By Muhammad Adam
Flood
Yola, Aug. 4, 2019 ( NAN) The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) says the recent flood that wrecked havoc in parts of Yola, the state capital, has been brought under control.
The flood disaster affected parts of Yola South and Yola North Local Government Areas of the state on Aug. 1.
Dr Mohammed Sulaiman, the Executive Secretary of the agency, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Sunday.
He said the agency had completed assessment of damages caused by the Thursday flood and would swing into action on Monday.
Sulaiman said that so far seven deaths had been recorded with 200 houses and shops affected, including about 20 trucks of foodstuff destroyed.
“Central cementery in Jimeta area was also affected with many bodies exposed,” Sulaiman said.
He attributed the incident of flooding in the state capital to building on water ways and dumping of refuse in drainages.
The executive secretary therefore cautioned people against building in flood prone areas. (NAN)
AMA/YMU/MST
Edited by Yakubu Uba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Rainstorm kills 5 children in Yola
By Muhammad Adam
Rainstorm
Yola, Aug. 2, 2019 (NAN) The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) has confirmed that five persons, including an infant, had been killed by rainstorm in Yola, the capital of Adamawa.
Dr Mohammed Sulaiman, the Executive Secretary of the agency, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Yola.
Sulaiman explained that the incident occurred on Thursday evening following heavy downpour recorded in the affected areas.
According to him, property estimated at several millions of Naira was also destroyed by the flood.
He said the agency’s emergency teams were deployed to the affected areas to help victims and ascertain the level of damages.
“Five persons were killed by the flood, including four children, following a heavy downpour experienced yesterday (July 1) in Yola and its environs.
“Property worth hundreds of millions of Naira was also destroyed,” Sulaiman said.
He said the agency was making contact with relevant emergency agencies for quick response and assistance.
He said the areas affected include Yolde-Pate, Damare, Wuro-Jabbe, Damilu and Jambutu in Yola South and Yola North Local Government Areas.
Malam Kabiru Bello, a resident of Wuro Jabbe in Yola South Local Government Area, said he lost two of his children to the flood.
Bello said his neighbour also lost two children to the flood, adding that among the deceased is a 10-month old.
“Other children were aged three, four and seven years, while three of them were girls,’’ he said. (NAN)
AMA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Polio: Council deploys 72 teams for House-to-House immunization
By Yakubu Uba
Immunisation
Yola, March 16, 2019 (NAN) No fewer than 72 teams including town criers have been deployed for the house-to-house polio immunization for children from 0 to 59 months in Yola North Metropolitan Local Government Area in Adamawa.
The Executive Secretary of the Local Government Primary Healthcare Department, Mallam Salihu Bello, made this known on Saturday in Yola while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the commencement of the 4-day Supplementary Immunization Plus Days (SIPDs 1) in the area.
Bello said there are also 59 Special Teams that move around immunizing children playing on the streets, while another 22 teams known as Fix Post were stationary at strategic places for the immunization.
“Before today’s commencement of the 4-day SIPDs 1, we had immunized 33,294 children from Thursday to Friday. So we had the Direct polio vaccine (DOPV) on the streets to create awareness for the SIPDs.”
Bello said as for now, no report of rejection was recorded in any household as experienced in the last immunization in February, adding that the few cases recorded in February were resolved with the help of religious leaders.
He lauded the active role being played by traditional and religious leaders in promoting the campaign against polio and other diseases and urged them to sustain the tempo.
“I also want to appeal to parents and guardians to bear in mind that polio and other vaccines are the right of the child and since the child cannot bring himself to access the free vaccines they should avail the child the opportunity to get the vaccines.
“Polio vaccine in particular cannot be found in chemists; so parents need to patronize our centres for routine immunization which is now daily as against weekly that was the case before,” Bello said. (NAN)
YMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Abuja, Oct. 28, 2018 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has reiterated her commitment to support women and children to improve their health and physical wellbeing.
Mrs Buhari said this on Saturday night during an award ceremony to mark the third anniversary of her NGO, the Future Assured programme.
The wife of the President said Future Assured was borne out of her desire to address problems associated with the health and wellbeing of women and children in Nigeria.
“Future Assured started out of my passion for the health and wellbeing of women and children in the society.
“The overriding objective of Future Assured is to contribute to improve outcomes in Nigeria, especially in the areas health, empowerment, education and human rights.
“Primarily, Future Assured came about to intervene in addressing the deteriorating health conditions of women and children in terms of maternal, Neonatal, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition,’’ she said.
According to her, one of the cardinal objectives of Future Assured is to complement Federal Government’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
She said that the NGO had achieved a lot through advocacy for girl-child education and provision of scholarship to indigent pupils as well as support for women to complete their education.
She noted that her collaboration with well-meaning Nigerians and development partners, especially the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, had enabled the NGO to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.
Mrs Buhari gave assurance that the NGO would continue to support victims of child and other forms of abuses as well as surgeries for children with congenital problems.
She also pledged to continue the advocacy and support to uplift the living condition of less privileged Nigerians.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, represented by Dr Evelyn Ngige, appreciated the efforts of the NGO in improving the healthcare system of the country.
He said the initiative had helped to reduce malnutrition among children and created more awareness on cervical and breast cancer.
The ceremony featured the unveiling of a platform, ‘Pitch@Palace’ for youth development, to accelerate development of entrepreneurial skills.
Dr Mohammed Kamal, National Coordinator of Future Assured who unveiled the platform, said: “It will help to reduce the rate of unemployment and boost the economy’’.
The event featured presentation of awards to 12 young entrepreneurs for their outstanding initiatives to boost the economy and image of the country.
Some Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in their Professions were also recognised and given awards.
One of the Award recipients and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari said he remained determined to continue the fight against armed robbery and kidnapping.
Kyari also expressed gratitude to the wife of the President for finding him worthy of the award, adding that the award would spur him to do more in the interest of peace in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Hospital, Yola, Prof. Auwal Abubakar, thanked the wife of the President for constructing a 70-bed-capacity maternity clinic in Yola.
Abubakar said the project would help to tackle the influx of patients from neighbouring states.
The event also featured the unveiling of Future Assured Magazine to showcase the humanitarian activities of Aisha Buhari Foundation and Future Assured Programme in the last 3-years. (NAN)
AMU/HAS
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158 graduate from AUN, Yola
By Muhammad Adam
Graduation
Yola, May 19, 2018 (NAN) The American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, on Saturday graduated 158 graduates and undergraduates.
The President of the university, Dr Dawn Dekle, said this at the graduation ceremony at the university’s main campus in Adamawa.
Dekle said that the graduation was among the remarkable achievements of the university.
“Today, AUN is graduating another remarkable cohort of students, the class of 2018.
“As the 10th graduating class, this cohort is unique, comprising another group of passionate individuals filled with innovations and ideas,” Dekle said.
The graduands included 22 Master degrees and 136 undergraduates in various fields of academic excellent, she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dekle was officially inaugurated as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the university during the ceremony.
The event was conducted peacefully and successfully amidst joy among the graduates and their parents. (NAN)
AMA/UDO/MST
Edited by Udochukwu Ifionu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Association of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa elects Nigeria as Chairman of the group at its 8th Annual Conference in Abuja.
FMC Yola separates conjoined female twins
By Muhammad Auwal
Surgery
Yola, May 18, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yola, says has successfully separated a conjoined female twins, Prof. Auwal Muhammed, the Chief Medical Director, has said.
Muhammed made the fact known at a news conference on Friday in Yola.
“We have a successful separation of conjoined female twins (Omphilopagus).
“The development was recorded following a team work from different medical units,’’ he said.
Muhammed said that the surgery was conducted on May 14, adding that the chance of survival of the twins was “excellent’’.
He said it took four hours for the medical team to separate them and that the separation was the second of its kind by the hospital.
He recalled that the first operation was successfully carried out in 2014.
Muhammed noted that Nigeria had the potential and qualified medical personnel to compete with developed countries, if given necessary support.
“We must do well and reduce the number of people going abroad seeking for medical treatment,’’ Muhammed said. (NAN)
AMA/JEY/MST
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Yola FMC Medical Director begs doctors to resume work
NAN-HG-7
Strike
Yola, Sept. 6, 2017 (NAN) Prof. Mohammed Auwal, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Federal Medical Centre, Yola, has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to consider the condition of patients and resume work.
Auwal made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Yola.
He urged the striking doctors to espouse dialogue as a better option especially as their profession was more of humanitarian service.
The CMD also appealed to government to ensure that the crisis did not linger for too long.
Auwal, who confirmed that resident doctors in the hospital had joined their colleagues in the strike, however said consultants were managing the gaps occasioned by the labour unrest.
He also said that the centre was yet to employ ad-hoc staff since the senior doctors were working hard to provide services.
A NAN correspondent who visited the hospital reports that normal activities were ongoing.
Doctors at the Specialist Hospital, Yola, did not join the strike.
NAN also reports that none of the doctors obliged to speak on the matter, but normal activities were going on at the specialist.
The resident doctors have embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demands for improved working condition and facilities. (NAN)
MK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
UN to assemble 36 state’s Attorneys General in Yola
NAN-H-25
UN
Yola, July 11, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) says it will assemble 36 Attorneys General of the federation in Yola.
Mrs Veronica Yohanna, the UNHCR representative in Yola confirmed the development at a two-day midterm review meeting of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) monitoring project organised by the commission in collaboration with National Human Rights Commission held in Yola on Tuesday.
Yohanna said that the meeting was scheduled to hold from July 14 to 15, and that the core objective of the meeting was to bringing together all 36 state’s attorneys general to brainstorm on some legal issues concerning human rights.
“We are bringing the Attorneys General together to tackle the issue of law from the grassroots.
“And during the meeting the Juris are expected to look at ways and issues that will enable common man and IDPs in the country get easy access to justice,” Yohanna said.
She regretted that some laws concerning the cases of rapes and human rights in the country need to be reviewed to tackle the high rates of minor rape cases in the country.
Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the acting Executive Secretary, NHRC, appreciated the continuous support of the UNHCR in the provision of much needed assistance towards the realisation of the rights of IDPs as a result of insurgency.
Ovrawah said that the aimed of the IDPs project midterm review was to enable partners identify potentials for improvement of protection issues related to persons displaced project in the country.
The participants were drawn from Bauchi, Nasarawa, Gombe Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe states. (NAN)
AMA/MST
Commission trains security agents on human rights protection
NAN-H-66
Rights
By Awal Muhammad Adam
Yola, May 15, 2017 (NAN) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on security agents to stop violating the rights of citizens during security operations
The Acting Executive Secretary of the commission, Mrs Oti Anukpe, made the appeal on Monday in Yola during a meeting of security personnel and United Nations High Commission on Refugees.
Anukpe said the forum was designed to review cases of of human rights violations during security operations in the North East region ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents.
She said that the meeting would impart modern knowledge in the security personnel on human rights principles and civilian protection.
“The meeting is to train security personnel on principles of human rights and civilian protection during counter insurgency operation,” Anukpe said.
On the humanitarian crisis in the region, the acting scribe said the training would also provide platform to educate security personnel with comprehensive picture of protection of civilians and issues relating to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
In his remarks, the Commander, 153 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force Base, Yola, Air Commodore Abdullahi Kassimu, said the training was aimed at enhancing professionalism in the military and reducing human right abuses.
According to him, officers and men would be better informed and have human face in their operations.
“For a long time, incidence of human right abuses have reduced as rules of engagement is strictly adhered to during operations,” Kassimu said.
Mr Tony Ojokwu, representative of UNHCR, had earlier said that it was an international obligation on Nigeria to respect, protect and fulfill human rights acts.
Ojokwu said that UNHCR, government and humanitarian stakeholders should address issues concerning human right violations and reduce vulnerabilities as well as train security personnel in handling counter insurgency.
Participants at workshop were drawn from the military, NSCDC and other security agencies in the country. (NAN)
Prison letter not responsible for ex-governor’s bail – Lawyers
NAN-H-68
Ngilari
By Yakubu Uba
Yola, March 28, 2017 (NAN) The legal team of ex-governor Bala Ngilari of Adamawa said on Tuesday that the “controversial letter” from Yola Prison was not responsible for the granting of bail to their client.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Yola High Court 1 presided over by Justice Nathan Musa had on Monday granted Ngilari“bail pending trial” based on health ground.
Ngilari, who was earlier convicted for five years without option of fine by a Yola High Court, later appealed against the judgment.
The Attorney General of Adamawa, Mr Bala Sanga, had criticised the bail, saying that the High Court granted the bail acting on the letter from the prison read in the court.
Sanga noted that the letter was not only disowned by the Controller of Adamawa Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr Peter Tenkwa, but was also not contained in the appellant’s (Ngilari) application.
Reacting to the development, Mr Obed Wadzani, who spoke on behalf of counsels to Ngilari, said that the letter from Yola Prison signed by Mr John Bukar, who is in charge of health, was addressed to the court to justify why Ngilari who ought to be in court that day was not there.
“It is a response to the court’s Warrant of Production of Ngilari in court written to the prison.
“The letter which the judge ordered to be read to the open court was to explain why the prison authority could not present Ngilari who has serious health problem in court.
“So it is erroneous to say that the bail granted Ngilari yesterday was fraudulent or solely based on the letter that came from the prison; it is based on exercise of discretion from his lordship, the judge that is in charge of High Court 1,” Wadzani explained.
However, Wadzani said that he could not speak for the prisons when asked to comment on the controversy surrounding the letter from Yola Prison.
Tenkwa had disowned the letter which he said was not authorised by him.
He told newsmen in Yola that he was not aware of the letter and had communicated to the prison headquarters.
He said the headquarters directed him to issue a query to the officials involved in the matter, including the Deputy Controller in charge of Yola Prison, Mr Abubakar Abaka, and a Superintendent of Prisons, Mr John Bukar, in charge of health in the prison.
“Nigeria Prisons Service, as I stated, knows nothing about this letter; whoever wrote that letter is on his own. I have been directed to query the officers involved,” said the prisons controller.
Tenkwa said that all he knew was that he got a letter dated March 23 from Adamawa Ministry of Justice on health facilities in Yola Prison where Ngilari was remanded and that after accessing the facilities, he replied to the letter, informing the ministry that the facilities were okay.
“We have enough medical facilities to handle high profile inmates like Ngilari; we even received some supply of drugs on Friday,” Tenkwa said. (NAN) YMU/MST
