Category: Northern Reports

The Chief Medical Director of the General Hospital Kontagora, Dr Mohammed Baba Wasagi, has disclosed that the hospital recorded 85 deliveries, 14 neonatal and four maternal deaths in December 2021.

Speaking to newsmen in Kontagora during the presentation of one baby incubator and five stainless cots by the Sani Bello Foundation to the hospital, Wasagi said the hospital had 37 spontaneous vaginal delivery, 48 Caesarean sections, adding that one of the deliveries was a premature.

Wasagi lamented that people in Kontagora still prefer receiving treatment at home and only go to the hospital when the situation becomes very serious.

“It is sad that a lot of people come to the hospital when it is too late and expect us to perform miracles; and in so many times, our hands are tied and we can only try our best.

“Some of them deliver at home and when they start bleeding profusely, they start running to the hospital and want us to perform a miracle. We keep telling the people to come to the hospital on time, because a trained person is better than someone that is not trained”, he said.

The Chief Medical Director appreciated the Sani Bello Foundation for the donation, adding that the foundation has always been a great help in proffering health solutions to the people in Kontagora.

He stated that the baby incubator will go a long way to help them in saving the lives of neonates saying that the incubator and baby cots will be utilized judiciously.

Making the presentation, the Director-General of the Sani Bello Foundation, Dr Zakari Ikani, explained that the child incubator was being donated to meet an area of need and ensure that premature babies get adequate care.

Matron of the Maternity Ward, Victoria Emmanuel lamented the unwillingness of the people to come to the hospital to access healthcare, stating that they only come when there are complications.

She said the major challenges facing women during births include post-birth haemorrhage and postpartum escalpsa.

A total of 6,123 indigent people in Adamawa State have received free treatments, courtesy of a medical outreach.

The medical outreach which was conducted in Shelleng Local Government Area under the sponsorship of senator representing Adamawa South District, Binos Yaroe, had indigent residents of the entire Shelleng and neighbouring LGAs turning up at the council headquarters in Shelleng town to partake of the medical intervention.

The medical outreach to Shelleng which came as the 8th edition of the Senator Binos Yaroe Medical Outreach, after seven previous outreaches to seven other LGAs, had over 2,000 with eye issues who were attended to, as eye problems were the most prevalent health challenges, according to the organisers.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the exercise, Senator Binos Yaroe announced that steps were already being taken to reach Lamurde, the last of the nine local government areas which form his Adamawa South Senatorial Zone.

“When I started this medical outreach, I said my intention is to go round all the nine local government areas of Adamawa South; and with this one we have done in Shelleng, we have only Lamurde Local Government Area to complete, and before the end of June, we will do that one,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the impact of the medical intervention, saying, “I’m fulfilled because everywhere we go, we have seen large turnouts of people. We have intervened in all forms of medical cases and people have shown appreciation for what we are doing.”

He announced that the Shelleng outreach, unlike the outreaches before it, was organised  in collaboration with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) who have come to appreciate his efforts.

The Nasarawa State Government has vowed to sanction anyone caught dumping polythene bags on the street.

The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon Yakubu Kwanta, gave the warning yesterday in Lafia while briefing newsmen after monitoring the January sanitation exercise.

He said the ministry would soon launch ‘Operation pick the polythene by your side’ to ensure that the state is clean.

“We are already drafting a proposal to be sent to the governor; once the document is completed and gets approved, it would be forwarded to the House of Assembly as executive bill.

“Once we have legal backing, the ministry will embark on aggressive enforcement of the law to keep the state clean,” the Commissioner said.

On the assessment of the sanitation exercise, the Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by residents.

He attributed the success of the January sanitation exercise to support from the security agencies, and awareness by the media. He therefore promised that the ministry would strengthen the level of enforcement in subsequent exercises to ensure more compliance.

Meanwhile a mobile court handling environmental-related cases has prosecuted 56 persons suspected to have violated environmental sanitation laws in state.

The prosecutor, Mr Abubakar Mohammed, who is also a Chief Environment Officer, told the court that the suspects were transacting their private businesses while the sanitation exercise was in progress.

Mohammed said the offences violated Section 9(2), of the State Environmental Sanitation Law.

He urged the court to sanction them accordingly to serve as a deterrent to others.

The Judge, Mr Abdullahi Lande, convicted and sentenced them to six months imprisonment respectively with an option of fine of between N5, 000 to N50, 000 respectively.

Senator I. D. Gyang of Plateau North Senatorial District has empowered constituents across the 73 federal electoral wards with motorbikes and presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons in Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos North LGAs.

The relief materials were an intervention by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), following repeated calls by the senator for the agency to address the plight of the IDPs in his constituency.

The event which was witnessed by members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, civil society representatives, party stalwarts, elders, women, youths across the state and representatives of communities affected by terror attacks.

The Chairman, PDP Plateau State, Hon. Chris Hassan, extolled the sterling performance of Senator Gyang, describing him as the Plateau voice in the National Assembly.

Other speakers equally applauded the performance of the senator, including Hon Peter Gyendeng, Minority Leader, who spoke on behalf of PLHA members, while Hon. Aminu Zang spoke on behalf of Plateau North Senatorial District stakeholders.

They all saluted the senator for doing Plateau proud in the Senate with his record setting performance.

Goodwill messages also came from Plateau Central zone, with Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Go’ar speaking on behalf of two other former Speakers, Rt. Hons. Istifanus Mwansat and Titus Alams.

Beneficiaries of the motorbikes empowerment and communities ravaged by terror attacks expressed gratitude and showered praises on the senator for his responsive and people impacting representation.

Senator Gyang afterwards, proceeded to Ganawuri to celebrate the annual cultural festival, Wuru Dagarang 2022 with the Aten nation.

Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has charged Nigerians to be circumspect and deliberate in their choice of public office holders by supporting candidates who have the fear of God and respect for humanity.

Governor Lalong spoke at the 1st General Assembly of Catholics in Politics and Catholic Business Leaders in Abuja, in a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Makut Simon Macham.

Lalong said Nigerians of all faiths must fully participate in the political process before, during and after elections by ensuring that candidates that vie for public office possess godly principles that will guide them to govern with the fear of God and do justice to all.

He said bringing Catholic politicians and captains of industry under one roof to discuss their roles in the Nigerian project at this particular time is very significant, because the nation is in dire need of godly men and women to champion the rebirth that will lead Nigeria to achieving its national aspirations.

He emphasised that the forum provides the participants an opportunity to discuss the challenges confronting Nigeria such as insecurity, corruption, violence, diseases, poverty, and poor infrastructure with a view to peer-reviewing one another and giving stewardship of their responsibilities in various offices.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commended the Catholic Church for organising the General Assembly which is in line with its long tradition of speaking truth to power and creating consciousness among citizens.

Osinbajo said the pursuit of the common good pushes people in or out of positions of authority, to seek equal treatment, fairness, justice, and human rights of others outside their ethnic, religious, political and other affiliations.

Guest Speaker Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah represented by Rev. Fr. Raymond, speaking on the theme: “Moral Principles in Catholic Teachings and the Nigerians Political Business Life”, said the Catholic social teaching prescribes that participation in governance is beyond elections.

He said leaders; particularly those who profess to be men and women of faith must live sacrificially, shun evil, love one another, embrace honesty and righteousness as well as remember always that heaven is their goal as their lives on earth are tenured.

He warned politicians to desist from using the Church for personal and selfish political gains, stating that the Church is not a political party and embraces candidates of all political parties who are God-fearing and ready to serve honestly and build a better nation.

Deputy Governors of Edo, Osun, Cross Rivers State as well as the Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District, Dame Nora Dadu’ut gave goodwill messages at the event.

Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Michael Inalegwu says all Nigerians regret voting General Muhammadu Buhari as the nation’s president.

He spoke over the weekend during a world press conference he addressed in reaction to a press statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu.

According to the Commissioner, “It will interest Shehu to know that it is not only the Governor that regrets voting Buhari as President in 2015. Majority of Nigerians, including his die-hard supporters in 2015 and 2019 do and it is only those who are deaf, probably like Shehu, that cannot hear the loud cry by Nigerians to be rescued by the PDP from APC’s mismanagement of Nigeria’s political leadership since 2015.”

The information commissioner said Garba Shehu was right to have said “Nigeria has had enough of failed politicians” and will be too glad to see one of them, President Muhammadu Buhari leave office next year.

The Commissioner noted that Governor Ortom who has championed the course of ranching in the country is a politician that proffers solution to challenges that confront Nigeria, unlike President Buhari who is bent on reviving cattle routes in the 21st century.

He said it is surprising that the President’s media aide in his reaction to Governor Ortom’s interview on Arise TV failed to make reference to the grave security challenges confronting the country in spite of the facts and figures reeled out by the Governor to prove the despicable deterioration of the security situation nationally and in Benue State under President Buhari.

Inalegwu said it is shameful for Garba Shehu to refer to President Buhari’s recommendation for the return of the century-old animal husbandry which is not implementable in this age.

No fewer than 1,000 Christian, Muslim clergymen and faithful from inter-denominational and inter-religious bodies gathered in Abuja on Friday to endorse and pray for the presidential bid of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The clerics said the choice of Bello to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 came from the good works he has done in Kogi State.

According to them, Bello is an upright man who has demonstrated capacity to deliver the dividends of democracy to the teeming Nigerian people.

The league stated that the emergence of Bello as President Buhari’s successor would make Nigerians continue to enjoy peace and unity, regardless of religious and ethnic affiliations.

Speaking at the occasion of the 1,000 Inter-denominational Prayer Meeting for the governor, Convener of the League, Bishop Praise Moses, said Bello is a man of peace who will take the country to greater heights.

Moses stated that Bello is armed to effectively battle insurgency, corrupt politicians, bandits, kidnappers and every other affliction on the land.

He said the group is beseeching God Almighty to take total control of the process of the emergence of the next leader of Nigeria.

He said: “It has been prophesied and by the grace of God, through this prayerful intercessions, Yahaya Adoza David Bello is the anointed son who will lead Nigeria from May 2023 to great battles and God will give him victory over all adversaries.

In his remarks, Sheik Mahmoud Abubakar said Governor Bello is an honest, open, and responsible man who is capable of taking over the affairs of the country from President Buhari.

Abubakar said with Bello as Nigeria’s next president, there will be peace, stability and love for one another, regardless of religious or ethnic affiliations.

He said prayer and fasting became necessary for the governor, adding that the governor has all the requirements to be a leader in Islam.

National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Gombe, on Friday announced the confiscation of 80 bags of adulterated wheat found in the store of one Adamu Hassan in Gombe market.

NAFDAC’s State Coordinator, James Agada, who displayed the adulterated wheat to journalists in Gombe, warned members of the public to be wary of such wheat, which he said are not meant for human consumption.

According to Agada, the 80 bags of adulterated wheat were meant for planting by farmers as it has been treated with pesticides and not for human consumption.

He said a measure of wheat originally goes between N600 -N1,000, while the adulterated wheat goes between N200- N300 making it in high demand.

“As part of our routine surveillance and work in the state, we gathered intelligence that chemically treated wheat, meant for by farmers has been diverted into the market in Gombe here for sale to consumers at a very reduced rate for their consumption,” he said.

He warned that the consequence of consuming such pesticides treated wheat is dangerous to health of members of the public.

According to Agada, investigations by NAFDAC revealed that the chemically treated wheat is meant for farmers with the Anchor Borrowers programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

He added that “the chemicals used in treating this is a pesticide and it also has fungicidal effect, such that this grain in the soil will resist attack of fungicides and insects. Something that is dangerous to insects and now someone is ingesting it directly. It will impact on neurological issues, as well as proliferation of kidney issues.