General News
CSOs urge FG to seek sustainable funding for primary healthcare centres
Connected Development (CODE) and BudgIT, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Federal Government to seek sustainable funding for primary healthcare systems in Nigeria.
The CSOs made the call at a meeting to build momentum for health care accountability orgainsied by CODE and BudgIT with a support from Conrad Hilton Foundation and Skoll Foundation in Abuja.
The meeting which was part of the activities on implementing the second phase of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project(CTAP) was aimed at tracking all funds and donations made in support of the Federal Government COVID-19 intervention.
Assistant Manager, BudgIT, Iyanuoluwa Bolarinwa, who spoke on `Strengthening Formidable Partnerships for Accountability ‘’the group in the course of their work observed that most primary healthcare centres need a face lift .
“These centres are the first point of call to an average Nigerian where they go first to access care before they can be referred to general hospitals.
“So, when you are going to your first call and it is not well equipped, it does not put you in an advantageous position, it sets you back further.
“So we are recommending that the centres should be revamped and we also hope that the federal government can put more funds into research and development.
“At the end of the day, we need to also understand that without proper research, we are going to just be imbibing whatever has been concluded in the other climes.
“We need to be able to put our foot down as the giant of Africa that we are.’’
Bolarinwa also called for more investment in the health sector and the need to implement the Abuja declaration by committing 15 per cent of the budget to healthcare .
He urged the government to tackle the issue of brain drain by empowering medical personnel to remain in the country to service citizens.
Also speaking, Mr Hamza Lawal Founder of Follow the Money and the Chief Executive Officer of CODE, said that the COVID-19 pandemic showed that Nigeria’s fiscal accountability mechanism was not so strong.
Lawal said that the group began monitoring the N38 billion raised in the Coalition Against COVID-19(CACOVID) a private sector-led organisation established to assist the government in combating the Coronavirus disease .
“Today, we are having an important conversation with civil society partners and the media to galvanise action around COVID-19.
“However, this time around, we are more focused around how Nigeria and Africa can prepare for the next pandemic because COVID-19 literally brought us to our knees.
“We want to ensure that one, we are able to put in place a framework of fiscal accountability, two ,we are able to also invest in primary health care because we know the centres play a critical role when we experience a pandemic. ‘’
Lawal added that the aim of the group’s work was to also educate citizens on COVID-19 while encouraging them to take the vaccines .
This, he said was because a lot of citizens were not taking the jabs due to the distrust ,misinformation and disinformation .
“I believe that this conversation with the media and civil society partners would help set a pace on how we can engage, how we can get the needed funding and investment for primary health care centres.
“It will set a pace on how Nigeria can lead other African countries to prepare for another pandemic because another pandemic is just around the corner,’’ he said.
Contributing, Mr Busayo Morakinyo, Community Engagement Director of CODE assessed the Federal Government ‘s intervention performance on Primary Health centres(PHC).
“Findings by the Follow the Money initiative in communities indicated that most of the centres fell below the minimum Primary Health Care standard.
“Findings also revealed that they lacked electricity, 30 per cent of the PHC have no access to clean water.
“ Interviews with some of the community indigenes shows that they rely on rain water and well water stored in the tanks.
“Fifty six out of 90 PHCs assessed, have the recommended pharmaceutical fridge to host vaccines while some of the PHCs received less than 10 vials of Covid-19 vaccine.”
Morakinyo said that NPHCDA recently outlined plans for the transformation of PHCs to provide services aligned with the basic needs of the community, link individuals to PHC services, keep and transmit records.
He however said that most of things on ground were observed in the course of the report were not seen to reflect the plan.
The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN)reports that Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), had at a different event attested to the fact that poor infrastructure and poor staff was hampering operations of PHC.
Shuaib had therefore said that the Agency had plans to transform the centres.
(NAN)
In a dramatic show of faith and patriotism, over 1,000 fiery prayer warriors from across Nigeria will descend on Ilorin, Kwara State, this Saturday, lifting their voices in intense intercession for President Bola Tinubu’s success and Nigeria’s survival in the face of biting economic woes and mounting insecurity.
The spiritual siege, themed “Walking in Domini”, is the maiden convention of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), with its Kwara State Chairman, Evangelist Thomas Adeboye, vowing that “heaven will hear and respond to Nigeria’s cry.”
Aside from marathon prayers, the gathering will roll out free medical outreach to locals across Kwara’s LGAs, a gesture aimed at touching both body and soul.
Adeboye, lamenting Nigeria’s “troubling economic and security realities”, called for a nationwide prayer uprising, insisting that Tinubu has shown the will to revive the nation but needs massive divine backing to succeed.
“Banditry, a collapsing economy, and political tension demand we seek God’s face like never before,” he declared. “We will storm heaven for wisdom for the President and governors to steer Nigeria to safety.”
The convention will also feature awards to distinguished personalities, soul-lifting worship, fiery sermons, and unity-driven lectures—all capped with thunderous prayers for Nigeria’s redemption.
Adeboye urged the President to ensure every policy has “a human face,” stressing that Nigerians must not only endure but also enjoy the fruits of governance.
With the OAIC promising to reaffirm believers’ authority in Christ and rally spiritual boldness in the face of national challenges, Ilorin is set to become the epicentre of a powerful spiritual warfare for Nigeria’s destiny.
…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has called on political leaders to prioritize the welfare of citizens.
During a recent church service in Abuja, Ndukuba noted that many Nigerians are struggling with challenges brought on by the global economic downturn. He urged state and local governments to implement new initiatives to lessen the impact on their communities.
The Primate also stressed that the federal government must effectively monitor its programs to ensure that Nigerians fully benefit from the nation’s democratic gains. He argued that if the current administration can effectively tackle corruption, the country would significantly benefit from the economic policies of President Tinubu’s government.
Ndukuba concluded by asking the congregation to continue praying for those in authority, remain committed to national unity, and show love and support for the less privileged. He also tasked the newly inducted members of the Church Mothers’ Guild with aggressively spreading the gospel.
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