By Taiye Agbaje

An 11 year-old Nelson George has filed an N100 million suit against Limi Children’s Hospital Limited for alleged misdiagnosis and mistreatment leading to the damage of one of his testes.
Nelson, who instituted the suit through his father, Bankole George, also prayed Justice Akanbi Yusuf of FCT High Court, Kubwa, to make an order directing the hospital to pay the sum of N5 million to him as cost of filing the suit.
In the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/7356/2023 dated and filed on Aug. 28 by his lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong of Fred-Young & Evans LP, Nelson further prayed the court for an order directing the medical outfit to issue a letter of apology to him for the alleged misconduct.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the claimant also joined Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Investigation Panel and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as 2nd to 4th defendants in the matter.
The claimant equally urged the court to declare that the 2nd to 4th defendants ought to be more proactive in ensuring that they perform their duties under their mandate as provided in the respective legislations establishing them to protect and promote his interests and wellbeing, including that of members of the Nigerian public.
In his joint statement of claim, Nelson said he was 11-year old presently “in Junior Secondary School 3 and lives under the parentship of Bankole George who is his next friend and legal guardian.”
“Bankole George (“Bankole”) is the biological father of the claimant.
“He is a Grade Level 18, Step 11 Director of Dangote Cement Plc. and a subscriber of the Platinum package of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS AXA MANSARD),” the statement said.
It said that Nelson was one of the beneficiaries of Bankole’s Health Insurance Scheme in Abuja.
According to the statement, on 30th January, 2023, Bankole discovered that the claimant (Nelson) was having serious abdominal pains and his genital and scrotum were swollen.
“Bankole promptly rushed the claimant to the 1st defendant’s hospital which is one of the hospitals listed in Bankole’s package of the NHIS for himself and his family members to which the claimant is one.
“After preliminary checks, the claimant was admitted at the 1st defendant’s hospital for treatment,” it said.
It said that the hospital then conducted laboratory tests on Nelson, including a scan on his genitals.
“In the scan report, the Sonologist concluded that the claimant suffered from Epididymo-orchitis/Torsion.
“The claimant was admitted at the 1st defendant’s hospital for 4 (four) days to undergo treatment for acute Epidydymo-orchitis only without addressing the Torsion in the scan report.
“He was discharged from the 1st defendant’s hospital in the evening of 2nd February, 2023,” it said.
“Painfully, in the evening of 9th February, 2023, at about 11pm, the claimant complained of discomfort in his genitals and the same abdominal pains.
“Bankole took the claimant back to the 1st defendant’s hospital in the morning of Friday, 10th February, 2023.
“The claimant was again admitted and this time treated for malaria, sepsis and peptic ulcer disease with series of tests conducted once more.
“The abdominal pains subsided and the claimant was discharged the second time in the evening of 11th February, 2023,” it said.
It further said that on Feb. 13, Nelson again complained of excruciating abdominal pains and his genitals were swollen, and Bankole was advised to take the claimant to another hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment.
“The claimant was taken to Nisa Premier Hospital Abuja (“the Nisa Premier”),” it said.
After preliminary examination and a scan which showed that Nelson had Testicular Torsion (“TT”), an urologist and his team at Nisa Premier promptly carried out a surgery on his scrotum.
The statement alleged that they later discovered that Limi Children’s Hospital Limited’s delay in discovering and promptly carrying out a surgery on the claimant had led to a complete damage to one of his testes.
It said Limi Hospital, however, denied any wrongdoing and maintained that their action was in line with standard medical protocol.
Besides, Limi Hospital’s counsel, on April 6, also wrote to Nelson’s lawyer, Ekpenyong, and absolved the hospital from any wrongdoing or liability.
It said Nelson’s lawyer, therefore, petitioned the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and that when Nelson’s affidavit got to Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Investigation Panel, the panel said it had no jurudiction on the subject matter.
It said Ekpenyong thereafter petitioned the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission but the commission did not act on the complaint.
Nelson, therefore, averred that Limi Hospital owed him a duty as a patient to properly diagnose his medical condition to prevent a deterioration of his condition to the extent of losing one of his testes.
The defendants were yet to respond to the originating processes served on them as at the time of this report.
Justice Yusuf fixed Dec. 20 for hearing of the suit.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

===============
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

As Nigerians prepare for the yuletide and the attendant travels, the Ford Foundation’s Office of West Africa, has provided funding support to help the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

According to Dr ChiChi Aniagolu, Ford Foundation’s Regional Director in West Africa, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, the funds was to build the capacity of FRSC’s paramedics and operational officials.

Aniagolu said that this was to provide prompt and efficient accident rescue operations, preparedness and responsiveness to the very high accident rate on Nigerian roads.

She recalled that in the first quarter of  this year alone, 4,387 lives were lost and 14,108 individuals injured in road traffic accidents.

She also noted that the flag-off of the capacity building training programme, would adequately equip all FRSC officers participating in the training with enough skills to effectively carry out their duties.

Aniagolu said that with timely first aid and skilled first responders, more lives could be saved during accidents, especially as the festive season approaches when road accidents significantly increase.

“I am personally delighted that we are able to support this initiative of the FRSC because despite the harassment we citizens can sometimes experience from the FRSC personnel on the road, I am so proud of the work of the FRSC.

“We thank you for your service and commitments, and the risk and sacrifice you have been making for the past three decades to prevent and eradicate traffic accidents, attend to accident victims and create a safe motoring environment in Nigeria.

“FRSC is not only saving lives, but also an essential link to the development of Nigeria because the safe movement of goods, services, and human mobility contributes to economic growth and development,” she said.

According to her, the safety of Nigerian roads is an important public issue that needs to be a concern to everyone.

“In addition to the pioneer training in Abuja, same would also be replicated in Kano, Ibadan, and Enugu for FRSC staff in those locations.”

NAN recalls that the flag-off training held on Nov. 10, had the Director, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Simon Tyungu, who commended the Ford Foundation for its support and the FRSC for its commitment to enhancing the capacity of its staff.

The Ford Foundation is an international non-profit, philanthropy, that seeks to advance social justice by addressing the various drivers of inequality. (NAN)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

179 Nigerians have been awarded scholarship to study different programmes in Russia, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has said.

Mamman, who said this at the 2023/2024 Pre-departure briefing of Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars to Russia in Abuja on Tuesday, noted that the first batch of students were already on their way to the airport for departure.

According to him, the second and third batches will depart on Nov.15 and Nov. 17 respectively.

Represented by the Director of Universities Education in the ministry, Mrs Rakiya Ilyasu, Mamman advised the scholars not to see the opportunity as uncontrolled freedom to do things that would be to their disgrace.

He explained that the country had invested a lot in them and as such required the returns of investment on their return to the country.

“Note that you are few out of thousands who secured this opportunity which you must not take for granted. Your parents and teachers would also be happy with your succor.

“Your selection is part of a broader plan which ensures that brilliant Nigerians, especially those that cannot afford to study programmes that are not readily available in Nigeria, are supported to get necessary knowledge, skills and competence that would be useful in Nigeria’s development agenda.

“I am happy to inform you that in spite of the global economic meltdown, the number of our development partners have increased and many of them now offer scholarship to Nigeria.

“As you prepare to travel out, ensure to uphold and eschew good values, focus on your studies and be a good ambassador of your country,” he said.

The Minister also charged the scholars to always strive to abide by the laws of their host country and as well remember to be their brother’s keeper in their new environment.

“Most importantly, you need to make your presence known to the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow. This is very necessary based on our experiences from Ukraine.

“Your parents are also spending a lot of resources on you. Note that we all expert you return to our dear country at the end of your studies to assist Nigeria to become a better place by contributing your quota to its development, using your new knowledge and skills,” he added.

Also speaking, the Director, Federal Scholarship Board, Asta Ndajiwo said the journey began in November 2022 with applications from thousands of Nigerians which later translated to the nomination of the candidates.

Ndajiwo commended the Federal Government efforts especially in the payment of the scholars allowances from September to December.

She also advised the scholars to do away with any extracurricular activities that could take their lives, recalling an incident where two scholars lost their lives while swimming in a pool.

“We regret loosing two Nigerian scholars in Russia in the past that went to swim and in the process got drowned. We don’t want to loose anyone again and so we advise you stay away from water if you cannot swim.

“We want you to be your brother’s keeper, work hard and face your studies as you also be a good ambassador of the country. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Naomi Sharang

The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Malam Ali Muhammad Ali says the agency plans to expand its operations in line with the current global trend.

Ali said this at the Public Hearing on the 2024-2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

The hearing was organised by the Joint Committee on Finance, Appropriations, National Planning and Economic Affairs and Local and Foreign Debts.

Ali said that the management was thinking of expanding the agency’s operations to make it much more commercial oriented.

“The agency was established in 1976 with the primary responsibility to seek, obtain and receive through subscription payment, exchange for news materials and features.

“To basically distribute such news materials to subscribers against payment either in the form of news exchange.

“It has also engaged in enterprises that are auxiliary to the primary function of the agency.

“We can’t be self-funded because our sources of revenue…,though we have services we render which generate revenue for us but it cannot carter for our operations,” he said.

Ali added: “We are getting subvention from the national budget. We are dependent mostly on government.

“We have remitted to the federation account. Though we have remitted not much actually. By law, we remit 25 per cent of our generated revenue to the federation. account”.

A member of the committee, Sen. Ede Dafinone (APC-Delta) commended NAN on the well articulated MTEF/FSP document presented to the committee.

“This is one of the best presentation seen here. It’s very well put together”.

On his part, Sen. Osita Izunaso (APC-Imo) urged NAN to strive to be self-funding and self-financing.

“This is because NAN is like our own Reuters. And you have offices all over the place and even the news that you disseminate, media houses subscribe to, they pay to NAN. So why wouldn’t NAN strive to be self-funding.

“I think that should be the next target for NAN. Because even if you look at the budgetary provision for you it is paltry.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba Inuwa

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Open Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organisation has called for strict adherence to the Rule of Law to stimulate growth of a crime and corrupt free Nigeria.

Its Chairman, Mr Tunji Aworinde made the call at the 8th Annual conference on Financial Crime, Cross Border Crime and Governance Integrity on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was supported by Corporate Integrity, Summit Leadership Institute and Forensic Insight International Limited.

According to Aworinde, the call is imperative towards building a nation characterised by good governance and integrity.

He said there are great institutions in Nigeria, but wondered why lawlessness and disregard to rule of law is still on the rise.

He said that If we want to lead in this new Nigeria, we must all be guided by the rule of law regardless of our social status.

“There is hunger and anger in the land. The way we do things in the past has brought us poverty, insecurity and disappear. All these stemmed from lawlessness. It seems nobody respect the law any longer in Nigeria.

“Judges, police, lawyers, many citizens and even politicians that made the law don’t even respect the law. This is because there are no consequences.

“Those who fear the law are the downtrodden, who have no god fathers, and that is why it is more dangerous to steal a goat then to stealing billions of Naira.

“We want Nigeria to be a country of reason, peace and prosperity. The problems we have is not a natural disaster but a problem brought by our political leaders.

“The solutions to our problem lies in our hands. Our conference is for good governance, capacity building and empowerment and it is against financial crimes. Our campaign is for a new Nigeria, a nation of rule of law, peace and prosperity,” Aworinde said.

According to him, the challenges bedeviling the country are man made, adding that no problem of human density that is beyond human solution.

Also speaking, the Chief Judge of FCT High Court, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, said the recent attacks on the judiciary was bond out of lack of understanding of the judicial processes.

According to him, anyone that understands how the judiciary work will come to trust the judiciary.

“We don’t respond to public sentiment and sympathy. We are bounded by the law. We don’t do anything outside what happen before us in the court, and the laws are there to guide us.

“So whatever we do, we are always guided by the evidences that are produced before the court and the law that support the evidence, and we have judicial precedence.

“There is hardly anything that happens in Nigeria that has not been decided in the court. The public should trust the judiciary because we are all working for same purpose.

“And you will agree with me that without the judiciary in this country, I don’t know what would have become of Nigeria. I think the judiciary have stand strong in uplifting the rule of law in this country, ” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yusuf was represented at the event by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT High Court.

In a paper presentation on “Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition,” Prof. Paul Ananaba stressed the need for more intelligence and Artificial Intelligence in addressing money laundry.

According to him, money laundering is an evil that brings other issues and challenges to the country.

“There is need for international cooperation and collaborations. Let us continue to review and build capacity to ensure that we tackle money laundry.

“We must deal in our resolve to see that those who committed the crime should be prosecuted and punished according to the laws.

“One of our major problems is that, those who investigates do not have direct link to the prosecution team. Thus, the investigation team must also have prosecution team in it.

“Also, our crime cases should be timed. The judges that would handle the case should be dedicated. They should not handle other cases that would distract them.

“The National Orientation Agency should wake-up and do the needful. They should always reorient citizens of our values, because, people who stole money are worshiped and as such they escape justice,” Ananaba said.

NAN reports that the event attracted officials from the Nigeria Police Force, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, ICPC, CBN, FIRS, judiciary, INEC, NAPTIP, Legal Aid Council, Nigeria Computer Society, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the private sector using arts and technology to create employment and boost the economy.

The Director General of NGA, Mr Ebeten William Ivara stated this at the Maiden edition of the Creative Arts and Visual Imagery Centre’s (CAVIC) Festival of Art and Technology in Abuja.

Ivara lauded the centre for coming up with a programme of such nature, adding that it is  encouraging and a good platform for young artists to showcase their potential.

According to him, “this is what is expected of the private sector to move the sector forward.

“The private sector is supposed to be in the forefront while the government creates the enabling environment and helps them. My joy is that these private art galleries are coming up on fast,

“NGA is always ready to identify and collaborate with private sector and relevant stakeholders like CAVIC and others who are actually promoting art in their own ways.

“We have been having programmes with CAVIC. Our prayer is that the government will actually go a step further to regularly support and be involved in activities like this,’’ Ivara said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ivara was represented at the event by the Acting Director of Curatorial Service Department of the NGA, Mrs Mundung Akamai.

Similarly, a one-time Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Ogbole Amedu Ode says Creative Arts `is a low hanging ripe fruit.’

“Unfortunately however, government policies developed have not matured enough to begin to harvest this low ripe fruit.

“A convergence of Art and technology is something that should be taken seriously, so this outing to me is futuristic.

“Futuristic in the sense those other countries that are aware of the role of arts and technology going forward have decided to put it into their curriculum,

“A lot of people who graduated from Interactive Art and Technology today are being hired by NETFLIX or have contracts with NETFLIX.

“So I urge you, do not relent, though there are challenges in life, but don’t let the challenges put you down or put you off,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Creative Director of CAVIC, Philip Agbese Jnr said other countries  already have the art and technology activities in full operation with a lot of collaboration among sectors that is yielding amazing results.

“We in Nigeria are trying to play catch up, but there is no better time to do it than now. And that is why we are doing it now.

“Our people are becoming aware and the government cannot truthfully carry the burden of job creation. The private sector needs to look into what they can do and that is what brought me into this.

“I realize that there is creativity everywhere; there is creativity in technology and technology in creative and the arts. So we decided to get people in the arts and technology to collaborate, synergise and create wealth.

“The festival right now is Abuja-based, because we want people to come discover what Abuja is all about.

“However, in some years to come, we hope this festival goes global and reflects in the global calendar,’’ he said.

He added that if such happened, then the hospitality industry and tourism would blossom in Abuja.

He further explained that the event was self-funded via friends and family hoping that people would come and partner with CAVIC and create synergy to impact the lives of millions of youths

“We want the government and its agencies like NITDA and other relevant stakeholders to come and encourage us. We know that the government cannot do it alone, but they can create an enabling environment for the private sector to strive.

“A lot of youths in Nigeria are educated, they learn from Facebook, YouTube and many other platforms; once you give them what to do, it will amaze you.

“We are hopeful that this government will look towards improving the sector, taking the youths into consideration,’’

NAN reports that guests took a tour around  the various Art works and incubators of technologically driven Arts, Artificial Intelligence and creativity that has to do with `Data Couture’ with works of Teddy Atuluku and others on display. (NAN)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi