BATMEDICS, a political support group for President Bola Tinubu, has provided comprehensive free eye screening for no fewer than 500 commercial drivers and motorists in the Federal Capital Territory. The National Director, Research, Media and Strategic Communication, Petra Onyegbule, said this in a statement made available to reporters on Friday. According to the statement, the exercise, held in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), was to commemorate the 2026 World Sight Day with the theme “Love Your Eyes”. World Sight Day, observed annually on the second Thursday of October, is a global event meant to draw attention to…
Author: Newsdesk
The Chairperson of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mrs Oluyemisi Rosiji, has called for increased voter awareness to encourage eligible residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). Rosiji made the call on Friday at a sensitisation programme organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at its office on Bamgbose Street, Ojokoro. The programme was organised to educate stakeholders and residents on PVC issuance and collection. The Electoral Officer, Mrs Yemi Oguntuase, said the seven-day exercise would provide eligible citizens and stakeholders with accurate information on the PVC process. Oguntuase said the programme would also clarify procedures for…
An agricultural expert, Muhammed Ibrahim, has urged farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, improve soil management and use suitable seeds to boost productivity and reduce production costs. Ibrahim, the Chief Executive Officer of Greeneria Agritek Services, made the call in an interview with reporters on Friday in Kaduna. He said smart agriculture does not necessarily require expensive machinery or drones, but involves proper planning, timely decisions and the adoption of appropriate farming practices. According to him, farmers should begin by testing their soil, studying weather forecasts and determining the appropriate planting period for their locations. He advised farmers to consult…
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Bauchi State has condemned the use of contact chemicals for food preservation by some farmers. Moses Atsevgo, the Bauchi State Coordinator of the Ministry, stated this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Bauchi. Contact chemicals are substances that act, function or produce effects upon direct external touch or surface exposure, rather than needing to be ingested or absorbed internally. According to him, some of these chemicals, when sprayed on the grains, do not completely come off when the grains are washed. He emphasised that it is a dangerous practice…
The Head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Mr Pablo Hernández de Cos, has warned that the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new financial stability risks. According to a BBC report, Hernández de Cos made the comments in London while speaking at a conference hosted by the Reserve Bank of India. The BIS is an international financial institution owned by its member central banks. Founded in 1930, it serves as a bank for central banks. Its members include Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, India, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. He said spending on AI-related infrastructure was…
The Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND) has handed over the construction of a health post in Bargi, Kiru Local Government Area, to a contractor to improve healthcare delivery. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the KHETFUND Information Officer, Amina Lawan-Isah. The statement said the project was formally handed over to the contractor, Sumaila Bello, by the Executive Secretary, Dr Fatima Zahradeen, who was represented by the Director of Administration and General Services, Abubakar Bala. Zahradeen urged the contractor to execute the project professionally, adhere strictly to approved specifications and maintain quality throughout the construction process.…
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has advised the Imo State Government to increase its investment in maternal and child nutrition. UNICEF’s Chief of Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, made the call on Thursday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Owerri. The meeting focused on resource mobilisation and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for improved maternal and child nutrition. Chiluwe, represented by UNICEF Nutrition Officer for the Enugu Field Office, Mrs Ngozi Onuorah, urged the state government to take ownership of the shift to MMS. She said ownership should include policy formulation, implementation and adequate funding to ensure the programme achieves…
The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called on the Borno State Government to prioritise nutrition in its 2027 budget and explore Zakat and Waqf as complementary funding sources for vulnerable populations. Mr Yusuf Ibn-Tom, Borno State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, made the appeal in an interview with reporters on Friday in Maiduguri. Ibn-Tom described nutrition financing as an investment in children, human capital development and the future of the state. While acknowledging the importance of government funding, he stressed the need to mobilise additional resources to address the scale of nutrition challenges facing vulnerable communities. According to him,…
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has inaugurated a pilot certificate programme to strengthen Africa’s clinical research workforce, equipping mid-career physicians, pharmacists and other professionals with practical skills. Africa CDC announced the initiative on Friday through its official X handle, stating that it would expand the continent’s pool of skilled researchers capable of leading clinical studies and advancing medical innovation. Led by Africa CDC’s Science and Innovation Division, the programme aims to strengthen Africa’s capacity to develop vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, while improving research and development capabilities for outbreak preparedness and response. The programme combines two…
The Federal Government has inaugurated an innovative financial and digital monitoring system for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme (SAPZ) to develop critical agro-industrial infrastructure. The initiatives were inaugurated in Abuja on Thursday during the validation workshop on innovative financial products and the Digital Financial Flow Monitoring System (DFFMS) under SAPZ. SAPZ National Programme Coordinator, Dr Kabir Yusuf, explained that SAPZ was designed not only to develop critical industrial infrastructure but also to create a viable ecosystem. Yusuf said the ecosystem connects farmers, processors, traders, financial institutions and private investors to sustainable markets and investment opportunities. He said infrastructure and…