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Otti inaugurates 100-bed multipurpose Hospital in Abia
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia on Wednesday inaugurated a 100-bed Sustainable Development Multipurpose Hospital in Obeaja, Ugwunagbo Local Government Area.
Speaking during the ceremony, Otti said that health occupied a major position in Abia Government’s rebuilding agenda adding that the hospital would enhance efforts made to improve access to quality healthcare.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 100-bed capacity hospital is a Federal Government’s health intervention programme executed through the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The governor commended the federal government for prioritising completion of the hospital and for renaming it from the erstwhile Mother and Child Hospital to Sustainable Development Multipurpose Hospital.
Otti also thanked the federal government for delivering and transitioning the management of the hospital to the state government.
He said: ”I will like to thank you for your commitment to see to the completion of this project.
”Also the assurance that you gave that the state government will take over the management of the hospital.”
Otti said that the state government would provide additional land for the Federal Government to build the hospital’s doctors’ quarters.
According to him, the government’s intervention programme which highlighted the importance of SDG 3, emphasises the need for government and stakeholders to strengthen the campaign against maternal and child mortality.
”It is interesting to hear from Her Excellency that our maternal mortality rate has reduced from a 1,047 that it used to be in 2020 to the 531 it was in 2022.
”If I were to quote her, she says it has gone down to 136 presently, that means we are doing well but we’re not there yet, we still have a long way to go but we have moved.
”The current numbers are not here yet but I can assure you that by the time the numbers will start coming out, we will be getting downward to actually less than 80.
”This is because Abia government is very deliberate, intentional and focused on healthcare delivery,” he said.
Otti said that the state government would provide 24 hours security and set up a facility management team that would ensure the hospital remains in good working condition.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said that the project was conceived by the administration of the former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Orelope-Adefulire said that the facility was built to meet the healthcare needs of people of the area.
She said that similar projects had been executed across the country under the SDGs to improve the well-being of citizens.
Orelope-Adefulire described the hospital as an intervention which aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
She highlighted the federal government’s commitment to prioritising key interventions with multiplier effects on eradicating multidimensional poverty in the country.
In her address, the Wife of Abia Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, described the hospital as a testament of government’s unwavering commitment to improve healthcare in alignment with SDGs.
Mrs Otti, represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Adaeze Emetu, expressed confidence that the facility would enhance access to healthcare services and improve health outcomes.
In his remark, the Transition Committee Chairman of Ugwunagbo LGA, Mr Nosike Ihesiaba, described the hospital as a welcome development.
Ihesiaba commended the state government for efforts in promoting socioeconomic growth in rural communities in all the 17 LGAs of the state.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Ifeyinwa Uma-Kalu, expressed the confidence that the facility would provide comprehensive care, especially for women and children who often face most challenges in healthcare systems.
Uma-Kalu described the facility as another milestone towards ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Hospital Management Board, Dr Odochi Azubuike, commended the Federal Government for its commitment to improving the health indices of the citizenry.
Uma-Kalu said that the facility had been fully equipped to provide antenatal care, management of child diseases and general medical services.
In an interview with newsmen, the Deputy Transition Committee Chairman of Ugwunagbo LGA, Mr Kelvin Chijioke, described the facility as “a first of its kind” in the area.
Chijioke said that he was delighted over the siting of the hospital in the Ugwunagbo and the benefits accruable to the people.
He said that communities in the area would take ownership of the health facility to ensure that it fulfills its purpose optimally for the benefit of everyone it serves.(NAN
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.
Violent clashes between pastoralist groups and settled farming communities have long been a challenge in South Sudan.
However, the recent outbreak of violence in the northern Ruweng Administrative Area has further heightened concerns over the nation’s fragile peace. At least 30 people lost their lives after an armed youth group launched a brutal attack on a northern South Sudanese town, according to local officials.
The incident, linked to an escalating cattle raid, saw the town briefly fall under the control of the attackers before security forces regained control.
The violence began when a group of armed youth stole lambs earlier in the week. Security forces quickly intervened, forcing the raiders to retreat. However, instead of dispersing, the group reorganised and launched a more aggressive attack on Abiemnom the following day.
Local Minister of Information, Simon Chol Mialith, confirmed that despite resistance from local youth and security personnel, the town was overrun by the Mayom armed youth. The attack led to significant casualties and destruction before security forces were able to reclaim the town.
On Wednesday, the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) successfully pushed the attackers out, restoring a semblance of calm. However, the scale of the destruction was already severe, with over 40 individuals injured in addition to the fatalities.
Although reports suggest that some of the deceased were members of the armed groups, official confirmation remains pending.
The attack comes at a time of growing instability in South Sudan, with tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar intensifying. This political rivalry threatens to unravel the delicate 2018 peace agreement that ended the nation’s five-year civil war.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with continuous unrest. Despite its vast oil resources, the country remains impoverished, with conflicts like these exacerbating economic and social difficulties.