By Suleiman Yakubu

The Niger State Contributory Health Agency (NGSCHA), Nicare, has flagged off the distribution of registration identity slips to its enrollees in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State.
Speaking at the distribution of the slips to some of the beneficaries at the old Airport Clinic in Minna yesterday, the Acting Head of Health Maintenance Unit of Nicare, Pharmacist Amina Nana Kolo, said the presentation of the identity slips to the enrollees was to enable them to have access to the required health packages, which, according to her, included malaria, thyphiod fever, antenatal care, delivery, common surgical operations like appendectomy, hermioraphy, and many more health treatments.
According to her, all residents of Niger State registered under the scheme, either in the formal or informal sector, were to benefit from the health insurance scheme. The contribution of the formal sector is N3,600 for the principal, the contributor, and five other dependents monthly, while that of the informal sector is N7,200 only per head annually.
Pharm Kolo, who said that the exercise will cover all 25 LGAs of the state, however, explained that about 180 enrollees in Chanchaga LGA of the state were to access their services at the Old Airport Clinic facility.
Speaking also during the ceremony, the Vice Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Council, Hon. Isah Mohammed, urged the beneficiaries of the scheme to utilise the services offered by the government by keeping their slips in a safe place to enable them to present them at the designated health facilities whenever the need arises.
Hon. Mohammed, who represented the council chairman, Hon. Aminu Ladan, earlier described the health package initiated by the government as a service to humanity, adding that the services will bring succour to the vulnerable population across the state.
He said Chanchaga LGA leadership, led by Hon. Ladan, will step into action by mobilising the people of the council on the need for all to key into the programme.
One of the beneficaries, Mallam Usman Kodo, who spoke with the reporter shortly after receiving his registration slip, expressed happiness with the kind gesture provided by the state government and promised to make judicious use of the offer even though no one prayed to fall sick.
Over 50 enrollees were presented with their slips after they were convinced of the importance of the scheme.

By Suleiman Yakubu

Stephen Jiya, who was alleged to have set his biological mother ablaze, which resulted in her death sometime in 2022, is to know his fate on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, when the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, will deliver the judgement.
The culprit was earlier arrested by the operatives of the homicide squad of the Niger State Police Command and was arraigned before a Minna Chief Magistrate Court number one, awaiting his case file to be transmitted to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
He was alleged to have set his mother, Mrs. Comfort Jiya, a retired director in the state ministry of education who resides in the Dutsen Kura area of Minna, the Niger State capital.
The defendant was arraigned before the Minna Chief Magistrate on holding charge pending his final arraignment in the High Court by the office of the Attorney General for prosecution on culpable homicide, which is punishable under Section 221 of the penal code.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice had advised that he should be charged before the High Court for proper prosecution in accordance with the provisions of Section 221 of the penal code.
The office of the Attorney General of Niger State formally charged him to court on September 14, 2022, while hearings into the case commenced on November 23, 2022, and Wednesday, December 13, 2023, was slated for the delivery of judgement by the Chief Judge of Niger State.
During his last appearance in court, the legal team from the office of the Attorney General closed their case, and his defence counsels also closed their case, while Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik adjourned to December 13 to deliver judgement.
Not fewer than six witnesses, including two members of the family and his younger sister, testified against the defendant during the trial.