The Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency, BASHCMA, says it has enrolled senior citizens under its free healthcare scheme.
The Chairman of the agency, Dr Mansur Dada said the beneficiaries were enrolled across the 20 local government areas of the state.
He said that “some of the beneficiaries had been captured under the basic health provision fund while others were under the informal sector of the scheme.”
According to him, healthcare services providers are offering primary and secondary Medicare services to enhance quality service delivery at the grassroots.
Meanwhile, the Jigawa State Coordinator, National Senior Citizens Centre, NSCC, Mustapha Yakubu says the health component of the social safety net for the aged is yet to begin implementation in the state.
Yakubu said that N20,000 grant would be provided to senior citizens in the state.
He said; “The programme was launched in Niger state sometime in 2022.
“The work plan which is yet to be implemented, the senior citizens are expected to be linked up with the Social Security Programme grant and aid.”
“The senior citizens are yet to be informed about their possibility to join NHIS or the Jigawa State Contributory Health Insurance Management Agency, JICIMA.
“Even though the programme started in October 2022, we hope that good things will come to the senior citizens when it is fully implemented,” Yakubu said.
Yakubu is also the Training and Communication Officer of the State Cash Transfer Unit of the National Social Investment Programme, NSIP.
On empowerment, the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, has trained seven senior citizens on entrepreneurship development in the state.
NDE Coordinator in Jigawa, Mr Miwa Lasco said the training exercise was being implemented in collaboration with the NSCC.
He said the beneficiaries comprising five males and two females received training in weaving, carpentry, leather work, blacksmith, clay pot and basket making.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has said the challenges occasioned by the naira redesign may further reduce the life expectancy of Nigerians already pegged at 53.
The president of the body, Professor Cyril Usifo, in a statement on Wednesday said the current state of the economy caused by the scarcity of the new naira notes may also give rise to cases of morbidity and mortality.
According to him, the Federal Government institutions now reject the old naira notes and insist on payment of services through confirmed transfer services or payments with bank tellers into their accounts.
He also berated the judiciary for failing to align with the masses in the current circumstances, as most of the courts in the land had stopped collecting old naira notes from people gearing to file processes in court registries.
The statement partly read, “The PSN has observed with concern the paralysing and suffocating impasse that has accompanied the CBN-driven naira design.
“When this is added to the unduly long week of prevailing fuel scarcity, then it becomes all too obvious that these forces are conspiring to further reduce the unacceptable life expectancy of the Nigerian citizens put at 53.
“As it stands today, the economy appears to be grinding to a halt with the full potential of a meteoric rise in cases of morbidity and mortality because disease progression remains a major risk factor in a population where the less privileged who rely on out of pocket expenses to access healthcare is denied access to cash.
“This certainly makes a huge quantum of Nigerians vulnerable to death if this unhealthy scenario remains unchecked.
“For a country where a substantial majority relies on subsistence living because they thrive and live on daily earnings as artisans, market men and women, okada riders, bus drivers and so on, it is only a matter of time before the country might reap the consequences of its negligence of the health of the citizenry.”
Usifo, however, urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to come up with a specific position to guide the banks in view of the Supreme Court’s declaration on the naira design.
He stated that this would go a long way in diffusing tension as well as restoring credibility in the banking system at a time when most banks are no longer open to the public for day-to-day banking operations and transactions.
“Government agencies at all levels need to be called to order to desist from complicating the already chaotic situation. In Kano State, the government is already threatening to revoke the C of O of banks that refuse to collect the old naira notes.
“All government hospitals should be compelled to initiate treatments, especially in the accident and emergency units and in-patients departments while acceptable payment modalities are being sorted,” he added.
Usifo further reminded the federal and state governments to review the operational modalities of Social Health Insurance in the country, particularly to ensure that all endeavours are inclined on the path of lawful pillars in the plan of action.
He said the National Health Insurance Authority must conform with lawful payment mechanisms and delineate facilities that qualify to be gatekeepers or primary providers which were eligible for capitation payments rather than the indiscriminate capitation that is presently extended to secondary and tertiary facilities which remains a misnomer.
While calling on the banking institutions to leverage modern technology to cushion the effect of the scarcity, Usifo admonished pharmacy practitioners to collect the old naira notes as the apex bank had promised to accept them from its members.
He said, “The PSN in particular, draws the attention of the NHIA secretariat to salient provisions of the PCN Act 2022 which forbids the dispensing, sales, and stocking of drugs in premises not registered by the PCN. (Lack of Superintendent Pharmacist).
“The banks should be mandated to upgrade their IT infrastructure leverage modern technology (Cloud and 5G) which are available already in Nigeria.
“The PSN wishes to direct community pharmacies, which are the first points to seek healthcare globally, to work out ways to sustain services within the ambits of existing payment framework.
“In instances where the last resort borders on the collection of the old naira notes, we enjoin Pharmacy practitioners to collect such since we are assured the Apex bank will accept the old notes and credit our account balances.
“The PSN assures consumers of health that pharmacists shall continue to stand with them as we continue to facilitate the manufacturing of essential drugs in the factories and make them available at accessible pharmacies at affordable prices in line with the tenets of the National Drug Policy.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have extended its 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) registration exercise by one week starting from Wednesday, Feb. 15.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday by the Head, Public Affairs and Protocol of the board, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said that by the extension, the sale of ePINs would end on Monday, Feb. 20, while the UTME registration would end on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
“Recall that in line with the board’s 2023 schedule of activities, as earlier released, the closing date for the sale of both the ePINs and the 2023 UTME application documents was slated for Tuesday, Feb.14.
“1,527,068 candidates have successfully registered for the 2023 UTME exercise inclusive of the 168,748, who indicated their interest to take the mock-UTME as at the close of the sale of ePINs on Tuesday, Feb. 14,
“It should also be noted that the board, based on its projections, had expanded its capacity to register up to a 100,000 candidates per day.
“With this, it was possible to register all desiring candidates within the space of a few days. However, less than 50,000 candidates were turning up for registration which is less than the installed registration capacity.
“Surprisingly, in the last two days before the closing date, the pace picked up remarkably with over 100,000 candidates registering on a daily basis.
“Furthermore, the board, as a responsive and proactive agency, took cognisance of the reports from across the country indicating some difficulties being faced by many Nigerians in using their electronic channels to purchase the ePINs or obtain cash readily within the stipulated period,”he said.
Benjamin said the board, thereafter, granted the extension to ensure that all candidates who desired to register for the 2023 UTME were given the opportunity to do so especially when the extant challenges were not of their own making.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to show more competence in the handling of the ongoing currency swap exercise, noting that the situation has brought a lot of hardship on the citizens.
The student body also said the difficulty in getting the new naira notes is adding to the hardship brought about by the scarcity of fuel, making life to become unbearable for the people.
NANS stated this on Thursday in a statement by the Southwest Coordinator, Comrade Adejuwon Emmanuel Olatunji.
The association opined that if the apex bank showed the competence necessary to execute such a policy, the nation would not have been thrown into what is being experienced now.
“The CBN ordered that the old Naira notes should not be accepted by any commercial bank again at the date it stipulated without any better measure to ensure the interest of the masses is protected.
“There are series of ways to mopping up the old currency and making new notes circulate without frustrating the general public. Apart from the governor of the Central Bank, we have a number of deputy governors and directors, can’t they all think through ways that the policy would be implemented with the least disruption and damage to the national economy.
“Regarding the claim of politicians using money to buy votes, is it only Naira that can be used to buy votes? What will happen if they use other currencies to buy vote? Those in positions of authority and who cannot deliver on the mandate of their offices should just resign. These people should let Nigerians know what they are up to. Do they want the whole country to be set ablaze by protesters?
“Hospitals, even in emergency situations, are not collecting old Naira notes. Hospitals are not even attending to patients who do not have new notes, making old and young Nigerians lose their lives needlessly. For instance, in Ibadan yesterday, a child was rushed to an hospital around Akala Express, the doctor did not attend to the child all because of new Naira note policy and they did not accept bank transfer as well which led to the child’s death.
“It is time for students to question the reality of this unreasonable policy. We cannot take it anymore and will not watch this continue to affect our parents, friends and siblings without the government taking necessary actions and showing being responsible. We are using this medium to inform all that we will no longer tolerate this mess and we are saying with one voice, enough is enough.”
NANS also appealed to students across the country to stay calm and be ready to exercise their civic rights during the coming elections by voting the candidates of their choice.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has announced the launch of the New Murabba Development Co. which is set to transform downtown Riyadh through the building of a unique living, working, and entertainment experience.
The New Murabba project will be built around the concept of sustainability by featuring green areas and walking and cycling paths that will enhance the quality of life by promoting healthy lifestyles and community activities.
The project will also include an iconic museum, a technology and design university, a multipurpose immersive theater, and more than 80 entertainment and cultural venues.
The development will be situated at the intersection of King Salman and King Khalid roads to the northwest of Riyadh over an area of 19 sq. km and set to accommodate hundreds of thousands of residents.
The New Murabba will offer more than 25 million sq. km of floor area, 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, 980,000 sq. m of retail space, 1.4 million sq. m of office space, 620,000 sq. m of leisure assets, and 1.8 million sq. m of community facilities.
The project will feature a 15-minute walking radius and have its own internal transport system with a 20-minute drive from the airport.
The area will host the Mukaab, an iconic landmark that features the latest innovative technologies and will be one of the largest built structures in the world at 400 meters high, 400 meters wide, and 400 meters long to take a cubic shape to ensure ultimate utilization of space.
Inspired by the modern Najdi architectural style, the Mukaab will be the world’s first immersive destination offering an experience created by digital and virtual technology with the latest holographics.
The building will encompass a tower atop a spiral base, and a structure featuring 2 million sq. m of floor space that will be a premium hospitality destination with a multitude of retail, cultural and tourist attractions, along with residential and hotel units, commercial spaces, and recreational facilities.
The project is part of the Public Investment Fund’s strategy to unlock the capabilities of promising sectors, enable the private sector and increase local content, contribute to the development of real estate projects and the local infrastructure, and diversify sources of income for the Saudi economy.
It is expected to add around $50 billion to the non-oil economy and create 334,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. The project is due to be completed in 2030.
Several dozen Lebanese protesters attacked banks in a Beirut neighborhood on Thursday, while blocking roads protesting against informal restrictions on cash withdrawals in place for years and rapidly deteriorating economic conditions.
At least six banks had been targeted as the Lebanese pound hit a new record low on Thursday, a spokesperson for Depositors Outcry, a lobby representing depositors with money stuck in the country’s banking sector, said.
A bank in the Badaro neighborhood smoldered as firefighters sprayed water, while riot police stood nearby with shields.
Since 2019, Lebanese banks have imposed restrictions on withdrawals in US dollars and Lebanese pounds that were never formalized by law, leading depositors to seek access to their funds through lawsuits and often by force.
The Lebanese pound has lost more than 98 percent of its value since the country’s financial sector imploded in 2019. It was changing hands at around 80,000 pounds per greenback on Thursday, dropping from 70,000 pounds just two days earlier.
The country’s central bank, which has struggled to manage the crisis, did not respond to a request for comment on why the pound had crashed and what it was doing to address the issue.
The office of Lebanon’s prime minister said work was ongoing to remedy financial conditions in the country.
Lebanon made a first step toward securing an International Monetary Fund bailout in April 2022 but, nearly a year later, has failed to carry out the reforms needed to finalize it.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, made the announcement in Minna, Niger state.
According to the NECO boss, a total of 59,124 candidates sat for the examination, with 31,316 males, representing 52.96 per cent while 27,808, representing 47.03 per cent were female.
Wushishi added that the number of candidates that sat for English Language is 58,012 out of which 44,162, representing 76.13 per cent got Credit and above, while the number of candidates that sat for Mathematics is 57,700, out of which 43,096, representing 74.69 per cent got Credit and above.
He further disclosed that the number of Candidates who got five Credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics is 33,914 representing 57.36 per cent.
“Also 46,825 candidates, representing 79.20% got five Credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics,” he said.
Speaking on the issue of examination malpractice, he said, “11,419 candidates were booked for various forms of malpractice is , as against 4,454 in 2021, which shows a sharp rise in the number of malpractice cases”.
According to him, this is largely due to the improvement in the strategy and technique adopted by the monitoring officers.
“This led to the blacklisting of four supervisors, one each from Rivers and Plateau States and two from Ogun State for aiding and abetting as well as poor supervision,” he said.
The 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, External was conducted by NECO from 21 November to 21 December 2022 and is being released 57 days today after.
Speaking further on the examination, Wushishi said, a total of 29 subjects were examined as was done in 2021.
Turkish rescuers on Thursday pulled a 17-year-girl from the rubble of last week’s devastating earthquake, as hopes fade of finding more survivors.
Aleyna Olmez was rescued 248 hours after the 7.8-magnitude quake flattened entire cities, killing nearly 40,000 people across southeastern Turkiye and parts of Syria.
“She looked to be in good health. She opened and closed her eyes,” coal miner Ali Akdogan, who took part in the rescue effort, told AFP in Kahramanmaras, a city near the quake’s epicenter.
“We have been working here in this building for a week now… We came here with the hope of hearing sounds,” he said.
“We are happy whenever we find a living thing — even a cat.”
The girl’s uncle tearfully hugged the rescuers one by one, saying: “We will never forget you.”
But after the rescue, Turkish soldiers told the media and locals to leave the scene because teams were starting to pull corpses out of the rubble.
While several people were also found alive in Turkiye on Wednesday, reports of such rescues have become increasingly infrequent. Authorities in Turkiye and Syria have not announced how many people are still missing.
Millions of people are in need of humanitarian aid after being left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures.
The Island of Mozambique, also known as Ilha de Moçambique, is an island that is located between the long Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay, part of the South African Republic of Mozambique.
Being former Portuguese trading-post on the route to India, this remarkable fortified city-island has very interesting architectural unity due to the consistent use throughout the years. The island was mentioned for the first time as a major Arab port, until 1498 when it was visited by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
That is when the island got its name, which was derived from Ali Musa Mbiki, who acted as the sultan of the island, and subsequently the name was taken to the mainland and given to the present day Republic of Mozambique.
As it was under Portuguese colonization, the Island of Mozambique acted as the capital of Mozambique for nearly four centuries, which was also the place where the Portuguese colonizers established a port and naval base in 1507.
Soon after, The Fort of São Sebastião was built and until today it is the oldest complete fort still standing in sub-Saharan Africa, which has withstood many Dutch attacks which occurred in 1607 and 1608.
Nonetheless, the island communities since then are intimately associated with the history of navigation in the Indian Ocean as the island played a unique role in intercontinental trading links from the 10th century, and today it serves also as a major tourist attraction for those who would like to see some colonial architecture, mixed with the Swahili and Arab influences.
That is why the island is divided into two types of dwellings and urban systems, where the stone and lime town which was influenced by the colonizers and domestic architectural style is at the north part of the island, while to the south are the macuti town, or better known as the city of roofed palm leaves, with traditional African architecture.
The island itself is only 3 km (2 mi ) long and some 500 meters (1,640 feet) wide, which is quite small, but according to the state statistics, it is one very crowded place with an estimation of 16,000 people living there.
Connected with the mainland by a 3 km (2 mi) long concrete bridge that was built in the 1960s, it makes it easier for everyone to get there fast and easy, however, the many dhows that are sailing on the calm seawater are an experience plus.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1991, it is definitely one of the most important places within the country, that those visiting Mozambique should go there in order to learn more and be more familiar with the long history the island and the country have.
1659 1st known cheque written (£400), now on display at Westminster Abbey
1840 American Charles Wilkes discovers Shackleton Ice Shelf, Antarctica
1923 Howard Carter opens the inner burial chamber of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb and finds the sarcophagus
1959 Fidel Castro becomes the 16th Prime Minister of Cuba after overthrowing Fulgencio Batista
2005 The Kyoto Protocol comes into force following its ratification by Russia committing industrialized nations to limit and reduce greenhouse gases
Historical Events Today Events In 2023
Today In Film & TV
1938 “Bringing Up Baby” film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, is released
Today In Music
1963 Beatles top British rock charts with “Please, Please Me”
1968 Beatles George Harrison, John Lennon and their wives fly to India for transcendental meditation study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Today In Sport
1926 Suzanne Lenglen defeats US champion Helen Wills in influential tennis match in Cannes, France
600 Pope Gregory the Great decrees saying “God bless You” is the correct response to a sneeze
1861 Abraham Lincoln stops his train at Westfield on his way to Washington to thank 11-year old Grace Bedell in person for her advice to grow a beard to gain more votes
Famous Weddings
1655 Grand Pensionary of Holland Johan de Witt marries Wendela Bicker
1734 Jurist William Allen (29) weds Margaret Hamilton
1784 American Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen (46) weds second wife Frances Montresor Brush Buchanan
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