The Federal Government says ongoing rail and port projects will reduce road accidents, extend highway lifespan and create thousands of transport-sector jobs. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, stated this on Monday in Abuja during the 19th National Council on Transportation. The meeting had the theme ‘Developing Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation.’ Adebiyi said ongoing projects were designed to address connectivity deficits and improve the movement of passengers and cargo nationwide. He said completing the Ibadan-to-Minna rail line would shift substantial heavy cargo from roads to rail, reducing pressure on highways. According to…
Author: Newsdesk
The Federal Government has called for the development of indigenous Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity to strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and reduce dependence on technologies developed in other jurisdictions. Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said this in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition Nigeria (GITEX). The event had as its theme: “Beyond Connectivity, The Bridge to Sovereign AI and Innovation.” Inuwa said AI sovereignty was about developing capacities for digital self-determination and the need for connectivity, especially in Africa after missing out on the first, second and third Industrial Revolutions. According…
The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA) has ordered the immediate enrolment of pregnant women across 63 health facilities in the state. The agency’s Public Relations Officer, Aminu Turaki, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Kano. Turaki said the directive was issued by the Executive Secretary of KSCHMA, Dr Rahila Muktar, as part of efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes and reduce preventable maternal deaths. Muktar said the intervention covered 36 secondary healthcare facilities and 27 primary healthcare facilities across the state. According to her, the initiative is in line with the Kano First Healthcare…
The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Lagos State Chapter, has called for collaboration to increase rice paddy availability. The Chairman, Mr Raphael Hunsa, made the call in an interview with reporters on Monday in Lagos. Hunsa said the unavailability of rice paddy was largely caused by hoarding by unscrupulous middlemen. He, however, stressed the need for collaboration among key stakeholders in the subsector to increase paddy availability and boost local rice production. “To make available rice paddy for the country, every sector must work together in unity, or we may all suffer the consequences. “Government agencies, stakeholders and farmers…
Prof. Rabiu Adamu, Principal Investigator, TELA Maize, Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, says the variety will significantly enhance maize productivity and strengthen national food security. Adamu disclosed this at the TELA Maize Field Day organised by IAR in collaboration with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). The event, with the theme “Eating is Believing,” was held in Zaria on Sunday. He said the event was designed to showcase TELA maize from cultivation through processing and consumption, including roasted and boiled maize, as well as maize flour-based products such as masa, a fermented maize cake, for…
The Federal Government has presented an advanced ambulance to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin, to strengthen emergency response, trauma care and timely evacuation of critically injured patients. The ambulance was formally handed over to the hospital in Benin on Monday by Edo Deputy Governor, Dr Dennis Idahosa, on behalf of the Federal Government. Speaking at the ceremony, Idahosa expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the intervention and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, for facilitating the ambulance. He said the intervention formed part of efforts to strengthen emergency medical services and equip…
Emergency response agencies in Kaduna have launched evacuation, search and rescue operations following a flash flood that swept through parts of Kaduna metropolis on Sunday evening. The incident affected Asikolaye and the Federal Polytechnic, Tudun Wada, in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The response involved the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, Federal and Kaduna State Fire Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Red Cross Society and others. The agencies moved into the affected areas to evacuate residents, conduct search and rescue operations and assess the impact of the flooding. Halima Suleiman, Head of NEMA…
The Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has called for urgent policy and service reforms to address the growing healthcare needs of older persons in Nigeria. The National President of the association, Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba, made the call at a news conference organised at the end of the 27th National Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Ilorin. The theme of the conference was “Compassion, Competence and Conscience: Integrating Islamic Values in Modern Medical Practice.” He explained that geriatric healthcare is specialised care for people aged 60 and above to address multiple age-related health issues, including chronic diseases, mental…
The Presidency says President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms are restoring confidence in Nigeria’s business environment and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs. Dr Nafia Abdullahi, Technical Assistant on Regional Development Programmes in the Office of the Vice President, said this on Sunday in Abuja. She spoke during the inauguration of Makib Estilo, a new business outlet inaugurated by the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. Abdullahi attributed the enterprise’s growth from a small shop into a diversified business to improving economic conditions under the Renewed Hope Agenda. She challenged critics of the administration’s economic policies to engage businesses and ordinary Nigerians…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a combination of sunshine, cloudiness, thunderstorms and moderate rainfall across different parts of Nigeria from Monday to Wednesday. The three-day weather outlook, released in Abuja on Sunday, indicated that the northern region would experience sunny skies with patches of clouds on Monday, with thunderstorms and moderate rainfall expected in some states. NiMet said parts of Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna could experience thunderstorms with moderate rain during the morning hours. By the afternoon or evening, similar conditions are expected in parts of Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba states. In…