From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has assured the business community in the state of a more favourable business environment across the state in the coming year 2025.

He said his administration has embarked on a holistic approach to further consolidate on the successes recorded in the last one year through legal reforms and infrastructural development across both urban and rural areas to boost businesses and improve the investment opportunities and the lives of citizens of the state.

Mutfwang gave this assurance at a dinner hosting the Plateau Business Community on Tuesday at the New Government House Banquet Hall, Little Rayfield, in Jos the State capital.

“Plateau State has the economic potential of becoming a nerve centre in northern Nigeria. Your confidence in Plateau State will not be taken likely.

“We have embarked on reforms in the energy sector and we are going to have various power plants that will serve as a catalyst for economic growth especially in the agric sector,” he stated.

Mutfwang further assured the business community of government’S resolve to sit with the private sector on the new tax bills by the federal government and come up with a position based on the peculiarity of the state.

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Philemon Dafi, disclosed that law reform establishment is one important step taken by the Mutfwang administration towards reforming all laws in the state meeting global standards and enhancing businesses on the Plateau.

“The laws of the state are generally obsolete, so the institution that will drive civilization, development and business structured in a civilized manner is going to be through the law reform commission.

“There is a law reform commission in place in addition to the law reform committee working in synergy to reform all the laws of the state to bring it to civilization.

“The second law is the electricity management law in place and the energy operation law in place which establishes the regulatory body of the electricity market.

“Another milestone in record time is that Plateau State Citizen Mediation Centre law where issues affecting businesses is negotiated and agreed upon in a meeting rather in Court where you spent a lot on litigation and ends as enemies,” he explained

The Attorney General further explained that there are four other laws in the offing, calling for the establishment of Office of the Public Defendant.

“There is this law that we need to urgently have it which is the establishment of the Office of the Public Defendant which, if passed into law, will defend businesses and other small and medium scale business (SMEs) because they have so much issues but they don’t have people that will defend them and these are people that aggregate catalyst and drives our economy.”

Some Chief Executives of various private establishments in the state, such as the former governorship aspirant, Chief Kefas Ropshak of Kefiano Autos, urged the state to address the issue of capital flight and should harnessed the maize potentials among other farm produce to further create jobs opportunities and boost the economy.

The Chief Executive Officer Dilkon Group of Companies (DG), Leo Dilkon, also urged the state government to also look inward and identified local investors that can drive the economy by pulling billions of naira in to the state economy while tracking other revenues especially in the mineral sector for the common good of Plateau people.

The business community commended the governor for the various reforms recorded under his administration in the last one year which has propelled businesses to grow and stressed that they look forward to having more of such reforms in the coming year.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The wife of President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, revealed that Nigeria recorded approximately 467,000, Tuberculosis, TB, cases in 2023. Oluremi stated this while declaring open the three days 2024 National conference on TB, organized by Stop TB Partnership Nigeria’in Abuja.

She lamented that TB still remains the leading cause of death, as Nigeria ranks 6th highest burden globally and there has been a steady increase in the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB. The theme is ‘Public-Private Partnership and Integrated Service Delivery: Panacea to End TB in Nigeria.’According to her, “I want to appreciate the organizers of this event especially Stop TB Partnership Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the leadership of the Honourable Coordinating Minister, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, CON. Your commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially the health and well-being of Nigerians is commendable.”We are here today because despite the progress we have all made in the fight against the disease, the global burden of TB still remains alarming, particularly in low and middle-income countries like ours.”Globally, and according to the 2024 World Tuberculosis Report by the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million people losing their lives, and 12% of the global burden affecting the most vulnerable – the children and young adolescents”.She lamented, “Tuberculosis is still a leading cause of death in Nigeria. The country ranks as the sixth highest burden country across the world and first in Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 also reveals that Nigeria recorded approximately 467,000 TB cases in 2023”.She said, “Despite these challenges, I am encouraged by the progress that has been made so far. Thanks to the commitment of the Tinubu administration, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and international partners. Subsequently, we have seen a steady increase in the number of people diagnosed and treated for TB.”However, as we celebrate our successes, we must also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. We cannot afford to be complacent, and I assure you that the Federal Government, remains fully committed to achieving the global TB targets by 2035.”To achieve this, we will require sustained investment, innovative strategies, and a renewed focus on breaking the barriers that prevent people from accessing the care and support that they desperately need”.Mrs Tinubu, noted that, as the Global and National Stop TB Champion, she is committed the collective fight against TB.” I believe that the solution to ending TB lies in the strength of our partnerships both public and private, and in the integrated delivery of services that leave no one behind.”I am glad that the money I donated earlier this year has been used judiciously to procure more TB diagnostics tools which will help to increase TB diagnosis and case finding”.She stressed that the conference will provide the platform not only to share experiences and knowledge but also to recommit to the common goal of ending TB. “The discussions, the partnerships, and the strategies that will emerge from this conference will serve as the foundation for the actions we must take in the coming years”, she noted.She commended all the stakeholders for their unwavering commitment towards ending TB in Nigeria, “I also appreciate the efforts of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Stop TB Partnership Global, and our development partners especially the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Global Fund, for your continued support.”To the health workers, community leaders, activists and TB survivors who are tirelessly working on the frontlines, you are the true heroes of this fight, and we are grateful for your dedication.”I am confident that, united in our efforts, we can and will end TB in Nigeria and contribute to the global fight to eradicate this devastating disease”.In his keynote address the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, said yes, Tuberculosis affects millions in Nigeria , especially the vulnerable populations, including women, mothers, and grandmothers and tackling the disease requires an inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive approach that leaves no one behind.”Through this initiative, the Nigerian private sector has committed up to $25 million over time to support TB-related activities. Private sector engagement is critical, as these organizations employ large numbers of workers in industries such as banking, oil and gas, cement production, and telecommunications. By integrating TB control into workplace health programs and expanding health insurance coverage, the private sector is playing a pivotal role in our fight against TB”, he said .In his goodwill message at the occasion Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo the World Health Organisation,WHO, Country Representative (WR) to Nigeria, lamented the 60% funding gap in the country, which has affected undiagnosed and untreated cases.He said though Nigeria is one of the 13 countries estimated to have achieved a reduction of 50% or more in number of deaths caused by TB between 2015 and 2023. He added that Nigeria has seen an increase in TB case detection and treatment success rates with TB treatment coverage increasing from 59% in 2022 to 74% in 2023. He said, “Despite advancements, TB remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria. The TB burden in Nigeria is characterized by large numbers of undiagnosed and untreated cases and huge funding gaps (60% gap in 2023). The dual burden of TB and HIV further complicates our response, while multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) continues to rise, requiring more complex and resource-intensive treatment strategies. Additionally, stigma and socio-economic barriers—such as poverty, malnutrition, and limited access to health services continue to worsen the burden of TB in the country”.

A new report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals significant progress in ending the problem of the “invisible” millions of babies each year who go unregistered.According to the report, nearly eight in 10 children under five were successfully registered at birth in the last five years.

However, the report, The Right Start in Life: Global Levels and Trends in Birth Registration, also highlights a troubling reality: 150 million children under five still go unregistered, meaning they don’t officially exist as far as government systems. According to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, it is crucial that we provide “stronger efforts to ensure that every child, everywhere, is registered at birth.”Birth registration is more than a legal formality – it is the gateway to rights and protections.It ensures a child’s legal identity, prevents statelessness, and facilitates access to essential services like healthcare, education, and social protection.Yet over 50 million children with registered births still lack birth certificates, a critical document for proving registration and securing nationality.While global birth registration rates have climbed from 75 per cent in 2019 to 77 per cent today, progress has been uneven.Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, and Central and Southern Asia lead the way with less than 30 per cent of unregistered births.Lagging is Sub-Saharan Africa home to half of the world’s unregistered children.Within the region, the disparities are stark: Southern Africa reaches 88 per cent of registrations while Eastern and Middle Africa remain behind at just 41 per cent.Rapid population growth in the region will exacerbate the challenge, with projections suggesting over 100 million unregistered children by 2030 if current trends persist.Families face numerous barriers to registration.They often mention long distances and multiple visits to registration facilities, a lack of awareness about the process and discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, or religion.High costs also cause recurrent issues.Nevertheless, countries like Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda offer some hope, having achieved universal or near-universal registration through innovative approaches.Their key strategies have included leveraging health and education systems, eliminating fees, and streamlining registration processes through digital technology.In light of this new report, UNICEF calls for the establishment of birth registration as the foundation of a legal identity system.The agency also plans to advocate for streamlined processes to enhance accessibility and using health, education, and social protection programmes to boost registration.Legal reforms, through enacting inclusive laws to ensure equitable access and the empowering of communities to demand registration as a fundamental right are also crucial.“Birth registration ensures children are immediately recognised under the law, providing a foundation for protection from harm and exploitation, as well as access to essential services like vaccines, healthcare, and education,” Russell note.She highlighted the crucial need to keep up efforts.(NAN)