German Academic Exchange Service Opens in Accra for West Africa

By: Michael Mike

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is expanding its international network in West Africa by opening a
regional office in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

According to a statement, the DAAD regional office in Accra, has recently started work. It was initially responsible for Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, as it is
strengthening its network in an important region for Germany and Europe.

“By 2050, the share of African countries in the global population will rise to an
estimated 25 per cent. The number of students and doctoral candidates in
West Africa will also increase in the medium term. The universities and scientific institutions in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria are already important partners for German universities and their importance will continue to grow. With the new regional office, we are strengthening these links in a region that is important for Germany and Europe.” explained DAAD President Prof.
Joybrato Mukherjee on site in Accra.

He added that: “As the DAAD, we are also deliberately expanding the network of German foreign science policy in West Africa, also with a view to the neighbouring Sahel zone and the associated challenging
geopolitical situation. Science diplomacy and the science cooperation area
are making resilient and important contributions to German security in these
crisis-ridden times. Science is a ‘hard currency’ in foreign and security policy,
and we are delighted to be able to expand our presence in West Africa with
the support of the Federal Foreign Office.”

,” said Mukherjee.
DAAD in Ghana
Since establishing its presence in Ghana in 2000, the German Academic
Exchange Service (DAAD) has actively supported the remarkable growth of
academic exchange and collaboration with Germany. Germany is now the
third most popular study destination for Ghanaian students and the number
of DAAD’s scholarships for Ghanaians have increased more than tenfold in the
last 25 years. Over the past decade, institutional collaborations between
DAAD Germany and Ghana have nearly tripled and the flourishing network of
students, researchers, and alumni between the two countries stands as a testament to this success.

The new regional office – one of only two in sub-Saharan Africa – demonstrates the continuing growth of West African countries as partners of Germany and the DAAD.

They offer great potential for academic exchange and scientific cooperation with Germany: an estimated 2.5 million young people are currently studying in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria. The number of
exchanges with Germany has also risen continuously in recent years. Around
13,500 students from the three countries are currently enrolled at universities
in Germany.

In addition, German universities are showing a growing interest in cooperation, with around 130 partnerships already in place with Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.

Until now, however, German universities have lacked a central contact point on site for the establishment and expansion of networks and collaborations. The new regional office in Accra enables the DAAD to advise students and researchers locally, to present Germany as an attractive centre
of science in the region and to facilitate access to knowledge and contacts in
the countries for German universities.

Students and researchers interested in making inquiries, attending information events, or booking individual consultations can contact the DAAD Regional Office in Ghana.

German Academic Exchange Service Opens in Accra for West Africa

Suspected IED explosion kills minor, injures six in Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

A suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded in the early hours of Tuesday in Abakpa area of Kaduna North Local Government Area, killing one minor and injuring six others.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the explosion occurred around 8 a.m., April 22, 2025, causing panic among residents in the densely populated community.

The deceased minor was identified as Abubakar Mohammed, while the six injured persons, including three other minors, were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

A resident who witnessed the incident and spoke under condition of anonymity that the device exploded suddenly near a residential compound, leading to several casualties.

Security personnel, including bomb disposal experts and police operatives, quickly arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area.

Authorities have commenced an investigation to ascertain the nature of the explosive and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Suspected IED explosion kills minor, injures six in Kaduna

UNICEF Worries discoveries of 2 Casa in Jigawa, Govt. Receives Over 2m Dosage of Polio Vaccine, Recruits 50,000 Adhoc to Immunizes 2m Children

By: Aminu B, Dutse

Two Polio Cases had been recorded in Hadejia and Suletantarkar local government of Jigawa State after being the state certified Polio virus free for about one decade.

This was disclosed by the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF) Kano Chief field officer, Mr Rahama Rihood Farah during a day Media Dialogue on Polio and Routine Immunization organized by the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF) held in Dutse, the state capital.

Mr. Rahama Rihood Farah was represented by Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum Deres, Health Manager, UNICEF Kano Field Office said “polio is a highly infectious disease with potentially deadly consequences for young children. It has been the leading cause of paralysis among children and can cause death!”.

According to him “Across the world, 3 billion people have been immunized against polio since 1988, bringing the disease to the brink of eradication. But the fight is not over, including in Nigeria, because low vaccination rates are creating opportunities for polio outbreaks as we are seeing in Nigeria. Recently.In 2025, 18 cases of polio have been reported in 18 LGAs in nine (9) states of Nigeria”.

“Two (2) of these polio cases are in Hadejia and Sule Tankarkar LGAs of Jigawa state. This is unacceptable and must be halted Polio knows no boundaries and spreads fast an outbreak in any country puts children in every country at risk”.

The chief field officer maintained that “In the last 50 years alone, vaccines have saved 154 million lives that is six people every minute, for five decades. Together, we have made incredible progress. Simply by being immunized, you help to protect others from the spread of disease, just as they help to protect you.We can stop outbreaks and eradicate polio”.

“Ending polio and improving children’s survival starts with making sure all children have access to vaccines. UNICEF calls on the Jigawa state government, and indeed all states in Nigeria, to take urgent action to stop polio outbreaks and to reach all children with polio and other life-saving vaccines”.

He said UNICEF requests Jigawa State government to declares a State of Emergency on Polio and Routine Immunization including a commitment to release State Counterpart funding for polio and routine Immunization, 27 local government councils’ Chairmen in the state to make similar commitments, and conduct flag-offs of the upcoming polio vaccination campaign and commit to releasing counterpart funding.

Mr Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum noted that UNICEF in collaboration with the Jigawa state government through the Primary Healthcare Development Agency has convened this Media Dialogue to solicit the support of the media in raising awareness and mobilizing parents, caregivers, communities, stakeholders, the public and everyone, about the Polio Vaccination Campaign which Nigeria has scheduled to implement from 24-30 April 2025.

UNICEF emphasis that Media must regularly disseminate through their platforms accurate information to help fight myths, disinformation and rumors which misinform and discourage people from taking opportunities to vaccinate children.

“If children get vaccinated routinely, we will have no need for vaccination campaigns to deal with vaccine-preventable diseases. To eradicate polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, Nigeria must strengthen its Routine Immunization efforts. This requires full implementation of the One functional Primary Healthcare Centre per ward Policy. If we strengthen our Routine Immunization, we can realize a future free from diseases like polio, cervical cancer and measles”.

Farah stated further that as the global community is focusing attention on human papillomavirus during the World Immunization Week, and UNICEF urges the government and decision makers in Nigeria to also focus attention on and invest in vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer.

“We can realize a future free from vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, cervical cancer and measles. A future where no child dies from illnesses that we know how to prevent – because Vaccines are available, safe and effective!”.

Speaking over the development the executive secretary Jigawa state Primary Healthcare Development Agency PHCDA, Dr Sambo through director primary healthcare services, Dr Hassan Shu’aibu Kwalam said the state has came up and adopted new strategies to re-eliminates the disease in the state.

According to him the state government through the agency a massive immunization exercise to be lunched all over the state by tomorrow Wednesday targeted to immunizes all eligibles children in the state.

The director explained that a high level meeting with traditional and religious leaders under the chairmanship of the chairman of Polio enlightenment campaign committee and Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Muhammad Hamim Nuhu to redesigned where the Emir of Hadejia and Gumel, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Make and Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Sani and review the hole (polio) immunization exercise in Hadejia.

Dr Hassan Shu’aibu Kwalam explained that there is a massive immunization exercise plan to kick off 24th of this month to last for six days where through the period over 3060 teams of three people per each team to be despatches across 287 political wards in 27 local government areas to vaccinate all eligible children.

He said “the agency received over two million dosage of vaccine to be admitted to the targeted 1.9 million children”.

“In an effort to achieve 100 percent coverage about 50,000 adhoc staff had been recruited which includes people to administer the vaccine, recorders, supervisors at three different levels such as at teams, wards, local government area zones and state levels.

Also speaking the programme manager, State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre (SERICC ), Dr Shehu Ibrahim said “a total of 1.9m os targeted to immunizes against the polio disease in the forthcoming polio immunisation exercise to be conducted a cross 27 local government areas of the state”.

Dr Shehu Ibrahim described noncompliance which in most cases emanating from political attribution in vaccine exercise leading to missing some children from recieving the vaccine a situation that exposing them and endangering other to the virus.

He expressed concern on political attraction to polio and routing immunization where in some cases rejecting the vaccine for a political reason remains serious challenge in achieving the targeted children in the state, “what is the relationship with water supply and routing immunization?”.

According to him “In February 2025 immunisation exercise a total of seven children were missed in Garki, Kaugama and Maigatari Local Government area “

He said , State Government has introduced various measures to ensure no single child is left behind during the upcoming immunisation campaign.

Adding that Immunisation teams would be deployed to markets and boarders to ensure full coverage and to ensure no zero child is recorded.

UNICEF Worries discoveries of 2 Casa in Jigawa, Govt. Receives Over 2m Dosage of Polio Vaccine, Recruits 50,000 Adhoc to Immunizes 2m Children