Connect with us

Metro

Community Lauds INEC for Creation New Polling Units in Ilorin

Published

on

INEC makes U-turn, admits ownership of server
Share

From Alfred Babs, Ilorin

The Amule Omoba Community Development Association in Kwara State has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the creation of more polling units in Ilorin, the state capital.

The Association in a statement jointly signed by it Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu and Publicity Secretary, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim made available to Daily Asset correspondent on Tuesday noted that the creation of new polling units will enhance participation of more people in the Electoral process.

The community in particular lauded INEC for the creation of a new Polling unit named Daudu Amule Olokobi open space 034 at Magaji Are Ward 1 in Ilorin East local government area of the state adding, “this polling unit will decongest over population in the existing polling units and provide solutions to the crisis that are usually emanating during elections at polling units in the area.

The Association while denouncing a statement that it did not welcome a new Polling unit in the area said, “we therefore appeal to the peace loving in the area to embrace peace and commend the electoral body for answering our long time clamour for additional polling units in the area rather than bringing irrelevant issues that will disrupt smooth electoral process in the area.

“For clarity of emphasis on this issue, the additional polling unit which we have been clamouring for is in fulfilment of our aspirations to making voting during elections easy for our people. The former polling unit, PU 13 Ode Daudu Amule remains where it is located while the new one recently created by INEC, Daudu Amule Olokobi PU 034 is in another location and does not disrupt the existing one. The title, Daudu Amule belongs to all royal dynasties in Amule Omoba Community,” it said.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it is targeting to register about 3.5 million voters in the state.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mallam Attahiru Madami who said this at a Press briefing on the commencement of the online Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise

According to him, the commission is targeting 3.5m voters in Kwara for the 2023 elections out of its over four million population in the state.

“When we arrived on July 30th, 2018, number of registered voters was 800,000. We then increased it to 1.4m and now targeting 3.5.

“Kwara was occupying almost the last position on the number of registered voters when we came. It was only ahead of FCT. But now, it is the fourth from the last which is a still far cry for a state that was created in 1967.

“The political parties need to do more to change the narrative and not just leave it at the door step of INEC,” he noted.

Madami advised eligible voters and those who are yet to register or have any issue with their previous registration to take advantage of online voters registration.

“The online exercise is not coming to eliminate physical capturing. That will still be done after two weeks. And for the aged who might not be computer savvy, they will still be captured physically. INEC future goal is e-voting and that is why we introduced IVED to address all the challenges of the Smart Card Readers.

“One thing that is also very important is that the number of registered voters determines the no of polling units that can be created with a threshold of 750. Before now, Kwara had 1,872 polling units with 1,015 polling points. But now with the expansion, we now have a total number of 2, 887,” he added.

Metro

FCTA Reads Riot Acts to Health Management Organizations

Published

on

Share

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday said appropriate sanctions will be meted out to FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) Health Maintenance Organisation (HMOs), failing to promptly remit payments to Healthcare providers.

The FHIS is a social Health Insurance Programme, offering financial protection through access to quality, affordable and equitable healthcare to all FCT residents.

Free enrolment is open to staff of the FCTA and Area Councils as well as vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, while other members of the public can enroll upon payment of N22,500 as premium per annum.

In a bid to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to the FHIS enrollees, about N4 billion, being outstanding/backlog payments for capitation and fee for service for years 2022 to 2024, was approved by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and paid between last year and this year.

This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka said the Benefit Package of the FHIS includes the Basic Minimum Package of Health Care services (BMPHS) ranging from promotive, preventive, curative and some rehabilitative care services.

The services include primary preventive care, screening, primary emergency services, and secondary level care such as dental, mental, eye, ear, nose and throat care, physiotherapy, surgeries, laboratory investigations, radiological investigations such as ultrasound scan, x-rays.

However, complaints have been received from some Healthcare providers concerning non-remittance of their payments by some HMOs, under the excuse that bank details of the hospitals were not available, an excuse not acceptable to the government.

Therefore, compliance of the HMOs to the prompt remittance of payments to Healthcare providers, as well as commitment of the Healthcare providers to the discharge of their duties to the FHIS enrollees will be monitored with a view to sanctioning defaulters appropriately.

On implementation of the FHIS in the last one year, there have been payment of all outstanding capitations and fee for service backdated to year 2022 by the end of 2024, improved timeliness in the payment of capitation to HMOs, review and increment of the capitation to Healthcare providers for improved service delivery to enrollees, free enrolment of vulnerable persons especially pregnant women and under-five, poor and indigents, who have started enjoying healthcare services, and accreditation visits to 100 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities to expand the number of PHC facilities in FCT and improve access to healthcare services in the communities.

Also, all pregnant women who enrolled through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres across the six Area Councils in the FCT will continue to enjoy free health education, medical consultation and treatment, routine antenatal drugs, laboratory investigations and delivery.

Referral for secondary care including caesarean section, blood transfusion, and treatment of other obstetric complications such as eclampsia, at all the 14 General Hospitals in the FCT is also provided at no cost to the patient through the BHCPF.

Continue Reading

Metro

NAF Airstrikes Decimate ISWAP Leadership Cell in Southern Tumbuns

Published

on

Share

The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has neutralized several high-value Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders and fighters in a decisive air interdiction in the Lake Chad region.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

Ejodame stated that the mission, carried out on Sunday, targeted Arina Woje, a notorious ISWAP enclave in the Southern Tumbuns of Borno, known as a sanctuary for insurgent leaders.

He said the strike followed a series of credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sorties that confirmed the return of terrorist elements to the area after recent inter-factional clashes.

According to him, ISR data revealed significant terrorist activities, including the movement of foot soldiers, reactivation of structures and the concealment of possible command centres and logistics depots beneath dense foliage.

He added that “acting on credible intelligence, NAF air assets were dispatched to undertake focused strike mission. Aircrew on arrival, acquired and prosecuted pre-selected targets using precision-guided munitions, achieving devastating effects.

“Preliminary battle damage assessment reveals the destruction of several structures housing key ISWAP leaders, fighters, and logistics storage facilities, effectively disrupting the group’s operational planning and resupply efforts in the region.”

The NAF spokesman said the operation reflected NAF’s continued resolve to dislodge terrorist elements, deny them freedom of movement, and support ground forces in restoring peace and stability across Nigeria.

He added that the operations also reinforced the value of intelligence-driven air power missions in modern counter-terrorism operations. 

Continue Reading

Metro

Police Recover Body of Kogi Journalist Murdered by Colleague

Published

on

Share

The Police Command in Kogi said it has recovered the body of Ayo Aiyepeku, a photo-journalist, allegedly murdered by his colleague, Oluwapelumi Adebayo.

The command’s spokesperson, Williams Ovye-Aya, disclosed this on Monday day in Lokoja.

Ovye-Aya explained that Ayobami’s corpse was found on Sunday evening at a location around WAEC office, Crusher Zone 8 axis in Lokoja.

The command’s spokesperson said Aiyepeku was gruesomely murdered by his colleague, Oluwapelumi Adebayo on Tuesday night, July 22 in an office near the Government House/GRA area of Lokoja.

“Yes, the corpse of the photo-journalist has been found. It was discovered on Sunday evening somewhere around WAEC office, Zone 8 axis of Lokoja.

“The corpse has been deposited at Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.

“The discreet investigation will help us uncover what truly happened,” Ovye-Aya said.

He appealed to the victim’s family, colleagues and the public to provide credible information to aid the investigation.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s family has made a passionate appeal to police authorities and the Kogi government for justice.

Timothy Aiyepeku, the deceased’s elder brother, and his uncle, Dr Ibikunle Jide, appealed for justice.

They pleaded with Gov. Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to help unravel the mystery behind Ayobami’s gruesome murder, and punish the perpetrators.

“Now that the body has been found, we once again appeal to the Federal and Kogi governments and police authorities to uncover the mystery behind the killing.

“We commend the Police for their effort so far, and the media for ensuring the incident receives wide coverage and public attention,” they added.

Aiyepeku’s assailant had after killing him, loaded his corpse into a deep freezer and disposed of it off.

Ayobami’s body was found by residents of the area who raised an alarm.

Residents were said to have been attracted to a nearby bush in the area by foul odour from the decomposing body of the late photographer.

On sighting his corpse, residents alerted the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government, Abdullahi Adamu, who immediately arrived at the spot in company of some security agents to recover the body.

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Read Our ePaper

Top Stories

NEWS4 hours ago

Enhancing Agricultural Productivity Through Research

ShareBy Abachi Ungbo Agriculture is an important economic activity that is providing employment to a huge segment of the Nigeria...

OPINION4 hours ago

New Wave of Malnutrition and the Road to 2027

ShareBy Dakuku Peterside As the political season begins in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections, we are beginning to see...

NEWS4 hours ago

Gov Adeleke Deploys 1,750 Imole Teachers Corps to Osun Schools

ShareFrom Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo As financial constraints delay planned mass teachers’ recruitment, Governor Ademola Adeleke has deployed a total of...

NEWS4 hours ago

NAICOM Issues Guidelines for Insurtech Operations in Nigeria

ShareBy Tony Obiechina, Abuja The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has officially issued operational guidelines for Insurtech businesses in Nigeria, following...

RMFARC RMFARC
NEWS4 hours ago

RMAFC Hosts First African Confab on Climate Justice

ShareBy Tony Obiechina, Abuja The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), in partnership with the Center for African-American Research...

NEWS4 hours ago

FG Allocates N78.6bn UBE Fund to 27 States, FCT

ShareBy Tony Obiechina Abuja The Federal Government has announced that 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had access...

NEWS4 hours ago

NAFDAC Generates N2.5bn from Illicit Drug Market Raids

ShareBy Ubong Ukpong, Abuja The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday, said that it...

NEWS4 hours ago

INC Rejects Bill Granting Exclusive Co-chairmanship to Ooni, Sultan

ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa The umbrella body of Ijaw Elders, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has rejected the Bill in...

NEWS4 hours ago

2027: Abbas Charges Young Nigerians to Get Involved, Vie for Elective Offices

ShareBy Ubong Ukpong, Abuja Ahead of the 2027 general elections, House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has charged...

NEWS4 hours ago

Yelwata IDPs Protest, Demand Return to Ancestral Homes

ShareFrom Attah Ede, Makurdi Thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from different camps including the one at Yelewata community in...

Copyright © 2021 Daily Asset Limited | Powered by ObajeSoft Inc