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Ondo honours Champions of Immunisation, family planning with cash, gift items

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The Ondo state government has celebrated forty women as champions of immunisation and family planning having stuck to the life saving procedures for a long period of time.

 

The programme was launched in Ifedore and Odigbo local government areas of the state, with twenty women in each of the council area benefiting from the gift items which included foodstuffs, cash of ten thousand naira, plaques (inscribed with their names and pictures) and other items.

 

Speaking at the event in Igbaraoke, Ifedore Council area, the commissioner for health, Dr Banji Ajaka expressed optimism that the initiative would spur more women to embrace family planning and also present their babies for immunisation regularly.

 

Ajaka who was represented by the Special adviser to the governor, Professor Simi Odimayo restated the commitment of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to the wellbeing of mothers and children in Ondo state, using all available strategies.

 

The commissioner congratulated the champions for their commitment to family planning and immunisation in the bid to keep a healthy family, assuring them that government would regularly come up with programmes and policies that would make life more meaningful for women and children in the state.

He said “the government is really in love with the people and wants to showcase the love at all times that’s why these women are being appreciated today. The government is not only appreciating the women but making family planning and immunisation commodities available and the teams supported. Family planning will help women to be in good form to take their children for immunisation, so I congratulate the champions and urge them to become advocates of immunisation and family planning in their communities”

READ  Election tragedy: Ondo politician shot dead at collation centre

 

The Permanent Secretary, Ondo state primary health care development agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu said
the idea of the programme was conceived by the award winning agency to encourage mothers who had shown great commitment to matters of immunisation and family planning being propagated by government to enhance maternal and child health in the state.

 

Akanbiemu noted “We tell our Mothers, take your children for immunisation, ensure you space your children through family planning, but not all of them take to this, so the government under the leadership of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa considered it worthwhile to reward those mothers who listened to and acted on the government’s advice so that they will serve as role models for other mothers”.

 

Akanbiemu said even though, the immunisation coverage of the state was currently at over Eighty four percent, the programme, “rewarding the champions” would be held in all the local government areas in the state to ensure one hundred percent coverage of both mothers and children in terms of family planning and immunisation.

 

“By the time we are done taking this programme round all the eighteen local government areas of Ondo state , our immunisation data must have gone up and also improve service delivery. The champions emerged through rigorous selection processes and we are hopeful that for every ten persons motivated, one thousand mothers would join the train”

 

The director of disease control and immunisation in the agency, Dr Victor Adefesoye while congratulating the champions stressed the need for other women to embrace family planning so they could avoid unplanned or excessive pregnancies which he noted was dangerous to their health while also ensuring that their children do not miss any immunisation schedule.

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Also Speaking, the director of medical services, Dr Paulinus Omode admonished mothers generally to embrace preventive health care system by making sure that their children live in a clean environment, eat good diets and immunised them against child killer diseases.

 

In their goodwill messages, representitives of World Health Organisation, Mrs Modupe Dosumu and that of United Nations Population Fund, Mrs Opeyemi Agunbiade commended Ondo state government for the innovation.

 

Primary health care coordinator in ifedore Council area, Dr Adedayo Fayanju described the strategy as a step towards boosting the health of women and children

 

The Adapogun of Ipogun, Oba Rapheal Ojo expressed delight that the exercise started in his domain especially at this time when economic challenges were compelling families to have only children they could cater for

 


Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ebunoluwa Charles, and Hajia Mariam Yusuf appreciated Ondo state government for the gesture, promising to be advocates of family planning and immunisation in their various localities.

 

According to them “this is one honour we will appreciate in a long time to come, we appreciate the gifts, the foodstuff and other items the government has given us today, we will definitely continue in this line and convince more women to be part of be committed to immunisation and family planning.

 

At Odigbo local government area, The primary health care development agency train landed in Ore town where another set of twenty champions were celebrated.

 

At the event, the commissioner for health, Dr Banji Ajaka also congratulated the lucky mothers for emerging champions of immunisation and family planning and charged them to always key into government’s programmes and policies aimed at improving their child and maternal health.

READ  Evil grandmother sets son, wife, two grandchildren ablaze in Ondo

 

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo state primary health care development agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu hinted that women who adhere to all medical procedures on maternal and child health would continue to receive motivation from government.

 

The state immunisation officer, Mrs Comfort Olagundoye while enumerating the criteria used in selecting the champions noted that those considered were found to have completed all immunisation schedules for their children right from birth and also encouraged other women to keep immunisation appointments for them to have healthy children.

 

Some of the champions in Ore, Mrs Ajoke Ikumawoyi, Deborah Ige Imisioluwa Akintunde also hailed the Ondo state government for the encouragement with a pledge not to renege.

 

In all, 40 women were decorated as immunisation and family planning champions in both Ifedore and Odigbo Council areas with each of them going home with foodstuff, ten thousand naira Cash, plaques and other items.

 

The event was witnessed by the director of public health, Ondo state ministry of health, Dr Stephen Fagbemi, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Dr Niran Ikuomola, top officials of the Ondo State primary healthcare development agency which included Director planning, research and statistics, Dr Yetunde Olagbuji, Director medical services, Dr Paulinus Omode, Director, health system development, Dr Olajide, Dr Isreal Adeyemi, Director of Finance and Administration, Mrs Folasade Ale, Dr Isreal Adeyemi, Director pharmaceutical services, Pharmacist Sajo.

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Tinubu govt tackling economic crisis, Presidency replies New York Times

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The Presidency has reacted to a report published in the New York Times criticising the Nigerian economy as facing the worst trajectory in a generation.

 

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, responded on Sunday to the report by Ruth Maclean and Ismail Auwal.

 

According to the Presidency, the feature story, titled ‘Nigeria Confronts Its Worst Economic Crisis in a Generation’ and published on June 11, reflected the typical predetermined, reductionist, derogatory, and denigrating way foreign media establishments have reported on African countries for decades.

 

Onanuga stated that due to the ‘misleading’ slant of the report, the government needed to clear up some misconceptions conveyed by the reporters regarding the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which took office at the end of May 2023.

 

He noted that the report painted a dire picture of some Nigerians’ experiences amid the inflationary spiral of the last year and unfairly blamed it all on the new administration’s policies.

 

He argued that the report, based on several interviews, is at best jaundiced, portraying all gloom and doom without mentioning the positive aspects of the economy or the amelioration policies being implemented by the central and state governments.

READ  Pastor shoots self to death during hunting expedition in Ondo

 

Onanuga emphasized that Tinubu did not create the economic problems Nigeria faces today but inherited them.

 

“As a respected economist in our country once put it, Tinubu inherited a dead economy.

 

“The economy was bleeding and needed quick surgery to avoid being plunged into the abyss, as happened in Zimbabwe and Venezuela,” he noted.

 

He explained that this context led to the policy direction taken by the government in May/June 2023, including the abrogation of the fuel subsidy regime and the unification of the multiple exchange rates.

 

Onanuga highlighted that Nigeria had maintained a fuel subsidy regime for decades, which consumed $84.39 billion between 2005 and 2022 from the public treasury, in a country with significant infrastructural deficits and a high need for better social services.

 

He also alleged that the state oil firm, NNPCL, had accumulated trillions of Naira in debts due to unsustainable subsidy payments.

 

He noted that when Tinubu took office, no provision was made for fuel subsidy payments in the national budget beyond June 2023.

READ  Man docked for defrauding sex worker with fake alert in Ondo

 

“The budget itself had a striking feature: it planned to spend 97 per cent of revenue servicing debt, with little left for recurrent or capital expenditure. The previous government had resorted to massive borrowing to cover such costs.”

 

Onanuga further explained that like oil, the exchange rate was also subsidized by the government, with an estimated $1.5 billion spent monthly by the CBN to defend the currency against the unquenchable demand for the dollar.

 

“This low rate led to arbitrage and failures to fulfil remittance obligations to airlines and other foreign businesses, drying up foreign direct investment and investments in the oil sector.

 

“To address these issues, Tinubu rolled back the subsidy regime and floated the naira on his first day”, Onanuga said.

 

Despite initial challenges, Onanuga noted that some stability is being restored, with the exchange rate now below N1500 to the dollar and prospects for further appreciation.

READ  300-level Ondo varsity female student found stabbed to death

 

He cited a trade surplus of N6.52 trillion in Q1, as opposed to a deficit of N1.4 trillion in Q4 of 2023, and renewed interest from portfolio investors as indicators of improving economic confidence. Loans from the World Bank, AfDB, and Afreximbank are also contributing to Nigeria’s renewed bankability.

 

Onanuga highlighted efforts to control inflation, especially food inflation, through increased agricultural production and state-led initiatives to sell food at lower prices.

 

“The Tinubu administration has invested heavily in dry-season farming and provided incentives to farmers.”

 

He concluded by comparing Nigeria’s economic challenges with those faced by the USA and Europe, emphasizing that the Tinubu administration is working hard to overcome these difficulties.

 

“Our country faced economic difficulties in the past, an experience captured in folk songs. Just like we overcame then, we shall overcome our present difficulties very soon.”

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No EndSARS protester in detention, police reply Shehu Sani

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The Nigeria Police Force says none of the protesters arrested during the October 2020 demonstration against police brutality and extrajudicial killings is still in detention. 

 

Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi made this known in a statement on Sunday.

 

The police described as untrue, claims by Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, that some of the youths detained for the #EndSARS protest are still in custody.

 

In 2020, some Nigerian youths took to the streets to protest against police brutality and the situation in the country. But in the wake of the protest, some police stations, formations, and officers were damaged across the country, leading to some arrests.

 

While some of the arrested protesters were released, others are believed to being held up in various police stations.

 

At special dinner Organised to mark Democracy Day held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on June 12, 2024, Sani had said those who took part in the protest should also be considered champions of democracy.

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The former lawmaker had asked President Bola Tinubu to pardon those incarcerate over the #EndSARS protest in 2020.

 

However, the police said the matter had been concluded, “lessons have been learnt. We have forgiven ourselves and moved on”.

 

“The Nigeria Police affirms that no individual is being unlawfully detained by the Nigeria Police Force or any other security agency in Nigeria due to the EndSARS protes,” the statement partly read.

 

“All arrested individuals have been processed according to the law, and none remain unlawfully detained. In Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pardoned approximately 100 suspects arrested by the Police during the protest.

 

“For emphasis, no one anywhere in Nigeria is under Police detention or being wrongly persecuted for participating in the EndSARS protest. The issues surrounding the protest have been debated, researched, and documented, and lessons have been learnt. We have forgiven ourselves and moved on.

 

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“We urge the public to disregard this claim and remain assured of our commitment to upholding justice, the rule of law, and human rights.”

 

 

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PHOTOS: Sanusi leads traditional Sallah Durbar

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Following the Eid prayer and sermon at the Kofar Mata Jumu’at mosque as a result of flooding at the usual Eid ground, the Emir embarked on the durbar, riding a horse through Wambai, Zage, Yan Damadan, Shahuci, and back to the palace.

 

Unlike previous years, this time the Emir was the only one on horseback, with district heads either on foot or in vehicles.

 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and other cabinet members also attended the Eid prayer.

 

Security was notably tight, with the Army, Police, Civil Defense, and other operatives positioned to ensure safety throughout the event.

 

Despite the Police command’s ban on Sallah durbar activities, as reiterated in a recent joint security meeting, the event proceeded under the Governor’s watch.

 

In contrast, the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, observed his Eid prayer at the Nassarawa mini palace and had announced the cancellation of durbar activities during the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.

READ  Evil grandmother sets son, wife, two grandchildren ablaze in Ondo

 

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