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WHO calls for dialogue as Trump announces US withdrawal
By Francesca Hangeior
The World Health Organisation has expressed regret over the announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the organisation.
The global health body urged the US to reconsider the decision.
WHO made this known in a statement on its X account on Tuesday, emphasising its crucial role in protecting global health, including that of Americans.
The organisation highlighted its work in addressing the root causes of diseases, strengthening health systems, and responding to health emergencies, often in challenging environments where others cannot operate.
NaijaBlitzNewsOnline recall that President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from WHO. Speaking at the White House shortly after his inauguration, Trump criticised the organisation, stating that the US was paying far more than China and declaring, “World Health ripped us off.”
This marks the second attempt by the US to exit the global health body. During Trump’s first term, the administration issued a similar notice, accusing WHO of being overly influenced by China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. That decision was later reversed by former President Joe Biden’s administration.
In the new executive order, Trump directed federal agencies to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO” and to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.”
The administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s 2024 US Global Health Security Strategy, which aimed to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, “as soon as practicable.”
Meanwhile, WHO, in its statement, emphasised the United States’ significant contributions since it became a founding member in 1948. The organisation noted that US participation has been instrumental in shaping global health policies and initiatives, citing joint achievements such as eradicating smallpox and nearly eradicating polio.
“The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has played an active role in shaping and governing WHO’s work alongside 193 other Member States. Together, we have saved countless lives and protected people from health threats. American institutions have greatly contributed to and benefited from WHO membership,” the statement said.
WHO also pointed to reforms implemented over the past seven years to enhance accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact, underscoring its commitment to improvement.
The statement concluded: “We hope the United States will reconsider and look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain this partnership, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”
The Universal Basic Education Commission on Tuesday announced plans to introduce a new template for disbursing counterpart funds under the Universal Basic Education programme.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the commission, Aisha Garba, during an interactive workshop with State Universal Basic Education Boards in Abuja.
Garba explained that the Federal Government, through UBEC, had recently restructured the delivery of basic education nationwide to align with four strategic pillars aimed at improving access and quality across states and the Federal Capital Territory.
She identified the pillars as expanding access to basic education, especially for rural and underserved populations; enhancing the quality of teaching and learning nationwide; strengthening accountability and the effective use of education financing; and optimising monitoring and institutional systems for quality service delivery.
She said, “The Hope Education Project of the present administration is a performance-for-reward initiative designed to support states that judiciously utilise resources in line with these four pillars.”
She added that the new approach had made it necessary to develop fresh templates that will guide SUBEBs in preparing work plans to access UBE intervention funds under the framework of the Hope Education Project.
Also speaking at the event, UBEC’s Deputy Executive Secretary for General Services, Tunde Ajibulu, described the workshop as timely and essential.
He stressed that the realignment of basic education delivery made the introduction of the new templates crucial.
“We expect you, as implementers of basic education in your respective states, to contribute positively and help develop workable templates,” Ajibulu said.
A Kano State High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by former Kano State Governor and current National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear a bribery and misappropriation case against him.
The Kano State Government brought 11 counts against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, son Umar, and five others, alleging bribery totalling $413,000 and misappropriation of N1.38 billion.
The other defendants include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu dismissed all preliminary objections raised by the defendants, describing them as incompetent and lacking merit.
She ruled that the charges filed on May 13, 2024, were competent and that the matter should proceed to trial.
The judge further issued a summons to the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Limited, and adjourned the case to July 30 and 31, 2025, for hearing.
Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, and son Umar, had through their lawyer, Mrs. Lydia Oyewo, filed a preliminary objection dated November 18, 2024, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and seeking to have all charges quashed.
In response, counsel for the state government, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), filed a counter-application dated October 22, 2024, urging the court to dismiss the preliminary objections for lacking merit.
Similarly, counsel for the third and seventh defendants, M.N. Duru, (SAN), submitted a motion on notice dated October 18, 2024, supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit and a written address, asking the court to uphold their application.
Counsel for the fifth defendant, Muhammad Shehu, also filed a motion dated October 18, 2024, and urged the court to grant it with substantial costs against the complainant.
Abubakar Ahmad, representing the sixth defendant, filed a preliminary objection dated September 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit.
Additionally, counsel for the eighth defendant, Faruk Asekome, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated October 18, 2024, supported by a five-paragraph affidavit and written address, also seeking dismissal of the charges.
Justice Adamu-Aliyu, however, ruled that the objections lacked merit and cleared the way for the trial to proceed.
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