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Nasarawa community rehabilitates roads

Nasarawa community rehabilitates roads

By Awayi Kuje
Roads
Nassarawa Eggon (Nasarawa State), Oct. 7, 2019 (NAN) The Wakama community in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has embarked on the rehabilitation of eight roads linking the community with neighbouring Akwanga Local Government Area in order to boost their socio-economic activities.
Mr Adams Nangba, the District Head of Wakama, who led hundreds of his subjects on Monday to embark on the repair of Ola/Akpata road, said that the exercise became imperative considering the bad nature of the roads.
He said that the rehabilitation of the road would also boost transportation system, agricultural activities and improve on the standard of living of the people of the area and those plying the roads.
According to him, the rehabilitation of the roads was part of the community’s responsibilities in order to complement government efforts in improving on the agricultural, socio-economic activities and reduce the plight residents faced in transporting their goods to neighbouring markets.
“As you can see, in order to improve on the socio-economic activities and transportation system of my people, I have decided to mobilise my subjects to embark on rehabilitation of roads across the district.
“This Akpata road is linking different communities and there is OLA Hospital, OLA Girls College, as well as the headquarters of Akun Development Area along this road.
“I also mobilise people in Alashe, Awogen Akun and Ebugu communities all in my domain to repair their roads as you saw them when I went to supervise them.
“This coming week Saturday, Ezhiba and Awogenshen communities will rehabilitate their roads and I will also be there to supervise them to ensure that the right things are done for the benefit of all.
“The road rehabilitation is to reduce the hardship the people face when plying the roads as well as fight poverty, boost socio-economic activities and will reduce transport fares charged by Okada riders to the community among other benefits,” he said.
Nangba, who is the former Secretary of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Council, however appealed to the state government to assist the community by constructing the roads and culverts in order to open up the area.
“I appeal to the state government to assist us by constructing culverts at Alashe, Ezhiba, Angwan Sabo, Azikili, Awogenshen to link Wakama district with Evah/Washo, Ogba Districts and Akwanga/Keffi/Abuja express road,” he urged.
He also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the state government to assist the people of the area who have been affected by ecological problems.
Besides, the traditional ruler urged Nigerians to support government at all levels to enable them deliver more dividends of democracy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that youths from the district were seen sand filling potholes along the affected roads during the road rehabilitation. (NAN)
AKW/ESAN/MST
Edited by Abiodun Esan/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Adamawa community sacrifices Mosque for clinic

Adamawa community sacrifices Mosque for clinic

By Muhammad Adam
Mosque
Mayo-Belwa (Adamawa),July 14, 2019 (NAN) Worried by lack of health facility, the Wuro Ahmadu community at Gongoshi Grazing Reserve in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa has turned their only Mosque to clinic.

Wuro Ahmadu is a pastoral community with over 1,000 people and about 20,000 different livestock.

The Ward Head of the area, Alhaji Ardo Buba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Wuro Ahmadu on Sunday that the decision of turning the mosque to clinic was to find means of providing primary healthcare services to the community.

“In Wuro Ahmadu village and its surroundings we have no fewer than 1,000 residents.

“Severally, if one is sick or a Woman is in labour we have to travel for over an hour before reaching a hospital.

“We are in this painful situation for decades and no body is willing to assist us. So we now decided to sacrifice our only Mosque to clinic,” Buba said.

He appealed to government to assist them with a health facility, drugs and personnel to manage the clinic and look after their people.

He said the village was also in need of a school for their children and standard health facility to reduce deaths and illnesses in the area.

On water provision, the ward head said PZ Cussons charity foundation recently sank two solar powered water boreholes and handed it over to the community.

Buba said the boreholes would serve the water needs of the community and their animals. (NAN)
AMA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Lack of community links to health facilities obstructs FP – Group

Lack of community links to health facilities obstructs FP – Group
By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Planning
Nabordo (Bauchi State), April 29, 2019 (NAN) Challenge Initiative (TCI), an NGO in Bauchi State, has identified lack of community links to health facilities as the biggest obstacles to clients in accessing Family Planning (FP) services in the state.
Mrs Rabi Ekele, the state TCI Programme Coordinator, said this at the inauguration of five Primary Health Care (PHC) centres at Nabordo, Toro Local Government Area, on Monday.
She said the biggest challenge faced by clients was the long distance to health centres where FP services were provided.
She listed long distance to health facility, unavailability of preferred contraceptive methods and absenteeism of FP providers as some of the obstacles to the care.
Ekele explained that the 74 hours makeover of PHCs in the state was to provide conducive atmosphere for the clients of FP, antenatal care and child delivery.
She noted that the project was in collaboration with the State Government through provision of technical knowledge and building the capacity of government workers, caregivers, traditional rulers and religious leaders on the advancement of child birth spacing.
Earlier, the state Family Planning Coordinator, Mrs Hajara Yahaya, said that the TCI initiative had encouraged number of clients to access FP services in the state.
She said FP was arguably one of the most important public health advancements in the state.
According to her, childbirth spacing determined woman’s ability to decide if and when to have children.
She explained that FP services included counselling, education and access to contraception.
Earlier, Mr Adamu Gamawa, the Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, urged the communities to explore the opportunity given to them through the health facilities.
Gamawa said previously FP usage were low among people living in rural communities, such as husband’s disagreement on contraceptive use, perceived side effects, infant mortality and negative traditional practices.
Others, he said, were desires such as naming relatives, knowledge gaps on contraceptive methods, fears, rumours and misconceptions about specific methods.
He said the collaboration between the TCI and the state government had yielded effective result by improving access to child birth spacing services in the state. (NAN)
MAK/GOM/MST
Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Immunisation: UNICEF, PHCDA tasks community leaders on participation

Immunisation: UNICEF, PHCDA tasks community leaders on participation
By Thompson Yamput
Immunisation
Kanke (Plateau), April 15, 2019 (NAN) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Plateau Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) have appealed to community leaders in the state to educate their subjects to embrace routine immunisation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNICEF and the PHCDA made the call on Monday during a one-day workshop on immunisation at Kanke Local Government of Plateau.
The workshop, which was organised for district heads, village and ward heads as well as chairmen of development associations, had the theme: “Community Engagement in Routine Immunisation’’.
It was held at the Kanke Legislative Chamber.
Mrs Asabe Mattah, UNICEF/PHCDA Team Leader, said that the workshop aimed at educating the target group to prevail on their subjects to always be positive and participate in all routine immunisations.
“The routine immunisations being carried out by the federal and state governments and other world organisations like UNICEF are all aimed at improving the health of the citizens of the country.
“The health of the public will be jeopardised, if some people refused to participate as the consequence is non-total eradication of such diseases as Polio.
“We must all, as citizens of this country, participate in routine immunisation, so as to do away with every disease, especially child killer diseases in our society,’’ Mattah said.
She called on the participants at the workshop to show keen interest in all that would be taught them, and to go back and ensure that their subjects are educated on the importance of routine immunisation.
Mr Emmanuel Lar, the Chairman, Kanke Local Government Council, thanked UNICEF and PHCDA for organising the workshop, especially as it related to the health and wellness of the people of the area, the state and the nation at large.
Lar expressed gladness over the choice of Kanke for the training, assuring UNICEF of the council’s readiness to give its desired support for all healthcare programmes in the area.
The District Head of Amber, Nde Emmanuel Jatau, also appreciated the organisers of the workshop and assured them of their readiness to educate their subjects, wards and members on the issues raised. (NAN)
TYC/COF/MST
Editing by Oluyinka Fadare/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Polio : Community appeals for access road, free immunization

Immunization
By Aisha Ahmed
Kano, Dec., 10 2018 (NAN) Gobirawa Barham community in Dala local government area of Kano state has appealed to the state government to provide them with access road in the area.

The Ward head of the area, Malam Hassan Garba, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) on Monday at a rally organised by the state Ministry of Health.

Garba explained that polio immunization had gained 100 per cent compliance in the area, unlike previous months when there was low level awareness.

He revealed that the community was in need of access road to reach a facility in case of emergencies.

According to him, “The people have been facing difficulty in accessing healthcare services in the city where the facilities are situated, so we appeal to government to rehabilitate the road to make it easier for us.”

The traditional ruler further appealed to the government to consider providing a small health facility to ease the suffering of the community.

The Primary Health Care Coordinator of the local government, Hajiya Aisha Wali, said the area had been consistent in receiving polio vaccine.

She explained that over 100,000 children have targeted for the December round of immunization in the area.

NAN reports that the state Ministry of Health had organised a rally in the three metropolitan local governments to mobilize people for the December round of immunization. (NAN)
AAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Demographic Dividend: Role of religious, community leaders

Demographic Dividend: Role of religious, community leaders
A News Analysis
By Mustapha Sumaila
Demography
Abuja, Spet. 26, 2018 (NAN) Religious and community leaders remain incontrovertible moral beacons, expected to show exemplary life by being upright, trustworthy, honest and disciplined, among other values, to their respective followers.

For this reason, over the years, religious leaders in the country have been entrusted with overseeing development projects in their communities.

For instance, religious leaders play significant roles alongside traditional rulers in sensitising people in their communities to accepting polio vaccination across the country.

In view of this, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently organised a national conference to woo religious leaders to key into the project of harnessing demographic dividend in the country.

The conference, entitled: “Harnessing demographic dividend for sustainable development in Nigeria; the role of Muslims religious leaders’’, addressed some key issues relating what the roles of religious leaders ought to be.

Demographers describe demographic dividend as economic growths that may result from changes to a country’s age structure.

They argue that shift in age structure are driven by a transition from people living short lives and having large families to living long lives and having small families.

“When households have fewer children that they can take care of and a larger number of family members have decent jobs, the household can save and invest more money, then the economy will grow,’’ they observe.

The UNFPA’s Regional Director, West and Central Africa Regional office, Dr Mabingue Ngom, therefore said that community leaders must be the driving force for Nigeria also to attain demographic dividend.

Ngom explained that for a successful demographic dividend in Nigeria, religious and traditional rulers must lead the change.

According to him, sustainable change happens at local level and no one can make any change on demographic dividend without the leadership drive of community leaders.

“The religious and traditional leaders lead the community, therefore, they must lead this change and henceforth we want to see it at the community level and Nigeria has taken a bold step by launching demographic dividend.

“UNFPA values this partnership; this gathering is important because of the need to work with local communities and their leaders,’’ he said.

The regional director also underscored the need to create space for young people for the achievement of demographic dividend in the country.

“Put young people first; not only saying it, but by acting it and giving them space and place to operate and there must be the presence of the youth in the budget and policies, as well as in decision making.

“There is need to create space for the girl-child to be part of the force, therefore, we must invest in the girls and give them chance to grow or else it will be difficult to see the growth we envisage,’’ he said.

Ngom emphasised that the demographic dividend was a holistic approach to ensuring that the needs of youth in terms of health, education, jobs and empowerment were addressed as part of the country’s contribution to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Global engagements, regional engagements specifically informed of UNFPA’s engagements and partnership with religious leaders towards harnessing demographic dividend, including family planning and reduction of maternal mortality,’’ he observed.

In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for training of community leaders on demographic dividend to properly educate the populace.

Represented by the Emir of Shonga, Alhaji Haliru Yahaya, the sultan explained that the capacity of community leaders must be built and empower them with the right information to disseminate to their subjects on demographic dividend.

“The engagement of community leaders is important and such leaders must be convinced in what the demographic dividend is all about.

“They must be empowered with the right information that demographic dividend programme is not meant to reduce the population of Islamic nations.

“When they are equipped with such right information, they will carry out sermons on Sundays and Fridays in ensuring the attainment of demographic dividend,’’ he observed.

The religious leader noted that Islam encouraged having children, but it was a sin to have children that you could not cater for in terms of providing them with basic needs of life.

The sultan emphasised on the need to make concerted effort to ensure education, health and empowerment of women and young people were put in proper perspective in achieving demographic dividend in the country.

He urged religious leaders to preach to people to give birth to children they could cater for not children that would be thrown to the streets as beggars.

Abubakar noted that attention must also be paid to the reproductive health of women and well being of the young people.

Prof. Salisu Shehu, who represented Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs at the conference, said that it was time to work to save the lives of women and children through improving in productive and maternal health.

Speaking on harnessing demographic dividend, the scholar said that Islam had perspective on quality and quantity children.

He warned that no one should be giving birth indiscriminately at the expense of quality, noting that having children one could not cater far would be a sin.

“When you produce, ensure they are qualitative by ensuring their biological nutrition, good health and give them psychological-intellectual by giving them education as well as moral and spiritual.

“We frown at distribution of condoms to the youth because overtime, that act has encouraged flirting in the society,’’ he explained.

Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, nonetheless, appealed to religious leaders to support the change by embracing this effort to harnessing demographic dividend in the country.

Adewole observed that available record had shown that efforts and role of religious leaders had helped for improved family planning in the country.

He promised that the Federal Ministry of Health would continue to work with UNFPA to continue in engaging stakeholders in that regard.

He also commended the present administration for empowering women and the youth and by affording the girl-child quality and affordable education. (NANFeatures)

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

Foreign

Nerve agent: British town urged to remain calm

Nerve agent: British town urged to remain calm
Investigation
London, July 9, 2018 (dpa/NAN) Head of British local council on Monday urged residents of Wiltshire community to remain calm as officials investigate the death of a local woman after exposure to a nerve agent.
“Wiltshire is a resilient community but this is really testing that resilience now,” said Jane Scott.
The 44-year-old victim died after being exposed to Novichok in Amesbury, Wiltshire.
A 45-year-old man who was also exposed to the nerve agent remains critically ill. The pair were hospitalised June 29 with poisoning symptoms.
Around 100 detectives from the Counter Terrorism Policing Network were working alongside the Wilthsire police, Scotland Yard, said in a statement.
Calling it “shocking and tragic news”, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK Counter Terrorism policing, said the police were working meticulously to gather all the available evidence and identify those responsible for the “outrageous, reckless and barbaric act”.
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “appalled and shocked” at the news.
“Police and security officials are working urgently to establish the facts of this incident, which is now being investigated as a murder,” British news agency Press Association, reported.
Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal, and his daughter were found collapsed in Salisbury about 10 kilometres from Amesbury in March, after they were poisoned with Novichok.
Both later recovered.
Last week, Britain urged Russia to explain the use of a nerve agent in southern England, after it was confirmed that the couple in Amesbury were exposed to the same nerve agent as Skripal and his daughter. (NAN)
OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Expert drums support for community emergency plans

Expert drums support for community emergency plans
By Oluwakemi Oladipo/Omowunmi Alake
Emergencies
Lagos, July 4, 2018 (NAN) A public health physician, Prof. Adebayo Onajole, on Wednesday urged governments and health organisations to encourage and support community based risk reduction and emergency preparedness in the country.
Onajole made the call on the sideline of a workshop on Medical Emergencies organised by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Chapter and the College of Medicine, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
The theme of the workshop is: “Preparedness and Response to Public Health Emergencies: The Challenge of Emerging and Neglected Tropical Diseases”.
Onajole, who is also a professor of Community Medicine and Public Health, Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said that supporting the approach would help to manage all types of emergencies efficiently.
“Preparedness is based on lessons learned from both actual and simulated response situations.

“Effective response is all but impossible without extensive planning and thoughtful preparation.
“For every state to achieve public health preparedness, community education and participation must be involved.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) classified Nigeria and other countries in the African region to be at moderate risk of spread of infectious diseases.
“This is why training comes in as the most important process to preparedness cycle, because lack of training human personnel will affect healthcare delivery,’’ the don said.
He said: “For training to be effective, there must be constant funds; we need to have good political commitment to support training as a continuous process.
“Training improves communications strategies and feedback from federal level to local level; it is the only way we can succeed in achieving emergencies preparedness.’’
Onajole said that preparedness also helped to reduce disaster and mortality.
According to the expert, emergencies will occur but how we handle the emergency matters a lot.
“We have reoccurring medical emergencies in some certain states in the country including Lagos State, of which they are doing their best to control any outbreak.
“Some states in the country need to imbibe preparedness and response to health emergencies,’’ he said.
Onajole said there were public health approaches to emerging infectious diseases including surveillance, epidemiology for early diagnosis, early response to outbreaks and changing diseases patterns.
“Others include public health laboratory support for rapid and accurate diagnosis, rapid communication links to private providers and hospitals, communication and education about prevention to public.
“Both the Federal and State’s ministries of health must approach all health institutions to identify problems and provide solutions,” he said. (NAN)
AOI/OKG/VIV/MST
Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Community dreads potency of Crater Lake in Plateau

Community dreads potency of Crater Lake in Plateau
By Martha Agas
Tourism
Jos, April 8, 2018 (NAN) A tourist, Mr Thomas Artu, says a Crater Lake, Am-Pidong, in Ampang West of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau, is dreaded for abducting people if it is not appeased.

Artu, the Public Relations Executive of Plateau Tourism Corporation, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Sunday.
He said the Crater Lake was being developed as a tourist site in Plateau.
“There are great folk tales handed from generations to generations about the Crater Lake and its significance.
“An olive tree located at the edge of it is believed to be so sacred that nobody dares to climb the tree without throwing seeds to the lake.
“To avoid being abducted by the Lake, you have to seek permission before plucking the black fruits.
“And when you do, the first seven darkest seeds must be thrown into the lake else the climbers gets stuck up,” Artu claimed.
According to him, the lake is believed to be the only the one in West Africa that retains water, but does not release it to any channel.
“Myths say that even when you fetch its water in a container, it does not flow to any channel when it is being poured,” he said.
NAN reports that a guided tour, which also coincided with the community’s annual `Yaghal Kopshu Festival’, was held on Saturday as part of the 2018 Jos Easter Carnival.
Mr Mitaive Temine, a participant of the guided tour from the Wayfavers Tour group, said he was impressed with the architectural design of the houses in the community, saying it is unique despite being constructed with indigenous items.
He urged the state government to make roads leading to the lake more accessible to tourists, saying the gesture will generate more revenue for development projects and attract local and international tourist developers to invest in the sector.
Miss Rabiat Usman from the Jos Hike group, commended the community for their hospitality, saying the friendly environment will shore up the number of tourists to the area.
NAN reports that the Crater Lake formed as a result of volcanic eruptions covers an area of 0.5 hectares.
It is estimated to be 11km deep and has never dried up within the West Africa sub-region. (NAN)
MAA/OFN/MST
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Community appeals to Nasarawa Govt for PHC, infrastructures

Community appeals to Nasarawa Govt for PHC, infrastructures
NAN-HG-1
Amenities
By Awayi Kuje
Akun (Nasarawa State), Feb. 26, 2018 (NAN) The Eggon Cultural and Development Association (ECDA), Ezhiba chapter, Nasarawa State, has appealed to the State Government to construct a standard Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in the area to boost healthcare delivery to the people.
Mr David Boka, the newly elected Chairman of the association, made the appeal on Monday when he led other members on a courtesy call to the Distict Head of Wakama, Mr Makka Nangba, in his palace at Wakama, Akun Development Area of the state.
He said the only clinic built by the community, which was being used by the PHC Department of the council, also needed renovation.
Boka explained that the visit was to seek for the royal blessing of the monarch and prayers to enable them succeed.
“We are also here to thank you for gracing our inauguration and to seek for your blessings and support to enable us succeed in the task ahead of us.
“We promised to operate an open-door policy and to carry everybody along while discharging our duties as well as to key in to good policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of our people,’’ he said.
The chairman also called on the state government to rehabilitate Akwanga/Akpata/Ezhiba road in order to boost socio-economic development in the state.
He noted that would not only boost the socio-economic activities of the area but would also improve standard of living as well as boost the transport system in the state, if the roads were constructed.
Boka also appealed to the state government for the construction of bridges and culverts linking the roads, adding that the construction of the roads, bridges and culverts will also boost agriculture activities in the area.
According to him, “This community will continue to cry till government decides to wipe out our tears by providing our basic needs especially infrastructural facilities.
“This community is in deplorable condition in terms of availability of good roads and potable water. A situation where people are seen sharing drinking water source with domestic animals is regrettable.
“The headquarters of Akun development area secretariat is situated in Ezhiba, Akpata, so I urge the state government and Akun development council to create employment opportunities for our teeming youths to minimise youth restiveness,” he added.
Besides, Boka solicited for public support to enable him to succeed.
Responding, Nangba thanked the officials of the association for the visit and assured of his council readiness to support the association to enable them succeed.
He advised the officials to be fair and just while discharging their duties in the interest of peace and development.
The district head also called on the people of his domain to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Village Head of Ezhiba community, Chief Paul Angbre, was among other community leaders present during the visit.
NAN also reports that other executive members of the association present included the Secretary-General, Mr Awayi Kuje; Jatau Umbugadu, Vice Chairman; Umbugadu Angbashim, Treasurer; and Sunday Attah, Assistant Secretary.
Others were Messrs Philip Nanza, Financial Secretary; David Alaku, PRO; Thomas Ali, PRO 2; Christopher Namo, Auditor 1; Michael Jatau, Auditor 2; Ezekiel Kuje, Director of Culture; and Ekom Awogen, Provost Marshal. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola