Category Nigeria News

The Jigawa State Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is concerned about the state’s ongoing exodus of medical professionals, citing poor welfare conditions and the delay in implementing salary adjustments as major factors in the trend.

This was stated in a communiqué that was released on July 25 through July 26 at the conclusion of the association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference at the Manpower Development Institute in Dutse.

The event brought together academics, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders in the health sector under the theme “A Doctor and the Jigawa Health Sector: Reversing Brain Drain, Advanceing Careers, and Building a Doctor-Friendly Health System.”

The state’s doctor-patient ratio has increased as a result of the NMA’s observation that more than 30 doctors have left Jigawa in the last five months alone due to poor welfare and low competition for pay.

The association claimed that Jigawa’s current doctor-patient ratio is 1:100, which is a remarkable improvement from the WHO’s recommendation of 1:100.

REVISION YOUR STEP AND LOCAL PROCESS TO DISCUSS MEDICAL QUESTIONS

The association criticized the minimum wage implementation committee’s protracted delay in submitting its report to the governor despite having been given a two-week mandate.

“This deliberate bureaucratic delay smells like sabotage,” the author writes. The newly elected NMA chairman in the state, Usman Haruna, claimed that the committee had refused to follow a clear executive directive, undermining Governor Umar Namadi’s efforts to retain doctors and modernize the health system.

He continued, “We are requesting that His Excellency immediately compels the committee to submit its report and begin the full implementation of salary reviews and allowances.”

The association emphasized the urgent need to review doctors’ entry scale, hazard allowance, and call duty allowance to bring them in line with federal standards.

NMA Jigawa praised the state government’s recent hiring of new doctors as a “step in the right direction,” stressing that welfare issues must be addressed to ensure long-term retention.

Panelists and guest speakers provided practical policy and structural recommendations, as well as the role of the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in improving state-wide primary healthcare delivery.

The establishment of a doctor-friendly hospital initiative and hospital-based Continuous Professional Development (CPD) support, as suggested by the guest speaker during the scientific sessions, was a key resolution at the AGM.

In addition, Hussaini Abubakar was appointed financial secretary for the 2025–2026 term after the NMA conducted a bye-election to fill leadership vacancies.

The association thanked Governor Umar Namadi for continuing to invest in the health sector, particularly the Medical Village project and the proposed minimum wage changes.

Additionally, it praised the support of Jigawa State IMPACT Project’s founder, Muhammad Kainuwa, as well as the Commissioner for Health, Muhammad Kainuwa.

We are partners in the development of health, not just about agitation. The association’s Publicity Secretary, Shamsu Sa’idu, stated that his organization is unwavering in its support of policy reforms, advancement of primary healthcare, and maintaining a doctor-friendly work environment.

Isah Miqdad, the leader of the Katsina Local Government Council, has pledged to provide the electorates with quality, affordable education while also ensuring that the area’s primary education sector can address about 70% of the area’s lingering issues.

His administration, he said, was already working to support and encourage the primary school children to attend school and concentrate on their studies, and he claimed that there are already big plans in place to address the issues that are affecting the primary school education sector.

Miqdad made note of the fact that the issue has been around for a while and needs to be resolved.

The Chairman reiterated his administration’s commitment to empowering youth through education by awarding full scholarships to 96 students for study at the Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management (KSITM) on Tuesday.

Read more about Kaduna’s Education Summit to bring back 300, 000 formerly excluded students.

He urged the scholarship recipients to take advantage of the opportunity with vigor and determination, stressing that their parents’ and guardians’ assistance is still important throughout their academic journey.

We felt it was necessary to support parents who are unable to sponsor their children’s education in order to realize their aspirations to be meaningful citizens of their respective societies. We think that will change how they live.

96 students are receiving financial aid from this first batch. They will enroll in 15 of the institution’s courses. Because we have invested millions of naira in the project, the students should be diligent and on time.

Because we believe that education is the most important asset a person can ever have, we are appealing to our constituents to be patient with the government because we truly mean well to them. Katsina LG is not left behind, Miqdad remarked.

Alhaji Muhammad Isah, the governor of Katsina State, and Dikko Bala, the ministry’s director of finance and administration, praised the initiative as a model for effective governance.

According to Bala, “This scholarship will transform lives and lift the community as a whole.”

Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals, has stated that the federal government will not resort to intimidation or media attacks in its efforts to stop the sector’s illegal mining and insecurity.

Alake stated at a recent forum that the mining industry faces the biggest challenges because of its internal profits from illegal operations.

He claimed that those who oppose the government’s reforms have used smear campaigns and blackmail to target the newly established mine marshals, who are making significant progress.

In a nutshell, he said, “The challenges I have faced are external, not administrative.

First, there are the serious objections from those who profit from the heinous activities because of the security efforts we have made so far. ”

Also READ: FG Investments for $800 million in mining reforms result in six-fold gains

According to Alake, some mine marshals have tried to discredit them by charging them with bribery, but none have provided any proof.

Some people even reported that the mine marshals’ leader is bribing them and that they paid him a bribe, he said.

I said, “Wow, this is what I’ve been looking for,” she said. Please provide the evidence for me. ’

One of them claimed that the evidence he had received the day before was coming back. Six months ago, that was. He has not yet been seen. ”

He claimed that the media has been made aware of the smear campaign, with one television station forced to apologize for making false allegations against the marshals leader.

The man said that at some point, one medium allegedly blackmailed him.

I responded, “Well, did you do it? ” ’ He said, ‘No,’ he didn’t do it. I said, ‘Okay, hire a lawyer to bring a lawsuit against that medium. He did, too.

Because they were paid to do the hatchet job, that same medium, a TV station, posted a public apology forty-eight hours later.

And he explained that there is no balancing of reportage because, like every other profession in this degeneration, as well as journalism.

According to Alake, President Bola Tinubu’s position on accountability is strengthening the ministry’s commitment to reforms.

There is no turning back, he declared. If I can’t find any tangible proof of malfeasance or a misdemeanor, I won’t remove anyone from the mine marshals.

A group of stranded Nigerian miners have safely arrived at the country’s capital, Bangui, thanks to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).

The miners had earlier made a public appeal for assistance through a viral video, which allegedly led a Nigerian agent to the country in a collaboration with a Chinese national.

The victims, who are clearly frail and distressed, claimed in the video that they had been abandoned without pay for 11 months after being hired for mining work.

The Nigerian Embassy in CAR worked with the country’s security forces to quickly respond to the development.

The miners were accompanied by the officials on a multi-day trip from their remote location to the capital city.

Read more about Ghana protests: A lawyer urges the Nigerian Diaspora to display hostility

The rescue was made possible by the combined efforts of the embassy staff and CAR personnel, according to a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the director of the media, public relations, and protocols unit at NiDCOM.

He stated that Nigerian officials are currently looking after the victims, who are reportedly scheduled to be repatriated soon.

The victims expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Babagana Ahmed, the minister of foreign affairs, and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for their prompt intervention, according to Balogun.

They also expressed gratitude to Nigerians who updated their story online, the CAR security agencies, and the embassy.

By 2026, according to the Federal Government, the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Rail Line will be finished.

Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, made the announcement in a post on his official X (previous Twitter) account.

Idris also provided an update on the government’s infrastructure project drive.

Sa’idu Alkali, the minister of transportation, confirmed that the project had made significant progress while the president’s Bola Tinubu-led administration was in effect.

The Kaduna–Kano railway project was 15% finished, he claimed, when President Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023. He claimed that the percentage has now increased to 53%.

Alkali further disclosed that funding had been secured through a bilateral agreement with China’s government to quicken the construction of the railroad line.

He claimed that this funding will help expedite the project’s completion and speed up its progress.

A standard-gauge railroad, the Kano-Kaduna railway has a total length of 203 kilometers.

When it is finished, it is anticipated to have direct rail service between Kano and Abuja.

The Nigerian Kano-Kaduna railway project, which is slated to begin construction in January 2025, received a loan in the amount of €245 million ($254.76 million).

The bank stated in a statement that the decision was to aid in the project’s smooth progress.

Read more about Chinese Bank’s approval of a $ 254.76 million loan for Kano-Kaduna Railway.

Along the way, this railroad will also encourage the growth of related industries. Numerous job opportunities will be created in Nigeria as a result of the project’s construction and operation.

The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation’s list of practical cooperation projects includes the Kano-Kaduna railway project, according to the statement’s part.

The CDB provides funding for the project, and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is the contractor.

Before the start of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on August 18 in Kebbi State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued a warning about underage and multiple registrations.

Alhaji Abubakar Sarkin-Pawa-Dambo, the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Kebbi State, stated at a press briefing on Wednesday that it would not tolerate any form of illegal registration.

He declared, “INEC will not tolerate multiple registrations, registration by proxy, registration for minors, or any other unlawful attempts to register as voters.”

The CVR’s online pre-registration will begin on August 18 while in-person registration will begin on August 25. He counseled 18-year-old Nigerians to either register online or visit INEC offices in their local government areas.

He added that those who lost or misplaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), had misplaced cards, had addresses changed, or needed personal information corrected, such as name or birthdate, are eligible for physical registration.

excluding weekends and holidays, the registration process will take place at all INEC area offices in Kebbi State from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.

Read more about Nigerians from other countries who contribute $20 billion annually and are deserving of voting, according to experts.

NATIONWIDE CONTINUOUS VOTER REGISTRATION (#CVR) 2025.

ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION https: //t. co/vI3m3mzb58
FROM AUGUST 18, 2025

PERSONAL REGISTRATION
ALL LGA Offices of INEC Nationwide and Other Designated Registration Centers.
FROM AUGUST 25, 2025
⏰9: 00am – 3: 00pm (Mon – Fri) pic. twitter.com/LChKTeZLwz

Sarkin-Pawa-Dambo said INEC registered 2, 032, 041 eligible voters in Kebbi in order to summarize voter data ahead of the 2023 general elections. Of this number, 1, 096, 449 (54%) were male and 935, 592 (46%) were female.

He added that Kebbi State, which is distributed across three senatorial districts and nine federal districts, has 225 Registration Areas (RAs) and 3, 743 voting units.