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Health

Malaria: CRS adopts Edo style of net distribution

Malaria: CRS adopts Edo style of net distribution
By Monday Ajogun
Nets
Benin, April 13, 2018 (NAN) The Country Representative, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Mrs Rebecca Hallam, says the organisation has adopted the Edo Government model of distribution of insecticidal nets for other states in the country.
Hallam said this on Friday in Benin when she visited the Edo Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, in Benin.
She congratulated the state government on successes recorded in the just concluded insecticidal nets distribution, adding that the organisation enjoyed maximum support from the government.
“We have learnt some new formula in the course of the assignment which we will use in other states.
“I commend Edo government for her swift response in addressing challenges encountered during the exercise and call on other states to emulate Edo,’’ she said.
Responding, Shaibu said the state government’s commitment was part of her resolve to reposition primary healthcare and strengthening the health sector.
Shaibu acknowledged that the net distribution was an avenue for both parties to share ideas, as the state team also learnt some models from the CRS team.
“The exercise is also a means for the state government to obtain data to implement other programmes in the primary healthcare sector.
“The remaining nets from the exercise will be distributed to areas not covered during the exercise, after proper data analysis of the previous exercise to cover the remaining 12 per cent,’’ Shuaibu said.
The deputy governor called on other state governments to learn from Edo where chief executives personally monitor the distribution to ensure its success. (NAN)
AJOM/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Edo Dep. Gov. tasks health workers on passion

Edo Dep. Gov. tasks health workers on passion
NAN-H-110
Passion
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Feb. 26, 2018 (NAN) Edo Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu has tasked management and staff of state Primary Health care Development Agency to bring passion to bear in carrying out their duties to achieve the administration’s goal in delivering healthcare services.

The deputy governor made the call on Monday in Benin when he hosted the management of the agency in his office.

Shaibu gave an assurance that the present administration would ensure proper equipping of all healthcare centres in the state to boost the healthcare sector.

Earlier, the state Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Mbarie Imuwahen, urged the deputy governor to accord the same zeal he has given to the success of net distribution and immunisation to ensure the success of state primary healthcare agency.

She noted that the personal zeal put into the immunization and net distribution process led to the success of those projects and his personal commitment would help to further actualise the dream of the administration in Primary Health Care. (NAN)
AJOM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Edo records 521 suspected cases of Lassa fever

Edo records 521 suspected cases of Lassa fever in one month
NAN-HG-5
Lassa fever
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Feb. 21, 2018 (NAN) Dr Osamuwonyi Irowa, the Director of Disease Control, Edo, says the state has recorded 521 suspected cases of Lassa fever this month.

Irowa disclosed this at the inauguration of the Emergency Operation Centre on Lassa fever in Benin on Wednesday.

He said 124 cases have been confirmed out of the 521 suspected cases recorded in 13 local government areas of the state.

The director also said 15 deaths were recorded with 509 cases under surveillance, while 10 suspected cases had developed symptoms.

Inaugurating the centre, the Deputy Gov. of the state, Mr Phillip Shaibu, said that the Lassa fever response mechanism was aimed at ensuring a coordinated control of the epidemic.

He charged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to encourage volunteers to support their staff for effective control of the disease.

He assured that the state government was working towards building isolation centres to decongest the patient population at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. (NAN)
AJOM/DS/MST
Edited by Dauda Shehu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Lassa fever: Edo Govt solicits FG assistance

Lassa fever: Edo Govt solicits FG assistance
NAN-HG-4
Lassa fever
By Monday Ajogun
Irrua (Edo), Feb. 9, 2018 (NAN) The Edo Government has solicited for assistance from the Federal Government to tackle the increasing number of Lassa fever patients being admitted at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in the state.
The state Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, made the appeal at Irrua after visiting the hospital.
He said the visit was to access the utilisation of equipment purchased by the state government to assist the hospital management in treating the patients.
Shaibu said that the federal government assistance become imperative as the number of suspected Lassa fever patients being brought to the hospital from other states was increasing.
He also appealed to other states to upgrade their hospitals and acquired the requisite equipment not only to save lives but to discourage medical tourism.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Gov. Godwin Obaseki had earlier given the hospital management a two-day ultimatum to install and utilise donated to by the state government.
Briefing the deputy governor earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Sylvanus Okogbeni, said all facilities in the Lassa fever Renal Centre Unit had been over stretched.
Okogbeni explained they were over stretched because of the increase in patients being brought to the hospital following the recent outbreak in parts of the country.
He listed facilities as wards, water and equipment for treatment as well as personnel.

Okogbeni, however, praised the state government for providing two dialysis machine, one ventilator, a mobile X-ray and repair of the hospitals borehole, which he said were already been put to use. (NAN)
AJOM/JEY/MST
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Edo Govt kick-starts EU-NDSP-3 water, sanitation project

Edo Govt kick-starts EU-NDSP-3 water, sanitation project
NAN-H-45
Water
Benin, Feb. 5, 2018 (NAN) The Edo Government has launched the Construction Phase of the Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP-3) to address the issues of poor access to safe water and basic sanitation facilities.
Speaking at the event in Benin on Monday, Gov. Godwin Obaseki said it was possible to provide safe water to all parts of the state with the development of right technology, financial resources and determination.
Obaseki, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Philip Shaibu, commended EU and its partners for supporting the state in tackling its water and sanitation challenges, which he noted was part of the state developmental indices.
“With the situation that the state government cannot use its limited resources to address pressing issues, it is welcoming that the EU is collaborating with the Edo government to tackle the challenges,” he said.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mr Ileuma Ahonsi, said the contractors handling the project had been mobilised to site.
Ahonsi said the main objective of NDSP-3 water and sanitation component was to reduce poverty in rural areas and enhance provision of more access to basic facilities in water supply and sanitation sector.
He told the contractors working on the programme that the ministry would carry out oversight function to ensure that no stone was left unturned in the realisation of the objectives of the programme.
He also assured the state that the technical issues surrounding the proposed Uromi Water Supply Reticulation Scheme had been resolved and the contract would be signed before the end of March.
Also, the European Union (EU) representative, Albert Achten, said there were hundreds of water schemes in the Niger delta region that were not functioning well or even abandoned due to lack of maintenance culture.
Achten said the EU decided to adopt an approach that would make beneficiaries of water schemes provide basic maintenance and ready to build a sense of ownership of the project.
“For further sense of belonging, the design of the scheme was demand-driven, the beneficiaries expressing their wishes and the engineers calculating the corresponding recurrent operation and maintenance cost that the communities will bear”.
He added that the sustainability of the project by the benefiting communities would attract more investment from donor and internal source of funding
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Mr Yekini Idaiye, said the NDSP project started in the state in 2014 in 10 communities in Ovia South West and Estako West Local Government Areas of the state.
Idaiye said the project was on-going in five participating states of Niger Delta; namely Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers. (NAN)
AJOM/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Human trafficking: NAPTIP engages Edo witch doctors

Human trafficking: NAPTIP engages Edo witch doctors
NAN-HG-1
Engagement
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb. 5, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it has engaged some local witch doctors in Benin, Edo, as ambassadors to fight human trafficking in the country.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this at a symposium and training organised for officers of the agency in conjunction with Conference of Western Attorneys General and the Africa Alliance in Abuja on Monday.
Edo state has the highest number of traffickers and victims of human trafficking in the country, she noted.
Okah-Donli explained that the agency’s investigation had confirmed that some local witch doctors were involved or used in the trafficking of persons to Europe.
She said that in the process of human trafficking, once a victim’s consent was gotten by means of force, fraud or coercion, such person will be taken to a shrine to swear to an oath of secrecy and allegiance before a local witch doctor.
According to her, during that process some rituals will be performed on the victims where the potential victim’s urine will be taken.
The director-general disclosed that the victim’s pubic hair, finger nails, strands of eye lashes, menstrual blood, underwear and other personal effects deemed necessary were also collected.
She added that such ritual was performed with a symbolic animal or bird, mostly a white cock or a white pigeon complemented with cola nuts.
She said that once all of these were done, it would be seen as bond between the victims and traffickers.
Okah-Donli explained that the ritual was also depicted as having some sort of lucky charm for the victims, if she abides by the terms, otherwise the victims stand to face grave consequences.
“In spite of the rituals and oath taking, the victim reaches the destination point only to realise the farce behind the earlier sweet promises of a greener pasture.
“And in this circumstance, such person is told in strict terms not to renege on the oath of secrecy as it cannot be reversed.
“At this point, the victim is left with a resigned fate of horrible demands of the trafficker for fear of being victimised which she already is rather unfortunately.
“When we gathered these witch doctors recently to sensitise them on what these victims go through in Europe, they were shocked.
“To them, the native doctors, they are working for the madams who want to traffic the victims
“And they have made their commitments to work with us to fight the menace of human trafficking,” she said.
The director-general pledged to involve or sensitise more witch doctors in Benin and other parts of the country, and make them ambassadors of NAPTIP to fight human trafficking.
She said that the agency was more committed and determined than ever to defeat the scourge of trafficking in persons. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Police kills robbery suspect in Edo

Police kills robbery suspect in Edo
NAN-H-28
Police
By Deborah Coker
Benin, Jan 24, 2018 (NAN) The Police in Edo have confirmed shooting to dead a member of an armed robbery gang and the escape of five other members of the gang that escaped with various degrees of gunshot injury.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo, made this known to newsmen on Wednesday in Benin.

Kokumo said that in the early hours of Jan. 24, the command received a distress call about the activities of the gang at Evbuomore Quarters in Ugbowo Division.

He said the command quickly deployed policemen from the division and surrounding division to the scene.

“There was a gun battle between the robbers and the police, and in the ensuing fire-force, one of the gang member was shot and others escaped.

“Sadly, one Dr Godwin Omofuma, a lecturer with the University of Benin, later died as a result of gunshot wounds he received from the robbers.

“Items like phones, one single barrel gun, one iron cutter, one live and 12 expended cartridges, among others, were recovered from the robbers.

“Similarly, last Thursday, Jan. 18, at about 0700 hours, two suspected armed robbers who robbed their victim of her Lexus 330 SUV, cash, jewelries and other valuables were arrested,’’ he said.

He said that the items recovered from them included two cut to size guns, one locally made pistol and one live cartridge were recovered.

Kokumo also said that on the same day, three men suspected to be cultists were arrested in a bus with one locally made pistol and eight live cartridges.

The commissioner of police also said that two suspects who murdered their victim over an infraction were arrested on Jan. 3, while another suspect was arrested on Jan. 21 in the state capital for being in possession of 150 rounds of live cartridges.

Kokumo further said that the command was inundated with reports of misuse of policemen attached to VIPs in the state.

He said in view of this and to sanitise the system, all persons to whom policemen were attached to as escorts and guards should report to the State Police headquarters with their letters of authority for verification. (NAN)
DCO/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Edo LG Poll: APC aspirants seeks popular participation

Edo LG Poll: APC aspirants seeks popular participation

NAN-H-5
Participation
By Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Jan. 21, 2018 (NAN) Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Edo Local Government Council elections have called on the party’s leadership to allow the people decide their representatives.

Some of the apirants spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Sunday ahead of the March 3 council poll.

The aspirants flayed attempts to impose candidates on the party by some of its leaders, urging for support and promotion of popular candidates.

They also decried attempts by some of the aspirants and leaders to drag the names of Gov. Mr Godwin Obaseki and the state leader of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, into their undemocratic activities.

While describing them as “desperate” to govern their respective councils through the back door, alleging that these people have been claiming endorsement by the governor and his predecessor.

Mr Omolei Imadu, an asirant for the Chairmanship of Owan West Local Goernment Area, said any attempt to force candidates on the people would be a great disservice to the people that have been loyal to the party.

He said allowing the people chose their representatives would enthrone democratic dividends through popular participation as well as assuring the best to emerge among the aspirants.

Similarly, Mr Bagudu Suleiman, a chairmanship aspirant for Etsako Central Council, said those responsible for name dropping are the unpopular aspirants that are afraid to face the people in a free and fair primaries.

“Oshiomhole to me have not, and I am sure, he will not endorse any body in my council in spite of the rumour that one particular aspirant have been endorsed by him for the chairmanship position.

“In any case, Oshiomhole is a democrat, he is the proponent of one-man-one-vote, as such he will want a free contest where the people and only the people determine who their candidate is. Same thing also goes for the governor,” he said.

Suleiman however said the people of South Uneme, a minority part of Etsako Central Local Government Area, deserve to be given the opportunity to produce the chairmanship of the council.

According to him, “The people have for long been marginalised in the allocation of political positions in the council and should thus appeal to the leadership of the party to stick to the earlier arrangement that zoned the chairmanship seat to the area.

“Those peddling rumours that they have been endorsed should stop forthwith and prepare themselves to face the people in a free and fair primaries.

“They should test their popularity before the people and not seek power through the back door.”

Meanwhile, the former governor has denied endorsing any candidate for chairmanship position in the poll.

Oshiomhole’s media aide, Mr Victor Oshioke, told NAN that his principal is a democrat who believe that party guidelines and constitution should be followed strictly, especially as it regards conduct of primaries.

He said those using Oshiomhle’s name were doing so without his knowledge and advised the electorate to disregard such.

“Just like the other party leaders, he believes that it is okay if leadership of the party in a particular council are able to arrive at consensus candidate and not imposing candidates on them as being peddled,” the spokesman said. (NAN)
ESI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Libya returnees: NAPTIP renews cooperation with Edo Govt

Libya returnees: NAPTIP renews cooperation with Edo Govt
NAN-HG-9
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has pledged a more robust cooperation with the Edo Government to ensure the success of the on-going evacuation and reintegration of Libya returnees.
The agency renewed its support in a statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations of NAPTIP, Mr Josiah Emerole, on Wednesday in Abuja.
It described allegations that the agency was not cooperating with Edo government as untrue.
“Our attention has been drawn to reports quoting the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, accusing the agency of not cooperating with his government in the fight against human trafficking, especially with the on-going evacuation and reintegration of returnees from Libya.
“The reports also quoted the governor as accusing the agency of not properly guiding the Federal Government on packages for evacuated victims from Libya.
“And alluding to the fact that the batches evacuated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) were given one hundred Euros each.
“It is important to state clearly that the allegations by the Edo State Government are far from the truth,” the statement read in part.
It stated that NAPTIP was an agency established in pursuant to the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003, and it has never in any way shown lack of cooperation to the Government and good people of Edo in the fight against human trafficking.
The agency said it held the state and her people in very high esteem and it was for that reason that the first and the biggest Zonal Command of NAPTIP after the Lagos Command was established in Benin City early in 2004.
According to it, the command which handles only Edo and Delta states remained the busiest and most vibrant command in the country.
The statement noted that the present evacuation of Nigerians from Libya was not NAPTIP’s project but that of the Federal Government as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was the coordinating agency for the exercise and NAPTIP was only a member of the federal government’s mission to Libya.
“And the agency has its personnel who are working with other sister agencies in Port Harcourt to assist the returnees on arrival through profiling and psycho-social assistance especially for victims of human trafficking among them.
“The business of NAPTIP so far has been to identify the victims and suspects of human trafficking and take them to NAPTIPs facilities in Benin, Uyo and Lagos for further assistance.
“The agency does not have access to funds for this project since NEMA is the coordinating agency for the project,’’ it said.
On the package for the returnees, it also explained that the 100 Euros was given directly to the returnees whom the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) brought back from Libya through Lagos.
The agency said that the project was part of their Voluntary Returns programme as promised before the returnees embarked on the journey home, adding that NAPTIP has nothing to do with that package.
It stated that NAPTIP had advised states not to take their citizens away immediately upon arrival from Libya, without adequate psycho-social counselling and care.
The statement added that such victims had gone through immense trauma and needed to be gently reintegrated into the society after proper counselling.
It said that doing otherwise would amount to a disaster waiting to happen, as some had committed some crimes in Libya, some had health challenges that should be checked, while some were very demoralised and in dire need of a morale booster.
NAPTIP said that failure to provide this assistance by the states defeated the essence of the federal government’s timely and capital-intensive intervention.
It therefore urged the Edo government to work harmoniously with the agency, noting that lack of cooperation between the state government and NAPTIP can affect the victims.
The agency is federal government’s focal agency on human trafficking. (NAN)
MS/IFY/MST
Edited by Ify Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Libya returnees reject Edo Govt N1000 transport fares

Libya returnees reject Edo Govt N1000 transport fares
NAN-HG-4
Returnees
By Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Jan. 10, 2018 (NAN) Some Libya returnees on Wednesday in Benin rejected the N1,000 transport fares given them by the Edo Government to take them to their hometowns.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the returnees had on Tuesday protested the non-payment of stipend as transport fare to their homes within the state.
The returnees said that they had expected something reasonable without stating the amount.
One of the returnees, Gabriel Edokpaigbe, said it would be a shame for him to go back to his father’s house after he sold all his belongings to travel to Europe.
He said the N1,000 would not take him to his destination.
Christian Otoide, who claimed to be based in Lagos State, said he was still wearing the prison uniforms given to him in Libya because he had no other clothes.
Otoide said that returnees were promised many things in Libya hence he agreed to return home, adding that he is disappointed.
“How will N1,000 take me to Lagos? We were working in Libya but Libya police said our government said our country is now good. That was why I returned,” he said.
The returnees claimed that announcement by the Federal Government that Nigerians should return home made Libya policemen to arrest those living comfortably in the country.
Many said they lost their money to the forceful arrest and deportation.
Efosa Clifford, 43, said he spent over N1.3 million on his failed trip to Europe.
He said: “If there was good liberty in Libya, life is good there, it is just that blacks have no free movement in Libya.”
Meanwhile, relatives of some of the returnees have stormed the premises of the Benin Motel Plaza where the returnees are lodged to find their lost ones.
Those looking for their relatives peeped through the fence to look for their loved ones.
A woman who gave her name as Boss said she was looking for her brother named Aminu, adding that she last heard from him in September 2016.
Another man said he had visited the hotel each time he heard Nigerians had returned from Libya to search for his daughter but to no avail. (NAN)
ESI/JI/MST
Editing by Joseph Idika/Muhammad Suleiman Tola