The Chairman of the Kano Online Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Abubakar Abdulkadir Dangambo, has received the report of the membership screening committee and commended the panel for carrying out its assignment with orderliness, fairness and transparency.
Dangambo gave the commendation while receiving the committee’s report, explaining that the panel was constituted to help sanitize the journalism profession and ensure that all applicants seeking membership met the required standards.
He said the establishment of the committee became necessary in view of the growing number of online media practitioners and social media influencers applying for membership, noting that the committee strictly applied the NUJ constitution and guidelines in screening applicants to ensure due process and compliance with the union’s procedures.
According to him, the exercise will go a long way in strengthening professionalism in line with constitutional provisions, stressing that it will help preserve the integrity of journalism among operators of online media platforms in Kano State.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Membership Screening Committee, Aliyu Mudi Suleiman, said the panel worked diligently in reviewing the credentials of applicants, including registration documents such as Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificates, educational qualifications and other relevant requirements.
He disclosed that out of the 46 applicants screened so far, 31 were approved, while seven were placed on hold for further review.

He added that eight applicants were not approved for failing to meet some of the conditions stipulated in the union’s constitutional provisions.
Aliyu Mudi Suleiman further stated that the committee also forwarded recommendations to the leadership of the union, particularly on ways to improve the process of admitting new members in future.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have launched a strategic partnership to educate the public on the legal rights of gunshot victims, aiming to end the tragic loss of life caused by delayed medical intervention.

The collaboration was formalized during a high-level meeting at the NOA headquarters in Abuja. Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director-General of NOA, was represented at the event by the Director of Social Mobilisation, Ayoola Olufemi.

In a statement released via the agency’s official X handle, officials underscored the urgent need to disseminate information regarding the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act. This federal law, enacted in 2017, mandates that all hospitals must provide immediate emergency care to victims, irrespective of their ability to pay or produce a police report upon arrival.

“Delays in providing medical treatment to gunshot victims often result in preventable loss of lives,” Olufemi stated. “Many Nigerians are unaware that hospitals are required by law to provide immediate care before demanding police reports, administrative documentation, or financial guarantees.”

Olufemi highlighted that the NOA, with its extensive network of 818 offices across the country, is uniquely positioned to lead this public enlightenment campaign. He stressed that the initiative is designed to empower citizens with knowledge of their rights under the law.

Echoing this sentiment, the Deputy Head of the ICRC in Nigeria, James Matthew, praised the partnership and emphasized the life-saving potential of the campaign. He noted that educating healthcare providers and the general public is critical to ensuring compliance.

“Through NOA’s broad national reach, the ICRC will help ensure gunshot victims receive timely medical care. Improved awareness will save lives, particularly in emergencies,” Matthew said.

The signing ceremony was attended by key stakeholders from both organizations. NOA representatives included the Director of Health and Social Care, Dr. Ayoola Olufemi; Director of Legal Services, Dogo Williams; and Meriam Yakubu. The ICRC delegation featured Humanitarian Affairs Adviser Juliet Kelechi Unudi. Members of the press, including correspondents from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Armed Forces Radio, Science Newspaper, and Daily Trust, were also present to cover the event.

The nationwide sensitisation campaign is expected to clarify misconceptions about the Act, promote prompt medical intervention, and ultimately save countless lives across Nigeria.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has sharply criticized the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu, asserting that a new report indicating a surge in the national poverty rate to 63 percent represents the administration’s true performance metric.

In a statement released on Friday, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party attributed the sharp rise in poverty directly to the President’s “ill-defined neoliberal economic policies,” specifically citing the removal of the petrol subsidy three years ago.

The party described the new data, presented at a policy dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, as a “damning verdict” on the Tinubu administration. According to the ADC, poverty in Nigeria has climbed from approximately 50 percent before the subsidy removal to 63 percent afterward.

“This verdict reflects the real consequences of the APC government’s hasty removal of fuel subsidy without giving full consideration to how such a serious decision would impact on the livelihoods of ordinary citizens,” the statement read.

The ADC highlighted that the macroeconomic shock from the subsidy removal has triggered cascading costs, driving up the prices of food, transportation, and other essentials. The party argued that while the government justified the policy on the premise of rechanneling funds to health and education, those sectors have not seen improved funding, and citizens have felt no tangible benefits.

Citing independent surveys, the ADC noted a widespread public discontent, with 93 percent of Nigerians believing the country is heading in the wrong direction, 88 percent describing the economy as bad, and 74 percent rating their personal living conditions as poor.

“A large majority of Nigerians report going without basic necessities such as food, clean water, medical care, cooking fuel, and even cash income at different times during the past year,” the statement continued. “For millions of households, economic hardship is no longer a temporary difficulty, it has become daily reality.”

The African Democratic Congress concluded that by the standard measure of whether economic policy improves the lives of citizens and protects the vulnerable, “the APC government has failed.”