NEWS
World Rabies Day: NGO conducts free vaccination against rabies in FCT
Life stock Management Services (LMS) and Livestock Health Management and Care Foundation (LMCH) have commenced free vaccination against rabies in some rural communities in the FCT, in commemoration of the 2023 World Rabies Day (WRD).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WRD is annually commemorated on Sept.
28 to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress made toward tackling the menace.NAN also reports that the global observance day has “All for 1- One Health for All” as the theme for 2023.
The Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LMS, Dr Abubakar Muhammed, therefore, told NAN on Thursday that communities covered in the free vaccination are in the sub-urban areas of Bassa-Airport, Kuje, Lugbe, Kutunku-Gwagwalada and Nyanya-Jikoyi axis of the Federal capital.
Muhammed said provision of free vaccination is part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility, adding that more than 2,000 dogs and 28 cats have so far been vaccinated.
He explained that the gesture was geared toward achieving the objectives of the 2023 commemoration to ending rabies by the year 2030 by ramping up vaccination of dogs, responsible for over 90 per cent of human rabies infection in Nigeria
The CEO identified LMS and LMCF as leading organisations dedicated to promoting animal health and welfare through public health interventions using one health approach.
Muhammed said the organisations are carrying out series of public enlightenment and advocacy, as well as stakeholders engagements.
According to him, the organisations are also making efforts to use clinical students in the 11 veterinary faculties and colleges across the country to cover proximate and catchment communities to the universities.
He said “the communities around our 11 veterinary faculties and colleges will escalate this initiative to gain wider vaccination coverage across the country in the next five years to achieve rabies free world, come 2030.
“The World Rabies Day inaugurated in September 2007 is to raise awareness and advocacy for global elimination of the dreaded rabies disease by 2030.
“The day, coordinated by the Global Alliance on Rabies Control (GARC) is marked annually on Sept. 28, the anniversary of the death of Frenchman Louis Pasteur.”
Muhammed said Louis Pasteur was a great microbiologist renowned for the discovery of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurisation.
“His feat in research led to the understanding of the causes and prevention of diseases and by so doing, laid the foundation of hygiene, public health and modern medicine,” he said
The CEO said that the 2023 theme of the global observance is apt as it focuses on the need for collaboration, the importance of equality and strengthening overall health system by ensuring that good health is not for selected few.
NEWS
Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to UNGA
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement on Thursday.“President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the UK, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings,” said the statement.The high-level General Debate, with the theme, “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,”will run from Sept. 24, to Sept. 28. (NAN)NEWS
NECO Releases 2024 SSCE Results
The National Examinations Council, (NECO) has released the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination results (SSCE), with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger.
Wushishi said that a total of 1,376,423 candidates, representing 706,950 males and 669,473 females, registered for the exam.
The registrar said that 1,367,736 candidates sat for the examination, representing 702,112 Males and 665,624 females.
He said that 828, 284 candidates had five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, representing 60.
55 per cent.Wushishi said that the number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, were 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.
He said that there was a great reduction in the number of examination malpractices this year compared to 2023.
“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023, which shows a reduction of 30. 1 per cent,” he said.
The registrar, however, said that 40 schools were found to be involved in mass cheating during the examination.
” During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states.
” They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“A school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and 01 Science subject.
” Similarly, 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states,”said.
He urged candidates that sat for the examination to visit NECO website to access their results.
Wushishi said candidates can access their results on NECO website: www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration number,” he said.(NAN)
NEWS
NDDC Unveils Initiative to Enhance food Security in N’ Delta Programmes
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued on Thursday in Port Harcourt by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta. He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security. (NAN)