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NOA Urge Plateau Residents to Bridge Divides for Lasting Peace
In response to the insurgent violence in Plateau State, a heartfelt plea has been extended to the citizens, urging them to prioritize the state’s well-being over ethnic divisions.
This call to action was voiced by Mrs. Kaneng Tabitha Pam-Hworo, the Plateau State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), while hosting members of the recently formed Plateau Peace Media Network (PPMN) on Wednesday, August 30th.
Mrs. Kaneng Tabitha Pam-Hworo highlighted the compelling relevance of the PPMN’s establishment, recognizing the vital role it plays. She expressed the agency’s readiness to collaborate with the network in advancing peace and elevating Plateau’s standing as a bastion of tranquility.
Mrs. Pam-Hworo emphasized, “Collaborative peace is essential for every individual in the state irrespective of origin or religion. So we are ready to collaborate with your Network. Also, collaboration between the NOA and PPMN will bring more awareness to the activities the NOA is doing at the grassroots in building peace.”
She added, “We also need to involve capable individuals who have resources and a voice that can amplify peaceful coexistence. It is high time residents of Plateau take deliberate effort and be patriotic about the growing violence in the state, putting aside all ethnic and political affiliations.”
John Azi Mamman, Deputy Director of the NOA, stressed the importance of acting upon early warning signals to prevent potential crises and violence within the state. He highlighted that occurrences like kidnappings across various local government areas often foreshadow subsequent attacks.
Matthew Tegha, the Coordinator of the Plateau Peace Media Network (PPMN), led the team during their visit, which was oriented toward forging collaborations that have the potential to ignite peacebuilding efforts and foster transformative positive change and unity across Plateau state.
Tegha acknowledged that this visit marked the first step of engagement between PPMN and NOA, and it served a dual purpose: to garner support and collaboration for future network initiatives and to establish effective channels for information dissemination, early warnings, and responsive actions.
Tegha expressed, “Today, we seek not only to share our vision and initiatives as the Plateau Peace Media Network, but also to explore opportunities for collaboration. By synergizing our respective expertise and resources, we can create a stronger foundation for a peaceful Plateau State, and by extension, a more united Nigeria. Your insights and guidance are invaluable to us as we navigate the path of peacebuilding through responsible media engagement. Together, we can inspire positive change, foster understanding, and promote peace for the generations to come.”
Additionally, Peter Akpah, of Source News 24, further advocated for media orientation sessions. He highlighted the challenges faced by media practitioners in accurately reporting attacks within the state without inadvertently damaging the state’s image, particularly in the eyes of the international community.
Among the distinguished members of PPMN present during the visit were Coordinator Matthew Tegha, Mrs. Zainab Babaji, Joseph Adudu, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Peter Akpa, Gambo Dusu, Olabisi Victoria, and Solomon Inusa. This assembly of dedicated individuals seeks to foster positive change and harmonious coexistence through their responsible media engagement.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved projects worth about N540 billion to upgrade the National Hospital, Abuja, to a quaternary healthcare institution and to build a new cancer treatment centre.
Quaternary healthcare refers to highly specialised medical care involving advanced treatment, research and management of complex conditions.
The approvals were disclosed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, after the weekly FEC meeting on Wednesday.
The Personal Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Kamorudeen Yusuf, shared details of the approvals in a post on X.
The approved projects include the construction of new facilities at the National Hospital, Abuja, a Neuroscience Institute and a new National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) facility.
National Hospital upgrade
According to Yusuf, the council approved N18.74 million for the refitting of the hospital’s administrative block, with Visible Construction Limited awarded the contract.
It also approved N64.92 billion for modular clinics and a theatre complex, to be constructed by Strabbing Construction Limited.
Another N103 billion was approved for a new hospital wing, with CBC Global Civil Construction Limited awarded the contract.
The project is expected to be completed within 24 months.
The council further approved N69 billion for a Neuroscience Institute covering neurosurgery, radiology and rehabilitation. CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Limited was awarded the contract.
The approvals are part of plans to transform the National Hospital, which Pate said had lagged behind its “original vision” due to years of underinvestment since its establishment about 25 years ago.
Cancer centre
The largest of the approved projects is the N302.3 billion facility for the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
Yusuf said the project, awarded to CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Limited, has a 36-month completion period.
READ ALSO: FG seeks African-led research, partnerships to tackle hepatobiliary cancers
The facility is expected to strengthen cancer research and treatment capacity in the country.
“The projects follow President Tinubu’s directive to strengthen healthcare infrastructure nationwide, and that funding comes through National Assembly appropriations already reflected in the 2025 and 2026 budgets rather than direct ministry allocation,” Pate was quoted to have said.
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