Government of Nigeria will fully support the implementation of the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) Plan 2015 to 2016,” said Senator Anyim.

    There and then, the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) Plan 2015 to 2016 was launched..

  • ‘Goodluck Nigeria’ book hits the rocks

    Who approved the printing of a book hidden under a green paperback with the words ‘Goodluck Nigeria’ circulated during the Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) programme at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja last Monday?

    The author of the white and yellow book was probably hoping to cash in on President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration to run for a second term in the 2015 election.

    However, the writer of the strange book, who is one of the past winners of You-Win programme, was also the writer of the original copy of the green coloured ‘Goodluck Nigeria’.

    Was the strange book brought to the State House with anticipatory approval or meant to ambush the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala?

    These were some of the issues raised just before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Jonathan on Wednesday.

    Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s strict and no-nonsence stance was clear  before the FEC meeting as she was visibly angry over the circulation of the strange book.

    From her discussion with some top government officials, it was clear that the circulation of the book, which she saw just before the You-Win function last Monday, did not follow due process.

    The Minister did not only bare her mind on the ‘strange’ book, but ordered the stoppage of its circulation in the Council Chamber.

    She noted that the circulation of  the book was not the first time such a fraud was carried out in her name.

    She said: “A lot of atrocities are being committed in my name. CME this, CME that. I don’t know anything about this book.”

    Ordering the aides to stop its distribution to cabinet members, she said: “Please withdraw it.”

  • Karu General Hospital takes off

    Despite has come the way of residents of Karu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs as the much-awaited Karu General Hospital has taken off.

    The development will save people seeking health care the stress of having to travel to places like Nyanya, Asokoro, Maitama and Wuse to access services.

    The Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya made this known when he paid a visit to the hospital.

    Onakomaiya said that the hospital took off on October 2, 2014 with the commencement of clinical services at the Behavioural Medicine Unit.

    He noted that the development marked the commencement of services to patients with psychological and behavioural challenges and to date, a total of 69 patients have been diagnosed and treated.

    The Secretary added that the era of referring patients with psychological and behavioural challenges to Kaduna Psychiatric Hospital was over as the Karu Specialist Hospital has both human and material resources to diagnose and treat different forms of psychological and behavioral challenges.

    According to a statement issued by Head, Public Relation Unit, HHSS, Badaru Yakasai, Onakomaiya said the Hospital has a dedicated building for behavioral medicine and is the only one of its kind in the whole of the Middle Belt of Nigeria.

    He added that the Behavioral Medicine Unit of the Hospital is equipped with the state of the art equipment including Electro Encephalon Grain (EEG) Machine, Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) Machine and Laboratory Equipment in addition to good satellite Pharmacy that is stocked with specialized drugs and has a number of specialists including four Consultants, one Senior Registrar, senior Medical Officers and other support staff.

    Onakomaiya further added that behavioral services in FCT Administration’s hospitals have now been centralised as the Units formerly rendering such services in Asokoro, Kubwa and Wuse Hospitals have been closed down, except that Wuse still provides out-patient clinics two days in a week.

    This, according to him, will create more room for other services in those sister hospitals.

    The Secretary assured residents of the FCT that the FCT Administration under the leadership of Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed will do everything possible to ensure that other Departments of the Hospital commence Clinical services soon.

     

  • Minister to resolve resettlement issues

    Minister to resolve resettlement issues

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration is set to resolve issues arising from resettlement of villages, one of which is encroachment on the right-of-way in the f ace of road construction.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, disclosed this, saying that his administration is committed to resolving such encroachment on the Right of Way that impedes on-going roads construction in such districts.

    According to a statement issued by the Asst. Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule, the development, the Minister said would enable the contractors handling the provision of infrastructure complete their jobs.

    He reiterated that all the stakeholders would be carried along in the process to ensure that all parties are satisfied and given a sense of belonging in line with the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    According to him, the affected districts include Guzape I and II Districts (that is, Guzape and Kuruduma villages); Idu District (Paipe village) as well as Karmo District (Karmo village).

    Mohammed stated that other affected districts include the Abuja Technology Village (Aleita, Pyakassa and Chika villages); Kagini district (Kagini, Kaba, Guida and Saburi Vilages); Jahi district (Jahi I & II, Kado Kuchia) and relocation of tipper garages.

    He revealed that at the Mbora district, the issue would also be addressed at EFAB Estate and Tzango village; while at the Maitama Extension District, the issue of Barack fence would also be resolved.

    The Minister said that the government recently achieved the reconstruction of the failed portion of old Karmo road, which is aimed at alleviating the sufferings of residents, particularly motorists along that route.

    He announced that his Administration has completed the outstanding engineering infrastructure to Gudu District Phase II, final design of Interceptor Sewer Schedule V, final engineering design of bridges for Dakwa District as well as final engineering design for Arterial Road S30, Collectors A and B and other Access Road to Phase II of Federal Capital City, Abuja.

    His words: “The FCT Administration in tune with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan has completed the Subsoil and Geophysical Investigation of Daki-Biyu, Jahi, Duboyi Districts in the Phase II of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.