The Edo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all 192 wards across the state have functional and effective Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). Deputy Governor Mr. Dennis Idahosa made the pledge on behalf of Governor Monday Okpebholo during a federal government-backed supervision and inspection of the Oghede PHC in Ovia North-East Local Government Area. The visit was part of an oversight exercise by the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare to assess the progress of the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project, jointly supported by the World Bank and the Edo…
Author: Editor
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has called for renewed national commitment to hand hygiene as Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate the 2025 Global Handwashing Day. Utsev made the call on Monday in Abuja during a media briefing to outline activities for the celebration, held annually on October 15. He said the event promotes handwashing with soap as one of the most effective and affordable ways to prevent diseases and save lives. According to him, handwashing remains vital for hygiene, sanitation, and public health, adding that it reduces deaths from diarrheas’ by nearly half…
The House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Production and Services on Monday held a one-day public hearing on three key bills aimed at advancing agricultural reform, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable economic growth. The hearing, chaired by Rep. Bello Ka’oje, served as a platform for engagement among major stakeholders across the agricultural value chain. Ka’oje said all submissions received would guide the Committee’s recommendations to the House. ALSO READ: National agric show: Driving innovation and food security in Nigeria, By Arc. Kabir Ibrahim The bills under consideration include: A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Agricultural Development…
FAST Microfinance Bank (MFB) and the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB) have launched FastWash, a financial product aimed at improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene across Nigeria. Announcing the initiative in Abuja on Monday, Mrs. Juliet Odigie, Acting Managing Director of FAST MFB, said FastWash was developed in partnership with global nonprofit Water.org to provide affordable financing for households, SMEs, and communities investing in water and sanitation projects. “The goal is to improve lives by enabling access to vital water and hygiene services,” Odigie said, adding that the initiative reflects FAST MFB’s belief that financial empowerment should…
In exercise of his discretionary power and authority to grant clemency under the Prerogative of Mercy principle, His Excellency, Mr. President, recently granted Presidential pardons to a total of 175 convicted persons serving jail sentences for various criminal offences. Some of those on the list included individuals on death row, and others who were pardoned posthumously. One name that stood out for us as a family is that of Maryam Sanda, a lady convicted and sentenced to death by the FCT High Court on Monday, 27th January 2020, for the premeditated and cold-blooded murder of her husband and our beloved…
Childhood cancer remains one of the most heart-breaking yet under-discussed health challenges in Nigeria, especially in rural communities. In these rural communities, awareness is low, healthcare facilities are inadequate, and early diagnosis is rare. While childhood cancer is curable in many cases when detected early, countless children in rural areas continue to lose their lives unnecessarily due to ignorance, late presentation, and lack of access to proper medical care. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), childhood cancer accounts for less than five per cent of all cancers but have a far-reaching impact on families and communities. In high-income countries,…
Two persons have been feared dead after a heavy downpour on Friday afternoon triggered flooding in the Eligbolo area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The victims — seventeen-year-old Emmanuel Peter, a shoe cobbler, and his sixteen-year-old nephew, Miracle Peter, a secondary school student — were reportedly swept away by the floodwaters. Both were residents of the Eligbolo community. Narrating the tragic incident, Mr. Peter Ekpo, father and grandfather of the victims, said the older boy, Emmanuel, drowned while attempting to rescue Miracle, who had been submerged by the surging waters. ALSO READ: Sanwo-Olu calls for partnerships to…
As mentioned in this column last week, no university in Nigeria has as many professors as ABU Zaria today. Certainly, ABU Zaria experienced significant intellectual growth as a hub of learning. Thanks to the tenurial progressiveness of Prof. Garba, who placed the university on autopilot, surmounting obstacles, to reach its goals. Have his legacies continued? What are its current challenges and prospects? What is the situation at ABU Zaria today? Is the university achieving the vision of its founding fathers? How can Abusites and their friends support ABU Zaria in its continued advancement? Prof. Kabiru Bala, a former DVC, former Dean of…
Lately, too many people have been quick to accuse Rufai Oseni of arrogance, of bias, of being untrained and of not being a “real journalist.” They say he lacks decorum, that he is too confrontational, too opinionated, too bold for the comfort of politicians. We can debate about Rufai’s journalism’s approach and how he grills power. But before we rush to crucifer and label Rufai a quack, perhaps we should first ask ourselves whether we, as journalists, have lived up to the very standards we preach. Because journalism is not about certificates; it is a conscience. It is not a…
The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) is recalibrating its strategies to power a new era in agricultural financing, reigniting hope among lenders and agribusinesses seeking easier access to sustainable credit. This renewal aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to make agriculture a key driver of economic growth. For decades, Africa has struggled to allocate at least 10 percent of its annual budgets to agriculture, a target believed to be crucial for global competitiveness. In Nigeria, agricultural budgetary funding has remained below five percent for over ten years, with most of it consumed by overhead costs—leaving little…