Connect with us

Uncategorized

Nigeria, Namibia Push for Closer Co-operation

Published

on

Nigeria, Namibia Push for Closer Co-operation

By: Michael Mike

In a bid to deepen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Namibia, the latter has expressed interest in understudying the operations of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps and recommitting to the ideals of the Nigeria-Namibia Joint Commission of Co-operation.

This was the high point of discussions held between the Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Humphrey Geiseb, and the Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, during a visit by the Namibian Envoy to the Technical Aid Corps office in Abuja.

While noting that the commendable impacts of the Technical Aid Corps Scheme over the past years in their country have left no one in doubt as to its desirability, Amb. Geiseb said Nigeria remains a big-brother nation that made immense contributions to Namibia’s independence struggles and the development of the country in diverse sectors, including Health, Agriculture, Education, Oil and Gas and the Economy, even before the country gained independence.

He recalled that some of the best crops of Civil and Public Service professionals that grew to become Permanent Secretaries, Directors as well as medical professionals and teachers, whose availability ensured a smooth transition from their colonial masters in a newly independent Namibia, were trained by Nigerians.

He again lauded the TAC Scheme for being the means through which his country has today achieved an abundance of medical professionals and teachers,who are even at present prepared to export their skills to other countries. He added that part of the reasons for his visit was also to learn best practices from the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps with regards to its operations, including seeking ways to, in the foreseeable future, request for some identified capacities that may still be lacking in their country.

Ambassador Geiseb also used the opportunity of the visit to push for greater efforts at the Ministerial level between Nigeria and Namibia to re-energize the noble objectives of the Nigeria-Namibia Joint Commission of Co-operation,while stressing that hosting a new Session of the Joint Commission established in the year 2000 and last met fourteen years ago would make for deeper bilateral ties and advance the identified interests of both countries.

Responding,the TAC DG, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, expressed gratitude to the Namibian Envoy for the visit. He reiterated the commitment of the Tinubu Administration to continue to provide technical assistance to brother nations across Africa,the Caribbean and Pacific countries and lauded the vision of the founding fathers of the TAC Scheme,which he pointed out,had in the past 37 years broken foisted geographic barriers among brothers,ensured transfer of technical skills and midwifed cultural exchanges,among other benefits.

He said, although a lot had changed with changing times between the both countries in the area of receiving the Corps’ Volunteers,TAC, however ,would not hesitate to answer the requests of Namibia in whatever areas of technical need or tutelage whenever such requests came.The TAC boss also assured his visitor that he would in the coming days seek audience with the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar,to communicate Namibia’s interest in convoying a new Session of the Joint Commission.

Among those present at the meeting were the Director of Administration at the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Amb. Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed; the Director of Programmes,Amb. Zakari Usman as well as Mrs Meimunat Haruna Mustapha, a Deputy Director and Head of Accounts at the Agency.

Others included Mr Lawal Adekola, Assistant Director in-charge of Internal Audit; Mrs Caroline Osimnobi of the Accounts Department and Mr Lawandy Bala, Special Assistant to the Director General on Protocol Matters,among others.

The Namibian Envoy was accompanied on the visit by Mr Morris Sisinzi, an Under Secretary at the Namibia High Commission in Abuja.

Nigeria, Namibia Push for Closer Co-operation

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Uncategorized

Police foil banditry, rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

Published

on

Police foil banditry, rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA on patrol along Funtua–Gusau Road has foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued 12 persons, including a driver, from armed men suspected to be bandits.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred late on Monday, April 28, around 11:22 p.m., when the attackers ambushed a Mitsubishi Canter vehicle.

The vehicle, driven by one Sama’ila Abdullahi, 35, of Buke Village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara, was said to be conveying passengers and goods before the gunmen struck.

Security sources said the patrol team responded swiftly and engaged the bandits in a gun duel, successfully subduing them and rescuing all victims unhurt.

The hoodlums reportedly fled into the bush following the encounter.

Police foil banditry, rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

Continue Reading

National News

Harnessing Solar Power: Patient care improved as hospital switches to renewable energy in northern Nigeria

Published

on

Harnessing Solar Power: Patient care improved as hospital switches to renewable energy in northern Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

To improve patients’ healthcare in northern Nigeria, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is embracing solar energy to power the hospitals it supports, which have historically depended on expensive, fuel-intensive generators. By moving to renewable energy, communities in the region now have better, more sustainable access to life-saving medical devices, medication, and infrastructure.

Moments before the switch, many staff at Zurmi Hospital held their breath, worried about how the change in power would affect medical operations.

“We have people on oxygen tanks,” an MSF staff member said, reminding the engineers about what was at stake.

Very quickly, those fears turned to relief as the transition went smoothly, and the power remained stable throughout the day and into the following days.

“Before, it was extremely challenging,” said Israel Mushore, the energy manager who worked on the project for five months. “Patients would be taken into surgery, and there was always the risk of a power cut in the middle of the procedure. Now, with solar power, we have a stable and reliable energy source.”

For years, Zurmi General Hospital had been cut off from the national grid. Instead, it had to rely on generators that consumed more than 3,000 gallons of fuel each month to power the medical facilities. The system led to frequent and frustrating power disruptions.

Since installing 436 solar panels this year, the 250-kilowatt solar power system has consistently kept medical devices running, medications refrigerated and enabled emergency surgical procedures. A battery backup system also ensures that hospital operations continue smoothly at night and during extended periods of cloud coverage. Patients in the hospital, including in maternity care, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and the cholera unit, have experienced their healthcare improved.

“I cannot overstate how the switch to solar panels has improved our ability to respond to malnutrition and paediatric emergencies by being able to better store vaccines and expand our outreach,” said Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria.

At the same time, the introduction of renewable energy has strengthened the hospital’s ability to provide consistent, quality care over the long term. By changing the infrastructure of what needs to be sourced, transported, stored, and paid for, the hospital is now better equipped to deliver more reliable and uninterrupted care.

And, because it is a cleaner energy source, it has a smaller environmental footprint, reducing its contribution to the climate crisis that is already impacting the people MSF serves.

Climate change affects patients’ health

Climate-related shocks, such as droughts and floods, are severely impacting agricultural productivity, disrupting access to land for livestock herders and farmers, and sparking competition over resources. This is fuelling violence and displacement, leading to food insecurity and malnutrition across the region.

Over the years, MSF teams in the eight northern states of Nigeria, where MSF operates – including Zamfara State, where Zurmi Hospital is located – have recorded a concerning rise in the number of severely malnourished children with life-threatening complications. In 2024, MSF treated over 300,000 children—an alarming 25 percent increase from 2023. Over 75,000 of these children required inpatient care. This year, in anticipation of an even higher number of patients suffering from malnutrition, MSF is in the process of increasing its bed capacity in some of its hospitals.

MSF teams have also observed how years of changing weather – including warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall – have enabled mosquitoes to breed more rapidly and thrive in new areas, increasing Nigerians’ exposure to malaria. According to 2023 numbers – the most recent data available from the World Health Organization (WHO) – Nigeria accounted for 26 percent of the global 263 million cases, with a significant surge of an estimated 6.8 million more cases from 2018 to 2023.

“Every day, we witness how climate factors influence the health of communities around the world,” Mohamed Ali said. “From the rising frequency of extreme weather events to violent land disputes stemming from drought-ravaged farmlands that have diminished crop yields, the connection between climate and health is stark.”

Doing more to mitigate climate change

In addition to the consistency of using solar energy, transitioning to renewable energy has meant that MSF can better respond to patients’ needs. By spending less money and time to source and transport costly fuel to keep generators going – especially in remote areas – MSF has been able to devote more resources toward other necessary costs to keep its hospitals running and accessible to patients. Already, the organization is starting to see this through its other solar panel installations in Zamfara State – Talata Mafara and Gummi – and in the states of Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Kano, and Sokoto.

“While there are still other steps to be taken to reduce MSF’s overall environmental impact, switching to solar power is part of our work to create a more sustainable solution that will benefit patients and the communities,” Mohamed Ali added.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Vigilante office attacked, vehicles set ablaze by suspected IPOB/ESN militants in Aguata, Anambra

Published

on

Vigilante office attacked, vehicles set ablaze by suspected IPOB/ESN militants in Aguata, Anambra

By Zagazola Makama

Armed hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), attacked a vigilante office in Amesi, Aguata LGA, Anambra State, in the early hours of April 25, 2025.

The attack, which occurred at about 0220hrs, targeted the office of the sector commander of the Agunechenba Vigilantes.

According to the commander, the hoodlums set fire to four patrol vehicles and two motorcycles belonging to the vigilantes before fleeing the scene.

Upon receiving the report, a Joint Task Force (JTF) mobilized to the area, but by the time they arrived, the assailants had already escaped.

A comprehensive search of the surrounding bushes is underway, with police-led JTF units working to apprehend the suspects.

Vigilante office attacked, vehicles set ablaze by suspected IPOB/ESN militants in Aguata, Anambra

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights