By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has directed the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to appear in person before it on Tuesday, March 2, following his absence at an ongoing investigative hearing in Abuja.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon.

Afam Ogene, issued the directive on Wednesday, warning that official responsibilities must not be trivialized. He also ordered the Agency to submit a comprehensive written response to issues raised by the Committee within 48 hours.

“We as lawmakers are elected to hold public officers accountable in line with Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution as amended,” Ogene stated.

The Committee members expressed strong displeasure over the absence of the REA Managing Director.

Rep. Kwamoti Laori (Demsa/Numan/Lamurde, Adamawa) described the development as highly disrespectful, warning that such conduct should no longer be tolerated. He called for the issuance of a warrant of arrest through the Inspector-General of Police if the directive is not complied with.

Similarly, Rep. Shina Oyedeji (Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa, Oyo) stressed that public officers must account for their stewardship, particularly given the substantial grants and public funds managed by the Agency.

Responding on behalf of the Agency, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Gboyega Ayoade, tendered an unreserved apology and appealed for more time, insisting that the Managing Director’s absence was neither deliberate nor intended to disrespect the Committee.

Meanwhile, the National President of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), High Chief Vitus Ofodum Vitus Ikenna, urged the Committee to mandate the use of certified electrical professionals in renewable energy projects nationwide.

He warned that domiciling green energy projects with entities lacking technical capacity could result in substandard installations, safety hazards, and loss of public funds.

LECAN, whose members are certified by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) under the Electricity Act 2023, expressed concern that many donor-funded renewable energy projects are awarded to unqualified contractors, leading to abandoned or failed installations.

Ikenna called for stronger enforcement powers for NEMSA to prosecute safety and standards violations, maintaining that stricter oversight is critical to protecting lives, ensuring sustainability, and guaranteeing value for money in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.

Senegal’s prime minister said it is “regrettable” that 18 people from the country have been handed prison sentences after being convicted of hooliganism offences related to disturbances at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

The Teranga Lions followers were detained after being accused of violence against security forces and of causing damage during the match in Rabat on 18 January.

There was unrest in the stands after Morocco were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time, with a section of Senegal’s support attempting to invade the pitch.

Some Senegal players left the field of play in protest at the referee’s decision but eventually returned and Morocco and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz had his penalty attempt saved before the West Africans won 1-0 after extra time.

Last Thursday a court in the Moroccan capital handed out the prison sentences ranging from three months to one year and fines worth up to 5,000 dirhams ($545, £403).

“It seems this matter goes beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable,” Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said.

“For two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.”

Moroccan prosecutors had sought a maximum two-year sentence for some of those involved, saying the defendants had “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match”.

The 18 men denied any wrongdoing, decided not to appeal, but are set to submit a request for a royal pardon to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.

Senegal’s football federation (FSF) expressed “profound dismay and distress” at the verdicts, which were described as “incomprehensibly harsh” by Bacary Cisse, president of the FSF’s communications committee.

Sonko said Morocco’s handling of the case “does not honour” relations between the two countries, adding that Senegal had done “all it should” to secure their release.

He added that Senegal could, if necessary, activate a bilateral agreement allowing the mutual transfer of convicts in order to expedite the return of the 18 supporters.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday revealed that over N98 billion was disbursed last year to strengthen primary healthcare delivery across Nigeria, marking one of the largest single-year investments in grassroots health services in recent times.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen.

George Akume, made this known at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Health Convention and Roundtable 1. 0 in Abuja.

The President said the funds were released through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to support operational expenses in more than 8,300 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) nationwide.

He added that the disbursement is part of the administration’s broader push to reposition the health sector as a cornerstone of national development.

Tinubu explained that the financial injection has supported the ongoing revitalisation of PHCs, with 2,565 centres already upgraded and another 1,456 currently undergoing rehabilitation.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, in a statement, quoted the President as saying that the upgraded facilities now provide 24-hour services, staffed with trained health workers and equipped with essential medicines, basic medical equipment, as well as stable power and water supply.

He further revealed that the funding framework is being expanded to accommodate an additional 5,212 facilities, which will bring the total number of benefiting primary healthcare centres to over 13,500 across the country. The move is expected to deepen access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

His words: “We have strengthened the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and consistently disbursed the quarterly allocation to primary healthcare centres, with over N98 billion disbursed to support operational expenses for over 8,300 primary healthcare facilities last year. Also, we are expanding this very critical and sustainable domestic financing mechanism to an additional 5,212 primary healthcare centres to reach a total of over 13,500 facilities. We have expanded health insurance coverage and provided it to over 10 million vulnerable individuals.

“In 2023, I tasked the Minister of Health with retraining 120,000 primary healthcare workers within four years. This is to empower them to deliver quality healthcare services to our people and also enable them to compete with their counterparts across the world. In just two years, over 78,000 frontline health workers have been trained. These include doctors, nurses, midwives, CHEWs and JCHEWs.”

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to comprehensive health sector reform, declaring that quality healthcare delivery remains a central pillar of his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Tinubu described the health sector as fundamental to national productivity, security, economic growth and human dignity, stressing that “a country cannot be prosperous if its citizens are unhealthy.”

The President further highlighted progress under the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), which he said is tracking pregnant women in 172 high-burden local government areas. He said more than 100,000 pregnant women have been linked to health facilities for antenatal, delivery and postnatal services, with free emergency maternal and newborn care provided in supported facilities.

Tinubu also spoke on efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC). He said the initiative is incentivising local pharmaceutical manufacturing, strengthening regulatory capacity and promoting the backward integration of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Calling on the All Progressives Congress governors and legislators to align with federal reforms, the President urged states to increase health budget allocations towards the 15 per cent Abuja Declaration benchmark, ensure the functionality of primary and secondary health facilities, strengthen state health insurance schemes and publish measurable annual health scorecards.

“As a ruling party, we must hold ourselves accountable,” he said, posing questions about budgetary priorities, facility functionality, worker motivation and direct funding to health centres.

Tinubu emphasised that health reform must transcend politics, describing it as an act of patriotism. He challenged the party’s National Executive Committee to consider requesting annual reports on key health and development indices from governors and local government chairmen.

“This convention must not turn into a mere talk shop,” the President said. “Let APC be the first party to institutionalise health reform in Nigeria.”

He also called on the private sector, development partners, traditional rulers and faith leaders to deepen collaboration with the government in delivering accessible and affordable healthcare services.