By Mohammed Tijjani

The Police Command in Kaduna State on Tuesday said it had rescued eight kidnapped victims and recovered an AK-49 rifle inGalidamawa, Kidandan,Giwa Local Government Area of the state .

The Spokesperson for the command, ASP Muhammad Jalige, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Kaduna.

Jalige said ,On March 29, at about 0600hrsmen of Operation Puff Adder II attached to Kaduna Command while on routine patrol along Galidamawa/Kidandanarea of Giwa LGA, intercepted a group of armed bandits alongside some victims in their possession.

On sighting the operatives they took to their heels abandoning theirvictims and one AK-49 rifle and in the process eightvictims wererescuedunhurt.

He explained that the victims later stated that they were abducted on ZariaKaduna expressway aboard a luxurious bus en route Delta on Feb. 29.

He said the victims were currently receiving medical attention in preparation for reunion with their respective families.

The spokesman said the command had organised a manhunt to apprehend and bring the bandits to book.

The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, Umar Muri, appreciates the support rendered by the Inspector-General of Police in deploying men and resources to compliment the efforts of the command in tackling banditry, Jalige added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU) on Monday expressed readiness to mediate in the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Sudans Sovereign Council said in a statement.

Donald Booth, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, and Robert van den Dool, head of the EU delegation to Sudan, expressed their readiness to mediate in the GERD issue when Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of Sudans Sovereign Council, received them at the presidential palace, according to the statement.

The two envoys stressed the need to reach a diplomatic solution for the dispute over the GERD, on the basis of a satisfactory approach that guarantees Ethiopia use of electricity, Sudan safety of its territorial integrity and security of its dams, and Egypt its water rights, the statement noted.

Al-Burhan voiced Sudans commitment to the peaceful and diplomatic solutions for its differences with Ethiopia, according to the statement.

Earlier, Sudan proposed a mediation quartet of the United Nations, the EU, the U.S. and the African Union regarding the issue of the GERD.

Ethiopia officially announced its decision to reject the mediation quartet.

In February, Ethiopia said it would carry on with the second-phase 13.5-billion-cubic-meter filling of the GERD in June.

The volume of the first-phase filling last year was 4.9 billion cubic meters.

Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia have been in talks for years over the technical and legal issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD.

Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity from the dam project, while Egypt and Sudan, downstream Nile Basin countries that rely on the river for its freshwater, are concerned that the dam might affect their share of the water resources.

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has registered 48 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 162,641.

The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the countrys daily new cases continue to follow a downward trajectory.

From an all-time high of 2,314 cases on Jan. 22, 2021, the countrys daily new positive cases have come down to 48 as of March 29 2021.

The health agency said that the countrys death toll from the deadly infection moved to 2,049 after an additional death in the last 24 hours.

The NCDC stated that the 48 infection were registered across eight states.

It added that Lagos state recorded the highest number with 13, while Kaduna and Nasarawa registered seven each and Kano confirmed six infections.

Amongst others state were Kwara with five cases, Ondo with four, Akwa Ibom and Osun reported three cases each.

According to NCDC, 1,767,694 samples have been tested till date, with 40,227 samples tested in one week.

The health agency said that 158 more people were discharged after testing negative to the virus across the country in the last 24 hours.

Our discharges today include 28 community recoveries in Ekiti State managed in line with guidelines, NCDC stated.

The NCDC stressed that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities in the country.

The agency said that the countrys active cases stood at 10,363. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the State House, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the senate president said they deliberated on crucial national issues including the issue of supplementary budget for the funding of the COVID-19 vaccination.

He said the supplementary budget would also cater for the logistics and welfare needs of the nations security agencies to enable them effectively tackle the challenges of insecurity across the country.

We have come to meet with Mr President, to discuss issues of serious national concern. And one of those issues is the issue of supplementary budget.

Both executive and legislative arms believe that we should have supplementary budget to provide for funding of the COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria, as well as the security, providing more resources and platforms to our security agencies.

And today, Im sure in Nigeria, there are no more grave issues, than COVID-19 and security situation in the country. And I want to take this opportunity to say that the security situation is gradually improving.

And Im sure that when we will have more resources to our security agencies we will see an even faster recovery of our situation, he said.

On COVID-19 vaccines, Lawan stressed the need for Nigerian scientists to collaborate with other scientists from across the globe to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine locally.

The senate president expressed the readiness of the National Assembly to support such scientific ideas to boost local manufacturing of vaccines in the country.

He stated that local production of the vaccines had become imperative in view of the decisions of some vaccine producing countries not to supply their products to other countries for reasons best known to them.

He said: As for the COVID, I believe that our country, Nigeria should have some resources for our scientists to collaborate with other scientists from across the globe, to also have our own vaccine.

Because we cant rely on what other countries are doing now, every nation to itself, thats what is happening.

The US is not allowing vaccines to go out of US. EU is not allowing, AstraZeneca vaccine produced in UK to be sent out of EU. India is not allowing AstraZeneca vaccine they produce to be exported out.

So where do we go from here? We will have to fall back on our own capacities and abilities. And we have great scientists in this country.

We have many Nigerians outside Nigeria, who are also helping developing the vaccines in other countries.

So why dont you bring them home? Why dont you put some resources so they will also produce ours locally here and take care of our population, and later other African countries especially our neighbours.

So I believe that we had a very good discussions and interaction with Mr President along those lines.

On security challenges, Lawan assured that the National Assembly would continue to approve funds meant to provide more sophisticated equipment and gadgets for security agencies to tackle insurgency and other criminal activities in the country.

Were expecting some APCs from China. And we believe that weve not had enough, we still need to approve more resources for the purchase of weapons for our armed forces, because this is the number one priority of government or any government really, to secure the people, and of course later the welfare.

So we believe that we will be doing the right thing, if there is a request through supplementary appropriation bill from the presidency or executive arm of government, well look at it and approve.

Of course, we have to have clear cut definition of how much is going for what, were not going to just give approval like that for a general thing. We want to see how the funds will be utilised.

But it is mandatory that we provide more resources for our armed forces, and theyre doing well, he said.

On his part, Gbajabiamila, who fielded questions on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), said the national assembly was committed to approving the bill by the end of April.

He said: We made a commitment to the Nigerian people and that commitment is April, end of April.

But let me just add that, you know, give or take two three weeks, like he said, because at the time the commitment was made, we didnt take into cognizance the fact of Easter break and Ramadan is coming up as well.

Were still shooting for going for end of April. But were not going to straitjacket ourselves into a particular date, when I say end of April, we are talking thereabout, it maybe a week after maybe two weeks after at most. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed commitment to implementing higher standards of environmental sanitation and orderliness.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, gave the assurance at the launching of inclusive sensitisation on environmental sanitation, held at Kwali Area Council Abuja on Monday.

Aliyu explained that the exercise was part of measures to increase public awareness on sound environmental practices in all communities across the six area councils of the FCT.

The minister also stated that the exercise would inculcate in residents, the habit of maintaining clean and hygienic environments in the satellite towns.

According to her, all hands must be on deck, and everyone has to take responsibility for his or her actions.

As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that communities take action to prevent further transmission, reduce the impacts of the outbreak and support control measures.

Proper waste management and good hygiene practices are critical to enhancing public health and are indispensable for optimal economic productivity.

It is for this reason that the FCTA , through the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) initiated the Inclusive Sensitisation On Environmental Sanitation in all communities in the FCT, to ensure that everyone gets involved in taking actions to guarantee a healthy environment, she said.

She noted that most of the diseases affecting people were as a result of poor environmental hygiene practices, the effect of which had been an increase in morbidity and mortality rates in children under five.

Aliyu assured that the FCT administration would continue to enforce existing policies and guidelines on issues related to acceptable waste management practices.

The minister affirmed that indiscriminate disposal of wastes had an impact not only on public health, but also on human dignity and personal safety.

Aliyu noted that the sanitation programme launched would greatly improve the health conditions of residents of the FCT.

She also said that sanitation would help it take a step closer to achieving one of the cardinal objectives of the administration while advancing the cause of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) attainment.

Speaking, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusola Adesola, expressed concern on the World Banks reports on the economic impact of poor sanitation across communities in Nigeria.

The report according to him estimated that Nigeria losses a whooping N455 billion annually, representing 1.3 per cent of the nations Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He was represented by the Acting Secretary Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs Omolola Olanipekun.

Adesola said the event was a clear demonstration and very pungent commitment by the FCT administration toward improving environmental sanitation and good hygiene across all communities of the six area councils.

He noted that poor sanitation had become a major public health concern with unprecedented attendant adverse impacts on all.

It is common knowledge that diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea are linked to poor sanitary conditions.

This goes to show that the state of sanitation of a particular community, largely determines the health status and wellbeing of its residents, Adesola said.

Also, Mr Olusegun Olusa, Director, Environmental Services, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD), said the FCT Master Plan made provisions for development of sanitary and engineered landfills at Gosa in Abuja Municipal Area Council and Guabe in Kuje Area Council.

Olusa, who regretted that both lands had been seriously encumbered, however, assured that the FCDA was working on the design of an engineered landfill to be situated at 350 hectares currently being salvaged from 500 hectares originally provided for in the master plan at Gosa.

According to him, when developed, it will serve as final treatment site for waste from FCC and the area council. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

Sustainable access to gas is significant in Nigerias quest to make the manufacturing sector a key driver in job creation for the teeming youths.

Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment made this known on Monday in Abuja.

Adebayo stated this at the pre-summit virtual conference of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit on Decade of Gas Mandate.

A statement by Ifedayo Sayo, Special Assistant to the minister on media, said Adebayo stressed the need to harness the potential that gas presented for Nigerias industrialisation.

The Minister who was represented by his Technical Adviser, Kamal Bakrin, said gas could become a source of competitive advantage for Nigerias manufacturing sector.

We believe that gas can become a source of competitive advantage for Nigerias manufacturing sector and a strong lever for its positioning as the preferred manufacturing hub in Africa.

This is especially important as we implement measures that can leapfrog us to the front of the line as the destination for manufacturing for the rest of Africa, he said.

The minister said the manufacturing sector could be a source of foreign exchange for the country and the channel for long-term economic security.

According to him, an affordable source of gas is one of the enablers for realising this vision.

We have been in deliberations with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources on how to improve the availability and cost of gas for the manufacturing sector.

And I trust, this is one of the issues this conference will discuss and hopefully address, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

Coven Works, a Nigerian-American Information Technology (IT) company, has secured collaboration with a French School in Paris to help Nigerians advance learning in Artificial Intelligence(AI), Business and Ethics.

Mr Olusola Amusan, Chief Executive Officer of Coven Works, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Amusan said the institution, Aivancity School for Technology, Business andSociety, Paris-Cachan, Paris, was built around three cores of the 21st century, which are AI, Business and Ethics.

He said that the school focused on developing the capacity of humans and organisations to address economic and social challenges related to the exploitation of data and AIs potential.

Globalisation is forcing companies to hire humans from all countries in highly skilled occupations like, Data Science and AI, hence the need for these sort of partnerships with a top French institution.

Most business schools have rigid admission requirements, they mostly require that students have a background in certain fields before admission can be guaranteed but, our partner is open to students from various disciplinary backgrounds like literary, economy, science and more.

The school offers an Update Guarantee that enables graduates to return to take courses and continue to have access to online courses, media library and many resources even upon graduation.

This largely contributes to accomplishing the mandate of the schools value which provides a guide to graduates throughout their professional career and strengthening their professional integration, Amusan said.

He further mentioned that the school offered the Grande cole programme (higher education programme) which included a course Building Fundamentals

By Shedrack Frank

Gov. Duoye Diri of Bayelsa has banned logging and other deforestation activities as part of efforts to protect the states forest reserves and rare plant species.

The governor announced this in Yenagoa on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark this years International Day of Forests.
Diri directed that all commercial timber dealers must obtain permit from the Ministry of Environment henceforth, before embarking on logging activities.

He called for a fresh bill to repeal obsolete environmental laws, and directed the environment ministry and civil society groups to work with his office to prepare and send such bill to the House of Assembly.

Diri said that his administration was determined to protect all species within the states reserves through legal framework.

It is interesting that somebody that came from Cameroon has told us about a specie in the world found only in our state and yet we cannot protect it. This bill should look at ways and means of preserving such rare species in our forests, he said.

The governor, who frowned at the use of dynamites by fishermen, also directed that the bill should make the use of explosives on the states waterways an offence.

Diri said that his government which preaches prosperity, should not fold its arms and watch forests in the state degraded.

He urged the Commissioner for Environment to reform the forest guards and deploy them to their respective local government areas to ensure effective protection of the reserves.

The governor also granted the request by the ministry of environment to adopt six proposed forest reserves in the state.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iselema Gbaranbiri, had earlier explained that the International Day of Forests was declared by United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness on the importance of forests for the benefit of all generations.

Gbaranbiri noted that healthy forests influence the quantity of water yielded from watersheds, and provide logs, firewoods, fodder and medicinal plants used by local and indigenous communities.

According to him, the state has six forest reserves the Taylor Creek, Edumanom, Apoi Creek, Nun River, Igbedi Creek and Ikebiri Creek.

Coordinator of the Red Colobus Conservation Network, Miss Florence Aghomo, from Cameroon, in a remark, advised the Bayelsa government to act responsibly towards preserving its forests which she said had great socio-economic benefits.

Aghomo said that Nigeria was home to two of 18 Taxa species known to science, with one of them the Niger Delta red Colobus found in Bayelsa.

She added that the second Preusss red colobus was in Cross River.

These species must be preserved carefully, she said.

Mr Morris Alagoa from the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), lauded the governor for organising the historic event, and appealed for the establishment of a zoological garden and community forest-driven management in Bayelsa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event witnessed the planting of trees by Diri, his deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and other top government functionaries. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

Interweave Solutions International, a U.S.-based business organisation, has moved to engage Nigerian women in business, to drive home gender equality.

The Nigerian branch of the organisation, made this known at an investiture for new ambassadors of the group on Monday, in Abuja.

Retired Gen. Paul Boroh, a member of its board of trustees, said part of the focus of the organisation in Nigeria, was to get women empowered with business ideas to be self-reliant.

Boroh, a former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Amnesty Programme, said there had been too much focus on men in the area of excelling in business.

He emphasised that the time was ripe for women to rise up to the challenge and participate in business to be self-reliant and be reckoned with in the society like their male counterparts.

We are determined to engage more women in Interweave business solutions to achieve gender equality in businesses.

How do we achieve this; it is to ensure that we include more women in whatever business idea we are bringing on.

The women also have the capacity to transform an entire society; we will give them the latitude or sojourn of whatever we are doing.

The notion that women may misuse the opportunity given to them is a capital lie.

The reality of the situation now is that nobody can claim to know more than the other, he stressed.

Boroh called on women to take a cue from the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Nigerias Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and be focused in whatever they are doing.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to support the women folk in order to make them get to an enviable height in the society.

Country Director of Interweave Solutions International, Mr Exodus-Esuku Ibor, said the organisation in Nigeria aimed to move people from poverty to prosperity through neighbourhood self-reliance business.

He said that the organisation was concerned about the word self-reliance to move people into providing for themselves and also provide for their immediate family for self sufficiency.

When you are self-reliant, you will understand the principle of starting a business and growing it, this will impact on your community and your children.

Our aim is to bring out talents in people, some persons have talent but they do not know how to use it, he said.

Mr Mojeed Abayomi, the Overseer, Global Community for Abundant Life (G-CAL), a business organisation, pledged to partner with Interweave Solution to encourage the youths to go into business.

Abayomi said that G-CAL had the same vision as the organisation, which was to drive youths into business.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that about 28 ambassadors of the group have so far been certified and licenced in Nigeria by the organisation.

The ambassadors have equally been charged to reach out to persons and groups in Nigeria, and train them to become self-reliant using unique modules and business training materials, carefully designed by Interweave International-USA.

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ajogun

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has condemned the vandalism of some facilities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by unknown persons in Agbede, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

Obaseki condemned the act on Tuesday in Benin when he received the TCN Manager in Edo, Mr Isaac Okpe, who paid the governor a courtesy visit.

According to him, as government we are very concerned about the incident of the vandalism, and what struck me is why will people go out to vandalise such facilities with such a high risk.

Why will they take such risk, was it deliberate or sabotage? There is need to report the incident to the IGP and also the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS).

We need to know the purpose why they engage in such risk. If you recall about four years ago, we set up a committee to look at the menace of settlement of where these equipment are sited, because some communities were claiming that they were not paid.

I think that what we should do is to revisit that report again to enable us get to root of the issue, he said.

The governor assured that his administration would engage local vigilante to protect all the TCN facilities across the state, adding that electricity has enough value in the state.

These your assets are of great value to us in Edo and it will continue to be of great value, we are using electricity to grow our businesses in the state.

We are really sorry about the vandalism, and it is something that is not acceptable, the governor said.

Earlier, the TCN manager in the state, Mr Isaac Okpe, thanked the governor for his support, also used the occasion to congratulated him on his election victory and the tribunal victory.

We want to thank you for your collaboration and support that made the construction and energizing of Etsako 132/33kv substation a reality.

We also want to solicit your support in tackling the menace of vandalism of our equipment.

On 18th of March, 2021, unknown persons vandalised five units of our towers (T313 T317) on Benin Irrua Okpella 132KV line at Agbede in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

We are presently back feeding Etsako substation from Ajaokuta, this is affecting the quality of power supply in these areas.

We are here to ask for your support in galvanizing the security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders in the state to protect TCN facilities in their respective areas, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patricia Amogu

Prof. Eleazor Ikonne, the Chairman, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board, of Nigeria (ODORBN), has advocated proper diagnosis of blurred vision before going for glasses.

Ikonne made the call at sideline of the official ground breaking and foundation laying ceremony of the proposed 21st century globally competitive edifice for ODORBN in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, not all blurred visions are caused by eye problems; someone might have diabetics for instance and think they have eye problems without knowing it is diabetics.

The first point of call when you have any blurred vision should be the clinic of an optometrist, who is trained to take history of your health diagnose and advise you on what to do.

Sometimes there are systemic conditions that the first appearance is on the visions, if you meet someone, who is not properly trained; such a person would do a wrong recommendation.

There should be a legislation that every school age child should be checked on admission because a child might be performing poorly without knowing its because of eye problems, he said.

Speaking on the structure, the professor of optometry said that when completed, it would attract more foreign partnership and investors in into the countrys health sector.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer/Registrar ODORBN, Prof. Ebele Uzodike, said that the construction of the permanent office for optometrists would reposition the profession to perform better.

She described ground breaking as giving birth to something important. For over 20 years, we have operated in borrowed buildings, from Lagos to Abuja.

Today, not only are we in the FCT, but we are now trying to build our own edifice, where we will stay and grow.

The population of virtually challenged people varies in Nigeria, depending on the population and location. We have over 5,000 licensed optometrists in Nigeria. We also have over 2,500 dispensing opticians, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Vivian Emoni

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) on Monday warned FCT residents to desist from all types of illegal activities in the FCT or face prosecution.

Dr Hassan Abubakar, Director of the Board spoke during a clean-up exercise organised by AEPB at Karimajiji, along Airport Road.

Abubakar said the aim of the exercise was to ensure that the FCT environment looked beautiful, adding that the effort would prevent the spread of diseases.

I am advising the public to desist from this illegal act but if they refuse to abide by our instructions, we will get them arrested and prosecute them, we have informed them earlier.

We have also informed the leadership of the area and they gave us permission to arrest and prosecute anyone caught in such act.

My advice to the residents is that when you follow the rules, you will have rest of mind, once the law is obeyed, you will not have issues with anybody.

If you do not want to obey our rules and regulations you will not rest and AEPB will not rest because we cannot sit and watch you engage in illegal activities. We are out, we must make sure that we stop all illegal activities.

All the open defecation they are practising around here, we are ready to arrest and prosecute anyone caught.

Our monitoring team will always visit the area. We want to make sure that this place remains clean and neat, he explained.

Abubakar said that the board was under administrate directive to stop all environmentally harmful practices in the area.

We are determined; we must not allow those people to engage in illegal trading. All the mechanics, hawkers and other illegal activities must stop.

This is Airport Road, this area need to be clean and look very nice so that when our visitors come aroundfrom other states or country, they will know that the FCT environment is clean and healthy, he said.

The director urged the residents to support the government so as to ensure that the FCT environment was kept clean and attractive. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kemi Akintokun

The Work and Play Motorsports Group, organiser of the 2021 Ondo Auto Rally, says the motorsports will attract top racers across the country.

Its President, Adeoye Ojuoko, said that the event was scheduled for April 3 at the Ilara Mokin Racing Course.

Ojuoko, in a statement, said:We have our 2018 and 2020 winner, Antonio Sandouk, on hand from Lagos.

Others are Femi Dada, Jay Bash, Argo Raak, Muyiwa Akintola, and Femi Fatimehin, among others, coming in for the on-road and off-road races.

All these speak to the credibility of the event and the interest it has stirred in the motorsports industry.

We have worked at making this very edition the best and have over the past five years fine-tuned our processes.

We believe an incredible racing atmosphere would be created that is unmatched so far, Ojuoko said.

He said that the group built an exclusive off-road track that will host the event in Ilara-Imokin in Ondo State.

The group president said the track was first put to test in November 2019, adding that COVID-19 pandemic shut down all activities lined up by the group in 2020.

Our event is unique because of several things, our tracks inclusive, and our purpose of build off-road track is what the top racers have been planning to come and conquer, he said.

Ojuokosaid that Serbian Argo Raak won the first-ever off-road event on the track and would be put to challenge by two-time Work and Play winner, Antonio Sandouk, Femi Fatimehin, among others.

Also, Work and Play was recently awarded the Best Tourism Promotion Initiative at the 2020 Nigeria Tourism Award.

This 2021 edition of the event will also see a whistle-stop by some of the touring racers at Idanre Hill and the Smokin Hills Golf Course, which hosts the Work and Play racing tracks. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has described late former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Kashimawo Laloko, as one of the best grassroots coaches Nigeria ever produced.

The minister said this in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), John Joshua-Akanji, on Monday in Abuja following the demise of the coach on Sunday.

My condolences to the family of Chief Laloko on his death. He was not just a coach, he was a talent hunter and technically sound.

I followed his trajectory as coach of Stationery Stores of Lagos, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, The Gambia National team, Technical Director of the NFA as well as Founder of the Pepsi Academy.

He was just not dedicated, hardworking and a disciplinarian, he made his mark everywhere he worked.

He was one of Nigerias best coaches, even when he became a paramount ruler, he was never tired in lending his support to Nigerian football, Dare said.

The minister also recalled how the late coach was at the media unveiling of the National Principals Cup in Lagos in 2020 and was very excited about the revival of the competition.

Laloko was so passionate about Nigerian football and gave everything for its growth. Nigeria has lost a great man. May his soul rest in peace, Dare added.

Laloko, 76, died in Lagos on Sunday.

The late coach was credited with the discovery of many great players including Mikel Obi, Ezekiel Bala, Osaze Odewimgie among others.

He held the traditional title of Parakoyi of Egbaland in Ogun. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Fosla Academy, Abuja, representing North Central zone, will battle Christ Comprehensive College, Kaduna (North West) in the football final of the revived National Principals Cup on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day finals holding at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, will end on Tuesday.

Fosla defeated Owerri City College, Imo State (South-East) 1-0 in the first semi-final played at the practice pitch of the stadium on Monday.

Christ Comprehensive College, Kaduna, on the other hand defeated Orile Comprehensive School, Abeokuta (South-West) 3-1 to advance to the final.

The two teams will clash in the final to be played at the practice pitch of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, on Tuesday as part of activities to round off the competition.

To reach the final, Fosla Academy worked over Abdulkadir Benisheikh of Borno (North East) on Sunday.

Fosla coach, Gilbert Igwe commended his boys for reaching the finals, but stressed on the need to go all out and win the final match.

We have come a long way and for the boys to reach this stage of the competition is on its own a huge mileage.

However, the job is just half done. It is not yet time for celebrations, he said.

The 2021 National Principals Cup commenced from state preliminary through zonal playoffs to the national final.

NAN reports that six football teams from the zonal finals are participating in the finals in Abuja.

Apart from football, the Abuja finals also have 24 table tennis players and 144 athletes from the six zones slugging it out for honours. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The final matches (Day 6) in Groups E, F, I, K and L in the qualifiers for the 2022 African Nations Cup (AFCON) take place on Tuesday.

Group E
Morocco vs Burundi
Central African Republic (CAR) vs Mauritania

Group F
Mozambique vs Cape Verde
Cameroon vs Rwanda

Group I
Senegal vs eSwatini
Guinea-Bissau vs Congo

Group K
Madagascar vs Niger
Cote dIvoire vs Ethiopia

Group L
Sierra Leone vs Benin
Nigeria vs Lesotho (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The FCTA says it has provided N5 billion counterpart funding in the 2021 budget for the actualisation of Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in livestock production.

The Chairman, Project Implementation Committee, Prof. Muhammad Usman, said this at stakeholder engagements of Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and IFAD-SAPZ appraisal mission to FCT on Monday in Abuja.

Usman said that measures had been put in place for the immediate take off of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in livestock production in the FCT.

The chairman said that the FCT Administration had developed a strategic implementation plan for the next three years of the administration.

Usman said the project would help in the development of the FCT, noting that SAPZ was one of the strategies to deliver on President Muhammadu Buhari plan to create jobs for the youth.

He said the project would complement government efforts of taking 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next nine years.

Usman said that the SAPZ when fully established would improve modernise livestock production for food nutrition security and making available quality and price competitive beef and dairy products for local and export markets.

Usman stressed that the project would resettle pastoralists, decongest the FCT of roaming cattle and mitigate farmer and herder conflicts.

The SAPZ is essentially one of our strategies to deliver on President Buharis plan to create jobs for the youth and to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over the next nine years.

We plan to complement this with the production in the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) of the Federal Government while incentivising as many multi-national corporations with interest in livestock and dairy production.

We have constituted a multi-sectoral, inter-agency and multi-disciplinary SAPZ project development team for FCTA.

The team will worked through the COVID-19 lockdown period, to prepare draft project implementation checklists, design layouts, and infrastructure provision cost estimates, he said.

Usman noted that the administration had aligned with the Federal Government policies and programmes on the ease of doing business.

He stressed that the administration had commenced stakeholders engagement to achieve top three sub-national ranking at the end of 2021.

In a presentation, Monde Nyambe, the Task Team Leader of AfDB, said the establishment of SAPZ was one of the plans by the bank to achieve five cardinal objectives.

She listed the five objectives to include power and light up Africa, feed Africa, industrialise Africa, integrate Africa and improve quality of life of Africans by using the small holder farmers.

Nyambe, used the occasion to restate the commitment of the bank toward actualisation of the project. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Shuaib Sadiq

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday in Kaduna opened a three-day workshop for electoral officers responsible for monitoring elections and political parties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC is being supported by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) to train the staff on Party Management and Administration ahead of 2023 polls.

Mr Aminu Idris, INECs Director, Election and Party Monitoring said at the opening of the workshop that, the participants were drawn from INEC offices in the 19 Northern states.

Idris said the workshop was to build the capacity of the staffs to effectively monitor political parties to improve the electoral process ahead of 2023 general polls.

He noted that proper monitoring of the activities of political parties, including congresses and primaries, would minimize litigation and internal crisis.

The director said the participants would be introduced to new techniques for monitoring of political parties for a smooth electoral process in 2023.

Mr Sylvestre Somo, ECES Senior Project Officer, in a goodwill message, said that the workshop would improve the skills of INEC staff in monitoring election and political parties, to enhance the electoral process.

He said ECES promotes sustainable democratic development through the provision of advisory services, operational support and management of electoral and democracy processes across Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Somo ECES, through the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGN), has been supporting INEC to deliver on its mandate of improving Nigerias electoral process.

The workshop which seeks to improve the skills of the staff of election and party monitoring department of INEC in political management, is another major step towards improving the Nigeria electoral process, he added.

He noted that political parties, being primary stakeholders in the electoral process with the constitutional power to present candidates for elective offices and solicit votes during elections, needed to be monitored and be guided to ensure transparency.

Political parties and candidates are expected to adhere to all the electoral procedures and laws, including the electoral code of conduct in order to reinforce the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

Hence, the need to effectively monitor the parties and exercise required oversight functions as prescribed in the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

It is therefore a matter of consolation that this workshop has been put together to strengthen the capacity of the EMB staffs in political parties management and administration.

It is our hope that the knowledge to be gained at this workshop will help in repositioning political parties to play effectively their role and contribute to the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, Somo added.

According to him, this will be in fulfillment of visionary statement of Rev. Apollinaire Ma imalu, Co-founder of ECES who said the good collaboration between EMB and political parties can transform the elections into a celebration of choices rather than drama.

Somo said with the wide range of topics slated for presentation at the workshop and the caliber of participants and resource persons, he was confident that the noble objectives of the workshop would be achieved.

I wish to commend INEC for taking this bold initiative of putting in place this workshop especially at the crucial time when preparations for the 2023 elections will begin in earnest.

I also wish to thank the European Union Delegation for consistent support to the activities of ECES in Nigeria within the scope of the EUSDGN, Somo said.

Meanwhile, INEC Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kaduna State, Mr Awwal Mashi assured that the resource persons at the event would bring in new skills for better management of political parties.

Mashi, also the Commissions Administrative Secretary in the state, noted that the objective was to sharpen the skills of staffs in party management, to improve on the achievements recorded during the 2019 general polls. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang/Kingsley Okoye

The Federal Government has expressed reservation over a Bill for an Act to establish a National Dermatology Hospital in Garkida, Adamawa.

Minister of State for Health Olorunnimbe Mamora made this known at a public hearing in Abuja on Monday on three bills sponsored by Sen. Aishatu Dahiru (APC-Adamawa).

The bills included National Dermatology Hospital, Garkida Adamawa, Establishment Bill 2021, Teaching Hospital for the Modibbo Adama University, Yola and Federal Medical Centre Establishment Bill.

The hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).

According to Mamora, calls for establishment of the dermatology hospital is ill timed given the financial implication and absence of required personnel.

He, therefore, called for the maintaining of existing dermatology units or clinics in various tertiary health institutions in the country.

We observed that most of the federal teaching hospitals and some federal medical centres have that department, called the Department of Dermatology.

It is a specialised department where issues that have to do with the skin can be better managed.

We believe that as much as it is important to pay attention to the issue of dermatology, we also know that establishing a hospital for dermatology condition will affect patients opportunity to be co-managed by other specialists

We also know that inviting other specialists or engaging them on a visiting basis will not be cost effective and it can delay patients management, he said.

Speaking on the bill for establishment of a Teaching Hospital for Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Mamora said it is like putting the cart before the horse.

What we are saying is that proposing a bill to amend the teaching hospitals Act to include the name of a non-existent hospital is like putting the cart before the horse.

This is because existing Federal Medical Centres automatically become teaching hospitals following Presidential approval in states that have Federal Universities without medical schools.

I think this is the most important thing that we need to know, Mamora said.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe while reacting to the ministers position said the federal medical centres as they were had no enabling laws.

That is why the bill is seeking to set up proper standard criteria as what the FMCs should be.

On the Dermatology Hospital, Oloriegbe said that we have other specialised hospitals; eye hospitals, ear hospitals are there that specialise, why did you create them, why are we not talking of resources.

Earlier, while declaring open the forum, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said that the proposals were part of efforts at strengthening health institutions from the general aspects to the specialised parts.

He was represented by Senate Deputy Whip, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate Committee on Health has summoned the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo over continued importation of syringes into the country at the detriment of local manufacturers.

The Senate committee also invited the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, issued the summon on Monday at a public hearing on The need to regulate the manufacturing, importation and use of syringes and needles to protect the lives and safety of Nigerians as well as the economy of the country.

The committee expressed displeasure over the failure of Ministry of Trade and Investment to implement the Backward Integration Policy (BIP) on local production of syringes five years after it was validated.

It also criticised NAFDAC for licensing companies Indian and Chinese companies to import syringes into the country.

Oloriegbe said You cant keep licensing agents outside Nigeria to import syringes, while local firms are dying. There is no complexity in the production of syringes.

He said that in spite of the capacity of the local firms to meet the market demands, an estimated 1 billion units per annum of syringe and needles were being imported into the country making the country to lose huge foreign exchange.

He, therefore, asked the Minister of Trade and Investment to appear before the committee on April 15 to explain why the BIP, which was validated in 2017, has not been presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

The committee mandated NAFDAC to furnish it with the list of companies that have been importing syringes into the country in the last 15 years, the quantity imported, evidence of checks on licensed foreign companies and licensing fees.

The committee directed the Health Minister to explain why public-owned hospitals were not using locally-manufactured syringes.

Meanwhile, the President of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MEDMAN), Akin Oyediran, said all the seven licensed local manufacturers have the potential to produce 2.4 billion units of syringes per annum if provided with favorable business environment.

The syringes needed in Nigeria is between 2 billion to 2.5 billion annually. All the seven local manufacturers have the capacity to produce 1.95 billion a year.

But if we have the support of the government, especially the implementation of BIP, they will scale up to produce all the demands in a matter of months.

The quality is world class. The quality is not questionable, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News