..Warn against self-medication, chemists

By Uzo Ugwunze

The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA), Anambra State Chapter, has taken its World Sight Day 2026 campaign to Achina community in Aguata LGA, offering free eye screening, treatment, medication and spectacles to residents in a renewed drive to prevent avoidable blindness.

The outreach, held on September 9, 2026 under this year’s global theme, “Love Your Eyes. Every Story Counts,” was led by the Chairman of the Anambra State Chapter, Dr. Chiamaka Mba who said that the initiative was deliberately taken to the hinterland to reach underserved populations who have limited access to professional eye care. “We came all the way to Achina because we want to reach the interior villages. Most people in urban areas have access, but those in the interior face restrictions’.

Dr. Mba explained that activities for the celebration started earlier in the week with radio and television sensitization, where members educated the public on healthy eye habits and dangers of harmful practices. The Chapter also staged a Walk for Sight on Thursday, before moving its full clinical team to Achina for the grand finale of free services.

At the venue, residents received comprehensive checks including blood pressure, intraocular pressure and visual acuity tests. With a team of eight optometrists on ground, the Association set a target of attending to about 500 beneficiaries. She said adult beneficiaries who need near vision support were given reading glasses, while children were assessed for special provision and referral.

“The Association is also providing a full referral and follow-up pathway for cases beyond the outreach. Patients who require further investigation and specialized care are being referred to designated eye centres for continued management. Those diagnosed with cataract and other surgical conditions are being registered and booked for surgery on designated surgical days, as cataract operations are not performed during field outreaches.

Dr. Mba used the opportunity to warn against dangerous traditional practices, including instilling urine, breast milk and fermented cassava water into the eyes. She explained that the eye has a normal flora that protects it, and introducing such substances disrupts that defence and can cause combined viral, fungal and bacterial infections that may lead to permanent blindness.

She stressed that the first point of call for any eye problem should be a registered eye clinic and not chemists or quacks, noting that optometrists undergo up to eight years of training to qualify. She urged patients to strictly adhere to prescribed drugs and never stop medication midway without doctor’s advice, as incomplete treatment worsens eye conditions.

She further advised on preventive care and regular examination. According to her, children should have eye checks before they start school, teenagers and young adults up to 27 years should check every two years, adults from 30 to 50 years should check once yearly, while those 50 years and above should check twice yearly because of higher risk from hypertension, diabetes and age-related diseases. Those with family history of glaucoma should check even more frequently as advised by their doctor.

Addressing cost concerns, Dr. Mba said that eye care is not expensive compared to the cost of blindness, and urged Ndi Anambra to use general hospitals where optometrists are now posted across the state. She added that with phones, laptops and prolonged sunlight exposure, residents should seek professional advice on protective spectacles, know their family medical history, and embrace the campaign message to love their eyes by protecting and regularly examining them.

By Our Reporter

The Federal Government has directed ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to purchase vehicles exclusively from licensed local assemblers or their authorised retailers, as part of efforts to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported vehicles.

The directive, issued under the Nigeria First Policy, requires government agencies seeking to procure foreign-assembled vehicles to demonstrate that no suitable locally assembled alternative is available and obtain direct presidential approval.

Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, disclosed this in Abuja, urging local vehicle manufacturers to expand production capacity, improve product quality and strengthen after-sales services to meet the government’s demand.

He said Nigeria’s vehicle assembly plants have a combined annual production capacity of 370,520 vehicles, adding that prioritising locally assembled vehicles in public procurement would stimulate job creation, reduce imports and encourage the domestic production of automotive components.

“We are fundamentally shifting the Nigeria First Policy. All vehicles procured by ministries, departments and agencies, including project utility vehicles, must be sourced exclusively from licensed local assemblers or their authorised retailers.

“Also, no ministry, department or agency may procure a foreign-assembled vehicle unless it explicitly proves the absence of a domestic alternative and obtains direct presidential clearance.

“Every vehicle supplied to the government must carry a traceable Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) verified through the NADDC. Any supply outside licensed local assembly lines will attract immediate regulatory sanctions, including blacklisting and licence revocation,” he explained

The policy also introduces stricter compliance requirements for vehicle suppliers, with the government insisting that every vehicle delivered to public institutions must have a traceable Vehicle Identification Number verified by the NADDC.

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has warned local assemblers that substandard vehicles, inadequate maintenance support and breaches of procurement regulations could attract sanctions.

The Director-General of the BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, urged automotive manufacturers to invest in modern technology, quality assurance and efficient maintenance services to meet government requirements.

The move is expected to strengthen the domestic automotive industry by directing public-sector vehicle purchases towards local assembly plants, while encouraging manufacturers to improve their competitiveness and service delivery.

The policy also places greater responsibility on local assemblers to demonstrate their capacity to meet government demand in terms of production, quality and after-sales support.

(CHANNELS)

By Our Reporter

2027: INEC drops Pantami from final list of Gombe governorship candidates
The name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, is absent from the final list of candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the February 6, 2027, governorship election in Gombe State.

INEC released the list containing 16 candidates, including Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other candidates on the list are Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others.

Pantami’s exclusion is notable because his name featured on INEC’s provisional list published on August 29.

The former minister had emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate after defecting from the APC on May 19.

However, his initial emergence as the party’s candidate was challenged in court, with a Federal High Court nullifying the primary election and ordering a fresh exercise.

READ ALSO:Again, Pantami emerges PDP guber candidate in Gombe rerun primary

Pantami subsequently won the court-ordered rerun primary conducted on September 29, polling 2,054 votes to defeat Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.

Earlier, a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe had, on September 24, nullified his initial emergence from the May 26 primary election.

His candidacy also faced uncertainty following the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment restoring Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The provisions became central to questions surrounding the eligibility of political parties and their candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Supreme Court had barred political parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership registers submitted to INEC within the stipulated period.

Pantami’s absence from the final list raises questions about the status of his governorship ambition following the legal disputes surrounding his emergence as the PDP candidate.