The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting farmers in improving productivity, nutrition, and food security across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. Head of IITA Abuja Station, Dr. Beatrice Aighewi, made this known during the IITA Farmers’ Day on Innovation for Nutrition and Food Security, held on Tuesday in Abuja. Aighewi said the event was part of efforts to strengthen partnerships and showcase IITA’s innovations in agricultural research. She noted that the institute’s mission is to help smallholder farmers raise productivity and incomes through science-driven solutions. “We conduct research on staple crops such as maize, cassava,…
Author: Newsdesk
Save the Children International (SCI), a non-governmental organization, has called for increased media coverage of issues affecting children in Nigeria, saying such attention would help policymakers take actions that promote and protect children’s rights. The call was made during a three-day workshop held at Butterfly Hotel, Kaduna State, for selected journalists from Katsina and Adamawa states. Speaking at the event, an SCI official, Mrs. Altine Lew, said the protection of children’s rights is crucial to national development, adding that the media must work closely with child-focused organizations to access credible data and insights for their reports. Lew emphasized the need…
Save the Children International (SCI) has facilitated the rescue of a 10-year-old girl who suffered various forms of abuse for seven years at the hands of her caregiver in Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The incident came to light during a three-day workshop and community projects tour organised by SCI for selected reporters from Katsina and Adamawa states, held over the weekend in Kaduna. Handed over to her caregiver, one Fatima Mamud, at just three years old, the girl was reportedly subjected to physical assault, starvation, and emotional trauma throughout her stay. Originally from Wuna Zhide community…
The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), in partnership with Sight and Life Foundation (SAL), has launched a nationwide initiative titled “Promotion of Production & Consumption of Fermented Foods for Food & Nutrition Security in Nigeria.” The program, unveiled at a workshop in Lagos, aims to combat malnutrition and improve food security by promoting the production and consumption of locally fermented foods. The initiative highlights Nigeria’s rich tradition of fermented foods—such as ogi, iru, ugba, and kunu—as a sustainable solution to the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition. By integrating indigenous practices with modern science, ADF seeks to enhance…
The Abia State Government has successfully secured accreditation for the Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA), ending several years of inactivity. Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, announced this on Monday at the end of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia. Ekeoma said the college “was literally non-existent” before government intervention, which restored power, water, fencing, and internal roads. “The government initiated recruitment, so it cannot recruit people and ignore them. I am also pleased to inform you that accreditation was achieved just 48 hours ago,” he added. He noted that…
Dr. Moses Arokoya, President of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), has revealed that 65 per cent of human diseases in Nigeria are zoonotic, meaning they originate from livestock. He made the disclosure on Monday at the 61st Annual National Congress and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NVMA in Jalingo, Taraba State. Arokoya highlighted that zoonotic diseases are on the rise in Nigeria and globally, causing an estimated 2.7 million deaths each year. He said the choice of Taraba for the conference was strategic, noting that a Disease-Free Zone (DFZ) is planned for the Mambilla Plateau. “Eradicating diseases from…
The COLI Academy, the academic arm of the Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation (CALMHAF), has called for proper stress management to promote healthier lives among Nigerians. The Executive Director of COLI Academy, Rev. Chukwudiebube Nwachukwu, made the statement on Monday in Enugu at the conclusion of the COLI Academy Basic Stress Management Course. The course featured contributions from a medical doctor, a detective, an entrepreneur, a banker, a broadcaster, young mental health advocates, and volunteers from CALMHAF. Nwachukwu said the programme highlighted the urgent need for effective stress management in today’s fast-paced socio-economic environment. “Participants leave with a…
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised concern over the increasing cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, which it linked to excessive salt consumption. The Executive Director of CAPPA, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, made this known on Monday in Port Harcourt during a two-day workshop organised for journalists. Oluwafemi said the training was organised in partnership with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Centre for Communication and Social Impact, and the University of Abuja. He explained that the workshop, themed “Salt/FOPL…
The Abia State Government says the free education programme introduced by the administration of Governor Alex Otti for pupils in public primary and junior secondary schools is already yielding positive results. The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr. Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia. Kanu said data recently collected by the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) revealed that enrolment in public schools across the state had increased by more than 100 per cent between July and October. He described the development as a clear…
The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, has warned that the state government will not hesitate to sanction any health worker found neglecting or abandoning their duties. Prof. Ugwu gave the warning on Monday during an unscheduled inspection visit to the Agbani General Hospital in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state. He was accompanied by some management staff of the Ministry of Health and officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The commissioner expressed disappointment over the level of laxity and absenteeism observed among some hospital staff, describing the situation as unacceptable and detrimental to the…