Agriculture

NALDA, Foundation Empower Poultry Farmers

By Web News 157

By Mojisola Oladele

The Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, Engineer Cornelius Adebayo wants Nigerians to strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s Administration with their dedication and unraveling commitment.

Engineer Adebayo made the call at the launch of the Renewed Hope Women and Youth Empowerment Programme, organised in conjunction with Issa Adedotun Niniola Foundation, held in Oba Oke, Olorunda Local Government, Osun State.

Engineer Adebayo, represented by Engineer Olusegun Owolabi, emphasized that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative transcends Politics and is aimed towards ensuring a better life for all Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary, NALDA, recalled that the agency began in 1992 and was revitalised in June 2022 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration.

He stressed that the core mandate of NALDA encompasses comprehensive agricultural land development, from bush clearing and land preparation to management, storage solutions and strategic marketing, achieved through collaborative partnerships of different categories.

Engineer Adebayo who explained that the Programme would be different from the past ones, assured that it would steadily expand across the state and extend to neighbouring States.

He lauded the Issa Adedotun Niniola Foundation for its collaborative efforts towards making the event possible.

Corroborating him, NALDA coordinator, Osun State, Alhaji Kazeem Yusuf who said the programme was designed to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu emphasized that the Poultry Empowerment programme aimed to achieve self-sufficiency in agricultural production, and Osun State is the pioneer state.

Also speaking, the founder, Issa Adedotun Niniola Foundation, Ambassador Issa Niniola explained that the programme is aimed to eradicate poverty across the nation and lauded President Bola Tinubu for his various developmental policies geared towards alleviating the effects of subsidy removal.

Ambassador Niniola urged the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the items given to them and ensure they follow the procedures given to them.

In a remark, former deputy governor of the state, Otunba Titi Laoye-Tomori described the president as a God-sent who is bent on working tirelessly to lead the nation out of its various challenges to the promised land.

In separate goodwill remarks, former Commissioner for Information in the State, Chief Sunday Akere, and a former lawmaker, Engineer Olatunde Badamasi, described the event as a good initiative and assured that the APC would continue to formulate policies that would improve the lives of Nigerians.

Expressing their appreciation on behalf of other beneficiaries, Pastor Gbenga Orishajolu and Mr. Olalekan Saka who explained that poultry business is highly capital intensive noted that the support would help boost thier poultry business.

Radio Nigeria correspondent who witnessed the event reports that the empowerment programme came in form of support programme for poultry farmers.

The beneficiaries were given chicks, cages and feeds to support their poultry business.

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Health

Ogun Government Seeks Support of CDAs On Health Insurance Scheme

By Web News 1380

Ogun State Government wants community leaders and other stakeholders to support the drive to implement the state’s health insurance scheme for effective and qualitative healthcare delivery.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker while addressing leaders of Community Development Associations from the twenty local government areas of the state at the office of the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency in Abeokuta, described the community leaders as crucial stakeholders to the success of the health insurance scheme for the informal sector.

Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Afolabi Dosumu addressing the CDA leaders during the stakeholders’ meeting at the OGSHIA office with the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker looking on.

Dr. Coker urged the communities to pull resources together with the government to make healthcare available to the people by assisting them to pay for the health insurance programme.

The health commissioner regretted that Ogun State was lagging behind in the implementation of the health insurance scheme and called for concerted efforts to enrol all residents for the scheme in the state.

The Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Afolabi Dosumu while speaking, appreciated the community leaders for their previous efforts and assured them that the health insurance in the informal sector will reduce the cost expended on treating common illnesses.

Chairman, Zonal CDC, Odogbolu, Mr. Osibemowo Babasola while speaking on behalf of others, assured that they would disseminate the message in their various localities and commended the government for the life-saving intervention in the health sector.

Wale Oluokun

Health

We are committed to preventing avoidable deaths – Ogun Health Commissioner

By Web News 1035

Stakeholders in the health sector have been urged to support and take ownership of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, as a key intervention and innovation to ensure accountability and sustainability of qualitative healthcare delivery for people at the grassroots.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made the call in Abeokuta, during a stakeholders’ meeting on COVID-19 Vaccination Response, BHCPF and other Primary Health Care Centres, PHCs, activities.

Dr. Coker explained that BHCPF is a Federal and State Government-funded initiative, to provide free minimum basic health care to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians through accredited PHCs in each of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Ogun health commissioner who attributed some avoidable deaths to poor quality medications as a result of varying sources of supply, reaffirmed the present administration’s determination to avoid preventable deaths in the state.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola noted that successful implementation of the programme would depend on strategic planning, effective monitoring and transparency.

In their separate contributions, the Ogun State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr. Dele Sunday, Ogun State Representative, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs. Olatunde Adebiyi and her counterpart from the United Nations Children Emergency Fund, Hajia Aishatu Zango encouraged the people to support government’s effort at ensuring the wellbeing of citizens, especially children, through active engagement and participation in various PHC activities in their localities.

Olusegun Folarin

Culture

NICO Remains Committed To Promotion of Culture – NICO Secretary

By Web News 1399

The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO, Mr Ado Muhammed Yahuza says the zonal intervention fund of the institute has assisted in promoting culture consciousness and creativity in secondary school students nationwide.

The Executive Secretary made this known at the opening ceremony of a two day conference on culture, zonal intervention projects and national development in Akure.

Represented by the Director, NICO Lagos Office, Mr Ohi Ojo, Mr Yahuza said these measures had also assisted youths in taking enormous advantages and potentials of the cultural industries for employment generation.

He commended the federal government for initiating and sustaining the fund over the years stressing the need to give priority to mother’s tongue and sustain the Yoruba cultural heritage.

In his address, the Ondo State Commissioner for Culture, Mr Yemi Olowolaju said the ministry would continue to discharge its statutory responsibility of harnessing the rich cultural heritage of the state for national development.

Goodwill messages were received from public and private agencies that commended the role of NICO in boosting the nation’s cultural heritage.

Olufisoye Adenitan

Religion

Most of Nigeria’s problems stem from insincere leaders – Prof. Olagoke

By Web News 707

The need for attitudinal change improved funding of education, the moral upbringing of children and job provision by the government as a panacea to corruption formed the focus of a day public lecture to commemorate the 2020 World Anti-Corruption Day.

The event organized by the Peacemakers Guide Humanitarian Support Organization in collaboration with Shafaudeen Centre for Religious Cooperation and Tolerance in Ibadan bemoaned high level of poverty and insecurity in Nigeria.

In a lecture by the founder, Shafaudeen in Islam, Wakajaye, Ibadan, Professor Sabit Olagoke said corruption had affected the economic development of Nigeria thereby increasing poverty and unemployment ratio.

Professor Olagoke who blamed corruption in the country to lack of sincere commitment by past political leaders, loss of moral and ethical values in the society stressed the need for integrity and patriotism by Nigerians to overcome corruption.

Representatives of National Orientation Agency, NOA, in Oyo State, Oyo State Ministry of Health and Civil Society Organizations called for renewed efforts by all and sundry to overcome the menace of corruption in the country.

In a remark, the Executive Secretary, Muslim Umah of Southwest Nigeria, MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Tayo-Yahyah and former executive secretary, MUSWEN, Professor Dawud Noibi called on Nigerians to seek divine intervention to end corruption and other crises affecting the progress of the country.

Director-General of the Peacemakers Guide Humanitarian Support Organization, Professor Adegbolagun judge said the event with the theme; “United Against Corruption” was meant to seek collective responses to address corruption as the day is being marked.

Rotimi Famakin

Religion

MUSWEN Calls for Palliative Measures over Sit-At-Home Order

By Web News 782

Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN has joined in the call on governments to provide palliative measures to cushion the effects of stay-at-home order on the citizens.

This is contained in a statement in Ibadan by Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Yahya.

Professor Yahya noted that it will be justified on the part of the governments to punish any violation of stay-at-home rules provided palliative measures were put in place for all citizens staying off their means of livelihood.

“The governments are implored to provide palliative measures to cushion the attendant economic hardships as a result of citizens staying off their works and means of livelihood. Only then may the governments be well advised to adequately punish any violation of “quarantine” or stay-at-home rules”.

He also called on the governments to provide adequate protection for healthcare and other service providers while on their duty of saving lives.

“The governments must also provide adequate protection for health care and other service providers while on their duties of saving lives”.

“We pray to Almighty Allah to save the world from the deadly virus that threatens our existence”.

The MUSWEN Executive Secretary said the sacrifice of suspending congregational prayers is inevitable and in line with Islamic ethics while such should not be allowed to, in any way cause any division within the Muslim community.

“The Muslim Ummah all over the world is particularly hard-hit by the social distancing measures necessitated by the pandemic because the congregation is a very important and highly rewarding aspect of the Islamic worship”. “Consequently, it is creating serious division within the Ummah. Understandably, some believers do not want to accept that anything, whatsoever, should hinder congregational prayers especially on Friday, the Eid days and the Tawaf and other pilgrimage related congregations”. “Unfortunately, the reality of the situation created by the presence of Coronavirus and its mode and rate of spreading in most parts of the world is such that the “sacrifice” of having to suspend large assemblies, for now, is, in most cases, inevitable.  Such suspension would fall squarely within the clear injunction of Allah in Surah al-Baqarah: …and make not your own hands contribute to your destruction… (Quran, 2:195) as well as highly popular guidelines given by the Prophet (SAW) for handling of epidemics or pandemic situations. Therefore, it is essential that the issue of suspending large congregational prayers is not allowed to, in any way cause any division within the Ummah. The Unity of the Ummah is always more important than any trivial points of differences of opinion, for Allah warns against consequences of disunity of the Ummah in, among others Surah al-Anfal, (Quran 8:46)”.

He emphasized that the current situation should be seen by Muslims as an opportunity to be closer to Allah by spending the stay-at-home times in engaging in spiritual activities like the recitation of Quran, supplications, fasting in this month of Shaban, which precedes Ramadan. 

“This current situation should be seen as an opportunity to be closer to our God by spending our isolation and stay-at-home times in engaging in spiritual activities like tilawatul Quran, adhkar, supplications, fasting, etc especially in this holy month of Shaban”.

Professor Yahya explained that MUSWEN, which is an umbrella for all Islamic communities and organisations in the Southwest region has as well aligned with the government’s directives in line with the current reality of COVID-19. 

“MUSWEN has taken steps along the line of social distancing by terminating or postponing parts of its scheduled important activities and suspending decision or further action on others while monitoring the situation”. 

“The Secretariat Staff have been compelled to work from home in observance of the stay-at-home measures”. “A MUSWENs Health NGO, Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria Health Care Givers Society had, weeks ago released a statement, a leaflet on Covid-19 educating the populace about, and giving admonition on, the prevention of the deadly virus”.

He lauded the efforts of governments at both the federal and states at curbing the spread of the virus and enjoined to do more to halt the disease while imploring the people to support the governments to achieve the feat.

“MUSWEN commends the efforts of governments at all levels in the country at curtailing the spread of the virus. We declare our total support and pledge compliance with all measures recommended by experts and relevant authorities and directives of the governments aimed at stopping the spread”.

“Nigeria is not yet close enough to such an improving situation. This means there is still much more that needs to be done both by the Government and the populace. The spread of the virus can only be through human to human transmission. Therefore curtailing its spread can only be by avoiding close contacts with individuals who have it. We salute the citizens who diligently obeyed the authorities’ directives which include the maintenance of the rules of hygiene, social distancing and staying indoors. Others are further implored to comply with the directives though difficult in the face of economic hardship. The truth remains that the more strictly we adhere to the preventive measures the faster we go on the path of curtailing the spread and subsequently eradicating the virus and getting back to our normal healthy patterns of social, spiritual and economic life”. 

“However, Alhamdulillah, there is good news: the pandemic, Coronavirus is, after all, not totally uncontrollable as some countries including China where it all began, is beginning to get out of the worst situations in which they had been. They are successfully curtailing the spread and they are sustaining the improved situation”.

Ridwan Fasasi

Education

Delta Set to Disburse 2018/2019 Bursary

By Web News 850

Delta State Government has commenced the distribution of three hundred and eighty one million naira to students of the state origin as payment of bursary for the 2018/2019 academic session.

The Executive Secretary, Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board, Mr. Sunday Oritshedere, stated this at a joint meeting between the board and the leadership of National Association of Delta State Students, NADESSTU, to flag-off payment of bursary to students.

Mr. Oritshedere noted twenty four thousand one hundred and seventy three students applied in the scheme, whereby seventeen thousand one hundred and sixty nine persons were screened and due for payment.

CUE IN: To keep everybody informed …

He added that the current payment of bursary will be executed electronically in line with Central Bank of Nigeria directive, as against the manual system which possess the challenge of irregularities in the payment process.

Meanwhile, the President National Association of Delta State Students, NADESSTU, Mr. Godwin Oyovwe, expressed delight on the development and called on bona-fide students of Delta State origin to expect imminent disbursement of the funds.

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The payment of bursary for the 2018/2019 academic session in the state will encompass a timeframe of three weeks for distribution of the funds.

Oghenero Eghweree