Blog

NAN-HG-3
Health
Gembu (Taraba), Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The UNICEF on Monday revealed nine elements for improving Primary Health Care services under the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) strategy.

Dr Abdulai Kaikai, UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Bauchi, made this known at a stakeholders engagement meeting on Repositioning Primary Health Care Facilities held at Gembu in Taraba.

He said that the elements are organisation, legislation, minimum service package, repositioning, system development, operational guidelines, human resources, funding/structure and office set up.

He said that the fund was sponsoring the PHCUOR strategy as an operational guideline to all Primary Health Care Development Agencies (PHCDA) across the country.

Kakai commended the Taraba State PHCDA for improving its service delivery and pledged that the UNICEF would continue to support the agency.

“We are aware of the score from assessment done a year ago of 25 per cent and have collectively witnessed improvement in the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA).

“The agency now has an improved internal assessment score of 37 per cent, six months from the first assessment,” he said.

Mr Victor Bala, the Chairman Taraba State PHCDA said that the health situation of the state would be improved when critical challenges affecting it were addressed.

He listed the challenges to include inadequate water and electricity, obsolete equipment, low supply of drugs, irregular and inadequate staff remuneration and low staff morale.

“This scenario cannot be allowed to continue or else our children and those unborn will have no future and we will be a waste land of disabilities and liabilities,” Bala said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Alhaji Aminu Hassan, expressed optimism on the successful implementation of the PHCUOR strategy in the state.

He commended the UNICEF for its continued support to the state toward enhancing health care service delivery.

Aminu appealed to the state government to release the agency’s take off grant for effective take off of its activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PHCUOR is aimed at integrating primary health care services under a single authority to reduce fragmentation. (NAN)
NB/ASS/IS/GY
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Edited by Ismail Abdulazeez/Grace Yussuf

NAN-H-27
Petition
By Emmanuel Acha
Enugu, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Enugu House of Assembly has given its support for competence examination for principals of secondary schools in the state organised by the Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB).

Mr Mathew Ugwueze, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, made this known on Monday in Enugu while speaking on a petition by some school principals challenging the examination.

Ugwueze, while addressing some of the principals, warned that legislators would not tolerate frivolous petitions that could truncate resolves to move the state`s education sector out of precarious situation.

He said that the petition, which challenged the PPSMB authority to summon public school principals for such test, was in bad taste “and a call to the dark days’’.

“As far as I am concerned, that petition holds no water and you should not send such to me again because I will not attend to it.

“We are all in one direction to achieve a better and sound education for our children. I want to tell us that education without tests and promotion makes no meaning,” he said.

The lawmaker described as unfortunate that some stakeholders who were products of public schools had not shown enough empathy with the state government in revamping the sector.

He, however, commended the state government for the achievements it had recorded in the education sector and for ensuring that public schools came back to limelight.

Ugwueze tasked the principals as products of public schools to reflect on their days in school to determine if the prevailing situations in the sector were encouraging.

“I am telling you as one who is a product of a public school and from a very primitive village that is just experiencing the presence of a secondary school for the first time of its existence.

“The very first secondary school in my village just got underway and the principal only resumed on Sept. 21, while the teachers may have just started to arrive.

“It is as bad as that, yet I saw myself in the House of Assembly. Please you should preach to your conscience and contribute in taking the sector forward,” he said.

It would be recalled that prior to the commencement of the 2016/2017 academic session, the PPSMB organised a competence examination for public school principals and their vice to ascertain their work ethic.

The exercise however did not go down well with a few of the participants who sent a petition to the State House of Assembly. (NAN)
EOA/EEM/GY
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Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede/Grace Yussuf

Lagos judiciary holds church service to mark 2016/2017 legal year
NAN-H-26
Judiciary
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Bishop of Lagos Mainland Anglican Church, Rt. Rev. Johnson Akinpelu, has urged the judiciary to stand for truth and justice at all times..

Akinpelu made the call in his sermon at a church service at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, on Monday to mark the opening of the 2016/2017 Legal year of the Lagos State Judiciary.

He urged the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, as well as the entire judiciary to be firm in the discharge of their legal duties.

According to him, justice must not only be done, it must be seen and perceived by all, as actually done.

“We cannot afford to continuously rest on the successes of the past; today calls us in a special way to render remarkable services and to do justice where there is perceived injustice.

“The question is what Jesus will have us do in our present society? We must pray that He gives us the grace as Christians to lead a life of truth and stand for justice.

“We pray in a special way for our nation Nigeria, and also pray for the grace of God upon Lagos State and its administration as a new legal year begins.

“It is our prayer that the boat of this country will not capsize,” Akinpelu said.

Akinpelu prayed that Nigeria would become a nation its citizens had always dreamt and wished it would be.

NAN reports that during the service, there was also an altar call and re-dedication for serving judges and magistrates.

Those present at the church service, include Gov. Akinwumi Ambode, several Senior Advocates of Nigeria, serving justices and magistrates of the Lagos High Court and Magistrates’ Court, as well as retired judges. (NAN)
UNS/EOB/OFN
(Edited by Edith Bolokor//Felix Nwadioha)

Commodity merchant urges govt to assist farmers boost output

NAN-AE-2

Farming

Ile-Ife (Osun) Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Mr Dokun Ade, a commodity merchant, has called on the Federal Government to help farmers in terms of farm inputs for them to improve on their output.

Ade made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ile-Ife, Osun.

He stressed the need for all tiers of government to empower grassroots farmers with modern implement.

The merchant added that majority of the farmers are aged working with hoes and cutlasses, but if government can provide modern tools, productivity would be increased.

“Majority of farmers are poor; government should make adequate provision for farm inputs, so as to encourage them and attract the youth,” he urged.

He appealed to the three tiers of government to provide infrastructure for farmers for easy transportation of their produce to the market.

According to him, good roads, standard health care, schools and other infrastructure should be provided by the government to enhance the standard of living farmers at the grassroots.

“The three tiers of government should do more to encourage youths to embrace farming.

“There is no way out of the present economic recession, if farmers are not properly catered for,” he said. (NAN)
EDA/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-9
Inspection
Birnin Kebbi, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Kebbi State Government said it would not condone lukewarm attitude or any act of indiscipline from school teachers and other workers.

Alhaji BalarabeAbdulmumini, the Executive Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board, gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria NAN in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

He said the board would intensify efforts to conduct regular inspection of schools with a view to checking and monitoring teachers and students.

Abdulmumini said the school inspection department was mandated to report erring teachers for proper discipline and that there would not be sacred cows.

He said the recent inspection of Makera/Maurida Primary School in Birnin Kebbi Local Government area revealed some unwanted things.
Abdulmumini said out of a total of 13 teachers in the school only three teachers were present and “I ordered the school headmaster to report to me for disciplinary action”.

He said the state government had concluded arrangement to pay the two years backlog of leave grants to primary school and JSS teachers.

Abdulmumini said the state government recently procured school furniture worth N700 million and promised to make good use of the furniture.

NAN reports that the Kebbi State Government had earmarked N3.6 billion for rehabilitation and construction of primary and JSS schools. (NAN)
BKD/TA
Edited/Controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

INEC in Edo takes delivery of sensitive materials from CBN
NAN-H-5
Materials
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo has said that it will  take delivery of sensitive voting materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria in Benin on Monday.

The INEC Assistant Director on Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Prisillia Sule, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Monday.

Sule said that party agents of the 19 political parties participating in the Sept. 28 governorship election had been invited to witness the retrieval of the sensitive materials at the CBN.

She also said that INEC headquarters had deployed National and Resident Electoral Commissioners to assist Edo REC, Mr Sam Olumekun, to conduct the election.

NAN reports that fierce-looking armed security operatives were seen in and around the Ikpoba-Hill office of the commission (NAN)
AJOM/KOO/OFN
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa// Felix Nwadioha

Jigawa to support 108 oil millers with N270,000 seed money
NAN-H-4
Oil
Dutse, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Jigawa Government on Monday in Dutse said it would support 108 female groundnut oil millers with N270,000 seed money to start their own businesses.
Muhammad Mujaddadi, Special Assistant to the governor on Empowerment, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that each beneficiary would receive N2,500 to buy a sack of groundnut for oil milling.
“We discover that most of these women get five to six measures of groundnut on credit and pay back after they have milled and sold the oil.
“So government feels it is better to provide them with seed capital that will enable them buy the groundnut in large quantity to enable them make more profit,’’ Mujaddadi said.
Mujaddadi said four groundnut oil millers were selected as beneficiaries from each of the 27 local government areas of the state.
He explained that 74 of the beneficiaries had applied for the scheme while the remaining 36 were yet to submit applications.
Mujaddadi said that the free gesture was part of the state government’s empowerment scheme aimed at eradicating poverty among rural dwellers.
“The gesture will encourage women to engage in productive activities and assist in developing small-scale businesses among women at the grassroots,” he said.
He said that the government would continue to accord special priority to women, considering their vulnerability in the society.
“This will also enable the women to contribute meaningfully to the economic wellbeing of their families,” he noted. (NAN)
MNB/ECN/WOJ
(Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye and controlled by Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-H-5
Imprisonment
By Ugochi Ugochukwu
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) A Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced a 27-year-old tailor, Adabara Abdullahim, to 12 months imprisonment for giving false information to the police.

The judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, did not give Abdullahim an option of fine.

Ogbede ordered him to pay N 239, 500 to the commissioner of police, FCT Command.

Abdullahim, a resident of Zuba, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of giving false information and extortion.

He had pleaded for leniency.

The prosecutor, Mrs Ndidi Ukoha, had said during Abdullahim’s arraignment that he gave a police officer false information about an armed robbers’ lodge at Stanza Guest Inn at Zuba.

She said that the tailor falsely informed Insp. Yunusa Garba, who was on duty at the Lugbe Police Station, that robbers planned to attack a bank in Lugbe on Feb. 15.

She submitted that the tailor committed the offences at 11.30p.m. on Feb. 13.

“During police investigation and interrogation, the accused confessed to have deceitfully enriched himself with the sum of N 239, 500.

“The N 239, 500 was given to the accused as mobilisation fee for tracking criminals for various police formations in FCT,’’ she said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Section 178 and 293 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

UGO/DEB/IGO
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(Edited by Debo Oshundun and controlled by Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-4
Pilgrims
By Aminu Ahmed Garko
Sokoto, Sept. 26, 2016 ( NAN) The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Monday said about 3,500 pilgrims from Zamfara and Sokoto states had been transported back to the country through Sultan Abubakar III International Airport.

NAHCON Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Kaoje, confirmed the number of arrivals to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto.

He said that the pilgrims were transported in seven flights by Max Airline.
Kaoje said that 2,000 pilgrims were from Zamfara, while the remaining 1,500 pilgrims were from Sokoto State.

He commended the pilgrims for their good conduct during the Customs and Immigration’s screening. ( NAN)
AAG/KOO/TA
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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa, controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-HG-2
Disorder
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Dr Okezie Emenike, an Abuja-based medical doctor, on Monday, said that people with Bulimia Nervosa are at risk of life threatening illnesses.

Emenike disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He defined Bulimia Nervosa as a psychological disorder characterised by overeating spree in a short period of time, followed by purging in an attempt to get rid of the food consumed by vomiting or taking laxatives.

He said that the condition was associated with a sense of loss of control and immediately followed by feelings of guilt and shame.

According to him, bulimia affects more women than men and is common in teenage girls and young women.

He noted that the cause of bulimia was unknown but attributed genetics, physiological, family, society and culture as factors that could pose risk of developing the condition.

He added that bulimia could be dangerous as it could lead to serious health problems, stressing that a person with the condition often indulge in self induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, among others.

He said that “due to excessive vomiting, there can be a permanent damage in the stomach, tears in the oesophagus, swelling of the throat and dental cavities.

“It can also lead to lack of fluid in the body, low level of potassium in the blood, hard stools and constipation, damage of the pancreas and haemorrhoid.’’

He further said that the condition could make a patient go into extreme social isolation, forced withdrawal from school, withdrawal from family, loss of job and infertility.

Emenike also said that bulimia could lead to internal bleeding, drug and alcohol addiction, heart attack, inability to sleep, self injury behaviour and even suicide.

Besides, Emenike said, treatment for such eating disorder should start from psychological therapy, interpersonal therapy and administration of medications such as antidepressants.

He urged people with such eating disorder to seek medical help, noting that the condition could result to irreversible complications. (NAN)
CSO/HS/HA
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(Edited by Halima Sheji/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)