Alhaji Sule Usman, an octogenarian retiree from Abuja, has been charged with undue influence in order to gain custody of his late wife’s adopted child, Khadizat Suleiman, and sell property worth over N100 million that was bequeathed to her.
‘Usman,’ who is from Okpo in Kogi state but now lives in Kubwa Abuja, and his late wife, Salamatu Sule, had no biological children before she died,’ according to the report.
The late woman’s younger sister, ‘Aisha Ameh, told the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) Child Welfare Unit that her late sister’s husband never welcomed the child while she was alive.
Ameh noted that the man who has four other wives with many children, opposed the child adoption idea by her late sister, claiming that his Islamic faith does not support it.
She said that the man who is still a moslem, all of a sudden developed interest in the child, because he wants to take over everything willed to the adopted child and transfer same to other children of the other wives.
She further accused the man of physically and emotionally abusing the 6 years little girl.
According to her, even though an FCT Area Court has granted the custody of the child to the man, after his subtle moves for re-adoption failed, the life of the child was in danger, as the other children of the man do not welcome the adopted child into the family.
Ameh has called on government to quickly take over the late woman’s property valued at over N100 Million, and keep same in trustee for the child.
” Please, and please, I’m appealing to Nigerians though judgement has been given, we don’t have power but we solicit for the help of Nigerians and the Nigerian government, please come rescue this little child and all that my sister has laboured for because, if those things are left in the hands of those people that hated her. She will end up getting nothing. In this world, she will be a loser. I’m appealing, please, please, come and rescue this little child” , she said.
Meanwhile, the accused man has debunked the claims that he opposed the adoption of the child, stating that he actually supported his late wife and welcomed her into his family.
The man who responded via the document he submitted to the court, said he has taken custody of the child to adequately care for her, while also ensuring that the property left by his late wife for the child was preserved.
FIFA has launched #ReachOut, a campaign aims to raise awareness about mental health conditions and encourage people to seek help when they need it. It also encourages people to take daily actions to improve their mental health.
World Health Organization (WHO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as former and current football players, are working together to promote awareness of mental health symptoms and encourage people to seek treatment when they need it. A daily mental health action plan is also recommended.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the launch #ReachOut, stated that : “This campaign is very important in raising awareness about mental health conditions and encouraging a conversation which could save a life. In FIFA’s Vision 2020-2023, we pledge our commitment to make football work for society, and I thank the players and Ms Enke, who have contributed to this important initiative.
“Depression and anxiety affect rising numbers of people worldwide, and young people are among the most vulnerable. Having a conversation with family, friends or a healthcare professional can be key. FIFA is proud to launch this campaign, supported by the World Health Organization and ASEAN to encourage people to #ReachOut.”
The campaign hears from FIFA Legends Aline, Vero Boquete, Cafu, Laura Georges, Luis García, Shabani Nonda, Patrizia Panico, Fara Williams and Walter Zenga. FIFA.com also speaks with former Bolton Wanderers and Team GB forward, Marvin Sordell, and Sonny Pike, who was labelled the ‘next big thing’ at 14, about their experiences with depression. Teresa Enke also discusses the pain of losing a loved one to suicide, and her work with the Robert Enke Foundation.
Depression affects more than 260 million people in the world while around half of all mental health conditions start by age 14. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in young people aged 15-29. Among active football players, 23 per cent report sleep disturbance, while 9% have reported depression and a further 7% suffer from anxiety. Among retired players, these figures increase, with 28% struggling to sleep and depression and anxiety affecting 13% and 11% respectively (source: FIFPRO)
Working from home, unemployment, school closures and social isolation have affected people around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic; the challenges for people with mental health conditions, for whom access to treatment has, in many cases, been disrupted, are even greater.
The World Health Organization Director-General , Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hinted that, “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is as important as ever to look after our mental and physical health.”
He said “WHO is delighted to support the #ReachOut campaign, spearheaded by FIFA to encourage people to talk about their mental health.”
The video awareness campaign features Legends, current players and special guests, who have lent their support to this mental health campaign, and at times sharing their lived experience. The campaign is being shared on FIFA digital channels, with multimedia toolkits provided to the 211 FIFA member associations and to media agencies to facilitate dissemination and use within Europe and beyond.
Meanwhile, players from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam reinforce WHO advice on how to help to keep our minds healthy, as well as our bodies, in the special ASEAN edition of #ReachOut.
Also, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi said, “Mental health and well-being are just as important as physical health and safety. Under the Chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam, ASEAN is taking steps to advance cooperation with external partners on mental health, in order to provide the ASEAN Community with the necessary and appropriate mental health and psychosocial support services.”
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has set a new board for strategic reforms.
In a statement signed by the General Manager/Head, Cooperate Affairs, NSITF, Mrs Ijeoma-Oji Okoronkwo, the second phase of the strategic repositioning of the Fund as approved by the Presidential Report is to implement a strategic reform and change management plan that will see the Fund stabilised and secure the much needed public confidence.
The Statement added that the essential part of the process of the implementation is the redistribution of staff to departments that match their qualifications, experiences and competencies.
The agency however, opined that the exercise which had been duly communicated to staff saw the redistribution of 300 out of the over 5000 staff strength of the Fund, while others staff were redeployed across various departments, Branches and Regions across the Federation after a careful consideration of their core competences, skills and qualifications.
“In response to the allegations of misappropriation and embezzlement of funds levelled against the past Management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, constituted a Presidential Panel in July, 2020 with a Mandate to investigate all allegations and proffer recommendations for a holistic repositioning of the Fund.
The Committee upon the completion of its assignment submitted its report to the President, and received Presidential approval for the immediate implementations of the recommendations.
“The first phase of the strategic reform was to reconstitute the Executive Management that saw Dr Michael Akabogu, Mrs Maureen Allagoa, Mrs Temitope Akinwale and Mr Modu Gana as members of the Executive Management serving as Managing Director/CE, Executive Director Administration, Executive Director Finance &Accounts, and Executive Director Operations respectively”
It stated further that, some senior Management staff were strategically redeployed and posted to serve in the following department/Regions which includes Mr Zwalda Ponkap, formerly General Manager Audit& Inspectorate was redeployed from Audit and Inspectorate Department to Finance department as General Manager/ Head of Finance and Mr Babatunde Adegoke, a Deputy General Manager and former acting Head of the Lagos Corporate Office redeployed to Head the Investment & Treasury Management.
While others are; Mr Nasir Mohammed, an Assistant General Manager Kaduna Regional Office redeployed to ICT Head Office as the Head of Department., Mr Lateef Musa, formerly General Manager Enforcement redeployed to Lagos Regional Office as the Regional Manager, Mr Geoffrey Otokito, formerly Deputy General Manager APRD redeployed to serve as Regional Manager Portharcourt Region.
While Mrs Ijeoma Oji- Okoronkwo, formerly General Manager SERVICOM redeployed as General Manager and Head of Corporate Affairs.
It was also learnt that all officers affected are encouraged to make good use of the opportunity as the redeployments are targeted at improving productivity, retooling relearning, capacity building and ensuring that all hands are on deck towards achieving the Mandate of the Fund.
Meanwhile, the Management further commenced the compilation and processing of relocation allowances for all redeployed staff to ensure a seamless relocation.
…As UNICEF Charges Newsmen On Agenda Setting For NTDs
The Federal Government had wanted to eliminate the fifteen Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) under Vision 2020, but they were unable to meet this target.
However, projected that Nigeria would accomplish the new vision of eliminating all Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2030, saying, only Guinea worm had been eradicated in 2013.
Dr Nse Akpan, National Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Control, Elimination, and Eradication Programme, spoke on the topic: Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases -Challenges and Prospects at a Two Day Media dialogue, organized by UNICEF, hinted that only Guinea worm was eradicated in 2013, however, the five primary NTDs being targeted in Nigeria must be eliminated as well.
He estimated that about 122 million people in Nigeria are at risk of one or more of these Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). This is to say that 2 out of every 3 Nigerians are affected by one or more of these NTDs.
Of this number, 20% are pre school age children, 28% are school age children (5-14years) and 52% are adults (15years and above).
His words , “NTDs pose devastating obstacle to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Nigeria wants to control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs through reduction of morbidity, and mortality rates to increase barest minimum and wants to ensure break or reduction of transmission of NTDs through mass drug administration and environmental control.
“Neglected Tropical Diseases are group of preventable and treatable diseases that could be caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoa that affect 1.5 billion people, 40% of whom live in Africa.
“The disease affect the poorest, most vulnerable people who live in hard to reach Parr of Africa.
“They disfigure, disable, keep children out of school and parents out of work limiting their potentials and leave communities stuck in poverty.
“For some of these diseases, the following population have been found to be at risk in Nigeria 119.8million people for lymphatic Filasriasis , 54. 4million people people for onchocerciasis, 28.8million school age children and and 20.5 million pre-school age children for soil-transmitted helmithiasis; 26.8 million people for trachoma and 23.8 million school age children for schistosomiasis.”
He further stated that, NTDs cause end-organ damages due to chronic infections., it significantly impact on maternal, newborn and child health, poor health among women from anemia to STH infections.
In his remarks , the UNICEF Communication Specialist, Dr. Geoffrey Njoku urged journalists to tell the stories of Neglected Tropical Diseases around the issues, actions and impact.
Dr Israel Akanji, the president of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, has revealed that the church has never had a rice commercial transaction with any supplier worth more than N5 million.
He said this to media on Monday at the Church headquarters in Garki, where he was briefing them on the activities of a fraudster aiming to drag the church into the muck.
According to him, one Emmanuel claimed that the church had told him to supply rice, and that he went to the media to announce that he had generated a five-million-dollar supply for which the church had only given him $500,000.
According to him ; “Last Friday I recieved a call from a radio station in Abuja, asking me whether my church or I had a rice transaction with one man, Emmanuel. According to Brekete Radio that called me, that the man say he supply rice to our church but we refused to pay him.
“Sometime in May this year, one man came to our church here, that he was looking for one pastor Philips, that he asked him to supply rice which he did and it worth M5 million. I then called all the pastors outside but he didn’t identify the pastor he claimed among them.”
Akanji stated that the church was not involved in rice supply transaction business with any person or supplier, and will never be part of crooked arrangement.
“There is no how the church will enter into rice transaction without any written agreement or document backing it, again the church transactions are done in the public and within its premises” he said.
He asked the man to steer clear of the church and go to the place or store where he did the supply.
He also hinted that , “I asked the man where he supply the rice, he say it was in Dei-Dei under the bridge, later again he claimed that he supply it at a store somewhere, it is very clear that the man was duped by fraudsters and not the church”
The President who is also the senior pastor of First Baptist church, Garki in Abuja, said the church activities are open and are always being carried out within church premises.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both called for more resources and commitment to tackle the global malnutrition crisis.
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore and WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Afhanom Ghebreyesus made this appeal on a joint statement made accessible to journalists in Abuja on the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) have urged for increased funding and commitment to combat the worldwide malnutrition epidemic.
The statement read in bits; “Breastfeeding is central to realising this commitment.
“Initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond offer a powerful line of defence against all forms of child malnutrition, including wasting and obesity. Breastfeeding also acts as babies’ first vaccine, protecting them against many common childhood illnesses.
“While there has been progress in breastfeeding rates in the last four decades – with a 50 per cent increase in the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding globally – the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the fragility of those gains.
“In many countries, the pandemic has caused significant disruptions in breastfeeding support services, while increasing the risk of food insecurity and malnutrition. Several countries have reported that producers of baby foods have compounded these risks by invoking unfounded fears that breastfeeding can transmit COVID-19 and marketing their products as a safer alternative to breastfeeding.”
The statement continued; “In Nigeria, where 1 in 8 children do not reach their 5th birthday and 3 in 10 children are stunted, optimal breastfeeding practices are known to reduce neonatal and child morbidities and mortality rates as well as stunting reduction. Optimal nutrition provided by breastfeeding along with nurturing, care, and stimulation strengthens a child’s brain development with positive impacts that endure over a lifetime.
“Available statistics in Nigeria reveal that the average duration of exclusive breastfeeding is approximately 3 months and only 3 out of every 10 children under 6 months of age were exclusively breastfed (29%). This is an improvement from 17% in 2013 to 29% in 2018 (NDHS,2013; 2018), however, this still falls significantly below the target of 50% set by the World Health Assembly to be achieved in 2025 and the SDG target for 2030. The percentage of children who were breastfed within 1 hour of birth (42%) remains less than 50%. Breastfeeding rates in Nigeria reduce with age – 83% of the children are breastfed up to one year, while 28% are breastfeeding till 2 years. Furthermore, the proportion of children who are not breastfeeding increases with age.
“This year’s World Breastfeeding Week, under its theme ‘Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility’ is a time to revisit the commitments made at the start of this year by prioritizing breastfeeding-friendly environments for mothers and babies. This includes: Ensuring the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes established to protect mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry is fully implemented by governments, health workers and industry.
Ensuring health care workers have the resources and information they need to effectively support mothers to breastfeed, including through global efforts such as the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, and guidelines on breastfeeding counselling.
Ensuring employers allow women the time and space they need to breastfeed; including paid parental leave with longer maternity leave; safe places for breastfeeding in the workplace; access to affordable and good-quality childcare; and universal child benefits and adequate wages.
The statement further reads that; “As we approach the UN Food Systems Summit in September and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit in December, governments, donors, civil society and the private sector all have an opportunity to make smart investments and commitments to tackle the global malnutrition crisis – including protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding – through stronger policies, programmes and actions.
“Now is not the time to lower our ambitions. Now is the time to aim high. We are committed to making the Nutrition for Growth Year of Action a success by ensuring that every child’s right to nutritious, safe and affordable food and adequate nutrition is realized from the beginning of life, starting with breastfeeding.”
Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Moji Adeyeye, has slammed the United States of America and European Union member countries for continuing to reject Nigerian food and agricultural commodities due to poor quality.
She urged all port regulatory bodies in charge of ensuring high-quality imports and exports to find urgent and long-term solutions to the European Commission’s RASFF Border Rejection Notifications on Nigerian commodities.
She made this known while speaking on Quality and Safety of Export Food Trade at a virtual technical roundtable meeting with other federal government agencies like Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MARD, Foreign Portfolio Investments FPIS, Standard Organization of Nigeria SON, Nigeria Export Promotion Council NEPC, and Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria IPAN, amongst others, Adeyeye lamented the resultant bad image the repeated rejection of commodities from Nigeria by the EU has caused the country.
In a statement by NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, which was made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, she noted that the stakeholders meeting was apt considering the volume of food and agricultural commodities from Nigeria that is currently facing challenges at entry points in some countries in Europe and the United States of America where they have been repeatedly rejected and which has become a great issue of concern.
She stated that ; ‘’ NAFDAC has a statutory responsibility to safeguard public health through the execution of its mandate. We are charged with the responsibility to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled and packaged water, chemicals generally referred to as NAFDAC regulated products.’’
She said that, NAFDAC is designated as World Trade Organization/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Enquiry Point in Nigeria on Food Safety to facilitate international trade, and respond to enquiries on safety standards, regulations, and guidelines on food trade in Nigeria.
Internationally, she said Nigerias products meant for export market are faced with presence of contaminants such as pesticide residues, notoriously dichlorvos and other impurities, exceeding maximum permitted level and some with inadequate packaging and labeling which had caused a lot of products rejections in the global market.
She noted that the international market is competitive in nature and only welcomes products of high quality with relevant certifications and quality packaging that is environmentally friendly, to trade globally, stressing that the problem of quality, standard, certification, and appropriate packaging for made-in-Nigeria products destined for export has been an issue in the international market and there is need to address the issue of rejections.
The NAFDAC boss disclosed that the Agency has over the years intervened to assist Nigerian exporters to meet with international regulations thereby creating employment and earning foreign exchange for Nigeria. Through this intervention by NAFDAC, she added that it was agreed that these products be subjected to 100% pre-export testing and issuance of Health Certificate to products with satisfactory limits before European Union further verify at their border control points.
Adeyeye further disclosed that her Agency had analyzed the RASFF alert from the EU and observed that most rejected products by the EU were smuggled out and not certified by NAFDAC nor the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services at the ports, adding that this calls for proper collaboration and synergy amongst all agencies of government to curb the indecent behavior of some exporters and ensure only quality and certified products are exported.
‘’We need to close gaps and work together to prevent regulatory gaps being exploited by the unscrupulous traders and their collaborators. There must be a convergence for all regulatory activities especially at the Ports of Exit as a starting point before we begin cleaning up and capacitating the honest operators and traders within the country’’.
Based on the RASFF alert received from EU, she said NAFDAC had sensitized food processors, handlers and exporters through training programmes, workshops and seminars on current Food Safety Management requirements such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), Risk Analysis to ensure that products are safe and of good quality, to gain consumers confidence and acceptability in Nigeria and international export markets.
‘’Effective assessments of export products are very key and basic information that may need to be consider in the accompanying shipping documents include Certificate of Radiation, Health certificate, Sanitary and Phytosanitary certificate, Evidence of fumigation of vessels and evidence of risk- based inspection on food Safety, must all be certified by the appropriate and designated competent authorities having current scope-testing accreditation’, she said.
She admonished the participants especially the MDAs, to be awake to their responsibility as the nations gatekeepers by ensuring the availability of quality-assured, safe, wholesome and efficacious products. The technical meeting attracted over sixty participants consisting of Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs, Private Sector, Shippers Council, Freight Forwarders and EU Delegation to Nigeria.
She remarked that, ‘’We have a huge collective responsibility: to ensure the availability of quality-assured, safe, wholesome and efficacious products; and NAFDAC as an enquiring point for Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) for food safety, and other Departments and parastatals of FMARD for plants and animal health and safety with Standards Organisation of Nigeria for Technical Barriers in Trade; products and services for export should meet quality certification of the importing countries to avoid or reduce to barest minimum the rejection of made-in Nigeria products in the international market’’, she said.
‘We should talk together, understand one another, agree to work together, and come up with a workplan for whatever we agreed to do together. We must turn a new leaf for the sake of our beloved country!’, she insists. In order to effectively address the problem faced in the international market, she explained that there is need for 3Cs: Coordination, Cognition, and Collaboration between all Government bodies involved in regulating exportation of semi-processed and processed food.
Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu. Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria.
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, revealed that the administration spends about N8 billion annually on trash management in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and satellite towns across the territory.
She claimed that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) spends an average of N6 billion per year, while the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) spends N2 billion per year, for a total of N8 billion per year to pay over 64 waste management cleaning contractors in the nation’s capital.
She gave this hint at the maiden edition of the Annual General Meeting/Induction of Waste Management Association of Nigeria (WAMASON), FCT Council, also called on communities to adopt sustainable waste management practices, which include sorting at source, composting of organic waste for horti-cultural/agricultural purposes amongst others.
While speaking on the theme: “Waste Management in a Circular Economy: Financing, Stakeholders Engagement and Enforcement”, Aliyu advocated for the transition to circular economy model for sustainable growth and development in Nigeria.
The Minister who was represented by the Director, Environmental Services, Satellite Towns Development Department ( STDD) Mr. Olusegun Olusa, the minister noted that in circular economy, virtually nothing is discarded, stressing that products and materials are kept in circulation for as long as possible by designing them to be more durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable.
“It is clear that waste management is a cross-cutting environmental issue, impacting many aspects of our society and the economy. It has strong linkages to a range of other global challenges such as health, food and resource security, sustainable consumption and production, climate change and poverty reduction,” she affirmed.
Aliyu hinted that, the FCT Administration has been working assiduously in ensuring that new opportunities for sustainable growth are provided through increased budgetary provisions in waste management related services.
Her words: “Presently, we have a total number of 64 waste management contractors in the FCC and Satellite Towns. This has provided employment opportunities and improved environmental sanitation through resource recovery/sorting and collection of recyclables for the informal waste pickers, as well as providing platform for generation of empirical data for proper planning and projection of waste amount in the FCT”.
The minister, therefore, called for synergy and understanding between the government and the private sector in ensuring effective and profitable waste management, just as she pledged the administration’s commitment in providing the necessary legal framework that guarantees return on investment for service delivery.
In her presentation of 2016 to 2021 FCT Council report, the Councillor, Waste Management Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Kitan Oluwagbuyi, noted that despite the numerous challenges facing waste managers in the city, the association has collaborated with tertiary institutions across the country to organise workshop and mentorship on opportunities in waste management and sustainable development.
She also stated that in 2020 the association has set up recycling centres in 20 schools across the Federal Capital Territory, and 5 collection hub centres in collaboration with a member recycler-chanjadatti under a UNDP assisted fund.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will assist the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in building an environmentally friendly public transportation system to help make Abuja a green metropolis.
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello made this known when he hosted the NADDC Management, led by its Director General, Jelani Aliyu.
Bello said that the Administration’s long-term objective was to build Abuja into one of the country’s greenest cities, after taking a test drive in a Hyundai Kona, an electric vehicle built in Nigeria as a major means of public transportation was a major part of that plan.
According to him ; “The proposal brought to us by the DG fits into our long-term plan for the city. As you know, we pride ourselves in having Abuja as one of the greenest cities in the country, from the generation of vegetation and planting of trees to the concerted efforts to make sure that modern waste disposal system are entrenched”.
“So, this just takes us to the next step which is trying to improve on the transportation system in the city, particularly our bus mass transit system and what is called the last mile”. The Minister added.
He however stated that , the Minister said “That is why if you noticed in many parts of the city now, we don’t allow tricycles and motorcycles to operate and gradually, we are working towards eliminating the use of diesel buses. But ultimately, my vision and the vision of my team is that really, Abuja should go electric in terms of powering the bus systems and even the motor vehicles as we have seen today”.
Speaking on the availability of the technology to enable wide use of the electric vehicles, the Minister said “this is something that requires a lot of planning and as you can see, technology for solar, solar batteries and retention of power, gradually is improving. So if we start now and imbibe it as a culture, I think it’s a matter of time and we will get there”.
He, however, pledged the support of the FCT Administration to the NADDC in terms of the organization’s requirements for its projects either directly or through a Public Private Partnership, Malam Bello commended the NADDC DG and his team across the country and encouraged them to see Abuja as a good location for all their activities.
Earlier, Mr Jelani Aliyu, the Director General of the NADDC said his team was in the FCTA to begin discussion with the Administration in good collaboration to make their contribution in making Abuja one of the most advanced and green cities in the world.
He said that the Hyundai Kona is the first ever electric vehicle assembled in Nigeria with a range of about 492 kilometers which could be charged from any electric outlet and it was in respect of the vehicle that the NDDC has developed solar charging stations in Sokoto, Lagos and Nsukka.
The visit also featured presentations from the Stallion Group of Companies on its proposed public transportation solutions.
Residents of the nation’s capital with diarrhea sickness will be treated for free, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed.
This comes as the number of cholera cases in the area has plummeted, with over a thousand cases and 69 deaths since the outbreak in May 2021.
On Friday in Abuja, the Acting Secretary, Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), Dr Mohammed Kawu, who spoke on behalf of the administration while informing newsmen on the current instances of Cholera and COVID-19.
“The FCT Administration has documented a drop in cholera cases this week,” So far, 1000 cases have been identified.
According to him; “The cases of cholera in FCT was as a result of robust step taken by the administration to ensure that the outbreak was quickly curtailed.
” The administration is also taken steps to ensure that there is no case of cholera outbreak in the city next year by providing clean potable drinking water as well as ensuring that resident maintain high personal hygiene.
“The FCT Emergency Operation Center just briefed the FCT Minister and other top management on the latest update on the outbreak of cholera in the FCT. The update is good news because the cases are coming down. We had reached the peak around the 19 of July, but as at today the cases are coming down. In total we recorded 69 deaths and over a thousand cases and all have been treated and discharged.
“We have identified some flash points in the FCT. The epicenter is Bwari Area Council and we have gone there and mapped out the place and the administration has directed that certain important steps be taken so we don’t experience such outbreaks again. The other epic center is in AMAC, around Gwagwa area. It is gratifying to note that all the communities have been visited and told what they need to do prevent the cholera outbreak. It is clear they are have understood what we told them and they are taking those preventive measures that is why the figures are going down.
“We have prepositioned treatment drugs, IV fluid and other consumables in the health facilities in all high burden areas and all secondary health facilities in FCT so that anybody that shows up with diarrheal diseases is treated free. We have also provided important issues like water and sanitation because we have been working closely with the FCT Water Board and the Rural Water Supply RUWASSA, and AEPB. The most important thing is that the cases have gone down and the FCT Administration has directed that more important things be done in those areas so we don’t go through the same circle next year.
Meanwhile, he also decried the alarming increase of COVID-19 cases , while adding as at today we have 22 new cases in the territory and nine on admission.
He, however, urged residents to abide my pharmacistical protocol
