News

How UNICEF’s Initiative Changes Narrative Of Access To Healthcare Services In Bauchi

Published

2 months ago

June 21, 2025

Editor

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), through its Fathers for Good Health (F4GH) initiative has been making a whole lot of impact and improving the level of people’s access to healthcare services in Bauchi state.

This initiative was developed by UNICEF and funded by the Canadian Government in order to encourage men to support and mobilise their women for clinic visits, routine immunization, antenatal care and better hygiene practices within their communities.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen on Saturday while commemorating Fathers’ Day, John Eki, the Social Behaviour Change Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, explained that the initiative was specially introduced to ensure that children that have not received any form of vaccine before were reached and vaccinated in Bauchi state.

In doing this, he said UNICEF in collaboration with the state’s Primary Healthcare Development Board did a rapid assessment where they went to two Local Government Areas, Misau and Ningi.

“We went to find out by ourselves the reason behind the parents not allowing their children to be vaccinated.

“It was quite interesting to see some of the underlying reasons why some parents were not vaccinating their children but increasingly, many of the respondents especially, mothers pointed out that the power to give consent to vaccinate a child rests with the fathers.

“They told us that if we want their children to be vaccinated, then we need to work with the men to be able to give them permission to vaccinate their children and that’s exactly what we did and we recorded huge success in this regard,” he said.

According to him, the group had been able to reach a total number of 113 wards, mobilized 9,252 communities as well as 109,444 children to be immunized with different routine immunization antigens in seven LGAs of Bauchi state.

The UNICEF specialist further explained that F4GH has a total number of 1,130 members with more volunteers showing interest in joining the group.

“What this means is that in every LGA we work, there are ten men in each ward meeting the fathers and convincing them to bring their children to health facilities for vaccination.

“We are mainstreaming nutrition, education, and child protection activities into the work the F4GH are doing now.

“This will enable them to address not only the issue of non-compliance with vaccine uptake but all the related issues affecting children and mothers,” Eki said.

While commending the group during a field trip of journalists organized by UNICEF to Misau LGA, Turaki Goje, a father who had once rejected vaccination owing to the fact that he grew up without receiving any form of immunization, admitted that he was ignorant and negligent.

“Members of the Father for Good Health support team visited my house at different times but I chased them away each time until one day I decided to listen to them to receive their messages.

“After listening to them, I was convinced about the message and I immediately allowed all my children that are within the immunization ages to receive the vaccination. Today, I have healthy children and grandchildren in my family.

“In fact, I later invited them and took them to my village where they enlightened the people there and they all accepted it especially, the women. We are now accepting any form of vaccination they bring to us.

“Another reason why I rejected any vaccination before was because we used to think that there was some kind of hidden agenda behind it because we thought these vaccination exercises only took place in the Northern part of the country,” he said.

One of the members of the group, Nura Aliyu, said before the coming of the initiative, there was a lot of resistance to polio immunization, low attendance of antenatal sessions by pregnant women and home deliveries were on the high side which sometimes resulted in health complications.

“Thanks to the Fathers for Good health Initiative, people now recognize the importance of going to the hospital, particularly pregnant women, even our malnourished children have recovered.

”Before now, there was a lot of resistance to immunization, most households were against immunizing their newborns and many of the pregnant women were not educated on attending antenatal and giving birth in a health facility.”

Similarly, another member of the group, Ibrahim Maina, called on the state government to help provide the group with the necessary mobility especially, motorcycles in order to effectively reach some of the hard to reach areas for awareness campaigns in no distant time.

News

Edo Govt Bans Kabaka’s Firm, Others From Collecting Revenue

Published

17 minutes ago

August 6, 2025

Editor

Edo State Government has banned private firms earlier authorised to collaborate with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) to collect revenue in the state.

The state government said the ban became necessary due to reports of violation of terms of operations given to them earlier.

In a public announcement, Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, said the ban also extends to Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd, a private consultant earlier engaged to enforce compliance.

Ikhilor, while frowning at the activities of the private firms, noted that the “era of using unions as fronts to harass, intimidate, or extort drivers and road users in the name of revenue collection is over.”

The statement partly reads: “The Edo State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has observed with grave concern the alarming resurgence of illegal revenue collection by certain unions and organizations under various guises across the State.

“It has become clear that some of these groups, previously given limited authorization to collaborate with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) under clearly defined terms, have grossly violated the conditions of their engagement and resorted to cash collections, extortions, social harassment and intimidation.

“Specifically, the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), ANNEWAT, and Drivers on Wheel, are hereby banned with immediate effect.

“These unions are not authorized to collect any form of dues, levies, taxes, or charges from motorists, drivers, traders, or any member of the public in Edo State.

“This ban also extends to Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd, a private consultant earlier engaged to enforce compliance.

“Credible reports reaching the people-loving Governor, indicate that the firm and its workers have become complicit in widespread extortion and abuse of mandate, thereby betraying the trust reposed in them by the State.

“The Government considers these actions as acts of economic sabotage, social oppression and a direct affront to law and order.

“All activities of the aforementioned unions are suspended indefinitely.”

The SSG, while noting that “no individual or group under any of these unions is permitted to collect any form of payment from motorists or road users,” advised “all motorists, drivers, and road users not to pay any cash or comply with any form of illegal levy imposed by these banned entities.”

He disclosed that “the Commissioner of Police and all relevant security agencies have been duly notified and directed to arrest and prosecute any individual or group found violating this directive.”

News

17-year-old Nigerian Named World Best In English At 2025 TeenEagle Finals In London

Published

18 hours ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

…Outperforms over 20,000 participants from 69 countries

Nafisa Aminu, a 17-year-old student of Tulip International College, Yobe State, has emerged world’s best in English at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals.

The 17-year-old was named the World Best in English Language Skills at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals held in London, United Kingdom.

The TeenEagle competition is an internationally recognised contest that tests English proficiency, critical thinking, and communication skills, attracting students from both English-speaking and non-English-speaking nations.

Nafisa’s triumph was confirmed in a statement by the head of her family, Hassan Salifu, who attributed her success to “dedication, discipline, and the enabling support of the state government.”

Representing Nigeria, Nafisa outperformed over 20,000 participants from 69 countries, a historic feat that has thrust her into the global academic spotlight and brought honour to Nigeria.

News

FG Promotes 30 Senior NCoS Officers To Assistant Controller General

Published

18 hours ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has approved the promotion of 30 senior officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service to the rank of Assistant Controller General of Corrections.

The announcement was made in a press statement signed by the NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar, on Tuesday.

“The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has approved the promotion of 30 Controllers of Corrections to the prestigious rank of Assistant Controller General of Corrections,” the statement read.

Abubakar noted that the promotions were made in line with CDCFIB’s commitment to “merit-based advancement, professional excellence, and the continuous strengthening of leadership within the Nigerian Correctional Service.”

“Among the newly promoted officers are twenty-seven general duty officers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and operational competence in various formations across the country.

“In addition, three professional officers have also been elevated in recognition of their outstanding service and specialized contributions in the areas of Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing, and Public Health,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the promotion exercise was said to align with the ongoing reforms in the Service, a key part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The statement credited the reform momentum to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, whose efforts were described as “unwavering” and “unprecedented.”

Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, congratulated the newly promoted officers, charging them to rise to the responsibilities of their new roles.

“I urge them to redouble their effort to service delivery, strategic leadership, and the core mandates of reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates,” he said.

He further stressed that the promotions are not merely rewards for past service but “a call to higher responsibility in line with global best practices in correctional management.”

“The Service remains committed to building a motivated, disciplined, and professional workforce capable of meeting the complex demands of modern corrections and public safety,” Nwakuche added.