A coalition of non-governmental organisations has called on the Federal Government to implement urgent sodium reduction measures in processed foods. The organisations — the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) — made the call in a joint statement issued in Abuja. The statement was signed by their communication officers: Mrs Tessy Maina (NHED), Mrs Anna White-Agbo (CCSI), and Mr Robert Egbe (CAPPA). They said the measures are necessary to curb the rising cases of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and other non-communicable diseases…
Author: Newsdesk
UNICEF, in collaboration with the Imo State Government and with support from the Gates Foundation, has initiated efforts to strengthen maternal and child nutrition. The organisation’s Chief of Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, disclosed this during Thursday’s meeting involving the state Ministry of Health, Imo Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and UNICEF in Owerri. The meeting was convened to review and validate the nutrition Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategy for Imo State and the integration of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women. Chiluwe commended the Imo State Government for its commitment to investing in human capital, health, and…
The Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called for sustained global collaboration to tackle environmental challenges in oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta. Mr. Emmanuel Deeyah, HYPREP BOT Chairman, made the call on Thursday in Abuja. The appeal comes ahead of a conference on Donor Facilitation and Diplomatic Support Engagement, scheduled for May 26, aimed at strengthening partnerships for environmental restoration and sustainable development in Ogoniland. Deeyah said the complexity of pollution in the region required coordinated efforts among governments, development partners, diplomatic missions, multilateral agencies, civil society organisations,…
Mr. Simeon Akpanudom, AIG of FCID Annex Lagos, has banned Point of Sale (POS) operations within the FCID premises. He charged officers to uphold professionalism, discipline, and strict adherence to due process in the discharge of their duties. He gave the charge on Thursday during a general lecture and meeting with sectional heads at FCID Annex Lagos. In a statement by the FCID Annex spokesperson, ASP Aminat Mayegun, the ban aligns with directives from the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu. According to Akpanudom, such activities are incompatible with security and operational integrity and are often exploited to facilitate corrupt…
The Federal Government has begun engaging stakeholders to validate the National Regional Development Policy (NRDP) 2026–2030, aimed at driving development and reducing rural-urban migration. The Minister of Regional Development, Mr Abubakar Momoh, made this known on Thursday in Port Harcourt during the National Regional Technical Validation Workshop for states in the South-South region. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Mary Ogbe, Momoh said the policy was designed to strengthen development across all regions of the country. He explained that the initiative followed the creation of additional Regional Development Commissions by President Bola Tinubu in 2024, in addition…
The Permanent Secretary of the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission and Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition, Mukhtar Abdullahi, has said Community Volunteers (CVs) are critical to tackling nutrition aid diversion in the state. Abdullahi stated this during the inauguration of the Ward-Level Aid Diversion Taskforce Committee, organised by the Kaduna State Government in partnership with UNICEF on Thursday. He described the inauguration as both an orientation and a call to duty for the volunteers. “These volunteers are closest to the grassroots and play a vital role in ensuring nutrition commodities reach the intended beneficiaries,” he…
Mr Nicolas Forissier, France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, has said France is eager to build a win-win partnership with Africa to secure a better future for younger and unborn generations. Forissier spoke on the sidelines of the 2026 Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, themed “Africa Forward: Partnerships between Africa and France for Innovation and Growth.” He described the summit, held from Monday to Tuesday, as a huge success, saying attendance far exceeded expectations. According to him, organisers had projected 3,000 to 4,000 participants, but over 7,000 people attended the business forum alone, including African and…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said its World Health Statistics 2026 report shows uneven progress toward global health targets, warning that a mix of setbacks and gains has left every Sustainable Development Goal off track. According to the report released on Wednesday, millions of people benefited over the past decade from improved prevention, treatment, and essential health services. However, persistent and emerging challenges continue to threaten progress toward the organisation’s 2030 objectives. “New HIV infections fell 40 per cent between 2010 and 2024,” the report stated. It added that tobacco and alcohol consumption declined, while interventions for neglected tropical…
Some aquaculture experts have urged fish farmers to adopt better marketing strategies and reduce their dependence on middlemen to gain greater control over the pricing of their produce. The experts made the call in separate interviews with reporters on Thursday in Lagos. Mr. Femi Dario, an aquaculture expert and Chief Executive Officer of Rid Agri Ltd., identified limited market access and the dominance of middlemen in price determination as major challenges facing fish farmers. “The major challenge currently affecting fish farmers is market access and the monopoly of price determination. Fish farmers have not been able to set the right…
The Oyo State Government has completed 88.92 kilometres of rural roads and constructed three modern markets under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, disclosed this on Wednesday during an inspection of the projects in Akinyele, Ido, Oluyole, and Ona Ara Local Government Areas. In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan, Olaleye said the projects, which cost N16.2 billion, were part of the government’s efforts to reduce rural-urban migration and improve access to farms and markets across the state. He noted that the programme aims to enhance rural…