The Abia Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, has said that the state government  “will not yield any part of Abia State to criminals”.

Kanu said this on Monday, during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, at the Government House, Umuahia.

He said that the safety of lives and property in the state remained a top priority of the government.

“The present administration will continue to take the security of lives and property in Abia very seriously.

“Also, as the Yuletide season approaches, the state government wishes to assure citizens that it will stop at nothing to ensure that lives and property  are protected,” he said.

Kanu also said that as part of the efforts made to tackle insecurity in Abia, the Nigerian Army has launched its operation code named “Udo Ka” in the state.

He said that the operation would focus on ensuring that there would be peace as well as  security of lives and property in Abia, particularly during the Christmas season.

“This means in the days and weeks ahead, the security agencies will be very visible around the state.

“We are assuring the people of Abia that the security agents are out there for their own good and security.

“All the government requires from the citizens is to cooperate with them and offer necessary information about security breaches, and movement of suspected criminals in the state,” Kanu said.

On health, he said that going forward, all medical outreaches in Abia  must be approved by the Ministry of Health through its Commissioner.

“It is an offence to offer such philanthropic public healthcare without the express approval of the Ministry through the Office of the Commissioner.

“This is to forestall untoward consequences of unregulated medical outreaches that may hurt rather than heal nor help the citizens,” Kanu said.

On Housing, the Commissioner said that the government had evolved a programme known as “Public Buildings Initiative”, specifically for rehabilitation of dilapidated public buildings.

He said that the initiative would be a continuous exercise up until every abandoned public building in Abia wore a new look and became functional.

“We are aware that there are lots of abandoned public buildings around the state.

“There is a deliberate government policy to renovate and retrofit all those buildings and that started with the banquet hall within the Government House premises,” Kanu said. (NAN)

The House Committee on Student Loans and Higher Education Financing has lauded the performance of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Gboyega Isiaka (APC-Ogun) made the commendation at an oversight function in Abuja on Monday.

He said the agency’s progress and statistics were satisfactory saying that the student loan initiative was a positive step by the presidency.

Isiaka emphased the need for increased public sensitisation, particularly in the southern part of the country where application numbers were lower than expected.

He also acknowledged areas for improvement and pledged the committee’s continued support and oversight.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, told the committee that the agency had disbursed N12 billion in student loans.

He said the agency had so far received 610, 000 applications out of this number, 321, 000 have been perused and some approved and sent for validation.

“In terms of what we have disbursed so far is about N12 billion. I believe we are going to be doing some further disbursements this week which will take that number to about 20 billion.

“We have something in the region of 120,000 people who have actually received stipends or about to,” he said.

Sawyerr said that the fund processes over 2,000 applications daily and is committed to ensuring fairness in loan disbursement across all regions.

The managing director said that 52,000 additional loans were approved last week for disbursement to institutions and individuals.

Sawyerr stated that managing a fund of this size without face-to-face interactions posed risks of fraud.

He explained that to avoid fraud, the agency meticulously reviewed each application individually. (NAN)

Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The Enugu State Government has provided clarification on the story on the alleged removal of the kidney of a 15-year old boy, Chidera Nnamdi, during a medical procedure in 2022, saying medical investigations by the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla and Hansa Clinics, showed the said boy had no left kidney.

The clarification was made in a statement by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs, and Social Development, Ngozi Enih, who also said that medical examinations showed that the only cut on the boy was a small incision on the right side of his lower abdomen, noting that medical doctors said it was medically impossible to remove anybody’s kidney from an appendectomy procedure.

“As usual, the Enugu State Government took interest in this matter and swung into action upon receipt of the complaint, working closely with the police to determine the facts of the matter.

“First, Chidera was taken to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, Enugu, where medical investigations showed that no kidney was harvested, as the boy was born with only one kidney.

“The doctors established that the only cut on the boy was a small incision on the right side of his lower abdomen for an appendectomy procedure.

“It was also discovered that Chidera was suffering from a serious stomach ulcer, which could partly explain the abdominal pains.

“The boy’s father rejected the initial result, following which the boy was taken to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, (UNTH) Enugu, for further probe. The findings were exactly the same as those of the ESUT Teaching Hospital. The nephrologists also recommended a CT scan if there was still some doubt.

“The CT scan was done on him at Hansa Clinics, one of the best and most reputable facilities in Enugu.

“Excerpt of the CT scan report dated 11th October 2024 and signed by Prof S.O Mgbor, Medical Director and Consulting Radiologist reads: ‘The left kidney is not seen in its expected position and there is no demonstrable vermiform structure elsewhere in the abdomen or lung bases. No left venal blood vessels seen. The suprarenal glands on both sides are intact.’”

Enih further explained that it was also discovered during investigation by the police that both the supposed medical doctor, hospital, and laboratory patronised by Chidera’s parents were quacks.

She highlighted that the x-ray report being flaunted to demonstrate that Chidera used to have two kidneys also showed that he had prostate enlargement at age 13, which was the boy’s age when the x-ray was conducted in 2022.

“The police had to begin to trace the source of the confusion, starting from the laboratory in the Nsukka area. It was discovered that they were in the habit of faking results by simply copying and pasting other people’s results and issuing them as genuine.

 “It was discovered that the X-ray result copied, pasted and issued to Chidera’s parents was that of an adult male, a crime the lab technician confessed to and was arraigned alongside the quack doctor.

“Despite all these efforts, Chidera’s father was still dissatisfied with all the outcomes, hence the government now asked him to choose any other facility, including facilities outside Enugu State, and the police would be made to take the boy to the place for further medical investigation.

“Meanwhile, it was discovered in the course of investigation that Joe Foundation Hospital and Maternity in Igboeze South LGA was not registered with the Enugu State Ministry of Health, hence it was sealed after the investigation.

“The so-called Dr. Shedrack Obinna Ekeh is also not registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, hence a quack.

“These findings explain their being charged for forgery and practicing without a license, not organ removal,” she added.

She however said that the Magistrate had ordered that the case file be transferred to the Attorney-General/Department of Public Prosecution, which would now review the case, including the charges, and advise/act appropriately.

“What is clear from the series of the medical investigations so far is that Chidera’s kidney was not removed.

“But even equally importantly, the boy’s parents are still free to recommend any other health facility of their choice, while anyone who is genuinely interested in the matter can also sponsor him to any reputable medical facility of his or choice. The bottom line is that justice is seen to have been done,” Enih concluded.