The Kwara State Government says it targets to vaccinate 1.2 million children against poliomyelitis during the 2026 mass immunisation campaign in the state. It was reported that the state has intensified campaigns across rural communities for the mass immunisation of all eligible children aged zero to 59 months. It will be recalled that the state recorded two confirmed cases of Circulating Variant Poliovirus Type 2 (cVPV2) in December 2025 in Kiama Local Government Area, and an additional case in January 2026. Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, who spoke at the flag-off…
Author: Newsdesk
Social protection remains a priority of the Sokoto State Government, as it is one of the most critical sectors for the state’s development. The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, disclosed this at a two-day validation workshop on the review of the Sokoto State Social Protection Policy. The workshop was organised by the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with the European Union, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and UNICEF at Azbir Hotel, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. Dr. Zayyana said that despite the government’s commitment, the state is grappling with insecurity arising…
Health workers in Niger State are still unable to reach every child with polio vaccination despite repeated campaigns, as rugged terrain, bad roads, insecurity and inaccurate population data continue to leave some settlements behind. A frontline health worker involved in the immunisation exercise captured the frustration during a recent health review meeting in Minna. “We try our best when going round communities, but sometimes there are settlements we cannot get to on time because of bad road networks and insecurity, among others”, the health worker said. The meeting, which brought together state health authorities, the World Health Organization and UNICEF,…
Dr Juliet Obaro, an Internet of Things (IoT) engineer, says Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bridge connectivity gaps and empower smallholder farmers with real-time agricultural insights. She said this in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Abuja. Obaro explained that Edge AI is an emerging technology that allows data processing to occur directly on devices without reliance on continuous internet connectivity and can therefore revolutionise farming practices in underserved communities. She said the biggest barrier to digital agriculture is not a lack of innovation but the dependence of most solutions on internet access, which remains unreliable in rural farming…
The Federal Government has taken delivery of the Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA) Portal, marking a major step towards strengthening digital governance and improving coordination across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The portal was developed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), which also received the portal documents on Thursday in Abuja. The handover ceremony was themed “Strengthening Digital Governance and Whole-of-Government ICT Integration in Nigeria.” Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, said the initiative was a critical component of the Nigeria E-Government Master Plan 2.0. Represented by Dr Warowei…
Patients in Sauka Kahuta community in Chachanga local government area of Niger state have raised concerns over the unavailability of essential drugs and the rising cost of treatment at the community’s primary health centre. The PHC which is popularly called Asibitin gindin Mangoro is no longer seen as friendly to the pockets of the residents. Recent findings by ASHENEWS indicates that while the centre has a number of health workers on duty, access to medications remain a major challenge, forcing patients to seek alternatives or pay more to receive treatment. A nurse at the facility, who spoke on condition of…
The Federal Government (FG) has introduced a newly developed chicken breed and 57 crop varieties to boost meat availability, enhance food security and improve Nigerians’ nutritional well-being. This was announced in Ibadan on Thursday at the 36th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries. The meeting, organised by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), was presided over by the Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), Prof. Soji Olufajo. Olufajo explained that the registration and release of the new chicken breed and the 57 high-yield varieties…
The Federal Government on Thursday graduated the first cohort of youth health fellows in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under an initiative introduced by President Bola Tinubu to revitalise the health sector. The event also featured the onboarding of the second cohort (2.0), with the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Ali Pate, and other dignitaries in attendance. Speaking at the ceremony, Pate said the initiative was a strategic effort to groom young and vibrant leaders who would drive the administration’s health sector transformation agenda across the country’s Local Government Areas (LGAs). He explained that the programme was designed…
Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo says his administration remains fully committed to protecting autistic children from stigmatisation and discrimination in the state. Okpebholo said this in Benin on Thursday during a celebration of the achievements of an autistic artist and cyclist, Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, who is currently riding from Enugu to Lagos to raise autism awareness. Tagbo-Okeke holds a Guinness World Record for the largest painting. The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Prince Kassim Afegbua, assured parents and guardians of autistic children that he would not tolerate any form of discrimination against them. He thanked Tagbo-Okeke’s parents…
The Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on Thursday inaugurated three solar-powered water facilities for three communities. It also inaugurated a toilet facility at the Farm Settlement Primary School, Ikorodu. The five-cubicle toilet is designed to be user-friendly for females and persons with disabilities. The council inaugurated the facilities in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and WaterAid Nigeria. The water facilities were inaugurated in Irepodun, Arobiona and Agbede communities. The council also introduced female Local Area Mechanics (LAMs) for the maintenance and repair of the solar panels. At the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary…