Nation
Osinbajo Inaugurates 100-Bed Maternal Hospital In Ogun
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday officially inaugurated a 100-bed Mother and Child Hospital in Iperu-Remo, Ogun State.
The project is a collaboration between the Ogun State Government and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.
In his speech, the Vice President ascribed the development of the project which was made possible through the Sustainable Development Goals to the commitment of the President Muhammad Buhari-led administration.
Osinbajo added that the hospital was a testament to the commitment of the incumbent at the Federal level to the healthcare of women and children in Ogun and the country as a whole.
He further disclosed that the project was linked to the Sustainable Development Goal number 3.
He noted that the event symbolised the tremendous progress that had been made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in promoting the health and welfare of all the people of the country.
The Vice President added that the hospital remained an investment for the future.
“This center is directly linked to the achievement of the SDG 3 for quality health and well-being for all as well as other cross cutting SDGs.
“This hospital is indeed an investment for the future, a testament to the women and children all over our state.
“This 100-bed Mother and Child center is equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities which include two operating centers, recovery rooms, private and general wards, scanning rooms, consultation rooms and laboratories,” the VP said.
“Other facilities include an ultra scan machine and a vaccum extraction delivery set”, he said.
Osinbajo disclosed that an already completed 250-Bed Mother and Child Hospital in Ikenne and a 24- classroom in Ikenne Community High School would soon be commissioned for the use of the people of the local government and the state as a whole.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government had taken some few steps to improve the quality of life of the citizens of the country.
He added that the FG had equally increased access to education, promoted sustainable agriculture and improved infrastructure across the country.
Osinbajo, however, noted that no young person should go through the frustration of joblessness anywhere in the country, hence, a skill acquisition center with a place for the development of human development had been provided.
In his remarks, Gov. Dapo Abiodun commended President Buhari for adopting the Sustainable Development Goal and allowing the state to be a beneficiary of the project.
Abiodun added that the project would further help to reduce maternal and child mortality.
“We have a programme under the Ministry of Health that is called ‘Ibidero’, and that is the programme that allows our indigent women to come to a facility like this and give birth having enrolled in our healthcare programme, you will now give birth without having to pay anything.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulure, commended Abiodun for his support and cooperation in the collective desire of the Federal Government to implement the Sustainable Development Goal.
Adefulure noted that the Federal Government was committed to prioritising key interventions with multiplier effects on multi dimension poverty such as basic health care, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship center.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.