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Reps Vow To Enact Laws To Combat Tuberculosis, Protect Patients Right

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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has reiterated that it will take decisive legislative actions to combat tuberculosis (TB), enacting laws to protect patients’ rights and also advocate for increased funding.

Chairman Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria Control, Rep. Amobi Godwin Ogah, gave the assurance at the Re-Launch of the Nigeria Parliamentary TB Caucus at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Rep. Ogah who charged lawmakers to leverage their positions to strengthen Nigeria’s TB response, promised to mobilize to sign up for the caucus and champion policies that will enhance TB detection, treatment, and prevention.

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“Our role in providing legislative interventions and support to the response against TB in Nigeria is critical and cannot be overemphasized. We must take advantage of our position and the population under our control to fight the scourge of TB,” Ogah said.

According to the Chairman, about 70 per cent of Global Fund-supported countries are facing budget shortfalls for TB response, with 10 nations alone facing a $600 million deficit in 2025.

He therefore cautioned that Nigeria, must increase domestic resource mobilization, particularly since most African countries, including Nigeria, were yet to meet the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15 percent of their national budgets to health.

To ensure that funding gaps do not cripple Nigeria’s fight against TB, Ogah urged Parliament to intensify advocacy and push for greater financial commitments from the government.

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He also promised that the caucus would work toward laws that protect TB patients from stigmatisation and discrimination while improving their access to healthcare.

Ogah commended President Bola Tinubu for committing over ₦700 billion to Nigeria’s health system, including TB interventions, and commended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for donating ₦1 billion for eradication of TB eradication.

He further called for swift action to hold the government accountable, and ensure that TB services reach the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Ogah reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the global goal of ending TB by 2030, and urged his lawmakers to step up their efforts, echoing the World TB Day 2025 theme: “Yes, We Can End TB – Commit, Invest, Deliver.”

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Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by Rep. Ibrahim Halims, assured that the House of Representatives will take bold legislative action and increase funding to combat tuberculosis (TB), a disease that continues to pose a major public health threat in the country.

Abbas described TB as a longstanding but often overlooked health crisis, stressing that urgent interventions are needed to curb its devastating impact.

“Most of us started hearing about this scourge in our childhood, and after a while, it seemed forgotten, yet it remains one of the most deadly diseases affecting humanity today.

“According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria remains the seventh-highest TB-burdened country globally and second in Africa, with 361,000 new cases recorded in 2023—a 26% increase from the previous year.

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“Worse still, 9% of these cases involved children, while 63,000 people living with HIV were co-infected with TB.

“Despite past efforts, including the establishment of the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme in 1989 and alignment with WHO’s global TB elimination strategies, the disease continues to spread”, Tajudeen said

The Speaker therefore emphasised the urgent need for stronger awareness campaigns, improved healthcare infrastructure, and legislative measures to bridge the treatment gap.

Tajudeen reaffirmed the 10th House of Representatives’ commitment to prioritizing health reforms, noting that Parliament had already increased the national health budget in line with the Abuja Declaration, which recommends at least 15% of the national budget be allocated to healthcare.

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He said the House also proposed amendments to the National Health Act, raising Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) funding from 1% to 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to strengthen TB treatment and healthcare infrastructure.

He added that the House expanded access to primary healthcare in rural and underserved areas, while pushing for a universal health insurance system to make healthcare more affordable, as well as encouraged research into tropical diseases, traditional medicine, vaccine development, and innovative TB treatment methods.

Abbas called on all lawmakers to actively participate in the caucus, assuring that the House would provide full legislative backing to ensure Nigeria meets its 2030 target to end TB, as outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This caucus marks a new beginning in our efforts to match words with action. I urge all members to give their best and push for the necessary legislative steps to rid our country of this disease,” he added.

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The TB Parliamentary Caucus, spearheaded by the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Malaria Control, aims to strengthen Nigeria’s TB response by mobilizing resources, influencing policy decisions, and ensuring greater accountability in TB eradication efforts.

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Just in: Dangote Refinery slashes petrol, diesel prices

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has announced fresh reductions in the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly referred to as diesel.

Information made available to an online medium on Saturday by a source familiar with the development showed that the refinery has lowered the gantry price of petrol by N25 per litre, bringing it down from N1,275 to N1,250 per litre.

The source also disclosed that the price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) has been reduced by N100 per litre.

The product will now sell at N1,700 per litre at the gantry, down from the previous N1,800 per litre.

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The latest price reduction comes about three weeks after reports emerged that Dangote Refinery had increased the ex-gantry price of petrol.

At the time, a credible inside source disclosed that petrol continued to sell at N1,275 per litre at the refinery, hours after reports claimed that the company had raised its petrol price by N75 amid fluctuations in global crude oil prices.

Source: gistcore

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KWARA 2027: A FOOD FOR THOUGHT AND A POINT OF DECISION

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My dear people of Kwara State,
Today, I speak not merely as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), but as a concerned son of Kwara State who believes that our future can and must be better than our present. This is not an acceptance speech; it is a food for thought and a point of decision for every Kwaran who desires genuine progress, security, and prosperity.
I begin by expressing my profound gratitude to the leadership of our great party, the ADC, and to our members and supporters across the sixteen local government areas for the confidence they have reposed in me. I am humbled by this trust and fully aware of the enormous responsibility it carries.
But beyond politics lies a fundamental question: What kind of Kwara do we want to leave behind for our children and generations yet unborn?
Kwara State is uniquely blessed. By geography and history, we are the gateway between Northern and Southern Nigeria. This strategic location places us at the crossroads of commerce, agriculture, transportation, and investment. Yet, despite these natural advantages, our state has not fully harnessed its immense economic potential.
Under purposeful leadership, Kwara can become the logistics and commercial hub connecting the North and South. We can attract industries, agro-processing facilities, warehousing hubs, transport terminals, and investments that create jobs and wealth for our people. Our fertile lands can support large-scale agriculture and agro-industrial development, while our strategic location can position Kwara as one of Nigeria’s leading destinations for business and investment.
However, no economy can thrive where insecurity persists. Investors do not invest where there is fear. Farmers cannot cultivate their lands where they feel unsafe. Communities cannot prosper when criminal elements threaten lives and property.
Security, therefore, is not merely a government responsibility; it is the foundation upon which development rests.
As a scholar and practitioner in Defence and Security Studies, I possess a deep understanding of contemporary security challenges and the strategies required to address them. My academic background, combined with practical experience in public service, has equipped me with the knowledge necessary to formulate effective security policies for our state.
If entrusted with the mandate to serve, my administration will work closely with conventional security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders, vigilante groups, hunters’ associations, and other community-based security outfits to establish a comprehensive security architecture that protects every corner of Kwara State.
We shall strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots, improve coordination among security stakeholders, support lawful community policing initiatives, deploy technology where necessary, and ensure rapid response mechanisms to emerging threats. Our goal will be clear: to restore Kwara’s reputation as one of the safest and most peaceful states in Nigeria.
Kwara was once widely known for its tranquillity, harmony, and peaceful coexistence. We must not allow criminality, banditry, kidnapping, or external threats to define our future. Together with our security agencies and local communities, we shall reclaim every space threatened by insecurity and restore confidence among our people.
The ADC remains distinct because it is built on the principles of accountability, transparency, inclusion, and people-oriented governance. We believe leadership should be measured by results and service, not by propaganda and political patronage.
My candidacy represents competence, experience, independence, and a genuine commitment to the welfare of our people. I come without the burden of political Baggage, My commitment is to the people of Kwara State and to the vision of building a state where every citizen has an opportunity to succeed.
The election before us is therefore not merely a political contest. It is a defining choice between complacency and progress, between managing challenges and solving them, between unrealized potential and shared prosperity.
I firmly believe that Kwara can become a model state in Nigeria a state where security guarantees prosperity, where agriculture drives economic growth, where industries create employment, where education empowers our youth, and where government remains accountable to the people.
This vision is achievable, but it requires courage, unity, and a collective decision to embrace a new direction.
I therefore call on all Kwarans regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or social status to reflect deeply on the future of our state. Let us rise above division and focus on competence, character, and capacity.
Let us choose leadership that understands our challenges and possesses the vision to transform them into opportunities.
Let us choose a future where Kwara’s strategic location becomes a source of wealth, where our communities are secure, where our youths are gainfully employed, and where prosperity is shared by all.
The time has come to move Kwara from potential to performance, from uncertainty to confidence, from insecurity to peace, and from promises to prosperity.
The choice is ours.
The future is ours.
The moment is now.

Hon. Zakari Mohammed
ADC Governorship Candidate, Kwara State.

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Rema finally reveals why he ended his relationship with girlfriend

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Nigerian singer Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has revealed why he ended his affairs with his ex-girlfriend, claiming that she was “quite manipulative”.

In an interview with YouTuber Korty EO, Rema said the relationship was “beautiful” but not always peaceful.

The singer lamented that sometimes when he returns home hoping to rest from the pressure of the outside world, his then girlfriend often greeted him with chaos.

He said he eventually walked away when he could no longer tolerate her excesses.

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“My romantic relationship was beautiful but a little quite manipulative. So much pressure. Knowing the world puts so much pressure on me but coming back home is where you want to feel relieved but when you come back home and you are getting more pressure, it’s a different story. For now, I’m done,” he said.

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