News

Group To Engage Bauchi Govt. On Sustainability Of Budget For Health Project

Published

2 years ago

August 14, 2024

A group, ‘Health System Strengthening Clusters’ says it would engage the Bauchi state government to sustain budgetary provision for Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) to enhance the healthcare service delivery in the state.

Mr Shuaibu Kobi, the Lead Programme Manager, Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations (BASNEC), stated this on Wednesday in Bauchi during a media round table.

According to him, the Health System Strengthening (HSS) Clusters which consisted of some Civil Society Organisations, was implementing a project titled Improved Quality Healthcare Service Delivery through Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS).

The programme, he said, is a USAID-funded 5-year project implemented by Palladium in collaboration with Nigerian Resource Partners.

“One of the key objectives of the project is to ensure that the health system in Bauchi state is strengthened to improve the healthcare delivery in the state.

“Our advocacy is to engage the Commissioner for Budget and Economy Planning, Commissioner for Health and the House Committee on Health to sustain budgetary provision in the 2025 budget proposal on integrated supportive supervision in the state.

“We will also engage the Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Development Board to organise a tripartite meeting which involves CSOs/Media, Private Sectors and Government agencies on private sector engagements on ISS contributions.

“We will also engage the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to facilitate LGAs Management to finance ISS in Bauchi State,” he said.

Kobi explained that this is necessary because the Bauchi state government Basket Fund which has been funding the project may likely be exhausted in 2024 and by 2025, there would be gaps in terms of funding, hence, the engagement of the government on budget inclusion.

“If it is not sustained, we are going to have a problem in 2025. So, the government should sustain this in the 2025 budget and if possible, they can even increase the allocation to that sector looking at the inflation rate,” said Kobi.

Also speaking, Ms Zainab Hassan, Programme Officer, Health System Strengthening Cluster, said that the cluster comprised six civil society organisations such as She Alert Care Foundation, Council for Affirmative Action.

Others, she said, included; Life Transformation for Africa Initiative (LIFT 4AFRICA), Women with Disability integrity & Development Initiative (WDIDI), Bauchi State Network of Civil Societies (BASNEC) and Better Life Restoration Initiative (BERI) serving as the anchor organisations.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

8 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.