The Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, says regional development commissions are not competitors of state and local governments but partners in bridging development gaps.

Ahmadu gave the assurance in an  interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, amid concerns over possible duplication of projects and responsibilities.

“The commissions are not coming in as competitors of state governments or local governments, no,” he said,

The Minister stressed that their establishment was intended to complement existing development efforts.

According to him, the ministry engages state governors to conduct needs assessments and identify priority projects, with local government needs addressed through state governments.

He said the Federal Ministry of Regional Development was established in October 2024, by President Bola Tinubu to coordinate development commissions and formulate policies for regional development.

Ahmadu explained that the ministry emerged from the need to address the peculiar challenges confronting Nigeria’s different regions through coordinated interventions tailored to their respective development priorities.

He traced the origins of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to genuine agitations over environmental degradation, damaged farmlands and polluted waters resulting from oil exploration activities.

He also cited the North East Development Commission (NEDC), established to address the consequences of Boko Haram insurgency, including displacement and damage to education, healthcare, roads and other infrastructure.

The minister said the government subsequently established additional development commissions to address the specific needs of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with the ministry coordinating their activities.

He clarified that the NDDC remained a special commission established to tackle the Niger Delta’s peculiar challenges and was separate from the six regional development commissions.

According to him, although the commissions have different mandates and priorities, their common objective is to promote development and improve the living conditions of people across the country.

Ahmadu said the South East Development Commission would prioritise industrialisation, economic development, infrastructure and deep gully erosion, challenges he described as peculiar to the region.

He added that the North East required interventions addressing the lingering consequences of insurgency, while other regions would pursue development priorities reflecting their respective circumstances.

The minister said the ministry had developed a policy document after consultations across the country, giving Nigerians opportunities to contribute ideas and identify regional development needs.

He said the document had been presented to the National Economic Council, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and was awaiting approval by the Federal Executive Council.

Ahmadu said the policy would guide the ministry’s activities and provide a framework for coordinating the commissions while ensuring that regional interventions reflected local needs.

“No governor is an enemy of development,” he said, adding that the commissions were established to assist state governments rather than take over their constitutional responsibilities.

He said the government’s ultimate objective was to take development to the grassroots, describing the approach as part of President Tinubu’s social contract with Nigerians.(NAN).

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 8,787 cases and 4,242 confirmed deaths.

The UN health agency disclosed the figures in a report published on Saturday, highlighting the growing humanitarian and psychological consequences of the outbreak.

As of October 7, the outbreak had recorded 8,787 cases, 4,242 confirmed deaths, 2,292 recoveries, and nearly 11,300 people receiving mental health and psychosocial support

The WHO report also reveals that 193 community workers and 64 psychologists have received specialised training in Ituri Province.

The agency warned that survivors continued to confront psychological distress, stigma and economic hardship even after recovering from the disease.

It said the outbreak had placed enormous pressure on families, healthcare workers and communities already affected by insecurity and displacement.

WHO consequently stressed the importance of integrating mental healthcare into emergency disease-response operations.

The organisation said psychological support was being provided to patients, survivors, affected families and frontline health workers.

It disclosed that nearly 11,300 people had received mental health and psychosocial support services through treatment and transit centres.

At the Bunia clinic alone, 318 Ebola survivors had benefited from psychological support.

WHO said 193 community workers in Ituri Province had been trained in psychological first aid.

Another 64 psychologists received additional training to strengthen support for patients and affected communities.

The agency explained that Ebola survivors frequently experienced anxiety, social isolation and rejection after leaving treatment centres.

Some also struggled with loss of income, damaged relationships and uncertainty about their future.

WHO said psychosocial teams were supporting community reintegration through counselling, family engagement and follow-up visits.

The organisation stressed that mental health services were essential to improving treatment outcomes and rebuilding confidence among survivors.

It also warned that healthcare workers responding to the outbreak faced significant psychological pressure because of infection risks and demanding working conditions.

WHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Congolese authorities in strengthening disease control, treatment and psychosocial services.

The agency said addressing the outbreak required sustained attention to both physical recovery and the psychological well-being of affected communities. (NAN).

 The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, will embark on a three-day warning strike from 8:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 12.

The strike is due to over persistent electricity crisis in the College of Medicine axis of the hospital.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its Emergency General Meeting (EGM) in Ibadan on Sunday.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the President of the association, Dr Uthman Adedeji and General Secretary, Dr Mary Awodiji.

The association said the EGM became imperative following failed engagements with relevant stakeholders on the prolonged outage in the area where majority of its members reside.

ARD-UCH said the College of Medicine axis had for several years been disadvantaged and least prioritised by UCH management.

It said that resident doctors and other health workers residing in the axis had endured severe hardship arising from protracted epileptic power supply.

According to the communique, electricity in the area has become a luxury rather than a constant provision.

“The situation deteriorated significantly from January 2026 when the circuit breaker supplying the hospital complex became faulty.

“As the least prioritised area, the circuit breaker supplying the College area was sacrificed to keep the main hospital running, and the area was left in darkness without any actionable efforts to rectify the situation,” it said.

The association said that after seven months of perseverance, it issued an ultimatum during its August Ordinary General Meeting (OGM).

It added that it culminated in the purchase and installation of a new breaker on Sept. 10 and subsequent restoration of electricity after several months of total darkness.

It, however, said that the joy was short-lived as on Sept. 20 when the hospital experienced another major electrical fault, which resulted in the newly purchased breaker being removed again from the area that had barely been reconnected for one week.

The association said that despite the harsh living conditions, it demonstrated institutional loyalty and restraint and appealed to members to exercise more patience.

“However, we cannot continue to do so in the face of perceived nonchalance and disregard for the welfare of people residing in this axis.

“The people are being made to suffer inter-institutional bottlenecks between the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and its landlord, the UCH Management.

“Indeed, as the popular saying goes, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” it said.

It said a direct consequence of the persistent power failure had been chronic water shortage in the residential area.

It regretted that doctors now resort to sourcing water from private business centres and places of worship within the hospital premises.

The communiqué said congress observed with dismay the total disregard for the welfare of its members, which contradicted management’s professed commitment to staff welfare.

It also observed the untold hardship which poses significant public health hazards and compromises security of lives and property, as well as perceived lack of urgency in maintenance and repair of hospital facilities.

The association said after exhaustive deliberations, congress resolved to demand immediate restoration of electricity to the College of Medicine area.

It also demanded urgent repair of all faulty circuit breakers as backups, and uninterrupted electricity supply to every part of the hospital.

It said that the congress also resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike commencing 8:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, to express grievances over the untold hardship meted out to its members.

“To issue a seven-day ultimatum to UCH Management, effective Monday, Oct. 12 at 8:00 a.m., and ending Monday, Oct. 19 at 8:00 a.m.

“After which congress shall reconvene to deliberate and may proceed on an indefinite strike should our demands remain unmet.

“To emphasise that going forward, it is unacceptable for power outage in any residential area to persist for more than five days without restoration.

“Should this occur, congress may be unable to guarantee industrial harmony,” it said.

The association added that it would engage in all legitimate advocacy measures, including media engagement, to sensitise the public to the severity of the crisis. (NAN).