By Abujah Racheal
A photo exhibition to highlight to amplify maternal health interventions in saving womens lives is scheduled to begin in Abuja on Friday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The exhibition by a network of journalism professionals would be held outdoors, while the virtual version also comes up the same day.

solution -focused photo exhibition will begin in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), on Friday, March 26, 2021 at Ventures Park in Abuja.

Mr Chibuike Alagboso, a 2019 fellow of the Solutions Journalism Network, USA, said that the exhibition would showcase solutions that made positive impact on the lives of women.

Alagboso, who work for a health communication and advocacy organisation, said the exhibition would highlight solutions that were improving maternal health interventions which was one of his organisations focus areas.

News about Nigerias poor maternal health indices is well known. Various stories have been written about the women that have lost their lives while giving birth.

This is not acceptable and people with the power to change the status quo must continue to be held accountable to do more in improving maternal outcomes.

It is also important to tell the stories of people who are working hard to improve the situation, he said.

Mrs Ruona Meyer, Africa Initiative Manager of the Solutions Journalism Network, said the exhibition had received submissions from photojournalists from Nigeria, Ghana, United States, and Germany.

She said that it was important to be inclusive while covering women issues by media practitioners.

The most commonly marginalised population, in society and in news reportage is often women. Sometimes, this is not intentional, but it can definitely be unlearned, because it comes at a great socioeconomic and even mortal cost to women.

The spirit with which the Solutions Journalism Network was set up and operates is to advocate for a more inclusive, wholesome version of the news.

Also speaking, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, Nigeria Health Watchs Managing Director, believes this was timely because it was a first of its kind photo exhibition in the country aiming to heighten awareness about maternal health.

It is time we had these discussions beyond the health sector and time we start asking questions, why are women still dying, just because they want to live, she said.

NAN reports that the organizers said attendance to both the physical and virtual exhibition is free after registration on www.bit.ly/posdeviants and www.bit.ly/virtualpdex.

Source: NAN News

By Oluwafunke Ishola

Two-third of Africans interviewed have expressed their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccines, says the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Africa CDC disclosed this in a statement from its Addis Ababa, Ethiopia headquarter on Thursday.

This was revealed as part of the findings of a report released by the Partnership for Evidence- Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) Consortium.

The consortium is made up of public health organisations such as the Africa CDC; Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies; the World Health Organization (WHO).

Some other organisations that make up the consortium are the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team; World Economic Forum (WEF) and private sector firms such as market research company, Ipsos.

The new briefs (part of the third series of data collection and analysis from PERC) combine results from phone surveys on the impact of public health and social measures (PHSMs) with information on epidemiological trends, media monitoring, and data on population mobility.

According to the statement, the sentiment on willingness to take the COVID-19 jabs varied across the continent.

In the 19 member countries surveyed, 91 per cent of the people surveyed in Morocco were mostly interested in receiving the vaccines, while Tunisia and Cameroon had the lowest number of people, at 35 per cent, it said.

It disclosed levels of acceptability in other countries with Nigeria at 72 per cent; South Africa and Zimbabwe being 61 per cent each; Zambia 53 per cent and Mozambique 75 per cent.

The report noted that Egypt had 78 per cent, Kenya 59 per cent, and the Democratic Republic of Congo had 52 per cent.

Dr Ahmed Ouma, Deputy Director, Africa CDC, recommended that African countries should continue with the rollout of the vaccine.

Ouma noted that the African Taskforce for Coronavirus (AFTCOR) had disclosed based on evidence that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh its risks.

Also, Dr Emmanuel Agogo, Nigeria Country Representative, Resolve to Save Lives, urged the media to take responsibility for enlightening audiences toward improving vaccine acceptance.

He advised journalists to shun sensationalism in their report on vaccines, dispel myths with reliable and accurate information, research, fact check and use trusted sources of information to enhance their reports. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Stella Kabruk

The Kaduna State Karate Association in conjunction with the state Ministry of Sports Development has begun open camp for 14 karatekas ahead of the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) in Edo.

Jummai Nuhu, the Public Relation Officer of the ministry, said on Thursday in Kaduna that the male and female karatekas and three coaches were camped at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival tagged Edo 2020 is scheduled to take place from April 2 to April 16.

Nuhu said the training was to boost their morale, strengthen performance and strategise for a resounding success during the tournament.

She said the camp was being sponsored by the association Chairman, Mr Lurgi de Rossi, adding that all the players were tested for the COVID-19 beforeallowed into the camp. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Two pilots were ejected from a Royal Navy aircraft during a flight over an English seaside county, Britains Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Local media, including Sky News, reported that the pilots were ejected after the Royal Navy Hawk aircraft crashed while flying over a helicopter base in Cornwall.

The ministry of defence confirmed that the pilots were ejected from the aircraft while flying in Cornwall but did not confirm if the aircraft had crashed.

The two pilots were being treated at the scene but are now being taken to a hospital, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Their injuries were not currently thought to be life-threatening or changing.

Members of the public were being asked to avoid the area, the force said.

An investigation has been launched into the case. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rita Iliya

No fewer than 53,000 poultry birds have been lost to avian flu otherwise known as bird flu in Choma village, Tafa Local Government Area of Niger.

Dr Sani Nma, Director, Veterinary Services of the states Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Minna.

NAN reports that the ministry had on March 23 in a statement announced the outbreak of the disease among some poultry farmers in the state.

The director said that the value of the lost birds was N615 million, adding that workers on the affected poultry farms in the community had been laid off.

Nma noted that samples of the birds were taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute (VON) in Plateau, where it was confirmed that the affected birds had the virus.

The farm consists of clusters of birds such as layers, pullet and cockerels.

The birds started dying one after the other and we were thinking it was a normal bacteria.

It was when the mortality rate increased that samples were taken to VON and it was discovered that the birds have been infected with AI type A of the virus, he said.

Nma described the laboratory where the samples were taken to as the Western Africa Regional Laboratory for avian influenza.

The director noted that the farm premises had been fumigated with disinfectant and educational materials had been given on how to contain the situation.

He said that the state government had advised poultry farmers to be alert, as well as strengthen their association to cater for such incidence. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Felicia Imohimi.

The Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OCP Africa Fertilisers for improved soil quality and increase in agricultural productivity.

The institute and OCP Africa signed the MoU at the ongoing inception workshop on Management of Problematic Soils in Nigeria in Abuja organised by the two organisations.

The theme of the workshop is Disseminating Innovation and Technologies for Managing Problematic Soils in Nigeria.

Prof. Victor Chude, Registrar of NISS noted that the overall goal of the project was to improve soil quality and increase agricultural productivity through effective sustainable management of problematic soils.

Chude said NISS was committed to educating farmers on resolving the various issues associated with problematic soil.

According to him, farmers must realise that there are problematic soil issues that must be managed for them to have a good harvest.

Chude noted that the project would commence in 12 intervention states across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

According to him, it is aimed at gathering compendium of maps and soil data to support development of effective soil sustainable management practices including site and crop specific blends.

Chude listed the beneficiary states based on zones as Anambra and Abia (South East), Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom (South- South), Ekiti and Ogun (South West), Nasarawa and Kogi, (North Central), Sokoto and Kebbi (North West); and Taraba and Gombe (North East)

OCP Africa Nigeria Country Manager, Caleb Usoh said providing solutions to one of the farmers age-long menace would ensure food security and eradicate poverty within the farming population.

Represented by Mr Oluwatoba Asana, Production and Technical Manager of the organisation Usoh attributed the low productivity per hectare of farmlands in the country mostly to soil conditions.

He said the management of problematic soils would lead to enhanced crop productivity through addition of soil amendments to correct the variances or by manipulating the agronomic practices.

Usoh noted that partnership with NISS was yet another testament to OCP Africas avowed commitment to see to the development of Nigerias agricultural ecosystem. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Douglas Okoro

Mr Chris Usolor representing Ezza South constituency in the Ebonyi House of Assembly says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would never succumb to intimidations of the ruling party in the state.

The PDP made the remarks in a statement released by the party at the end of a stakeholders meeting held on Thursday in Abakaliki .

According to the statement, members of the opposition PDP have resolved to remain united and committed to promoting good governance through vibrant and credible opposition.

Usulor, who signed the statement, alleged that members of the party including serving members of both the state and national assembly were being harrased and victimised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He said that the eight serving state lawmakers who did not defect with Gov. Dave Umahi would continue to remain loyal and committed members of PDP.

The eight of us in the house who refused to join the governor in defecting to APC have resolved to remain in the PDP and will not be swayed by anybody or any factor to leave the party.

Theres growing level of intimidation against our members and supporters because they have decided to remain in PDP.

As party leaders, we have to work hard in our various capacities to protect our teeming supporters and members across the state from these unwarranted attacks and incessant acts of intimidations, the statement read .

The statement urged leaders of the party to bury their political ambitions and personal interests to enable them build and sustain a united party in the state, vowing also to mobilize for new members to join the PDP .

The party leaders condemned what it described as the use of deceitful tactics to force its members and supporters especially at the rural areas to register with the APC.

Our members especially those in the rural areas are being deceived into registering with the APC in the ongoing partys registration exercise with false claims that they are compiling lists for empowerment programmes.

We urge our leaders in various communities to be vigilant in order to resist such subterfuge, it added .

The statement, therefore, urged PDP members and supporters not to fall for the desperate antics of the APC while remaining focused to the programmes of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, convened by the eight members of the state assembly took place at the residence of Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, who represented Ebonyi Central senatorial district.

Other serving members present at the meeting include; Mr Humphrey Nwuruku, former majority leader representing Ikwo South, Mrs Ngozi Eziuloh, representing Afikpo North-East, Mrs Franca Okpo who represents Abakaliki South constituency .

Others are; Dr Oliver Osi, representing Ivo constituency, Mr Chidi Eze, representing Afikpo South-East and Ali Okechukwu, representing Ishielu North constituencies .

Also, former Nigerian Ambassador and immediate-past chairman of the Divine Mandate Elders Forum, Chief Franklin Ogbuewu, a former Senator, Chief Sylvanus Ngele and former Minsiter of Health for State, Chief Fide Nwankwo attended.

Chief Solomon Onwe former deputy Speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly and one time National Secretary of the PDP was also in attendance including Mrs Adaeze Nwuzor and Chief Felix Mgbada among others.

In a swift reaction, Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, APC state caretaker committee chairman, described the PDP allegation as unfounded and baseless.

The APC and its government believe in the rule of law and virile opposition as bedrock for good governance.

The party is committed to providing good governance, Gov Dave Umahi is concentrating in providing dividends of democracy to our people.

We will not join issues with a sinking party, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Deborah Coker
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in Edo on Thursday in Benin, organised a one-day workshop to reposition corps and condition the minds of its Commanding Officers and Head of Operations against bribery and corruption.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop also to prepare the officials for effective achievements of the corps mandate in the state.

The event with the theme: Repositioning Commanding Officers and Head of Operations for Improved Operatives Performance in Edo was declared open by

Mr Henry Benamaisia, the Edo Sector Commander of the corps.

In his opening remarks, Benamaisia explained that the workshop was significant in ensuring that staff members were well equipped with the necessary knowledge in the fight against bribery and corrupt practices.

He explained that it was necessary for the repositioning of the minds of staff members and improve their performance in order to ensure that the corps strategic goals were effectively achieved.

He charged participants at the workshop to be proactive and ensure improved and effective operations and patrols without emasculating the motoring public.

He stressed that the workshop was in furtherance of the managements zero tolerance for corruption and to prepare the newly-deployed commanders for the tasks ahead in order to improve on their operational capacity.

The sector commander said that the workshop was in line with the crash reduction goal of the Corps for 2021.

He added that this was in order to harness a better output by the corps in Edo

Meanwhile, Mrs Faustina Adeoluwa, one of the resource persons, said that the lecture was aimed at sensitising staff members of the command to shun all forms of corrupt practices.

Adeoluwa, who represented the state Commissioner, ICPC Edo and Delta, in her presentation: Curbing Corruption on Nigerian Roads enunciated the effects and consequences of corruption and who was a corrupt officer.

Similarly, Mr Fatai Bakare, Head of Operations, FRSC, Delta, command in his presentation Enforcement of Critical Offences as a Strategic Tool to
Achieving Road Traffic Crash Reduction emphasised on methods for effective enforcement.

In the same vein, Mr Nazir Mohammed, Head of Operations, Edo command, identified the way forward from where the corps in the state presently was.

Mohammeds presentation was Exposition on Expectations in improving Operational Activities in an Operating Environment like Edo.

Source: NAN News

Emmanuel Oloniruha

Voter access to Polling Units (PUs)is at the heart of every electoral democracy because PUs are the basis on which citizens exercise their fundamental rights to vote and to make electoral choices freely.

However, the right to vote cannot be effectively exercised without a place to vote, which is polling unit.

The Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) defines a polling unit as the place, enclosure, booth, shade or house at which voting takes place under this Act (Section 156-interpretation).

Therefore, PUs constitutes the basic structure of Nigerias electoral system and democracy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to establish adequate number of PUs in the country and assign voters to them.

Specifically, Section 42 of the Act provides that: The Commission shall establish sufficient number of Polling Units in each Registration Area and allot voters to such Pus.

Bu over the years, concerned Nigerians observe that voter access to PUs across Nigeria has been on the decline, as the number of PUs remained static in spite of increase in population and the expansion of settlements across the country.

According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, voter access to polling units across Nigeria is presently in a state of crisis that needs urgent attention.

Yakubu said the current 119,973 existing polling units established by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) 25 years ago in 1996 was projected to serve 50 million registered voters, which gradually rose to 84,004,084 by 2019.

We envisage that by the next general elections in 2023, the population of registered voters may be twice the number projected in 1996. Yet, the number of polling units remains the same, he said.

Yakubu noted that over the years, several challenges have confronted INEC, including the inadequate number of polling units, as a result of population growth, demographic shifts, establishment of new settlements and residential areas.

Since the law ties registration of voters and voting to specific PUs, it means that voters have to walk long distances on election day to vote. Often, they are not able to do so because of restrictions on movement, he said.

Yakubu added that inadequacy of polling units implied that many of the PUs are overcrowded during electionscwhich is a recipe for delays, disruptions, violence and apathy.

He cited a situation during the 2011 elections, where most of the PUs saw turnouts exceeding the 500 voters designated per polling unit.

A review carried out by the commission in 2014 revealed that many polling units exceeded the designated figure of 500 voters per PU by a couple of thousands while some had over 4,000 registered voters.

For the 2019 general election, the average number of voters per polling unit was about 700 voters nationally, rising to more than 2,000 voters in the FCT while a specific polling unit in Nasarawa State had more than 15,000 voters.

These huge numbers of voters at PUs which constitutes health and safety issues in this period of the global COVID-19 pandemic, pointed to the urgency of reorganising polling units, Yakubu said.

Another problem according to Yakubu is the location of the PUs at difficult places which would not encourage voters to participate in elections, particularly persons living with disability.

Until recently, some were even located in the homes of important people and religious groups that often have political leanings capable of discouraging some voters from voting.

Also, some PUs are located in highly charged and contested areas, including areas experiencing communal conflicts, he observed.

All these, according to him have also contributed to violation of election regulations and guidelines, violence and insecurity during elections.

He noted that the problem also made arrangement of voting facilitates to be difficult and encouraged vote buying during elections.

This particular problem has become even more serious in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic because the constricted spaces available at polling units do not support the necessary social distancing recommended by health authorities, he said.

The INEC boss said the commission had made several efforts in the past to address the problem but were politicised or misunderstood by Nigerians, due to lack of proper sensitisation and the decisions coming close to elections.

According to Yakubu, some of the efforts by the commission to address the problem include the creation of baby units in 2007, voting points in 2011 and voting point settlements in FCT in 2016.

In an effort to address this challenges INEC in February began consultation with stakeholders early ahead of a new electoral cycle (2019-2023), with some major upcoming activities such as the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and several off-cycle elections.

At a presentation to the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters, Yakubu solicited NASS support to convert existing voting points across the country to polling units and relocate some to underserved areas.

He urged the lawmakers and stakeholders to help de-politicise issues around the intention, noting that existing PUs were no longer suitable for INEC to properly manage election and ensure that rules and regulations were strictly adhered to.

Yakubu disclosed that the commission already received no fewer than 9,000 requests from communities and individuals across Nigeria from October 2020 to February 2021 for the creation of new PUs.

INEC National Commissioner, Okechukwu Ibeanu, also making presentation on: The State of Voter Access to polling units in Nigeria, said the problem was nationwide and not limited to a particular state or political zone.

Ibeanu said the existing 119,973 were no longer conducive to voters to exercise their right to vote, especially in the context of the COVID-19 protocols.

Illustrating the voter turnout decline in Nigeria during election, Ibeanu said between 1999 and 2019, voter turnout in Nigeria dropped by 17 per cent, compare to Ghana which rose by 17 per cent within the same period.

If you look at Nigeria situation during that same period the number of voters per pulling unit increased by 217. Conversely for Ghana, it decreased by 91 voters.

So it seems to suggest that there is a strong link, such that the much the number of voters per polling unit, the lower the voter turnout, Ibeanu said.

He said that in addressing the present situation, the commission had proposed three frameworks for permanent solutions, include the possibility that residents of a new area to apply for PU, which will go through a verification and approval process.

The second approach will be to create what section 13 of the Electoral Act talks about as polling areas, while the third approach is the possibility of converting the existing voting points and voting settlements in the FCT to full-fledged pulling units.

We think that the first two proposed solutions will take a long time and substantial resources to achieve.

It seems to us that converting voting points and voting points settlement to pulling units is probably the most visible, the least time consuming and likely to be the least controversial, he said.

However, various stakeholders have expressed supports for INEC to as a matter of urgency expand polling units across the country.

President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan at a stakeholders forum organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters assured INEC of NASSs support on expanding polling units across the country.

Lawan said that the National Assembly would always support the provision of safe and more convenient environment for voters.

I want to assure the chairman of INEC and indeed Nigerians that the National Assembly will support INEC fully, completely and wholly in ensuring that we provide a better voting environment for our citizens.

We will do whatever it takes, because democracy is about participation and voting is probably the most important thing, Lawan said.

Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Leonard Nzenwa at INEC consultation with party leaders, described the commissions effort as timely, especially at a time the NASS Joint Committee on INEC was almost completing work on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2010.

Nzenwa said adequacy of PUs, conduciveness and a good environment was very important in deepening Nigeria democracy.

He advised INEC to begin the process of conversion based on clearly articulated guidelines.

Hajiya Saa Ibrahim, Chairman, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BOS), speaking when INEC consultation with labour unions and professional associations, advised the commission to remove all PUs located in compounds of traditional, religious and political leaders.

Ibrahim, represented by the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Elections Debate Group, Mr Eddie Emessiri, said the action was imperative to ensure that all eligible voters have access to polling units.

Ibrahim commended INEC for providing rich data on the proposed expansion of PUs, advising it to meticulously follow the provided data to avoid unnecessary pitfall.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye said that in the next few days, INEC would conclude the consultative phase and release clear guidelines for the movement of voting points to decongest the existing ones.

Okoye assured Nigerians that no voting point would be moved from one local government to another, nor undue advantage be given to any state or region.

The primary object of all this is to make the voting experience more pleasant and less tedious for Nigerians, he said.

Stakeholders believe that since declining access to PUs is potentially disenfranchising millionsof eligible voters, there is the need for INEC to urgently expand PUs if the credibility of the countrys electoral system.(NANFeatures)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has rejected the assessment of Bubari administration by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

Reacting to the current rating by CISLAC, Mohammed described it as unfair and unacceptable.

CISLAC, a non-governmental organisation, had on March 23 in Abuja addressed a press briefing where it allegedly accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of lack of transparency in the recovery of stolen assets.

However, fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday, the minister dismissed CISLACs accusation, saying the assessment is not truly a reflection of the realities on ground.

He said: I think that Im aware of that particular rating which was not quite flattering to Nigeria, but our position, which Ive declared before is that that rating does not truly reflect the great strides that the administration has made in the area of fighting corruption.

The government has put in place various reforms in fighting corruption, but some of these reforms will take time to yield the desired results because the matrix used by TI is not just about grafts alone.

It includes how transparent or how opaque the services are and youll find out that when we scored in the 2018, 2019 transparency reports, we realised that we scored very low in the area of ease of doing business in particular.

The minister stated that the Federal Government had embarked on various reforms aimed at tackling cases of corrupt practices in both private and public sectors of the economyto improve the countrys rating by the Transparency International (TI).

That is why the federal government embarked on reforms, especially at the seaports, because that is one area where we scored very low.

You will see that in recent times, weve embarked on numerous reforms at our seaports so that our rating will improve.

For instance, we realised that following the release of 2019 TI corruption perception index, we initiated reforms to improve on ease of doing business indices.

This is because we found that up to 40 per cent of the countrys corruption perception survey indices related to business, process and general public service delivery.

So, that is why we are concentrating on the ease of doing business, making sure that people can get to the ports, clear the goods in good time and by the time some of these forms start yielding fruits, Im sure that perception will improve, he added.

Mohammed further disclosed that the federal government had put in place preventive mechanism to check corruption rather than prosecution.

He said: We believe that its more important to put in place preventive mechanism rather than prosecution and this preventive mechanism that weve put in place include the programme launched by the ICPC, which is what they called the National Ethics Policy.

According to him, this policy addresses integrity issues in all sectors of the polity and is directly linked to the pillar of national anti-corruption strategy.

He revealed that the Code of Conduct Bureau had also put in place some preventive measures, especially in the area of energising the code of conduct for public officers

Mohammed disclosed that the Council for Ease of Doing Business recently launched the Nigerian Ports Process manual meant to help people doing business at the nation ports.

In addition, we actually also analysed the process that the TI used in the rating that was used recently and we found quite a few discrepancies in the rating process, including some data sources in which Nigerias course has remained flat over the past 10 years.

What we said is that we take this ratings seriously, so we actually went and analysed the ratings and we found that thereve been some gaps.

Its either weve not flooded enough data or they have not revised all data because we found it strange that the countrys rating in certain areas has remained the same for a period of 10 years.

We are taking the media measures so that they can get this data in respect of these sectors because we believe that its not possible for you not to improve, for you not to lose points for 10 years. So theres a bit of discrepancy there, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 96 new cases of COVID-19 late on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 162,178.

The NCDC, which made the announcement on its official Twitter handle made no mention of any death from the disease within the past 24 hours.

On the 24th of March, 96 new confirmed cases were recorded in Nigeria.

Till date, 162,178 cases have been confirmed, 148,726 cases have been discharged and 2,031 deaths have been recorded in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The 96 new cases are reported from 15 states: Lagos (28), Yobe (20), Akwa Ibom (10), Cross River (9), Kaduna State (6), Kano State (5) and Edo (4).

Others are Oyo State (3), Plateau (3), Jigawa (2), Osun (2), Borno (1), Nasarawa (1), Rivers (1) and Sokoto State (1).

NCDC said that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre, activated at level 3 had continued to coordinate national response activities in the country.

It noted that there were 11,421 active cases in Nigeria in the past 24 hours.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigerias daily fresh COVID-19 cases have continued to follow a downward trend from an all-time high of 2,314 on Jan. 22.

Daily new positive cases have come down to 86 as at March 21.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has tested1,727, 467people since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced on Feb. 27, 2020.

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N82 billion for the completion of infrastructure projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja is also included in the project.

The Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammed Bello, made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday.

Bello said that about N8.1 billion of the amount was approved for the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat.

I presented six memos and all have to do with infrastructure and infrastructure-related projects.

The first one is for the revision of the contracts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Expressway to Ring Road I in the Federal Capital City.

That contract was approved at a varied contract amount of N15, 125, 122, 967. It is expected that this contract would be completed within 24 months.

The second project, which was also approved, is for the revised estimated cost of the contract for the construction of a 15-kilometre left hand service carriage way of the outer surface of the outer Southern Expressway stage II.

The augmentation of this particular project is in the sum of N11, 476, 476, 424, 350.

The third memo is for the rehabilitation of phase I of the Federal Secretariat, which involves electro-mechanical systems, water system as well as other general rehabilitation.

This is a secretariat that was inaugurated in 1993, quite a long time ago so we are doing massive rehabilitation of that at a total sum of N8, 110, 665, 676.76 and the completion period is 24 months.

The minister disclosed that the other projects include those for the total overhaul of a 1500 KVA generating plant for the Abuja Environmental Protection Board at a cost of N110 million.

Bello said that approval was also granted for an upward review of the contract sum for the extension of the inner Southern Expressway at N47.6 billion.

He said that N131.4 million of the N82 billion was meant for the review of consultancy provision for the Independence and Constitution Avenue Road project in the Abuja Central Business District.

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to provide enabling environment to ensure successful implementation of the National Integrated Specimen Referral Network (NiSRN) Policy.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire made the pledge on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of NiSRN and Operational Manual.

The manual was developed by the Medical Laboratory Service Division under the leadership of the National Laboratory Technical Group.

The minister said for sustainability of the referral network, programmes, partners and all relevant implementers were encouraged to pull and integrate resources for an organised implementation.

We also encourage counterparts from the sub-National (State and local government) and even the private sector to key-in and leverage on the NiSRN initiative as it holds great benefits.

It is pertinent to acknowledge the commitment and input from numerous partners toward the development of this document and also thank the leadership of National laboratory technical working group for providing guidance.

It is my sincere hope that the implementation of this NiSRN policy will contribute to achieving the goal of the government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to make quality healthcare accessible to Nigerians, he said

According to him, the Nigerian Laboratory sub-sector has experienced some gains in recent times, such as the improvement of in-country capacity for molecular testing leveraging on COVID-19 response and interventions.

The sector has also experienced some gains in the optimisation of Gene Xpert platforms for molecular testing and improved finance for health, especially within the laboratory sub-sector.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Mr Abdulaziz Abdullahi said the development of the manual began with the step-by-step conceptualisation of the NiSRN strategy.

The manual began with conceptualisation of NiSRN strategy by the Health Supply Chain Procurement Supply Management (GHSC-PSM).

Involvement of the United State Government (USG) Team culminated into United State Agency for International Development (USAID) funded workshops which brought stakeholders and experts together to deliberate and produce the content of this manual.

Since specimen referral is relatively underdeveloped in Nigeria, there is the need for capacity building of the operators and managers of the NISRN.

Hence the need to disseminate the content of this operational manual at national and subnational levels, he said.

Mrs Alice Emeka, Deputy Director, Medical Laboratory Service, FMoH, gave a presentation on NiSRN policy and operational manual to the policy.

Emeka said laboratory investigation played a key role in health care delivery and that some limitations were observed within the Nigeria laboratory sub-sector.

Some of the limitations are that we have large land mass with dispersed clinical and diagnostic laboratory capacity and capability.

Limited linkages between existing in-country laboratories providing resources for clinical and diagnosis investigation.

Also, limited-service integration across disease areas as a result of vertical programme planning, design and implementation.

With these limitations, a smart way of getting the best of the investment in the laboratory sub-sector (equipment and human resources) in Nigeria is the harmonised and integrated specimen referral system.

The best of investment in sub-sector is the harmonised and integrated specimen referral system to ensure optimised supply chain through lean operation of doing more with less, she said.

The director said the ministry would be responsible for referral network (as part of its healthcare delivery obligations), operated by private logistics companies.

She said international health organisations and other stakeholders, specifically those of medical laboratory services were expected to participate in accordance to the provisions of this manual.

Since specimen referral is relatively underdeveloped in Nigeria, much training needs to be done for operators and managers of NiSRN, hence the need to disseminate the content of this operational manual at national and subnational levels, Emeka said.

The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the event was the unveiling of the dissemination of NiSRN Policy by Ehanire. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologunagba

World Health Organisation (WHO) says confirmed cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise around the world for the fourth consecutive week, with around 3.3 million new cases reported in the past seven-day period.

The UN health agency stated this in its Weekly Epidemiological Update posted on its website.

According to WHO, the number of new deaths from the coronavirus levelled off after a six-week decrease, with just over 60,000 new deaths reported.

It noted that Europe and the Americas continued to account for nearly eight in 10 of all cases and deaths.

The only region with report of decline in fatalities was the Western Pacific, down nearly a third, compared to the previous week.

Infections rose notably in South East Asia, Europe and Eastern Mediterranean.

In the African region and the Americas, it stated that infection remained stable in recent weeks, with concerning trends in some countries within the regions.

These include Brazil, where the highest numbers of new cases were reported (508,010 new cases in a week, representing a three per cent increase).

The United States saw 374,369 new cases a 19 per cent decrease while India saw 240,082 new cases, a 62 per cent increase.

France saw 204,840 new cases (up 27 per cent) and Italy saw little change, with a recorded 154,493 new cases.

WHO, however, said that latest data on coronavirus variants indicated that the so-called UK strain was present in 125 countries, across all six global regions.

It stated that the variant VOC202012/01 might be associated with increased risk of hospitalisation, severity and mortality.

WHO pointed to a study involving 55,000 COVID-19 patients between last October and January, where deaths from the UK variant stood at 4.1 per 1,000 compared with 2.5 per 1,000 among those infected with the previously circulating coronavirus.

It stated that in a more positive note, data from vaccine tests conducted in England from December 2020 to February 2021 when VOC202012/01 was very prevalent.

Also, the so-called South African variant 501Y.V2 is now present in 75 countries across all regions, in over 90 per cent of sequenced specimens in some settings.

Globally, there were 123,419,065 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 2,719,163 deaths reported to WHO as at March 23.

As of March 22, 2021, a total of 403,269,879 vaccine doses had also been administered. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Fabian Ekeruche

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) on Wednesday took its war against vulture extinction to another level with the launch of the Save Vultures Documentary screening in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the campaign, Our Plight to Survive , chronicles the challenges faced by vultures in the hands of poachers, traditional medicine practitioners, illicit traffickers of the creature, and others.

These activities are gradually making the vulture an endangered specie.

Dr Muhktari Aminu-Kano, Director-General /Chief Executive Officer, NCF, while delivering his welcome address, expressed gratitude to fellows of the foundation and partners for making the documentary a success.

Aminu-Kano said that NCF had been known globally for its campaign for the conservation of vultures.

According to him, a campaign for the survival of vultures translates to the survival of the eco-system and other species alike.

Also, Dr Joseph Onoja, a Director in NCF, said the foundation began its campaign for the protection of vultures since 2016.

Onoja noted that belief-based views were driving the extinction of vultures in Africa.

He said that the NCF had collaborated with market women, traditional medicine practitioners and law enforcement agencies in its campaign to save vultures from extinction.

NAN reports that some of the Save Vultures Ambassadors also showcased their involvement in the campaign for the survival of vultures.

Uduak Peters, a song writer and musician, popularly known as Tito Da Fire, recounted seeing huge population of vultures as a young child growing up in Liberia.

Tito Da Fire, however, noted that as an adult, such fantastic sight of vultures had become history.

Being a vulture ambassador has made me to understand the workings of the specie.

I have been engaging traditionalists on finding alternatives to vultures in traditional medicine, the musician said.

He said that killing vultures prevented the vultures from playing their roles as environmental sanitation officers.

Another vulture ambassador, Nigerian Comedian, Kunle Idowu , a.k.a Frank Donga, said that he first saw vultures as a student in Ago-Iwoye, in Ogun.

According to him, many Nigerians do not know much about the creature.

When you deprive vultures the opportunity to feed, you are killing vultures, Donga said.

He said that with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had become very careful of unnecessary contact with wildlife.

NAN reports that the documentary shows that traditionalists use vultures in the preparation of eye and sickle cell medication and for spiritual cleansing for people suspected to be possessed by evil spirit.

It urged traditional medicine practitioners to look for alternatives to vultures for the treatment of ailments.

The campaign also appealed to illicit traffickers of wildlife to desist from the trade because of its negative impact on the environment. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ijuo

Some participants at the end of first phase of a four-day capacity building workshop, organised by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), have commended the Funds commitment to effective service delivery.

They gave the commendation in a separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja.

The participants who were drawn from all public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education from the North Central, North East and North West, said TETFunds commitment to achieving its mandate was highly commendable.

One of the participants, Dr Onu David, Director Quality Assurance, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State, said that the Fund had performed excellently, particularly in its intervention in tertiary institutions

David, who commended the Fund for organising the workshop to further enlighten stakeholders on their roles, described it as very educative with stimulating discussions.

My work had essentially been centered on curriculum implementation, organisation, accreditation, teaching and learning as the case may be.

With the workshop however, I have been exposed to how project is an integral part of my job, he said.

He, however, urged the Fund to work on having an automated system where it could rank tertiary institutions without being necessarily present.

They can profile institutions and know the research output of academics without necessarily visiting the institutions.

All these things are done online now, so I think TETFund should scale up in that direction and institutions also need to be very visible online to make that easy, he said.

Mr Enyinnaya Akueshi, Head of Projects, Directorate of Physical Development, Works and Services, Open University, commended the Fund for intervening in various areas in the university.

We have a lot to take back to our various schools. We may also need to train others in the area of research, projects and many more, he said.

He, however, advised that the Fund to consider training for non-academic members of staff because there are also some needs that are non-academic.

Mrs Hadiza Suleiman, Acting Director, Quality Assurance, Adamu Tafawa Balewa College of Education, Bauchi State, aid the workshop was very enriching.

This is first of its kind and it has put us through on how to access TETFund interventions.

We were trained on the guidelines to follow, time management and service delivery among others, she said.

She, however, called on the Fund to assist in the area of academic training and development.

She said, the college was established in 2015 and because we were not trained on how to apply for interventions,we submitted our application late and missed out of a particular intervention.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, had in his opening address at the workshop, tasked benefiting institutions on adhering strictly to the guidelines to be able to access funds for projects.

Bagoro, who was represented by Mr Unchendu Wogu, a Director in the Office of the Executive Secretary, TETFund, said the theme of the workshop, Building Skills Effective Service Delivery was apt.

He noted that for any institution of higher learning to benefit from any form of intervention, it was important to adhere to all necessary guidelines, adding that this years theme is crafted on the premise to nurture and deliver more appropriately on building skills.

He added that, we want to achieve result as TETFund in line with our mandate. However, this could be jeopardised if there are dysfunctional services in our benefiting Institutions.

The workshop will cover quality assurance methods and enforcement in infrastructure and content based interventions in beneficiary institutions, strategic planning , corporate objectives and call analysis.

Others are, time and self management in service delivery, effective communication and efficient and efficient service delivery in the era of Information Communication Technology(ICT).

There will also be a rundown of TETFund intervention guidelines encompassing education support services, physical infrastructure, research and development, monitoring and evaluation.

NAN further reports that the second phase of the workshop which will also last for two days, will accommodate participants from South East, South West and South South.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Prof. Bissallah Ekele, the Chief Medical Director, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Gwagwalada, has urged Nigerians and all targeted ages to embrace the COVID-19 vaccination as directed.

Ekele gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada, shortly after one year anniversary for managing COVID-19 in the hospital.

The CMD urged the entire population to shun the notion that there is no COVID-19 in Nigeria, adding that there was need to be very careful of ones health status to help prevent the spread of the virus.

According to him, no health worker has been lost ever since the facility was turned into an isolation and treatment centre for the COVID-19 pandemic in the hospital.

We are not out of the woods yet, so it is reasonable to add whatever that needs to be added to preventan individual from contacting this disease.

The vaccination is one of such measures apart from wearing of face masks, maintaining hygiene and social distancing.

Fortunately for Nigeria, the highest political will has been shown, the President, the Vice President and ministers have taken the vaccine all we need to do is emulate our leaders because the disease is real.

I mean once in a while people will complain of pain in the arm but I say who will not have pains even if it is mosquito bites, he stressed.

According to him, stories in the social media that people who received the vaccine are collapsing and dying is not real, that is to say that the number of our health workers that took the vaccine increases daily.

Fortunately for us again in our hospital we have a thousand doses and almost 60 per cent of our health workers have received the vaccine without any effects.

I will advise that after health workers, it is time for the vaccination to be rolled out to members of the public.

The public should take advantage of it so that we can all be protected, live to cater for our children and develop the country, he said.

He said that the anniversary was aimed at celebrating the frontline health workers including doctors, nurses, hygienists, and other staffs of the hospital, who volunteered to be part of the COVID-19 treatment team.

Against speculations on social media that the COVID-19 vaccine has negative effects, he reassured of its safety, stressing that there was need for all to adhere to safety measures in order to effectively control spread of the virus.

I am impressed with the performance of our health workers, who came from different units of the hospital and all of them are senior health workers comprising, doctors, nurses, Lab scientists, hygienists among others.

The outcome of patients we have managed have given us consolation that the sacrifice is worth it because most of the patients came out in good health, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Philip Yatai

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says it is working to ensure that each country in the continent vaccinates at least 60 per cent of its population against COVID-19.

Dr Raji Tajudeen, the Head of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, stated this at the Pre-Conference Webinar of the Medical Womens International Association, Near East and African Regional Congress on Wednesday.

Speaking on the theme COVID-19 in the African Region, Tajudeen said that the African CDC was working to ensure equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines by African countries.

He said that the Africa CDC had helped in securing 270 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for African countries and currently working to secure additional 300 million doses.

According to him, the effort is to ensure that each country has 60 per cent of the vaccine it needs, adding that failure to do so will make it very difficult to manage the pandemic in the continent.

He pointed out that COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the need for a new public health order and increased investment in the National Health Institute of each member state of the African Union.

We need to start thinking of how to build an adaptive public health workforce capacity to meet the needs of the growing population in the continent.

For example, in epidemiology alone, we have a short fall of 4,000. We need to start thinking of how to bridge this gap.

It is also time we begin to think of renewed partnership that will synchronise global health in the spirit of global solidarity to ensure effective response to global pandemic, he said.

Tajudeen also pointed out that there was no way Africa can attain health security without having local manufacturing capacity in terms of therapeutics and diagnostics, among others.

He explained that Africas population was currently estimated at 1.3 billion but with local health manufacturing capacity nowhere near where it was supposed to be.

Also speaking, Dr Abdulaziz Mohammed, the Head of Disease Control and Prevention, Africa CDC, said that as of 2017, India produced 94 per cent of its pharmaceutical needs.

Mohammed said that within the same period, Unganda imports 90 per cent of its pharmaceutical needs while Nigeria imports 75 per cent, indicating a huge manufacturing gap in medical manufacturing capacity in the continent.

He said that to address this gap, the African Medical Supplies Platform was established as a single online marketplace to enable the supply of COVID-19-realted critical medical equipment including laboratory consumables.

He said that the Africa CDC Regional Collaborating Centres and Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Network was also established to bring public health assets together in a functional network.

This includes laboratory, surveillance, workforce and partnerships.

The network is also accelerating regional disease detection and response through innovative data and experience sharing platforms.

It provides a platform for a cross border specimen referral system, strengthening laboratory centres of excellence to support other member states and use of partnerships to ensure unified response to outbreaks, he said.

On the topic Epidemiology, Gender Differentials and Lessons Learnt, Mohammed said that women and girls suffered the negative impact of the pandemic more than the men.

He said that since the pandemic, access to essential health services like child and maternal health care appears to be declining.

According to him, this gender gap could widen during and after the pandemic, expressing fear that the gains in womens and girls empowerment and voice built over the years could be reversed. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it plans to begin conversion of existing voting points to full fledged Polling Units (PUs) in a few weeks time.

Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee said this when he spoke with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said one of the elaborate programmes INEC had mapped out leading to the 2023 general elections was expanding voter access to polling units.

Okoye said that INEC conducted the 2019 general election with over 57,000 voting points, tied to the mother voting units, due to inadequate polling units.

He said that INEC had been working towards converting those voting points into full fledged polling units and to take them to underserved areas.

Okoye said the commission had consulted a broad spectrum of Nigerians who endorsed the proposal.

He said that in implementing the conversion process, INEC would also consulted stakeholders at the grassroots, especially at local governments and wards levels, where the exercise would take place.

He listed some of the stakeholders to include, the media, political parties, civil society groups and organisations, professional groups, labour unions as well as socio cultural groups and organisations.

We have also consulted with the National Economic Council, under the leadership of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, made up of the various state governors and they have endorsed it.

We have also made presentation to the Federal Executive Council, which has also endorsed what we intend to do.

So, we have almost concluded with the consultations. The moment we are done with the consultation in the next weeks or so, we will move to implementation.

This implementation will take place at the level of the local government areas and states levels, because that is where this conversion will take place.

So at the local government areas and at the states levels, we will also consult with key stakeholders in those areas in relation to how many of the voting points will become polling units, those that will be moved and where they will be moved to.

So we are using our Geographic Information System (GIS) Laboratory to produce the map of all the local government areas in Nigeria, based on where the polling units are located.

Where the voting points are located and where we have underserved and unserved areas, where we have either schools or public facilities where we can locate some of these voting point that will be converted to polling units, he said.

Okoye said the moment the commission was done with the implementation of PUs expansion, it would resume the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) using a new enrolment device.

We are confident that young men and women who have attained the age of 18, will have an opportunity of having their names on the voters register.

They will also have new polling units that are closer to them so that some of them dont have to travel 10 kilometers on election day and at a period where there is restriction of movement, he said.

On the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010, Okoye said the commission was working with the National Assembly with the hope that it would be concluded before June.

He said that when finally amended and put into use, the act would take care of some of the challenges the commission was facing with smart card readers and the use of technology in the electoral process.

The new framework will also solve some of the problems of political parties refusing to render accounts after every election.

It will also solve some other challenging problems in the electoral process, he said.

Okoye expressed hope that the amendment process would be concluded before June so that INEC could apply some of the provisions to the Nov. 6 Anambra governorship election.

However, we are not waiting for the national assembly before we proceed with plans and preparations for the Anambra governorship election because it is also constitutionally circumscribed.

As of today, we are preparing for the Anambra governorship election with the existing electoral legal framework in Nigeria, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday recounted experiences of one year of remote trading occasioned by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NSE in a statement said it activated business continuity plan which saw the transition to remote trading in support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exactly 365 days later, the Exchange continues to maintain seamless trading and business operations recording no down time, and delivering exceptional value to stakeholders.

The Exchange has remained an attractive platform for issuers and investors to meet their investment objectives, thanks to its steady and consistent capacity building in technology, automation and digitisation of its operations over the years.

It is, therefore, no surprise that the Exchange has recorded several notable achievements since it began remote trading, said the statement.

Listing some of the achievements recorded during the period, the local bourse said it made giant strides in its aspiration to demutualise in the past year of working from home and remote trading.

Following regulatory approvals from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Corporate Affairs Commission, NSE announced its demutualisation earlier this month and has now embarked on its transition as Nigerian Exchange Group Plc to the NGX era, it said

On market performance, the Exchange said that it would display remarkable resilience in providing stakeholders with a platform to raise capital and invest.

The statement said that in 2020, the market capitalisation of all securities listed on The Exchange increased to N38.5 trillion, representing a 49 per cent increase from 2019.

In the equities market, the NSE All-Share Index delivered a return of 50 per cent closing the year as the best performing stock exchange in the world according to Bloomberg.

The Exchange Traded Funds market also experienced its best year with a 272.30 per cent increase in market capitalisation; and the bond market capitalisation rose by 35.52 per cent.

In addition, over N4.03 trillion was raised in on the NSE in 2020 and over N722 billion has been raised already in 2021 by governments and corporates across asset classes, it said. (NAN )

Source: NAN News