By Our Correspondent

The Gombe State Government, in collaboration with development agencies, has officially launched the 2025 round of the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign, aimed at eradicating polio and strengthening public health systems across the state.

The campaign was flagged off at a well-attended ceremony held at the Palace of the District Head of Kuri in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Representing Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Task Force on Immunization, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and protecting children from preventable diseases.

He stressed the urgency of addressing the threat posed by the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2), which has seen five recent detections in the state.

“Every child missed is a potential case,” he warned, urging community-wide participation to close immunization gaps.

Dr. Jatau called on religious and traditional leaders to actively combat vaccine hesitancy, especially in remote and underserved areas, and encouraged residents to make use of the free health services provided during the campaign.

The decision to launch the campaign in Kuri was based on concerning data showing low immunization coverage in the area, particularly among “zero-dose” children — those who have never received any vaccine. Health officials described the situation as dangerous and a significant threat to public health.

Speaking earlier at the event, Dr. Gambo Kashere, Board Chairman of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, thanked the state government for its commitment to strengthening the health sector across all 11 LGAs of Gombe State.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu, who was represented by Dr. Maryam Abubakar, assured that efforts would be intensified to ensure the campaign reaches hard-to-reach areas for the successful eradication of polio in the state.

Health officials in Gombe State have commended the state government for its sustained investment in the healthcare sector, particularly in supporting efforts to eradicate polio.

Speaking during the official flag-off of the 2025 National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign in Kuri, Board Chairman of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Gambo Kashere, praised the government’s commitment across all 11 local government areas of the state. He noted that the administration’s dedication was crucial to strengthening healthcare delivery and achieving disease control targets.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu, represented by Dr. Maryam Abubakar, pledged that the campaign would prioritize reaching hard-to-access communities.

She stressed that every effort would be made to ensure no child is left behind, reinforcing the state’s determination to completely eliminate polio.

Traditional leaders, including the Emir of Yamaltu, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, and the Emir of Deba, Alhaji Ahmad Usman Mohammed, pledged their support to the campaign and commended the state government, development partners, and healthcare workers for their continued efforts.

Speaking at the event, the Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, raised concerns over the high numbers of unreached children in Gombe.

She highlighted Dukku, Kwami, Funakaye, and Yamaltu-Deba LGAs as high-risk zones where immunization coverage remains critically low.

Represented by UNICEF Health Officer Oluseyi Olusunde, Dr. Nuzhat emphasized that although Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus persist.

She called for intensified efforts to eliminate noncompliance among parents and urged traditional rulers to address misinformation surrounding vaccines.

Also delivering a goodwill message, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, warned of a resurgence of preventable diseases if immunization campaigns are not sustained.

He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts and expressed optimism that polio could be completely eliminated by the end of 2025.

Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, reassured parents of the safety and effectiveness of the oral polio vaccine, urging stakeholders to ensure every eligible child is vaccinated.

“Immunizing your child protects them from multiple life-threatening diseases,” he stated.

The NIPDs campaign will cover all 11 LGAs in Gombe State and is expected to reach hundreds of thousands of children under five with life-saving polio vaccines and additional healthcare services.

By Our Correspondent

A Non-Governmental Organisation based in Gombe State, Alkali Agricultural Access Initiative, has called for intensified efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition among children.

Mr Jonah Alkali, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the NGO, made the call on Wednesday in Kaltungo town of Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Alkali, while distributing food packs to 1,000 pupils at the Pilot Primary School, Kaltungo, said hunger remained a major challenge affecting school attendance in the country.

He said that the NGO, under its School Feeding Programme and Nutritional Advocacy, fed more than
7,000 pupils in 2024 as a way of creating awareness on the urgent need to tackle hunger and malnutrition among school children.

He added that efforts were needed from all stakeholders to address hunger, especially as it affects children to encourage them to go to school.

According to him, there is connection between hunger and out-of-school children menace, adding that one of the best tools to tackle enrollment challenge is to address hunger.

He stressed that “hunger affects every aspect of a child’s development, and that is why we all must rise against it.

“This is because a hungry child may not be in school or learn effectively even if he or she is in school.
In view of the impact of malnutrition and hunger on children in vulnerable communities, we must fight hunger within our capacity.

“This is why we are here to feed 1,000 school children through our home-grown feeding programme.

“We are using this to tell the world that there is urgent need to fight hunger so that pupils will not go to school hungry or go to bed on empty stomach.”

Alkali said no child deserved to be hungry or malnourished, as it is the right of every child to be fed and be taken good care of.
He commended the Federal Government’s school feeding initiative and called for reintroduction of the programme to boost school enrollment “and tackle the increasing cases of out-of-school children.”

He appealed to the Gombe State Government to domesticate the Federal Government’s school feeding programme to boost nutrition and reduce hunger among pupils.
He said that the reintroduction of the programme would help children get the nutrition they need to succeed in their education, fight malnutrition and improve their health.

Mrs Faustina Bitrus, the Head Teacher of the school, commended the group’s initiative, noting that “school feeding is key to improving pupils’ enrollment and boosting nutrition.”

Mercy Samuel, a pupil of Primary Six and the Head Girl of the school, said she was excited about the feeding, wishing that the exercise would be a continuous one.

Samuel said some pupils who stopped coming to school had resumed because the school management announced that an NGO was coming to share food.

She appealed to government at all levels to reintroduce the school feeding programme to support the pupils, adding that many missed classes because of hunger.

By Our Correspondent

Some residents of Gombe State have commended the National Orientation Agency’s (NOA) sensitisation drive on the proposed tax reform bill.
They gave the commendation on Thursday during a roadshow around Gombe metropolis by NOA Gombe State office and other critical stakeholders.

Malam Umar Idris, a passer-by who spoke to journalists, said that the awareness was timely and enlightening in view of its content.
Idris said that he never knew that the bill had good intentions that would benefit Nigerians until the campaign began some days back.
“When I heard about the bill, I thought it was against the North and the people but now I understand that the bill is good and will help grow businesses.
“I think this kind of sensitisation should have been done earlier to get the people’s buy-in.
“So I want to commend the NOA for taking out time to massively engage in road show to share leaflets and through radio programmes, tell people about the proposed reform,” he said.
For his part, Mr Yila John, a resident of Tumfure said he had been following up on the tax reform since the NOA began its nationwide campaign and was pleased with the awareness drive.
“Many times, people do not understand what the intention of government is before challenging or resisting it.
“This is timely but needs to be continued to bring the people up to speed with what government wants to do.
“The media engagement is working and many persons are now becoming more aware of the bill and that is good for us as Nigerians because the bill is about us,” he said.
John appealed to the government to carry everyone along and engage those who were not in support of the bill, “because if they know, supporting it will not be difficult.”
For her part, a business woman from Gombe old market who preferred to be known as Mrs Blessing said the sensitisation should had been done much earlier but “it is better that it is happening now.”
Speaking to journalists after the roadshow, Mrs Adaline Patari, the NOA Director in Gombe State, emphasised the need for the people to support the government to deliver on its mandate.
Patari said that the bill would bring progress and yield positive results to Nigerians, hence the need for their support.
She said the Tinubu-led administration was working for the interest of Nigerians, adding that the agency would intensify sensitisation to mobilise participation in government’s efforts to ensure a brighter future for all.
“We are sensitising people by letting them know that government has introduced tax reform even though the bill is still in the national assembly.
“This is an issue that the government is creating awareness on its importance.
“The bill reduce multiple taxes and ensure that those who are rich pay more and those with low income will pay less.
“People are happy that NOA is out to sensitise them.
“Our officers are in the local governments and wards sensitising people on security awareness, national human rights, HIV/AIDS and tax reform,” she said.
She said that the message on tax reform and other national issues were penetrating the grassroots because of the strategy the NOA officials had adopted by using local languages to disseminate the information.