News Agency of Nigeria
Health

Nigeria working towards ensuring world class healthcare system – Official

By Okon Okon

The Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs Maureen Allagoa, says Nigeria is working towards ensuring that the nation’s healthcare system meets the global standards.
Allagoa made this known at the 2nd Board/Management Retreat of ProHealth Limited HMO (Health Maintenance Organisation), organised by the NSITF management on Friday at Gora village in Nasarawa State.
The retreat was for the orientation of the newly appointed Directors of Pro Health HMO Limited and management of NSITF.
The retreat has as theme, ‘Nigeria health insurance ecosystem: the place of ProHealth HMO limited’.
It is aimed at re-strategising and repositioning the health sector for better performance and provision of qualitative service delivery to the enrolees.
“You can’t talk about the history and growth of health insurance in Nigeria without the mention of Pro health HMO.
“The importance of health insurance in Nigeria can never be over emphasised as it cushions the potential negative impacts of the persistent under funding in the health sector.
“It provides financial risk protection for Nigerians by ensuring the availability of pool of funds for the provision of their healthcare needs, ” she said.
Also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said the retreat was a unique opportunity for the stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting the Nigerian Health Insurance sector, with a particular focus on the role of ProHealth HMO Limited.
Represented by Chief Emmanuel Nwosu, Ngige said Nigerian healthcare sector had faced numerous challenges over the years, including inadequate funding, low insurance penetration and inadequate infrastructure.
Ngige said: “These challenges have made it difficult for many Nigerians to access affordable and quality healthcare services.
“However, the emergence of HMO like ProHealth has played a crucial role in bridging this gap.”
According to him, the firm has been at the forefront of providing access to quality healthcare services for Nigerians by partnering with healthcare providers to provide affordable healthcare services to its enrolees.
Earlier, Prof. Gabriel Okenwa, Chairman, Board of Directors ProHealth Ltd, said that Nigerians deserved the provision of efficient healthcare system with modern healthcare facilities.
Doing so, he said, required enormous capital and resources which could only be achieved through ‘Social Security’.
“Looking at section 17 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, adequate health and medical facilities for Nigerian are guaranteed in the constitution .
“The only way to raise these laudable objectives is through social security and you know Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is the parent company of ProHealth HMO in Nigeria.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Health

Financial Times rating excites Neveah Ltd

By Aderogba George

The management of Neveah Company has expressed appreciation to Financial Times, a leading world newspaper publication for listing it as the fastest growing company in Africa.

Mr Ibidapo Lawal, the Chief Executive Officer, Neveah Ltd. said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

Neveah Ltd made the Financial Times 2023 Africa’s fastest growing companies ranking in its new rating.

According to him, we are delighted to be recognised as one of the fastest growing firms in Africa by Financial Times, this great feat has been achieved through an ability to take calculated risks.

He said Neveah had been consistent in business and human development, adding that its commitment to best practices was top notch.

He said,: “We hope to keep achieving greater milestones as we go ahead to build a world class commodities export firm but nevertheless, this ranking goes to show just how far we have come in the last nine years.”

The Financial Times, a leading world business newspaper and digital publication rated Neveah Ltd. , an indigenous commodities export company ahead of several top brands in Africa.

The publication was released on May 2.

He said Neveah ranked high on the list, leading renowned companies like Julius Berger, Dangote PLC, MTN, Sterling Bank, Flour Mills, amongst others.

Neveah was ranked 18 on the list of FT/Statista 2023 Africa’s Fastest-growing companies. Known for commodities export, the organisation places priority on delivering quality products at great prices.

According to Financial Times and Statista, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue from 2018 to 2021 was a major criterion for listing.

He said, in five years, Neveah Ltd. had recorded a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 68 per cent and 176 per cent on revenue and profitability respectively.

He said: “It has also registered a N10 billion commercial paper with FMDQ Exchange in 2021, raised a total of N14.96 billion and has currently repaid N14.54 billion.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Culture & Tourism

Culture Advocate calls for preservation of African heritage

Ikenna Osuoha

Ms May Ikokwu, a Culture Advocate and Chief Executive Officer of Save Our Heritage
Initiative (SOHI), has called for preservation of African heritage.

She made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday
in commemoration of the 2023 African World Heritage Day, annually celebrated on May 5 for people around
the world to celebrate Africa.

The day was declared by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2018.

Ikokwu, therefore, said Africa is blessed with intangible assets inherited from past generations, including monuments,
languages and vegetation which should be preserved.

She reiterated the need for preservation of the African cultural heritage, adding that they were significant in defining peoples’ true Identity.

She said “there are over 2,000 recognised languages on the continent. The most spoken language is Arabic, followed by English, Swahili
and French.

“Africa, according to UNFPA, has 1.1 billion people, and over half of the population are under the age of 25 years.”

Ikokwu urged African governments at different levels to evolve policies that would preserve the cultural heritage.

The culture advocate expressed the imperatives of fighting malaria and other diseases that tend to threaten African heritage.

According to her, the World Health Organisation says about 90 per cent of malaria cases in the world take place in Africa.

She advised that more effort aimed at preserving lives and cultural identities be put in place in the fight against malaria.

She added that it was time to prevent Africa’s cultural and natural gifts from the risk of losing universal value.

Ikokwu, who warned against negative influence and pressure of foreign culture affecting Africa, called for stronger
resistance against such incursions.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chidinma Agu/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Metro

FCTA cautions residents against environmental degradation, distortion of master plan

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has cautioned residents of the territory against activities that lead to environmental degradation.

The Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, made the call at the commemoration of 2023 World Earth Day with the theme: “Invest in our planet” held on Thursday in Abuja.

Shuaibu decried the unending distortion and destruction of the Abuja Master Plan by some residents of the nation’s capital.

He said illegal felling of trees, building on water channels and road corridors have distorted and destroyed the plan for development of Abuja.

Earlier, Mr Tunde Imolehin, Senior Special Assistant on Environment and Waste Management to the Minister of FCT, said the objective of the commomeration of world earth day in FCT was to guide residents on how to dispose of their waste properly.

“To make our stay in this planet meaningful, we must invest wisely. We must take proper care of the environment, conserve and preserve the limited resources.

“The world earth began in 1970 in the United States to highlight the importance of our planet and the conservation of its ecosystems on all continents and oceans.

” Since then, the world’s attention has been drawn to the challenges facing mankind and the environment and ways to manage them.”

In his presentation, the Director FCT Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, disclosed that over 10,000 illegal structures were demolished in the last eight years in the FCT.

He also revealed that 300 hectares of land was recovered as the administration’s commitment to restore sanity in the territory.

Galadima said the measure was pertinent to reverse the norms affecting the officials from restoring the master plan and sanity across the city.

He called for the review of the development plan of the city, which according to him, a consultant should be engaged to drive the reforms.

Mr Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of FCT on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, suggested that the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, known as VIO and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), should be carried along as critical stakeholders.

“There are many rickety vehicles, motorcycles emitting smoke that are destroying the ozone layer. Everyone of us must be involved in tree planting and must not be deterred to protect and secure the plants.”

He, however, urged residents not to build on concrete jungles by destroying the green areas.

” The planet is getting very hot, we must start to change the narrative so that our children will not pay for the destruction we are doing to the earth,” Attah said. (NAN)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Metro

AMAC, CSOs develop second action plan on accountability in governance

By Ruth Oketunde

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in collaboration with some civil society organisations organised a two-day workshop to promote open government partnership and accountability in governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is tagged “AMAC Open Government Partnership Sensitisation and Action II Development Workshop”.

Mrs Abiodun Essiet, Consultant, Development Partners, AMAC, said the workshop was aimed at encouraging accountability and transparency in procurement processes in the council.

“AMAC is the only local government area in Nigeria to join the OGP global, based on their committment to promoting accountability and transparency of government processes.

“The council signed up to OGP in 2020 and since then we developed the first action plan and completed it last year and we are about to develop the second action plan.

“This action plan is centered around open procurement and to continue citizens participation in budgetary process,” she said.

Similarly, Mr Semiye Michael, Executive Director, DEAN Initiative, said the event is aimed at mainstreaming the committment and participation of the citizens into a people-centered budget at the local government level.

He added that it was important for projects and contracts to be free of corruption, open to gender and PWDS inclusion and open to all contracting processes.

“We noticed that the concentration of governance has been on the national government over the years but there are constitutional responsibilities of the local governments.

“There are roles which the local governments should play in development, such as provision of primary health care, primary schools, water and sanitation activities at community level.

“This is what we are using the open government partnership to achieve at the governance level of the local government,” he said.

Also, Mr Attahiru Ibrahim,
Director of Administration, AMAC, added that the council was committed to promoting open government partnership with the people at the grassroot.

“The council was committed to achieving the OGP plan as we are committed to ensuring a open procurement process for everyone to participate.

“We also want more women to key into these procurement processes, as we will ensure that we implement all projects the citizens want and not deciding for them,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

General News

CSO tasks stakeholders on press freedom

By Naomi Sharang

Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has tasked stakeholders in Nigeria to ensure the protection of the press from undue interference in the discharge of its duties.

The group’s Executive Director, Ms Faith Nwadishi said this on Thursday in Abuja at the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day organised by CTA in collaboration with the Abuja chapter of the University of Calabar, Theatre Arts Alumni Association (UCTAA).

”We call on all well- meaning Nigerians to join us in standing up for the press and protecting them from undue interference.

”We are here to not only commemorate the World Press Freedom Day but to celebrate the resilient and indefatigable Nigerian press and journalists who have kept the flag flying high amid stifling environment and circumstances,” she said.

Nwadish said that UNESCO acknowledged that freedom of expression was a driver for all other human rights.

“The press must be allowed to fulfill its roles as a watchdog for society, educate and inform citizens and generate public opinion without fear of harassment, violence, or undue pressure from government or other actors,” she said.

She expressed concern over Nigeria’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index which she said had fallen further to 123 out of 180 countries in 2023.

The executive director said that the ranking had reinforced the urgent need to address the challenges facing the press and protect its rights to operate freely without fear of intimidation or harassment.

“As we mark World Press Freedom Day, we must reaffirm our commitment to upholding the fundamental right to freedom of expression and ensuring that journalists can carry out their critical work without undue interference or censorship.

“The press is a vital component of any democratic society and we must work together to protect and promote press freedom,’’ Nwadishi said.

She reminded media practitioners of their social responsibilities in society by discharging by discharging their duties without fear or hindrance.

“ A free press is critical to any democratic society and we must do all we can to protect and promote it,” she said.

Earlier, the alumni coordinator, Mr MacDonald Ekemezie, said that the association was established to serve as a rallying point for former school mates.

“We are also communicators and therefore, we said it is important we join our voice to reinforce the voice to say that the press should be free.

“A lot of our members are practicing journalists so whatever affects the core media also affects us. We say no to molestation, harassment and intimidation of journalists.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3 as a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

The 2023 theme is “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”. (NAN)(ww.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

General News

WPFD : FAME Foundation warns against bullying women journalists

By Deji Abdulwahab

The FAME Foundation has warned against threats to life, stigmatisation, discrimination and cyber bullying of women journalists, urging government at all levels to protect them by all means.

Its Executive Director, Ms Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, gave the advice on Wednesday at a news conference held in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day 2023 (WPFD) in Abuja.

Ogunleye-Bello said the call became necessary as it would enable journalists to enjoy their right to freedom.

She praised women journalists in particular and called for an end to the bullying that some women journalists were facing.

“On this day, I celebrate journalists for their courage, passion, and determination to bring the news to every corner and nook of the earth.

“I particularly celebrate women journalists and ask for a stop to cyber bullying, threats to life, slut-shaming, and discrimination for doing their job.

“They have the right to practice journalism and report the news like any other person. The rights of women journalists are human rights, protect them,” Ogunleye-Bello said.

According to her, press freedom is the foundation of free speech, adding, ”if the press is allowed to speak freely, so would the general public.”

She added that marking the day should serve as a reminder to the government of their commitment to press freedom and media workers.

Ogunleye-Bello urged other media outlets and personnel to be vigilant and truthful in their duties, refrain from bribery, stop publishing false news and always defend their integrity.

Ogunleye-Bello expressed her excitement, love, and respect for the media and the tremendous expansion of media companies in Nigeria.

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3 every year and the theme 2023 is: “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Culture & Tourism

Indian community in Nigeria celebrates 100th episode of “Mann ki BAAT”

By Taiye Olayemi

Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP), Indian community in Nigeria, has celebrated the 100th episode of the nation’s “Mann ki BAAT”.

Mr Sanjay Srivastava, President of OFBJP, Nigeria chapter disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mann Ki Baat, which is in Hindi, means “Speaking from heart”

It is an Indian radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he addresses the people of the nation.

Srivastava said the programme, which began in Oct. 3, 2014, had become a key pillar of the government-citizen outreach programme addressing multiple social groups.

He said that the broadcast, usually done every last Sunday of the month, had its 100th episode held in April 30, 2023.

Srivastava noted that the platform had enabled the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi speak directly with every Indian across the globe through radio broadcast.

According to him, the women, youths and farmers are all addressed and the engagement has spurred various community action.

“We celebrated the 100th episode of Mann ki BAAT because for us, it is historic.

“Mann ki BAAT is a platform we have enjoyed since 2014 and our Prime Minister has been able to boost Indians’ confidence in his governance.

“For us, it is a celebration of unity, peace and harmony among Indians across the globe and we look forward to this.

“The radio broadcast was held in 10 locations within Nigeria like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, Abuja and more,” he said.

Srivastava urged all Indians to embrace and appreciate the qualities of others as advised by Prime Minister Modi.

Modi said, “Friends, for me, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has been like worshipping the qualities in others. I had a guide – Shri Laxmanrao ji Inamdar.

“We used to address him as Vakeel Saheb.

“He always used to say that we should worship the qualities of others.

“No matter who is face to face with you, be it your compatriot, be it your opponent, we should try to know about their good qualities and learn from them.

“This trait of his has always inspired me. ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has become a great medium to learn from the qualities of others,” he said. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Vivian Ihechu

Education

Forum seeks sustainable mentorship of students

By Angela Atabo

The Princeton Leadership Forum on Wednesday called for sustainable mentorship of students and young people with a view to position them to be great future leaders of Nigeria.

Dr Chibuike Echem,  president of the forum (PLF), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a Leadership class for the Students and Prefects of Britach Secondary school, Lugbe-Abuja.

Echem said the leadership masterclass was the forum’s first edition booth camp targeted at prefects of secondary schools across the country to empower the students with the requisite leadership skills for effective engagement.

He said: “We believe there is need for us to begin to focus effort towards the re-engineering of our leadership architecture in Nigeria, how we breed and produce our leaders.

“We believe that it is time for us to begin to create a mentorship structure to impact young people.

“For example, what you have here are prefects from different schools coming together to be thought on problem solving, emotional intelligence among others.

“So, what Princeton is doing is bridging the leadership gap by bringing these young people together and teaching them these foundational principles of leadership.

“This is because it is said that everything rises and falls on leadership because a healthy nation is a product of the structure of her leadership.”

Mrs Hauwa Shehu, Co-Founder/Business Development Officer, Noor pain De vie Services Ltd, said that the students were taught on how to interpret their emotions as well as those of the people around them.

She said: “This programme being held by Princeton gives them the best opportunity to become the best leaders that they could be in the future.

“Sorting them out young is the best move that anybody can make.

“We keep talking about changing Nigeria, and we need to start while they are still young so that the leaders that turn up tomorrow will be better than what we have today.

“This is probably the best move you can make for any child in life. Start them out young, teach them how to be better persons, teach them how to master their emotions and teach them how to lead better and you would have done your job as parents.”

Mr Chibuzo Okereke, Legislative and Policy Expert Leadership Coach, said the aim of the event was to catch young people early to inculcate leadership skills in them.

“Leadership is critical worldwide to building nations, societies and families.

“So, we designed this programme specially to target young leaders who may not even understand what leadership is about but they found themselves in leadership positions.

“This boot camp is to equip them with relevant skills and principles of leadership, emotional intelligence, problem solving skills, personal and interpersonal relationships, and communication skills among others,” he added.

Some of the participants who spoke with NAN commended the organisers of the programme for the initiative.

Miss Kamsi Okafor, Head Girl, Britach Secondary School, Abuja said she learnt a lot from the boot camp and would apply the knowledge positively.

“I have learnt a lot; I learnt about how the power of your behaviour affects leadership, how not to be a dictator, how to carry people along and its a good experience.

“I believe that if I keep following this trajectory wherever I go in life I will keep on prospering,” she said.

Mr Clement Desmond, Head Boy of the school commended the forum for the initiative and promised to apply the knowledge in his future endeavours. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Bashir Rabe Mani

Politics

FG urges Senate to direct query on N6trn unpaid ground rent to OSGF

By Naomi Sharang

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola has urged the Senate Ad hoc Committee investigating the N6 trillion unpaid ground rent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

Fashola said this when the Senate ad hoc committee chaired by Sen. Adamu Aliero (PDP-Kebbi) visited the ministry on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate had on March  29, set up an ad hoc committee to investigate and recover the over N6 trillion accrued from the non-payment of ground rent from property owners across the country.

The motion was moved by Sen. Yusuf Yusuf (PDP-Taraba).

Fashola, during the meeting, told the Senate committee that the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) that issued receipts on the property, was under the purview of the SGF and not his ministry.

The minister said that  he only knew about the activities of the PIC after requests were forwarded to him to sign Certificate of Occupancy on the property.

He said, “About two years or so when they started passing C-of-Os to me to sign and I said where is the delegation. Because the power to sign C-of-Os are vested in the President for land belonging to federal government and in the state governors for lands belonging to the states.

“In the process, I saw a body called the  Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC), the body that was supposedly issuing receipts and all of that. Anytime I sought to find this body, nobody showed up.

“As we are getting close to the end of term, I now formally wrote, I asked the Director of Lands to write them, to ask to tell me what they are doing.

“They (PIC) replied that they are not accountable to our office and they are in the SGF office and that they report to the presidency.

“So, as far as your letter seeks to ask us to account for the PIC, they don’t report to us.

“I will advise that you direct your enquires about what the PIC does to the SGF since the organisation does not report to me, I cannot account for them.”

He said that most of the C-of-Os that he had signed were the pending requests dating  back to 15, 20 years.

“In the last few years, some CofOs that have come to me, I have issued queries about them about the way payment was done,” he said.

Aliero, while briefing reporters after the meeting, said that his panel would engage the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) over the disposal of federal government ground rent next week.

He said that about N18 billion had been recovered and that efforts are being made to collect the balance.

Aliero said: “They explained to us how much has been collected so far. They have close to N18 billion and efforts are been made to collect the remaining money.

“Within the next three weeks, we will come back for an update. I’m sure they will be able to collect whatever is due to the federal government on all federal government property either sold or still under the hold of the federal government,”he said.

He assured that his committee would unravel all the property owned and sold by the Federal Government in various states and FCT and the payment mode of the ground rent.

“You will agree with me that in this era of revenue shortfall and federal government is trying to diversify all sorts of revenue other than oil. When they hear N6 trillion, definitely, a lot of attention will be given to it.

“I know the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is doing its best to diversify revenue collection. We have a nominal increase from N800 billion in 2017 to over N5 trillion now.

“If we have ground rent added to it, certainly it will reduce incidence of borrowing by the federal government.”(NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

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