This week, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed nine deaths and 20 cases arising from fresh outbreaks of Lassa fever in seven states of the Federation. A breakdown shows that there were three deaths out of six confirmed cases in Plateau State while Nasarawa also recorded three deaths. Two persons died in Ogun State, one death was recorded in Taraba out of the six confirmed cases even as Edo, Ondo and Rivers States recorded one confirmed case each.

The recently inaugurated Senator Ken Nnamani led Committee on Electoral Reforms is about to kick start a round of public hearings in the six geo-political zones of the country where members hope to receive inputs from the general public towards reinforcing the bedrocks that define Nigeria’s Constitution and Electoral Laws in particular. These, of course, would ordinarily have been very laudable strides, but for the fact that the exercise is a journey that Nigeria had undergone several times in the past.

January 15 of every year is a date set aside to mark Armed Forces Remembrance Day. Yesterday, Nigeria observed the day as another memorial of her fallen members of the Armed Forces and War Veterans.

WITH the possible exception of Lagos, Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom states where the issue of pension is receiving some measure of attention, pensioners across the country have continued to lament non-payment of their entitlements by their respective state governments.

INFANT mortality remains one of Nigeria’s major health challenges. The country ranks the highest in Africa in terms of the number of neo-natal deaths and is second globally after India. Newborn deaths contribute to 32 per cent of mortality under five years.