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Kogi Flags Off Maternal, Child Health Week, Targets Lower Death Rates for Mothers, Children

By
Toyin Adebayo
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Kogi State on Tuesday kick-started the second round of the 2025 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week with a renewed push to cut preventable deaths among mothers and children under five.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Lokoja, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adeiza Abdulazeez, said the initiative reflects the state government’s determination to deliver accessible and quality healthcare to families across Kogi.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Steve Momoh, the commissioner disclosed that the state has so far revitalised more than 80 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and upgraded an additional 88 facilities to strengthen service delivery.

He said Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has continued to prioritise maternal and child health, while commending development partners, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders for supporting the sector.

> “This initiative underscores government’s commitment to building a healthier and more prosperous state, with equitable healthcare services for all citizens,” Abdulazeez stated.

The Executive Director of the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr. Musa Mu’azu, raised concern over the 34% stunting rate among children under five in the state, as revealed by the 2023/24 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).

He said the agency is scaling up nutrition interventions across PHCs and communities to tackle the crisis.

According to Mu’azu, this year’s MNCH Week will provide free services such as routine immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, health education, and other child-survival packages targeting children aged 0–59 months and nursing mothers.

He noted that healthcare workers across the state have been mobilised and trained to ensure seamless and equitable service delivery.

Development partners, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders present at the ceremony praised the state government’s commitment and pledged support for the successful implementation of the programme.

The highlight of the event was the official flag-off, which featured the administration of Vitamin A supplements to children and distribution of free drugs and diapers to nursing mothers by Momoh on behalf of the commissioner.

Goje Rebukes Akpabio on Senate Floor, Warns Against ‘Unparliamentary Conduct

By
Shehu Danladi
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A mild drama played out in the Senate on Tuesday as former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje, openly confronted Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of engaging in conduct that violated parliamentary rules.

 

The Senate was already in session with Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau presiding when Akpabio walked in and assumed control of proceedings. Moments after taking the chair, he summoned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and a few other principal officers for an impromptu consultation at the front of the chamber.

 

Goje, visibly displeased, immediately raised Order 55 (12)(a), which prohibits side interactions during plenary, insisting that Akpabio’s action amounted to a breach of parliamentary decorum.

 

“Interaction is not allowed except to move the business that we have been called upon to do,” Goje said pointedly. “Mr. Senate President, what you are doing is unparliamentary. You are disturbing the business of the Senate. You cannot be holding a separate meeting when the Senate is in session.”

 

Akpabio responded by inviting Goje to approach the chair for clarification, but the senator refused.

 

“I cannot be part of what is illegal and unparliamentary,” he declared. “What we are doing here, everything is at a standstill now. We are not doing business.”

 

When Akpabio replied with a curt “noted,” Goje shot back, “Noted, but not sustained?”

 

Efforts by Akpabio to calm the situation proved unsuccessful as Goje insisted the cluster of senators at the chair disperse so plenary could resume properly.

 

Akpabio, offering an explanation, said the brief meeting was to determine whether the Senate should proceed in view of a scheduled appointment at the Presidential Villa by 1 p.m.

 

“Everybody you see here was invited by the chair for a brief discussion in continuation of today’s sitting,” he said, again urging Goje to join the discussion. “Please, approach the chair so you can also be part of it.”

 

But Goje declined.

 

“I don’t want to be part of it. I’m opposed to this. I will not come. It’s unparliamentary. It’s wrong,” he maintained.

 

He later reminded the chamber that the day’s sitting coincided with the launch of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem at the Presidential Villa.

 

The confrontation left plenary briefly stalled before normal proceedings eventually resumed.

ACPN to Lawmakers: Stop Chasing New Health Commissions, Fix Broken Oversight First

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

 

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has issued a blistering warning to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to halt the creation of new health commissions and instead repair the “collapsed oversight system” crippling existing health institutions.

In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Omokhafe Ashore, FPSN, the association said it was alarmed by fresh proposals at recent public hearings calling for the establishment of a Surrogacy Commission, a Tertiary Health Institutions Commission, and multiple Sickle Cell Centres across the country.

The ACPN dismissed the proposals as “economically unrealistic, administratively wasteful, and legally unnecessary,” insisting that the National Health Act (NH-Act) 2014 already provides the statutory framework for regulating tertiary healthcare through the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC).

“The attempt to create three commissions from structures already established in the NH-Act 2014 is unnecessary, especially concerning organ trafficking regulations and surrogacy procedures that are already captured under the NTHISC,” the statement said.

The pharmacists argued that the real problem is not the absence of commissions but the National Assembly’s failure to perform its constitutional oversight role.

“What is missing has been proper oversight responsibilities by the National Assembly, which ought to strengthen the NTHISC to carry out its statutory functions,” the group added.

Although acknowledging the heavy burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria, the ACPN described as financially reckless the proposal to establish several Sickle Cell Research Centres at once. It noted that key national research bodies such as NIPRD and NIMR remain grossly underfunded.

“Presently, NIPRD doesn’t enjoy a recurrent or capital expenditure budget of up to ₦20 million monthly. It is not appropriate to contemplate setting up parallel structures when gross underfunding persists in this research institute,” the association warned.

It also criticised the proposed organogram for the new centres, describing it as “unprecedented and administratively ridiculous.” Instead, the ACPN recommended the creation of a single national Sickle Cell Research Institute, supported by the 73 existing Federal Health Institutions.

The association further highlighted what it termed a “systemic failure of governance” within the Federal Ministry of Health, citing leadership gaps, partisanship, and administrative neglect. It listed several major red flags including:

  • Non-reconstitution of boards across 73 Federal Health Institutions
  • Failure to inaugurate boards of 13 regulatory councils
  • Dormant boards in multiple MDAs
  • Critical vacancies left unfilled for more than a year

The ACPN also referenced the ongoing JOHESU strike, which began on November 15, 2025, describing it as a symptom of deeper dysfunction worsened by 12-year unpaid entitlements and persistent government delays.

With Nigeria’s health budget already stretched thin, the association urged lawmakers to embrace cost-effective reforms instead of multiplying bureaucracies.

“One of the challenges, despite the highlighted absurdities, is a paucity of funds to support needed reforms. This must therefore compel very realistic initiatives,” the ACPN said.

The statement ended with a clear message to the National Assembly:

“Finally, the ACPN urges the National Assembly to create new bureaucracies only when it becomes obviously necessary.”

ACPN Demands Local Production of HIV Drugs as Funding Cuts Threaten Nigeria’s AIDS Respons

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

 

The National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, MAW, has called for urgent Federal Government investment in the local production of HIV medicines and commodities, warning that Nigeria’s progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS is now at risk due to shrinking foreign donor support.

In a statement issued on Monday to commemorate World HIV Day 2025, themed “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” Ezeh said Nigeria must immediately reduce its heavy reliance on external funding to prevent disruptions in treatment and prevention services.

“The recent cut in funding support from the United States Government should awaken the Federal Government of Nigeria to take decisive action,” he said, stressing that only strong domestic financing and policy commitment can sustain the national HIV response.

Ezeh noted that although Nigeria has demonstrated resilience through innovation, partnerships and advocacy, the changing global funding landscape demands a bold rethink.

“Today’s funding uncertainties require Nigeria to rethink, rebuild, and rise with renewed strategies grounded in evidence-based policymaking, innovation, and multi-sectoral collaboration,” he said.

The ACPN chairman highlighted worrying national data, including 1,400 new HIV infections and 50,000 AIDS-related deaths weekly in 2023, adding that an estimated 1.9 million Nigerians are currently living with HIV.

To prevent reversal of hard-won gains, Ezeh recommended three urgent policy actions:

He urged the Federal Government to approve Cabotegravir 600 mg and Rilpivirine 900 mg for eligible patients, saying long-acting injectables would ease pill burden, improve adherence, and significantly enhance treatment outcomes.

Ezeh stressed that community pharmacists already play key roles in HIV counselling, testing, and ARV refills. Expanding their involvement, he said, would improve case finding, ensure treatment continuity, and enhance national data accuracy—particularly critical as global funding declines.

He made a direct appeal for investment in domestic production of antiretrovirals, diagnostic kits and other essential commodities to reduce donor dependence, ensure uninterrupted supply, and strengthen the health system.

Expressing solidarity with people living with HIV, Ezeh urged all stakeholders to renew their commitment to ending the epidemic.

“As we mark World HIV Day, the Association extends warm solidarity to all people living with HIV and appreciation to every stakeholder committed to ending this epidemic. May today inspire renewed, transformative action,” he said.

The ACPN maintained that as external support continues to shrink, scaling up local manufacturing and integrating community pharmacists into the national HIV framework must become top priorities to safeguard treatment continuity and build long-term health system resilience.

AIDS Fight Must Reach Rural Communities, Says IHVN FCT Regional Manager

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

AIDS Fight Must Reach Rural Communities, Says IHVN FCT Regional Manager

 

…as FCTA Rallies Stakeholders on World AIDS Day 2025

 

 

 

The Regional Manager of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Tangkat Hosle, has urged government at all levels to strengthen community ownership and sustain innovations in the nation’s HIV response, warning that Nigeria risks missing the target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 without deeper grassroots engagement.

 

Speaking at the FCT Integrated Symposium for World AIDS Day 2025, Hosle said the commemoration held under the theme “Overcoming Disruptions: Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response” and sub-theme “Innovation, Collaboration and Integration: Securing the Future of HIV and the ATM Response in Nigeria” offers a timely opportunity to review progress and renew commitment to controlling HIV/AIDS.

 

“I want to appreciate the government of Nigeria for this opportunity to mark this very wonderful day, the World AIDS Day 2025. This provides an opportunity for us to review our interventions and look at how far we’ve gone,” he said.

 

Hosle stressed that innovation and sustainability remain central to keeping HIV services uninterrupted, especially for people living with HIV (PLHIV).

“This topical area helps each and every one of us and PLHIVs to take ownership of the HIV response. From the national down to the local government levels, sustainability allows us to contribute meaningfully to controlling HIV/AIDS,” he said.

 

He reaffirmed IHVN’s commitment to deepening collaboration with government, strengthening health systems, and advancing modern treatment and prevention methods.

While acknowledging remarkable progress, he cautioned that HIV/AIDS still disproportionately affects vulnerable populationsparticularly the poor, women and children despite the transformation of HIV from a fatal illness into a manageable chronic condition.

 

Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babagana Adams, said no HIV intervention would be fully effective unless rural populations are prioritised.

 

“The people who need the message more are in the communities,” she said.

“We can’t succeed in sustaining the campaign against AIDS without going closer to the rural areas.”

 

Fasawe said this year’s theme underscores the need to mobilise local resources to close funding gaps while ensuring that people living with HIV do not face additional barriers.

She identified insecurity, limited access to certain communities, and persistent stigma as major constraints to HIV control in the FCT.

 

“The government is committed to ensuring access, affordability and availability so that treatment success rates improve,” she added.

 

Director of the FCT Department of Public Health, Dr. Dan Gadzama, said a First-Class Committee has been established to intensify grassroots mobilisation across all six area councils.

 

“We educate people about HIV, including the availability of treatment and preventive services. Treatment is free,” he said.

 

He noted that community mobilisers, PLHIV support networks and civil society groups were working closely to expand awareness and service uptake.

 

Gadzama confirmed that although external support particularly from the United States has declined, the FCT is shifting its focus to mobilising domestic resources to sustain the HIV response.

 

“With dwindling funding, it is important that programmes like malaria, tuberculosis and other health services are integrated to minimise cost and ensure wider access,” he explained.

 

According to him, global innovations including monthly long-acting injectable drugs for HIV prevention are helping countries maintain service delivery despite funding disruptions.

 

 

Responding to calls for more community-level engagement, Gadzama said field activities had already begun and would continue across the area councils throughout the week.

 

“As a matter of fact, activities started in all the area councils on Sunday and will continue till Friday. This event is simply for key stakeholders to dialogue on ways to close gaps in HIV services,” he said.

 

He assured that the FCT Administration would continue working with local and international partners to ensure no community is left behind in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Akume , Wike Hail Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad as FCDA ES Ends Tenure on High Note

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

 

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has lauded the outgoing Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, FNSE, for what he described as a highly successful and impactful four-year tenure.

 

In a letter issued by the Office of the SGF and signed by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Akume commended Engr. Ahmad’s dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to national development, particularly his contributions to the growth of the Federal Capital Territory.

 

“Your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to national development, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, are duly noted and commendable. As you move on to the next phase of your career, kindly accept the best wishes of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for continued success and fulfilment,” the letter stated.

 

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has approved the full payment of severance entitlements to the outgoing Executive Secretary, acknowledging his meritorious service up to the completion of his tenure on Friday, November 21, 2025.

 

Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), was appointed Executive Secretary of the FCDA on November 22, 2021, and successfully completed his four-year mandate.

 

Group Seeks Arrest, Prosecution of Hoodlums Over Attacks on FCTA Officials, Destruction of Property in Kuchibena

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

 

 

 

A group under the auspice of the civil society organisation, Pro-Impact Initiative, has decried the renewed wave of violence in the Kuchibena community of Kafe District, Abuja, calling on security agencies to urgently arrest and prosecute hoodlums who attacked officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and set ablaze a truck conveying construction materials.

 

The group expressed concern that the attacks, if left unchecked, could degenerate into broader security threats within the Federal Capital Territory. In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the Executive Director of the group, Dr. Osamudiamen Isokpehi, described the incidents as “reckless assaults on constituted authority” that must not be tolerated.

 

“The unfolding criminalities in Kuchibena community are a source of concern to us,” Isokpehi said.

 

“On Monday, November 24, 2025, officials of the Development Control Department came under attack during a post-removal cleanup exercise in Winning Clause Estate, during which their vehicle was vandalised in broad daylight.”

 

According to the group, the situation escalated when hoodlums launched another attack on Wednesday night, destroying buildings and setting a truck on fire.

 

“The assailants vandalised a truck delivering construction materials into the estate and later set it ablaze. Several buildings were also affected, as window glasses were shattered during the attack. This is totally unacceptable,” the statement added.

 

 

The Pro-Impact Initiative stated that its findings showed that the enforcement actions taken by FCTA officials were backed by four court judgments three from the FCT High Court and one from the Court of Appeal which affirmed that the developers of Winning Clause Estate had fully compensated the indigenous community.

 

“Following our investigations, we make bold to state, like the judges of the four courts, that Winning Clause Estate has fully compensated those on its property and even overcompensated them,” the group said.

 

It faulted former Coordinator of the Satellite Towns Development Department, Tanko Yamaho, accusing him of misleading natives by claiming they had not received compensation.

 

“Even Yamaho himself knows clearly that they have been compensated severally and even saw them with the money. So why is he now misleading them?” the CSO queried.

 

The group urged the FCT Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security chiefs to act decisively.

 

“We hereby call on the FCT Police Commissioner, the Director DSS and other security chiefs in the FCT to immediately bring these criminal hoodlums to book before they wreak more dangerous havoc. Enough is enough.”

 

It would be recalled that, the developers of Plot 67, Cadastral Zone C05, Kafe District, maintained that the Kuchibena community was compensated at least three times in 2011, 2015, and 2016 but refused to vacate the land despite repeated court rulings affirming the company’s ownership.

 

Counsel to Winning Clause Nigeria Limited, O. Marx Ikongbeh, Esq, told journalists during the enforcement exercise that the land was allocated to the company in 2011 under the Abuja Mass Housing Programme.

 

He explained that the company met a small settlement of about 20 houses when it took possession and initiated compensation procedures. However, despite receiving funds, the community repeatedly resorted to litigation.

 

“Compensation was paid not once, not twice, but three times,” Ikongbeh said.

“In its 2016 judgment, the FCT High Court ruled that the natives had no legal claim to compensation and declared them trespassers who must vacate the land.”

 

He noted that even after the judgment, the company continued to engage the community on humanitarian grounds, particularly as the settlement expanded due to illegal land sales.

 

“The Court of Appeal, in February 2025, upheld the company’s ownership, directed the villagers to vacate, and mandated the FCT Minister to give the company vacant possession.”

 

He revealed that the community also demanded money for traditional rites to “relocate their ancestors,” a request that was granted in 2016 under an agreement brokered by the Sa’peyi of Garki.

 

Despite the judgments and multiple compensations, he said the community continued expanding illegally, encroaching into parts of Ring Road 3 and selling land to non-natives who constructed buildings without approval.

 

Ondo Secures Slot in €18.3m Germany–EU Agriculture Project

By
Toyin Adebayo
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has been listed among seven states to benefit from a €18.3 million climate-smart agriculture programme jointly backed by the German government, the European Union and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

The initiative, known as the EU-VACE TARED Project, is designed to revitalise key agricultural value chains and strengthen rural economies. Running from October 2024 to September 2028, the project will be implemented by the German development agency GIZ in partnership with federal ministries and participating state governments.

Under the scheme, four major value chains — cocoa, dairy, tomatoes and ginger — will receive targeted support aimed at improving productivity, upgrading processing capacity and boosting farmers’ access to finance. The project also plans to equip smallholder farmers and agribusinesses with new skills and technologies while promoting climate-smart practices to reduce environmental impact.

 

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olaleye Akinola, described the state as a conducive and secure environment for agricultural investment when he hosted the project team in Akure. He said the state government is eager to collaborate and tap into opportunities the initiative will bring to local farmers and the wider economy.

 

The EU-VACE TARED programme is part of broader development cooperation efforts between Nigeria, the EU and Germany under the Global Gateway framework, aimed at strengthening food security, creating jobs and supporting sustainable economic growth across the country.

Reps Demand Full Disclosure from EFCC on Crude Oil Seizures, Question Lack of Naira-for-Crude Investigations

By
Ola Akinola
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0

ABUJA – The House of Representatives has demanded complete records of all crude oil seizures and sales from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), expressing concern over the anti-graft agency’s failure to conduct specific investigations into the government’s Naira-for-Crude-Oil policy.

During a resumed investigative hearing on Wednesday, the Ad-hoc Committee on the Implementation and Oversight of the Naira-for-Crude-Oil Policy challenged the EFCC’s incomplete documentation, which contained empty fields for crucial details like volume and grade of seized crude oil.

Committee Chairman Emerengwa Boniface Sunday directed the Commission to provide comprehensive data on all crude oil seizures under its supervision, including disposal rates, end users, and transaction currencies.

“The documents you submitted, including payment evidence, need more clarity on how the remitted amounts to the EFCC were calculated,” said Rep. Muhammed Bello Shehu, highlighting significant gaps in the agency’s submission. “In the same tables, the columns for crude volume and grade show ‘nil, nil,’ yet there should be a section indicating the value of what was seized.”

EFCC Special Adviser on Regulatory Compliance, Francis Usani, acknowledged that the agency had not conducted any direct investigations specifically under the Naira-for-Crude initiative, despite the policy being launched in 2024 to stabilize the naira and support domestic refineries.

“It is surprising that the national anti-graft agency has not investigated the Naira-for-Crude policy, which is a major government initiative aimed at easing operations for domestic refineries and reducing pressure on the naira and dollar,” Rep. Shehu stated. “Nigerians deserve transparency on this.”

The EFCC representative committed to revising the submission to include full details, clarifying that the agency primarily handles crude oil seizures rather than refined products.

The hearing was adjourned to December 4, 2025, with Chairman Sunday emphasizing that the probe represents constitutional oversight to strengthen Nigeria’s economic framework, not target any individual or institution.

Follow NewsFocus for continuing coverage of legislative investigations and economic policy oversight.

Reps Probe Delayed Stipends for Nigerian Students Abroad, Citing “Breach of National Trust”

By
Ola Akinola
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0

ABUJA – The House of Representatives has launched a major investigation into the prolonged non-payment of scholarship stipends to Nigerian students studying abroad, with lawmakers describing the situation as a “breach of national trust” that threatens the academic futures of the nation’s youth.

During an investigative hearing on Wednesday, the House Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships, and Higher Education Financing heard alarming testimony that students under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship have received no stipends for the entire 2025 fiscal year, with some arrears dating back to 2023.

Committee Chairman Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero condemned the delays as symptomatic of deeper bureaucratic failures. “A nation that sends its students abroad must be committed to funding them, guiding them, and protecting their dignity as an investment in the country’s future,” Ehindero stated.

Parents representing the Forum of Parents and Guardians of BEA Scholarship Recipients provided detailed evidence of the crisis, revealing that award letters guarantee beneficiaries a $500 monthly supplement, $600 annual allowance for feeding and books, $250 warm clothing allowance, $200 health insurance, and a $60,000 take-off grant—commitments the government has consistently failed to meet.

“The delays have severely hindered students’ ability to cover basic living expenses, jeopardizing their health, safety, and academic progress,” Forum Chairman Prince Ponfa A. Wuyep told lawmakers.

The investigation comes amid reports that currency fluctuations between the naira and dollar have caused payment shortfalls since 2023, compounding the scholarship program’s administrative challenges.

Speaker of the House Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Rep. David Agada, expressed grave concern that the payment delays “could negatively affect students’ education and motivation,” pledging that the 10th Assembly would work to improve administrative efficiency in scholarship disbursements.

The committee has committed to identifying the root causes of the funding gaps and ensuring proper processes are implemented to prevent future failures in the critical scholarship program.

 

 

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