The Nation Newspaper

Tag: mission

  • 5,800 benefit from Ekiti free health mission

    The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Olusola Fasubaa, has urged residents to take advantage of the State Government’s Sixth Free Health Mission.

    He said over 3,000 residents of Ikere-Ekiti have benefitted from the exercise.

    Speaking yesterday in Ikere-Ekiti, Fasubaa warned expectant women against patronising churches and mosques for medical treatment.

    He said it is not only unhealthy, but dangerous to resort to faith-based organisations and herbal homes for treatment during pregnancy, at delivery or after.

    Fasubaa said he was impressed with the turn out for the exercise.

    Caretaker Chairman, Ikere Local Government, Mr. Kayode Adekamimo said several people have regained their sight through the health intervention.

    He urged the people to continue to support and pray for the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

    In Ise/Orun Local Government Area, the Olowuro of Orun-Ekiti, Oba Adewumi Aderohunmu, and the council Chairman, Mr. Femi Ajayi, lauded the free health mission.

    In Emure Local Government Area, the State Director of Public Health, Dr. Francis Ibikunle, said over 2,800 people benefitted from the mission.

     

  • ‘Mission schools’ take-over was irresponsible’

    ‘Mission schools’ take-over was irresponsible’

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has urged state governments that have returned schools to mission owners to rebuild them.

    The governor noted that their takeover was an irresponsible act that destroyed the school system.

    Obi spoke at All Saints Cathedral Egbu, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, at the second session of the sixth Synod of the Diocese of Egbu.

    The governor hailed the Imo State Government for appreciating the wisdom and need to return the schools to the church.

    He urged the Imo State Government to rebuild the schools to redress the effects of decades of neglect on them.

    Obi noted that the takeover after the Civil War led to the collapse of education and an upsurge in crime and other anti-social activities.

    The governor said his administration would correct the anormally.

    Obi explained that he spent the day with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in resettlement camps to mark the posthumous birthday of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, in line with the belief and conviction of the late Igbo leader.

    The governor noted that the late Odumegwu-Ojukwu was interested in the welfare of the masses and the under-privilege.

    The Chancellor of the Diocese, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, expressed that the governor always identified with the church.

    He said the governor’s support has led to the growth of the church.

    The cleric said the Obi administration is a good example of how government and the church should collaborate for the good of the society.

     

  • Fed Govt, NUT differ on mission schools

    Fed Govt, NUT differ on mission schools

    The Federal Government and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) differed yesterday on government’s decision to return mission schools to their owners.

    Although the Federal Government insisted that its decision to return the schools to their owners was the right one, the NUT flayed the government ‘s action.

    The NUT said states that are returning schools to their owners are also sabotaging government’s efforts to provide free and qualitative education to children across the country.

    The government’s position was made known by the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, yesterday when he appeared at a House of Representatives’ public hearing on two bills on the amendment of Universal Basic Education Commission (2004) Act.

    Wike made case for the Federal Government’s intervention in secondary school development through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

    The union, in a presentation by its General Secretary, Ikpe Obong, accused the Federal Government of contravening the constitution by returning the schools to their former owners.

    Stakeholders, including Non-Government Organisations and educational groups , however,disagreed on how to strengthen secondary education.

    Obong said the government is acting contrary to the constitution by not making education at primary and secondary level free in the affected schools.

    Wike, however, said government has not violated the constitution, “because the children in those schools would not be denied the rights and privileges enjoyed by other children in public schools.

    “Government has made provisions for a certain moratorium to be given to the affected schools so that they will not charge school fees for a certain period”.

  • Port Harcourt free mission ends

    An international non-profit organisation, Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) (Doctors Without Borders), which offers free medical care, will stop admitting patients at the Teme Hospital in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

    MSF’s Field Coordinator Mr. Eric Jeunot yesterday said the group would move to other emergency areas in Nigeria.

    He said out-patients and those on admission at Teme Hospital would be attended to till the end of next March.

    MSF was created in 1971 in Paris. It is in over 70 countries, with 30,000 workers world-wide.

    The organisation has been providing free medical services to Rivers State residents since 2005.

    Jeunot said: “For patients already admitted or currently being treated, we will complete the treatment, mostly based on appointments with doctors. If there is an emergency in Rivers State, we will be willing to render our services, but for now, we have to leave the state.”