Detailing News

As we look forward to celebrating World Aids Day, the Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Dr Henry Ayuk, has stated that HIV is most prevalent in borderline communities in Nigeria. The commissioner affirmed this in his office when briefing newsmen today the 30th day of November 2023.    He ascribed the HIV prevalence in Cross River State to the unchecked influx of citizens from Cameroon, Akwa Ibom, Benue, and other neighboring states. According to Ayuk: “HIV data show that the epicenters of HIV are in local communities next to Cameroon, where there are unchecked movements into Cross River State. There are such places in neighboring states, like Obaliku LGA, which is next to Benue State. There are such places, too, next to Akwa Ibom State and other nearby states. “HIV prevalence in the state, which has reduced from 12 percent to two percent, is mostly in borderline communities.” Dr. Ayuk affirmed that Cross River has satisfied over 70 percent of HIV anticipations adding that t

The state governor, Senator Bassey Otu has presented a cash donation to some youths from Nyanghasang community in Calabar Municipality for security consciousness and being vanguards against crime in their locality. The governor's gesture came in fulfillment of an earlier promise made at his inaugural media parley with journalists in the state where he promised to reward community leaders and persons who will help with useful security information that will lead to the apprehension of kidnappers and other criminal elements in the state.  Represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, the state governor assured all citizens of his administration's willingness to partner with the people to ensure the security of lives and properties.  Recall that the youths of Nyanghasang community had assisted security operatives in apprehending some criminals who kidnapped, Mrs. Caroline Bassey, a former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at her residence in

By Josephine Jesam The Association Of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria(APWEN) Calabar Chapter, has held her Public Lecture/Inauguration of New Excos at the Calabar Engineering Centre, Parliamentary Extension Calabar, with Engr. Faith Edu, MNSE sworn into office as the 4th Chairman of the Association by the National Vice-President and President-Elect of the Association  Engr. Dr. Adebisi Osim, FNSE.  Engr Faith Edu who was the past Vice Chairman of the  Association is to oversee the running of the Association's activities as the Chairman for the next two years.   Engr Faith who spoke on the importance of believing in one's self also appreciated the Association Of Professional Women Engineers In Nigeria(APWEN) Calabar chapter, for finding her worthy to become the 4th Chairman of the  Association. Also acknowledging both the senior Engineers and Collegiates present at the event, the Chairman has promised to put her best foot forward to aid the continuous growth of the Assoc

The National Cash Transfer Office, in collaboration with the United Kingdom Foreign &  Commonwealth office (UKFCDO) has held a Roadmap validation workshop  for effective representation, wider coverage, adaptation, and implementation of cash transfer program  to over 140 million Nigerians said to be in extreme poverty. The workshop is part of activities earmarked for the enlightenment and sensitization on NCTO framework for staff and partners for optimal service delivery in tune with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope mantra and The Honourable Minister, Dr Betta Edu's resolve to Alleviate Millions of Nigerians out of poverty.  Flagging off the exercise, the  Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty Alleviation, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa stated that the role of the exercise is to navigate a proper framework to drastically lift the over 140 million Nigerians off the Poverty line and create a lasting livelihood scheme for beneficiaries. Speaking

…To Raise $5 billion annually for Nigeria's Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund It was the first humanitarian coordination meeting in Nigeria in recent times which featured a heart-to-heart frank discussion at the United Nations House, Abuja Tuesday as Nigeria's Minister For Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu engaged Ambassadors, UN agencies,  Development Partners, INGOs and NGOs on their Commitment to Humanitarian crises in Nigeria. The meeting, which was at the instance of the Minister, brought all the humanitarian responders in Nigeria under one roof, where they all committed to a durable, smart, and coordinated approach to humanitarian response. Part of the resolutions of the meeting, was the commitment  to raise $5 billion annually for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund in Nigeria by the federal government, other countries, private sector, donor agencies and the Development Partners,. The hosting of the African Human

  The IPU Young Parliamentarians Forum has held its elections and inauguration for the 10th assembly at the National Assembly Complex. The forum is a unique platform that enables young Members of Parliament meet, exchange, learn and identify common and innovative strategies to advance youth empowerment. Hon. Olamijuwonlo Ayodeji Alao representing Ogbomoso North, South & Oriire Federal Constituency of Oyo State was unamimously elected chairman, while Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed representing Birnin-Kebbi/ Kalgo/Bunza Federal Constituency was elected vice chairman. As the new assembly begins its tenure, it is expected that an atmosphere that fosters fresh perspectives and ideas will be created to enable the young parliamentarians play a significant role in shaping the future landscape of governance in Nigeria.

The Commissioner Representing Cross River State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rt. Hon. Orok Duke has decried the level of underdevelopment in the Cross River State despite the huge funds allocated to the interventionist agency in the last 23 years.  He noted that it is time to give back what belongs to Cross Riverians or face a fight.  Duke said this shortly after assuming office at the state NDDC office situated at Murtala Mohammed Highway Calabar, Cross Rivers State.  According to him, the Act establishing the NDDC is anchored on equality among the 9 states, and the oil production quota is only considered a yardstick in the appointment of a Managing Director for the Commission. "There's no mention of production quota in the whole of NDDC Act. None at all. There's no sharing formula, the same way it is captured in the Northeast Development Commission. When it comes to derivation, Cross River gets zero. Then they put money in the basket to

Nigeria's Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has laid the foundation stone for the construction of  40 units of modern toilets for Alheri Leprosy Colony in Yangoji Kwali Area Council, of the federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The construction was in fulfillment of the Promise made to the community in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. Edu who was represented by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju described the President as a man ready to sacrifice all for the well-being of the disabilities community, stating that the President does not in any way see them as persons with disabilities but "persons with special abilities". She stressed that the days of total neglect of the disabled community in Nigeria were gone for good. The Minister reiterated  President Tinubu's resolve to make persons with disabilities contribute immensely to the development of society. Dr. Edu assured the

The Principal of Government Secondary School Idang, Ndem Ndem Asuquo, expressed gratitude towards Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong for his efforts in facilitating the installation of the NITDA Digital Economy Centre in the school.  In his message, Ndem commended the Senator for his remarkable achievements in improving the school's infrastructure. He confirmed that the school has received and installed modern facilities such as computers, internet connectivity, a Local Area Network, an e-learning solution, a solar-powered inverter, and a generator, among others. Æ

Consistent with its commitment to improving the quality of teachers in Cross River, the state government, through its world-class Teachers Continuous Training Institute, TCTI Biase, has trained 100 science and mathematics teachers across select secondary schools in the State as a major step to improving the education sector for better education of its citizens. The Commissioner for Education, Sen. Stephen Odey, who made the declaration while officially opening a 3-day (14-16 November, 2023) Workshop for Science and Mathematics Teachers organised by Teachers Continuous Training Institute, TCTI Biase, under the theme "Innovative Approaches in Teaching Science and Mathematics Subjects in Secondary Schools," said emphasis on training and retraining of teachers would continue to be on the front burner because the education of the citizens ranks high in the thrusts of the present administration. "Let me commend the progenitors of TCTI initiative and the present administration

The Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Cross River State Chapter, Comrade Daniel Obo Jr is to Chair Dr. Inyali Peter's campaign council for the forthcoming University of Cross River State Alumni Association's election. Recall that Inyali, the incumbent National Public Relations Officer of the association had declared interest to contest the December 12 presidential election billed to  hold in Transcorp, Calabar. Obo who was nominated into the campaign council alongside one hundred and thirty two others,  in his acceptance speech, described Inyali as a dogged fighter who always stand for fairness and equity. According to him, "I want to thank Dr. Inyali Peter's team for finding me worthy to Chair his campaign council for the forthcoming University of Cross River State alumni association's election. Inyali is a vibrant young Cross Riverian I have known for over a decade and can vouch that he has all it takes to lead the association at this critical t

 .....Distributes POS With N100,000 Start Up Capital, award Tertiary Education Scholarships of 130,000 each, train on business start-ups, register business names at CAC, and provide Loans up to 1 billion Naira, from BOI The Federal Government has approved a ten per cent inclusion for  Persons Living With Disabilities, PLWDs in all Federal Government interventions and schemes of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Dr Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, made this known during the launch of the empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities at the Art and Culture Conference Hall, Abuja. According to Dr. Edu, PLWDs will also benefit from all the  programmes under the Ministry, including the End Hunger programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, N-power, Renewed Hope Shelters Program, Geep Programmes as well as the CODE NIGERIA program among others. The inclusion will be selected and implemented through the National Commi

Deborah Tolu-Kolawole The National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Wednesday night suspended the ongoing strike. The unions said the suspension followed the intervention of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Our correspondent gathered that the meeting which commenced at a few minutes past 7 pm lasted for close to one hour during which various affiliates and state chapters reviewed the outcome of the meeting held between the leaders of the organised labour and Ribadu. The National Deputy Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, made this known in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.   “The NEC of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike. We did this based on our trust for the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who gave us his words,” he said. The PUNCH reports that the labour leaders met with Ribadu alongside the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong, at the Office of the NSA on Wednesday afternoon. The NSA had announ

....Say Edu's Focus On the National Assignment Unmatched. Benue State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fulfilling some of the promises made to the people of the state during his electioneering campaign. The Governor spoke during a state dinner organized in honor of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Dr Betta Edu and her team at the Banquet Hall, Government House Makurdi. The Minister was in Benue to perform the ground-breaking ceremony of the Renewed Hope Shelter for poor and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as well as the distribution of food and non-food items to the IDPs in eight local government areas of the state. According to Father Alia, President Tinubu has matched words with action by committing to ameliorating the suffering of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the state, by addressing the humanitarian challenges facing them. He said the people of Benue state have started benefiting

... As Asi Ukpo Hospital Gives Journalists Free Medical Services  By Kingsley Agim Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk has advised journalists to prioritise regular checkups and healthy exercise regiment amid their onerous tasks of keeping the public informed as well as bridging the gap between the government and the governed. Ayuk gave the advice while declaring open a one-day free medical outreach for journalists organised by Asi Ukpo Hospital in collaboration with the Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), held at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, State Housing Estate, Calabar. "I am delighted by the privilege to declare this important event open. I call on all journalists to take advantage of the Asi Ukpo Hospital-supported free medical outreach and get themselves tested. "It is better to have early detection and possible treatment, rather than allow an ailment overwhelm the system before seeking medical assistance,&quo

Saudi Investment in Nigeria Will Create Job Opportunities, Lifts Millions Out Of Poverty-Dr. Betta Edu Saudi Trade & Investment Minister, Khalid El-Falid “ we are not coming to Nigeria for exploratory talks but coming for implementation” investment is sure from Saudi Arabia. Nigeria is open for business, I can assure you. You will get the best return on investment, and our new policies will protect your business. This is your best opportunity to invest in all frontiers! Dr Doris Azuka Minister Of Industries Trade and Investment The renewed interest of the Saudi government and its Investors to invest in Nigeria and provide job opportunities that could lift millions of vulnerable Nigerians out of Poverty has been described as a welcome development and a huge achievement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope drive. Nigeria's Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu stated this on the sidelines of the Saudi-Africa Investment Summit in Riya

It was a time of excitement and glamour as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Banku Obi, announced that Unical has won the hosting rights for NUGA 2026. Simultaneously, she announced the appointment of MediaVision Limited as the Sole & Exclusive Marketers for the games. This announcement was made by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar during the MOU signing ceremony at the Council Chambers. In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor stated that the University of Calabar is starting early to ensure the facilities are ready in time for the games. She further stated that officials of NUGA will visit the university by the end of 2024 to inspect the facilities. She affirmed that under her management, Unical NUGA 2026 promises to be the best NUGA competition in the history of the games. At the same event, the Founder of MediaVision Limited, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, thanked the Vice Chancellor for this opportunity. He promised thatwould contribute t

All humanitarian response agencies operating in Nigeria, including the United Nations, European Unions, and other development partners have been urged to urgently deploy their services to Benue State, North Central Nigeria, to combat the debilitating humanitarian situation there.  Nigeria's Minister for  Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, made the call when she visited the Ichiwa Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camp situated within the North Bank axis of Makurdi She visited the company of the state governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia.  The Minister said it would be impossible for the burden of the 14,000 IDPs in Ichiwa and millions of others in several other IDP camps located across the three senatorial districts of the state to be shouldered alone by both state and the federal government describing the situation she met on the ground as unacceptable and requiring an immediate concerted effort to redeem. Dr. Edu assured the IDPs of President Tinubu&

A team from the United nations children Trust Fund, UNICEF have met with the Leadership of the National Cash  Transfer Office to interact on measures to boost works in the Alleviation of poverty in the country. They visited to discuss measures in tackling multi dimensional poverty among all Nigerians with hopes of minimizing the influx of people into the sliding poverty index. The aim is to help cultivate a robust working relationship and ride on the guiding principles of equity, fairness and accountability in line with the Renewed Hope mantra of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs headed by Dr Betta Edu.  The team received by the National Coordinator, Dr Michael Ajuluchuku and Deputy National Coordinator, National Cash Transfer Office, Dr Janet Ekpenyong was assured of harmonious working relationship in order to help Alleviate the over 133 million Nigerians said to be living below the Poverty index across the 774 Local Government

By Daniel Bebia Cross River State Commissioner for Aviation, Capt Eno Utum Inah (Rtd) has disclosed the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration's plans to resuscitate the Bebi Airstrip so as to open up the economic prospects that abound as a result of the establishment of the Obudu German Hospital and the Canadian University. Capt Inah made the disclosure, recently, while on a familiarization tour of the facility in Bebi, Obanlikwu Local Government Area. He said with the establishment of the world-class Obudu German Hospital it is expedient to revamp the Bebi Airstrip to encourage inflow of people from across the globe for tourism. "I am impressed with the speed of development in Cross River State, particularly Obudu. With the establishment of the Canadian University and the German Hospital to complement the already existing Obudu Cattle Ranch, there's need for rehabilitation of the Bebi Airstrip to encourage tourism." He said His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu