By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has flagged off the second round of 2023 optimised maternal new-born and child health week.
Flagging off the week at the Bosso Primary Healthcare facility on Tuesday, the Deputy Governor urged parents, especially the women, to leverage the week and make themselves and their children available for the programme.
He said the present administration in the state, under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, has made the health of women and children a top priority, hence the rationale behind the commitment to upgrade all the primary healthcare facilities across the state.
The Deputy Governor, who was represented at the occasion by the state Commissioner for Local Government, Hon. Hamidu Mu'azu Jantabo, said the government was committed to ensuring that the state was disease-free, adding that the packages to be provided were safe and free.
He said that the IBB university teaching hospital under construction will be a world-class health facility that will also accommodate referral services.
Earlier in his remarks, the state commissioner for primary healthcare, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, said the event was a symbolic commitment to the revitalization of the primary healthcare system in the state.
He disclosed that the maternal newborn and child health week was a period set aside to provide healthcare services to women and children from five years downward across all primary healthcare facilities in the state.
While appreciating Governor Umaru Bago for creating the ministry of primary healthcare, the commissioner disclosed that the governor has approved the recruitment of 1000 health workers of different categories and also approved the upgrade of all primary health care (PHC) facilities to grade two health facilities in such a way that they can provide services even at odd hours of the day.
There were goodwill messages from the district head of Bosso, the council chairperson of Bosso local government, and other partners. The Sabo da Kaza cultural troop was also on hand to entertain guests at the event.

By Suleiman Yakubu

A total of 58 legal practitioners were elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN); among them were three Nigerlites.
They were sworn in by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Arowola at a ceremony that took place at the Supreme Court Complex on Monday, with a call to them to see their present position as another burden added to their professional callings.
Administering the oath of the legal profession and oath of office to them, the CJN reminded the newly elevated Senior Advocates of Nigeria to exhibit a high level of professional conduct and see their new position as a serious one in the discharge of their responsibilities as ministers in the temple of justice.
According to the CJN, a total of 175 legal practitioners applied for the position, out of which a total of 121 were screened, and 58 of them were considered for elevation, ensuring that the body of benchers will consider them in the next arrangement.
He told the senior lawyers to guide against professional misconduct in the discharge of their duties, noting that the legal practice and the judiciary were under trial and that they should exhibit a high sense of ethical norms in advising their clients in their respective litigations.
The CJN further reminded the senior advocates of Nigeria to consider their elevation as additional responsibilities added to their professional duty as legal practitioners, stressing the need for them to always put the interest and integrity of the noble profession above any other interest.
While congratulating the newly elevated senior advocates of Nigeria, SAN Justice Olukayode Arowola urged them to make use of their elevation to mentor younger generations of lawyers so they could become successful in the profession.
Speaking during the grand reception held for the newly appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Chief Judge of Niger State Justice, Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, congratulated them on their elevation to the position in their chosen careers.
Represented by Minna High Court number Four Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed, she told them to see their elevation as an opportunity to spur them to leave above board in pursuing the course of justice.
She appealed to them to guide against any act of unethical conduct in the discharge of their duty as senior members of the bar, adding that their conduct in the bar and outside the bar would be monitored by the society they represent in any of the litigations.
The three elevated senior advocates of Nigeria of Niger State origin included Jonathan Gunu Taidi, SAN, Angulu Ibrahim, SAN, and Aliyu Ibrahim Lemu, SAN.