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Stop wasting money on Medical Tourism. Prof. Advice Bayelsans

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From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Government has asked Bayelsans to stop wasting money on Medical Tourism when the state can boast of high quality healthcare services across the state.

The improvement of health facilities and health services are not limited to Yenagoa the state capital alone but also to the hinterland where the most vulnerable can easily access healthcare.

Speaking with newsmen in his office in Yenagoa after the official inauguration of the pioneer Management Team of the Bayelsa State Medical University Teaching Hospital (BMUTH), the state commissioner of Health Prof.

Seiyefa Brisibe said, the administration of governor Douye Diri has invested massively in health sector.

According to Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, the dream of the founding fathers and that of the first civilian governor of the state late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha has come to pass. “The vision of governor Douye Diri, the bishop of prosperity is that healthcare should be robust and the vision is also to increase life expectancy and quality healthcare services”.

Talking about Bayelsa @30 the commissioner said the scorecard cannot just be this administration alone. “But for governor Douye Diri, there is no projects that is ongoing that will be abandoned. At creation, the only hospital available in Bayelsa was just the Yenagoa General Hospital which is now the Federal Medical Center (FMC), if you look at where we are coming from, the whole hospitals found in this bayelsa was not more than ten, but today in this same Bayelsa the Primary Healthcare alone has increased to 250.

“We have over 10 secondary healthcare facilities, it means that there is progress. For what the governor has done in this last six years, for me is of geometric progression, for the first time, the insurance scheme was expanded and consolidated and the structure was built within this period.

” Recently he built the hemodialysis center, commissioned at BMU, which was initially 500 bed hospital which was later restructure to 350 beds, the PHC has been strengthen in a way that just within this two years of me being commissioner, we have been able to renovate over 30 PHC hospitals, leverage on partnership from a lot of International Bodies to see that we provides quality healthcare services. And at the Secondary level, he has approved the upgrading of the over 10 secondary facilities across the state.

“It means that a lot is happening, he is being able to sign into law very significant milestone documents that will enhance efficient healthcare delivery, signing of Bayelsa Medical University bill into law, the amendment of the Bayelsa Medical University law, executive order of having every child presenting immunization card in school to get admitted and other policies put in place to deepen the health system.

“He has done a lot, and a lot has happened. Within this period, we have provided equipments and facilities in this infrastructure. Presently we have over 30 incubators for paediatric care in the government owned hospitals, well equip laboratories, ultrasound machines even at oporoma referral hospital, that is to say that government is also taking quality healthcare to the most vulnerable people.

“The partnership between the government and private sectors have improved significantly because today we have three functional CT scans in the state. One by private institution and two by government, we are getting reformed to get the private sector involved in the healthcare delivery. We are reforming Ambulances,so that anywhere there is an emergency, an ambulance will be there to convey the patient to hospital. All this reforms can only happens because of the commitment of the governor.

” Understanding that prosperity cannot happened without health, health is prosperity. The power sector has also helped the private sectors to be more involved , the present government has upgraded the School of Nursing to College of Nursing and invested in the infrastructure and facilities, also the College of Health Technology courses has been expanded from 3 to 15 courses and fully accredited.

“That is the type of progress we have made, today we have established the BMU which means that we are going to get more doctors, more nurses, more pharmacists, more lab scientist and in that we will export and we will also have enough to run our system. That is the type of progression we have made as a state, we are not there yet but with time we will definitely get there, is a work in progress and we are doing very well.

“Any Bayelsans that is still going out of the state to do CT scans probably must have been wrongly informed, we have invested in 5D ultra scan at okolobiri Niger Delta teaching hospital, Bayelsa Medical University, this hospitals have high quality 5D ultra scan, that is to say soft tissue are as close as when using MIR. We have ventilators in the state both at FMC and Niger Delta university teaching hospital, we have the critical infrastructures in the health sector, we also want to see that the Bayelsa diagnostic center is been revamped and used effectively.

” We have one of the biggest hemodialysis equipment in the country. Bayelsa diagnostic center was one of the foremost in this country, services are still being provided there efficiently and the center is owned by Bayelsa state government , however there is a private partner that is running it. For 800 workers to be employed into the PHC space, it has never happened in the history of bayelsa state for that much numbers at a time. That is clearly shows the commitment of the governor by strengthening healthcare system and also the introduction of midwives and nurses into that space and also medical officers of health for effective and efficient service delivery”.

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They Planted Juju in my Jacket at Davido’s House – Peruzzi

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Singer Peruzzi has narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket during his stay at Davido’s house.

Peruzzi was signed to Davido’s record label, DMW, in 2017.

Davido dissolved the label in April 2024.

However, discussing his experience during his stay at Davido’s house, Peruzzi narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket.

Speaking in a video interview online, he said, “I took a shower one evening, like at 6 pm. Just a shower and then went to go and meet them back downstairs because I was chilling there before I went upstairs in David house when I was still living there.

“And then I was done taking the shower. I go to my wardrobe to get my clothes, and then one of my jackets is just telling me, ‘Pull me, wear me, wear me, wear me.’ I don’t know how to explain it, but I was just having the urge to wear it.”So, I carry am (the jacket), and something just dropped inside, and when I looked, it was jaz, better juju inside my room. A jacket that just came from the laundry.”

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AFSNET Business Conference Kicks off in Calabar

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From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The 6th African sub – sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference has started in Calabar the cross river state capital as Afreximbank opens a $2 billion tap for Cross River State and other African sub-sovereign governments for the financing of bankable projects that can turn around their economies.

Making the disclosure in Calabar in a press briefing, The Director, Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Afreximbank, Dr.

Gainmore Zanamwe, said the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference (AfSNET 2026) is going to be a three day event, running from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th November, 2026.

Dr Zanamwe stated that, the Bank has the facility ready to finance. According to him, “Some people say funding is a problem. From Africa we say no. The $2 billion is there,” Zanamwe said. “Go and tell your people. You people in the media, go and tell people that money is there,” stressing that the bank is fully prepared to spend the next three days, November 12, 13 and 14, in Calabar enlightening states on how to access the fund. “How do you then access the funding?  He asked.

“That is what we’ll be telling everybody in the course of the next three days. We’ll be showing you how you can tap into the $2 billion to do your projects. We’ll make it very simple.” He maintained.

Zanamwe stated that only states that present properly packaged, bankable projects will benefit. “We’ll start tomorrow with a training on how to identify projects in your states. Some normally start by saying there’s a project in this, they then run to the investors. It doesn’t work that way. We’ll be breaking it down,” he said.

“We would like, under the leadership of your Governor, to be able to start from the vision and say this is the vision in terms of promoting trade investment in your states. Once you start from that big vision, you cannot do everything. You need to focus. Identify two or three sectors that you really need to focus on and promote,” he added.

He explained that capital can be raised in two ways: by preparing a project and making it bankable for financial institutions like Afreximbank, or by preparing a pitch deck to generate interest from potential investors.

He also promoted Africa Direct Investment, saying an investor from Lagos or South Africa can as well enjoy the same privileges and incentives given to an investor from America.

He stressed that governors will pitch their projects on November 13 and 14, adding that in the last five years, the initiative has facilitated opportunities worth more than $3 billion, trained over 2,000 people, and worked with 21 African countries.

Also speaking on behalf of Governor Bassey Otu, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, welcomed investors to the state.

“With Cross River State’s agrarian economy being rejuvenated by this administration, for the first time a very deliberate attempt is being taken to be able to make sure that our diverse products are being properly processed to meet international standards,” Cobham said.

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RMAFC Advocates Fair Share of 13 Per Cent Revenue Derivation Among Oil Producing States

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By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has advocated a fair distribution of the 13 per cent derivation revenue among states that produce oil and gas.

The Chairman of the commission, Mohammed Shehu, made the appeal on Thursday in Owerri during the inauguration of an oil and gas wells verification exercise.

Shehu explained that the commission’s constitutional responsibilities under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, include monitoring revenue generated into and disbursed from the Federation Account, including funds allocated under the 13 per cent derivation arrangement.

He said the exercise would focus on identifying and confirming the geographical coordinates of disputed oil and gas wells, alongside newly drilled wells between 2017 and 2026.

According to him, an Inter-Agency Technical Committee established for the assignment would carry out physical inspections of the affected wells, verify their locations and ensure that their coordinates were accurately recorded using officially approved maps.

He added that the committee would also take relevant court judgments into consideration when addressing disputes involving oil and gas well locations.

Shehu said the committee would forward its technical findings directly to the commission for review, ratification and eventual adoption.

He described the verification exercise as essential to ensuring that revenue allocations from the Federation Account are accurate and fairly distributed, explaining that the geographical positions of oil and gas wells determine the financial entitlements of producing states.

“This exercise represents a crucial phase in establishing statutory accuracy, technical fidelity, and fiscal equity within the Federation Account allocation framework,” he said.

He further explained that the precise coordinates and geographical positions of oil and gas wells have direct implications for the legal and financial rights of the respective states.

The RMAFC chairman urged officials participating in the exercise to adhere strictly to professional surveying procedures, recognised maps and relevant legal requirements in carrying out their assignments.

He reiterated that the technical committee’s report would be submitted solely to the commission for administrative review and formal approval.

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