The Nigerian Senate has begun moves to reduce the country’s $2 billion annual rice import bill by proposing the establishment of a National Rice Council, designed to stimulate local production and promote food self-sufficiency. The Rice Development Council of Nigeria Bill, sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), seeks to coordinate rice research, regulate production standards, provide support to farmers, and drive innovation across the rice value chain. At a public hearing on the bill—held alongside deliberations on the Cassava Inclusion and Flour Production Bill and the National Food Reserve Agency Bill—Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Chief Whip,…
Author: Newsdesk
The Kwara State Government on Tuesday began free screenings for breast, prostate, and liver cancers as part of activities marking the 2025 Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Cancer Awareness and Screening programme is being conducted at designated health facilities, including the Kwara University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), General Hospital Offa, and Primary Health Centre, Bode Saadu. Speaking at the event in Ilorin, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, wife of the State Governor, expressed concern over the rising incidence of cancer in Nigeria. Quoting 2022 statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), she noted that cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide.…
A public health practitioner, Dr. Akingbehin Akinbodunwa, has called on manufacturing companies, households, and the general public to carefully manage their wastes to maintain a healthy environment. Dr. Akinbodunwa, National President of the Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Association of Nigeria (EPHPAN), made the call in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. He warned that a wide range of diseases could be contracted and spread through unclean and contaminated surroundings. “Environmental pollution—including air, water, land, and noise—has negative impacts on the ecosystem, human health, and the overall condition of the planet,” he said. Dr. Akinbodunwa highlighted that…
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has entered a strategic partnership with Circuits, a virtual cinema and audiovisual distribution platform, to promote digital transformation in Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector. The Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Dr. Abisoye Fagade, announced this on Tuesday during a visit by Circuits’ top management to his office in Abuja. Dr. Fagade said the partnership would expand access to capacity development programmes through digital platforms. “This partnership with Circuits marks a major leap in hospitality capacity development in Nigeria.The collaboration will enable millions of Nigerians working in hotels, restaurants, tour operations, travel agencies, catering services,…
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to placing Nigerian women at the forefront of climate action through the Green Women Platform (GWP) initiative. The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the Validation Workshop of the Green Women Platform, themed “Ensuring Women’s Full and Effective Participation and Equal Opportunities for Successful Great Green Wall Initiative Implementation.” The GWP is a flagship programme designed to promote women-led environmental restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods across the country. Lawal, who was represented by Mrs. Agnes Aneke, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the ministry, said…
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has called on senior government officials to refrain from using their positions to intimidate or oppress their subordinates, emphasizing that true leadership is rooted in service and accountability. The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, gave the advice on Tuesday in Benin City while declaring open the 3rd Quarter Global Ministerial SERVICOM Committee (GMSC) Meeting, hosted by the board. The meeting, themed “Bridging Service Delivery Gaps in Technical and Vocational Education: Enhancing Standards, Certification, and Employability,” brought together key stakeholders in the education and public service sectors. Dr.…
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to promoting mercury-free gold mining practices in parts of the country to address environmental degradation and safeguard public health. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Mahmud Kambari, stated this during the inauguration of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) GOLD+ Nigeria Project themed “Enhancing the Formalisation and Mercury-Free Gold in Nigeria.” Kambari described mercury pollution, particularly within the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector, as a serious threat to the environment and human health. “The issue of mercury pollution, particularly within the ASGM sector, presents…
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has urged the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to strengthen the enforcement of regulations governing the use of ionising radiation across all sectors in order to safeguard public health and national security. Dr. Salako made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the National Oncology Symposium with the theme “Medical Use of Radioactive Substances in Nigeria.” He said the NNRA must act as a “police” for the radioactive sector by being more assertive and visible in enforcing compliance, warning that lax regulation could expose the nation to serious…
The Niger State Government has earmarked 20,000 hectares of land to upscale sugar production as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity and ensure food security. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago made this known when he received the Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. John Coumantaros, alongside foreign investors from Brazil, the United States, and South Africa, who were in Minna to explore investment opportunities and partnerships in the state’s agricultural sector. The delegation visited Tagwai Dam and the Tagwai Feedlots, where Governor Bago outlined his administration’s plans to expand sugar and crop production to support national food sufficiency. He…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of weaponizing poverty and manipulating food prices for political gains. In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of being dishonest in its claims of increased local food production and a decline in the cost of food items. The party expressed deep concern over what it described as the “Federal Government’s misleading narrative around the so-called drop in food prices.” “Contrary to what is being celebrated in official circles, the reality on the ground—as confirmed by struggling farmers…