By Mohammed Tijjani

The Nigerian Army is set to deploy 197 troops for ECOWAS Peacekeeping Mission in The Gambia.

Chief of Operations, Army Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Akinjobi, disclosed this on Thursday at the graduation ceremony of Nigerian Company 7 which will soon head for the tiny West African state.

The ceremony was held at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before now, Nigeria had deployed six separate companies to The Gambia.

Akinjobi said Nigeria was committed to deploying quality peacekeepers for global peace and security.

NAN reports that the out of 197 heading to The Gambia, 185 are soldiers and 12 are officers.

Akinjobi was represented by Maj.-Gen. Zakari Abubakar, Director, Peace Operations, Army Headquarters.

Heexplained that Nigeria had successfully participated in 40peacekeeping missions across the globe and deployed more than100,000 peacekeepers since 1960.

He maintained that the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia was established as an intervention mission to resolve the constitutional crisis that followed the disputed presidential election of 2016.

The mission, he said, had helped restore peace and stability.

Earlier, Commandant of the Centre, Maj.-Gen. Auwal Fagge explained that the centre had within the last four weeks refreshed the troops on some tactical aspects of peacekeeping training.

The aspects, he said, included base camp security, patrols, cordon and search, as well as escort of VIPs, amongst others.

He enjoined the troops to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and to bring to bear what they have learnt.

He asked them to fulfill the mandate of the mission and strictly adhere to the rules of engagement.

Fagge also charged the troops to carry out their duties bearing in mind the multinational nature of the mission as well as cultural and religious diversities in the operating environment.

NAN recalls that on April 21, the centre also deployed 173 troops to Guinea Bissau for peacekeeping mission. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday joined the Muslim faithful at the State House Mosque to witness the conclusion of Tafsir (Interpretation of the Quran) as Muslims around the world approached end of the Ramadan fast.

The President, who participated in the daily exercise throughout the one month period, had also used his evenings to host guests from cross sections of the country to Iftar (The breaking of fast).

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja, said the President used the occasions to practice the values projected by the Ramadan.

These, according to him, include the promotion of discipline and personal sacrifice, care and love for less fortunate, promotion of national unity and support for the Armed Forces as they fight to end terrorism and other crimes in the country.

The presidents aide stated that the President received accolades from the Chief Imam of the State House, Sheikh Abdulwahid Sulaiman for his sacrifice and the values of honesty, integrity and selfless service to the nation that he brought to the office.

While noting the coming year as one of elections, characterised by uncertainties, the Imam urged President Buhari to remain steadfast, and stay the course of national interest.

He also urged the president to ensure that the spirited struggle and sacrifices of the nation in the last few years were not allowed to be vandalised. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) has stated reasons why he is in support of the ambition of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu to become Nigerias next president.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that Tinubu had got what it takes to provide the kind of leadership Nigeria needs at a time like this.

Bamidele, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters, said that he had not denied Tinubu of his support and not pretending about his support for him.

I have not denied him of my support and I have not pretended about my support for him.

My relationship with Tinubu is not in contention and is something I never pretended about and even several of those who are contesting from the South-West also have their own relationships with him.

This is because he had been there for a lot of us in the past and he is still there.

I believe both on moral ground as well as out of conviction that he has got what it takes to provide the kind of leadership this country needs at a time like this.

Bamidele however added that in supporting Tinubu, we cannot use that as a basis not to recognise the rights of other stakeholders who want to aspire.

But I believe that part of the essence of democracy is that there will be constructive engagement.

Im sure everybody is talking to somebody and before the date of this election, there will be some realignment of forces. But the right of everyone to contest is inalienable and it has to be respected.

On the concept of consensus candidacy, Bamidele said that it wasnt a bad concept, stating that what was more important was its implementation.

Those who made the law, both the constitution of our party and even the new electoral law which also recognise consensus as one of the three means of selecting candidates by political parties, did not envisage a situation where a few persons will sit down and try to impose a candidate in the name of consensus.

What we have to emphasise is the manner of implementation of consensus.

What will be tyrannical about the supposed consensus process is where it now becomes an indirect manner of imposition.

This is because some few people field those who they want and in the name of consensus, they end up forcing a candidate down the throat of every other person, he said.

NAN reports that Bamidele was Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development and Special Adviser on Political Affairs to Tinubu during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

Source: NAN News

BY Hajara Leman, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In spite various health facilities established by successive administrations in Gombe State, accessing healthcare has remained a nightmare in the state, especially for indigent ones.

But the social health programme launched in 2021, by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, known as Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, may bring the needed succour.

The mandate of the agency is to ensure the attainment of universal health coverage in the state.

At the initial stage of the programme, 25,000 poor and vulnerable people were enrolled for free healthcare, under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), a Federal Government intervention, requiring counterpart funding from the state government.

It was later scaled up to accommodate civil servants from the formal sector, as well as informal sector on the payment of a token amount of money for enrollment.

Since the programme commenced, accessing healthcare has become easier for people, thereby reducing the huge financial burden they usually incurred in accessing medical services.

Recently Gov. Inuwa Yahaya launched GoHealth mobile application, which makes it easier for beneficiaries and intending enrollees to access service in the comfort of their rooms.

The application is user friendly, safe and secure to enable individuals and groups to enroll on the scheme book.

Also to book appointment with their care providers, make enquiries as well as provide feedback to enable the government take necessary measures to improve the quality of service, the governor noted.

According to him, GoHealth insurance programme is providing Gombe State civil servants with subsidised healthcare services which will subsequently enhance workers welfare and improve their productivity.

He said in 2022, the state government will enroll additional 40,000 poor and vulnerable alongside the 25,000 earlier enrolled under BHCPF.

He further called on those that were yet to register under the informal sector, to take advantage of the programme.

Register yourselves and your loved ones, so as to prevent rising healthcare cost.

Some of the enrollees of the programme described the scheme as life saving.

Malam Adamu Zakari a beneficiary from the Gombe State Contributory Health Scheme said, at the commencement of the programme, when they were asked to enroll, he was not satisfied that the scheme was meant for the less privileged, but with the recent development I felt I am the most luckiest person on earth.

He said his 32-year-old wife was admitted at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, where he opted as his service provider for the Gombe State Contributory Health Scheme, and after she spent two days in the hospital, the wife had a successful cesarean section (CS) .

According to him, the bill given to him after the surgery was scary, adding that, ordinarily, he could not afford the bill given to him because he is just a middle cadre staff at the Gombe State Civil Service.

However, according to him the story changed when he reached the billing point and was asked to pay N9,400,

against the N94,000 bill given to him.

Another beneficiary, Malam Zainab Umar, a civil servant, said when the state government commenced the registration of civil servants, she was reluctant to join because she thought it was not real.

According to her, when she conceived and the pregnancy reached an advanced stage, she needed urgent medical attention and to her greatest surprise, her condition had been taken care of with the limited resources she had been contributing.

I had a Cesarean Section ( CS) and all the diagnosis were perfectly treated, I have gotten my post operational drugs and all the care I needed, she said.

Malam Habu Musa from Daban Fulani community in Kwami Local Government Area, said his household were among the 25,000 poor and vulnerable persons enrolled at the initial stage of the programme.

He said since their enrollment, they have been receiving quality healthcare free of charge.

Recently my daughter was discharged from the hospital in our community after spending four days on admission.

I want to use this medium to thank Gov. Inuwa Yahaya for the quality and free healthcare services at our door step, he said.

Dr Abubakar Musa, Team Lead of GoHealth, said the agency was established by Gombe State Government in 2019.

According to him, the agency was established in line with the decentralisation policy of the National Health Insurance Scheme, that paved way for establishment of states Social Health Insurance Scheme in Nigeria.

He said the agency which commenced work in 2021 has the mandate to ensure attainment of universal health coverage.

Musa said that so far, the agency has enrolled 63, 320 persons from the BHCPF, formal and informal sectors and they are still expecting more people to be enrolled.

He said for the formal sector, 3.5 per cent of their gross salaries is being deducted monthly for the scheme, covering five dependents under them, spouse and four biological children, and he can enroll additional dependent for N9,000 per person.

He said for the informal sector, is N10,000 for a person and per annum, with no dependent.

The Team Lead said the agency has accredited 109 facilities , that would be providing services to beneficiaries.

Out of the number, 52 were primary healthcare facilities,53 secondary facilities and for tertiary facilities.

He said that in GoHealth, they do not compromise standard.

We ensure that all the facilities accredited are well equipped, have good infrastructure with basic essential equipment as well as the minimum manpower to provide qualitative healthcare service to people, he explained.

Malam Alhassan Yahya, the Chairman, Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH), coalition of professionals in diverse fields advocating for improvement in maternal health, commended the government for the priority given the health sector.

He expressed optimism that Gombe State would achieve universal health coverage in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

He called on those in the private sector who were yet to register to key in so as to eradicate preventable diseases in their communities.

He further said that the scheme was an opportunity for expectant mothers to have a clean and safe delivery with limited resources, thereby reducing maternal and infant mortality in the state.

On his part, Dr Habu Dahiru, Gombe State Commissioner of Health, said the establishment of the agency reinforced governments commitment toward changing the face of healthcare delivery in the state

We are all aware of the comprehensive approach this administration is adopting to address the inherited challenges in the health sector by improving both physical as well as financial accessibility to basic health service.

Introducing such a scheme will no doubt protect individuals and families from financial difficulties, should they have the cause to visit the hospital for medical attention, he said.
Stakeholders have continued to emphasise the need for people of Gombe State to key into the scheme. (NANFeatures)

*** If used, please credit the writer as well as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

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Source: NAN News

By Teniola Ibitola

An Igando Customary Court has dissolved a 30-year-old marriage between one Kayode Akinyade and Iyabode.

In a ruling on Thursday, the President of the court, Mr Koledoye Adeniyi, said the marriage between the couple could no longer stand.

Adeniyi, therefore, dissolved the marriage because of allegations of being fetish, disrespect, home abandonment, infidelity, quarrels and threat to life.

He ruled that there was no more love after a careful review of the allegations and counter allegations by the litigants.

The court, however, found nothing wrong with the petitioner marrying another wife, saying it is allowed in African tradition, especially when the parties were married under the native law and tradition.

It said that the evidence of the parties did not show that the Kayode did anything at any point to empower his wife to reciprocate her efforts in supporting him as his first wife.

It frowned at the way the respondent abandoned her matrimonial home for years without her husbands consent.

On the issue of fetishness, the court said it believes in the efficacy of charms, being a customary court.

It, however, said that the petitioner could not prove it against the respondent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kayode dragged his wife to court, accusing her of fetish practices and threatening his life.

Source: NAN News

By Stephen Adeleye

No fewer than 111 cooks under the Federal Governments National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), will be disengaged in Kogi for violating national guidelines of the programme.

Mr. Suleiman Abdulkareem Onyekehi, the NSIP Focal Person, Kogi, disclosed this on the sideline of the Nationwide Documentation cans Training of Cooks on the NHGSFP, held on Thursday in Lokoja.

The NHGSFP is one of the components of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD).

Onyekehi said,We have national guidelines that we will not want to violate or default.

If anyone is defaulting or violating the guidelines, the state government will not hesitate to take a disciplinary action against such person.

We have gotten a report with concrete evidences against some cooks who are defaulting by receiving money and not doing the cooking for the pupils.

We have identified those schools and out of the 3000 cooks, 111 are defaulting.

We are still going to identify more defaulters, so that we can discipline them as deterrent to others who are violating the national guidelines, he said.

Onyekehi, who doubles as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects, said the state had reported the defaulters to the national office in charge of payment and data.

Some cooks changed location and not cooking for pupils, we have few cases of dead persons who are still receiving money and some collected money and did not just cook.

So, we have sent our report on those cases to national office for defaulters to be removed and we have also sent replacement for them.

It is only those who know the value of the program and are willing to work and follow the guidelines that will be retained, and that is part of the compliance of the national guidelines, he said.

He noted that over 177,000 pupils are currently being fed in public primary schools across the state, while a total of over 258,000 pupils had been revalidated by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the program.

He added that the NSIP had great positive impacts on the lives of the people and the had tremendously boosted the states economy.

He emphasised that the NHGSFP was achieving its goals objectives in Kogi, which is to increase children enrollment in public schools, nutritional value and poverty eradication.

He commended Gov. Yahaya Bello for his maximum supporting for all the components of NSIP in state, while thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for the initiative.

Source: NAN News

By Shuaibu Sadiq Adamu

Zamfara Government has dethroned the Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that of Dansadau, Alhaji Hussaini Umar, on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in banditry.

The government also removed Alhaji Suleiman Ibrahim, District Head of Birnin Tsaba, in Zurmi Local Government Area from office for a similar offence.

The Commissioner for Information in Zamfara, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, announced their removal at a news conference after the State Executive Council meeting.

Council approved a committees recommendation for the dethronement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the first-class Emir of Zurmi, in Zurmi Local Government Area.

Council also adopted the committees report and approved the removal of Alhaji Husseini Umar, a second-class Emir of Dansadau, in Maru Local Government Area.

It also approved the removal of Alhaji Suleiman Ibrahim, District Head of Birnin Tsaba, in Zurmi Local Government Area, the commissioner said.

He added that governments decision followed the indictment of the traditional rulers and the community leader by two committees set up to investigate them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zamfara suspended the three culprits from office in June 2021.

It set up the two committees to investigate them following their alleged involvement in banditry and land racketeering in their respective domains.

Government also placed the traditional rulers under house arrest for the period the investigation lasted.

The committees headed by a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police and Commissioner for Security, Alhaji Mamman Tsafe, had submitted their findings to the state government earlier.

The state government after receiving the report set up a White Paper committee to review the recommendations.

The council upheld the outcome of the White paper and dethroned the two emirs and the district head.

Government also gazetted the committees recommendations.

NAN reports that the acting governor of the state, Alhaji Hassan Nasiha, presided over Wednesdays State Executive Council meeting.

Source: NAN News

The African Development Banks (AfDB) Africa Digital Financial Inclusion (ADFI) facility will receive 15 million dollars to develop and extend digital financial solutions to women-owned small and medium businesses in Africa.

The bank on its website on Wednesday said that women entrepreneurs from Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya and Mozambique would benefit from the fund through the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi).

It also said the funds would enable the ADFI facility to design and implement programmes to improve digital access to finance for women entrepreneurs.

The bank noted that the fund would also reduce the 42 billion dollars gender finance gap and improve womens operational efficiency to build back better, following the COVID-19 crisis.

Mr Stefan Nalletamby, the Director of the Financial Sector Development Department of AfDB, said that digital financial solutions were key to improving the quality of life of people in Africa.

This funding, which is complementary to the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, will be used to provide an avenue for their increased economic empowerment and resilience, Nalletamby said.

The bank quoted Barbel Kofler, the Parliamentary State Secretary of Germanys Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, as saying that We-Fis fourth round of allocation came at a crucial time.

Womens economic empowerment is under pressure due to conflict and insecurity, rising prices and the continuous fallout from the COVID pandemic around the world, Kofler said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that We-Fi, founded in October 2017 withSecretariat housed in the World Bank in Washington DC, harnesses the public and private sectors to open new doors for women entrepreneurs across the developing world.

The initiative supports women entrepreneurs by scaling up access to financial products and services, building capacity, expanding networks, offering mentors, and providing opportunities to link with domestic and global markets.

We-Fi works with six multilateral development banks as implementing partners: AfDB, Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.

Others are European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank Group (including IFC). (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

Dr Akinsola Olufemi, a construction expert, on Wednesday warned that 95 per cent of buildings in Lagos State were constructed without soil tests.

He said that such buildings could be at risk of collapse.

Olufemi, Director, Applied Research and Technology Innovation (ARTI), Yaba College of Science and Technology (Yabatech), gave the warning during a hybrid 2022 Builders Business Conference in Ikeja.

The theme for the event was Effective Building Production Management Services: Integration of Construction Programme of Works and Building Construction Methodology in Building Project Delivery in Lagos State.

The capacity building programme was organised by the Lagos State Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) for its members in collaboration with the Berger Paint Plc.

The expert stressed the need to determine the load bearing capacity of any soil through tests before actual construction to prevent building collapse due to excess weight.

Almost 95 per cent of construction done in Lagos are done without soil test. No matter what you are constructing, do a soil test.

The significance of soil test is, it lets you know the capacity of the soil and the load it can carry. So that it should not carry more load than it can, he said.

Olufemi said that a recent research by his team revealed that 80 per cent of Nigerians built their personal houses without engaging the services of qualified developers.

This, according to him, resulted in various construction errors.

Construction of property in Nigeria 80 per cent are private individuals which will be their own houses and they dont have consultants not to talk of engaging in soil investigations, he said.

He said that only a few of the organised big developers carried out soil tests, noting that, some others cut corners to submit analysis from nearby project sites to regulators as theirs.

A lot of buildings are collapsing today because we do not do things right in Nigeria, he said.

Olufemi said that construction methodology which was the focus of the conference was a key element that all contractors required on site, adding that.professional builders must ensure compliance.

The expert, who is also President, Nigerian Academy of Facility Management, called for the political will on the part of the Lagos State Government to enforce standards.

Olufemi, also National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Builders in Maintenance and Facility Management, said the nations obsolete tertiary curriculum was recently reviewed to capture the emerging trends of building production.

The Chairman of the Lagos chapter of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr Lucky Isename, said construction methodology was part of the four important elements needed for quality construction.

Isename said it was a major aspect included in the Builders Document, captured in laws of Lagos which building professionals use, hence the focus on the theme at the workshop.

Senior Development Officer, Berger Paint Plc, Mrs Nike Ajayi, while making slide presentations, enumerated the benefits of using right paint specifications. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Wandoo Sombo

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, to one year community service.

Daniel-Nwobia who was convicted on April 7 was given the sentenceover her role in the botched March 15, 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment tragedy where about 15 job seekers died in a stampede.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba who handed down the sentence also ruled that Daniel-Nwobia would forfeit 50 per cent of her contributory pension for the next five years to the Federal Government.

The judge also ordered that the convict should not hold public office for the next five years except on consultancy basis.

He ruled that her travel passport be retained by the court as she was not to travel outside Nigeria in the next five years without the permission of the court.

The court ruled that the convict should choose one out of any of four institutions to teach a course on compliance for one academic session.

They are the Nigeria Immigration Training School, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Institute,the Public Service Institute or the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies.

She is to confer with the institute on how to proceed where the course is available and if not available, she shall design one by herself, the judge ruled.

Justice Dimgba said rather than use the Public Procurement Act in sentencing Daniel-Nwobia, he chose to use the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

The ACJA stipulates a minimum custodial sentence of five years for the offence committed, he said.

He explained that he chose to use ACJA because unlike the rigidity of the Procurement Act, it had flexibility and provided a leeway for an alternative sentence.

He also said that he was minded to listen to the plea of mercy by the convict and her counsel on the grounds that she was not found to have benefited from the offence.

The judge also said he found that Daniel-Nwobia chose the mode of recruitment employed in 2014 for the botched exercise to save money for government.

He held that the convict also acted basedon the recommendation of the then director of procurement in the ministry and wondered why that director was neither charged nor called as a witness in the matter.

BeforeJustice Dimgba passed pronounced the sentence, the convict pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Im pleading with my lord to temper justice with mercy and sentence me as the spirit directs, she said.

Her friend of about 40 years, Mrs Fatima Hassan, was also allowed to speak on the character and the person of the convict.

Hassan, a former Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority Mortgage Bank and the Director-General, National Centre for Women Development, described Daniel-Nwobia as a dedicated civil servant.

She worked with integrity and ensured that every process was properly documented for posterity and she built confidence in the system, Hassan said.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr Samuel Chime, also told the court that Daniel-Nwobia was a first time offender as she had no previous record of crime.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC arraigned Daniel-Nwobia, Abba Moro and others on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, procurement fraud and money laundering.

They were prosecuted over the botched 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment scandal.

While Moro and the others were discharged and acquitted, Daniel-Nwobia was convicted on one of the counts of the charge.

Count four, on which she was convicted, borders on awarding contract for online recruitment into the NIS without seeking approval of the Bureau for Public Procurement.

This, according to the charge, was contrary to Section 40 of the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

The retired permanent secretary was convicted on count four of the charge, which the court said, carried a jail term of five years without an option of fine. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News