By Suleiman Yakubu

National Officer for the Control, Prevention, and Elimination of Malaria Disease has described as alarming the 42 percent of malaria existence in Niger State.
The National Officer, Mrs. Merry Nyong, stated this in an exclusive chat with Newsline at the Conference Hall of the Niger State Epidemiology Unit in Minna, after the meeting of the state committee on "Zero Malaria Starts with Me."
She said that the state government has a duty to ensure that the disease is not only prevented but eliminated because the foreign financiers who were believed to be the major sponsors of malaria elimination were packing out of the country.
She stated that even if the burden would be extra ordinary on the state government, the private sector, well-to-do citizens, and corporate entities in the state can as well complement some of the state government's efforts and expenditures via their corporate social responsibility schemes.
She therefore advised the leadership of the health ministries to sort out those corporate entities in the state and to furnish them with details of evidence-based data on the rate or percentage of malaria in the state in order to complement the state government's efforts in the areas of sponsorship to eliminate malaria in the state.
She then urged the state malaria elimination committee to ensure that they explored every avenue to raise financial support for the state government because all hands must be on deck.
In her remarks at the meeting, the state malaria team coordinator, Mrs. Amina Jimro, thanked the members for turning out despite their tight schedules.
Mrs. Amina further revealed that, despite the ministry's effort to get more donor agencies to fund malaria elimination in the state, it was becoming difficult by the day.
She explained that part of the activities in marking this year's World Malaria Day celebration included the testing and treatment of members of the public and pregnant women.
She noted that this year's event would be held at Maikunkele Dispensary, adding that every immunisation officer found wanting in the course of discharging his or her responsibilities will be punished accordingly.
She further stated that the ministry was doing its outmost to ensure that all challenges in the area of human and material resources were curtailed to the nearest minimum.      

By Suleiman Yakubu

The Niger State Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed sadness over the death of Comrade Mohammed Adams Erena, who was the former Secretary to the State Government and, before his death, special adviser on Labour Matters to Governor Bago.
Governor Bago, in a condolence message through his Chief Press Secretary, Mal. Bologi Ibrahim, described the death of comrade Adams Erena as a great loss to the entire state.
He described the former labour leader as a dedicated public servant and a huge asset to the state.
While praying to God to grant the deceased eternal rest in paradise, he urged members of the family to accept the loss in good faith.
The late Adams Erena was the Secretary to the State Government of Niger State during the administration of the late former governor, Engr. Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure.
In addition, he held positions as national vice president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, chairman of the Niger State Council of the NLC for two terms, and served in the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria at the state and national levels.
The deceased was also the chairman of the 19 Northern States NLC, a former permanent commissioner of the Niger State Civil Service Commission, and a one-time principal of the School of Health Technology.
Until his death, he was the special adviser on Labour Matters to Governor Bago.