News
NCC Deploys 84 IT Projects to Support Persons with Disabilities
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has deployed 84 assistive Information Technology projects at different locations in Nigeria to support people with special needs while supporting policies that enable disadvantaged members of the society to live a more qualitative life.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to the NCC over the weekend in Abuja, where the EVC also restated NCC’s commitment to continually support people with special needs across the country.
“The E-Accessibility project seeks to meet the ICT needs of persons living with disabilities in Nigeria by providing ICT tools, assistive technologies, training, and Internet provision in the identified locations. Between 2012 to 2020, the NCC has deployed the E-Accessibility Projects in, at least, 84 locations nationwide.”
Danbatta, while receiving the NCPWD team led by its Executive Secretary, James Lalu, said the telecom regulator has always implemented initiatives aimed at ensuring digital inclusivity for all Nigerians regardless of their circumstances.
Represented by the Director, Human Capital and Administration at NCC, Usman Malah, the EVC said telecoms sector has become the backbone of the national economy and has recorded tremendous growth from 400,000 telephone lines on the eve of sectoral deregulation in 2000 to over 208 million active telephone lines now, just as active Internet subscription rose to 156 million in the last two decades.
The EVC stated that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Industry’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) currently stands at 18.44 per cent, going by the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as at the second quarter of 2022. Additionally, Danbatta said that NCC has continue to ensure quality of service delivery to the consumers and digital inclusion for all.
Accordingly, Danbatta said the NCC recognises and aligns with the noble objectives behind the establishment of NCPWD as enabled by the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.
The NCC Chief Executive stated that in addition to implementing the five per cent inclusiveness of persons with disabilities in NCC’s staffing efforts in accordance with the law, the telecom regulator, through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), has executed many projects within the framework of its E-Accessibility Programme in last 10 years that targets the challenged members of the society.
“In other words, the project provides ICT tools and Assistive Technologies (ATs) to the blind, the deaf, dumb, crippled, cognitively impaired, and other categories of people living with disabilities.
“As disadvantaged members of society, the project is designed to assist in improving the quality of life of people living with disability,” he said.
In his remarks, the NCPWD’s Executive Secretary, Lalu, said the purpose of the agency’s visit was to keep the NCC management abreast of its mandates and activities, and to seek greater collaborations with NCC for the benefits of estimated 35.5 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
He commended the NCC for the “wonderful work it has been doing through various projects in support of people with disabilities in the country.”
Lalu also appealed to the NCC to help in creating awareness among telecoms service providers to comply with the legal requirement to dedicate five per cent of their employment quota to persons with disabilities.
He said this category of Nigerians are ‘smart, professional and intelligent’ and can make significant contribution to the growth of the respective organizations employing them, despite their disabilities.
“What we want to achieve is to make Nigeria a country that is comfortable for PLWD by ending discrimination and providing adequate reporting system and we have seen NCC as a strategic and important partner in this journey,” Lalu said.
The NCPWD was established, pursuant to section 31 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Act 2018, to promote, protect and prioritise the rights of persons with disabilities, and to further enhance their productivity through education, health, and other socio–economic activities and programmes.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has awarded contracts worth over ₦23.1 billion for the construction of 49 new junior and senior secondary schools across the state’s 44 local government areas under the AGILE Project.
KANO FOCUS reports that the development, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, is aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure and improving access to quality education across the state.
The contract signing ceremony was held on Friday, where contractors received official approval documents to commence work on the projects in their respective locations.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Information, Ibrahim Adam.
According to the statement, the schools to be constructed under the AGILE Project comprise both Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), strategically distributed across the state to address infrastructural deficits in the education sector.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, reiterated the administration’s commitment to revitalising the education sector and creating a conducive learning environment for students.
He said the initiative would significantly reduce classroom congestion, expand access to education, and improve teaching and learning conditions in schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the AGILE Project is part of broader efforts by the Kano State Government to enhance educational development, particularly in improving infrastructure and supporting increased school enrollment and retention.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Society for Family Health has appointed Dayyabu Mahmud Yusuf as Group Director, Impact Partnership and Engagement, as well as Managing Director of RevoHealth HMO Ltd., in a move aimed at strengthening healthcare access and sustainable health systems across Nigeria and Africa.
KANO FOCUS reports that the appointment was announced on the organisation’s official Facebook page on Saturday.
According to SFH, the new leadership appointment signals the beginning of a fresh phase focused on improving impact, expanding access to healthcare services, and advancing sustainable health transformation initiatives across the continent.
The organisation stated that the appointment reflects its commitment to building integrated health systems and promoting innovative platforms in healthcare financing, workforce development, advisory services, and sustainable health interventions.
SFH expressed confidence that Yusuf’s leadership would further strengthen the organisation’s impact and deliver lasting value to communities across Nigeria and beyond.
Yusuf is a seasoned public health professional with more than 18 years of experience in the design and implementation of public health, social marketing, and health systems strengthening programmes in Nigeria.
He is widely recognised as a health systems expert, health economist, programme management specialist, and community engagement practitioner, with extensive experience in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), HIV/AIDS, malaria, child survival, and nutrition interventions.
He has also built strong technical expertise across the family planning and maternal, newborn and child health continuum, while leading large and complex teams on multiple development programmes.
Yusuf possesses strong advocacy and stakeholder engagement skills, having worked closely with senior government officials, lawmakers, and influential traditional and religious leaders to drive institutional and behavioural changes that support effective programme implementation.
A seasoned trainer, Yusuf has trained various cadres of health professionals and is known for his practical expertise in participatory community engagement approaches.
He holds a degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Health Economics from Bayero University Kano, as well as an MSc in Microbiology from University of Abuja.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
A former Governor of Kano State Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for ordering a fresh investigation into the disappearance of activist and lecturer Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso made the remarks in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday following recent testimony by a former aide to an ex-state governor, who allegedly claimed that police officers were responsible for Dadiyata’s disappearance in Kaduna.
Dadiyata, a lecturer and social media commentator, was abducted in 2019, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
According to Kwankwaso, he and his associates have consistently advocated for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
He described the Inspector-General’s directive for a comprehensive investigation as a “decisive and long-overdue action,” expressing hope that the process would uncover the truth behind the disappearance.
The former governor also urged police authorities to place individuals named in the allegations under close surveillance to prevent interference with the investigation.
Kwankwaso further called on the government to ensure that Dadiyata, if found alive, and his family receive adequate compensation for the trauma and hardship they have endured over the years.
He commended members of the public for sustaining advocacy efforts on the case and also praised Abba Hikima Fagge for what he described as his important role in the latest developments surrounding the investigation.
Kwankwaso expressed optimism that the renewed probe would ultimately deliver truth and justice in the case.
AGILE Project: Kano awards ₦23.1bn contract for construction of 49 new secondary schools
SFH appoints Dayyabu Yusuf to lead strategic health partnerships, RevoHealth HMO
Kwankwaso commends IGP over probe into Dadiyata’s disappearance
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