The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger

  • 22 die in boat mishap in Niger

    The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has confirmed the death of 22 persons in a boat mishap around Mahuta community in Agwara Local Government Area of the state.

    Malam Hussaini Ibrahim, the Public Relations Officer of the agency, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Wednesday.

    He said the deceased were traveling on Tuesday from Yauri in Kebbi and Mage around Kontagora area to Manhuta in Niger.

    Ibrahim said that seven of the travelers were, however, rescued.

    According to him, the victims were traveling to Mahuta following information that a divine stone, with an islamic inscription was found there, when their boat capsised.

    “Some of the survivors said the boat hit a log of wood inside the river and capsized,” he said.

    He said the bodies of the deceased were  deposited at the General Hospital in Yauri.(NAN)

  • ‘3,600 communities lack health facilities in Niger’

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that there are 3,600 communities in Niger State which lack basic health facilities and social amenities.

    Tagging those communities hard-to-reach, UNICEF has said that although the international donor partner seeks to provide health services to all the communities, it has only been able to reach out to 850 communities in 17 local government areas of the state.

    The Niger State Coordinator of the UNICEF Hard to Reach Communities, Dr. Mohammed Khalid disclosed to journalists at a sensitisation meeting in Minna, the state capital, that the nearest health centre is about 5km to these communities and the people would have to travel through hard and difficult terrains which discourages them from seeking health services.

    He expressed concern that the children in these areas are most vulnerable to diseases especially as some have become disfigured by some diseases which were not treated. Some other children are being rejected by the members of the communities because of some diseases which could have been cured if there was access to healthcare.

    “So many of these hard-to-reach communities are so far away from civilisation that they do not have electricity or even mobile networks. They have been abandoned, they are socially secluded and do not even know what they are missing because they have been left behind.”

    Khalid said that the UNICEF Hard-to-reach project seeks to bring the plight of the communities to the attention of the government in order for an increase in health allocation to carter for the health needs of the people living in the areas.

    According to him, under the hard-to-reach project,108,575 under-five children have been vaccinated and immunised, 314,604 Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV) doses were administered to the children 3,050 mobile sessions.

    The Coordinator said that the hard-to-reach project in engages routine immunisation including supplemental oral polio virus doses, diagnosis and treatment of childhood illnesses, nutritional assessment, Vitamin A supplements among others.

    “Our team usually consist of an experienced nurse midwife, a Child Health Emergency Worker (CHEW), two junior CHEWs and a data assistant. UNICEF hard-to-reach project covers 17 local government councils, 145 wards, 850 settlements and we have 17 teams and 850 voluntary community mobilisers.”

    He commended the Niger state government for its support and commitment in towards ensuring the success of the project especially in the supply of potent vaccines and RDT kits calling on the government to take note of the remaining 2,950 communities that are not being reached by the UNICEF project as they still Iive without any possibility of accessing healthcare in the state.

    “There is still much to be done, a lot of children in these communities need to be reached but while we try to do our best, the government need to do more in ensuring that these communities have medical intervention, so as not to bring down the health indices of the state.”

    The Niger state Immunization Officer, Dr. Samuel Jiya however said the state government is still working towards carrying health Intervention to the hard-to-reach communities in its bid to improve health indices and end maternal and child mortality.

    He said that government is putting in all its resources towards combating child killer diseases in the state.

    he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that there are 3,600 communities in Niger State which lack basic health facilities and social amenities.

    Tagging those communities hard-to-reach, UNICEF has said that although the international donor partner seeks to provide health services to all the communities, it has only been able to reach out to 850 communities in 17 local government areas of the state.

    The Niger State Coordinator of the UNICEF Hard to Reach Communities, Dr. Mohammed Khalid disclosed to journalists at a sensitisation meeting in Minna, the state capital, that the nearest health centre is about 5km to these communities and the people would have to travel through hard and difficult terrains which discourages them from seeking health services.

    He expressed concern that the children in these areas are most vulnerable to diseases especially as some have become disfigured by some diseases which were not treated. Some other children are being rejected by the members of the communities because of some diseases which could have been cured if there was access to healthcare.

    “So many of these hard-to-reach communities are so far away from civilisation that they do not have electricity or even mobile networks. They have been abandoned, they are socially secluded and do not even know what they are missing because they have been left behind.”

    Khalid said that the UNICEF Hard-to-reach project seeks to bring the plight of the communities to the attention of the government in order for an increase in health allocation to carter for the health needs of the people living in the areas.

    According to him, under the hard-to-reach project,108,575 under-five children have been vaccinated and immunised, 314,604 Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV) doses were administered to the children 3,050 mobile sessions.

    The Coordinator said that the hard-to-reach project in engages routine immunisation including supplemental oral polio virus doses, diagnosis and treatment of childhood illnesses, nutritional assessment, Vitamin A supplements among others.

    “Our team usually consist of an experienced nurse midwife, a Child Health Emergency Worker (CHEW), two junior CHEWs and a data assistant. UNICEF hard-to-reach project covers 17 local government councils, 145 wards, 850 settlements and we have 17 teams and 850 voluntary community mobilisers.”

    He commended the Niger state government for its support and commitment in towards ensuring the success of the project especially in the supply of potent vaccines and RDT kits calling on the government to take note of the remaining 2,950 communities that are not being reached by the UNICEF project as they still Iive without any possibility of accessing healthcare in the state.

    “There is still much to be done, a lot of children in these communities need to be reached but while we try to do our best, the government need to do more in ensuring that these communities have medical intervention, so as not to bring down the health indices of the state.”

    The Niger state Immunization Officer, Dr. Samuel Jiya however said the state government is still working towards carrying health Intervention to the hard-to-reach communities in its bid to improve health indices and end maternal and child mortality.

    He said that government is putting in all its resources towards combating child killer diseases in the state.

     

  • Niger to set up courts for traffic offenders

    Niger to set up courts for traffic offenders

    Mr Umar Kuki, Director, Motor Administration Department in Niger, on Friday said the state government would set up mobile courts to try traffic offenders in the state.

    Kuki told the reporter in Minna that setting up the courts would minimize road accidents in the metropolis.

    He said the department was collaborating with Board of Internal Revenue, Ministry of Justice and other security agencies for the successful take up of the courts.

    “Motorcycle operators, civil servants and other motorists do not obey traffic rules, especially around central market, Bosso, and traffic junctions in Minna.

    “We usually record not less than 10 road accidents daily in the metropolis due to violation of of traffic rules by road users,” he said.

    The director, however, said that the department had reached out the National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW ) and Commercial Motorcycle Association to mobilize their members on the need to obey traffic rules.”

    NAN

  • Police boss promises adequate security in Niger

    Police boss promises adequate security in Niger

    The Police Command in Niger has said it is ready to provide adequate security before, during and after the 57th Independence celebrations of the country in the state.

    The Commissioner of Police for the command, Mr Austine Agbonlahor, gave the promise in an interview in Minna on Friday.

    Agbonlahor said that the command had mobilised all needed manpower and logistics that would enable it provide a secured environment for the peaceful conduct of all celebrations in the area.

    He said that operational order on how to provide conducive atmosphere across the state had been worked out for implementation by officers and men of the command.

    “We have deployed sufficient personnel to all public buildings and recreational centres for well coordinated, physical policing against any form of security threats,” he said.

    He advised residents to be security conscious always while attending public functions, assuring them that the command would intensify efforts in feasibility policing to safeguard life and property.

    “We need intelligence information about miscreants to enable us come out with plausible security measures to arrest and prosecute them.

    NAN

  • Niger creates Department of Oil and Gas

    Niger creates Department of Oil and Gas

    The Niger Government has approved the creation of a Department of Oil and Gas under the state Ministry of Mineral Resources.

    Alhaji Mudi Mohammed, the state Commissioner for Mineral Resources, told newsmen  in Minna on Thursday that the approval was given by Gov. Abubakar Bello at  the weekly State Executive Council meeting.

    He said since the state was  prospecting for  oil and gas  in Bida and Zungeru Basin, there was need for the creation of a department that would oversees the production process in line with the Federal Government’s  mandate.

    Mohammed also said  the department would be responsible for coordinating the exploration, development and deployment process to attract  investors.

    He further  said that the department would liaise with the Federal Government on the exploration and development of  the oil and gas sector in the state.

    According to him, the Bida Basin had been blocked into 17 oil blocks, with Main Land Oil and Gas Company already applying  for two blocks–Oil Prospecting License 501 (OPL) and OPL 517.

    The commissioner added that a Chinese Company had visited the sites and taken  samples to China  for assessment.

    He also said the  state government in collaboration with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation would soon visit the Kutigi and Gulu exploration sites.

  • Teenager caught having sex with an animal in Niger 

    • A 15 year old teenager, Kabiru Idi has been arrested by the Niger state Police Command for having sex with a goat.
      Idi who lives in Gbeganu area of Bosso Local Government Area of the state was caught having sex with the goat which is said to be one of the animals that roam the neighborhood.
      Suspecting neighbours reported Idi  to a the police operatives attached to Kpakungu Division in Minna who following a tip-off got to Idi’s residence to catch him in the act.
      Neighbours who spoke after the arrest  said that this is the second time the suspect has committed the same offence in the  area as they stated that they are getting wary of the acts of the teenager expressing fear over his preferences.
      The State Police Public Relations Officer, Babalola Adewole who confirmed the incident applauded the operatives attached to Kpakungu police Division on patrol for apprehending the suspect adding that the suspect would be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.
      He urged members of the public to always report any suspicious person to the nearest police station in their areas to help police to carry out its duties in a dignified manner.
  • IG urges new recruits to eschew corruption

    IG urges new recruits to eschew corruption

    The Inspector-General ( IG ) of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Friday, urged the 465 new police recruits to eschew any act of corruption and be dedicated to their duties.

    The police boss made the call at the Passing Out Parade of the police constables at the Police Training School, Minna.

    Represented by Deputy Inspector-General ( IG ) of Police, Finance and Administration, Shauibu Gamb.
    He said “I will not hesitate to deal decisively with any police officer found in acts which violate the law of the land, including the prosecution of such persons to act as deterrent to others.”

    Idris added that the 465 constables would be posted to their states of origin to ensure effective
    community policing.

    He stressed that “you are, therefore, advised not to engage in any corrupt practices and any other nefarious activities.

    “Nigeria is in a democratic system of government where the rights of citizens must be respected.”

    The police chief assured the public that the Nigeria Police would continue to operate within its constitutional mandate.

    He explained that “this made the police high command to launch `Our Creed,’ aimed at guiding officers’ actions while on their professional duties in line with international best practices.

    “We shall ensure the rule of law prevails in our action and activities and operate within the principles of democratic governance.”

    He lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the recruitment of 31,000 police officers yearly.

    Earlier, Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Ketsu, lauded police efforts in the state.

    Bello expressed the state government’s determination to continue to support the police for effective policing.

  • Niger to spend N1.2bn in 20 days on school feeding

    Niger to spend N1.2bn in 20 days on school feeding

    The Niger government says it will spend N1.2 billion in every 20 days of the  primary school feeding programme expected to kick off Sept. 25.

    Mrs. Afiniki Dauda, Special Adviser to Gov. Abubakar Bello on Empowerment and Social Protection, disclosed this on Tuesday in Minna, during the training of 150 food vendors and desk officers on food safety and hygiene.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, tagged: “train the trainees”, was organised for selected vendors across the 25 local government areas, to prepare them for the feeding programme.

    Dauda said that the Federal Government would spend N70 per day, for every child involved in the feeding programme.

    “We have submitted a list of well over 800,000 pupils from 3,000 schools for the programme; its principal aim is to
    raise nutritional value among pupils and increase school enrollment,” she said.

    She said that 70,170 vendors had been captured for the programme, adding that their data had been submitted to the National Identity Management office for verification.

    The official said that government had set up a special monitoring and evaluation team consisting of desk officers, counselors, parents and teachers association to ensure its success.

    Dauda warned vendors and other officials against diverting food items meant for the pupils, saying that anyone caught would be prosecuted.

  • Niger to spend N1.2bn on school feeding

    Niger to spend N1.2bn on school feeding

    The Niger government says it will spend N1.2 billion in every 20 days of the  primary school feeding programme expected to kick off Sept. 25,

    Mrs. Afiniki Dauda, Special Adviser to Gov. Abubakar Bello on Empowerment and Social Protection, disclosed this on Tuesday in Minna, during the training of 150 food vendors and desk officers on food safety and hygiene.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, tagged: “train the trainees”, was organised for selected vendors across the 25 local government areas, to prepare them for the feeding programme.

    Dauda said that the Federal Government would spend N70 per day, for every child involved in the feeding programme.

    “We have submitted a list of well over 800,000 pupils from 3,000 schools for the programme; its principal aim is to
    raise nutritional value among pupils and increase school enrollment,” she said.

    She said that 70,170 vendors had been captured for the programme, adding that their data had been submitted to the National Identity Management office for verification.

    The official said that government had set up a special monitoring and evaluation team consisting of desk officers, counselors, parents and teachers association to ensure its success.

    Dauda warned vendors and other officials against diverting food items meant for the pupils, saying that anyone caught would be prosecuted.

  • Niger floods leave thousands homeless

    Niger floods leave thousands homeless

    The Interior Ministry in Niger said flooding had killed at least 56 people since the rainy season began in the country in June and left over 185,000 homeless.

    In one of the world’s poorest countries, where most houses are made of earth or mud, the flood destroyed thousands of homes.

    One of the flood victims, Mahamane Soumana, said his home and farm had been completely flooded for the past two months.

    Soumana, who stood ankle-deep in mud, hesitatingly throwing a net in his home’s flooded yard in Banga Bana district, in Niamey, his two houses collapsed with the rain.

    “I‘m a rice farmer, not a fisherman, but my field has been completely flooded for the past two months. So, I fish in my courtyard.

    “I used to have two houses, both of which collapsed with the rain.

    “But, now I have nothing to house or feed my family other than fish,” he told Thomson Reuters Foundation as he tried to untangle a couple of small fish from his net.

    Soumana’s situation is far from uncommon. For Nigeriens unable to afford cement homes, each rainy season increasingly brings a dangerous ordeal, local experts say.

    According to Katiellou Gaptia, Head of Meteorology at Niger’s Met Office, climate change in the Sahel is creating warmer conditions where the atmosphere can hold more moisture, often increasing the volume of rainfall.

    “This year’s rain is just extraordinary. In Niger ( niamey ) alone, the season’s rainfall has increased by 84 percent since 2010,” he said.

    Gabagoura, a village northwest of Niamey, is one of the worst affected areas by the recent floods.

    On the median strip of the main road, mats and foam mattresses dry on guardrails.

    Around them, piles of wood and straw are all that are left of more than 290 homes that collapsed at the end of August, leaving 1,200 people homeless.

    Village chief, Adamou Saley, walks towards a massive silk-cotton tree, under which 15 people have taken shelter.

    “Look at this misery, total desolation,” he said, looking around at the remnants of homes.

    Saley said Gabagoura village had indeed been warned by the Niger state government on television and radio.

    “But, the village was spared the brunt of flooding last year, so people thought they would be safe.

    “Some still tried to build drainage gutters around their homes, but even they collapsed,” said the village chief.

    He said that the government and several non-governmental organisations had sent food and supplies and that some flood victims had moved into the village’s two schools.

    “But some people are still left on the streets. School is set to start again in early October, which may mean those sheltering in schools will need to find a new place to stay.

    “If we don’t get any more help I don’t know what will happen to those currently living in the school,” Saley said.

    He expressed apprehension over more predicted rainfall, saying “80 per cent of us are without homes. If it rains again, we’ll lose the entire village.’’

    Hadjara Yacouba’s house was entirely destroyed by the rains.

    She said “we have nothing, not even a tent.

    “I am a widow with 17 children, and we have lost everything.’’

    “Before the start of the rainy season, the government advised people living in flood-prone areas to leave their homes.

    “But few heeded the advice because they refused to abandon their homes or had nowhere else to go,’’ said Boubacar Sidikou, Secretary-General for Niger’s Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management.

    “As soon as we have the funds to prepare the shelter sites we will do so.

    “We believe the shelters will allow us to temporarily house all those currently left in schools,” Sidikou said, without specifying how many people the sites could accommodate.

    Fatima Alher, who heads a project mapping flood-prone zones in Niamey, thinks national and local efforts to prepare for flooding were not enough.

    “To date, we’ve not had an efficient system to alert the entire population.

    “Flood survivors we spoke to said they weren’t properly informed of what was happening,” she said.

    Today, efforts to rebuild flood-stricken areas are not progressing fast enough, residents complained.

    Officials at the Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management said they had identified four potential shelter areas in Niamey, but had yet to set them up due to lack of funds.