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Our Reporter

A non-governmental organisation, called ‘Each One Aid One Foundation’, says it is committed to the advocacy for best hygiene practices to improve the quality of life of the people of Abia and also keep the environment clean.
Mr Enyinnaya Nwafor, the Founder of the organisation, said this on Tuesday during the inauguration of a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) campaign held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
The event, which was organised by the foundation in collaboration with Abia government, had the theme, “One pair of hands at a time”.
Nwafor, who was represented by Mr Ogbonna Nwanosike, said that poor hygiene had become a menace in the society and a major cause of diseases.
He said that the situation meant that more efforts should be made to facilitate the education and demonstration of life-promoting and disease-preventing practices.
According to him, the WASH campaign is aimed at driving home the need for best hygiene practices among people in order to ameliorate the effect of communicable diseases.
Nwafor said, “Let us all come together and do our bits.The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step and this first step will birth the future that we all look forward to.”
The Wife of the Governor of Abia, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, commended the organisation for its commitment to improve the well-being of the people of Abia.
Represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Vivian Oko-Chukwu, Ikpeazu said that hygiene, sanitation and access to clean water were essential in preventing communicable diseases.
She said that recent studies show that diarrhoea, respiratory infection as well as eye and skin diseases can be prevented through proper hand-washing hygiene.
Ikpeazu called on the people to take advantage of the programme to learn appropriate hand-washing methods, hygiene and make hand-washing a norm in their homes.
Dr Chinagozi Adindu, the Executive Secretary of Abia State Primary Health Development Agency (ASPHDA), said that government was willing to support the programme and ensure its success in Abia.
Adindu described the programme as a “wake up call” to all health workers in the state, urging the group to educate the public on hygiene practices to reduce morbidity in Abia.
Earlier, Mr Earnest Onyeukwu, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, commended the organisers for supporting the transformation agenda of Abia government through its programmes.
Onyeukwu called on relevant agencies to drive the campaign by making it their primary duty to promote good hygiene in Abia.
Mrs Ijeoma Anyanwu, an Assistant Director of Nursing Services, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, urged the people to practise hand-washing hygiene.
Anyanwu said: “If you want to avoid most Fecal-Oral infections, then adopt hand-washing hygiene, because poor hygiene is one of the leading causes of infection across the world.
“There are two methods of hand-washing hygiene. They are alcohol-based hand rub and hand washing. One can adopt any method to get rid of germs from one’s hands.
“Washing your hands religiously will help to get rid of germs through the friction which the hands make as you rub.”
High-points of the event included drama presentation and demonstration of proper hand-washing methods. (NAN)

Dauda R Pam MAIDUGURI

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of BORNO state, has revealed that lack of adequate funds have largely been responsible for the snail speed in the reconstruction of houses, destroyed by the boko haram insurgents in the state.

The governor made the remarks at the Borno State House of Assembly, via executive communication to the legislature, seeking for mandate to permit the executive arm of government to take a loan of N5 billion from the federal government to fund the reconstruction of houses destroyed by the insurgents at various communities across the state.

He noted that, the loan will enable the state government construct affordable houses in various communities destroyed by the boko haram insurgents in Borno state.

Reading the letter on the floor of the House, the Speaker, Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, told the lawmakers that, the state government has constructed houses in Auno, Mainok and Benisheikh in its effort to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kaga, Bama, Konduga, Magumeri and further explained that the project was delayed due to lack of sufficient funds as contained in the executive communication to the house.

Our Reporter

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Tuesday presented the “ICAO Council President’s Certificate” to Nigeria in recognition its progress in solving aviation security and oversight deficiencies.
A statement issued by Mr James Odaudu, the Director Press and Public Affairs in the Ministry of Aviation, stated that the award was presented to the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, during the opening ceremony of ICAO’s 40th Triennial Assembly in Montreal, Canada.
According to the statement, the President of ICAO Council, Dr Olumuyiwa Aliu, said the certificate was in recognition of the contributions of deserving member-states to the marked improvement in global aviation safety and security.
It further quoted Aliu as saying that Nigeria received the certificated based on its commitment to the effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices.
Aliu said that the efforts of the Nigerian government in transforming the aviation sector had continued to receive recognition at the world stage.
He said that the recognition was meant to encourage the countries to do more.
He further said that the feat would spur other nations to step up their own efforts in promoting the security and safety of their respective air spaces, which would ultimately translate to better global aviation security standards.
Reacting to the award, Sirika expressed delight over the achievements recorded by Nigeria in the area of aviation security and oversight deficiencies to deserve the recognition by world aviation-governing body.
He said that the recognition was a challenge to him and other players in the nation’s aviation industry to do more.
He attributed the achievements to the unwavering commitment and support of President Muhammadu Buhari to the transformation of the country’s aviation industry.
The minister added that the government’s focus on safety and security since its inception had started yielding the desired results.
Sirika commended the ICAO council for monitoring and giving recognition to developments in member-states.
He promised that Nigeria would remain committed to the ideals and objectives of the organisation.
The statement noted that the certificate was awarded to 16 of the 193 member-nations. (NAN)

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, says the House would revisit the bill for an act to regulate the operations of Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs) in the country.

Gbajabiamila made the announcement at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

“There were disturbing revelations concerning operations of NGOs during the meeting of the House leadership and Service Chiefs last Monday,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was on the state of security in the North East.

The speaker said that the bill which was sponsored by late Rep. Buba Jibrin (APC-Kogi) generated tremendous outcry from the general public.

“I am sure even the NGOs will like this because they will not like a few giving all of them bad names,” he said.

In a related development, the green chambers has urged the Federal Government to create a Special Security Fund for security agencies apart from the national budget.

This followed a unanimous adopted of a motion of urgent matters of public importance by Rep. Mohammed Mungonu (APC-Borno).

Moving the motion, Monguno said that Nigeria in recent times had witnessed unprecedented level of insecurity.

He said that the development had made national security a major issue for the government.

The House, therefore, resolved that its leadership should interface with parliaments of other countries especially the United States with a view to granting Nigerian security agencies access to buy arms and ammunition.

Dauda R Pam MAIDUGURI

Dr. Sule Meleh,the executive director, BORNO state Health Care Development Agency,BOSPHDA,has reaffirmed that the proposed ‘pull down and down sizing of human resources’ (Adhoc staff) from clinics in most of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps by major partners like the UNICEF, would not be a set back, as the Nigeria State Health Investment Project- Additional Financing (NSHIP- AF) is working assiduously to contract these facilities and strengthen its health system.

The executive director,disclosed this on Tuesday in a meeting with members of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), UNICEF Representative, Mr. Jimoh Mohammed, Directors and Deputy Directors of Primary Health Care (PHC) Departments in Local Government Areas of Borno Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

He said, the meeting was aimed at fraternizing with the stakeholders on how best NSHIP, which is strictly on Performance Based Financing (PBF) approach will key-in to ensure availability and affordability of quality healthcare services, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combatting HIV/AIDs, Malaria and other diseases amongst IDPs living in resettlement camps, as approved by the World Bank and Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum who have passion for the health sector.

Dr Sule Meleh,used the occasion to commend the unflinching support by development partners, particularly UNICEF which has taken the lead in providing health needs of IDPs in camps across the state, Dr. Meleh stressed that, with coming of NSHIP/PBF in designated clinics of the identified camps, the PIU team and the Directors of PHC department and other staff have to redouble their efforts to ensure 24hr health services for IDPs.

It could be recalled that already, PIU Team have visited 16 IDP camps in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere, where it carried out a Rapid Assessment (RA) of the clinics in Bakassi, Dalori I & II, Stadium, Muna, Farm Centre, Gubio, Madinatu, Customs House among other IDP camps, adding that based on the Data obtained about the situation of these clinics, there is the urgent need for NSHIP intervention.

Hear him, “We summoned you to this very important meeting because, in the next 10 days, UNICEF which is the major partner with our health facilities in IDP camps are rounding up with their interventions, which means, all existing adhoc staff, from the Health Facility Managers down to a cleaner would have their appointment terminated.

“In this case, there is going to be a huge human resources gap in our Clinics in the camps, and that is why our concerned Governor had to seek support from the World Bank to extend NSHIP intervention into the IDP camp clinics”

“As it is, before this new initiatives, NSHIP have so far contracted over 100 private and public Clinics and General Hospital in Borno Central, North and Southern Senatorial Districts which are presently benefitting from the project, and even if UNICEF downsizes its adhoc staff, and continue providing drugs or commodities to these clinics in camps, NSHIP is coming at a better time than now to restore hope to our IDPs” Dr. Meleh stated.

By Dauda Pam

Troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE,OPLD, has commenced “OPERATION POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION”across the North Eastern part of Nigeria,to intensify the search for all suspected criminal elements that roam parts of the region in the North East.

This was disclosed by Colonel Ado Isa, Deputy Director Army Public Relations, DDAPR, Operation Lafiya Dole, Theater Command headquarters Maiduguri,who said that, 5 key terrorist logistics suppliers and fighters have so far been apprehended.

According to him, based on credible information,that some of the fleeing criminals are hibernating in some towns and villages of Borno and Yobe States in particular and North East in general.

The Theatre Command OPLD used the medium to enjoin members of the public to always carry valid means of identification such as National Identification Card when moving or passing through Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

The DDAPR said that troops have been directed to strictly check legitimate means of identification such as National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ License and International Passports or other valid official identification before allowing such persons to pass at checkpoints.

Members of the public are, therefore, requested to cooperate with the troops by moving along with valid identification cards and present same to the troops in the efforts to rid the North East zone of criminals fleeing for safety.