Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Monday 23rd May 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 23/05/22
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Afghanistan’s Female TV Presenters Cover Their Faces In Line With Taliban Order
Women presenters and reporters on TV channels in Afghanistan went on air with their faces covered on Sunday, in line with a Taliban order.
The day before, some of them had defied the edict and kept their faces visible, BBC News reports.
One presenter said women working in TV had resisted but their employers had come under pressure.
After seizing power last year, the Taliban have increasingly imposed restrictions on women’s lives in recent weeks.
Wearing hijabs and face-covering veils, women presented and reported on news bulletins and other programmes across popular channels such as TOLOnews, Ariana Television, Shamshad TV and 1TV.
TOLOnews presenter Farida Sial told the BBC: “It’s OK that we are Muslims, we are wearing hijab, we hide our hair, but it’s very difficult for a presenter to cover their face for two or three hours consecutively and talk like that.”
She said she wanted the international community to put pressure on the Taliban to reverse the edict.
“They want to erase women from social and political life,” she said.
Earlier the Taliban’s Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue ordered that all women must wear a face veil in public, or risk punishment – which was extended to TV presenters from Saturday.
After some women initially refused to comply, a Taliban official said they would talk to the managers and guardians of the presenters, who face the prospect of being penalised.
Sonia Niazi, a presenter with TOLOnews, told the AFP news agency: “We resisted and were against wearing a mask.”
But she said the channel was pressured and told that the female presenters must be moved to other jobs or sacked if they did not comply.
Khpolwak Sapai, the channel’s deputy director, said in a post on Facebook: “We are in a deep grief today.”
Another female Afghan journalist, who asked not to be named, told the BBC: “Today is another black day for the women of my country.”
And a senior TV executive said many female presenters fear the next stage will be to take them off air completely.
Most Muslims around the world do not consider women covering their faces in public to be a mandatory part of the religion, and the Taliban initially appeared to be adopting a more flexible approach after seizing control of the country in August last year.
But in recent weeks, they have imposed a series of restrictions on women’s lives, including assigning separate days for them to visit public parks and barring them from making longer journeys without a male guardian.
Media outlets were told of the decree last Wednesday, a religious police spokesman told BBC Pashto.
The ruling comes two weeks after all women were ordered to wear a face veil in public, or risk punishment.
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2023: Father Mbaka Lists Qualities He Told God Next Enugu Governor Should Have
Rev Father Ejike Mbaka
The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Sunday, said that Enugu people do not need a cult member as their next governor in 2023.
Mbaka stated this when a former Minister of Power, Prof Bart Nnaji, who is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, sought the cleric’s blessings during Sunday Holy Mass at the Adoration Ground, Emene.
Rev Father Ejike Mbaka
He said, “We are praying so that God will give us someone who is sane, a tested and trusted personality, a competent hand, a father, a lover, an industrialist, a visionary, a godly person, a down-to-earth humble personality.
“We don’t need terrorism in this state. We don’t want to hear that this one is in this cult while the other person is in another cult and then a cult war will start. They are all our children but we need a father to be governor so he will bring the entire Enugu together.”
While praying for the former minister, asking God to grant his heart desires, Mbaka said that his ministry had been praying for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that God should lead him to support a candidate that will sustain peace in the state after him.
Although the outspoken Catholic priest, said he had no preferred candidate, he told Nnaji that it will be well with him while describing him as a “great son of Enugu State and a power generator”.
He said, “One of my children will become the Governor after Gburugburu. We are also praying for Gburugburu so that God will give him the wisdom, the grace, the favour to select a man after God’s own heart. That is my prayer for him in Jesus’ name.
“The person of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is in tandem with peace. There may not be too much (sic) flyovers in Enugu but there is peace. By midnight you see the people of Enugu walking about the streets fearlessly without security. The white men that came here the other day assessed it and I thank God for the good people of Enugu State that supported him to achieve it. The youths of Enugu, it shall be well with you.
“So, that is why I am praying for Gburugburu so that he will not make a mistake because one single mistake will put people in trouble. None of the politicians who are aspiring to be governors will expose their inner will.
“What you see are people who are not real. None of them is saying things from their heart, but we are waiting. Anyone they bring we will work for the people. If he wants peace, we will give him peace, if he wants to toy with the poor, we will chase him out of the seat.
“We need a compassionate, empathic and sympathetic personality. Someone with a good heart and a good person. Because our people can survive even if you don’t help them. My prayer is that he selects a man of peace, a good man. I am not recommending anyone to him but I am praying that God puts a good man into his heart.”
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Deborah’s Murder Over Alleged Blasphemy Can Improve Respect, Relations Between Nigerian Muslims And Christians— Islamic Group
The Muslims United for Peace and Justice has condemned the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel, who was killed for allegedly making unpleasant comments about Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W).
The group, which is a conglomerate of leaders of different Muslim organisations, on Sunday called on the government to swiftly bring the killers to justice.
They, however, noted that Deborah’s murder can be a turning point in the Muslim-Christian relations, and herald a new era of peaceful and respectful coexistence, ‘if each religious adherent will embrace and sincerely practise the sublime messages of their faith’.
However, the group condemned insults, abuse and all mischievous attacks against “all prophets of God”, calling on Christian leaders to employ all means to fend off intolerance.
It also urged Islamic scholars to issue a fatwah against jungle justice and extrajudicial killings at any time.
Meanwhile, the Muslim body further urged governments of all states in Nigeria to strengthen or promulgate laws to criminalise blasphemy, and killing for blasphemy outside the law, and faithfully enforce them.
The statement reads, ”As Muslims and Nigerians, we are united with other citizens in expressing complete shock and revulsion at the murder of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto on 12th May, 2022, alleged to have blasphemed against our Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, SAW).
“Sadly, the alleged crime of blasphemy and the graphic murder of the young lady are not without precedence. We, therefore, come together today, as leaders of Muslim organisations, to amplify the voice of condemnation by other Muslim leaders, most notably the Sultan, Muhammadu Abubakar, against the dastardly murder of Deborah Samuel.
“We call for swift and transparent justice against her killers. In addition, we wish to make the following statements:
“We condemn the murder of Deborah Samuel and call for justice against the perpetrators, irrespective of the nature of their motivation or the justification they claim.
“Perhaps, the tragic event of the murder of Deborah can be utilised as a turning point in Muslim-Christian relations, and herald a new era of peaceful and respectful coexistence. These are achievable ideals if each religious adherent will embrace and sincerely practice the sublime messages of their faith.
“We condemn every act of insult and provocation along religious and ethnic fault lines. In particular, we condemn in an equal measure any insults, abuse, denigration or mischievous attacks against any and all prophets of God, be it Muhammad (SAW), Jesus, Moses, Abraham or any other (peace be on them all)
“We call for deep introspection by leaders of the Christian community and urge them to employ all means to fend off intolerance. We urge governments of all the States of the Federation to strengthen or promulgate (where none exists) laws to criminalise blasphemy, and killing for blasphemy outside the law, and faithfully enforce them.
“We urge Muslim scholars to issue fatwah specifically against frontier justice, jungle justice and extrajudicial killing at any time.
“Moreso, we appeal to Imams to use the Friday khutbah to spread and promote the peaceful coexistence, respect for constituted authority and rule of law, as enjoined in Islam.
”We lament the poor state of the judicial system in Nigeria and call for improvement of same in order to restore public confidence in the judicial system, as well as prompt and effective administration of justice.
“We condemn jungle justice and lament its endemic nature in Nigeria and call for justice for all other victims of extrajudicial killings, the Tijaniyyah travellers who were murdered in Jos, the Baptist College, Ijagbo, hijab killing, the Lekki killing by okada riders and other similar acts of barbarism and mob violence
“We express strong solidarity with voices of reason and moderation amongst scholars of Islam and declare readiness to continue working together to strengthen the pillars of national peace, reconciliation and understanding.
“We urge leaders of faiths to continue to enlighten and educate adherents on the need for mutual respect, to focus on messages of love and work against voices of hatred and extremism amongst them.
“We call on the leadership of The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in particular to demonstrate that they stand united and together in opposition to all prejudiced appeals.
“We call on the organisation to use the platform to denounce the act of extrajudicial murder and the alleged crime that led to it, including the high prevalence of Islamophobia, the threat of the forces seeking to delegitimize genuine concerns and those spreading hatred between the two major faiths in Nigeria.
“Sadly, the tragic event in Sokoto is another reminder of how fragile peace can be without mutual respect and united leadership.
“We pray for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for peace, for political stability and economic prosperity, combat the festering of Islamophobia amongst their followers, and prevent words and actions from the adherents of the Christian faith that are antithetical to the core teachings of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) which are based on piety, love, respect and tolerance.”
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Group In Austria To Challenge Nigerian Senators Receiving Pension As Ex-governors In Court
A group of Nigerians in Austria under the aegis of “Patriotic Global Citizens Against Injustice (PGCAI)” has vowed to go to court to challenge the status quo of ex-governors who serve as senators with full entitlements as lawmakers while receiving their pensions and privileges as ex-governors. The group (PGCAI) said it is not right, saying it will challenge it legally “up to the Supreme Court”.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Uzoma Ahamefule, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, the group said, “There is absolutely nothing one will write now about Nigeria that has not been written before. And the bedrock of the troubles and problems with Nigeria written all these years revolved around injustice, unfairness, nepotism, religious intolerance and above all, leadership failure, etc.”Nigeria is a country so badly governed that the leaders carry themselves as if it is a lawless country and they are above the law. It is incredible. “This country is perhaps the only state on the surface of the planet where some ex-governors – a group of political cabals – take all their retirement entitlements every month as and when due and at the same time get full salaries as serving senators. This cannot happen anywhere else, not even in the so-called third world countries – because it cannot be legally correct that someone who gets pension is working a full-time job and equally getting a full-time salary. “Meanwhile some of these sets of ex-governors during their times in offices vehemently refused to pay our senior citizens who assiduously worked for the growth of their respective states their pensions and gratuities based on flimsy excuses. While some pensioners are still starving, hungry and in agony waiting, praying and hoping to be paid their gratuities and pensions, many have died out of hunger or because they had no money to go to hospital. “In any state where a retiree did not get his/her pension or gratuity, after the services of the governor of that state, it should be made to be a law that he/she would equally be denied the same pension and other entitlement rights. This could make them to realise the gravity of the offence they commit and the severe harm they cause while in office. After all, it would not be a bad idea and could deter them from the cruelties of preferring to spend billions campaigning for their next elections. “After our painstaking attention to the issue, we came to a conclusion that such is not right. It is unpatriotic. It is unfair and cruel to ordinary citizens, an abuse of privileges and as such unacceptable. It is either these people are made to enjoy the privileges accorded to them by law as ex-governors or such privileges seize the hour and the day they are sworn into offices as senators.” “One cannot be getting pension and at the same time receiving salary. We, the newly birthed Patriotic Global Citizens Against Injustice (PGCAI), will be ready to challenge this repulsive law up to the Supreme Court. Nigeria is trapped in tragedies and it is time to rise up, and Nigerians will hear from us,” the group added.
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Aggrieved Parents Protest As 700 Candidates Were Barred From WAEC Exam Over Failure To Complete Registration Due To Bandit Attack In Kaduna
Some parents of candidates who have missed out on this year’s West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), on Saturday, stormed the Kaduna Zonal office of the examination board.
SaharaReporters learnt that the parents had protested at the entrance of the office to express their grievances.
Affected candidates, according to a source, had paid and obtained the forms. However, during the course of registration, some of them encountered technical challenges and were unable to complete their registration.
Others had to flee registration venues when bandits attacked the community. Meanwhile, the examination body closed the portal for registration early.
The schools affected include Kalhyatu Abdurahman Bin Auf Academy, Jere; Al-bameen Academy, Kaduna Nigeria; Government Senior Secondary School, Iddah; Government Secondary School, Kagarko; Government Secondary School, Kuse; ECWA Secondary School, Kubacha; Government Secondary School, Independence Way; Great Panaf Schools, Kaduna South, and Government Secondary School, Maro.
The schools were said to have written to the head of the National office of the West African Examination Council through the Ministry of Education but there was no response to the letter nor was the issue resolved.
“The letter was written on April 12 to WAEC, no reply to date. It contains the list of the schools and the number of candidates affected in each of the schools.
“We heard reliably that the portal was open during the period but these were denied access,” a source told SaharaReporters.
The source said that what particularly grieved parents was the fact that the zonal coordinator said students can be given the grace to take the November/December General Certificate Examination organised by the body but added that students have to pay again.
He noted, “There are about nine schools that were affected. What happened was that after making the payments, the schools were given the number and during the process of registration, some had problems, they couldn’t upload, and there were technical issues. Others had bandits attack when the students were putting their thumbprints so they had to run for their lives and return after two days when there was calm.
“As early as March 20, the portal was closed and they weren’t able to upload. After several demands at the zonal office to get the portal opened so that all the students can upload, the zonal coordinator refused.
“The schools, then wrote a letter through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry wrote a cover letter to WAEC to allow them to upload and they refused. The payment had been done, each candidate paid N18, 000, that’s the cost of the form.
“One of the schools paid for 290 students, another school 150, another 100 and many others, they are like about 700 candidates.
“The zonal coordinator offered that the affected schools, the candidates would take the November/December diet but at the expense of the school, that is, the students have to pay again and this is unfair. It means he has not done anything for them. There was a peaceful demonstration yesterday.”
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Delta Former Energy Commissioner, Jonathan Ukodhiko, Gives Delegates N2Million Each To Win House Of Reps Ticket
Picture showing the immediate past commissioner for energy, Jonathan Ukodhiko, shortly after his declaration.
The immediate past commissioner for energy in Delta State, Jonathan Ukodhiko, has picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the Isoko Federal House of Representatives in the forthcoming 2023 general elections after paying N2 million each to delegates, SaharaReporters has learnt.The primary election took place on Sunday at the Oleh township stadium, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area of the state amidst tight security.
Picture showing the immediate past commissioner for energy, Jonathan Ukodhiko, shortly after his declaration.
One of the adhoc delegates who benefited from Ukodhiko’s largesse confided in SaharaReporters that the ex-commissioner paid Adhoc delegates the sum of N2 million each in Isoko South and Isoko North local government areas of the state, adding that not all the delegates got the money.Ukodhiko, the anointed candidate of the incumbent House of Representatives member representing the Isoko federal constituency and former minority leader, Leo Ogor, had 33 votes to clinch the party’s ticket. He defeated former Managing Director of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Askia Ogieh, who had 21 votes.In the primary election, the immediate past chairman of Isoko South council, Itiako Ikpokpo Malik polled three votes, while a former aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Johnson Erijo polled 2. Another former aide to the governor, Dickson Ebegbare Fineboy polled five votes.Addressing the press shortly after the declaration of the results, Ukodhiko thanked delegates and the people of the Isoko nation for believing in him. He promised not to disappoint the people of Isoko at the National Assembly if elected in the general elections in 2023.Meanwhile, the incumbent lawmaker representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal House of Representatives, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, lost out to one Nmadi Ezechi.
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Don’t Wait For 6 Months This Time Again To Appoint Ministers To Vacant Positions, HEDA Tells Buhari
The Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to fill the vacant positions in his cabinet without further delay.
Buhari recently bid farewell to 10 of his ministers who recently resigned from their various portfolios to pursue their political ambitions in line with his directive.
However, some of the ministers including the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, have said they will remain in Buhari’s cabinet.
The Chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju, over the weekend recalled that it took President Buhari over six (6) months to appoint ministers in 2015, which not only kept Nigerians angst but held the economy standstill.
A statement by HEDA obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday said, “The president should not waste time to replace the 10 ministers who have resigned to pursue their choice political ambitions. He should make haste and present new persons to the National Assembly for confirmation before the Parliamentarians are engrossed with the electoral campaigns.
“Let him not repeat what happened in 2015, when the country was kept in the dark for six months. Many of the offices, particularly the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation is too important to be left vacant at this time of political developments in the country.”
Suraju advised the President to look for people who know their onions and are fit to do the jobs in the affected ministries, and “shun cronyism and other primordial sentiments in choosing the right persons this time”.
He said, “We wish the president could get men and women who are capable, to revamp those ministries within the short but critical time left for the government. Though, every sector of the economy is begging for competent hands to revive them. The country needs and deserves the right people needed to occupy the right positions at the right time with the right resources to achieve the right results.
“Recall that some ministers like Abubakar Malami and some former ministers who were hosted to a valedictory session by the president and automatically vacated their offices are making attempts at a U-turn to resume their former positions, but Nigeria have raised the alarm against such move calling on the president never to restate such unserious and unstable characters, not without a reappointment and Senate clearance as ministers.
“The affected ministers and ministries include Minister State for Mines & Steel, Uche Ogar; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Minister of Labour & Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen.
“Others are The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio; Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba and Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Tayo Alasoadura.
“It has been confirmed that Amaechi, Nwajuiba, Ngige, Akpabio, Onu and Sylva have all picked the presidential nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while Mr. Malami has also declared interest in the governorship position in his home state of Kebbi.
“Running for the governorship position in Abia State is Ogar while Tallen has also declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.
“Alasoadura on the other hand had picked up relevant forms to contest for the Ondo Central Senatorial seat on the platform of APC.”
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E2%80%9Cone-ward-one-health How Jigawa Government Lied, Deceived People With Multi-billion-naira “One Ward, One Health Facility’’ Investment Claim
A one-hour motorcycle ride on the 25-kilometre stretch of untarred road soaked in the rays of the scorching afternoon sun, from Gagarawa Local Government Area (LGA) headquarters to Zarada ward is where Musa Sani, 59-year old diabetes patient lives with his family.
Sani, the father of 9 children and two wives, who gasps for breath after each step he takes has to ride on a commercial motorcycle (Achaba) for about 9 kilometres to Yalawa Primary Health Centre, in Yalawa ward where he seeks treatment under the care of a community health worker.
To meet with a doctor and get his medications, he has to travel another 15km on a motorcycle to Gumel General Hospital in Gumel LGA, Jigawa state despite his health condition. There are only two healthcare facilities for Sani and other residents with debilitating life-threatening diseases to access if they must stay alive.
It’s been 4 years since Sani was diagnosed with diabetes. He once lived with the hope that a functional healthcare centre will be established in his community to reduce the long distance he travels to access medical care.
However, nothing has changed.
“I visit Yalawa primary health care centre or Gumel General Hospital at least three times a week using a commercial motorcycle,” he said.
“When I don’t have money, I walk down to Yalawa Primary Health Centre to check my blood pressure. I only visit Gumel General Hospital because they have doctors there.”
As part of his campaign promise in 2015, the governor of Jigawa state, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, promised to construct a well-equipped health centre in each of the 287 political wards of the state eliciting widespread hope amongst residents.
The government claims it has delivered on its promise but years later, there is still no concrete evidence and the hope and excitement of the people have now fizzled away.
This trend is not an aberration to the people of Jigawa. Instead, it paints a picture of the numerous failed campaign promises made by successive administrations in Jigawa state to revamp the healthcare sector, increase access to healthcare delivery and reduce out of pocket expenses.
Sadly, Sani is just one amongst many victims of the failed “One Ward, One Health Centre” promised by the government. Zarada ward in Gagarawa LGA, where Sani lives, has no health care facility to serve about 16,875 poor residents of the area. Records also show that only 6 primary health care centres (PHCs) cater to residents across the 10 political wards that make up Gagarawa LGA.
Although functioning, these 6 PHCs are poorly funded, in poor shape, and without a doctor since they were constructed between 2013 and 2016, findings by Solacebase showed.
Solacebase findings show that although Primary Health Care Services are mostly free in Jigawa State, the PHCs are largely under-equipped and non-functional, despite annual budgetary allocations, Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, and other donations from non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Gyaiko Ward Where Motorcycle Is Used As Ambulance
In Gyaiko ward, in Birnin-Kudu LGA, 11-year-old Salamatu Isiayku was bitten by a snake while at her parent’s farm and nearly lost her life. She was rushed on a motorcycle to Bamaina PHC, 15km away from her community.
Her parents were terrified. “We thought we were going to lose her. If we have a PHC where she can be given first aid treatment she would not have had a close shave with death,” her father, Kabir Isiayku said.
The mother, Bilkisu Isiyaku, recounts a similar experience when she was about to deliver her baby 7 months earlier.
“We are used to using a motorcycle to go to the hospital. While I was about to deliver my last child, I was conveyed on a motorcycle to the hospital. It was a discomforting experience for me and I thank God I delivered safely,” she said while wondering how hard it would have been for her family if something untoward had happened to her on the way to the hospital.
For most pregnant women in Gyaiko community, antenatal and postnatal experience is a luxury they can’t afford because of the distance to the hospital, the danger of riding on a motorcycle and the attendant cost of seeking medical care.
A voluntary community health worker in Gyaiko, who identified himself simply as Hassan, told Solacebase that the community hopes to have its own PHC soon, so residents won’t have to travel long distances to seek medical attention.
“I only volunteer sometimes to help out when they bring a sick patient to my house where I attend to them since I have some clinical experience. I don’t do anything beyond what I know and refer them quickly to a hospital when necessary,” Hassan said.
Ahmed Danjuma is the District Head of Gyiako. His efforts have helped secure land for the construction of a new primary health care centre (PHC) in the community. He told Solacebase how the whole idea remains a promise by the government since 2015.
“We have done our part and reserved land for the project. We hope the coming administration will help look into the challenges of the people of Gyaiko ward and across several communities under the ward,” he said, adding that treatable diseases such as malaria continue to claim the lives of residents across communities in the area.
Agufa ward in Miga LGA is another unfortunate political ward. Residents travel as far as Miga LGA headquarters and Jahun LGA which are about 15km and 25 km respectively.
In Danmaganawa ward, also in Miga LGA, residents desire the help of the government in reducing the time spent to access healthcare.
“We are still hoping one day the government will come to our aid. There is a lot of death recorded as a result of this unfortunate situation. Pregnant women ready for delivery, emergency patients, accident or epidemic patients are all transported on motorcycle to Miga or Jahun LGA for treatment or delivery,” the village head, Musa Muhammad, disclosed to Solacebase.
Like Guri, Like Miga
Guri LGA is located in Jigawa North-East senatorial district where farming is their predominant preoccupation. Just like in Miga LGA, residents decry travelling long distances to seek medical attention.
Bukar Yerima is the district head of Guri. He laments that residents of his district, particularly pregnant women and children still die of minor health issues. Residents of Guri, and neighbouring communities such as TasgaYanma, and Arinjesko often travel to Hadeja which is not less than 13km to get medical attention.
“In TasgaYanma, we are practically on our own with no government presence felt. We travel a distance of about 7km to fetch water. We would rather have our children go to the farm with us than trek a long distance to go to school. We travel as far as Hadeja through Arinjesko to seek medical care,” said the chairman, TsagaYanma ward development committee, Muhammad Alkali.
Jigawa’s False Claims
In 2015, the state government made an audacious campaign promise to construct ‘One Ward, One Health Facility’. In the build-up to the 2019 general elections, the government addressed the press announcing the completion of the project.
Checks by Solacebase proved otherwise and confirmed that the claims were laced with lies by the Mohammad Badaru-led government to entice voters while seeking re-election in 2019. Residents of rural communities in Gagarawa, Miga, Guri and Birnin-Kudu LGAs still suffer from poor access to health care.
Interestingly, the Jigawa state government said it spent ?12bn in 6 years on the rehabilitation and construction of health facilities in the state including the construction of 287 PHCs across the state in three years, a claim with little evidence to show.
If the allocations to the health sector by the Jigawa state government are anything to go by, rural populations in the state should enjoy unhindered access to quality health care. According to the state ministry of health’s financial expenditure report, the sums of ?85m and ?88m were spent on the upgrading of Primary Health Centres in 2019 and 2020 respectively. This is outside the ?12bn allegedly spent in 2018 by the government for a similar purpose.
However, in 2021, estimates of the state government’s expenditure show the ministry spent over ?600m on the provision and improvement of infrastructural facilities and service delivery as part of the World Bank-supported ‘Save One Million Lives’ Health Program focused on developing primary health care centres across the state.
In December 2017, the Nigerian government initiated a N28 billion health fund that was targeted at the revitalisation of Primary Health Care Centres across the country. According to the National Primary Health Development Agency, Jigawa state is one of the beneficiaries of the fund.
In fulfilment of the National Health Act, 2014, ?55bn was earmarked under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, BHCPF by the Nigerian government in 2019. Jigawa state was amongst the first 15 pilot states. The BHCPF is aimed at increasing revenue and improving primary health care services. President Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that his administration will ensure the funds are judiciously used. However, nothing suggests the funds have been judiciously spent in Jigawa state.
Denial, Government Makes U-turn
Although the government through the Office of the Deputy Governor took credit for the ‘One Ward, One Health Care Centre’ promise made in 2015, the Executive Secretary of the Jigawa Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kabir Aliyu, has refuted the claims and denied the position of the deputy governor.
“The governor did not promise that he would construct PHCs across the state. The ‘One Ward One Health Centre’, is just a follow-up on the national mandate of President Buhari’s promise to construct 10,000 new health centres across all political wards in Nigeria,” he said.
He continued: “If you know the previous state of our PHCs before taking over, you will understand how well this government has done. The government has done its part and there is no perfect system anywhere, so we must give credit to the government for changing the face of Primary Health Care Centres in the state.”
“What the government did was revitalising and remodelling, the government did not use the word construct,” he said in an interview.
Sadly, the position of the Executive Secretary is targeted at misleading the public.
The acting commissioner and the permanent secretary of the Jigawa state health ministry, Dr. Salisu Muhazu, corroborates the Executive Secretary of Jigawa state Primary Health Development Agency.
“Jigawa state has 287 political wards, to better balance your report, go round the whole wards and then draw your conclusion, you cannot conclude by visiting 3 LGAs and 6 political wards and you want us to take your report lightly.”
“The government has done its best and has redefined the face of PHCs in Jigawa state. If you compare Jigawa state with other states, I know you will see a big difference,” he added.
Corruption Packaged In Lies, Experts Reveal
Experts believe that corruption in the health sector is one of the worst kinds of inhumane crime and behaviour by any government,
“If you look at the level of poverty in Jigawa state, and the nature of primary health care centres, you cannot but weep for Jigawa people,” said Dr. Ibrahim Galadima, founder of Health Aid, a non-governmental organization, (NGO) with operations in the North East.
“Unfortunately, with all the funds, both from the budget and donor bodies, Jigawa state should be among the top five states with functional primary health care centres.”
“I have worked in Jigawa state as a consultant in 2019 for UNICEF, during this period we visited several health centres in the state, your heart will bleed to see the state of these PHCs. There are no workers, poor supply of drugs, for antenatal practice they will have to wait for an experienced nurse to come from Dutse, the state capital,” Galadima added.
Dr. Bamidele Ajayi, Secretary, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, emphasised that corruption is the evil that must be eliminated to have a functional health system.
“No doubt, all the funds said to have been spent are already in personal accounts. Health is one sector just like education that must be prioritized by the government with detailed management of resources channelled into it.
“Promises are covenants that must be fulfilled. I am sure it is upon this premise that the people of Jigawa state voted for the government, they understand the importance of the ‘One Ward One Health Centre’ promise as a necessity to them.”
This publication is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusion and Accountability project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
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Elijah Akoji
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Nigerian Man To Die By Hanging For Drugging, Drowning Commercial Motorcyclist In River Benue
A middle-aged man, Danlami Mohammed, has been condemned to death for drugging and drowning a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider, in Adamawa State.
SaharaReporters learnt that the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Nathan Musa, on Friday handed the death sentence to Mohammed for conspiring with one Friday, said to be at large, to kill Murtala Mohammed and steal his motorbike.
Mohammed was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging on count 3 and also sentenced to life imprisonment on count 1.
On counts 2 and 4, Mohammed was sentenced to a 10-year jail term each without the option of paying a fine.
Justice Musa declared thus: “In the final analysis, it is my considered view that the Prosecution through the confessional statement of the Defendant and the unchallenged and undiscredited testimonies of the Witnesses have proved the charge against the Defendant beyond a reasonable doubt; as such the Defendant is convicted as charged.”
He ruled that the convict showed no mercy on a fellow human being of which his ‘allocutus’ plea goes to no issue, saying that “moreover, the sentence provided under counts 1 and 3 make mandatory sentence”.
“The Court has noted the ‘allocutus’ of the convict and also not unmindful of the gruesome nature of how the convict terminated the life of his victim without any provocation just to steal a motorcycle,” he said.
The Prosecution had informed the court that Danladi Mohammed and Friday (still at large) on or around December 27, 2016, at Tingno community in the Lamurde Local Government Area conspired to steal a motorcycle belonging to the deceased, Murtala Mohammed.
“After killing their victim, Mohammed dishonestly retained the said motorcycle and used same for commercial purposes at Bambam in Gombe State until he was arrested and the vehicle recovered on January 5, 2017,” it also said.
SaharaReporters further learnt that the convict and Friday (still at large) had tricked the motorcyclist into conveying them to a party at Tungan-Ladan in the Numan Local Government Area for a party.
They drugged him with a candy laced with deep sleep causing chemical, allegedly obtained from one Mamman Tingno, before drowning him in River Benue and taking away his motorcycle.
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BREAKING: PDP Delegates Elect 25 State Assembly Candidates, Return All Incumbents Seeking Re-election In Adamawa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has conducted its State House of Assembly primary election, returning all 12 incumbents seeking re-election in Adamawa State, SaharaReporters can report.
The nomination exercise was conducted in all the 25 State Assembly constituencies on Sunday.
A list of successful candidates seen by SaharaReporters, shows that 12 out of 14 incumbent PDP lawmakers seeking re-election have been nominated.
Simon Isa of Song Constituency had declined to seek re-election, just as his counterpart from Jada-Mbulo, Hammantukur Yettisori is vying for a seat in the National Assembly.
Names of winners and their constituencies:
1. Yola North – HON. HAMIDU SAJO LEKKI
2. Lamurde – HON. BAUNA MYANDASA
3. Demsa – HON. KATE RAYMOND MOMUNO
4. Numan – HON. PWAMWAKENO MACKONDO
5. Song – HON EMMANUEL KEFAS
6. Michika – MOSES YERIMA
7. Yola-South- ADAMU BABA MUSTAPHA
8. Girei – ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI BAKARI
9. Nassarawo Binyeri – UMAR NASHION GUBI
10. Hong – BATHIYA WESLEY
11. Gombi – JAPHET KEFAS
12. Jada/Mbulo – MOHAMMED JIJIWA
13. Shelleng – NAPTALI KANTOMA
14. Madagali- HARUNA JILANTIKIRI
15. Mubi South – MUSA MBORORO
16. Toungo – KEFAS CALVIN
17. Guyuk -ADWAWA DONGLOCK
18. Mubi North – ISHAQ DANGOTE
19. Ganye – STEPHEN EMMANUEL JANGIRI
20. Mayo Belwa – MUSA MAHMUD KALLAMU
21. Leko – Koma – BULUS GEOFFREY
22. Uba – Gaya – ADUM JOHN ALABA
23. Maiha – AHMED JINGI BELEL
24. Fofure/Gurin – SAIDU YAHAYA NUHU
25. Verre – JAPHET HAMMAJABU.
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