Excitement as pilot newborn hearing screening starts in Nigeria.

Pursuance to reducing the prevalence and the impact of hearing loss in Nigeria, MED-EL Medical electronics, Austria, in collaboration with Hearing healthcare Alliance, PATH Medical, Germany and some Nigerian hospitals, has embarked on a pilot National newborn hearing screening program, which started with training of Nigerian Doctors and Health Care givers on the screening technique.

Speaking at the training session on Thursday in Kaduna, Sebastian Holler, Project manager, Business Development for MED-EL said “early diagnosis of hearing gives a higher chance for the best results of any intervention dealing with hearing loss. This makes hearing screenings a significant success factor.”

Holler revealed that ” the shortage of specialists necessary education and experience is one of the most pressing problems. International human resources and know-how should contribute to the formation of a constantly growing cluster of professionals”

Peter Bottcher International Sales Manager Screening and Tracking Specialist for PATH Medical said ” the screening is possible in Nigeria as it is cheaper to screen infants on hearing and more expensive to have a community of Deaf people. Nigeria can have infants screened at hospitals within cities and even at rural areas.”

Also speaking, the Medical Director National Ear Care Centre, Dr Mustapha Abubakar Yaro, represented by the Head of Clinical Services, Dr.Afred Nicholas Bemu commended the MED-EL for the partnership stressing that the investment of the company in the Human Resources will help in reducing the hearing challenge of Children.

On sustainability of the hearing screening, the Chief Medical Director of the Barau DikkoTeaching Hospital, Professor Abdulkadir Musa Tabari who commended the program urged pioneer Doctors on hearing screening from Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Jos to commit to the project and escalate it to the remaining part of Nigeria.

The climax of the training was the presentation of Equipment for Hearing Screening to participants drawn from Mihammad Abdullahi Was teaching Hospital, Kano,, Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, Jos University teaching Hospital and National Ear Care Center, Kaduna, which is to serve as the final diagnostic center.

The World health Organization estimates that 432 million adults including 34million children world wide suffer from disabling hearing loss and the number is expected to grow fast and reach at least 700million by 2050. Nearly 60% of hearing loss in children is due to avoidable causes.

Senate Presidency: Don’t consider undeserving zones, Group cautions Tinubu, APC

The Northwest Progressives Forum( NPF) has sounded a word of caution for President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress to beware of ambush by politicians seeking to take undue advantage of the All Progressives Congress electoral victory to divert the Senate President slot to undeserving geopolitical zones.
Sounding the warning at a press conference in Kaduna on Saturday, the Group’s Coordinator, Nasir Dambatta said they are worried by the ongoing regional struggle for the position of the President of the 10th Senate that has been going on since the conclusion of this year’s presidential election and the emergence of Tinubu as president-elect.
Dambatta said they are aware of the several moves and counter-manourvres by regionalist political actors seeking to place their respective zones at advantage where it is not deserved.
According to him, official election result figures show that the North West produced highest number of votes for Tinubu which makes it the natural and legimate claimant to the number three seat.
“While we do not expect President-elect Tinubu and the APC to give to any zone, not least the North-West, what it does not deserve, we however feel it would only be fair to reward the people that toiled for and earned it.
“The rule of fairness, justice and ordinary decency demands in this circumstance, the the North-West, and not any other zone, deserves to be rewarded for its commitment to the APC and the Asiwaju ideals which it amply proved at the polls.
“We therefore join the call for the APC and the president-elect to act justly and fairly by zoning the position of the Senate President to the region that gave him more than 30 percent of his winning votes,” Dambatta said.
The Group call attention to the standard northern tradition of never compromising national unity whenever given the opportunity and cannot afford the residing of Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Powers in one region.
“It is also on record that the North has been tasted and trusted with power making the region eminently eligible for the Senate Presidency to stabilise and balance power,” he said.
The North-West, according to the Group, also has the record of giving the APC ticket the most volume of votes which positions the region as the natural and legimate claimant to Senate Presidency.
“We feel obligated, after considering so many factors, to suggest that when eventually the slot is micro-zoned to the Northwest, the person to that is eminently competent for the job is former Zamfara State Governor, AbdulAziz Yari,” the statement read.
The Group said it has critically examined the credentials of all the candidates being presented for the job, particularly from the North-West before arriving at the conclusion that Yari is most suitable to be the next President of the Nigerian Senate.
“At the risk of overstating the issue, we are convinced that among all the people rooting for the Senate presidency from the North-West, only Yari possesses the proven integrity, honesty and experience necessary for such a position.
“We therefore join other groups in categorically endorsing AbdulAziz Yari as the most competent for the job and call on stakeholders in the zone to do same
“We specifically call on Asiwaju to wade in and ensure the zoning of the Senate presidency to the Northwest and to move in favour of Yari,” Dambatta said.

By Tom Garba

A former deputy speaker in Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Professor Matoh Dari Dogara has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Matoh in an official Letter of withdrawing his membership of PDP to his Garu Ward Chairman, Lere Local Governor said the long unresolved internal party squabbles have compelled him to leave the party.

Matoh while appreciating the party for giving him many opportunities to serve as an individual or political group, he recounted the untold stories of unfair treatment meted on him.

He recalled how his thirteen different letters seeking genuine reconciliation with the ward chairman fell on deaf ears.

Matoh in the letter worried that his efforts to address salient issues of marginalization hahatcheded the state leadership and other strata of the party but all to no avail.

According to him, he is now leaving the party to those who consider it as their political heritage enough space to do whatever they want to do.

Matoh dumped PDP but did not state his next political party of stay, this medium gathered that he has started a romance with the ruling party, APC.

Barr Mustapha: Adamawa PDP Noble personality, Fintiri ardent loyalist

By Tom Garba

The victory of Adamawa State Governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on the just concluded supplementary election declared inconclusive by INEC was a collective fight by party loyalists, and those who believe that evil shall not triumph over good.

In the state, there a noble personality emerged whose records of goodness are indelible that supported in no small measure the reelection of Governor Ahmadu.

Barr Mustapha Tahir, the Dan Jarman Adamawa is a proud son of the state and his PDP party who is today seen as a superhero and the greatest blessing from Almighty to humanity, especially the people of Adamawa state.

Golden is silent, they say, probably a reason Tahir’s name is not rigging loud the bell of attraction in the media space.

One of his principles in life is; “do whatever you can for Humanity without begging attention and allow God take the glory”. This attitude of his made him to be someone who touches each life that God allowed his path to cross with others, spreading joy to everyone he meets.

Mustapha is a supportive instrument that the PDP in Adamawa state can’t thank enough for giving sustained support during the presidential and Governorship elections that saw the emergence of Fintiri a Governor for another four years term.

Mustapha is a lawyer with a difference, a Man that is cooler and wittier than the rest of the others who prioritize party disloyalty to a paltry of naira and kobo. He gave in dozens of cash, and materials and mobilized human resources to support Fintiri’s second bid.

Mustapha is a purposefully driven personality who believes in good leadership. He sees Ahmadu as the best gift for the entire state and there can’t be any alternative better than him.

He went his normal, consulted the high and lowly, and even power brokers to make sure Fintiri’s mandate is not stolen or snatched because of injustice.

In Adamawa and else where Mustapha remains an inspirational figure to many old and young people, and there is no doubt that he can do much more for humanity.

It is a no-doubt belief that even the doubting Thomases are convinced Mustapha is a future leader, another promising Adamawa young chap that can work wonders in transforming the state.

He is now a glowing and shining star in the horizon whose time is now to shine never to dim down.

Tom Garba, MA, SPSP, FIMC, FBDM
A Journalist and Peace expert
He wrote this on top of the Mandara Mountains, Northern Adamawa

FRSC alerts applicants over fake LinkIn account

Corps Commander Selina Williams, the Taraba Sector Commander oSunday alerted the state residents over a fake LinkedIn account circulating over the corps ongoing recruitment process.

Williams, who  disclosed this in a statement in Jalingo explained that the alert became necessary following the wide circulation of the fake account with the name of Corps Marshal Dauda Biu.

According to her, the fake likedin account has the watsup  07069777732 and was intended to defraud innocent members of the public with a guise of offering  them employment.

Williams advised interested applicants to visit Frsc verified portal: www.recruitment.frsc.gov.ng that the application does not attracts any fee.

“Frsc recruitment process is on and there is a fake linkedin account operating on whatsapp number: 07069777732 under the name Corps Marshal Dauda  Biu with the intent to defraud innocent members of the public on the guise of offering them employment.

“I enjoined prospective applicants or members of the public in Taraba to be wary of such fake account and disregard it,” she said

Williams also noted that the corps in synergy with sister security agencies in the state had  put in place strategies for a hitch free  Eld-el-Fitr 2023 Celebration.

she noted that FRSC was  committed to guaranteeing Taraba people a safe motoring environment during and after Sallah periods.

Williams appealed to motorists to cooperate with the corps by  obeying traffic laws and regulations such as properly fixing and servicing  their vehicles meant for long trips to prevent unnecessary breakdown on the road.