Egyptian FinTech company, MNT-Halan has raised $157.5 million in funding, including $40 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with the remainder coming from Development Partners International (DPI), Lorax Capital Partners, funds managed by Apis Partners LLP, Lunate, and GB Corp.
With the funding now secured, MNT-Halan intends to revolutionize access to financial services for individuals and enterprises in the country via its digital platform, claiming to serve “millions”.
MNT-Halan was founded in 2018 with the goal of providing digital banking services to the unbanked and replacing cash with electronic alternatives.
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The company’s digital ecosystem includes lending to small and micro businesses, payment processing, consumer financing, and e-commerce services.
Mounir Nakhla, founder and CEO of MNT-Halan, emphasised the strategic direction of the company, stating, “While Egypt remains our primary market, we are committed to revolutionising access to financial services through technology beyond Egypt’s borders.
‘‘Our M&A strategy capitalises on our technology and industry expertise while leveraging our partners’ local knowledge, management capabilities, and licences. We are happy to have the IFC on board and to see the continued confidence from our current shareholders through their participation in this round.”
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Egyptian fintech, MNT-Halan, raises $157.5m in financing to extend market penetration
Tinubu’s wife urges Nigeria-based Turks to learn local languages
Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, says citizens of Turkiye based in Nigeria should learn any of the major local languages as a way to integrate with the society.
“Turkish citizens here should also learn some of our languages,” said Tinubu when she visited the Yunus Emre Institute, Maitama, Abuja, at the invitation of the First Lady of the Republic of Turkiye, Mrs. Emine Erdogan, on Tuesday.
The Senior Special Assistant to the First Lady on Media, Mrs. Busola Kukoyi, disclosed details of Tuesday’s outing in a statement titled ‘First Lady Oluremi Tinubu urges youths to believe in themselves.’
She called on youths to be focused positively and set their minds on creative things.
Established by the Turkish Government, the institute trains Nigerians in creative arts and other aspects of cultural exchange between the two countries.
Mrs. Tinubu said, “This centre provides great opportunities for you to live your dreams as artists.
“You are not only learning about Turkey but also actualisons your dreams.
“Believe in what you are doing, and as long as you set your mind to it, you will succeed. Dream big but do not despise the days of humble beginnings.”
The First Lady, who inspected some of the paintings exhibited by the Nigerian artists at the centre, expressed her delight at the level of creativity while admonishing them to express more positivity in their creative works.
She also visited the classroom of some of the children from an orphanage who are undergoing formal education courtesy of the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria.
“I see this as a step towards granting our children scholarships just as we have with the Republic of Belarus,” she said.
Mrs. Tinubu thanked her Turkish counterpart, Erdoğan, for her presence at the recently concluded OIC High-Level Seminar on Cancer Awareness hosted by Nigeria and also for inviting her to visit the centre.
“I appreciate the First Lady for all the work she is doing for Africa and also for identifying Africa as the rising sun and light,” she said.
Earlier, the Ambassador to Turkey in Nigeria, Hidayet Bayraktar, while welcoming the First Lady to the centre, noted the collaborative efforts between the two nations, especially in the area of cultural exchange and education.
He said, “Our relations have been growing especially in economic issues. We have very good political relations as well.
“One of the aspects of these relations is, of course, the cultural aspects of these two countries.
“One of the aims of this Institute is that the Nigerian students that are learning Turkish will have the opportunity of working in Turkish companies, when they come to establish here and even when they go to Turkey.”
The Ambassador expressed optimism of a more robust relation between the countries.
Tuesday’s meeting comes three months after the First Lady visited the Republic to launch two High Endurance Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Nigerian Navy.
Since Nigeria and Turkiye established diplomatic ties in 1962, both nations have intensified partnerships buoyed by mutual interests in expanding trade, military cooperation, and educational exchanges.
Turkey sees Nigeria as a pivotal partner in Africa, given its significant population and economic potential, while Nigeria benefits from Turkey’s technological advancements and investment.
In December 2021, Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari visited Turkiye to attend the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.
Two months earlier, in October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Nigeria as part of a three-nation African tour.
The visit led to the signing of eight major agreements covering energy, mining, defence and counter-terrorism.
LG polls: PDP seeks more women in elective offices in Akwa Ibom
Ahead of the October 2024 local government elections in Akwa Ibom State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed the desire to see women occupy more elective offices.
To achieve that, the PDP state chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, while interacting with journalists in Uyo on Tuesday, said the party has given a waiver to female aspirants to purchase the Expression of Interest form, while the main form, the nomination form, would be given free of charge to them.
The chairman said that was the directive from the leader of the party and governor of the state, Pastor Umo Eno, to encourage more women’s participation in governance.
He said the party was targeting having at least six female local government chairmen, two from each of the three senatorial districts and four female councillors from the 368 wards in the state.
He, therefore, urged women, whom he described as strong and resourceful, to maximise the opportunity given by the governor to take up these elective positions in the forthcoming council elections.
According to him: “We want to encourage women; we are gender friendly. This governor has come up with his own mantra; total participation and inclusiveness down to the local level.
“Women have been there for us. In mobilisation, going to elections, you see them lining up to vote, so why can’t we reciprocate and allow them to take up some of these positions?
“It was a directive from the leader of the party, the governor. We need numbers to win and women are there in their numbers. They are not as weak as people presume. We have strong and capable women and we want to give them the opportunity to excel.”
The chairman also said the sales of councillorship forms would end on Wednesday, July 24 and that of chairmanship begins immediately the same day.
While expressing the readiness of the party to conduct the primaries and the elections proper, elder Akpan urged the aspirants to adhere strictly to the party guidelines, even as he promised to provide a level playing field to all of them.
“The aspirants already have our guidelines and they have to adhere to them strictly; we want everybody to go through the process,” he said.
LG polls: PDP seeks more women in elective offices in Akwa Ibom
Stop Onanuga from further attacking Peter Obi, Ohanaeze tells Tinubu
The pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, over his comment linking the proposed “hunger protest” to the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi.
The group urged Onanuga to use his position as the presidential spokesman to address hunger and hardship currently facing the country at the moment.
The Vice-president, Ohanaeze Worldwide, Damian Okeke-Ogene, who spoke to journalists during a press conference in Awka, Anambra State, on Tuesday, said linking Obi to the “ugly situation” in Nigeria was totally uncalled for and unacceptable.
Okeke-Ogene berated Onanuga for urging Nigerians to hold the former Anambra governor responsible for whatever crisis that would emanate from the upcoming planned hunger/hardship protest slated for August 1-10, 2024, across the country.
He said, “Onanuga should focus more on how to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians rather than pointing accusation fingers against an innocent Nigerian. His utterances that accusing Obi of planning mayhem in the country, is highly condemnable.
“It is high time the President cautioned Mr Onanuga for his unguided utterances against Peter Obi. Rather than making such comments, Onanuga should use his position as the presidential spokesman to focus more on making Nigeria a great place for all, irrespective of tribe, ethic and religious affiliations.”
While calling on Igbos residing in other parts of the country to focus more on how to protect their properties rather than involving in the forthcoming planned protest nationwide, the Ohanaeze chieftain also appealed to the President to release the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
He lamented the continuous detention of Kanu at the DSS custody despite the courts in the country freeing him.
Peter Obi’s latest statement, attempt to mobilise against Tinubu
The ruling All Progressives Congress has accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, of promoting his personal and political ambition against the best interest of the nation.
The party stated this in reaction to Obi’s statement on Monday that the country’s economy has seen unprecedented retrogression on many fronts for the past nine years under the APC government.
He stated that urgent actions need to be taken to salvage the nation from further economic collapse, and efforts should be concentrated on finding ways to recreate an inclusive and sustainable economy and pull millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party alleged that Obi is attempting to cash in on the current situation to mobilise mass outrage against President Bola Tinubu.
The APC said Obi’s latest comment on the country’s economic situation is a blend of half-truths, blatant distortions and misinformation calculated to turn Nigerians against Tinubu.
It also berated the former Governor of Anambra State for claiming that the Tinubu administration was making no efforts to tackle poverty and unemployment in the country and described him as a loquacious and disruptive backseat driver.
The statement read, “The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has continued, unabashedly, to showcase his obsessive devotion to self-promotion against the best interest of Nigeria
“Mr. Obi’s latest statement on the country’s economic situation is an admixture of half-truths, blatant distortions and misinformation calculated to mobilise outrage against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“His warped conclusion that Nigeria’s economic crisis was caused by nine years of APC-led administration is a highly revisionist, dishonest, distorted and deliberately misleading assessment of the country’s economic trajectory in the last decade. He opined, rather mischievously, that no efforts were being made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to tackle poverty and unemployment in the country.”
The APC also blamed successive Peoples Democratic Party administrations for the economic decline and current hardship being experienced by Nigerians, saying that the country’s GDP growth plummeted from 7.98% in 2010 to 2.79% in 2015.
According to the ruling party, the growth recorded during the PDP tenures was due entirely to the high price of crude oil, stressing that the country’s earnings were stolen.
It added, “The facts tell a far more complex and different story. The country’s economic decline began under the watch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with GDP growth plummeting from 7.98% in 2010 to 2.79% in 2015. And since 2015, the global oil price crash, geopolitical tensions, climate change, global COVID pandemic and rising population have all taken a toll on Nigeria’s economy which is almost entirely dependent on drastically reduced oil export earnings.
“The growth recorded during the PDP years was due entirely to the high price of crude oil and the increased government spending that it supported.
“It is noteworthy that between 2007-2014, Nigeria earned $531.2 billion under the PDP, compared to $287.8 billion under APC between 2015-2022. This drastically reduced export earnings under the APC administration was even further stretched thin by the country’s population surge from 184 million in 2015 to 229 million in 2024.
“Despite the huge revenues available to it, successive PDP administrations neglected to address underlying structural challenges and distortions in the economy, leaving the country vulnerable to economic shocks and volatility. Had the PDP undertaken a sustained programme of economic reform as President Tinubu is currently engaged, Nigeria’s economic situation would be far better than it is today.”
The APC asserted that the Tinubu administration is focused on tackling the country’s challenges through economic diversification, massive infrastructure development, social welfare, and other government policies.
It stated that Obi would not acknowledge the bold and thoughtful policy interventions of Tinubu’s administration due to selfish desperation to become the president.
The statement added, “Quite contrary to Obi’s jaundiced and gloomy analysis, in the last year alone, the country has attracted over $20 billion into the economy, aside from recording an all-time high N6.52 trillion trade surplus in the first quarter of 2024, marking a positive shift from a long history of trade deficits.
“Despite clearing the backlog of the foreign exchange debts owed to foreign airlines and other economic actors by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the nation’s foreign reserves have continued to expand, hitting upwards of $34 billion, the highest in recent times. Capital inflow into the country increased by 66.27 per cent this year alone.
“Notable financial experts and the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report that for the first time in our economic history, the All Share Index (ASI) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) crossed the 100,000 benchmarks this year, making the Nigerian Stock Exchange currently about the most profitable capital market in the world with a return on investment (RoI) as high as 22.90 per cent.
“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that the nation’s economy will have a 3.1 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2024, one of the highest projections for any African country.
“Initiatives such as the Credit Corps, Students Loans, the newly approved minimum wage, the construction of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, and many more are tailor-made by President Tinubu to combat poverty and expand economic opportunities for Nigerians.”
Saraki seeks police action against Kwara govt over disputed property
Lawyers representing Asa Investment Limited and the Saraki family have asked the Kwara State Commissioner of Police to call on the government of Kwara State to respect the court order restraining it from doing anything on the plots of land otherwise known as Ile-Arugbo, in Ilorin, said to be the property of the late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
This was contained in a petition written to the commissioner of police and signed by Barrister A. A. Ibraheem, a copy of which was sighted by TVN on Tuesday.
TVN recalls that a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital, had restrained the state government from commencing any construction works on the said plots of land pending the final determination of the case.
Justice A. O. Akinpelu gave the interim restraining order in a suit filed by Asa Investment, the Saraki family, and another person against Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Kwara State House of Assembly, Attorney-General of Kwara State, Director-General of Kwara State Bureau of Lands and Inspector-General of Police.
In addition to the interim order, the immediate past Kwara State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Salman Jawondo, signed an undertaking on behalf of the state government not to do anything on the land until the conclusion of the case.
However, the government last week ordered the clearing of the disputed land despite a subsisting court order prohibiting any action on the property.
This development prompted counsel for the claimants to petition the state commissioner of police to intervene and direct the state government to respect the court’s ruling.
According to the lawyers, agents of the state government were seen demolishing structures and buildings on the land while the suit is still pending and not yet determined or struck out by the court.
They argued that the government’s action constituted contempt of court and urged the police to take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the law to avoid acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Ilorin.
“Acts of lawlessness and breach of order of a competent court of law are least expected of an executive governor of a state who ought to be an enforcer of the law,” the counsel stated.
Saraki seeks police action against Kwara govt over disputed property
Disaster management is everybody’s business – NEMA
The Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency, Minna Operations Office, Zainab Suleiman-Saidu, says disaster management is everybody’s business and not just the business of Federal Government agencies.
Suleiman-Saidu said this on Tuesday at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on Sustainable Waste Management and Flood Preparedness held at Kwara State Library, Ilorin, the state capital.
According to her, flood preparedness and waste management require a collaborative effort from governments, private sector and local communities to build resilience against natural disasters.
She said with the increasing frequency and severity of floods due to climate change, proactive measures are essential.
“Disaster management is not just the business of NEMA or government agencies. It is everybody’s business.
“We must put our heads together to manage disaster in year 2024. We must show concern and stop showing negligence.
“Flood preparedness is very vital for safeguarding lives and property. Sustainable solutions are achievable through cooperation and dedication,” the NEMA official said.
She warned that Kwara had been marked as an high-risk area for 2024, and called for pro-active measures to prevent the risk occurrence.
The head of operation also advised the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse to keep the environment safe.
She said that there are designated places where waste should be dumped, and not in drains.
Suleiman-Saidu also echoed the need to manage waste properly, rather than disposing it into drains that would later lead to flooding.
“Drop the waste into a designated place and it can be taken to a recycling company to be re-used.
“It is not every waste that is useless. Most are very useful when they get to the recycling companies,” she said.
The NEMA official called on women, religious leaders, community leaders, traditional rulers, youth organisations and other concerned citizens to spread the gospel of waste management.
She also advised parents to tell their children how to dispose waste properly without causing environmental disaster.
The Kwara Commissioner for Environment, Nafisat Buge, also appealed to the public to adhere strictly to the warnings of NEMA.
Buge, who was represented by Mrs Mary Mustapha from the Ministry of Environment, stressed that the public must be safety-conscious and stop being careless about their environment.
The Lead Speaker from NEMA, Ramatu Turaki, also advised the public to embrace responsible use of resources and stop being waste agents.
She warned that indiscriminate dumping of refuse was dangerous to the environment.
NAN reports that representatives from the National Orientation Agency, NESREA, Red Cross and the National Union for Road Transport Workers were present at the workshop.
Also, representatives from Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), the National Youth Service Corps, Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), and market women attended the workshop.
The Special Adviser to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on Special Duties, Alhaji Abdulrasak Jida and the State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Olusegun Ogunshola, led state representatives to the workshop.
(NAN)
Lagos students shun national protest, plan solidarity walk
Students of some tertiary institutions in Lagos State have said rather than joining a nationwide protest scheduled for August 1 to 10, they have resolved to embark on a solidarity walk in support of the state government on the same day.
The students on Tuesday distanced themselves from the planned national protest by some Nigerians, tagged ‘#EndBad Governance in Nigeria,’ to draw the attention of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the plight of Nigerians, hunger, and rising cost of living in the country.
The students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Lagos, said the “Solidarity Walk” would be held to support and encourage the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who they said has been of great support to them.
Speaking to journalists during a press conference at the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, after a joint meeting, student leaders across tertiary institutions in Lagos State said their solidarity walk would also be held from August 1 to 10 to drum for peace, especially to ensure that the ugly incident of #EndSARS” of 2020 does not repeat itself.
The chairman, NANS, Lagos axis, Lekan Alimi, who addressed journalists on behalf of the students of various tertiary institutions in the state, described the planned nationwide protests against hardship in the country as “absolutely uncalled for.”
Alimi, flanked by the President of the National Association of Lagos State Students, Hafiz Olufowobi; chairman, National Association of University Students (Lagos Chapter), Miracle Yemoh; Assistant General Secretary (South-West), National Association of Polytechnic Students, Zainab Yakub; Chairman, National Female Students Association of Nigeria (Lagos Chapter), Titilayo Ekindayo; and Presidents of the Students Union of tertiary institutions in the state, said rather than joining the protest, students would prefer constructive dialogue with governments in achieving collective goals.
While noting that the trying times in the country would soon fade out, Akoni appealed to Nigerians to persevere a little more to enjoy the dividends of democracy of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He said, “In these trying times, it is crucial that we remember the importance of stability, peace, and constructive dialogue in achieving our collective goals. Given these significant contributions and the progress we have witnessed, we strongly state that we are not in support of any protest against the government of Lagos.
“We understand the frustrations and challenges faced by many, but we must also recognise the advancements and opportunities that have been provided to cushion the economic effect of the nation, and we hope other states can emulate the Lagos State Government.
“We cannot afford to let the destructive events of the past, such as the EndSARS protests, repeat themselves. Our priority is to defend and preserve the peace and prosperity of Lagos. “
He urged all students to channel their energies into constructive dialogue and positive action, such as volunteering for community development projects, participating in student-government initiatives, and engaging in academic and extracurricular activities that promote excellence.
He added that “We believe that with time, patience, and continued collaboration with the government, we will see further improvements and solutions to the issues we face. Let us stand together in unity and purpose, ensuring that our actions reflect our commitment to a better future for all.
“As a demonstration of our support for the Lagos State Government and our commitment to peace and stability, we announce our intention to hold a Solidarity Walk in support of the government.
“We plan to hold this walk from the 1st to the 10th of August, 2024, coinciding with the proposed dates of a planned protest by some unknown individuals. We will not let the voices of discord and destruction drown out our message of unity and progress.
“We invite all students, youth organizations, and well-meaning citizens to join us on this walk as we show our appreciation for the government’s efforts and our commitment to a brighter future for Lagos. Together, we can make a difference!”
Alimi, while declaring students’ support for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration, expressed their readiness to protect Lagos from another #EndSARS saga in the name protest proposed to commence next month.
He said: “After extensive deliberations, we have come in unison and in one voice to say ‘Thank You Lagos’ for being prompt and responsive to many needs of the people through the THEMES+ agenda.
“It is also important to note that the Governor has maintained open lines of communication with student leaders, as evidenced by the recent parley with Mr. Governor. This ongoing engagement highlights a genuine interest in addressing our concerns and finding solutions that benefit us all.
“The Lagos State Government has prioritised education in its agenda, leading to the establishment of new schools, namely: Lagos State University of Education, Oto-Ijanikin with a campus in Epe; Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu; and proper and prompt funding of all existing ones with upgrades in their infrastructures; and the introduction of innovative teaching methods. These investments are empowering our young people with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.
He acknowledged what he said was “the tremendous efforts of the Governor of Lagos State”, who according to him “has consistently demonstrated a commitment to the student constituency.
“From the increment of bursaries and scholarships to the generous donation of buses to all tertiary institutions in Lagos, including the NANS Aluta bus, the Governor has shown that he values and supports the growth and development of students in our state.
“Additionally, the employment and job opportunities extended to some student leaders across the state are a testament to his dedication to our future. The recent appointment of student leaders to key positions in the Lagos State government, such as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Tertiary Education, Secondary and Basic Education, and Vocational and Technical Board, demonstrates his willingness and commitment to involve students in the decision-making process of the state.
“Also, in Secondary and Basic Education, N1,571,076,000 was approved as registration fees and other sundry costs for 58,188 SS3 students writing the West Africa School Certificate Examination; 18,912 Mobile Learning Devices were distributed to SS2 students across the six education districts in the state. Scholarships and bursaries for students of Lagos State origin in tertiary institutions have been significantly increased.”
Also speaking, Chairman, National Female Students Association of Nigeria (Lagos chapter), Ekindayo, said female students in Lagos State will shun any form of protest.
“Lagos has been in peace and will continue to be in peace. We students are saying no to protest in Lagos State. We appreciate Governor Sanwo-Olu for giving opportunities to women in the state, and we female students will shun any form of protest,” she said.
Olufowobi, said Governor Sanwo-Olu has done a lot in Lagos State; therefore, there is no basis to embark on a national protest in the state.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu has tried his best to ease hardship on students across Lagos State. We are not in support of any protest. This is our state, and we don’t have where to go if #EndSARS happens again. We are saying no to protest in my state,” he said.
EFCC arrests Kano banker, three others for mutilating naira notes
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a banker, Kamaluddeen Lawal, and three businessmen for recycling and manipulating the contents of the naira notes.
Lawal was arrested alongside Ismail Ilu, Lamido Bala and Abba Mohammed at Unity Road, Kantin Kwari Market in Kano State.
A statement on Tuesday by the EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were arrested following an intelligence on their activities.
He said, “Operatives of the Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a banker, Kamaluddeen Lawal and three businessmen for recycling and manipulating contents of naira notes. The other suspects are Ismail Ilu, Lamido Bala and Abba Mohammed.
“The suspects were arrested at Unity Road, Kantin Kwari market, Kano following credible intelligence on the activities of some individuals suspected to be trafficking huge sums of money in cash.“
Oyewale stated that the investigation revealed that the suspects obtained mutilated naira notes from banks and, with the support of the arrested banker, redeposited some of them, adding that the N7.5m was recovered from the suspects upon their arrest.
He said, “Investigations showed that the suspects specialised in obtaining mutilated naira notes from various banks with the sole purpose of removing a few notes from each bundle and depositing them in their bank accounts with a particular bank where their banker accomplice will receive the money as the original amount.
“The suspects were perpetrating the fraud by going to their respective banks and asking for a certain denomination (in this case, N200 notes) and carefully removing a few notes from each bundle. They would then take it to their accomplice at the bank who would collect the money and make entries as filled in the tellers without counting them on the agreement that they would later give him his share of the money they removed.
“At the point of arrest, a total sum of N7,500,000 was recovered from them. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”
Nationwide protest: Bauchi to shut health centres
The Bauchi State Government is set to close its Primary Healthcare Centers, PHCs, to safeguard the lives of both staff and patients, on the planned date of the proposed nationwide protests.
The executive chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed revealed this decision during a one-day bi-annual media engagement on PHC services reporting techniques held at the Polio Emergency Operation Centre, in Bauchi on Tuesday.
According to him, security reports indicate that PHCs are targets for attacks during the protest.
Dr Mohammed said: “On the planned date, our health facilities’ staff will be on holiday to avoid becoming victims of any attacks. Normal services will resume after the protest.”
He assured that the board has informed security agencies to ensure the facilities are protected from any aggression by protesters.
Dr Mohammed also addressed efforts to tackle zero-dose immunisation issues in some local government areas, citing the media’s role in this initiative.
“We plan to immunise children during market days, naming ceremonies, and other gatherings where women and children are present,” he said.
He noted the board’s collaboration with international partners to manage disease outbreaks and ensure comprehensive media involvement.
Nationwide protest: Bauchi to shut health centres