Author: NewsDesk

Proactive measures will eliminate the hydra-headed trio of human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and gender-based violence, the Network Against Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) has stressed. It called for urgent all-inclusive collaboration to tackle the ills with a common front. “This Modern Slavery will consume our youth and future if we do not increase the tempo to pro-actively support the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, demand for sustainable support and accountability from donors and get all hands on deck,” NACTAL National President Abdulganiyu Abubakar stated. He referred to the Viking Rescue Crew report, which shows that…

Sokoto state is to benefit from the African Development Bank (AfDB) $20 billion DESERT TO POWER initiative, which aims to bring power to 250million people across the Sahel region through the deployment of solar technology. The initiative would harness the vast solar power potential across the Sahel region to provide access to electricity, AfDB President Dr Akinwunmi Adesina revealed. He stated this when he received the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and some commissioners at AfDB headquarters in Abidjan. Adesina added that the project intended to provide on-grid and off-grid power to parts of sub-Saharan Africa would enable socio-economic…

By Tunde Omolehin Sokoto State, one of the northwestern states in Nigeria, is a frontline desert state threatened by at least three ecological problems, namely: Deforestation, Drought, and Desertification. A recent report from the state’s ministry of environment says the challenges of desertification are indeed the biggest ecological problem facing the people, with a population estimated at more than five million. Further reports indicate that the increase in human and livestock population pressure has resulted in significant depletion of the state’s endowment of about 15,000km2 of forest, composed mainly of sudano-Sahel savanna vegetation that is made of trees, shrubs, grasses,…

Stephen Aderinto Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from a large and growing cancer burden. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are 626,400 new cancer cases each year and 447,700 cancer deaths. It is estimated that cancer incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa will rise by 85% in the next fifteen years due to population ageing. Each year, cancer claims the lives of 72,000 Nigerians, with an estimated 102,000 new cases diagnosed. The most common types of cancer in Nigeria are breast and cervical cancer, accounting for ~50.3% of all cancer cases. It is concerning that Nigeria has a higher cancer mortality rate (i.e., higher mortality incidence ratio) than most other…

As Sultan clocked 15 years on the throne, many have described his headship as exemplary and inspiring, harping on the need to emulate his leadership qualities for a better Nigeria. TRUE EMBODIMENT OF COMMITMENT TO SERVICEPresident Muhammadu Buhari described Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad as a true embodiment of commitment to service and a leader who dedicated his life to the welfare of the people. He also noted the Sultan’s efforts at promoting inter-religious and intercommunal harmony throughout the federation. “It is very reassuring to have such leadership at these challenging times,” the president said. LIFESTYLE OF SIMPLICITY, DILIGENCEGovernor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal…

The Life Sciences sector in Nigeria has received a boost with the donation of an Oligo-Synthesis machine to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). The MTN Foundation (MTNF) bequeathed the equipment which the NIMR noted is “capable of making short synthetic DNA or RNA copies of organisms and produce genetic materials to aid molecular and synthetic genetic testing, forensic research, and applications in vaccine and drug development, nutrigenomics, local design, and development of diagnostics and many more uses in research and development.” The gesture was in advancing MTN Nigeria’s corporate social responsibilities and interest in fostering health research in…

Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Isah Bajini, has urged more concerted efforts to end all forms of gender-based violence in society, just as he noted political tendencies exacerbate gender-based violence. “Political tendencies exacerbate GBV because by encouraging area boyism (political thuggery) by our political parties, it encourages raping of women and children, it encourages stealing, robbery and banditry, “he pointed out. “All these things happening are exacerbated by thuggery, so we have to make our people conscious of that. ” The Commissioner stated this when he received members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Sokoto Chapter. They…

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has applauded the signing into law of the Sokoto State Child Protection Bill and stressed the need to implement measures to ensure the well-being of all children. “We congratulate the Governor of Sokoto and, most importantly, the children of Sokoto for the entering into law of the Child Protection Bill,” UNICEF Representative in Nigeria Peter Hawkins stated.He added it sets an example for the states remaining that have not yet domesticated the Child’s Rights Act 2003 to do so as quickly as possible. Twenty-eight states, including Sokoto, have domesticated the Act, while Adamawa, Bauchi,…

Farmers in the North – Central and Taraba have narrated different experiences from the effects of irregular rainfall patterns on harvest during the 2021 farming season, as the cropping season rolls to an end. In a survey conducted News Agency of Nigeria in the zone, some of the farmers said the rains impacted on their crops positively as they were already recording bumper harvest. Others, however, submitted that the rains had ceased too early, which made them to experience poor yields. Experts are of the view that the irregular rainfall patterns which subsequently affect harvest in these parts of the country can also be attributed to the global…

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, said more needs to be done to ensure all Nigerians have access to safe toilets and shift closer to ending open defecation. According to UNICEF, the rate of open defecation in Nigeria has remained steady at 23 per cent, with 46 million Nigerians still defecating in the open. The Federal Government of Nigeria had in November 2018 declared a state of emergency in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector and launched a national campaign tagged ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilets’, as part of moves towards defecation-free Nigeria by 2025. “There is a clear…