The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minna

  • Niger gov’s wife express dismay over poor cancer care

    Niger gov’s wife express dismay over poor cancer care

    The Wife of the Niger state Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has expressed dismay over poor state of cancer care and the lack of treatment centers in the nation.

    She lamented that  of the six government treatment centers across the nation, only one is functional.
    Bello stated this after the signing of a N400 billion Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU ) between the Niger state government,  Raise Foundation and Roche Products Limited in Minna.
    “It is disheartening that cancer care in Nigeria is a bad thing,  there are 180 million Nigerians yet, we have less than 10 cancer centers across the country. Out of the six government owned, only one is functional but people still travel abroad for treatment which can be received in the country but sadly, we have trained specialists but no facilities”, she said.
    The Governor’s Wife who is also the founder of Raise Foundation expressed optimism that the MOU when implemented will go a long way to reduce the huge financial burden faced by cancer patients and their families.
    The Country Head of Roche Products Limited, Dr. Hamid Oladipo said the MOU would provide an end to end solution to cancer patients in the state while commending the Wife of the Governor for her enlightenment programmes which  will go a long OK no way in educating the people about the disease.
    The State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Mustapha Jibril in his address said Roche Product Limited would take 70 per cent of the cost of the drug component of the project while the state government would take up 30 per cent.
    He stated that this is the first cancer care strategy project in the state adding that although it is starting with breast and cervical cancer, in years to come,  it would expand into other areas.
  • Seven die, four injured in Bida-Minna road crash

    Seven die, four injured in Bida-Minna road crash

    Mr Yusuf Garba, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC ) in Niger said on Monday that seven persons died  in an accident on the Bida-Minna road.

    Garba told our reporter in Minna that four persons were also injured in the incident which occurred on Monday morning.

    He said wrong overtaking was responsible for the accident which   involved  a bus with registration number FXT 234 XD  and an articulated vehicle marked  RTD  163XA.

    The sector commander said the injured were taken to the Bida General Hospital for treatment while the relatives of the seven victims who died were buried according to Islamic injunction.

    Garba said the FRSC personnel had  responded promptly to a distress call by a witness immediately after the crash some  36 kilometres  from Bida.

    He urged road users to avoid reckless driving, adding that this was  usually responsible for the problems on the highways.

    The sector commander also called on road users to imbibe the spirit of adhering to  traffic rules and regulations in order to stay alive on the highways. NAN

  • 75% Women deliver at home in Niger – Gov’s Wife

    75% Women deliver at home in Niger – Gov’s Wife

    The Wife of the Niger state Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has expressed dismay that only 25 per cent of the women in the state deliver their babies in the hospital.

    According to her, this has lead to high mortality among the women and newborns in the state.

    The Governor’s Wife bared her mind regarding the issue during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Niger state Governor, Raise Foundation and Roche Pharmaceuticals on cancer care in Minna, Niger state.

    She said that 153 infants out of 1000 die everyday in the state because most of the deliveries are handled by unskilled health attendants.

    “if 75 per cent of women are having deliveries at home without skilled attendants, one can only imagine the number of women who are dying in the state. ”

    Bello, who is the Founder of Raise Foundation, advocated that all hands should be on deck in reducing women and children mortality in the state, “I am advocating that state government, religious leaders and everyone should put hands together to improve the indices in the state. The women should be encouraged to go to the hospitals to have their babies. ”

    The MoU which is worth N400 billion is meant to proffer an end to end solution to cancer care in the state.

    The MOU targets one million cancer patients in five years out of which 20 diagnosed cases will be treated annually.

  • Group gets new leaders

    The National Association of University Students (NAUS) has inaugurated its new executive council.

    The event that ushered took place at the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), Niger State.

    NAUS is the association of all university students in Nigeria and the Diaspora. The body describes itself as the defender and protector of the rights of all university students in Nigeria.

    The new leaders are: Kasimu Abdullahi Idrisu, National President; Etuk Kester Proxy, Deputy National President; Shehu Ibrahim Muhammad, National Secretary General; Ogochukwu Isioma, Deputy National Secretary General; Damilola Amusa, National Treasurer; and Jegede Abiodun Peter, National Publicity Secretary.

    Others are Afolabi Timothy, National Vice President (Southwest); Friday Daniel, National Vice President (Northcentral); Marcus Along, National Vice President (Southsouth); Sanusi Mailafiya, National Vice President (Northwest); Abubakar Abdullahi Yusuf, National Vice President (Northeast); Benson Ekemeiren Evelyn, National Director, Gender and Campus Affairs; Ismail Abdullahi, Director, Sport and Social Duties; Adekunle Oluwatayo, Ex-officio I; and Comrade Aminu Tijani Abubakar, Ex-officio II.

    Those to head the senate are: Falola Ahmed Stainless, Senate President; Abbas Isah Imam, Deputy Senate President and Senate Clerk.

    The outgoing President, Adekunle Jonathan (aka Successman), while handing over, charged the new leaders to be of good conduct. He thanked stakeholders and students for their support and cooperation to his administration.

  • FADAMA III spends N197m on irrigation dam in Niger

    FADAMA III spends N197m on irrigation dam in Niger

    The FADAMA III Additional Financing in Niger, on Monday, said it had spent N197 million on the rehabilitation of irrigation dam in Edozhigi community of Gbako Local Government Area of the state.

    Alhaji Baba Shaba, the Communication Officer of FADAMA III in Niger, made this disclosure in an interview in Minna.

    He explained that the entire irrigation scheme was 870 hectares of land, consisting of primary and secondary canals and only 140 hectares had been rehabilitated.

    Shaba said that the irrigation scheme would assist farmers in the area to cultivate about 20 hactares of rice for dry season farming before the end of January.

    Read also: Banks lend N1.06b to farmers in six months

    He advised the farmers in the areas to take advantage of the irrigation dam to improve on dry season farming, so as to have all year round harvest of rice in the state.

    Shaba added that FADAMA III also spent three million naira to purchase milling and stoner engine for women in Edozhigi, as part of the efforts to empower them to become self-reliant.

    He said that the milling and stoner engine would be used to add value to their farm produce and process them before selling in the market.

    NAN

  • Bello swears in 14 new commissioners

    Bello swears in 14 new commissioners

    Gov. Sani Bello of Niger on Wednesday sworn in 14 new commissioners, warning them against all forms of corrupt practices.

    Speaking at the occasion in Minna, Bello also urged them to work hard to uphold the confidence reposed on them.

    “It will interest you to know that we have put in place a mechanism to monitor, evaluate and assess your performance.

    “I congratulate you and urge you to take this call to service as a golden privilege to contribute your quota towards the development of our dear state.

    “I have no doubt that your appointment will further boost our resolve to transform the state to one of the most socio-economically developed in Nigeria,” he said.

    The governor urged them to be proactive, exhibit high sense of patriotism and work hard to enable his administration to consolidate on its achievements in office.

    He said the state government would not tolerate laxity and disrespect to established rules and regulations.

    Bello had in November last year submitted names of 18 nominees to the state House of Assembly for confirmation as commissioners following the dissolution of the cabinet in October, 2017.

    The commissioners include Alhaji Idris Jibrin, Alhaji Zakari Bawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Panti, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, Hajiya Rahamtu Yaradu and Alhaji Mohammed Mundi.

    Others are Dr Mustapha Jibrin, Alhaji Mamman Musa, Hajiya Amina Musa, Alhaji Ibrahim Shiroro, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, Alhaji Haliru Jikantoro and Mr Nasara Dan-Malam.

  • FRSC set up office in Lambata, Niger

    FRSC set up office in Lambata, Niger

    The Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC ) says that it has set up an outpost office at Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger for effectively monitoring.

    FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mr Yusuf Garba, disclosed this in an interview in Minna on Thursday.

    He said that already a patrol vehicle and effective communication gadgets have been provided for the smooth operations of the office.

    He explained that the Lambata office would effectively monitor the conduct and behavior of road users especially articulated vehicles.

    Read also: FRSC warns drivers against use of worn-out tyres

    He said that the personnel in the outpost would monitor the vehicle drivers against indiscriminate parking on the highway.

    He called on road users to adhere to traffic rules and regulations to avoid unnecessary road crashes.

    “We have already embarked on a 24 hours patrol on all the federal high ways to ensure safety of road users by enforcing traffic rules and regulations,” he said.

    NAN

  • Yuletide: NSCDC deploys 2,600 security personnel in Niger

    Yuletide: NSCDC deploys 2,600 security personnel in Niger

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps( NSCDC ), Niger Command, says it has deployed 2,600 security personnel to maintain peace and order during and after the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    The Commandant, Mr Philip Ayuba, disclosed this in an interview in Minna on Tuesday.

    He said that plain-clothes security personnel had been deployed to all motor parks, churches, public buildings and recreational centres, to gather intelligence reports that would improve security in the state.

    The commandant assured residents of the state that the security measures already put in place would guarantee peaceful atmosphere during and after the celebrations.

    ‘‘The sensitive security measures in place will guarantee peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the celebrations.’’

    Ayuba also revealed that specialised units involved in crime management had been deployed to flash points inside and outside the state capital, to deal with any unforeseen eventualities.

    Read also: Police assure citizens of a crime-free Yuletide

    ‘‘We have taken concrete security measures to secure people during Christmas and New Year festivities without any form of security threats.

    ‘‘We are ready to tackle any form of criminal activities during, before and after the festive periods.

    ‘‘We will continue to sustain the existing synergy between the command and other security agencies, to protect the lives and property of residents,’’ he said.

    He advised residents to be law-abiding and report any suspicious movements of persons to the nearest security units for prompt action.

    The commandant warned that security agencies would not condone any form of lawlessness during and after the celebrations.

    NAN

  • Army, NGO train 104 on skills acquisition, distributes N3.5m starter packs

    Army, NGO train 104 on skills acquisition, distributes N3.5m starter packs

    The Headquarters, Training And Doctrine Command ( TRADOC ), Nigerian Army, Minna, says it is collaborating with an NGO, Malam Garba Foundation, to train 104 family members of serving army personnel in Minna Military Cantonment on various skills.

    The TRADOC Commander, Maj.-Gen. Rasheed Yusuf, disclosed this in Minna while distributing certificates and starter packs to the trainees.

    “The Skills Acquisition Programme in Minna military cantonment is one major welfare programme initiated by the Chief of Army Staff to empower the family members of the Army personnel,’’ Yusuf said.

    He said the programme was aimed at enhancing the living standard of the wives and children of the serving military personnel.

    “There is no doubt that the programme will reduce poverty and increase economic buoyancy in the barracks and the society,’’ the commander said.

    He said the beneficiaries were trained for one month on leather works, barbing, hairdressing, bead and wire work, multipurpose cosmetics, satellite installation, fashion designing and tailoring, among others.

    He said each participant would be provided with a starter pack in his or her chosen vocation, which they should utilise to improve the lots of their families.

    Malam Garba Abdulmajid, chairman of the foundation, said the army funded the training of 60 participants while the NGO was responsible for the training of 44 trainees.

    Abdulmajid said that the starter packs distributed to the trainees were worth N3.5 million.

    Mrs Grace Osho, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association ( NAOWA ), Minna, promised that the beneficiaries would utilise the starter packs to achieve the objective of the programme.

    NAN

  • Prof. Bala takes over as new VC FUT Minna

    Prof. Bala takes over as new VC FUT Minna

    The seventh substantive Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology,  Minna, Professor Abdullahi Bala have been sworn in.

    The inauguration of the new vice chancellor is the first transfer of power in the history of the 35 years old institution that is peaceful and devoid of protestations.

    The inauguration of the outgone Vice Chancellor,  Professor Musbau Akanji had to be postponed in 2012 pending resolution of limitations and various degrees of protestations against his appointment.

    The new Vice Chancellor,  Professor Abdullahi Bala pledged to operate a open door policy adding that his administration will be fair and work for justice for all.

    He expressed his desire to provide accommodation for 75 per cent of the students in order to adequately expose them to the University culture and to improve the internally generated revenue of the University to augment what the federal government provides.

    Bala who lamented that the relationship between the institution and its host is tenuous and characterized by mutual suspicion stressed that there would be a paradigm shift to ensure the relationship becomes more organic and mutually beneficial to both communities.

    According to him, “we shall take decisions that are in the best interest of the university.

    “We shall also work assiduously and dispassionately towards assembling the best team to realize our set objectives.”

    He pointed out that the university has witnessed a tremendous growth and development especially in the last one and half decades.

    He said that with a student population of about 25,000, the university now ranked 5th among the specialized universities in Nigeria and 45th out of 4,245 universities in Africa.

    He said inadequate financing has often been the bane of most its developmental plans, “our is unlikely to be different giving the low allocations usually made by government to universities”.

    The new vice chancellor said the institution would work towards improving the internally generated revenue to augment whatever the government provides.

    “We shall also aggressive work towards blocking financial leakages.”

    Earlier in his speech, the out going vice chancellor, Prof. Musbau Akanji expressed confidence that the new vice chancellor has the pedigree to move the university to a greater height.

    Akanji lauded the support from the Niger state government, the university community, the staff and the students, adding that it made his tenure a most fulfilling outing.