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Group Hails LASG on BRT Fare Reversal, Appeals for 50% Reduction

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The Association of Concerned Commuters of Lagos State (ACCLS) has commended the Lagos State Government (LASG) over its reversal of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) fare and appealed for 50 per cent reduction.

The government had announced a 25 per cent reduction in transport fare on BRT services.

The Coordinator, Mr Abiodun Awobokun made the appeal in a statement signed by the Secretary, Mr Tajudeen Akinlawon, on Wednesday in Ikorodu, Lagos.

He commended the effort of the state government, adding that the reduction in bus fares was an important avenue to reduce the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government on the populace.

Awobokun said commutters appealed for 50 per cent subsidy on fares as it was done before due to the hardships people encountered on transportation daily to work in the state.

“We thank the LASG for listening to the yearnings of communtters over the recent reversal.

“We all regard the reduction as a life saving decision right from the date of the commencement as a form of palliative .

“It is a testament of commitment of the government in alleviating the suffering of the masses.

“Our dear governor, commuters are still not happy about the decision of 25 per cent reduction of the BRT bus fare.

“This decision will largely affect the popularity of your government or bring future disrepute to Lagos State Government of many years.

“Commuters are still complaining because when the diesel was then N650 per litre the bus fare is not revised.

“At this point if care is not taken, the operators can convince governor to increase its fare to 1100 naira,” he said.

He urged the management to increase the number of buses, considering the increase in the number of commutters due to the fare reduction and advised the public to always conduct themselves peacefully at the terminals.

Awobokun called on management of the BRT to checkmate excesses and lackadaisical attitude of some drivers on duty through their supervisory department.

According to him, some of the drivers would park at a bus stop without doing anything and not considering commutters who had been standing on a long queue for long hours.

He appealed to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reconsider low income earners who leveraged on the BRT fares as a way of having succour considering the current economic situation.

“BRT should be a rapid transport means that conveys commutters faster to their destination without hindrance.

“But the effort is being truncated by some of thier drivers who are uncontrollable,” he said.

“We all sacrifice our time and energy during your re-election bid, without collecting a dime.

“We remembered vividly when diesel was sold this year at 650 per litre, the bus fare remained 600 naira and we endured it.

“The question is when are we going to enjoy democracy in Lagos State ?” (NAN)

Metro

FG to Set up Livestock Breeding Centers in Six Geopolitical Zones

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The Federal Government on Wednesday disclosed a plan to set up a livestock breeding center in each of the six geopolitical zones to enhance productivity and sustainability.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this in Kaduna at a two-day interactive session on Government-Citizens Engagement, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.

The event is themed, “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizens Engagement for National Unity”

Speaking at a plenary on Agriculture and Food Security, Abdullahi said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is intentional about investing in Nigeria’s livestock sector.

He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to fostering synergy among key sectors to achieve the broad objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi said his ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to redesign curriculum for young farmers to adopt modernisation and boost the sector.

According to him, the initiative aims to equip the next generation with modern agricultural skills, technology-driven knowledge, and innovative farming practices to strengthen national food security.

Abdullahi said the synergy among the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, Livestock Development, and the Marine and Blue Economy are imperative for delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda.

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Metro

FCTA Reads Riot Acts to Health Management Organizations

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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.

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NAF Airstrikes Decimate ISWAP Leadership Cell in Southern Tumbuns

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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. 

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