The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger

  • Niger to recruit 267 health personnel in 2017

    The Niger Government on Wednesday said it had concluded arrangements to employ 267 healthcare workers as part of efforts to boost the health sector in the state.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Makun Sidi, disclosed this when he led the state’s Health Care Financing Technical Working Committee on an advocacy visit to the state’s House of Assembly.

    He said “last year, we had approval to engage 110 health workers, out of which, 30 were doctors.

    “This year, we would recruit 267, out of which, five would be consultants.

    “Suffice to say that today, Niger has 18 consultants in different areas of specialisation as against few years ago when we had four or five.”

    The permanent secretary, who noted that the remuneration of health workers in the state was poor, appealed for improvement in that regard.

    According to him, the General Hospital, Minna, records 600 child deliveries
    monthly.

    Sidi said the executive would send a bill seeking to domesticate the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the state.

    The Health Care Financing Technical Working Committee then appointed the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, as champion of the State Health Insurance Scheme.

    In his remarks, the Speaker assured that the bill would be passed into law in record time when it was presented to the House.

    Marafa maintained that the domestication of the NHIS had become necessary, as health issues were capital intensive.

  • Meningitis: Death toll rises to 33 in Niger

    Meningitis: Death toll rises to 33 in Niger

    Thirty three people have died from the Cerebrol Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in Niger state.
    The Executive Director of the Niger state Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPCDA), Dr. Yahaya Na’uzo announced the rise in the number of the death.
    When the disease broke out in the state, only 16 cases were recorded while 116 suspected cases were also recorded.
    According to Dr. Na’uzo, the 33 deaths occurred out of the 116 suspected cases recorded so far.
    He said that out of the 33, nine persons died from the type C meningitis, while the other 24 died of the type A and B meningitis.
    Na’uzo said that although fewer cases are being reported daily, the disease is being contained in Magama, Agwara, Rijau, Kontagora Local government areas adding that the suspected cases in Suleja and Paiko were persons on transit from Sokoto.
    He added that massive sensitization have been embarked upon by the state ministry of health as people are being educated on preventive measures to take.
    Na’uzo said that vaccination would commence immediately the state receives the Type C meningitis vaccines from international communities.
    He said that health personnel have been deployed to rural areas to help contain the spread.

  • Police promise peaceful Easter celebration

    Police promise peaceful Easter celebration

    Mr Salisu Fagge, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7 Abuja, on Wednesday says adequate security measures have been taken to ensure hitch-free Easter celebrations in the zone.

    Fagge told News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in a telephone interview that the police and other security agencies would ensure seamless celebration.

    He said that already, a comprehensive operational order had been issued to commissioners of police in Abuja, Kaduna and Niger commands, to secure residents against any form of threat.

    The AIG said that police personnel in the area have been well equipped to tackle any form of security threat.

    “Residents should go about their legitimate activities as the police will ensure the protection of lives and property during and after the festivities” he said.

    He assured that adequate security will be provided to all places worship, recreation centres, motor parks and other public places to prevent any form of threat to lives and property.

    “Well armed security personnel had since been deployed to all federal highways including Kaduna-Abuja, Minna-Suleja, Minna-Kontagora and Kaduna-Jebba roads to ensure the safety of road users.”

    Fagge called on residents to volunteer information on criminals around them for prompt security action, as well as remain vigilant and security conscious at all times.

     

  • Custom: Niger Area command collects N417 million revenue

    Custom: Niger Area command collects N417 million revenue

    The Niger Area Command of Nigeria Custom Service collected N417 million revenue in the first quarter of this year.

    Mr Garba Kabiru, the Area Comptroller, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Wednesday.

    The command supervises Niger, Kogi and Kwara offices of the service.

    Kabiru said that about N149 million revenue was collected in March, N160 million in February, while N107 million was collected in January.

    He said that anti-smuggling unit of the command seized rice, vehicles and second hand clothes whose duty paid value was N15 million in the first quarter of the year.

    Kabiru said that the command had introduced more comprehensive security measures to prevent all forms of smuggling in the area.

    He said that the area command had issued an order to officers deployed to man border posts in Tungan Madugu, Kibira and Agbara Rofiya in Borgu Local Government area of Niger.

    While the order was also sent to officers in border posts in Chikanda,Yashikira ,Kuso Boso in Barutem Local Government area of Kwara State.

    “We are battle ready to end smuggling through our various strategies that will pave way for arrest and prosecution of smugglers.”

    Kabiru solicited the support of traditional rulers and stakeholders in sensitising residents on the negative effects of smuggling on the nation’s economy.

    “We have also reached out to youths in the border communities to assist our field officers with required intelligence information that will assist in curbing all forms of smuggling activities,” he said.

    Kabiru called on officers and men of the command to continue to put in their best as hard working ones would be rewarded.

     

  • Meningitis: Expert calls for effective response strategies

    “The committee should be responsible for reviewing the antibiotic vulnerability of Neisseria meningitis serotypes in the country.

    “Such committee can then use current trend and data on antibiotic resistance to formulate appropriate prophylaxis and treatment by state, zones or the country as a whole,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that there has been an outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) across 16 states of the country since November 2016, of which a new strain of the disease called “stereotype C’’ had emerged.

    As at April 3, there were 2,524 suspected cases with 336 deaths recorded in 90 local government areas in the affected states.

    The states included Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa , Jigawa, FCT, Gombe, Taraba , Yobe, Kano, Osun, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Plateau.

    Meningitis outbreaks peak in the dry season in certain states in the Northern region due to low humidity and dusty conditions and usually end as the rainy season approaches.

    The bacteria that cause it can be spread through exchange of saliva, which can occur during common activities such as kissing, sharing utensils and drinking glasses.

    The risk factors for meningitis also include living in close quarters such as dormitories, sneezing and coughing as well as smoking or being exposed to smoke.

    Also, particular lifestyle such as staying out late or irregular sleeping habits could put people at greater risk for meningitis, by weakening their immune system.

    Some common symptoms include high fever, stiff neck, confusion, sensitivity to light, headaches and vomiting.

    According to the WHO, even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment begins, five per cent to 10 per cent of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

    Vaccination against the three types of bacteria that can cause meningitis still remains one of the most effective ways to be protected against certain types of bacterial meningitis, alongside avoiding the risk factors.

     

  • Niger community signs $250m rice production contract

    Niger community signs $250m rice production contract

    The Loguma community in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State has signed a $250 million contract with Uzza Rice Mill in Kano State.

    The contract is expected to address the increasing price of rice in the country. Under the contract,  the community’s farmers will send the rice they planted to the mill for processing.

    The Loguma Cluster Chairman, John Ndagi, said the contract would improve the lot of farmers and give an awakening to rice farming in the state.

    He said all year round, rice farming was now possible with the intervention of Fadama 3 Additional Financing which rehabilitated the irrigation scheme in the community and trained them on contract farming and group dynamics.

    “Because of Fadama’s intervention, the harvest last year was wonderful. We have signed a $250 dollar contract with Uzza Rice Mill in Kano. Fadama have helped the rice farmers in the community to widen their scope and improve their economic base,” he said.

    Ndagi said the rehabilitation of the irrigation scheme has helped a lot in the cultivation, adding that 140 hectares of rice farm was covered by the irrigation scheme. He also said the road network constructed by Fadama in the community has also helped in easy movement of goods into towns.

  • FMBN spends N1.4b on housing units in Niger

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has spent N1.4 billion on 379 housing units in Niger State.

    The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri, who stated this at the opening of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Sea Mountain 133 Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State, said with the need for 720, 000 housing units per annum, the annual aggregate production of 100 housing units was not tenable to meet the huge gap of housing in the nation.

    “The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing will continue to strive to ensure that the challenges of housing deficit in Nigeria which has been put at 16 to 17 million units is surmountable.

    “With a population of about 200 million that is growing at an average rate of three per cent per annum coupled with an annual rural-urban migration rate of over five per cent, Nigeria is said to be in need of about 720, 000 housing units per annum. Currently, the annual aggregate production is about 100,000 housing units, thereby leaving a huge gap.”

  • Three dead as community, firm clash in Niger

    Three people have been killed and properties worth millions destroyed in a clash between Kusogi Village in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State and Sauti Sugar Company.

    It was gathered the clash was caused by a disagreement between security operatives and indigenes of the village working in the company.

    Niger State Governor Sani Bello, in a visit to the village, called on Kusogi community and youths to desist from taking law into their hands.

    He urged them to always channel their grievances through appropriate quarters for amicable resolution of crisis.

    Bello, who was represented by his deputy, Ahmad Ketso, stated no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of rancor.

    He called on the youths in the community to enroll into schools to obtain necessary certificates that will enable them get appointments into higher positions in the company instead of being relegated to mere casual staff.

    Bello also assured of his administration’s readiness to intervene on the lingering crisis between the villagers and the company with a view to finding lasting solution.

    The governor donated N100,000 to families of the three deceased persons to take care of their immediate needs.

    Head of Kusogi village, Alhaji Mohammed Kusogi informed that he had called for a meeting of stakeholders to forestall future occurrence.

  • FMBN spends N1.4b on housing units in Niger

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has disclosed that N1.4 billion have been expended for the development of 379 housing units in Niger State just as the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri, said the nation needs 17 million houses to meet up with the challenge of housing deficit.

    The minister, who stated this at the opening of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Sea Mountain 133 Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State, said that with the need of 720, 000 housing units per annum, the annual aggregate production of 100 housing units is not tenable to meet the huge gap of housing in the nation.

    “The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing will continue to strive to ensure that the challenges of housing deficit in Nigeria which has been put at 16 to 17 million units is surmountable.

    “With a population of about 200 million that is growing at an average rate of three per cent per annum couple with an annual rural-urban migration rate of over five per cent, Nigeria is said to be in need of about 720, 000 housing units per annum. Currently, the annual aggregate production is about 100,000 housing units, thereby leaving a huge gap.”

    The Minister said the Ministry’s plan to build mass housing units in every state of the federation for public workers yearly over the next three years has reached an advanced stage of implementation.

    He further said that National Housing Models have been designed and approved for each geo-political zone while commending the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for its efforts in stepping up to the challenge of housing deficit.

    In his address, the Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Richard Esin said the estate which comprises of 51 units of three bedroom bungalows and 82 units of two bedroom bungalows costs N5 million for two bedroom semi-detached bungalows and N7 million for 3 bedroom fully detached bungalow.

    According to him, FMBN has invested N1.4 billion for the development of 379 housing units in Niger state emphasing on its mandate to provide Nigerians access to mortgage finance at affordable rates to enable them own houses of their own.

  • 94 inmates freed in Niger

    94 inmates freed in Niger

    Ninety-four awaiting trial inmates in Niger State have been freed.
    The Chief Judge, Justice Maria Sanda Zukogi, pardoned the prisoners on her maiden visit to the prisons to decongest them.
    The freed inmates include those awaiting trial for over four years and those whose case files could not be traced to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
    Justice Zukogi ordered the police to forward the case files of some inmates to her office within two weeks or she will set them free.
    Twenty-four convicts serving at the Minna Old Prison and Medium Security Prison were released. They were warned to desist from acts that could bring them back.