The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Jang lifts patients on birthday

    Jang lifts patients on birthday

    It was a day of joy and sober reflection when Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang went to the hospital to celebrate his birthday with the patients. It was a day that coincided with World Kidney Day. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU and EMMANUEL KWAPYEL captured the atmosphere and reports

    The 2014 edition of World Kidney Day fell on March 13, 2014, the same day Plateau State Governor Jonah David Jang clocked 70. The governor used the day to lift up the spirits of the less privileged in the state.

    Jang, since his assumption of office on May 29, 2007, has never celebrated his birthday. No one in the state expected he will do so on his 70th anniversary after seven years in office, with just a year to leave office.

    He took his political associates, friends, relations and citizens of the state by surprise when he began to send cards out notifying them of his birthday programme.

    It was hard to believe Jang had friends and well-wishers to invite for his birthday. A lot of people across the country and in Plateau state in particular thought that he was too hard and strict to keep friends.

    But the high and mighty were there. The most memorable aspects of the one-week party was Jang’s decision to start programme with the poor, the sick and the aged in the society. And he got more than enough of such people to celebrate with. He dedicated a whole day to them. The hospital was the aprty scene.

    A week to the day, Governors Jang went into partnership with one of the private hospitals in Jos, Dee Medical Centre to register citizens of the state for free medical services. The state media launched a campaign calling on anyone in the state who has one ailment or the other to come for free treatment at the hospital. The public invitation was also open to everyone for free medical check-up.

    The response was unprecedented. The old, young, women, children, school children, among others,  trooped to the hospital. It was difficult to manage the crowd. So, before the date, thousands of the citizens had enrolled for the free medical services.

    Dee Medical Centre, a private hospital owned by the Da Bulus Dareng family, specialises in renal (kidney) ailments. It is located in Bukuru, near Jos. The hospital is believed to be the largest private dialysis centre in Africa.

    The hospital management also used that day to enlighten healthy individuals to donate blood for the benefit of ailing people who need blood but cannot afford it.

    An emergency centre was created to collect safe blood from willing donors, and hundreds of donors volunteered and the empty blood bank of the hospital and that of Plateau State Specialists Hospital were stocked.

    On his arrival at the hospital, the crowd went agog shouting “Sai Baba, Sai Baba! It was as if he came to launch a political campaign for a third term. But while the crowd were jubilating and singing birthday songs for him, Jang looked a  little bit downcast. As he went round the canopies to see the patients assembled, he merely responded with a wave of the hand. Then, he began to speak.

    “I’m supposed to be celebrating today being my birthday, but the population of people I am seeing scrambling for medical services has made me too weak to jubilate. I am really touched, I never knew there are so much people who could not afford medical services. I know there is high level of poverty every where in the country, but I never thought I could be this poor.

    “This medical programme is not all about my 70th birthday; it is about World Kidney Day which comes every year. But the question is, as it comes and goes annually, what do patients stand to gain each year? I am proud a private individual could establish a medical centre like this, fully equipped with dialysis facilities. The centre was described by Gen.T Y Danjuma (rtd) as the largest privately owned medical centre in the whole of Africa when he came to commission it last year. Plateau State and the Middle Belt are proud of this private investment in the health sector.

    “I will rather use a day like this to plead with people of Nigeria who are in privileged positions of authority to remember the poor in our society. There are so many wealthy people in this country who do not know there is poverty anymore. There are so many privileged Nigerians who prefer to stock their wealth in foreign accounts rather than investing in areas that benefit the poor masses. I consider those Nigerians who took Nigerian money and hid it in foreign banks as people with mental problems. If not, the country is looking for money to develop its social infrastructure and somebody will pack billions of Naira and take it to countries that are already developed to keep for them; it is a senseless idea, and I think those who do that must be mad.

    “I belief the world is becoming a global village, if you steal money and hide it abroad, it will be discovered. If all Nigerians that stock their money in foreign accounts will bring half of it home and invest it here, this country will become a developed nation in less than 10 years.

    “God deliberately gave people positions and wealth so as to serve God’s people on earth, but some people, rather than serve people of God, they took all the monies away and stocked them in foreign accounts, and hide it from the people you are meant to serve with your wealth. So I am using this opportunity to beg Nigerians that we should love our nation and love our people.

    Jang spoke further, saying, “You all know the issue of health of citizens is one of the 10-point agenda of my administration right from the beginning. That was why I made it as a policy to renovate and expand at least five hospitals in each of the three senatorial zones, apart from the referral hospital in each of the zones. Now that we have local government chairmen in place, I have directed that each local government should construct a clinic in each polling ward in that local government. There should be no local government headquarters without a general hospital. I will also do more to encourage private investors in the health sector for the well-being of our people.

    “I want to encourage everyone of us gathered to treat one health problem or the other to have faith in God, sickness is never a portion of children of God, it is the devil that is trying our faith with God, so we should remain committed to God in spite of our individual health challenges. God is aware of your condition. And particularly the kidney patients, the cost of treating renal patients is huge, I will not stop at assisting the patients on my birthday, I will discuss with my commissioner of health so as to come up with a program that will subsidies the cost of dialysis of these patients.

    “I am looking forward to seeing more private individual invest in public service sector, so that they can use parts of what God has blessed them with to benefit the less privilege in our society, that will go a long way in complementing government efforts in service delivery

  • Jonathan, Chibok girls and the world

    The abduction of over 200 secondary schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State is exactly four weeks today and the indescribable hardship, sufferings and psychological trauma the parents and relatives are undergoing cannot quite be imagined by those not affected.

    The situation has led to many Nigerians taking to the streets in many states to protest the abduction.

    Worried by the situation, the chief of the Chibok community in Abuja, Hosea Sambido, said the uncertainty had made mothers in his home town lose appetite and had forced fathers into the bush in desperate search for their daughters.

    Some Nigerians have pushed for negotiation with the insurgents towards securing the girls’ release, while some security experts have warned the government to be very tactful in handling the issue in order not to anger the terrorists to harm the school girls.

    It is believed that the insurgents may not only use the girls as shield but demand the girls’ exchange for some members of the insurgents being held by the government.

    Even as the security agencies believe they were doing their best in the circumstances, many Nigerians believe more can still be done to urgently rescue the girls alive.

    To investigate the issues, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, governors’ wives and other stakeholders had summoned some key actors in the Chibok abduction saga to the Presidential Villa. The meeting, at the end, doubted whether any schoolgirl was abducted and declared that the issue was being politicised.

    This did not go down well with the Northeast Forum for Unity and Development, led by its Chairman Board of Trustees and former Finance

    Minister, Adamu Ciroma. He had to pay a visit to President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday last week to accuse the President’s wife and some highly-placed government officials of treating the issue with disdain insensitivity.

    He said during the closed-door meeting: “The abduction of the over 230 Chibok school girls and the way this dastardly appalling act is being handled with callousness and disdain by some highly-placed officials of the Federal Government, the ruling party and even the wife of the President, is a matter of surprise and worry to the generality of Nigerians.

    “One begins to wonder how this real tragedy has been perceived with high degree of official doubt and ambivalence that it is taking the Federal Government over three weeks to set up a committee to authenticate this.”

    He stressed that the insurgency is not about religion, ethnicity or politics, but an extension of international terrorism on Nigeria.

    To tackle the insurgency among other security challenges in the country, the group made nine recommendations to the government. These, they said would include “Government re-examining its capacity to tackle this tricky and deteriorating security situation by recognising it correctly for what it is, discarding the idea of renewing the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states and to put in place more efficient and stringent security measures, effective intelligence gathering and analysis, and the introduction of high-technologies in nipping the crisis in the bud.

    “Meanwhile, the reports of the following should now be seriously studied and implemented as soon as possible: The Gaji Galtamari Committee; the Sheik Ahmed Lemu Committee; and the Alhaji Kabir Turaki Dialogue and Reconciliation Committee, ensuring robust community relations and participation in the security, rescue and rehabilitation operations in the area.

    “Government should ensure that the abducted Chibok school girls are quickly and safely rescued, rehabilitated and re-united with their families within a pre-determined timeframe.

    In order to raise the confidence and morale of the citizens, the President should lead a high-powered delegation of his Cabinet and security operatives and visit Chibok/Izge, Buni Yadi, Bama and Gamboru Ngala as soon as possible in the manner that he visited Nyanya.

    He should make strong positive statements there with regard to the rescue operations and government’s plans for rehabilitation/compensation and re-integration.

    “Government should genuinely investigate all cases of human rights abuses, extra-judicial killings, tortures, slippages/escapes from detention, and so on and bring the culprits to justice.

    The Federal Government should consider and assist the state governments strongly in the immediate rehabilitation and securing of the affected schools,

    colleges and critical infrastructure in the area, so that our children will safely and confidently go back to school.

    “The state governments in the sub-region, particularly the three states under emergency to be offered some respectable and reasonable monetary compensation to offset their expenditure on security operations which is primarily a Federal Preserve.

    “While acknowledging the constitution and the reconvening of government’s

    Dialogue Committee, we urge the government and the committee to seek and utilise various civic and civil ways to achieve comprehensive solution to the insurgency.”

    Apart from the security agencies’ efforts in the past three weeks to rescue the girls, the government, on Tuesday last week, also inaugurated a Presidential Committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the girls.

    Many Nigerians, on Tuesday last week, welcomed the news that President Jonathan had accepted the offer of the US President, Barrack Obama, to assist the Nigerian troops with security personnel and assets in their efforts to rescue the Chibok girls.

    Other countries and international organisations including China, Britain, France, United Nations; Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have also pledged their support towards rescuing the abducted girls.

    With the rising global supports, the affected families, and indeed, all well-meaning Nigerians, are anxiously waiting for the news that the abducted Chibok girls have been rescued and re-united with their families.

  • Community honours Yobe APC chair

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State has elected ward, local government and state officials, and Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Political and Legislative Affairs is the state chairman of the party.

    The state congress was held under a peaceful atmosphere at the Cultural Centre along Maiduguri Road in Damaturu. Thirty-four other elective positions were also filled at the event.

    A former governor of the state Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim who moved the motion for the adoption of all the candidates informed the gathering that all the stakeholders were involved in the consensus process. He describe the motion as a “big responsibility with few words of expression”. His motion was seconded by the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Adamu Dala Dogo and wild acceptance from the delegates.

    In his remarks, Gaidam expressed happiness over the maturity of the stakeholders in Yobe, describing them as “law-abiding”.

    “All our previous congresses have been done on consensus without any problem. I am confident that this will not be an exception. We have always achieved our consensus in Yobe because all of us are law-abiding and loyal party members. I am happy with this internal democracy that our dear state is always imbibed.

    “I want to put on record that all these would have been achieved without the involved and wide consultation of all the stakeholders involved. I call on all to give out new leaders the desired cooperation to succeed so that together we can push out PDP out of Aso Rock Villa.

    The returning officer of the APC Usman IYA Abbass praised the consensus initiative of the state stressing that his work in the state became easier with the consensus, describing it as a model for the country.

    After his was unanimously elected as the new chairman of the APC in the state, Dogo’s his community comprising of Gujba/Gulani gathered in Damaturu, the state capital to honour one of their own for attaining such an exalted position in the hierarchy of the state.

    Though such honours are expectedly done on home soil, however the volatility of Gujba/Gulani Local Government areas at the moment due to Boko Haram attacks forced the people to move to Damaturu to honor their son,  Alhaji Mai Mala Buni.

    Speaking at the occasion Mr. Ahmed Mustapha Goniri who is also the Commissioner of Justice in the state, noted that it was such a day of joy for the community for one of their own to be elected in such an exalted position in the party in the state.

    While extolling the sterling leadership qualities of the Yobe APC chairman, Barr. Ahmed took time out to commend Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam for the peaceful conduct of the election which brough Mai Mala Buni to the position.

    In his views, the Director General of Yobe Islamic Centre Dr. Zaji Bunu called on the new chairman of use his position to make more enemies than friends, stressing that leadership comes from Allah and the same Allah can strip one off from it.

    Dr. Zaji Bunu also admonished the the chairman not to forget the trust of the people that elected him into the office, while calling on him to imbibe an all inclusive government and consult widely before taking any major decision so as to avoid mistakes.

  • A community in need of bridge

    A community in need of bridge

    Of all their needs, a bridge appears to be the most urgent. So much depends on it, but it is in bad shape.

    Karatudu and Ungwan Romi are two fast-growing settlements located side by side in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The two communities are on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis. Karatudu is behind the Federal Housing Estate along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway. The community lacks basic amenities such as access roads, schools and even a police post. As the rains begin to set in, the worries of the community mount. They will have to raise money for their children’s school, and for them to do that, they must go to the market.

    The road to the market sinks the heart. Why? The Karatudu Bridge, which is yet to be completed almost two years after a fresh contract was awarded. Work on the project has stopped because, according to officials of Tiger Cat, the firm handling the project, there is no money to go ahead with it. The people are also concern because according to some of them, the contractors have started trimming their staff because of lack of money.

    Contract for the construction of the bridge and access road linking the Federal Housing, Karatudu and Ungwan Romi was awarded in November 2012 by the Kaduna State government with a 25 percent mobilisation fee paid by the government.

    Before the award of the contract, residents of Karatudu had suffered untold hardship especially during the raining season as they had to made do with a make shift structure which served them as a bridge and was often washed away whenever there is a heavy rain fall. Then came the Chikun local government who awarded contract for the construction of a bridge across the Romi river to serve the communities.

    After erecting two pillars, the contractors abandoned the project allegedly for lack of money. But residents of the area accused the contractors of sharing the money meant for the project with politicians and cried out to the late governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa for help.

    Their cry yeilded result in 2012 when the government awarded the contract for the bridge. Sarkin Karatudu (Village Head), Daniel Karatudu told The Nation that the community is unhappy that the bridge has not been completed and appeal to the government to do everything possible to ensure that it is completed before the rains sets in fully.

    he said the community was very happy when the contract was awarded because they felt that at last, government has remembered them.

    “When the contract was awarded by the Yakowa administration, we heaved a sigh of relief. You can see that Ungwan Romi where our children attend school is only a stone’s throw from here. But during the rainy season, our children spend close to N300 daily to attend school because they have to travel through the Federal Housing to Gonin Gora before going to school. As you can see, going through these places is like taking us back and that journey takes nothing less than twenty minutes. But with the bridge, that will only take us less than five minutes and the children will not have to pay transport fare to school.

    “So, our joy knew no bounds when the work started. But for a long time now, the work has stopped and the contractors are telling us that they have not been paid by the government and so, they cannot continue with the project. We are at a loss because the rains are coming again and yet we don’t have any bridge to use. If they knew that they will not complete the project, they would have left the old one we were managing so that we don’t have under go much suffering. But now, we don’t even have any to manage. If you go to the place, you find out that the community are trying to put up a make shift there, but once it rain, it will be washed away”.

    The traditional ruler said they have been appealing to the youths to be calm as he believe that something will be done about the project and appeal to the governor to come to their aide. He said “God used Yakowa to award contract for this project in order to put a smile on our face. The same God has called him. We appeal to Governor Yero not to abandon us now. God has made it possible that he is the one on the seat now. He should hear our cry and pay the contractors so that the project will continue before the rains so that we can always send our children to school. We know that he is a listening governor”.

    Another elder in the community who would not disclose his name, said then non-completion of the bridge is frustrating them as they are forced to spend heavily to get to the market for their children to go to school. He claimed that often, people fall into the river and die while trying to cross. He accused the government of abandoning them in the community. He said “look at us here. We have a large number of voters in this place and more people are moving into this place. Unfortunately, we don’t have a secondary school for our children, we don’t have a market and we don’t even have a police post here. Our road is bad and the bridge we have been managing has been pulled down to pave way for the one the government says they are constructing for us. But for the past one year, the work has been abandoned and the contractors complain of lack of money. As I speak with you, they have started laying off their staff and moving their equipment away from here. That is a clear sign that they work has been abandoned. We don’t know what we have done to deserve this kind of treatment”.

    One of the youths in the community who operates a commercial motor cycle, John Idris said the only condition for them to participate in the forthcoming elections is for the government to complete the bridge for them. He said “we are tired of this kind of treatment from the government. We are tired of promises that are not fulfilled. Look at this place, we are suffering here and nothing is being done about it. Go and tell the governor that if he does not complete this project, he should not expect our votes come 2015. We will give the vote to another person”.

    Project Manager of Tiger Cat, the construction company handling the project, Engr, Khalil Iyad told The Nation that the delay in the completion of the project is basically that of finance, pointing out that once money is available to remaining work on the entire project will be completed within four months. He said “the major project is basically finance. We have actually forwarded so many certificates to government for payment and we have been soliciting pleading with the government for payment so that we can move on fully with the project. We have done 75 percent of the project and have placed certificates for payment since June 2013, but none have been cleared”. However, there seems to be some ray of light at the end of the tunnel for the project as according to Iyad the governor has assured them of payment saying “the governor has assured us that he has taken some loans just to pay contractors and consultants. So, we believe strongly that Insha Allah, within a week of two, we will be paid and the work will continue. What is remaining on that bridge is just the slap decking which is the final phase of the bridge”.

    A visit to the site of the bridge revealed that there is still much work to be done on the bridge to make it usable by the benefiting communities. But Iyad said this is not so, pointing out that the only work remaining on the bridge is the slap decking which he said is the final phase of work on the bridge. What about sand filling the approach to the bridge on both sides which has not been done? He said “when our certificates are cleared, we have to pay compensation for some of the buildings there and run them down before we sand fill the area. When the finance is there, the bridge is just two months work, but the project as a whole might take four months to finish”.

  • Orphaned, homeless in Benue

    Orphaned, homeless in Benue

    They are probably the worst-hit in the Fulani-Tiv crisis in Benue State. How young they are; some only five years old; others between two and three. At that age, they need the love and care of their parents, but many of them have none. Some have just one of their parents alive. But one thing is certain: all are victims of the needless conflict between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.

    Their villages were attacked and set ablaze by the herdsmen. Some were lucky to escape with their parents; some others were killed. The survivors are now homeless, to boot.

    Like kids everywhere, they play football with other displaced peers and even manage to cook for themselves. Watching them run around kicking football, you wonder how much they know of what the future holds for them.

    For three months, these orphans lived on alms and donations from good-spirited individuals, who visit and donate foodstuff for their upkeep.

    Primary school blocks have become their temporary home, no thanks to the long primary school teachers strike embarked upon to press home their demand for the National Minimum Wage.

    The orphans squat on the bare floor. They are also vulnerable to typhoid fever and other diseases.

    Where will they go? Who will care for them?

    The Fulani-Tiv crisis has claimed many lives.

    How long will they find shelter in those primary school buildings?

    When The Nation visited the St Mary Primary School camp, which accommodates over 150 children, most of the orphans were seen playing freely like other children.

    Terna Uzenda, who spoke to The Nation in Tiv is three years old from Guma Local Government Area, said he could not explain what happened and how he found himself living outside his home.

    Uzenda said that he got to know of Fulani attacks on their ancestral home through those who visit the camps and donate relief materials.

    He said through some people from the same village with him, he got to know that Fulani herdsmen shot and killed his parents.

    He said he didn’t know where to  go but he admitted being very sure that God was in control and would see through the journey of his life.

    For another five-year-old orphan, Terzungwu Uzua, told The Nation he was a Primary 4 pupil in Ayilamo, Tombo ward, Logo Local Government Area in Benue, before Fulani militia stormed his community and killed his parents.

    Uzua stated that  even though he lost his parents, his prayer is that God should bring those who carried out the act to justice.

    He also called on the Benue State government not to abandon them, urging the Suswam administration to keep supporting them in the camp and even after.

    For children in Daudu camp, Guma Local Government Area in the state, where the attacks were more devastating, Kaase Ugande, 4, and Peter Iormba, 6, told The Nation that without their parents  life has since lost its meaning and fulfilment. The Fulani onslaught has left them without hope and life will never be the same.

    Ugande and Iorba noted that the death of the parents and the burning of their home is a great setback in their education career.

    They said their ambition is to join the army and serve the country, but all hope is now dashed, though there is some glimmer of optimism that their elder brother would take up the role their parents would have played.

  • Resident doctors urged to end strike

    Resident doctors urged to end strike

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Peter Alabi, has appealed to resident doctors in the hospital to call off the strike they embarked upon two weeks ago.

    While speaking with journalists, the CMD explained that although government approved the new salary structure, the hospital was awaiting financial backing from the government in order to pay the aggrieved doctors.

    Alabi said that the new salary scheme was not captured in the 2014 budget and so the government was looking for a means of ‘cash-backing’ it.

    “Government has not released the money for the new salary scheme; the strike is uncalled for. So, I ask the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to call it off. NARD could confirm this from the Budget Office, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health.

    “You have an approval from the government, but this has not been cash-backed. Some hospitals went on this same strike, but when it became obvious that the money was nowhere and no CMD was empowered to pay the money, they all ended the strike,” he said.

    He expressed dismay that, in spite of this explanation, UATH resident doctors remained adamant and were yet to call off the strike, which has entered its third week.

    “The strike, which is supposed to be a national action has, however, been localised and local action, will not help the situation,’’ he said.

    Recall that the National Association of Resident Doctors embarked on an indefinite nation-wide strike on April 18, to press home their demand that government should implement a new salary structure which it approved for them but was yet to pay them.

  • Kwara farmers get N214m loan

    Kwara farmers get N214m loan

    The Kwara State government has disbursed N214, 709,490 to no fewer than 172 farmers in loans to boost their farming in the state.
    The aim is to strengthen agri-business and enhance the welfare of the people. Governonor Abdulfatah Ahmed said this in Ilorin, the state capital, during the disbursement of the funds.
    “Our 172 lead farmers are at the core of our model of 10 out-grower farmers per local government  who, having demonstrated their capacity for agribusiness and whose farms have been verified, are receiving funds to expand their businesses,” teh governor said.
    “The Off-taker Demand Driven Scheme ensures farmers growth by creating partnerships with large farming concerns that will guarantee a steady demand for crops planted by the lead Farmers even before they are harvested.
    Speaking further, Abdulfatah said, “Each of these farmers is attached to an off-taker commercial farming concern with which they have signed memoranda of understanding to ensure a ready market for their produce.
    “These funds are therefore provided to enhance the capacity of these lead farmers to expand their businesses to meet their obligations to the off-taker farmers under the MOU arrangement while significantly boosting their earnings.
    “This administration’s approach to agriculture views it as a business that requires meticulous planning especially through facilitating private sector investment along the value chain of crops in which we have comparative advantage.
    “About eight years ago, the benefits of this approach were demonstrated when we initiated bold commercial agriculture reform in the state with the establishment of Shonga Farms.
    “In the process, we have not only put our state on the global map, but also started a gradual transformation in the nation’s agricultural sector with 13 pioneering Zimbabwean farmers as the nucleus of our plans to supplant subsistence farming with planned agribusiness.”
    The governor admitted that the journey has been challenging, but that the determination of his team has kept them going.

    He said: “As we empower a new set of commercial farmers using the lessons learnt from that experience, the business case for that innovative intervention by the previous administration in the state remains as strong as it was eight years ago.”
    Governor Ahmed added that: “Our aim is to extend agribusiness to other parts of the state by empowering a new generation of commercial farmers to ensure our people are food secure while establishing agribusiness as the pivot of our economy and regenerate agro-allied industrial development.
    “You are expected to be change agents that will train the next generation of commercial farmers in the state in your various communities. I urge you to judiciously apply the funds that have been made available to you and contribute towards establishing agriculture as the pivot of our economic prosperity.
    “Let me remind you that this programme is semi-cashless. To avoid the lapses of previous interventions in the country, only a small proportion of the funds are provided to the farmers in the form of cash.
    “The rest will be paid directly to identified suppliers who will then provide goods and services such as farm inputs, chemicals, equipment, extension and other services to the farmers when and where required.
    “The benefits of this approach are numerous. Apart from reducing leakages and ensuring proper utilisation of funds, the off taker- demand driven approach enables farmers to make concrete plans for their businesses by creating a ready market for their produce.
    “With this approach, the problems of post-harvest loss or wastage will be minimized if not eradicated as the farmers have concrete arrangements to sell their produce.
    “The approach also expands the opportunities along the crop value chain such as storage, processing, packaging, haulage, marketing and distribution leading to the creation of allied business opportunities and jobs for our youths.
    “Finally, the process is transparent because it allows the farmers to promptly repay the loan as the funds and the farmers’ proceeds are channelled through the same bank.
    It is my hope that the success of this scheme will translate into greater prosperity for the farmers, our state and its people, thereby attracting others into agribusiness, especially our youths.”

  • Health insurance for Abaji residents

    As part of its efforts to provide affordable healthcare delivery for the people, The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS) has flagged off Health Insurance Scheme at Yaba Community in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

    While flagging off the health insurance scheme and presentation of health insurance cards to registered residents of the community, the Co-ordinator of the scheme, Dr Grace Aganaba, advised them to avail themselves of the opportunity of the scheme to stay healthy at all times, so that they can contribute to the development of the community and entire council.

    According to Dr Aganaba, the FCT Administration, through the Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, has recognised the importance of healthcare delivery and therefore mandated that by 2015, every Nigerian must have a health insurance card, adding that it informed CBHIS taking it as a priority to ensure that every resident in communities of the FCT should have the health insurance card.

    “I must commend the motherly role of the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinkide, who has never relented in supporting this course, because of the importance she placed on health of people in the rural communities. We believe that, through this health insurance scheme, people in rural communities will live more healthy and improved lifestyle,” she said.

    Mrs Theresa Adah, Programme Officer Community Health, Christian Aid Nigeria, said it has been a common fact that many Nigerians, especially the rural dwellers, lack access to healthcare delivery because of lack of fund, saying that was the reason the community health insurance is the way forward for the people.

    “Whenever any one is sick, he or she can have access to healthcare at a very low cost. Today, we are happy the FCTA has made community-based insurance possible in our communities. We are committed to supporting any organisation that wants to replicate this scheme in any community across the country.

    “So, I urge any one that has not registered to do so and benefit from this affordable healthcare,” she said.

    Hajiya Zenab Mamam, in charge of Yaba Health Centre who explained that the health centre was inaugurated in January last year, said immediately the facility started functioning, most of the ceilings and the roofs started falling off.

    “When it rains, the entire clinic would be flooded. All the patients would stand up and sit on their beds, pending the time the rain stops. We also do not have electricity. When there is emergency in the health centre at night, we use lantern which is not ideal and safe. If we have electricity generating set, it would be better. We need the intervention of the FCTA in this regard,” she said.

  • Save my son, pleads widow

    A widow, Mrs. Lami Onoja has pleaded with well- meaning Nigerians to help her financially so that she will be able to foot the bill for her son’s treatment.

    The widow, who lives at Area 8, Block 62, Nyanya, Abuja, stated that her 16-year-old son, Hamza Onoja has suffered kidney problem for two years.

    Onoja said she has no money to foot the bill. She therefore pleaded with government, public-spirited individuals and corporate organisations for financial assistance so that her son will not die.

    Mrs. Onoja, who said her husband died about five years ago, added that all relations have deserted her and her two children.

    “Life has not been easy for me and my two children since my husband died about five years ago. We have nobody to assist us and all our relations have distanced themselves from us.

    “We have been feeding from hand to mouth because I don’t have anything doing. I need a job to assist my family. We were told at Nyanya General Hospital about two years ago that my son has kidney problem and we need a huge amount of money to treat him.

    “The hospital later referred us to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada where we were asked to pay the sum of N 43, 700 just to carry out a test,’’ she said.

    Mrs. Onoja further stated that she has been able to raise N30, 000, hence the appeal with the public to assist her.

    “He is my only hope. I do not want him to die. Please help us. I am also ready to do any job to keep the family going; even if it means sweeping the streets to enable me to feed my family,” she said.

  • Rotary cash for women

    The Rotary Club of Asokoro has empowered women in Wumba Community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This it did by disbursing cash to them to help them start up a trade.

    Speaking during the event, the club’s secretary, Francis Bekey stated that the club embarked on the project because of its belief that sharing with and empowering the less-privileged ones will go a long way in reducing the level of poverty among the people.

    Bekey further revealed that the Rotary Club of Asokoro has outstanding record of empowering women in the FCT, adding that the focus of the club was economic development, especially for women and the indigent people in the society.

    “This micro-finance scheme will encourage the women to expand their businesses and contribute not only to the well-being of their families but also to the society,” she said.

    Bekey, who is the Coordinator of the micro-finance scheme, advised the women to use the money given to them wisely to ensure that they don’t disappoint the club.

    “The micro-finance scheme started with 30 members and has grown to over 100 in the FCT. Our concern is to empower women because we believe that empowering a woman translates to empowering a nation,” she said.

    She further stated that women were the targets because they are the vanguard of everything move towards development of the home and managers of families.

    Also speaking, the Director of International Service of the club, Nikky Uchime said the micro- finance scheme by the club is a programme designed to empower women in order to help contribute to the well-being of the society.

    “Our coming to Wumba Village is another achievement of the Rotary Club of Asokoro in its efforts to empower women through this kind of gesture. A total of 20 women were selected to participate in the micro-finance scheme.

    “After series of training, 16 were selected and nine people received cash. Rotary does not give money by proxy; they will have to wait for next time.

    “I encourage them to be ambassadors of Rotary Club of Asokoro. My prayer for them is that, through this micro-finance scheme, they will boost their businesses,” she said.

    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Chidinma Uche expressed her appreciation to the club for remembering and identifying with them, adding that though a lot of women were looking for such opportunity to grow their businesses, they have not been blessed with such opportunity.

    “This is really encouraging because what we have received today will boost our business. We call on benevolent Nigerians to support the activities of the Rotary Club of Asokoro,” she said.