News

How UNICEF Improves Health, Economic Status Of Women In Bauchi

Published

1 year ago

March 7, 2024

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office on Thursday, revealed how it has effectively engaged women in order to improve their health and economic status in Bauchi state.

A Health Officer of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Mr Oluseyi Olosunde made this known in Gombe on Thursday during a media dialogue on investing in women to promote community health systems in commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD).

To achieve this feat, Olosunde explained that the UN organisation had engaged nothing less than 6,460 community volunteers on active Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) case findings, Health Education and Referral to reduce morbidity and mortality rates amongst pregnant women and babies in Bauchi state.

He said that the community volunteers named ‘Mama2Mama women support groups’ intend to promote, improve knowledge and attitudes on reproductive, maternal and child health as well as the economic standards of women across the state.

“The mama2mama volunteers also access trade training during meetings to step down to the women for economic empowerment.

“The composition of the mama2mama group was based on an existing community structure in each ward of the state.

“Each ward has two to three groups to pass the desired knowledge to households in the wards.

“During monthly meetings, each volunteer summit reports using the data tool on referrals and case findings.

“The case finding for the volunteers in this context is to identify new antenatal defaulters and track under-One children for immunization.

“For health education, the mama2mama groups engage community members on household practice,” he said.

According to him the volunteers were spearheaded by health workers in the communities to broaden their knowledge, coach and monitor their activities.

He added that the groups work with operational guidelines to meet up with the expected adjectives.

In her contribution,a member of the Mama2Mama volunteer from Bauchi state, Mrs Furera Aliyu, said that barriers and rejections on uptake of services are forwarded to be further addressed by the community, religious leaders and ward Development Committee to resolve issues around rejections.

She said that the action was a clear indication of volunteerism, commitment and passion to reduce the burden of Maternal and child mortality.

Aliyu said the passion for saving and advocating for the promotion of good health and economic independence amongst rural dwellers removed all forms of fear despite insecurity challenges.

News

FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

Published

5 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

7 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

7 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.