2017: Kwara budgets N16m for fistula repairs

Plans are underway to increase fistula budget line in the Kwara State 2017 supplementary budget.

The State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulayman Alege announced this at Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin during the formal opening of free fistula repairs organised by the Kwara State Government in conjunction with the USAID Fistula Care Plus Project.

Alhaji Alege who said the sum of N10m was budgeted for fistula repairs in the 2016 budget promised that the government had increased the budget line to N16m.

He sought the support of Engender Health Fistula Care Plus Project for the establishment of Fistula Centre in Ilorin with a view to serving as service centre for fistula cases in the North Central geo-political zone.

Alhaji Alege said Kwara as a gateway between the North and South would is at vantage position to handle fistula repairs in the region.

The Commissioner added that the state is ready to partner with relevant Non-Governmental Organisations in improving the health care delivery of the people.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Alhaji Wasiu Odewale said the state is in the process of reviewing the 2017 appropriation Law and promised further support to the health sector.

Alhaji Odewale assured that the ongoing Supplementary budget process would favour increased in budget line for fistula repairs.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Ayinke Saka represented by Hajia Aminah Yahya described the fistula repair exercise as women project, saying that women lost dignity as result of stigma against fistula clients.

She enjoined women to attend antenatal care regularly and deliver under the supervision of skilled birth attendants to avoid coming down with fistula.

Earlier in his remarks, the Country Project Manager, Engender Health Fistula Care Plus Project, Chief Iyeme Efem explained that the pooled effort was organised to assist fistula clients in living normal lives.

Chief Efem said the Project is supporting a number of hospitals across the country in organising pooled fistula repairs and called for routine repairs to reduce backlog of fistula cases.

The Chief Medical Director of Sobi Specialist Hospital, Doctor Musa Sanni said the Hospital had managed two hundred fistula cases since the intervention begun in 2011 with the clients from rural communities and neighbouring states of Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Kogi and Lagos.

Fish out attackers of EFCC headquarters, MURIC

PRESS RELEASE:

FISH OUT ATTACKERS OF EFCC HEADQUARTERS 

Daredevil gunmen have shot into thepremises of the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) located at Wuse Zone 7, Abuja. The incident occurred yesterday, Wednesday 16^th August, 2017 around 5 am. 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)strongly denounces this attack. It is not only cowardly but also devilish. Thisattack is an open challenge to the Nigerian security agencies.

Even a kindergarten kid can easilyguess those behind the attack. Desperate attempts have been made to get the EFCC boss out of the anti-graft body. These attempts included subterfuge, blackmail and harassment but they all failed to yield the required result. Yesterday’s attack shows that looters of the Nigerian treasury are tired of using a willing National Assembly (NASS) to achieve its diabolical objective. This explains their resort to armed confrontation.

Though disheartening, the invasion of EFCC headquarters has opened another phase in the war against corruption. It has revealed very clearly that looters will stop at nothing to frustrate the ongoing anti-graft war. They are ready to shed blood.

 
MURIC calls for a strong response tothis cowardly act. All arms of the Nigerian security agencies have a duty to unveil the identity of the hoodlums and their sponsors. EFCC headquarters and other offices must be well fortified from now on with quick-response squads on permanent standby.

 
We charge Nigerians to renew theircommitment to the war against corruption. This is a war between light and darkness, a struggle between truth and falsehood, a tussle between good and evil. There must be no retreat, no surrender. We must not allow agents ofdarkness to overwhelm EFCC. It is about our future and the destiny ofgenerations yet unborn.

To this end, we commend the resilience, steadfastness and outstanding courage of the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. In particular, we appreciatetheir refusal to succumb to undue pressure from the NASS, their iron-castpolitical will to prosecute the war against corruption, their personalsacrifices and their commitment to prudence.

 
As we round up, we urge the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) to rise to the occasion, accept the challenge thrown by the attackers and bring them to book within a reasonable time.

 
The personal safety of EFCC operatives must be guaranteed and this is the responsibility of our security agencies. Only thus can they be able to concentrate on their specialassignments. Only thus can confidence be restored in the ability of the FederalGovernment to effectively prosecute the war against corruption.
 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
President, 
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

Workers Day: Ajibade expresses dismay over the plights of workers

A legal practitioner, Barrister Hassan Ajibade has called on Nigerian leaders to show serious concern to the plights of workers by raising their standard of living.

Barrister Ajibade made the call today in Saki, Oyo State in a statement to commemorate the twenty-sixteen world workers day.

The legal practitioner who shared in the pains of an average Nigerian workers said there was nothing to show for their dutiful and dedicated service to the country.

He called on labour leaders to guard against undue infiltration of its ranks by selfish and heartless leaders for the general good and wellbeing of members.

Barrister Ajibade urged workers to remain committed and dedicated to service of the fatherland despite various challenges.

Medical students to spend seven years, not 11 – NUC

The National Universities Commission has described as erroneous and misleading the news making the round that Nigerian medical students will now spend 11 years to obtain their first degree.

The NUC’s Head, Information Department, Mrs. Adebukola Olatunji, said in a statement on Monday that medical students will only spend seven years in school, rather than 11 years which was widely reported in the news.

Olatunji said newsmen misrepresented the NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, who was quoted to have announced the 11-year training period for medical students while giving the keynote address at the matriculation and inauguration of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, on March 12, 2016.

She said nowhere in the keynote address, entitled, “Development of Medical Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges,” was 11 years mentioned or implied.

According to Olatunji, what Okojie explained was that the NUC’s basic minimum academic standard for Medicine and Surgery had been reviewed such that anyone wishing to study Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry will first have to study any of the four-year basic medical science courses, such as Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry and Physiology, before proceeding to the clinical training that would run for three years.

She said, “Although, the so-called ‘11-year Medical Programme’ stories have been credited to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie’s keynote address, titled, ‘Development of Medical Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges’, which was delivered at the Matriculation and Inauguration of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, on Saturday, March 12, 2016, nowhere in that lecture was 11 years mentioned or implied.

“Prof. Okojie, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary l, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, had explained that the new curriculum provides for a seamless seven-year programme.

“With the new curriculum, a medical student would be expected to graduate in Basic Medical Sciences, with options in Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry and Physiology in the first four years, before proceeding for the clinical training that would run for three years.”

Culled: The Punch

Medical students to spend seven years, not 11 – NUC

The National Universities Commission has described as erroneous and misleading the news making the round that Nigerian medical students will now spend 11 years to obtain their first degree.

The NUC’s Head, Information Department, Mrs. Adebukola Olatunji, said in a statement on Monday that medical students will only spend seven years in school, rather than 11 years which was widely reported in the news.

Olatunji said newsmen misrepresented the NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, who was quoted to have announced the 11-year training period for medical students while giving the keynote address at the matriculation and inauguration of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, on March 12, 2016.

She said nowhere in the keynote address, entitled, “Development of Medical Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges,” was 11 years mentioned or implied.

According to Olatunji, what Okojie explained was that the NUC’s basic minimum academic standard for Medicine and Surgery had been reviewed such that anyone wishing to study Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry will first have to study any of the four-year basic medical science courses, such as Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry and Physiology, before proceeding to the clinical training that would run for three years.

She said, “Although, the so-called ‘11-year Medical Programme’ stories have been credited to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie’s keynote address, titled, ‘Development of Medical Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges’, which was delivered at the Matriculation and Inauguration of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, on Saturday, March 12, 2016, nowhere in that lecture was 11 years mentioned or implied.

“Prof. Okojie, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary l, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, had explained that the new curriculum provides for a seamless seven-year programme.

“With the new curriculum, a medical student would be expected to graduate in Basic Medical Sciences, with options in Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry and Physiology in the first four years, before proceeding for the clinical training that would run for three years.”

Culled: The Punch

Nuclear Security Summit: Buhari, Ahmed, others leave for US

President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja for Washington DC tomorrow, Wednesday, March 30, 2016 to join President Barack Obama and about 60 other world leaders and heads of international organisations at the 4th Nuclear Security Summit which opens there on Thursday.

At plenary sessions of the summit which is dedicated to reinforcing international commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, President Buhari will insist that while Nigeria will continue to sustain that commitment, world powers must respect the right of other countries to the peaceful use of nuclear energy for development purposes.

The President will reaffirm Nigeria’s stance that international efforts to ensure greater security of nuclear materials should maintain a balance between nuclear non-proliferation obligations and the indisputable right of Nigeria and other countries to harness nuclear energy and technology for socio-economic development.

It will be recalled that at a meeting with him in Abuja earlier this month, President Buhari told the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mr. Yukiya Amano that the Federal Government will welcome greater support from the agency for Nigeria’s aspiration to begin the generation of electricity with nuclear energy.

While in Washington DC for the Nuclear Security Summit, the President and his delegation which includes Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) and the Director-General of Nigeria’s Nuclear Regulatory Agency, Prof Lawrence Anikwe Dim, will also hold bilateral meetings with other participating Heads of Government and high-ranking United States Government officials.

President Buhari will depart Washington DC for Abuja on Sunday.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 29, 2016

Medical students to spend 11 years in varsity − NUC

The National Universities Commission has declared that any student who wants to study medicine will henceforth spend a minimum of 10 years in the university.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie made the declaration in a lecture delivered at the maiden matriculation and inauguration of the University of Medical Science, Ondo, Ondo State.

In a lecture titled ‘Development of Medical Education : Prospects and Challenges‘, Okojie, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, said the development was imperative in order to enable the students mature psychologically for the profession.

He said the 2015 document for the training of medical students made provision for students to spend the first four years in studying basic sciences in university after which they would proceed to the medical school to spend another seven years.

Stressing the need for adequate funding of medical training and practice, the NUC Executive Secretary admonished the management of the institution to ensure that the money earmarked for the development of the institution was used for the purpose it was meant.

The Visitor of the school and Ondo a State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, in his speech said the university was expected to leverage on the benefits of the medical complex around the institution to advance efforts in medical research and training.

He expressed optimism that the institution would be a leading internationally-recognised platform for raising crops of professionally-competent individuals in the various disciplines of the health care industry.

“It is our hope and belief that it will provide sound scientific, technological and professional training to address identified health needs and problems, solve them within the context of community and national needs and sustainable development,” Mimiko said.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Friday Okonofua, said the that the university would achieve the objectives for which it was established, appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to render assistance to the varsity by contributing to the  ‘Friends of UNIMED Funds’ initiatives which was targeted at raising N1billion for the school .

He lauded the initiative of the Ondo State government for the establishment of the university describing it as the most creative and innovative idea that has taken place in the development of tertiary education in the country

Culled from PUNCH