Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

NIGERIA is reputed to have the second highest rate of road accidents among 193 countries and deaths from reckless driving are the third leading cause of death in Nigeria. In 2012, at least 473 persons died from a total of 1,115 vehicular accidents nationwide. April may go down as the worst month in terms of road accidents in 2013. ·April 3: A luxury bus and a smaller bus crashed on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, 18 died. ·April 5: A petrol tanker set luxury bus and articulated vehicle ablaze at Ugbogui village on Ore-Benin Expressway, 80 people were burnt beyond recognition. ·April 6: At Dazigan, 11 kilometres from Potiskum, Yobe State, 20 died in an accident. ·April 11: 10 died on the Damaturu-Gashua Road also in Yobe State. ·April 14: Seven died on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, a car ran into an articulated vehicle. ·April 15: Five died on the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway. By the middle of April, 142 people had died from reported motor accidents, 30 per cent of the 473 deaths recorded in 2012 had...

Founder of Microsoft and Co-Founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates yesterday in Abuja launched the National Routine Immunisation Strategic Plan, (NRISP). Launching the plan, Gates said, “nothing is more important in health in Nigeria  than giving immunisation to children and persons in order to prevent diseases.” Gates lamented  that the manner at which immunisation programmes have been implemented had been very slow, stating that, “vaccination has not operated the way it should be.” Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the new plan will scale up government efforts in preventable diseases through efficient immunisation programmes. Chukwu observed that while diseases like measles and polio have continued to posed challenges, government is putting in place a strategic framework that will bring about optimum results. Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote urged the National Assembly to expedite action in passing the health bill, as...

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday pledged that his administration will do everything possible to eradicate Wild Polio Virus in Nigeria next year saying that he will not hand over polio to the in coming government in 2015. Speaking yesterday at an award ceremony for best performing state governors from the six geopolitical zones on the eradication of polio, President Jonathan also called on political leaders not to relegate the fight against the eradication of polio to the background because of campaign for the next elections. He particularly commended Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for his efforts in eradicating polio in Africa and announced the conferment of the award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (cfr) on him as an appreciation from the government and people of Nigeria. The president stated: “apart from helping us in fight against Polio and provision of life saving commodities, Bill Gates  is also assisting us in agriculture. Admitting ...

The UN has called for a "massive response" to the humanitarian disaster US and British vessels were heading to the Philippines as the UN appealed for aid amid the large-scale devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. The US has deployed an aircraft carrier and navy ships to the Philippines, while the UK is sending a naval destroyer. At least 10,000 people are feared to have been killed, and thousands of survivors desperately require aid. Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity. "One shirt. That's all I'm asking for": The BBC hears survivors' stories In a statement, he said the two worst affected provinces, Leyte and Samar, had suffered massive destruction and loss of life. A huge international relief effort is under way, but rescue workers have struggled to reach areas cut off since the storm. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described images of the impact of the storm as "heartbreaking...