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General news

2019: Group drums support for President Buhari

2019: Group drums support for President Buhari
By Awayi Kuje
Confidence
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) The Modibbo Haruna Buhari Charity Organisation (BCO), an NGO, has passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, saying he deserves a second term.
Mr Modibbo Suleiman-Masaka, the National Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the organisation, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, on Wednesday.
Suleiman-Masaka said that Buhari’s laudable projects had direct bearing on the lives of Nigerians.
He also drummed support for Buhari’s re-election bid, explaining that their support was based on the president’s numerous achievements in the areas of security, corruption, agriculture and economy, among others.

“Buhari has done a lot and is still doing his best; he deserves second term to enable him continue with the good works he has being doing for Nigerians.
“We have searched everywhere but there is no any candidate to compare him with President Buhari in 2019.
“President Buhari had done well and is still doing well, we will continue to mobilise and drum support for his re-election bid in the interest of development.
“It is in view of this that we as an NGO after assessing his achievements in office, we pass a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s re-election bid come 2019 ,” he said.
Suleiman-Masaka called on Nigerians to support Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade with prayers for the success of the war.
He also called on Nigerians to offer special prayers for peace, unity and violence-free general elections in 2019 in order to elect God-fearing leaders.
The BOT chairman restated the organisation’s continued commitment to preach peace and harmony among Nigerians in the interest of national development. (NAN)
AKW/OFN/MST
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

2019: NGO sensitises Nasarawa electorate

2019: NGO sensitises Nasarawa electorate
By Awayi Kuje
Awareness
Lafia, Sept.1, 2018 (NAN) Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Confidence Building Initiative International (COBII), an NGO, has embarked on sensitisation of electorate in Nasarawa State on the need to vote credible leaders.
Mr Illah Obadiah, the Executive Director of the organisation made this known on Saturday in Lafia while presenting the 2019 Pre-election Situation Analysis produced by the NGO.
Obadiah said COBII conducted the exercise to raise awareness of voters to elect leaders and representatives at all levels that would deliver dividends of democracy.
According to him, the NGO specialised in system strengthening through confidence building advocacy, biomedical services, research and care for the vulnerable population, among others.
“The objective of this presentation is to deepen understanding on predictors and how the electorate will likely vote in 2019 Gubernatorial Election in Nasarawa State.
“This is an opinion poll on how the Nasarawa citizens will vote their governor, Senators, House of Representative members among other elective positions,’’ he said.
Obadiah said the topical issues voters would like to see addressed by the candidates included electricity, agricultural needs, education, road, security, water supply and healthcare services.
The executive director therefore called on the electorate to vote candidates of proven integrity in the interest of development.
Mr Ifekandu Chike, the Programme Consultant of COBII, while presenting the situation report, said Quantitative Questionnaire with a Sample size of 1,800 were used.
“Study areas which we used include Lafia, Nasarawa, Obi, Karu, Keffi and Akwanga Local Government Areas of the state and the duration was from May 1 to June 30.
“Eligibility criteria ensures the people must be 18 and above and they must also have a Permanent Voter Card (PVCs) and resident in Nasarawa State.
“The summary output and the Opinion Poll results shows that 38 per cent of the voters in the state will vote based on political party while 44 per cent will not vote based on political party, and 18 per cent is indifferent.
“On whether the candidate’s religion counts, shows 33 per cent of the voters willing to vote based on religion, while 20 per cent will not based on religion, and 47 per cent remains undecided.
“Whether the candidate’s tribe will matter, 66 per cent of the opinion poll agrees, while 28 per cent disagreed and six per cent remains undecided,” he said.
Chike also said the opinion poll showed that social media and print media were the most preferred platform for political information.
The programme consultant further said electronic media, places of worship/town hall meetings as well as friends and family were veritable platforms for political information. (NAN)
AKW/OMO/MST
Edited by Martins Odeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

2019: Ex-SSG wants women active participation

2019: Ex-SSG wants women active participation
By Awayi Kuje
Politics
Nasarawa (Nasarawa State), June 26, 2018 (NAN) Dr Zainab Ahmed, former Secretary to Nasarawa State Government, has urged women to participate actively in the 2019 general election to entrench good governance in the country.
Ahmed, a Permanent Commissioner in the state’s Civil Service Commission, made the call on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen in Nasarawa, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.
She said that the call has become imperative considering the critical role women play in the development of a society.
The former scribe urged women not to relent in their efforts towards contributing positively to the development of the country.
“We want the women to participate actively in the political affairs of the country so that they can contribute their quota to the development of the society.
“Let women show their worth that they have what it takes in politics and they can do that through participation actively in the political activities of the country,” she said.
Ahmed also advised women to respect their husbands and live exemplary lives for their children to emulate in the interest of peace and national development.
The ex-SSG urged parents to give adequate attention to the education of their children for the betterment of the society.
Besides, she enjoined farmers, herdsmen and other Nigerians to co-exist peacefully, adding that no society will develop in an atmosphere of confusion and rancour.
Ahmed further urged the people of the state to shun negative tendencies, respect constituted authorities and be law abiding.
“Peace is priceless and non-negotiable, there is need for all Nigerians to embrace it,’’ she said. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

2019: Healthcare must top political discourse – NMA

2019: Healthcare must top political discourse – NMA
By Ummul Idris
NMA
Abuja, April 19, 2018 (NAN) Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Mike Ogirima, has said that the issues of healthcare must top political agenda and campaigns.
Ogirima told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that scorecards on health sector must be examined to determine the successes or failures of governments at all levels.
He insisted that achievements in healthcare were a huge milestone with which to score any government as health is closely tied to wealth creation and poverty reduction.
The NMA chairman said that the association understood the nexus linking governance, politics and healthcare delivery.
“It is for the aforementioned that our association is modifying our ADM this year with the introduction of a multi-stakeholder advocacy and interactive roundtable or Town Hall meeting.
“The meeting will involve member-organisations of the association of professional bodies in Nigeria, CSOs/NGOs in the health development and governance space, registered political parties, NLC, the media and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
“The objectives of the town hall meeting are to interrogate issues, trends and opportunities general election pose to healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
“To collate, appraise and integrate inputs in stakeholders towards the drafting of the Abuja Declaration of Commitment towards integrating healthcare delivery issues in the epicentre of national politics for development.
“Let us continue to raise voices for the improvement of healthcare delivery in Nigeria,” he said.
Ogirima added that the challenges of the health sector were enormous but insisted that the NMA would not give up.
“We will not keep quiet till the right things are done for the well being of every Nigerian. (NAN)
UMD/COO/MST
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

2019: Group tasks youths on civic responsibilities

2019: Group tasks youths on civic responsibilities
By Precious Akutamadu
Elections
Port Harcourt, April 7, 2018 (NAN) Nigerian youths have been advised to get involved in credible elections in 2019 by acquiring their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and refusing monetary inducements.
Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, the National Coordinator of YouthDecide2019, an NGO, gave the advice in Port Harcourt on Saturday at a seminar on Understanding Processes and Civic Responsibility.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar was organised for youths in the South-South Zone of Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general polls.
He said that it was an anomaly for young professionals to refuse to get involve in election and political processes.
According to Okenwa, young people who are eligible to vote should regard their citizenship of Nigeria as a right that should not be tainted by involvement in thuggery during elections.
He said: “They (youths) are not visitors. It is a privilege and a right to be defended at all times. Our first target is to get young leaders to understand their need expectation.
“We will get them talking about issues of politics and governance. They will thereafter take the message home and sensitise many more young people to get involved.
“They should not sit back and let the process continue as usual. They should ensure that the right things are done.
“They should be good ambassadors for Nigeria; actualise the principles of integrity and exercise their franchise as citizens.”
He said that the group’s focus at the moment was not merely for young people to contest but having credible individuals vying for those political positions whether they are young or old.
“To me it is not just enough to have free and fair elections because the freest and fairest elections can only produce those from the options that are available.
“We should have credible alternatives who distinguished themselves in any particular field and are capable of taking this country from where it is now to where it ought to be.
“This country belongs to all of us. You cannot be talking about good leadership without talking about good citizenship. A citizen is not a visitor.
“Citizens understand their rights and privileges which include ensuring that his nation gets to the next level and ensuring that Nigerians at home, schools and wherever they find themselves can actually be good,’’ Okenwa said.
Mrs Geraldine Ekenebo, representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the occasion, said that beyond complains, Nigerian youths who are eligible should be involved in election processes.
“It is not INEC staff that will snatch ballot papers or election materials, you will not see candidates or elderly people snatching election materials. It is the youths.
“You can make the changes right from your polling booths. Get your PVC. It is the passport to the future that will be the beginning of your change narrative.
“Come out and vote, encourage others to do so. Do not sell your voters card. Avoid double registration, it is a criminal offence, shun violence and thuggery,’’ she said.
The INEC official also urged Nigerians to get involved with political party structures by registering as party members in order to also effect changes even at party levels.
Besides, she advised young people to encourage others to come out and vote to enhance the “Not Too Young To Run Bill’’ .
She also assured that the Continuous Voters Registration would endure until 60 days to the 2019 election.
Mrs Ifeyinwa Amucheazi, a Chief Programme Officer with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), also called for a value orientation and attitudinal change among youths so that they could stay off violence.
“Be involved in politics because you have a stake. Register, cast your vote and stay to monitor your vote,’’ she said. (NAN)
PA/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Group endorses Buhari, Masari for 2019

Group endorses Buhari, Masari for 2019
NAN-H-36
Endorsement
By Zubairu Idris
Katsina, Jan. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Katsina State chapter of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) has declared support for the re-election of the President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State in 2019.

Alhaji Ibrahim Kallah, the Coordinator of the group in the state, made the declaration at a press conference on Sunday in Katsina.

Kallah said that the decision was in recognition of the successes recorded by the Federal and Katsina State Governments under the APC platform.

He said that the successes were on economy, fight against corruption, unemployment, security, agriculture and power sectors, among others.

“It is a fact that the present administration had recorded tremendous successes in security without which nothing can be achieved.

“There is the need to recognise the zeal of the Buhari administration particularly in the security sector especially the recovery of 14 local government areas that were previously under Boko Haram control in the Northeast.

“Rebuilding lives of the millions of people displaced by the insurgents by returning them back home withing two years is laudable,” he said.

The coordinator pointed out that ensuring continued peace in the Niger Delta through the amnesty programme for ex-militants was also a good step for ensuring security in the region.

He stated that boosting morale of the Nigerian military and equipping the Armed Forces is also something that contributed towards the successes recorded in the security sector.

In Katsina state, the coordinator said that the issue of cattle rustling has become a thing of the past sequel to the introduction of amnesty programme.

According to him, hundreds of cattle rustlers surrendered their weapons in the state while over 480 weapons were destroyed.

He therefore urged people to support the re-election of Buhari and Masari in 2019. (NAN)
ZI/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

PCN targets 2019 deadline for e-pharmacy registration

PCN targets 2019 deadline for e-pharmacy registration

NAN-HG-6

e-Registration

By Mohammed Lawal Zaria (Kaduna State), Feb. 15, 2017 (NAN) The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) on Wednesday said it has put in place a policy to ensure that by 2019 all pharmaceutical activities in the country were e-compliant.

The Registrar council, Mr Elijah Mohammed, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

He said: “We are putting a policy in place to ensure that by 2019 everyone involved in pharmacy practice will be e-compliant in all their activities.”

Mohammed said the facility will not only make pharmaceutical service delivery interesting, timely and discrete, but would also help to solve problems associated with drug description and dispensing.

“Definitely e-pharmacy is going to enhance service delivery in hospitals by reducing the time patients wait to be attended to at the pharmacy department.

“Because everything about the department is e-compliant, so you will be able to track products from the supplier to the patients you are administering the drugs to,” he said.

While describing the computerisation as the in-thing, the registrar observed that there won’t be any opportunity and privilege for frauds in the system.

He assured that the council had improved its services to e-based in the area of registration of pharmacists, renewal of licenses, registration and renewal of premises.

According to him, the council uses e-pharmacy to drive the whole processes, apart from its Mandatory Continuing Education Programmes on the e-platform instead of the traditional classroom.

Mohammed said by adopting the information technology processes, things would be easier for everyone, noting that time management is very essential in daily activities. (NAN)

KLM/HS/MST

Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola