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NEPAD Coordinator to embark on advocacy to states

NEPAD Coordinator to embark on advocacy to states

NAN-H-61

Awareness

By Lizzy Okoji

Abuja, March 1, 2017 (NAN) Mrs Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), says she will embark on an awareness tour to all states of the federation this month.

She made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at two-day Development Cooperation Skills Initiative Training workshop for youth empowerment organised by NEPAD Nigeria and NEPAD Continental.

Akobundu said that the aim of the tour is to re-launch NEPAD programmes in Nigeria and take its mandate to the door step of those at the grassroots.

According to her, this will help reintegrate the States and Local Governments into the numerous programmes of the government, NEPAD Continental and the African Union Commission (AUC) to be implemented by NEPAD Nigeria.

She said the programme would also work with relevant government agencies and development partners in facilitating NEPAD projects.

“The mandates of NEPAD are very clear and it is very important to sensitise those in the states and local governments of our various programmes and take them along.

“We have dispatched letters to all the State Governments on the days we are visiting so that they can invite stakeholders, the youths and women from the local governments to be sensitised.

“This would help bridge the gaps, create synergy of NEPAD programmes across the tiers of government and work hand in hand with our target groups,’’ Akobundu said.

However, she called on state governments to identify with the National programmes of NEPAD and let the national office know the areas they need support.

She urged participants and prospective beneficiaries to make the best of the trainings, key into relevant vocations and work develop themselves.

Akobundu said the target of NEPAD in addition to vocational skills acquisitions for youths is also to produce employable youths in the country. (NAN)

LIZ/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NBTS advocate states’ participation in blood safety campaign

NBTS want states’ participation in blood safety campaign

NAN-HG-13

Blood

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

Abuja, Feb. 22, 2017 (NAN) The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has called for full participation of State Governments in the implementation of the National Blood Safety Programme.

The National Coordinator of the service, Dr Oluwatoyin Smith, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

She explained that the campaign would ensure sustainable and coordinated blood service in the country.

“During the 58th meeting of the National Council on Health, the meeting approved NBTS memo requesting State Governments that host NBTS centres to take over the ownership and management of such centres.

“While States that do not currently have blood service centres are encouraged to establish their own.’’

Smith said all zonal and state coordinators of NBTS centres were directed to actively engage state governments and states’ ministries of health on taking over the responsibility and management of the NBTS facilities in their respective jurisdictions.

She said some states like Cross River and Taraba had absorbed members of staff of the NBTS, while Katsina State is in the process of doing same.

“ So far, two out of the 10 state centres have absorbed some of the former project staff, while work is in progress in others.

“Though not much has been reported on efforts made to contribute to the operational expenses for these centres yet. We are not quite at the stage where we can be discussing efficiency yet,’’ the coordinator said.

Smith emphasised that it was important for the country to take full ownership of the Blood Safety Programme in line with the dictates of the National Blood Policy and the resolutions made at the 58th National Council on Health.

According to her, the service needs adequate funding to ensure consistent supply of safe blood, a task which requires the support of the Federal Government, multilateral and bilateral agencies and NGOs.

The coordinator said the NBTS draft bill that would grant the organisation the autonomy to carry out its mandate was being prepared for submission to the Federal Executive Council and onward transmission to the National Assembly as an executive bill.

Smith said NBTS has 17 blood centres, including six zonal centres, 10 state centres with one in the FCT.

She said donating blood can help in treating patients suffering from cancer, bleeding disorders, chronic anaemia associated with cancer, sickle cell anaemia and other hereditary blood abnormalities.

Smith urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of voluntary blood donation knowing that there are no alternatives to human blood and one would be saving lives by donating. (NAN)

OEO/DOR/MST

Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

ITF commences skills development programme in 18 states, March 1- DG

 

NAN-H-105

Skills

By Martha Agas

Jos, Feb. 14, 2017 (NAN) The Industrial Trust Fund (ITF) says it will commence the next phase of National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) in 18 states, on March 1.

Its Director-General, Joseph Ari, said in a statement in Jos on Tuesday, that the programme was part of efforts to provide employment and check indolence among the for youths.

The statement, signed by Mrs. Suleyol Chagu, Head, Public Affairs Unit of the ITF, said that the the programme would provide requisite employable skills to 500 Nigerians from each of the 18 States.

He listed the states to include Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo and Jigawa.

The rest are Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rives, Taraba and Yobe.

Ari said that beneficiaries would undergo training in 30 trades and crafts, including tailoring and fashion design, paint and beads making, plumbing and pipe fitting, farming, confectionery, welding and fabrication.

Other areas are ICT, electrical installation, carpentry and wood work, cosmetology, GSM repairs as well as the making of Plaster of Paris (POP).

“This training is a tripartite arrangement involving ITF, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and Bank of Industry.

“Trainees will be taken through hands-on vocational and entrepreneurial skills as well as modalities for business financing,” Ari was quoted as saying.

He appealed to government officials in benefiting states and other stakeholders, to support the initiative through the provision of start-up grants and facilities to empower the trainees to set up their businesses as entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme commenced in 2012, after being conceived as part of the scheme of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan.

Since its commencement, the programme, which is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, has trained 84,100 Nigerians in diverse trades and crafts.

In 2016 alone, the NISDP trained 10,100 Nigerians in diverse skills. Among the trainees were 1,100 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno. (NAN)
MAA/HAS/ETS
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Edited By Hajia Sani and Ephraims Sheyin