NAN-H-25

Training

By Huseyn Abubakar Mbar.

Bauchi, July 23, 2017 (NAN) The Bauchi State FADAMA III Project, has begun a 10-day training of 268 graduates on agricultural techniques to boost food production.

The state Project Manager, Dr Ali Garba, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Sunday that the programme was under the Graduates Unemployed Youth and Women Support Training Programme (GHYS).

Garba said the participants were being trained by the Bauchi State College of Agriculture and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, on livestock production, poultry, fishery and other agricultural related fields.

He said the training was being funded by the World Bank under FADAMA III Additional Financing (AF), adding that 542 candidates applied for the programme.

According to him, after the training, 200 participants will be assisted with cash ranging between N700,000 and N900,000 to enable them set up agricultural ventures.

Garba said that the remaining 68 participants would be linked to financial institutions to enable them secure soft loans for the same purpose.

He said that the participation of the graduates in the programme would boost agricultural production in the country. (NAN)
HAM/OFN/YEMI

Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN–DS–7
Arrest
By Kola Adeyemi
Lokoja, July 21, 2017 (NAN) The Police Command in Kogi said on Friday that they had rescued a man from the booth of the car of suspected kidnappers and arrested two of his abductors.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya, said in a statement issued on Friday in Lokoja that the victim, Mr Sunday Amupitan, was kidnapped from his residence in Kabba on July 19.

Aya said that a Police patrol team led by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Kabba, moved to the scene immediately after receiving distress calls from the victim’s neighbours.

According to him, the kidnappers were sighted speeding away in a Honda Accord car with registration number Lagos APP 444 DA.

He said that the kidnappers, in their escape bid, had knocked down and wounded three motorcyclists and eventually abandoned the car and fled into a nearby bush.

However, an analysis of the contents of a mobile phone recovered at the scene of the incident, led to the arrest of a suspect simply identified as Ayodele, a resident of one of the nearby houses, Aya said.

Furthermore, he said that Ayodele, 30, who lives on Garupa Street, Kabba, confessed to being a member of the five-member gang that kidnapped Amupitan.

Ayodele’s confessional statement also led to the arrest of Tunde Emmanuel, another member of the gang who lives at Odo-Ofin area of Kabba, he said.

The Police, he said, was still on the trail of three other members of the gang still at large and had also taken into custody the recovered Honda car.

The statement said further that investigation into the incident had commenced and that the suspects would be arraigned in court in due course.

The latest incident brings to two the number of rescued victims and 11 kidnap suspects the Police have arrested this week alone.(NAN)
KKA/NKO/NKO
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo

NAN-HG-2
Drugs
By Felicia Imohimi
Abuja, July 21, 2017 (NAN) Stakeholders in the health sector have urged the Federal Government to check arbitrary hike in sale of drugs and abrupt withdrawal of essential drugs from the shelves.

They made the call at the inauguration of the second edition of Nigeria Standard Treatment Guidelines NSTG and sixth edition of Essential Medicines List (EML) on Friday in Abuja.

Prof. Ambrose Isah, the immediate past Chairman of the EML Review Committee, decried the exorbitant cost of drugs in the country and sudden withdrawal of some essential drugs from the markets by manufacturers.

This development, according to him, has made it difficult for patients and care-givers to access quality health care services.

Isah, who is a Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist, noted that studies conducted by the WHO, Federal Ministry of Health revealed that Nigeria was one of the countries with highest cost of medicines in Africa.

“I suggest that there should be price mechanism by the Federal Ministry of Health to curb unnecessary increase in the cost of medicines in the country,’’ he said.

He also said the mechanism should be capable of checking arbitrary withdrawal of drugs from the markets without prior notification of care givers among others.

“If a drug is going to be withdrawn there should be advance notice like one or two years, with that time line professionals can adjust and switch their patients to different medicines.

“There is need to address the high cost of essential medicines in the market and advance notification of withdrawal of certain drugs from the market to enable patients and care givers adjust to new drug before final withdrawal,”Isah said.

In his remarks, Prof. John Ohaju-Ogbodo, said the developed NSTG was geared toward assisting practitioners to provide better health care services.

Ohaju-Ogbodo further explained that the EML was also meant to provide “safe, efficacious and affordable medicines” to satisfy the health care needs of the people.

According to him, EML is to ensure rational use of drugs and minimise wastage at all levels of health care delivery.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, urged state governments to revise and adopt their policy documents in line with the current standards of the  World Health Organisation (WH.

“The Federal Ministry of Health is committed to regularly updating important documents in order for our health providers to be in tune with the International best practices,” the minister said.

Ehanire was represented by the Director Food and Drug Services Department in the ministry, Mrs Gloria Chukwumah, Ehanire.

He said the willingness of health providers to strictly adhere to many policy documents made available was the best way to ensure quality health service delivery.

The programme was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)-Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Civil Society (PACFaH)among other coalition.

The stakeholders the Pharmaceutical Society of the Nigeria (PSN), Committee on the review of Essential Medicines List (EML), Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) among others. (NAN)
FUA/OSA/DUA

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Dada Ahmed

NAN-HG-1

Equipment

Lokoja, July 21, 2017 (NAN) The Kogi Government says it has commended distribution of equipment and drugs worth over N500 million to five zonal hospitals and other health facilities across the three senatorial district of the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, disclosed this during the inspection and handing over of those equipment to the heads of the hospitals for onward distribution in Lokoja.

Audu mentioned the hospitals to include; Specialist Hospital Kabba, Zonal hospital Ida, Zonal hospital Ankpa, zonal hospital Dekina and zonal hospitals Okene, adding that cottage hospitals would also benefit when completed.

“This is just one of the interventions that Gov. Yahaya Bell-led administration is bringing to the people of Kogi; we have seen the passion in our governor for health sector development.

“The people of Kogi should be assured that they will have a state government that cares when it comes to health need.

‘’We are planning to halt transfer of patients from one facility to another due to lack of equipment.

“When these equipment are distributed down to various health facilities, our hospitals will be in proper position to handle advanced medical cases.

‘’The story of Kogi health sector will never be the same again,” Audu said.

Dr Wada Omale, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Kogi Hospital Board, who received the equipment on behalf of the hospitals, commended Bello for his and love for patients and health workers in the state.

He said, “We are not going to disappoint the state government; we are going to use all the equiptment to the benefit of humanity and improvement of healthcare services delivery, all over Kogi.”

Dr Adekunle Aledare, the Programme Manager of Healthcare Plus, a government programme, said the drugs would be distributed to 12 health facilities, four in each of the three senatorial district in the state.

According to Aledare, the drugs and delivery kits will be distributed to patients and pregnant women that visited any of the facilities free of charge, as soon as the healthcare plus programme kicked off.

He said each kit contained everything a pregnant woman would need before, during and after delivery, stressing that it would be free of charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the equipment include: three mobile X-ray machines, three Dental Unit with Compressor and Video Therapy, two Blease Focus Anaesthesia machines and 10 SpectrumLab S23A,

Others are; 360 hospital beds and mattresses, four 30KVA Generators, 17 Baby Colts, 10 Medicine Cupboards, eight orthopaedic beds, one Emergency Trolley, 13 Wheel Chairs, many Electrolytes Analysing Machines; shadowless Operation Lamps; Delivery Kits; among others. (NAN)

ASA/ OMO/DUA

Edited by Martins Odeh/ Dada Ahmed

NAN-H-63
Elections
Lokoja, July 20, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Police will strengthen the existing relationship with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the success of the 2019 general elections.

Kogi Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, made the statement on Thursday in Lokoja when he received the new Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. James Apam.

Inalegwu told his guest that Kogi was “not hot’’ as being portrayed.

He said that the problem of violence before, during and after elections in the state had been tackled by the police in collaboration with other security agencies.

He said that police was on top of the security concern relating to the ongoing continuos voter registration in Dekina and Ayangba communities.

The Commissioner said the state was at the centre of the country and shares borders with nine states and the FCT.

“This unique position is partly responsible for the security challenge facing the state,’’ he said.

He assured the new REC of the readiness of his command to ensure safety of voters, electoral officials and materials during the 2019 elections.

Inalegwu also promised that the police would provide security for INEC offices in all the 21 local government areas in the state to ensure safety of staff and materials.

Earlier, the new REC Prof. Apam told the police commissioner that INEC was desirous of improving its relationship with the police to sustain and improve on its performance in the 2015 polls.

He attributed the success achieved in the 2015 elections to cooperation among all critical stakeholders, including the police, the media, political parties, politicians and the security agencies.

Apam said that the process leading towards the 2019 elections had started with the ongoing voter registration and urged eligible voters to register.

The REC also visited the state Director of the State Security Service and the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps to seek their support for the INEC. (NAN)
KKA/AEA
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NBC shifts conference on transmitter power to Aug. 2

NAN-H-11

Postponement

By Biola Lawal

Abuja, July 20, 2017 (NAN) The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) stakeholders’ conference on transmitter power slated for July 21 in Ikeja has been postponed to Aug. 2.

Hajia Maimuna Jimada, Head, Public Affairs of NBC, announced the postponement in Abuja on Thursday.

“All inconveniences caused by this rescheduling is regretted,’’ Jimada said, adding that the venue, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, remained unchanged.

She said the conference was designed for Chief Executives and Heads of Engineering of all radio stations in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NBC is the statutory body regulating and controlling the nation’s broadcasting industry. (NAN)
BL/MOL/IA
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(Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Idris Abdulrahman)

NAN -H –51
Proscription
By Kola Adeyemi
Lokoja, July 19, 2017 ( NAN) Kogi State Government on Wednesday proscribed activities of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Kogi State University (KSU), Ayangba.

Gov. Yahaya Bello, who announced the proscription in Lokoja shortly after the weekly executive council meeting, said that the decision was with immediate effect.

He told journalists that the state government was forced to take the decision following the refusal of the lecturers to call off six months old strike.

Bello said that ASUU rebuffed all government efforts to persuade it to end the strike, including meeting over 90 per cent of the union’s demands.

The governor ordered the striking lecturers to go back to work immediately or lose their jobs.

According to Bello any lecturer who fails to resume teaching will be assumed to have resigned his or her appointment.

“The institution will declare their positions vacant and new lecturers will be employed to fill the vacancies,” he said.

Bello directed the authorities of the university to monitor the lecturers’ compliance to the directive.

The governor who is the Visitor to the university also directed the authorities to beef up security in and around the premises of the institution.

“Any lecturer willing to work should not suffer any form of harassment or intimidation,” the governor ordered.

He reiterated the commitment of the government to the development of education in the state, saying that the government could no longer tolerate the strike.

“Last week, I undertook a tour of tertiary institutions in Kogi with a view to having firsthand information about the problems of the schools.

“While others have since resumed studies, ASUU members in Kogi State University have refused to call off their strike.

“We have fulfilled over 90 per cent of their demands and have even gone a step further to pay outstanding salaries of both cleared and un-cleared staff members including those who have committed one crime or the other,” he said.

The governor said that the strike had led to increase in crime rate in Ayangba and its environs.

“We cannot afford to fold our hands and watch the future of our youths mortgaged,” he said.

Efforts  by the News Agency of Nigeria to reach Dr Daniel Aina, the Acting Chairman of  KSU Chapter of ASUU, for comments failed as his telephone was switched off.(NAN)

KKA/IGO
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(Edited by Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-30
Techniques
Makurdi, July 19, 2017 (NAN) The Executive Secretary, Benue State Examination Board, Mr Alexander Asen, has exposed some clever techniques devised by some supervisors in  aiding cheating by some students during certificate examinations in the state.

Asen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi that some of the techniques included the use of non verbal communication skills and loud speakers where answers to questions are read out.

He said the use of body gestures was the most commonly used by supervisors to provide answers to questions.

“I noticed this when I paid a surprise visit to one remote school in one part of the state, where I saw an invigilator using his fingers to communicate answers to students.

“He was raising his fingers intermittently, sometimes he would raise one, yet at other times, three or four while he occasionally jumped.

“I asked the principal if the man was okay, but he simply laughed it off.

“In my curiosity to find out what was happening, I asked a student, who didn’t know me what was the problem with the fellow in the examination hall and he told me with excitement that “today’s exam was good”.

“Each time the man raised his finger up, the answer to the question was A, two fingers meant B, while three, four and five fingers up represented C, D and E respectively”.

He said the board had reported such schools with high incidences of cheating to the appropriate authorities and was expecting sanctions against them.

The Executive Secretary said the board had achieved modest successes in ensuring the sanctity of examinations regardless of the cheating techniques.

He said the examiners had adopted strict measures in ensuring that beneficiaries of cheating never survived the marking process, explaining that scripts from a particular centre that carried the same answers, scores were kept aside for scrutiny.

“We also pay particular attention to schools that score very high marks in the examinations; most of these schools are from the remote areas, where these things are prevalent”.

He said the board was still evolving ingenious ways of checking malpractices during examinations and called on parents to assist the board in tackling the social ill. (NAN)
PD/YEMI

Lagos council poll: LASIEC to announce results at collation centres

NAN-H-5
LASIEC
By Bolaji Buhari
Lagos, July 19, 2017 (NAN) The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) says it will announce results of the July 22 local council polls at ward collation centres.

The Chairman of commission, Justice Ayotunde Phillips made the disclosure in a statement by Mr Dapo Olatunde, LASIEC’s Director of Publicity.

She, however, said the commission would set up an election support centre at its head office to monitor developments in various collation centres and other locations.

Philips expressed the resolve of the commission to conduct a free and fair election on Saturday.

She added that the commission had started distribution of non-sensitive electoral materials to electoral officers across the 20 local governments and 37 development areas.

The LASIEC’s boss said the early distribution was to ensure early arrival of the materials to various polling units for a hitch-free election.

She said electoral officers would distribute the materials to the Presiding Officers in the various councils who would deploy them to the various polling units.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LASIEC has fixed July 22 for the council polls and July 29 for run-off. (NAN)
BHB/ENN/MZA
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Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-AE-4
Disbursement
By Kudirat Ogunyemi
Abuja, July 18, 2017 (NAN) The FADAMA III Additional Financing (AF) programme has disbursed N358.3 million to 2,080 farming households in Gombe State to revive their interest in agriculture.

The FADAMA III AF programme disclosed this via a statement by its Communication Officer in Gombe State, Mr Yakubu Mohammed; a copy of which was e-mailed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The statement said that the money was disbursed in line with the 52 approved community action plans.

It quoted the state project coordinator, Hajiya Habiba Mohammed, as saying that most of the communities had since engaged in crop growing, adding that they were expecting bumper harvests this year.

“For those that were given small ruminants (livestock), the story is very encouraging because most of the animals are multiplying,’’ she said.

The state coordinator said that N103,584 million was given to the household as food assistance, N223,731 million as livelihood support and N31,200 million was spent on capacity building and advisory services.

She said that the disbursement in Gombe State witnessed a large turnout of dignitaries in the communities.

Speaking at the event, the Bala Waja, Alhaji Danjuma Mohammed, commended the FADAMA III project for impacting positively on his community and the entire state.

He lauded the project for carrying along the traditional rulers in the implementation of its schemes.

“I can recall that my chiefdom benefitted a lot from the project via access roads, boreholes, culverts and a lot of people were educated through the vibrant education system of FADAMA in capacity building and advisory services.

“If all other projects are like the FADAMA project, our nation will improve greatly. I commend the World Bank, the National FADAMA Office and the Federal Government for FADAMA III AF project and the innovations of the initiative.

“This project would no doubt revitalise food security and revamp agricultural production in the North East sub-region now that peace is returning to the region,’’ he said.

Mohammed also said that the State Project Coordinator and her team were working tirelessly to ensure the success of the project.

He said: “My doors are always open to the handlers of the FADAMA III project; I have a high trust in the project, it is a life-saving project.

“I urge all the beneficiaries to make judicious use of this great opportunity given to them to improve their livelihoods.’’  (NAN)
ROK/AOS/OOK
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni and Dayo Komolafe