News

By Ukasha Rabiu Magama

Preparations are underway as the Bauchi state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) prepares to offer free surgical procedures to more than 200 patients afflicted with various ailments across the Toro local government area.

Dr Adamu Umar Sambo, the recently appointed Commissioner of Health in Bauchi, announced the initiative during a ceremonial event hosted by the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) at the Toro chapter. 

“The Medical Association of Nigeria, NMA, will soon offer free surgery to over 200 patients suffering from various diseases across Toro local government. The association will do this to express its happiness and to thank His Excellency Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir for appointing one of them as Bauchi health commissioner.” 

The free surgeries are a gesture of appreciation for Dr Sambo’s appointment as the new Commissioner of Health and a tribute to Governor Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir for recognising Dr Sambo’s contributions to the medical field.

Dr Sambo, who formerly held the position of Chief Medical Officer at Toro General Hospital Toro and currently serves as the Bauchi Commissioner of Health, urging his successor, Dr Maryam Ahmad Abubakar, to build upon his achievements and collaborate closely with hospital unit officials to align with Bauchi state’s health sector objectives.

Similarly, Dan’zumi Abdulhamid, Chief Nursing Officer at Toro General Hospital, praised Dr Sambo’s accomplishments as the former Chief Medical Officer, highlighting advancements such as upgrading the hospital to a real general facility, provision of essential equipment including generators and X-ray machines, establishing a Covid-19 centre, a new theatre room, and the renovation of facilities including staff quarters and the Juma’at mosque.

On his part, Alhaji Aliyu Yakubu Lame, the district head of Lame, encouraged the Commissioner to work selflessly to drive development in the state. He equally commended the Governor for appointing two key commissioners from Toro and urged Dr Maryam Ahmad Abubakar to carry on Dr Sambo’s legacy.

The event was graced by the presence of the district heads of Toro, representatives from the Nigerian Medical Association, members of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria – Toro chapter, and other esteemed dignitaries.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assigned portfolios to his recently confirmed ministerial nominees, a document obtained by The Daily Reality shows.

Although the date of their inauguration has not been confirmed, the document has shown that the portfolios are as follows:

1. Yusuf Sununu – Minister of Education

2. Nyesom Wike – FCT

3. Mohammed Badaru – Defence

4. Ahmed Dangiwa – Housing and Urban Development

5. Simon Lalong – Labour and Employment

6. Bosun Tuani – Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy

7. Ishak Salaco – Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management

8. Wale Edun – Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy

9. Bunmi Tunji – Minister of Marine and Blue Economy

10. Adedayo Adelabu- Minister of Power

11. Tunji Alausa – Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare

12. Dele Alake – Minister of Solid Minerals Development

13. Lola Ade-John- Minister of Tourism

14. Adegboyega Oyetola – Minister of Transportation

15. Doris Anite – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

16. Uche Nnaji – Minister of Innovation Science and Technology

17. Nkiruka Onyejeocha – Minister of State, Labour and Employment

18. Uju Kennedy – Minister of Women Affairs

19. David Umahi – Minister of Works

20. Festus Keyamo – Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development

21. Abubakar Momoh – Minister of Youth

22. Betta Edu – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation

23. Ekperikpe Ekpo – Minister of State, Gas Resources

24. Heineken Lokpobiri – Minister of State Petroleum Resources

25. John Enoh- Minister of Sports Development

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The management of the University of Ibadan has approved the reduction of the number of workdays for staff from five to three.

According to a statement by the institution’s registrar, G.O. Saliu, the decision was taken due to the skyrocketing costs of fuel.

“The generality of Nigerians have experienced enormous economic difficulties as a result of the astronomical increase in the pump price caused by the removal of subsidy by the Federal Government,” the statement reads.

“Salary earners who have to commute to work every working day are faced with an aggravation of the condition, given the attendant hike in the transport fare and cost of living.

“After careful consideration of the situation, the University Management recommended a temporary work schedule adjustment for members of staff, which Senate at its meeting of Thursday, 03 August 2023 considered and approved.

“Accordingly, members of staff are now expected to work on-site for three (3) days in rotation per week, with effect from Monday, 14 August 2073. “It should, however, be noted that those on essential duties are exempted from this adjustment.

“It should be further noted that Management will review the arrangement as the situation improves. Meanwhile, members of staff are to maintain commitment, open communication, and cooperation towards ensuring free workflow, including working from home where and when necessary.

“In light of the foregoing, management seeks the understanding of all Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and Units towards a smooth implementation of the intervention,” the statement added.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Vice President Kashim Shettima applauded Google’s N1.2 billion grant programme for the President Tinubu administration’s one million jobs goal.

The compliment was given by Mr. Shettima on Tuesday in Abuja when he welcomed several executives of Google, a well-known international technology corporation, to the Presidential Villa.

He believes the N1.2 billion award announced to support the Tinubu administration’s digital jobs initiative is admirable and deserving of imitation by other businesses.

“Let’s think outside the box and create more job opportunities. We need to walk the talk. It is easy to pontificate but very difficult to bring all of the ideas to fruition. I want to assure you, this administration is ready to partner with you.

“Nigeria is ready for business. The President that we have now wants to leave a legacy that Nigerians will be proud of many years after,” Mr Shettima said.

By Malam MB

On May 25th, 1997, the democratically elected of Sierra Leon, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, was toppled by Major Johnny Paul Koroma. The development in Sierra Leone disrupted the plans of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the leadership of Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

ECOWAS pleaded with the Koroma junta to step down but it didn’t budge. General Abacha didn’t shilly-shally, he directed the Nigerian troops under the Economic Community of West African States’ Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to station themselves in and around Freetown (the Sierra Leone’s capital).

Major Johnny Koroma instantly became scared and sought dialogue which gave birth to Conakry Peace Accord on October 23rd, 1997. This Accord called for reinstatement of the legitimate government of President Tejan Kabbah within a period of 6 months.

Major Koroma who expressed his commitment to the Conakry Peace Accord dilly-dallied and that prompted General Abacha to oust him on February 6th, 1998 and reinstate President Tejan Kabbah.

When General Sani Abacha ousted Major Koroma, Nigeria didn’t experience collateral damage or negative implication because it doesn’t share any border with Sierra Leone and it didn’t have Boko Haram and Banditry then.

Today, Nigeria shares border with Niger Republic and our Nigeria that grapples with Boko Haram, Banditry and so much corruption, wants to militarily oust the Nigerien Dictator Abdurramane Omar Tchiani and reinstate the democratically elected President Mohammed Bazoum. Yes! Nigeria has the military strength to defeat Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso but how can President Tinubu contend with collateral damages and proliferation of Boko Haram and Bandits’ activities? I advise that Niger Republic should be sanctioned until the Nigerien people ask Dictator Tchiani to step down. Ah! I ought to ask again, can Tinubu do it like Abacha did?

Malam MB is a Senior Advocate of the Commoners (SAC) and can be reached via: malammb16@gmail.com

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Students of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, have protested against the Dean of Law of the University, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, over sexual harassment. 

On Monday, the students demanded the dismissal of the learned professor, as they carried placards clearly stating their reasons for the protest. 

They accused the university don of sexually harassing students and threatening to fail them. They also alleged the suppression of their voice over the alleged infamous conduct of the professor by the institution. 

Prof. Ndifon was previously removed from his position as Dean of Law over allegations of rape in 2016. Ndifon was, on August 29, 2015, accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old 400-level student (name withheld) in the faculty after ordering her to his office. Following the development, authorities of UNICAL suspended the dean from office. The suspension was to last until he was completely exonerated from the allegations.

However, according to reports, the University of Calabar (UNICAL) reappointed him as the Dean of its law faculty in 2022.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it plans to resume its orientation programme for new corps members in Borno, 13 years after it was put on hold owing to the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the insurgency has, for numerous years, forced corps members who had been posted to the state to do their orientation course in Katsina State.

The next orientation would take place in the state, according to Mr Lawal Yusufu, the state’s commissioner of police, who was speaking to reporters at the ad hoc orientation camp on Monday at the Arabic Teachers College in Maiduguri.

Yusufu, who spoke after examining the camp’s facilities, stated that security agencies will collaborate to provide security for the incoming NYSC members at the camp’s entrance, exit, and other strategic locations.

Government representatives, including the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, and the State Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board, Alhaji Mohammed Badiya, accompanied the commissioner on the tour.

The new NYSC members’ orientation programme is scheduled to start on August 18.

By Abdurrahman Muhammad

David Roger Jowitt, the renowned British professor of Nigerian English, who had lived in Nigeria for six decades and became a citizen in 2023, died yesterday after a brief illness.

Professor Jowitt was an academic and an author. His books, Nigerian English and Common Errors in English, are some of the best on the subject. He had reportedly been working on his memoir before his death.

He also taught at Bayero University, Kano, University of Jos, among many other institutions across the country.

By Abdulbasid Aliyu Adam

Parents have been reminded of the need to play their parental role in providing qualitative education to their wards to curtail social vices.

Dr Abdullahi Jaji of Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare remarked while presenting a paper themed, the challenges of post-primary Education in Northern Nigeria: the Role of Stakeholders at the closing ceremony of the three-day annual quiz, debate and essay competition organised by MSSN Bauchi State Area Unit.

Dr Jaji, who spoke at length on the challenges of post-primary Education in Northern Nigeria, attributed the menace to the misplacement of priority by the parents. Hence the need for parents to shoulder all the responsibilities of their children’s education described knowledge as the bedrock of every development.

Earlier in his welcome address, the quiz coordinator of MSSN Bauchi state, Dr Muhammad Adamu Hamid, said the program was designed to improve the readiness of Muslim students in Bauchi State to face the Senior Secondary school Certificate Examination to meet world tertiary institution entry requirements in an examination malpractice free environment.

Dr Hamid, a lecturer with the Department of Mass Communication, Pen Resource University Gombe, charged the participants to double their efforts in seeking religious and Western education.

Speaking at the occasion, Amir of the MSSN Bauchi State Area Unit, Dr Rabi’u Barau Mball, applauded the efforts of the host communities for their job well done and urged the relevant authorities to continuously support the activities of MSSN at all levels for the speedy development of education and the state at large.

Dr Barau Mball, a lecturer with the Department of Sociology, Bauchi State University Gadau, used the medium and informed the public that the leadership of the society would host the 2023 National Islamic Vocation Course (IVC) hence the need for government support and all the sister agencies.

In their separate remarks at the occasion, Hon. Ahmed Mai Kudi Yaya, a member representing the Misau constituency in the State Assembly and Hajiya Bahijja Auwal Babaji, deputy chairman of Giade Local Government as well as the District Head of Giade represented by the Galadiman Giade, commended the state leadership of MSSN for organising the August, events and prayed for its sustenance.

The program, which draws participants from SS one and two of all secondary schools across the twenty local governments of the state, held at the Government Science Secondary school Giade, declared Katagum local government as the overall best, followed by Bauchi and Toro as Second and third, respectively.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Reports coming from the north-central part of Nigeria have indicated that an aircraft belonging to the Nigeria Air Force has crashed in Nigeria State.

The aircraft was confirmed to have crashed on Monday on its way from Kaduna State to Niger State.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the incident in a statement.

The statement partly reads, “A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission crashed today, August 14, 2023, at about 1:00 pm, in Chukuba Village in Niger State. The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.”

The Daily Reality could not independently reach a Nigerian Air Force official to get more details about the incident as of the time of filing this report.

However, reports suggest that efforts are being made to rescue survivors of the crash.