CURRENT INFRASTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND HEALTH SECTOR EVENTS TO ERADICATE LASSA FEVER IN EBONYI STATE NIGERIA

A National Housing Mobile to suit the Council and climatic Diversity of the six Geo Political zones in the choice of House files; had been developed by the government. The minister of state for power, works and housing ALHJI MUSTAPHA SHEURI announced to this at the inauguration of the housing project constructed by the Federal Mortgage bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Ebonyi state government .

According to the correspondent reporter of this incident who specified that Ebonyi state government entered into agreement with Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 2005 to provide 240 housing units for its work force. The project which was sited at the Amaike eziala mill in  Ezzamgbo local government area of Ebonyi state was a minute at the cost of 422 million Naira, 12 years stand along the line only 72 housing units were to be cost of 411 million Naira, ALHAJI BABA SHEURI explained that the federal ministry of power, works and housing will continue to strive to ensure that the challenge of Housing deficit in Nigeria which stood at the 17 million unit are surmounted, according to ALHAJI BABA SHEURI who said that adherence to the northern Nigerian content in standardization policy which transfers its available housing to Nigerians.

Also Governor DAVID UMAR explained that the completed units had been allocated to some civil and public servants in the state, as owners on five bases and urged the Federal Mortgage bank to fast track the conclusion of the 168 units. Governor DAVID UMAR emphasized that the state government would re-negotiate with the bank on how to settle with the interest rate of the fund injected in to the project, given the time due for some of the units to be completed. He said that they have to give out the days of construction period because if they leave interest for ten years advance, there is no civil servant that can afford it. And all the operators in the project should know that they have 116 million injected and they have to recover the money from the occupants.

Some of the beneficiaries commended the government for it’s posted to hand over the completed housing units. According to one of the beneficiaries who said that at this time of economic recession and high cost of accommodation, she thinks it inevitable for them to afford the demands based on payment rate. Other beneficiaries however called for provision of basic infrastructure such as water, light and power pulled to make life better and more meaningful in the estate.

On the other hand, the Ebonyi state government says that it had recorded the first case of Lassa fever since the virus was discovered in Nigeria in 1969. Briefing the newsmen in Maiduguri the state commissioner for health DR. HALUNA OSHELIA said that the case was confirmed from a 32years old woman in Jeri Local government area of the state. According to DR. HALUNA OSHELIA who said that they took samples to conduct test and make sure that she had not developed accumulative virus disease of which Lassa fever is one; the samples put some kind that they got the result from Lagos that she was suffering from Lassa fever. And luckily for her, the diagnosis that was instituted had worked and she is very ok now. But she is being monitored to make sure that her recovering is complete. DR. HALUNA OSHELIA also said that several Nigerian had been warned to prevent the spread of the disease. He said looking at our relation; all of them are healthy and ok but this disease can take between 2 to 21 days to develop, so we will not stop following them up until it is being disfigured, and whoever the victim had come in contact with we have join hands to monitor and follow them up in order to stop the spread of the virus. The commissioner called on the public to always ensure proper personal and environmental hygiene to get rid of rodents in the houses.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

EFFORTS TO TREAT PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS VIRUS IN NIGERIA

Now to help matters, stakeholders in the health sector of Nigerian Economy had converged in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, for the dissemination of the national guidelines for HIV prevention treatment and care. The guidelines focus on persons living with HIV on treatment.

According to the correspondent reporter of the Program who said that the federal government on the December 2016 launched National Guidelines for HIV Prevention Treatment and care to fast track plan of action towards achieving 1990 target as well as curb the spread of the deadly AIDS Virus in the country. At the event, the Chief Executive officer Institute of Human Geology in Nigeria DR. PATRICK DAKU said the dissemination was to ensure availability of the New treatment at all levels. According to DR. PATRICK who specified that in the past once one is to test for HIV, there is need to take your blood for test and once you are positive, there is need to commence treatment immediately. But the science community led by the World Health Organization (WHO), had already discovered over two years ago that we should cast one and find one positive, that there should be commencement of treatment immediately. And he said that this practice reduces the risk of complications as one moves on with the therapy.

Also the national Coordinator, National AIDS and Standard Transmitted Fight control program ministry of health DR. SUNDAY ABODE observed that new guideline will address the issue of the treatment failure. According to DR. SUNDAY ABODE who also said that the HIV Virus is such that mutates often and as it changes, it is developing resistance to the drugs; so in the best of the practice we still have very few percentage of population that would fail therapy and those that will fail therapy second line therapy had not been taken care off in any of their guideline, but in the new guideline, they are being taken care off.

A member Network of persons living with HIV /AIDS in Nigeria MR. TUNDE OBADAKPO expressed concern over the implementation of the guidelines. According to the MR. TUNDE OBADAKPO who said that they cannot handle the logistics, and according to him that means that they cannot do cost and treat at the same time. And that is a big challenge for them in the country. And he said that some thought that  even in small organization like his own he will think for his staff, this is where you see people giving excuses that are not acceptable, why the excuses? Because of the burden of HIV,  MR. TUNDE OBADAKPO also advocated for treatment of persons living with HIV Virus, addressing the issues of the organization and commencing the engagement of the guidelines.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

CURRENT ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL EVENTS IN NIGERIA

Delta State commissioner for information PATRICK UKAH had given an assurance that the permanent secretarial of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) will be ready for inauguration soon. MR. UKAH who stated this when he paid an inspection visit to the project site expressed satisfaction with the pace of work. He commended Governor IFEANYI OKOWA for releasing funds for the conclusion of the project and assured Journalist of continue to work corporation of the government in providing conducive atmosphere for them to perform their duties.

The federal government had alleged the fear over the state of health of PRESIDENT MOHAMMADU BUHARI ; insisting that there is no course for alarm, the Minister for information and culture ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED cleared the air about the president’s health at the town home meeting Umuahia, Abia State in Nigeria organized by his ministry. Answering questions from a participant argued that they should regularly pursue Nigerians about the state of health of the MR. PRESIDENT in London. ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED said that, that would have been necessary if MR. PRESIDENT were in critical situation. According to him He also specified that he can comfortably stay in their midst to declare to them that there is absolutely no course to alarm concerning the issue of MR. PRESIDENT. He also said that MR. PRESIDENT called him at 02:43 pm on Saturday being 27th of February 2017 and he also said that MR. PRESIDENT is neither critically ill nor in the Hospital, that He is saying that with assurance because he spoke with him for hours. The Minister for Information and Culture also urged Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the successful vacation of MR. PRESIDENT abroad.

The Minister of Labor and empowerment DR. CHRIS NGIGE, provided an access to the implementation of the earn power program to enhance youths empowerment. According to DR. CHRIS NGIGI who said that the scheme was meant for 500 thousand  persons scheme but as of the moment they are taking 200 thousand persons while there are deficit of 300 thousand persons to supplement the scheme and the empower is the one that had not taking off because they are still harmonizing their relationship with the state governments and federal centers where these people would be taught the skills, according to him  about 50,000 persons are not common to this particular program. And he said that they are doing that as well as getting consumable for their teachings.

The minister for Agriculture CHIEF AWUDU OGBE assured Nigerians that government had wake up modalities to solve the problem between herdsmen and farmers in the country. According to CHIEF OGBE, he said that the president had set up a committee head by GENERAL NZE from Enugu State who is working on the machinery controlling the development and responsibilities of the herdsmen because as a farmer, nothing can be more offensive as arriving at my farm to discover that my crops are being destroyed. So, in the interim and mostly on behalf of the government he apologizes to all who had been victims of the herdsmen and had suffered the ordeal but we had to bring it to a stop. Also according to the correspondent reporter of this incident who also said that five ministers featured at the town hall meeting.

There are plans to reform the public service into a world class institution by the year 2030, the minister of state for budget and national planning HAJIA BELLO AHMED made this know at the one day stakeholder’s Forum on national strategy on public service reform in line with the current administration’s Manifesto. HAJIA BELLO AHMED said the reform host to destroy professionalism in the entire ministry, departmental Agencies by next year. Also a consultant and a facilitator MR. CHARLES OKATA said 13 years is a long time to put things in order, but a public servant had to be carried along in every way possible, according to MR. OKATA who also said that we have degenerated from the various angles including human capital, in politics and it is important the recognition of the problem is the step to the solution; it is good that we have realized that they have decayed. As we are trying to do something, let us be fast about it, 13 years from now is a long time, we can put things together in the next 2,3,4 or 5 years if we are serious about it.  MR. OKATA also expressed that there were chances for the public service to become a valued based and strong institution. According to him, he also said that if re-orientation starts from the civil service and the human resource then believe we need a change, once the political will and willingness is there, than it is very possible to execute the plan, according to him he said that it is a matter of doing things right and doing the right things, that is the different between efficiency and effectiveness. So if we decide on our own as Nigerians that it is time for us to move forward. We would achieve the world class status; there is nothing new under the sun.

The director general of budgets MR.  BEN AKABUEZE said the issue of budget could not be ruled out of the reform process of public service in its implementation stage; according to MR.  BEN AKABUEZE he said that in the processes of implementation stage, we should divide interest 100% in the implementation as part of our pursuit and timely approval, timely measurement; timely reporting ultimately as the budgets emits to an end. We should understand that budget is a critical instrument; it drives social and economic development in the country. MR.  BEN AKABUEZE also said that the National strategy of public service Reform was a responsibility of every Nigerian and not just statistics of the ministry of Budget and National planning of the Bureau of the public service.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

CURRENT AVIATION, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND EDUCATIONAL SECTOR EVENTS IN NIGERIA

The Federal government had inaugurated the Abuja –Kaduna road which is giving an emergency first phase amongst the ahead of the plant closure of the Abuja Airport for repairs. MR. BABATUNDE FASHOLA, the minister of Power, works and housing on inaugurating the road commended the contractors on completing the project unscheduled. The minister who was represented by the Director Highway and construction rehabilitation MR. YAMI OGUNTONIMI said emergency repair was completed at the cost of N1.1 Billion Naira. The federal Government had been since January announced the plan to close of the Abuja Airport for six weeks, with effect for more aids to allow the rehabilitation of the railway, during the period all airlines operating in Abuja will be diverted to Kaduna Airport. The minister said that the completion of the project will reduce the incidences of kidnapping and other Crimes.

On the other hand, the Secretary to the government of the federation MR. BABATUNDE LAWA has called on the new partnership for Africa’s development in a planned continental; to interview Bene-Republic Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. MR. BABATUNDE LAWA made the appeal in Abuja during a two days stakeholder’s meeting and skill initiative workshop for youth empowerment organized by NEPAD Continental and NEPAD Nigeria represented by permanent secretary Cabinet Affairs Ambassador RAI UGWU. MR. BABATUNDE LAWA said that the federal government will not want to take any action that will jeopardize the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa. He urged NEPAD Continental as each of the continent development program in South Africa that will help in a quick intervention to end the attacks on Nigerians. Responding, Director NEPAD Continental MRS. ESTARIN PORTABOR said that the government of South African had openly condemned the attacks on Nigerians and other African nations in the country. She added that there will be a peaceful dialogue to resolve the issue.

Also the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Nigeria have cramped the use of awaiting result for admission in to tertiary institutions across the country. The move is ensuring that only qualified candidates with the O Level Results are admitted into Universities to pursue their Academic Career. In a statement, JAMB explained that many candidates had been denied admission due to the use of Awaiting Result. And therefore they say from henceforth that candidates produce their O level Result from Website during registration or later before commencement of Admission. JAMB has also disrupted his registration platform such it allows for only one choice of public university. The newly university choice options will not be First choice, Second Choice, Third choice and Fourth Choice as against most preferred and preferred; according to JAMB that these structuring will expand opportunities available to the candidates as most universities do not consider candidates on the second choice rate, he added that this year’s UTME registration will be done alongside Direct Entry and candidate will be expected to undergo Biometric Capturing.

Finally, Ektiti State government in Nigeria has expressed displeasure at the level of the alleged instruction by the management of the Ado High School, Umushaijona, Ado Ekiti. The Deputy State Governor DR. KOLAKO OLUSHOLAHU visited the school following the complain received from parents and students in SS1, and expressed dissatisfaction with the development. The students told the deputy governor that One Hundred naira liquid soap and bucket were being collected from them apart from school fees of over sixteen thousand naira (N16,000.00), they said that the management laid the items as a condition to access to Uniform which they already paid for. DR. OLUSHOLA who condemn such acts told the students that government was not part of the decision. He cautioned the authorities of the public school to desist from collecting unauthorized fees and items from their students.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

INSPECTION OF CURRENT AND ABANDONED ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN SOUTH –SOUTH GEO POLITICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA BY THE MINISTER OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING IN NIGERIA

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing MR. BABATUNDE FASHOLA had been on entourage to South – South Geo Political zone to have first hand outstanding information about the state of duty in the area. Inspection will provide the minister the opportunity to interact with the contractors on challenges as well as the way to enhancement and timely delivery of the project. ABUBAKAR ABESTU who is the minister’s entourage interacted with the news editor on the project so far visited as follow:

According to ABUBAKAR ABESTU  who said “When we tackle this inspection about four days ago, critically through the land , we picked things in the South – South Geo Political Zone that is Cross River, AkwaIbom, Rivers, Delta and Edo states. We inspected Calabar- Ikom Ogoja road sections 1 and 2, and Calabar- Adugbai Junction Uto Road which is led to Otionu, we also inspected Umuahia – Ikot ekpene under rehabilitation which connect Abia and AkwaIbom State, also Aba – Port Harcourt express Road and Enugu – Port Harcourt express Road section 4, we also inspected Yenegoa - Awka   Ikoro Road in Bayelsa state in Nigeria. We also visited Bonny Road which will be another construction. Other major roads that we also inspected which is the purpose we go there are Wayi Popular Emergency Hill, realization of the popular route section 1 road in Delta State,  Tri revision of Lokoja – Benin express road in Kogi and Edo State, both were some of the major roads we inspected with the minister

Then, the news editor now pose this question to ABUBAKAR by asking him, what he can say about the state of these roads visited?

ABUBAKAR’s response is that most of the roads were abandoned many years ago almost immediately after awarding the contract due to lack of funding, so most of the road were very bad to the core because some the contractors had not been mobilize in connection to the current administration as effort to execute the task was not possible due lack of funding.

The News editor poses the second question to ABUBAKAR by asking, pleasing tell now what the minister is saying through the contractors and the communities?

ABUBAKAR’s response to the second question thrown to him by the news editor by saying that minister really expressed concern over the nature of those work, and said he could not do this work as they are now doing it, but right now he is assuring the contractors that this present administration is not going to pay any dime in issue of handing any project despite the challenges that the current administration is facing in terms of the economy. And also gaining had been made to some of the contractor and that is why most of them are very on tight now, it will also encourage them to ensure that they merge what they were given to the amount of work on the ground.

And that is ABUBAKAR ABESTU speaking on the assessment of the events on the South –South Geo Political Zone of Nigeria by the minister of Power, works and Housing  MR. BABATUNDE FASHOLA.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

THE NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) ESTABLISHED BY THE WIFE OF THE NASSARAWA STATE GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA HAJIA SALAMA TUTA ALMAKOLA AIMED AT EMPOWERING WOMEN, DISABLED PERSON, YOUTHS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN THE STATE

The wife of the president HAJIA AISHA BUHARI said the future assures program will continue to support the present administration desire to change the country through empowerment of women and young girls. She stated this at graduation of three hundred (300) trainees of the entrepreneurship of mothering child health care enhancement foundation held in Lafia the capital Nassarawa State in Nigeria.

According to the reporter of the event who said that HAJIA AISHA BUHARI said the support will encourage governor’s wives to entertain food, provision of health care, education and skill acquisition to women and young girls to reduce poverty as presented by the former deputy governor of Plateau State MRS. PAULINE TALIN. The wife of the president said that the future assured program will champion at the highest level both in the government and private sector to ensure women empowerment program is achieved. According to HAJIA AISHA BUHARI, she gave them assurance as she encourages the wives of the governor to set agenda on this issue.

HAJIA AISHA BUHARI also commended HAJIA SALAMA TUTA ALMAKOLA for empowering women to impact positively on the economy, also the minister of women affairs HAJIA AISHA JOME HASSAN said federal government will soon revive early industry  government and provide empowerment to the young girls to be productive and transform the nation’s economy. According HAJIA AISHA JOME HASSAN who also said any valid intervention is not only welcomed but highly commendation in this issue. And she also salutes the vision and commitment of HAJIA SALAMA TUTA ALMAKOLA and her foundation on this wonderful initiative and view give back to the community by empowering the less privileged. The Nassarawa state governor AHLJI TAIKO ALMAKOLA  announced that over three hundred million Naira (N300,000,000.00), had been invested for the procurement of equipment to empower women, disabled person, youths and internally displaced persons to add values in their lives. Also according to the governor TAIKO ALMAKOLA who specified that efforts of heights governors are making daily in putting  meaning in the lives of the governance across the states of the federation is more to it and what you see on the papers daily.

The Wife of the Nassarawa state governor and the founder of the foundation HAJIA SALAMA TUTA ALMAKOLA stated that the foundation was established in 2011 with the aim of providing selfless service to the less privileged, women and children for them to succeed in life. Some of the interviewed graduates from this empowerment programs expressed their optimism towards the successful conclusion of the program. One of them was expressing his gratitude by thanking the governor’s wife HAJIA SALAMA TUTA ALMAKOLA for really improving and increasing  the welfare and well being of lives of the youth in the state. The occasion was attended by the seven wives of the present governors, traditional and religious leaders, National and state assembly members.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641

CURRENT NIGERIAN PROJECTS SEEKING APPROVAL

A nongovernmental organization, Bauchi state Networking and Civil Society Organization has advocated increase in the 2017 budget allocation to education and health sectors to fast track development from the grass root. The program officer of the organization MR. ROWANOHU made the journey and advocacy visit to the commissioner ministry for local government affairs MR. NERODI MOHAMMED in his office.

According to the correspondent who said that MR. AROWANOHU states the need to allocate 25% of the budget to education and 15% to health sector as well as timely release of the fund for proper implementation, he expressed concern on the concentration of the teachers and health personnel in urban areas and call for sporting of staff, schools and health facilities in the rural area. The battling chairman MR. JINJIRI GARUBA told the Commissioner the main cause of the advocacy visit. According to MR. JINJIRI GARUBA who said that it is only twenty local governments are under His administration and their rural people are living within the local government and when they are satisfied that their welfare are being improved, then they will have no problem.

The commissioner for local government affairs BARRISTER NURUDI MOHAMMED pledged commitment to support it to achieve the mandate. According to him, he said that the health sector is priority to the administration of his Excellency BARRISTER ABUBAKAR, so the exhibition is noted and they would be taken to the appropriate authority for further improvement. BARRISTER NURUDI MOHAMMED stated that the state government had allocated sixteen help hands to the health sector in his budget and set up a committee for referential of the education sector.

On the other hand, the Cross River state government had again pledged to the federal government to fast track the necessary approval for the state signature project to commence. The appeal was made by the commissioner for information and orientation MRS. ROSE MARY ACHIBONG during a news briefing in Calabar.

According to the correspondence of the event who said that MRS. ROSE MARY ACHIBONG points out that the signature project which includes: The Bakasi Deep Sea Port and the Super Harry project had been installed sometimes by the other federal government agencies. Even after the state had met all regulatory and environmental impact assessment requirements; other major project that would have expound the commercial rising of the Cross River state far beyond boundaries of the country Nigeria are the Deep Sea Port And Super Harry project and every effort had been put in place to ensure that these project meet the approval of the Federal government; but somehow, we have had these project installed over times but different reasons, and the state government had not reference to  His aughts.

The information missioner maintains that the state government was fully aware of the need to strike the balance between development and environmental preservation. She resisted that failure to get the approval would leave the state below choice of explore other options open to it through the Nigerian Constitution. According to the information missioner who said that she is appealing to the federal government to grant their approval not later than end of march 2017. She said that they want to continue with the project, in a short time according to her, many people will settle and Cross River State is a place for sovereignties downpour. Government spokes person stressed that the land used out of 1978 empowers state governors to appropriate land within their territories for developmental project that would be of benefit to the citizenry.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

CONTACT: +2348186388641