NEWS
Bello Foundation Offers Five Days Free Medical Surgery to Patients at Govt Hospitals
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
The Col. Sani Bello. Foundation has offered free Surgery to 500 Patients at Kontagora General Hospital Niger State.
The foundation said it is in collaboration with the Graceland Health Development Foundation in Kaduna to embark on the free surgery as part of activities to mark the birthday of Sani Bello, former military administrator of Kano State and Father to the immediate past Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello.
Conducted new men from Minna, the State’s capital to the various wards of the Hospital on Saturday to assess the activities to mark the flag off of the programme.
Vice chairman of the Sani Bello Foundation, Usman Sani Bello and younger brother of erstwhile Niger State governor Sani Bello spoke on the event saying the year’s event is the tenth it has done in the last ten years and a way of giving back to the society instead of marking the chairman’s birthday with party and cutting of cakes.
“First of all, we thank God for making this happen. It is important that we can actually give back to society. The month November is special to our chairman, Col Sani Bello rtd. We resolved that instead of even having a party, or cutting cake or celebrating, it’s best that we even use that money to treat the ones that are in need of help.
“We give free surgeries because 100% of the ones here obviously don’t have the means to do such surgeries and obviously the Sani Bello Foundation in collaboration with Graceland Foundation from Kaduna we make this happen and this is the tenth session that we actually did free surgery to people that are in need. We do have a society that is plagued with all sorts of illnesses so we do surgical and other procedures”
A visit round the wards of the General Hospital showed that the foundations carried out free medical surgery on a variety of medical conditions including Cesarean Operation, Coiter operation, and Appendicitis and eye surgeries among others. They also handled other non-surgical medical conditions and gave free drugs and medical glasses.
Chairman of the Graceland Health Development Foundation Thot Dogo revealed that both foundations have carried out over 13,000 free medical surgeries on patients in the last ten editions.
“Well, they have a Foundation, we have a foundation, we got to know each other because we do similar things. This is one of the things we do. We go around to collaborate with people so that we can operate on their patients. This is the tenth edition like you have heard and we have operated over 13,000 people and this includes major and minor surgeries.
“Like we have the eye surgery cataract, and other eye conditions. And then we also give glasses and treat other eye conditions. We have General surgery, gynaecological surgery and all kinds of surgeries. What we cannot do, it will interest you to know that the foundation will sponsor it to the place it will be done.
“This year for the general surgery we have operated on 205 patients. For the eye surgery we have operated over 50. This is the third day, we are hoping by the fifth day we will operate on 500 patients,” Dogo said.
Chairman of the Sani Bello Foundation also speaking on the charity work said that his passion is for humanity and he feels fulfilled helping humanity.
“First, I have my passion for human beings. I believe we must be our brothers keepers, not only brothers but sisters keepers. And therefore, those of us who have got the means we should try and support the less privileged ones.
“I decided that instead of spending that kind of colossal amount of money towards a party for dignitaries, I’ll rather use that money to serve humanity and I discovered the best way I could serve humanity is taking care of their health. So in collaboration with Graceland Foundation we started this ten years ago.
“So we have been treating people and it is free. I don’t know the patients and we treat them on Fibroid, Goiter, hynea eyes you name it we treat it here. In normal circumstances they would have been unable to get this kind of treatment elsewhere, they would not have been able to afford it because they don’t have the resources,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.A statement on Friday by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said the unit would ensure efficient, transparent and accountable management of external grants mobilised towards the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Ngelale said SCO-PMU would report to a Steering Committee/Ministerial Oversight Committee chaired by the Minister, including the Minister of State, Permanent Secretary; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and relevant development partners. “The SCO-PMU will serve as the secretariat and delivery unit for the NHSRII and is to be headed by a national coordinator (NC).“The functions of the SCO-PMU include programme management, monitoring and evaluation, engagement and supervision of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) for NHSRII programmes and fiduciary management, among others.“Consequently, the President has approved the appointment of Dr. Muntaqa Umar Sadiq as the National Coordinator of SCO-PMU,” he said.Report says that Sadiq has over 17 years of experience in public health, impact investing, investment banking, energy, and climate financing across the health, finance, climate and energy sectors.He had served as Head of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria.He also served as Head of the Nigeria Energy Transition Office and Private Sector Engagement Adviser at the World Bank. (NAN)
The Federal Government says it has no plan to slash scholarship students’ allowances as recently projected in the media.The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated this during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Abuja on Friday.
Report says that there was a report that the ministry, through the Federal Scholarship Board, announced a slash in allowances of foreign scholars stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria among others.
The slash in scholars’ allowances under the federal government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship (BEA) was attributed to the economic crises.Mamman said that there was no slash in scholars` allowances but rather an adjustment due to Foreign Exchange fluctuations (FOREX).“We want to clarify what has been in the media on allowances paid to scholars under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement.“We want to place it on record that the ministry and the Federal Government for that matter have not slashed the allowances due to students.“What happened is some adjustments in the amount due to them because of FOREX fluctuations, and as soon as we get the balance we have applied for, we will pay them.“But for now, what is in the budget is what we can pay. So, there is no slash, we will even be happy to increase, so this is what has led to the adjustments,” he said.(NAN)
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Friday, has urged Nigerians to calm and patient with Federal Government and should give the the government more time to address these pressing concerns.In a statement issued by CAN and signed by Archbishop Daniel Okoh ,President, CAN and made available to journalists in Abuja.
CAN also urged all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. He however said CAN stands in solidarity with the citizens of nation during these challenging times of economic hardship and pervasive hunger. The statement reads in part, “As we navigate this period of crisis, it is imperative to uphold the constitutional rights of every Nigerian to peacefully protest and express their grievances. The right to assemble and voice discontent is a cornerstone of our democracy and must be protected and respected by all. Peaceful protests are a powerful tool for civic engagement, allowing the populace to communicate their concerns and hold leaders accountable. However, the anxiety related to the impending protests is heightening, especially given the volatile experiences in countries like Kenya and Pakistan.”We must also draw from our recent history. The #ENDSARS and #RevolutionNow protests, though rooted in genuine grievances, were marred by tragic incidents where miscreants hijacked the process. This led to widespread looting, destruction of properties, and unfortunate loss of lives. These experiences have shown us that mass demonstrations can quickly degenerate into chaos if not properly managed and coordinated.” In light of the planned protests scheduled to commence on 1st of August, CAN urges all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. We recommend giving the government more time to address these pressing concerns. This period should be used to explore other legal avenues that will not easily give hoodlums the opportunity to hijack the exercise to destroy our national assets or endanger lives and properties. Dialogue, petitions, and town hall meetings are viable options that can yield positive results without the risk of disorder.”We call on the government to cut the cost of governance and expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. The opulent lifestyle of political office holders must be addressed to demonstrate the sincerity of those in government to improve the living conditions of the people. Likewise, it is imperative that the government implements the newly approved national minimum wage to provide immediate relief to struggling families.”Furthermore, specific measures must be taken to put an end to kidnappings, banditry, and mass killings that have plagued various parts of our country. The security and well-being of every Nigerian should be paramount, and urgent action is required to restore peace and order.”We also call on the government to expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. There is an urgent need for more refined and effective policies that address the root causes of the economic challenges we face. The government must deepen its consultations with stakeholders, including religious leaders, to create a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to problem-solving. By working together, we can devise sustainable solutions that reflect the needs and aspirations of the people.”In these trying times, let us all remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). As we seek to bring about positive change, let us do so with a spirit of peace, love, and unity. Our strength lies in our ability to come together, support one another, and work collectively toward a better Nigeria.”We pray for wisdom and discernment for our leaders, resilience and hope for our citizens, and divine intervention to guide us through these difficult times”.
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