Category: Northern Reports

The Kaduna State Government said it had identified 10,901 tuberculosis patients in the state as of December last year and placed them on treatment.

The Programme Manager of the state Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, Dr Abubakar Sadiq, stated this in a chat with reporters yesterday in Kaduna.

He said this indicated an increase of about 86 per cent when compared with the 5,878 cases detected in 2020.

He acknowledged the immense support received from the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, the state government and various partners.

“The state government has procured five mobile diagnostic trucks equipped with digital X-ray machines and 10 colour gene Xpert machines for the integrated diagnosis of tuberculosis, COVID-19 and various other diseases in remote communities across the state.

“With the procurement of this equipment, the detection of tuberculosis cases will be facilitated, hence the increase in a number of patients,” he said.

Sadiq said the state government intended intensifying efforts at detection of cases through increased access to services, out-patients door screening and tuberculosis patient contact investigation, among others.

He called on residents to support the state to enable the identification of all tuberculosis cases in communities, with a view to eliminating the disease.

“Remember, any cough that lasts two weeks or more could be tuberculosis; diagnosis and treatment are free and are widely available across the state.

“Again, tuberculosis is treatable and curable,” he said.

Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP), the brainchild of the Federal Government, has said over N1 billion has been raised in various rural businesses across the six geo-political zones.

The money was pooled by 200,000 women in Abia, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba states through a sustained livelihood programme.

The National Coordinator of NFWP, Ruth Mshelia, stated these in Abuja on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of a media workshop on women empowerment in the country.

She said the project, which was supported by the Federal Government and World Bank, is aimed at enhancing the socio-economic status of women in the country.

Mshelia said while they have been able to build and convert their social capital to such a huge resource base, the programme was designed to provide grants of N60,000 maximum to individuals in the Women Affinity Group (WAG).

She said being a member of WAG was not a guarantee to the proposed grant for which Northcentral beneficiaries would begin to recover disbursement next week.

Mshelia said only a successful business plan would attract grant approval and disbursement.

She maintained that one of the strategies adopted by Nigeria for Women Initiative to eliminate elite capture was consistency in the programme, which would reflect in the attendance of participants.

Providing insight on the women affinity group and institution capacity building, Fatima Maji pointed out that 237,392 women groups that raised the N1,135,306,305 have loaned N657,054,663 from which, N312,116,792 has been paid.

No fewer than 40,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have left their various camps in Nasarawa State for their ancestral homes.

The Executive Secretary Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), Mr Zachary Zamani-Allumaga, stated this to reporters in Lafia, the state capital, yesterday.

Zamani-Allumaga said the IDPs were products of humanitarian crises ranging from farmers’-herders’ and communal crises, among others.

The executive secretary listed Awe, Obi, Doma, Keana, Toto, and Lafia local government areas as some of the areas that had recorded greater number of humanitarian crises in the state.

The total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) recorded across the state last year, is “47, 675.

“Out of this figure, over 40,000 IDPs have returned home, leaving only a few in their various camps across the state,” he said.

Zamani-Allumaga praised Governor Abdullahi Sule for giving adequate attention to the plights of the IDPs and other citizens in the state.

“I commend Governor Abdullahi Sule for giving adequate attention to the plights of IDPs in the state.

“He has provided relief materials to the victims of humanitarian and other forms of crises across the state.

“And this has improved the standard of living of the IDPs,” he said.

Allumaga also urged farmers-herders and other people of the state to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their cultural, religious and political affiliations.

The executive secretary also urged the people of the state to always expose the criminally-minded people, especially the youth, for peace to reign.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, yesterday urged the people of the state to turn out en masse to receive President Muhammadu Buhari when he visits the state tomorrow.

Sule made the appeal in Lafia, the state capital, when he inspected the state’s Vocation and Skills Acquisition Institute.

President Buhari is expected to be on one-day official visit to Nassarawa State to inaugurate some projects.

Sule said all arrangements had been concluded to receive Buhari to the state tomorrow to inaugurate “some life-touching projects” executed by the federal and state governments.

The governor reeled off some of the projects to include Loko-Oweto Bridge, CBN Complex, Federal Secretariat Complex and Abuja-Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi dual carriageway.

He said others are Nasarawa Vocation and Skills Acquisition Institute, Karu and Lafia Bus Terminal, Keffi Square and Neighbourhood Market.

The governor said the vocation and skills acquisition institute was established to train youths of the state in different skills and to create jobs.

The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari has inaugurated a mobile clinic donated to Kpaduma Community-a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory-by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

According to Mrs Buhari, the mobile clinic was a project of the NYSC meant to assist in the provision of health care for rural communities.

At the launch of the first quarter 2022 NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme and inauguration of NYSC modern mobile clinic at Kpaduma II Guzape District, Abuja yesterday, Mrs Buhari appealed to the federal and state legislators to make the provision of drugs and other medical consumables and logistics for the NYSC Health Initiative for rural dwellers part of their constituency projects.

Represented by the wife of former Nasarawa State Governor, Dr. Mairo Almakura, Aisha said the event was a significant step forward in the health initiative of the NYSC, which has the same goals as her “Future Assured” programme.

The president’s wife restated her commitment to any cause that will help in the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes.

She said: “This will boost the health care services which the scheme renders to their constituents, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and productivity.”

She commended the Director-General and the management of the NYSC for the great work they are doing, especially through harnessing the enormous potential of youths for the socio-economic progress of our dear country.

The Director-General of the NYSC, Maj. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim said the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers was introduced in 2014 as a platform for the scheme to complement the government’s efforts in the provision of free and quality health care services to  Nigerians, especially the indigent members of rural communities.

He commended the First Lady for the gesture, even as he called on other public-spirited individuals and organisations to emulate the First Lady by extending technical, material and financial support for the smooth and wider execution of the NYSC rural health initiative.

The D-G said: “Donations of more of such mobile clinics will be highly appreciated.

He added: “While we remain committed to the sustenance of the HIRD and enhancing its impact on the target beneficiaries, I wish to inform this distinguished audience that these will require the increased deployment of logistics for its smooth execution.

“This is one of the reasons we are advocating the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund. If established, the Fund will enable us to provide essential facilities such as additional mobile clinics, equipment as well as adequate drugs and other medical consumables.”

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in Bauchi State yesterday called on the state government to improve its enrollment drive to curb the issue of out-of-school pupils in the state.

The team leader of the CSOs, Mr Suleiman Ahmed, stated this during an Advocacy to the Bauchi State Ministry of Education in Bauchi.

Governor Bala Mohammed, in 2020, expressed concern that the state had the highest number of out-of-school children of 1.4 million in the country.

This was as the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (BASUBEB), said it had enrolled 154,000 out-of-school children into basic and post-basic schools in the past year.

Ahmed expressed concern about the fate of children’s education, security of schools, and nutrition.

He attributed the rise in the number of out-of-school children to the influx of children into the state.

He said school enrollment was a collective responsibility for all, hence the need to strengthen partnerships among stakeholders.

Ahmed urged all tiers of government to increase education funding, create targeted interventions and support the marginalised groups of children.

“The state government should emphasise the need for adequate distribution of teachers, infrastructure and learning materials.

“Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities should be frequently inspected and with adequate supervision,” he stressed.

The team leader noted that the distribution of school materials would support enrollment, retention and transition of children.

He, however, explained that the team of CSOs in the state received a grant under the state accountability, transparency and effectiveness (state2state) scheme with funding from the United States Aid for International Development (USAID) to promote and strengthen good governance in the state.

The Permanent Secretary Mr Sule Madara said the administration had outlined policies and programmes to enhance quality education in the state.

He added that over time, school enrollment had improved but much more still needed to be done.

Madara urged the team to contribute with programmes that could transform the education system and development of the state.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, yesterday called for stronger ties between Nigeria and The Gambia.

He observed that the present challenges confronting developing countries are making it compelling for them to start looking inwards on how to strengthen their economic and commercial relationships.

The Emir spoke during the meeting between members of the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and members of the Gambian business community at Banjul, The Gambia.

“We have to do all it takes to develop South-South co-operation, particularly within our West African sub-region,” he said.

A palace statement said: “The Emir noted that the various protocols within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  have given us a common platform which we can utilise for our common good.”

The Emir urged the participants to look beyond the horizon and explore all the areas of comparative advantage so as to create a mutually-beneficial relationship that could boost the economies of Nigeria and The Gambia.

He explained that “this can create opportunities that could engender sustained economic growth to our two countries and overall benefit of our people.”

He urged them to remain resolute and work towards establishing an enviable business relationship because one of the fastest ways of creating relationships is through commerce.

“Our Gambian brothers and sisters that we have brought members of our Chamber of Commerce to your doorsteps so as to take advantage of the opportunities and possibilities waiting to be tapped and harnessed and we are ready to take same from you.”

The Emir thanked the Gambian authorities and all those who worked tirelessly,  including High Commissioner Ambassador Muhammad Manu, “for their foresight and support” for the meeting.

The Emir left for The Gambia and Senegal on a week-long working visit at the invitation of the National Council of Elders of The Gambia, it was learnt.

A palace statement reads: “The first leg of the visit in the Gambia will enable him to attend the country’s independence anniversary which comes up on Friday as Special Guest of Honour. He will also hold meetings with the members of The Gambian Business Community.

“The Emir is scheduled to also attend the Jumma’at prayer together with the Gambian President, Adama Barrow and later pay him a courtesy call.

“The visit to The Gambian will end with a grand reception in his honour by The Gambian National Elders’ Council.

“The Emir is accompanied by Ambassador Ahmed Umar, Dan Malikin Kano, Isa Sanusi, President Kano Chamber of Commerce and Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar.

“They will proceed to Dakar, the Senegalese capital, where the Emir will visit the Senegalese President Mr. Macky Sall.

Zamfara State Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu was absent as the seven-man panel investigating alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office against him closed hearing yesterday.

Seven witnesses appeared before the panel which was headed by Justice Halidu Tanko. The panel began sitting at the State High Court 4, Gusau on Monday, February 21.

The deputy governor was absent and was not represented by any legal counsel throughout the sitting.

At the end of the sitting, Tanko praised members of the public for their support during the two-day sitting.

Justice Abdul Ibrahim (SAN) a member of the panel assured the people of free and fair investigation on the issue.

“Our work will be strictly on the constitutional procedure. We have given the parties the opportunity to present their cases.

“We are going to embark on our deliberations; our timeframe is within three months.

“We will look at it critically and when the report is ready, we will present it to the House of Assembly,” he said.

According to him, the absence of the deputy governor during the hearing will not, in any way, affect the panel’s investigation.

“Our duty is to serve both parties and we have served both of them before the commencement of the hearing.

“And if any of the parties refused to appear before the panel, it is not our duty to ask why,” he said.

The Zamfara State House of Assembly had, on February 9, directed the state Chief Judge, Justice Kulu Aliyu to set up an investigative panel over allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor.

The House, at its extraordinary plenary, unanimously agreed that the deputy governor is investigated for breaching Sections 190 and 193 (1), (2) (a)(b)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Eighteen members who were present at the plenary, out of the 22 members of the House, voted in favour of the motion and no member voted against the impeachment motion.

Nasarawa State House of Assembly has issued a two-week ultimatum to the state government to pay the three months salaries of 496 newly employed secondary school teachers.

This, the House said, is to boost their morale and enhance the standard of education for a better future for the children in the state.

Speaker of the Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, gave the directive when five senior government officials appeared before the House yesterday in Lafia, the state capital to clarify issues with the House regarding the teachers’ salaries.

Those that appeared before the House were the Commissioners of Education, Fati Sabo and that of Finance, Daniel Agyeno, the Accountant-General Zaka Yakubu, Head of Civil Service Abari Aboki and Director, Salary Bureau, Mr Sule Dahir.

The Speaker said prompt payment of salary would not only improve the standard of living of the teachers but would also improve the standard of education in the state.

“We invited you because members are sad, teachers numbering over 400 were employed, documented and posted to schools.

“But, three months after their employ, they were not paid. Assume you are in their shoes, how will you feel?

“Our concern is to ensure that those teachers are paid,” he said.

The Speaker directed the Head of Service and all those saddled with the responsibility of the payment to effect the payment within two weeks from today, Monday (yesterday).

“We are giving you from now and the end of the working hours of next week to pay the teachers their salaries,” he said.

Mr Nicholas Abari Aboki, the Head of Service confirmed the employment of 496 teachers.

He assured the lawmakers that he would write a memo to Governor Abdullahi Sule for approval on the payment of the teachers’ salaries.