Ondo State Government has explained the rationale behind its continued massive investment in the state health sector, saying, it was to ensure that the citizenry enjoy optimum health for maximum productivity. The Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who gave the explanation while declaring open the State Council on Health meeting, weekend also disclosed that a bill on the State Health Insurance Agency is being drafted and would soon be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice.

Nigeria provided 22 per cent of the contraceptives provided by the top 10 contraceptives providing countries in 2013 and 2014. Out of a total of 8,153,431 contraceptives provided for the two years, Nigeria provided 3,873,115. In 2013, Africa’s most populous country provided 1,835,966 contraceptives, a figure that increased to 2,037,149 in 2014 according to data released by the Family Planning 2020, FP2020, at the just concluded 4th International Conference on Family Planning, ICFP 2016, held in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.

THE 2016 Ford Explorer is now available in left-hand drive markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, bringing more smart technologies, improved performance and efficiency, as well as greater all-round capabilities to this popular model. As America’s top-selling sports utility vehicle (SUV) for the past 25 years – with more than 7 million sold in the United States alone – the Explorer has a formidable reputation that will reach even greater heights in its updated form.

UYO—RESIDENTS of Akwa Ibom States have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and bring to an end their perennial nightmares traveling on the East-West Road and other federal roads that link contiguous states in the South-South and South East regions. Citizens, especially drivers, commuters and businesspersons, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice, lamented the deplorable condition of the federal roads, saying they have their hearts in their mouths when traveling to Abia and Cross River States.

CALABAR—THOUSANDS of inhabitants of Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State are at loggerheads with the Cross River State Water Board Limited, CRSWBL, over insufficiency and quality of water the government agency distributes to the people. Residents, especially those at Mount Zion, Yello Duke, Ekondo, Chamley, Barracks, section of State Housing areas complain that they could neither drink nor cook with the water from CRSWBL.

UBIMA—TWO cult gangs, Icelanders and Deygbam, allegedly fighting a political superiority battle have turned Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, the country home of Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi and his relative, Sir Celestine Omehia, both former governors of the state into a battleground. In one of the gory encounters, fear gripped the entire community after one of the cult groups killed about three suspected members of a rival cult.

PREVIOUS week’s corporate disclosures, a measure of corporate discipline and integrity resonated with profit warning from FCMB Plc, a major player in Nigeria’s banking sector. A week later another quoted company, Courteville Business Solutions, the technology company running the popular Autoreg, issued their’s.

LAGOS — Human rights group, Amnesty International (AI), has condemned the reinstatement of a former commander of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ahmadu Mohammed, who the organization accused of possible war crimes, following the alleged execution of suspected Boko Haram detainees in Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, Borno State.

Two former governors of Ogun state, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday, shunned the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s parley with past Governors of the State since the State was created 40 years ago.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said the allegation by the former Ekiti State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tope Aluko, that the military was used to influence the outcome of the June 21, 2014 governorship election in the state was another ploy in the fruitless efforts by the All Progressives Congress to rubbish the mandate freely given him by the people of the state.

AS reactions continued to trail last Friday’s ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice John Tsoho which turned down an application for bail filed by the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, members of Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organization, SBCHROs have nicknamed Kanu a prisoner-of-conscience, POC.

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, described as laughable, claims by some commissioners who were sacked by his administration, that they were being victimized due to their perceived support for the governorship ambition of the deputy governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu.

BONDHOLDERS may hope for improved liquidity with the proposed Lagos State repayment re-scheduling. Reacting to the plans by Lagos State Government to propose a new repayment schedule for the bond Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said “The reason why the Lagos State Government wants to convert two of its outstanding bonds of N80 billion and N87.5billion, totalling N167.5billion, from bullet payment bonds to amortising bonds is for the state to reduce the interest burden it is bearing on both bonds.

AS investors streamline their investment portfolios to take advantage of expected opportunities in the capital market in 2016, Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, has advised investors to diversify their portfolio to ensure optimum returns.

The Supreme Head of the Cherubim and Seraphim C& S Unification Church of Nigeria, Prophet Dr. Solomon Alao yesterday, urged the Federal Government to create special courts devoid of endless adornments, where private or public office holders alleged to have looted the nation would be tried.