News - Lagos Begins Fresh Round Of Polio Immunisation

[TGD]

 Threatens To Revoke Unused Agric Lands

LAGOS State, Saturday, kicked off the second round of the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs), saying it has sourced 5, 000,000 doses of oral polio vaccine through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for the four-day exercise.

"This campaign, targeting 4,395,651 children below five, would be implemented by 2,254 house-to-house teams, 1,714 transit and 778 fixed or transiently fixed post teams. Children at homes, markets, churches, mosques, major car parks and social event venues would be specifically targeted. The house-to-house and transit components of these teams would administer only OPV to children aged 0-59 months irrespective of their immunisation status," said State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris.

The commissioner advised parents, care givers, guardians, community leaders and rulers to ensure that all under-five children are adequately immunised.

Meanwhile, the state has threatened to revoke all agricultural lands from allottees that have used the same for other purposes or have abandoned them.

Speaking during an Agricultural Land Allottees Conference at Johnson Agiri Complex, Agege, last week, Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, said affected allottees have 30 days to make payment and three months to commence work on the lands. He also urged allottees with complaints to contact the ministry for assistance.

He warned that no land should be left fallow because the state has limited allocations with more people still expressing interest for acquisition.

Lawal told allottees that government would provide support, such as institutional framework, exposure to credit facility and latest technology in the agricultural sector and capacity building in agribusiness.

He said government has set a standard at all its farm estates, by providing infrastructural facilities, access to inputs, marketing strategy and extension services that would make production easy for allottees.

In another development, the state presented cash gifts to families of three deceased neighbourhood watchmen who died on active service.

State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, who made the donation on behalf of Governor Babatunde Fashola, said the governor approved the money in order to help the families cushion the pains of losing their breadwinners.

Also, last week, 10 finalists, who emerged from the Lagos Carnival Queen Competition, paid a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Risikat Akiyode, in her office at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

The finalists emerged from 33 contestants, representing various carnival groups across the state.

 



The Guardian

[Shola Sholaz]

The polio of a thing is getting unbearable for Nigerians. A permanent solution is needed urgently before matters get worse