NDLEA tackles Kwara lawmaker on alleged recovered drugs, illicit substances

A CNG-powered vehicle explosion at the NIPCO filling station in Aduwawa, Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday left three people severely injured, including a motorist who suffered eye injuries. An attendant at the station, who requested anonymity, told The PUNCH on Thursday that two others—a woman whose stomach was ripped open and another person whose foot
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A CNG-powered vehicle explosion at the NIPCO filling station in Aduwawa, Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday left three people severely injured, including a motorist who suffered eye injuries. An attendant at the station, who requested anonymity, told The PUNCH on Thursday that two others—a woman whose stomach was ripped open and another person whose foot

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The United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF has emphasised the need for every child in Nigeria to be immunised to protect them against life-threatening diseases and infection. While disclosing that 2.3 million children were yet to receive vaccines in the country, the Chief UNICEF Field Officer, South-West, Nigeria, Celine Lafoucriere, stated that such children are mostly
UNICEF harps on immunisation of children against life-threatening diseases, infections

The United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF has emphasised the need for every child in Nigeria to be immunised to protect them against life-threatening diseases and infection.

While disclosing that 2.3 million children were yet to receive vaccines in the country, the Chief UNICEF Field Officer, South-West, Nigeria, Celine Lafoucriere, stated that such children are mostly in marginalised areas and hard-to-reach areas.

Lafoucriere, who stated this in Lagos State, during a two-day media dialogue to enhance routine immunisation and to reduce zero doze children tagged ‘Achieving the health SDGs for over two million children at risk of death in Nigeria,’ maintained that vaccines remain essential to the health of children.

According to her, “We still have a very pressing challenge in Nigeria, where 2.3 million children still have received no vaccines at all. These are called the zero-doze children and are mostly in marginalised areas, and hard-to-reach areas, and vaccines remain essential to their health.

“Vaccines are an essential fundamental right to every child, and they remain fundamental to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities,” she said.

While emphasising that UNICEF is in collaboration with the government and other partners to address the challenge, she stressed that areas with the highest concentration of zero-dose children were being prioritised.

“To achieve this in Nigeria, UNICEF, together with the government and other partners, has prioritised 100 local government areas across 18 states with the highest concentration of those zero-dose children that need us. They need us right now, and we need you, the media, to join hands to accelerate the rate of immunisation in Nigeria to ensure that by each year we increase the rate of vaccinated children by 50 percent.

With an appeal to the media to assist UNICEF in the sensitisation of Nigerians on the importance of vaccines, she said, “This cannot be done without you; please join hands with us today to ensure that we can leverage your influence.

“Your own influence is very important. You can catalyse actions and help dispel rumours and misinformation about vaccines. By working collectively, we can build a resilient health system that is capable of reaching each and every child, leaving no one behind. No matter where they live, we must ensure that no child in Nigeria suffers from preventable diseases.”

On his part, the Assistant Immunisation Programme Officer, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, LSPHCB, Dr Adeniyi Adebayo, who emphasised the need for every child to be fully immunised, noted that vaccines formed the bedrock of economic development.

According to him, zero-dose children were those who were not immunised from birth, adding that children in that category were prone to diseases and infections.

Adebayo also said that under-immunised children were the ones whose immunisations were not completed, stressing that all vaccines and immunisations in the country were free, urging parents to make the best use of the opportunity to get their children immunised from birth.

UNICEF harps on immunisation of children against life-threatening diseases, infections

The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over their outstanding salaries. This is contained in a statement jointly signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi on Wednesday.
Outstanding salaries: SSANU, NASU threaten indefinite strike, give three-week ultimatum

The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over their outstanding salaries.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi on Wednesday.

The unions gave the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum to pay their outstanding salaries.

According to them, the 10-day grace period given to the Federal Government to pay the four months of outstanding salaries to university staff expired on 26th July 2024.

The unions gave the Federal Government another three-week ultimatum beginning from Tuesday, September 17 to act on their demands or risk the indefinite strike by the unions.

They threatened to shut down universities and inter-university centres if payment was not made within the fresh grace period.

SSANU and NASU are demanding, among other things, the payment of four months’ withheld salaries of their members, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreement with the federal government.

The unions accused the Federal Government of failure to act within the initial six weeks ultimatum it issued in July this year.

Outstanding salaries: SSANU, NASU threaten indefinite strike, give three-week ultimatum