By George Mgbeleke
The Senate, on Thursday at plenary, passed for second reading, a bill seeking to establish the National Agency for Malaria Eradication (NAME), an initiative, aimed at holistically addressing the country’s worrisome menace of malaria.

The bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Agency for Malaria Eradication and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 172),” was sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North) and presented during plenary session.

Leading debate on the general principles of the bill, Nwoko noted that, according to the World Health Organisation’s 2024 report, Nigeria accounted for over 184,000 out of 600,000 annual global malaria deaths, representing the highest in the world.

The lawmaker described the situation as worrisome and undoubtedly a national emergency requiring immediate and coordinated legislative action.

He observed that malaria is not merely a public health issue but a structural crisis that impairs maternal health, drains economic productivity, and impedes national development.

According to him, the disease was responsible for approximately 11% of maternal deaths in Nigeria, contributing to miscarriages, infant deaths, stillbirths, and severe anaemia.

The politician stressed that beyond the health impact, the economic toll, including the loss of millions of man-hours, reduced business productivity, and a growing burden on healthcare infrastructure.

The bill proposed a centralised and autonomous agency tasked with coordinating national malaria eradication efforts.

The agency will also have the mandate to formulate and implement national policies on malaria eradication, coordinate inter-agency and sectoral responses with legal authority, mobilise and manage resources efficiently and transparently as well as support vaccine research and genetic innovations targeting malaria.

Senator Nwoko faulted the current structure of malaria control in Nigeria, describing it as fragmented and ineffective, stating that the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) lacked operational capacity while also saying that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has limited reach.

“A fragmented structure cannot confront a mutating threat. We need a unified, science-driven, and legislatively backed institution with the singular mandate to end malaria in Nigeria,” he declared.

The legislator cited the global urgency and funding mobilised during the COVID-19 pandemic, wondering why the global inaction on malaria.

“If malaria were endemic to Europe or North America, we would not still be grappling with it a century later,” he said.

After his presentation, the bill received support across party lines from lawmakers including Senators Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Ede Dafinone (APC, Delta Central), Babangida Oseni (APC, Jigawa North West), and Onyewuchi Francis (LP, Imo East), who all endorsed the proposed agency as a bold and overdue step toward malaria elimination.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health for further legislative action, mandating the Panel to submit its report to the Chamber within four weeks.

End.

By David Owei, Bayelsa
National leadership of the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence (AWAGBV) has commissioned it’s Secretariat in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital with the unveiling of a Five years strategic plan on preventive, collaborative and empowerment measures to tackle cases of violence against women in the State and the Niger Delta region.

According to the AWAGBV, the newly opened secretariat, located at Amarata opposite St. Jude’s Girls Secondary school, will serve as the accessible contact point where victims of gender based violence in the state lay complaint and are assisted promptly.

Speaking during the event, the grand Patron of the AWAGBV and a United Kingdom based Forensic Mental Health Practitioner, Chief (Dr.) Antonia Garner, disclosed that the Women Advocacy group is proposing a Five years strategic plan to assist women experiencing violence and offer succour. This succor will extend to men, children and persons living with disabilities.

She announced the proposed fund raising event slated for July,2025 to raise funds for the building of a treatment and administrative center for victims of gender based violence in the state,” we have resolved to constantly collaborate with local and foreign agencies to assist and help the victims of such violence.”

She also announced that international based advocacy groups including the group intrested in educating the Ijaw Child known as Eduare and owned by a Kolokuma/Opokuma woman based in United Kingdom and the Bayelsa Ladies in Diaspora have indicated interest in partnering with the AWAGBV in the fight for education and economic empowerment of victims of gender based violence.

Also speaking, the National President of the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence (AWAGBV) ,Dr Dise Ogbise Goddy-
Harry, pointed out that the Five year strategic plan will involve various preventive measures that will stem down rising cases of violence against women.

Engr Dr Amalate Ann Jonathan Obuebite, 1st Vice President and APWEN Chair, in her comment, noted that Education and Empowerment of women is key in the proposed plan in order to ensure that women and the girl child are properly armed with economic and educational power to reject cases of violence,”if women are empowered and armed with education they may decide to stay away from an abused relationship.”

The second Vice President and Founder of the Debora Ebisinde Filatei Women and Children Development Foundation, Dr. Jonathan Filatei, said the AWAGBV will embark on massive media advocacy and enlightenment in the state to educate and create the awareness to creative more collaboration in the battle against Gender based violence.

She noted that the AWAGBV is also proposing the establishment of GBV clubs in secondary schools in the state to sensitize the girl child against abusive relationship and violence.

Members of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Bayelsa State chapter led by Hon. Ekpomokumo Doutimiaeyo, declare support for the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence (AWAGBV), saying they are ready to collaborate to save female persons with disabilities from violence and abuse.