By Grace Alegba

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) on Saturday while laying a wreath in memory of victims of building collapse, called for concerted action against alleged plot to secretly resell a memorial site in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on March 13, 2019 over 20 people mostly children were killed when a five-storey residential building at 63, Massey Street, Ita-Faaji, Lagos Island collapsed.

The children were pupils of Ohen Nursery and Primary School illegally occupying the building registered as a residential high rise.

NAN further reports that the NIOB marked its 2021 Builders Day, opposite 63, Massey Street, Ita-Faaji, Lagos Island site of the 2019 collapse with children that survived the incident and their parents in attendance.

The highpoint of the occasion which began with prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims by both Muslim and Christian clerics, was the laying of the wreath on the site of the collapse.

NIOB National President, Mr Kunle Awobodu, led the second annual memorial organised by the institute and laid the wreath on the site accompanied by survivors, their parents, NIOB members and other professional bodies.

At the event to mark NIOB 2021 Builders Day, Awobodu said the lives of the school children were cut short due to substandard building production, and stressed the need to eliminate quacks.

While responding to the lamentations of Mrs Omowunmi Balogun, one of the mothers of the children killed in the incidence, Awobodu said the victims should not die in vain without action against quackery in building production in Nigeria.

Balogun had earlier while displaying pictures of the body of her dead child expressed frustration that memorials had no meaning and could not compensate for the loss of her beloved child.

She alleged that some people had been coming to inspect the site of the collapse with intentions to purchase it and errect another structure without care for feelings of grieving families.

My child died in the collapse. Last year we came here and we are here again, not compensated

The children that died in that disaster were more in number than the survivors you see here today.

I dont know what we are doing here, you can take care of the living children but for those of us that lost children, you have just come to open our wounds,she said.

The NIOB President responded by saying that the traumatic experience of those who lost loved ones to building collapse was much, hence the dedication of the NIOB to vigorously pursue the awareness campaign to end the menace.

He said March 13 was chosen for the Builders Day in commemoration of the second anniversary which it began in 2020 to honour the memory of the school children and other victims across Nigeria.

It is an opportunity for the children not to be forgotten and for the parents to continue to agitate for government action.

We are going to lay the wreath and give the children that survived the incidence some educational gifts. We are so sorry for what happened, he said.

He said NIOB would continue with its advocacy against incessant building collapse and be at the forefront to ensure the 63 Massey Street site is not resold for any purpose rather for a monument to be erected in honour of the dead.

Earlier while making his speech, Awobodu called for therapy to help the survivors and the bereaved overcome the trauma to live healthy normal lives again.

He listed factors encouraging quackery the major cause of several building collapses in Nigeria to include lack of enforcement of weak existing laws, inadequate or absence of sanctions to serve as deterrent against erring developers.

He said use of professional builders would help Nigeria overcome the menace of building collapse and urged all tiers of government to enact and enforce laws and regulations in tandem with the Nigerian National Building Code.

The development of result-oriented Building Regulations of Lagos State and attempts by some states to incorporate the well thought out project delivery requirements of the National Building Code in their urban development laws should be emulated by states of the federation which have not done so.

This will help put in motion the machinery for orderliness and end the sordid story of incessant building collapse in our nation.

The lack of veritable National Building Code with adequate enforcement aggravates and accentuates the building collapse crisis.

A nation without building code leaves its construction sector to the whims and caprices of quacks and emergency profiteers.

We hereby enjoin the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN to expedite further actions on the National Building Code project.

Giving legislative backing at the national and subnational levels are further steps in the right direction,he said.

Also, the Lagos Chapter Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Mr David Majekodunmi added his voice to the advocacy for a monument to be erected for the 63 Massey Street pupils.

Majekodunmi said the professional bodies had a joint responsibility to address issues of collapse as well as challenges of COVID-19 to stay in business without compromising standards.

He stressed the need for proper laws on quality assurance in building production management and urged NIOB to be a watchdog for the society to ensure government delivers on its mandates.

Other professional bodies including Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Lagos State Safety Commission, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers took turns to profer solutions to issues of building collapse in the Lagos State and Nigeria.

Lagos Chapter Chairman of the NIOB, Mr Sunday Wusu joined in the prayers for the repose of the souls of the children and other victims nationwide while school bags and other educational materials were distributed to survivors.

The 2021 Builders Day was tagged Professional Builders Engagement in Building Production Management and free site services were rendered to construction sites alongside other activities in the weeklong programme.

Source: NAN News

By Abbas Bamalli

Kano State Task Force committee on Fake, Counterfeit Drugs and unwholesome foods says it has seized and destroyed fake and counterfeit drugs worth N6 billion in the past nine years.

The Chairman of the committee, Gali Sule, disclosed this during an interactive session on Saturday with the Kano state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

According to him, since the inauguration of the committee in 2012, it has destroyed fake and counterfeit drugs in the state in about 20 different occasions.

The committee Chairman attributed the success to the hard work and commitment of its members and also other related agencies established to fight the menace.

According to Sule, the states ranking on the consumption of fake and substandard drugs has improved as it drops from number one to six in a recent rating.

He stressed that it has helped in sanitising the society, the nation and many African Countries from engaging in sales of fake and counterfeit drugs.

If you sanitise Kano of fake drugs, you are sanitising many countries in the region of Africa of substandard drugs because countries like Niger, Chad, even Sudan among others buy their drugs from Kano.

We have destroyed all the seized drugs, 20 destruction exercises for the seized drugs have been held since 2012, mostly witnessed by the executive governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, Sule explained.

He said before the inauguration of the committee, the government was spending a lot of money on malaria, yet the sicknesses persists because fake and counterfeit Malaria drugs normally brings about drug resistance.

He said that most drug hawkers on the streets of Kano have been driven away because of the activities of the committee, which has NAFDAC, NDLEA, security agencies, KAROTA, vigilance groups among others as members.

Drug hawkers in Kano have been drastically reduced, before they were everywhere but they are no more, they have relocated to neighbouring states.

*Just three days ago we confiscated fake and adulterated antimalarial drugs, which if left undetected would have affected many, especially pregnant women.

The logo on the drug is for a partnership programme between Kano state and some international donors on antimalarial drugs.

The partnership had terminated three years ago, but these people are still using the logo to manufacture the fake drug, said Sule.

He said more measures are being taken in collaboration with the Federal Government to stem the tide of the menace.

Sule said that a site is being built, where all drug marketers, especially wholesalers in Kano would be relocated.

All the drug regulatory agencies will be there to ensure that fake drugs are not brought in and distributed. Kano governor approved the site and it is almost 80 per cent completed, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Chidinma Agu

A Real Estate Consultant, Mr Meckson Okoro, said that the shock created by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the construction and real estate subsector would remain for a long time.

Okoro, Managing Partner, M. I. Okoro and Associates, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, many construction and housing development companies have closedown, while rent is going up and sitting tenants find it difficult to renew their rents.

There was no activity during the COVID-19 locked down. When the locked down was lifted, construction companies and housing development firms realised it will take millions of naira to undo the damage that had been created.

Some companies have closed down, sending workers to the labour market as a result of the shock created by the pandemic.

Developers have gone back to the drawing board as a result of the increase in the cost of projects due to the rise in the prices of building materials, he said.

Okoro said that unfortunately banks were reluctant to lend money to the construction industry because of the huge capital outlay and the fear that the returns would not be quick.

The chances of banks losing money in this period are highEven landlords are finding it difficult to get rents from tenants and this has resulted in property development apathy. There is a lull in the industry occasioned by COVID-19, he pointed out.

The consultant further said that the cost of building projects was now high as some projects left unattended to during the locked down had been abandoned.

He said that in the process the banks lost money as their clients were unable to pay back loans and the accrued interest.

Okoro said that even when some developers took pains to complete projects, they found it difficult to lease or rent out such houses.

He noted that the rising cost of building materials was not helpful as most of them were still being imported.

He said that in a situation where only three companies were producing cement for the entire country did not give room for right pricing.

Okoro said that the industry was still in a state of inactivity and owing to this the demand for rentable houses in high density areas continued to soar.

He further said that the enactment of what he called a bad policy had also contributed to unoccupied buildings on the Lagos Island axis.

Okoro said that the Lagos State Government came up with a policy which allowed skyscrapers to be put up in areas which hitherto were residential, for single families.

He said rents on the skyscrapers were high and unaffordable and as a result of this many of them were unoccupied.

He added that it would take deliberate actions on the part of the government for the industry to bounce back.

Source: NAN News

By Douglas Okoro

Chief Elias Mbam, the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has described the late Chief Joe Nwodo as a detribalised Nigerian who committed his life to the service of the nation.

Mbam, in a tribute to the late political icon who passed to eternal glory at the age of 77 years described the deceased as a colossus and intellectual par excellence.

He said that Nwodo, an astute politician and lawyer explored his political sagacity to build bridges of unity among politicians and intellectuals that helped to deepen the political system of his time.

Mbam in the tribute made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abakaliki, said that Enugu State, Ndigbo and the Nigeria nation have lost rare gem whose contributions to building a great Nigeria have remained legendary and unparallel.

I learnt with grave sadness and deep feel of melancholy of the demise of our dear brother, Dr Joe Nwodo, especially as each time I remember him it is with fond memories of a man of unrivaled wisdom and unparalleled intellect.

Nwodo was one Nigerian politician whose intelligence was as gigantic as his stature, and who unreservedly utilised this God-given talent in pursuit of a peaceful and united Nigeria.

His vast knowledge of constitutional law was evident in his works and speeches and was deployed in his struggle for a Nigeria where everyone, irrespective of religion, tribe and status were equal before the law and equal beneficiaries of the entity that is Nigeria.

I recall with nostalgia that as a frontline political aspirant, on the platform of defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), the late Nwodo carried himself with great candour, dignity and respect, and earned a place in my young heart and indeed in the hearts of many Nigerians.

No wonder his younger brother, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo won the Enugu State governorship election in 1992 after he was disqualified in the NRC primaries.

That Dr Joe Nwodo will be sincerely missed is a certainty but I enjoin the Nwodo family, the good people of Enugu State and indeed the entire country to take solace in the knowledge that he has left lasting legacies.

We are blessed to have Chief Nnia Nwodo and Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo as siblings of the late scion who are as equally gifted and are ever ready to contribute to national discourse and to the pursuit of a better Nigeria.

May God rest the soul of Dr Joseph Nwodo and grant him the best place in paradise, Mbam said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Martha Agas

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, has congratulated his immediate predecessor, Jonah Jang, on the occassion of his 77th birthday anniversary.

Lalong felicitated with Jang in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham, on Saturday in Jos.

He described the former governor as a patriotic Nigerian who has continued to serve the country and Plateau with passion and commitment.

Lalong eulogised the celebrant, saying he contributed immensely at different responsibilities during his career in the Nigerian Airforce and also in his service as Governor of Plateau and senator of Plateau North, among other responsibilities.

He urged the elderstatesman to continue to offer his wealth of wisdom and experience toward the development of Plateau State and the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Air Comdr. Jonah Jang, was born on March 13, 1944.

He served as the as the military governor of Benue and former Gongola States.

Jang also served as the governor of Plateau from 2007 to 2015 and was senator of Plateau North from 2015 to 2019. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ayinde Olaide

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, his wife, Hajiya Aisha Mohammed, and some members of the State Executive Council, on Saturday, received the jab of the COVID-19 vaccine, Oxford-Astrazeneca, in Bauchi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, other people who were vaccinated included, the state deputy governor, Mr Baba Tela, the state Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Aliyu Jibo, the Chief of Staff to the governor, Ladan Salihu, and Mohammed Maigoro,

Others were the Commissioner for Health, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary HealthCare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), among others.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, shortly after he was vaccinated and in possession of his vaccine certificate, Gov. Bala Mohammed, said that his decision to agree to be vaccinated was to show the world that it was safe.

Mohammed, who appreciated the presence of a large number of religious leaders at the ceremony, said it was a sign that they were not influenced by the fear created by rumours attached to the safety of the vaccines.

He urged the traditional and religious leaders to go out and sensitise the people that there was no harm in the vaccines.

He urged the federal government to make sure that the vaccines covered all Nigerians, saying that 80,570 doses of vaccines were not enough for the states eight million population.

Im urging us, especially, the federal government that this vaccination and purchase of vaccines is given the desired attention it requires and it should be done timely, he said.

The governor also advised that even after vaccination, people should still adhere to COVID-19 protocols of wearing face mask and using hand sanitizer. as advised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Continue to exercise the protocol, I want to advise that vaccination is not an assurance that we will not contract COVID-19, but it is something to give us assurances, Mohammed said.

Also speaking, the deputy governor, Baba Tela, who said that the exercise would be carried out within the next 10 days, explained that the 80,570 doses of vaccines received as the first batch, would be deployed to all the 20 local government areas in the state.

Tela, who is also the Chairman, State Task Force on COVID-19, promised that the state government would ensure that the exercise was made readily accessible by the people, starting with the state health workers who would be first to be vaccinated after the flag-off ceremony.

We have put in place the modalities whereby we transport the vaccines to all the twenty LGAs, to all the 323 Primary Health Centres in the wards and also to the 18 general hospitals, chosen by the National Primary HealthCare Development Agency as administration centres.

We are going to make it as easy as possible for people to come and get vaccinated.

As the protocol says, after the flagging off ceremony, we will start with the Health workers and in Bauchi, we have about 43,000 registered health workers who have come up to register for the programme.

After that, we will continue to administer it to people, until we exhaust the first set of the vaccines, he said.

(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Funmilola Gboteku

The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, has called for unity and decisiveness to tackle the unabated farmer-herders crisis in the country.

Tinubu, in a statement on Saturday by his Media Aide, Tunde Rahman, said that the herder-farmer dispute had taken an acute and violent dimensions and had cost too many innocent lives while destroying the property and livelihoods of many others.

According to him, as vital as security is to the resolution of this matter, the nation must realise security measures alone will not suffice.

He said that enhanced security might be the necessary first step, but it could not be the only step.

This matter is not ethnic in factual origin or actual causation although in the minds and hearts of too many it has become ethnic in recrimination and impulsive action.

There have been sporadic disputes in the past but this one is more severe. The reasons for the greater violence of this current dispute are myriad, Tinubu said.

According to him, farmers have a right to farm their land unmolested and herders have a right to raise their livestock without undue interference.

He, however, added that when conflict between these groups arises to such an extent, the nation must set forth clear principles and policies to remove the tension, in order to allow both to proceed toward their stated goals, to live in harmony and according to their respective rights.

To destroy the crops or seize the property of the innocent farmer or herder is nothing if not an act of criminality, he said.

Tinubu noted that unoccupied public land could be fenced into grazing areas or ranches and leased to herders on a very low-cost, nominal basis.

He added that the leasing is not intended to penalise herders, rather the nominal fee should be intended to ensure the herders were invested in the project and incentivized to use the land provided.

Tinubu said this aspect would also mitigate any resentment over herders being given land for free.

He urged the government to also assist farmers increase productivity by providing subvention for their acquisition of fertilizer, equipment and machinery.

He said this could be done by establishing commodity boards to guarantee minimum prices for important crops.

Tinubu said in the the medium to long term, resources must be dedicated to establishing better irrigation and water catchment systems to further improve farm productivity and mitigate the dire impact of flood.

He stressed the need to establish a permanent panel in each state as a forum for farmers, herders, security officials and senior state officials to discuss their concerns, mitigate contention and identify trouble before it erupts.

According to him, the crisis gas aggravated ethnic sentiment and political tension and despite the efforts of some of those in positions of high responsibility and public trust, the crisis has not significantly abated.

Sadly, others who should know better have incited matters by tossing about hate-tainted statements that fall dangerously short of the leadership these people claim to provide.

Because of the violence that has ensued and the fretful consequences of such violence if left unabated, we must move in unison but decisively to end the spiral of death and destruction.

Only when the violence and the illogic of it are halted can logic and reason prevail. Until the violence is rolled back, we cannot resolve the deep problems that underlie this conflict.

We will neither be able to uplift the farmer from his impoverished toil nor move the herder toward the historic transformation which he must make, Tinubu said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Nicholas Dechi

The Federal Government has disbursed N20,000 each to 2,900 women in Benue to improve their living standards.

Mrs Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said this on Saturday in Makurdi during the inauguration of the grant for rural women project.

Farouq, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bashir Alkali, said that a cash of N20,000 would also be disbursed to about 125,000 poor women across the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory.

Our target in Benue is to disburse the grant to about 2,900 beneficiaries across all local government councils.

The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries.

It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute toward improving their living standards.

This is by using the fund as a seed to boost their trade for greater income and not to see it as their own share of the so-called national cake, she said.

The minister commended the state government for the support, stressing that with her complementary effort, the target beneficiaries would be adequately covered within the next few days.

I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of Gov. Samuel Ortom and other stakeholders present here, we will remain on track to improving the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians, she said.

In his remark, Ortom commended the Federal Government for initiating the sundry programmes aimed at reducing poverty.

The governor who was represented by his wife, Dr Eunice Ortom, encouraged the women to use the money to invest in businesses to better their lots.

Women are multipliers and I believe they will turn the N20,000 to millions. I urge you to make the state proud by making a success of the money given to you as grant.

I encourage you to start with the small amount and make yourselves successful in business, he said.

The governor however appealed for more poverty reduction programmes for women in the state.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Women Affairs in Benue, Mrs Tabitha Girgi, appreciated the Federal Government for including women with disabilities in all their programmes. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has said that the abduction of school children especially young girls, is not good for the safety and sanctity of womanhood.

Tallen made the assertion in a statement on Saturday in Abuja while reacting to the abduction of students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The minister, while condemning the act, pleaded with the abductors to return the students unharmed and safe to their parents.

The abduction of school children especially young girls, is one too many and is not good for the safety and sanctity of womanhood.

We have cried, pleaded, prayed and fasted for this to stop to no avail, Tallen said.

She, however, expressed optimism that the Federal Government would defend its citizens, especially children and expedite action for their release.

I am confident that the military and security agencies are on top of the situation so we must all pray for their safe rescue and release.

I appeal strongly to the abductors of our innocent children to abandon this heinous act and return our remaining children unharmed to us and their anxious parents, she said.

According to Tallen, the ministry will continue to speak out and condemn kidnapping which is a crime against humanity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the students were abducted in the early hours of Friday.

Mr Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state said that troops of the Nigeria Army managed to repel the attackers and successfully rescued 180 students and staff of the college.

Aruwan said that 23 female and 16 male students were yet to be accounted for following the attack. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismail Abdulaziz
President Irfaan Ali of Guyana has received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine with a call to citizens to follow suit.

A statement from the office of the Guyanese president disclosed tha Ali made the call shortly after his inoculation on Friday in Georgetown, Guyana.

Fellow Guyanese Im very pleased to inform you that I taken the COVID-19 vaccine. And I want to take this opportunity to encourage every Guyanese to take the vaccine.

While it is not mandatory, I want to urge you, as far as possible, to consider taking the vaccine, he said.

Ali said that the vaccine was important in protecting the citizens as well as allowing the country to get ahead of the pandemic.

He explained that all resources would be deployed towards having every single Guyanese is vaccinated before the end of the year.

Only today, I had engagement with the Organization of Islamic Conference. We continue to reach out directly to suppliers of the Russian vaccine, Sinopharm, Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca.

Weve also reached out to other suppliers in the UAE, because you know it is becoming a global shortage in getting the vaccines itself.

The President disclosed that the government was expecting another batch of the vaccines, which would be rolled out in a phased manner to Guyanese.

It is important for us to ensure that we explore every avenue, having access to these vaccines in a speedy manner, and ensuring that it fits into our plan of having the entire country vaccinated before the end of the year.

So, you can rest assured that we will continue to work aggressively on this.

Source: NAN News

By Ahmed Ubandoma

The Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged Muslim communities in Nigeria to take the COVID-19 vaccination without any fear.

The pro-Muslim non-governmental group said vaccination would help to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.

MURIC Director IshaqAkintola gave the advice on Friday in a statementmade available to newsmen in Abuja.

COVID-19 vaccine is designed to give protection to those who take it by making their bodies produce substances known as antibodies whose function is to fight disease.

We have seen our leaders both at the federal and state levels taking the injections, this is to build confidence in us.

We urge Nigerian Muslims and the rest of the citizenry to embrace the vaccine. Let us obey our leaders as enshrined in the Glorious Quran (4:59), he said.

Akintola also reaffirmed the position of Islamic scholars on the importance of vaccination during pandemic.

We reaffirm the position of scholars of Islam, especially that of the prolificShaykh al-IslamIbn Taymiyah in his book.

The scholars also cited the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) where he said Seek medical treatment.

And it was the consensus of Islamic scholars that vaccination is(permissible) he said.

The MURIC director called on cynics to have a rethink and accept the vaccine for the benefit of their health.

We are concerned with the right of every Nigerian to live a healthy life free from any disease.

We also believe that Nigerian lives matter as no Nigerian deserves to lose his life to any epidemic when a vaccine has been made available, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country received four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on March 2.

NAN also reports that the vaccination exercise has since begun as doses of the vaccine have been sent to all states. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Habibu Harisu

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to work towards harnessing the nations huge population for the desired progress and development of the country.

Osinbajo made the call at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd combined convocation of the Sokoto State University on Friday in Sokoto.

The Vice President, who was the Guest Speaker, said Nigeria was among the densely populated nations of the world, noting that careful planning needed to be done to fine tune the development of the country and find solutions to its challenges.

He said careful scrutiny on ways to tackle population growth, climate change, security and unity of the nation have to be done, emphasising that the unity of the nation should be sacrosanct.

According to Osinbajo, a good leader should be able to handle ethnic diversities through equity, justice and fairness.

He said managing ethnic diversity was not peculiar to Nigeria, stressing that many nations which faced similar challenges, however, strive to ensure transparency and development.

He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari administration prepared for the nations good future by ensuring right educational policies with embedded creativity and innovations.

Education was accorded priority to reduce poverty and facilitate economic emancipation, he said.

He urged Nigerians to continue emulating Nana Asamau of the Sokoto Caliphate who became a role model in the promotion of education and entrepreneurship in the society.

He commended former Gov. Aliyu Wamakko for establishing the institution, as well as Gov. Aminu Tambuwal for sustaining it and enjoined the management to live up to expectation.

Osinbajo called on the graduands to regard themselves as agents of change and to concentrate on nation building.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sani Dangoggo, said that no fewer than 36 students of the university would be conferred with first class degrees at the combined convocation.

Dangoggo said that a total of 1,473 students graduated in the 2016/2017, 2017/2018 and 2019/2020 sessions, adding that the convocation, scheduled for Saturday, March 13, would be the first to be held since the institution was established in July 2009.

The graduands are drawn from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; Faculty of Education and Faculty of Science. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola has announced a six weeks partial closure of the Falomo Bridge in Victoria Island from Sunday for repairs.

Popoola in a statement on Friday night appealed for understanding of road users promising that traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to minimise gridlock

The Federal Government will be embarking on rehabilitation of Falomo Bridge for a period of six weeks starting from Sunday 14th March 2021.

This will require partial closure of one lane at a time.

The motoring public are advised to please cooperate with the traffic law enforcement agents, while the federal government will try its best to minimise the inconveniences this may cause, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Mr Folorunsho Coker, Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) says its strategic tourism development roadmap titled CHIEF PLAN would open Nigeria as a major tourism destination in Africa via the development of domestic tourism to attract foreign investments.

According to him, the roadmap will utilise strategic ideas to encourage Nigerians to spend their holidays within the country and learn more about its endowments.

He said that the five points of the CHIEF PLAN include, Corporate Government and Regulations, Human Capital Development, Infrastructural Development, Events, Marketing, Finance and Investment.

We at NTDC recognise the abundant investment potentials in the tourism industry and realised the urgent need to explore and promote the best of Nigeria tourism domestically and internationally

Nigeria is enriched with diverse people, distinct cultures, unique art, good music, food, fashion, film, sport and religion.

It is a country with the greatest concentration of black people in the world and it is the economic and entertainment hub of Africa, Coker said.

He stressed that the country was blessed with a large population, adding that if Nigerian patronised tourism it would eventually attract foreign tourists.

Coker said that the majority of countries benefiting from tourism revenue like Kenya, South Africa and Seychelles; dont have the population of Nigeria.

He said that the total inhabitants of some countries do not equate the total population of Lagos dwellers alone, which according to him was over 20 million.

The NTDC boss maintained that the percentage of Nigerias population with the purchasing power for tourism was over 30 percent out of over 180 million Nigerians.

By and large, the CHIEF PLAN has started yielding fruits before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020.

But we are gradually getting back to the path of successful achievements of the plan with the Tour Nigeria Brand and many others, Coker said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has congratulated NFF president, Amaju Pinnick on his election into the FIFA council.

Dare said this in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), John Joshua-Akanji on Friday in Abuja.

Pinnick was elected into the FIFA council on Friday at the CAF 43rd general meeting in Rabat, Morocco,
winning by 43 votes to his opponents eight votes.

Dare described the victory as an opportunity for Nigeria and indeed Africa to contribute to the administration of world football.

The minister charged Pinnick to use his position to reposition Nigerian and African football.

This is an opportunity to use your new position to make Nigerian, African and World football great again and make it better than you met it.

This is the reward of hard work and unity of purpose. We are better off when we support our collective aspirations for the development of our great country. This is an honour well deserved, he said.

The minister had recently declared Federal Governments support for Pinnicks bid.

Dare thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Foreign Affairs ministry, football stakeholders and Nigerians for making the dream a reality.

Pinnick becomes the third Nigerian after late Orok Oyo Orok and Dr Amos Adamu to occupy the FIFA council seat. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Friday that the country stands to benefit so much from the election of its President Amaju Pinnick into the FIFA Council.

Sanusi Mohammed, NFFs General Secretary, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, noted that the victory was a great political achievement for the country.

The victory of the president of Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick is not only for him but for Nigeria and all Nigerians, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Pinnick was on Friday in Rabat, Morocco, elected into the FIFA Council which is the highest decision making organ in world football.

FIFA Council is a combination of 37 men selected from across the world charged with the responsibility of FIFA governance in terms of structure, decision, policy formulation and making sure that the policies well implemented.

Pinnick defeated his rival and incumbent Walter Nyamilandu of Malawi by 43 to 8 to step into the exalted 37-member FIFA Council.

Mohammed told NAN in an interview that the country had stepped into the mainstream of world football administration.

It means a lot to us because to have representation in the FIFA Council means so much to football administration and I know that Amaju Pinnick being who he is will do everything possible to represents Nigeria very well.

There is nothing that is for Nigeria that will escape the country, and whatever that is needed to lobby for, I know he will do it for Nigeria and Africa in General.

So, I can say that this feat is a big political achievement to Nigeria; it has a lot of political advantage by the mere fact that a Nigerian is being called everywhere any time FIFA are having meetings.

With this also, Nigeria will have an edge over those countries that do not have representation

If any special consideration is to be given to member nations, Nigeria will be among the first to be considered, bearing in mind that we have somebody in the council who can say lets support Nigeria.

In fact, there are so many things that we can benefit, and hosting of FIFA tournaments could be one of it depending on interests and facilities, Mohammed said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The International Olympic Committee on Friday unanimously approved a set of 15 reforms it hopes will again turn the Olympics into an attractive prospect for fans, cities and sponsors through reduced cost, an increased digital presence and new revenues streams.

The IOC has seen its key product the summer and winter editions of the Olympics lose some of its shine in recent years, failing to ignite enthusiasm among potential host cities, scared off by the size and cost of the worlds biggest multi-sports event.

The coronavirus crisis has changed our world in fundamental ways, IOC President Thomas Bach told the organisations session.

The world will never again be like it was before. Even once we have finally overcome the health crisis, we will face the far-reaching social, financial, economic and political consequences.

A previous set of reforms, Agenda 2020, was passed in 2014 but did not stop the exodus of cities midway through bidding processes for the 2018, 2020 and the 2022 editions of the Games.

The postponement last year of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics the first to be delayed outside world war periods by 12 months further affected the image of the Games and the IOCs finances.

The latest reforms are based on five pillars that include digitisation, sustainability development and financial resilience and according to the IOC are designed to better position the organisation and the Games in the global environment after the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Among the reforms approved on the last day of the IOCs virtual session are the improvement of legacy plans for Games that would leave a bigger positive impact for the local community and also to consider the addition of physical virtual sports, such as stationary cycling, in the Olympic programme.

The IOC has for years been trying to stop the rising age profile of its Olympic supporters and inject new blood into its spectator base and its involvement with virtual sports is seen as a way to do this successfully.

The IOC has already awarded the 2024 summer Games to Paris, the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles after reforming the bidding process in 2014 and a few weeks ago picked Brisbane as the preferred hosts for the 2032 edition. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Okigbo

RARARA Football Club of Katsina on Friday in Abuja held hosts EFCC FC to a 1-1 draw in a Group A1 Week Six match of the ongoing 2020/2021 Nigeria National League (NNL).

EFCCs Clement Obi opened scoring in the 18th minute of the game played at the Area 3 football pitch while Abbah Attach replied nine minutes later via a penalty kick.

At the end of the game, some aggrieved fans who felt the centre referee favoured the visiting team by awarding a penalty kick to them pounced on him and his colleagues.

The security operatives available could not match the number of aggrieved fans who invaded the pitch with sticks, heading towards the referees.

The security personnel finally took hold of the situation but not until the fans have physically expressed their anger on the referees.

Mahmoud Sheriff-Abdullahi, coach of RARARA FC, said he was disappointed with the behaviour of the home team.

I think my boys performed well today. Its a good point for us and we are happy we achieved it.

For me, I believe that the officiating was fair. I am shocked at the behaviour of the home team. Fans attacking referees is not good for the league, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Solomon Asowata

Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, says the Federal Government is committed to making Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders available to Nigerians at affordable prices.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sylva spoke on Friday at the groundbreaking of Rungas Group Type 3 Composite Cylinder Manufacturing Plant located at Alaro City, Epe, Lagos State.

The minister said the project, which was being executed in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), would enhance penetration of LPG, also known as cooking gas, in the country.

He said: In addition to making gas cylinders available to all Nigerians at affordable prices, our gathering here today is necessitated by the hazards posed by substandard, old, expired and illegal marketing of cylinders to innocent users in Nigeria.

In our current circumstance, there is dire need for safe, efficient and user-friendly cylinders, both for domestic and industrial use, as well as our concerted drive for gas expansion programme in the auto and other prime movers.

Therefore, todays groundbreaking ceremony for a composite cylinder manufacturing plant is a watershed moment for enhancing deeper penetration of LPG and by extension Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) adoption in Nigeria.

According to him, this is in line with the federal governments commitment to ensure economic diversification using the oil and gas industry as a pivot.

He said the ministry of petroleum resources would continue to promote initiatives that support the utilisation of Nigerias abundant natural gas resources for the growth and development of the country.

Let me congratulate all the hardworking parties for driving this very impressive initiative that will bring quality composite gas cylinders to the market and primarily enhance the domestic use of LPG in Nigeria.

Let me also add that this laudable initiative will not only bring affordable and durable cylinders to Nigerians, but will create countless direct and indirect jobs for our teeming citizens.

I look forward to seeing the robust development of this facility in no distant time, as well as the addition to other plants being built in the various locations across the country, Sylva said.

Also, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote, said the project was the second of such partnership between the board and Rungas Group with another gas cylinder manufacturing plant already set up at Paloku in Bayelsa.

Wabote said when both plants are operational, they would produce about 1.2 million units of type 3 composite cylinders per annum, making the project one of the largest in the world.

He said: We are deliberate in going for the Type-3 Composite LPG cylinders considering the unique features such as safety, lightweight and durability.

We believe our handshake with the Rungas Group will catalyse the transition away from the heavy metallic LPG cylinders to the composite LPG cylinders.

Wabote said latest data released from the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency showed that domestic consumption of LPG in Nigeria exceeded one million Metric Tonnes (MT) in year 2020.

This is the first time domestic LPG consumption would reach the one million MT mark. Even though 2020 was the year of COVID-19 pandemic, it was also the Year of Gas and it is significant that the LPG consumption level broke the previous records.

This shows that the various initiatives being embarked upon by the government through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its agencies are already yielding fruits.

Despite utilising one million MT of LPG in 2020, Nigeria still has one of the lowest per capita LPG consumption in Africa, hence, a lot of opportunities still exist for increasing LPG penetration in Nigeria.

That is why we chose to partner in the local manufacturing of composite LPG cylinders as one of the key conduits to get LPG to our homes to enhance the attainment of the target of five million MT of LPG consumption annually within this Decade of Gas.

On his part, Mr Lanre Runsewe, Managing Director, Rungas Group, thanked the Federal and Lagos State Government for the support given to the company to embark on the project.

Runsewe expressed optimism that the plant, when completed, would produce enough products to meet the countrys demand and export to other countries, thereby earning the nation much needed foreign exchange. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By EricJames Ochigbo

The House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on purchase of arms and amunition on Friday insisted that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim must appear in person to clarify issues on purchase of arms by Nigerian Army.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Bede Eke (PDP-Imo) at a public hearing in Abuja.

Ibrahim has sent a team of officers led by Maj.Gen. Charles Ofoche to represent him at the event.

Rep. Ifeanyi Mouma (APGA-Anambra) while raising a point of order at the hearing said that a written invitation was sent to COAS by the committee to appear in person.

For me as a member of this committee which is suppose to actually lay ground facts for the people of Nigeria on the objective that this committee was set up.

I do not think the representative of the Chief Army Staff can be held culpable or liable for the remarks made here because it is assumed that any remarks made here is made by the Chief of Army Staff.

So if he is not the one making the remarks, it makes it very easy for him to actually engage in culpable deniability since he is not the one making the remarks, he said.

Ofoche had tendered the apology of COAS for his inability to appear in person.

He explained that the COAS has been on tour of formations in the country to get first hand information on the state of troops.

He was in Ibadan and Enugu yesterday all for the same security needs; the country is embroiled in a lot of crisis so he is moving around, he said.

Source: NAN News