COAS decorating one of the newly promoted officers

By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Army on Friday decorated 39 newly promoted Major Generals with their new ranks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decorated generals were among the 136 senior officers recently promoted to the rank of major general and brigadier general by the army authorities.

Among them are the Acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Maiduguri, Maj.-Gen. Kalif Ibrahim and the Acting General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Sokoto, Maj.-Gen. Aminu Bande.

Also decorated is the Acting Provost Marshal, Maj.-Gen. Hussain Ahmed.

While congratulating the newly decorated generals, the Minister of Defence, Retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, urged them to hold their heads high and remain responsive in the discharge of their constitutional duties.

Magashi said the officers gained the promotion as reward for hard work, dedication and loyalty to the constituted authority.

He also urged them to see their new rank as a call to make more sacrifice in the defence of the country.

He said the Federal Government was committed to boosting the morale of the officers in terms of welfare and proper equipment.

I urge you to justify the confidence reposed in you by working hard to rid the country of the prevailing security challenges, he said.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, urged the new generals to do their best in protecting the country within the confines of the constitution and rules of engagement.

He said their promotion was well-deserved, while warning that the authority would not tolerate any form of indiscipline and disloyalty.

Buratai also warned them against hobnobbing with politicians and lobbying for appointments.

According to him, if they must lobby, they must lobby only the chief of army staff with hard work, discipline, excellence, loyalty and professionalism.

I challenge you to maintain state of fitness and be ready to show fitness in leading your troops and also pay attention to the welfare of your subordinates.

There is much work to be done and some of you are in the theatre of operation while some of you can also find yourselves there, he said.

The Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Lt.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, urged the newly promoted generals to be firm in decision making and mentoring.

Adeosun said that all 2-star generals were decision makers, adding that they must ensure that whatever advice they offer must be appropriate.

You are all answers by the authority of the rank you are wearing and you cannot afford to make careless mistakes, he said.

Adeosun urged the senior officers to pay attention to mentoring rather than godfatherism, adding that mentorship was seriously lacking in the system.

The Chief of Administration (Army), Maj.-Gen. Usman Yakubu, said that Nigerian Army had ensured that only worthy and qualified officers and soldiers were elevated to higher ranks as and when due.

Yakubu said that the officers were promoted based on their professional competence among other requirements.

He said that several officers of the rank of Brigadier General were presented before the board, adding that the board found the 39 officers worthy in character and competence.

Source: NAN News

Aisha Buhari

By Ahmed Ubandoma

First Lady Aisha Buhari has called for strategic partnership to end the raising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women and girls in Nigeria.

She made the call on Friday at a Seminar to mark the 2020 United Nations UN Womens campaign for 16 days of activism against GBV in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the Secretariat of the African First Ladys Peace Mission in collaboration with the office of Nigerias first lady.

The theme of the Seminar is The first lady as leader and mobiliser of women and youths for peace building, conflict Resolution and Resilience in the Post COVID-19 Era.

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs and Administration, Dr Hajo Sani, the first lady charged the wives of governors to expedite action to protect the rights of women and girls in their states.

As a Mother, I feel a sense of duty to make my contribution by sharing ideas with first ladies in the states who will eventually cascade the messages of the seminar to women and youth in their respective states.

Many young people are now at risk of being left behind in education, economic opportunities, health and wellbeing during a crucial stage of their life.

This is evidenced in the anger, protests, and demonstrations happening around the world as well as the violence, to which most victims are women and the youths themselves, she said.

She, however, expressed the need to engage the women and youths for greater opportunities and peace building.

We, therefore, have a duty to mobilize women and youths for peace building, community conflict resolution and resilience.

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic impact have created a global crisis unparalleled in history.

Women and young people are particularly vulnerable to the disruptions the pandemic has caused, she said.

On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, urged stakeholders to join hands with the ministry to ensure sustainable progress on the programme of the girl-child education.

Tallen, who was represented by Mrs Jummai Idonije, also said the ministry will continue to create enabling environment for the girl-child to achieve their potentials.

We must individually and collectively continue to emphasize education of the girl-child and promotion of second chance education to address societal vices.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged the wives of the governors to always engage the youths in positive conversations.

Dabiri-Erewa expressed the need for the youth to be encouraged to participate in politics.

As mothers we need to mentor them, we in the diaspora commission look forward to working with the wives of governors to tap from the experiences of our youth in diaspora, she said.

In her remark, the Chairperson of the Governors Wives Forum, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, said the forum appreciated the role of the first lady in supporting efforts to check violence against women and children.

Fayemi, however, said governors wives make giant stride in promoting the girl-child education and protection of the rights and privileges of women and youths in their respective states.

She, therefore, urged participants to partner with the forum to support the advocacy against GBV.

NAN also reports that the UN Womens Generation Equality campaign is amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis.

The UN report says, even before COVID-19, violence against women and girls had reached pandemic proportions.

The report indicates that 243 million women and girls were abused globally by an intimate partner in the past year, while less than 40 per cent of women who experience violence report it or seek help. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court symbol

By Edith Nwapi

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, upheld the conviction and death sentence that was handed to Maryam Sanda, daughter-inlaw to a former Chairman of the PDP, Mohammed Haliru.

Delivering judgment, Justice Stephen Adah, who read the decision on behalf of the three-member panel of justices held that the trial judge was right in his decision.

I have gone through the record before the court and I am fully certain that the learned trial court did not engage any investigation outside the evidence before it, he said.

The appellant did not point out where the trial judge went out of the scope of his duties to carry out an investigation.

He said the word investigation used by the lower court was taken out of context by the appellant.

The judge also held that ingredients of the offence were clearly established as it is required.

He held that where there are no organic facts leading to get the cause of death, circumstances surrounding the death can be the best proof of what is being alleged in a case.

He added that the trial court rightly considered the facts and circumstances of the case before it concrete enough to secure the conviction of the appellant.

We have no choice also in the face of these convincing situations that the conclusion of the trial court cannot in light of the facts in the face of the records before us be faulted, Adah held.

Having resolved all the issues against the appellant, it is our conclusion that this appeal is lacking in merit and the appeal is hereby dismissed.

Then that of the trial court delivered on the 27 day of January 2020 is affirmed and also the conviction and sentence handed down by the trial court are also affirmed.

Sanda and three others were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on culpable homicide.

She was convicted andsentenced to deathby hanging on January 27, 2020, by Yusuf Halilu, the trial judge.

Haiku held that She should reap what she has sown, for it has been said that thou shall not kill and whoever kills in cold blood deserves death as his own reward,

Convict also clearly deserves to die, accordingly I hereby sentence Maryam Sanda to death by hanging until she dies.

Aggrieved by the death sentence, Sanda approached the appellate court, seeking to upturn the judgment.

In a notice of appeal predicated on 20 grounds, the appellant through her legal team described the judgment of the trial court as a miscarriage of justice.

She submitted that the judge relied on circumstantial evidence as there was lack of confessional statement, absence of murder weapon.

She added that there was lack of corroboration of evidence by two or more witnesses and lack of autopsy report to determine the true cause of her husbands death.

She also submitted that the trial judge erred and misdirected himself by usurping the role of the police when he assumed the duty of an investigating police officer (IPO) as contained in page 76 of his judgment. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

who

By Yakubu Uba

World Health Organisation (WHO) says it supported the treatment of 301 mental health patients and referred 12 others for further management in Borno from January to November 2020.

Dr Henry Nwanja, the WHO Public Health Officer, Emergency Programme, North East, made this known in Maiduguri on Thursday while handing over the Borno Psychiatric Hospital, rehabilitated by WHO to Borno Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hospital was vandalised by insurgents in 2013.

Nwanja said ever since then, the hospital has been non-functional and totally dilapidated until 2019 when the government approached WHO to facilitate the reconstruction, equipping and restoration of healthcare services at the hospital.

He added that WHO, through the European Union, made funds available for the restoration of services at the health facility.

He noted that the rate of common mental disorders doubled by 20 per cent in Borno because of violent conflicts.

The WHO public health officer stressed the need to scale up mental health interventions to meet urgent needs as the capacity of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri, currently serving the entire North East is over stretched.

He said in response to that, WHO has been supporting the clinical management and referral of mental health cases from communities and primary healthcare facilities through the Mental Health Gap Action Programme.

The Chief Medical Director of Borno Hospital Management Board, Prof. Mohammed Arab, lauded WHO for the intervention and assured the organisation of proper management of the facility.

Arab said that the 48-bed capacity hospital has two wards with pharmacy, therapy and social welfare sections, among others.

Gov. Babagana Zulum, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Reconstruction, Abdulkarim Abdulrahman, also commended WHO for its sustained support to healthcare delivery in the state.

The governor, however, called for support to establish similar facility in each senatorial district of the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal, Sadique Abubakar

By Sani Idris

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has restated his commitment towards training the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel to meet global trends.

Abubakar stated this on Thursday at a workshop on transformational leadership in Nursing for head nurses of health facilities in the NAF and at NAFs School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine in Kaduna.

Abubakar was represented by the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Air Training Command of the NAF, AVM Musa Mukthar.

He said the training of personnel to meet global trends was part of the desire of the current NAF leadership to reposition the service into a highly professional and disciplined force.

The Air Force, being a highly technical service, requires skilled able personnel with sound mind and good health to operate, maintain and support its array of platforms and equipment for optimum exploitation, he said.

According to Abubakar, in achieving the objectives of repositioning NAF, the medical specialty is key to ensuring that personnel maintain healthy lifestyles to enable them carry out assigned tasks in fulfillment of the constitutional roles.

Training and re-training of personnel across all specialties is vital towards the attainment of organisational objectives.

With the current trend of globalisation occasioned by modern technology, NAF has made a paradigm shift towards its operations in view of numerous transformations occurring in various fields, including the medical.

He said that medical personnel, especially Nurses, required training and re-training to meet up with modern medical trends which relates to handling of patients.

Abubakar further stated that the global security trend being experienced would require leaders who would think outside the box to proffer solutions to some of the challengse.

Abubakar stressed the need for members of the Armed Forces to continue to support the Federal Government in its policy thrust towards improving the economic, social and political development of the country.

This can only be achieved by improving and transforming our leadership styles at all levels; the workshop
organised today is geared towards ensuring you acquire the requisite knowledge and skills as Nurses.

He implored participants to exhibit high level of discipline, proficiency, hard work, loyalty, patience and perseverance while placing service before self which forms the core values of NAF.

He thanked the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for their support and cooperation towards the improvement of nursing services and education in the NAF.

Earlier, commandant of the NAF School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, Air Commodore Glenn Nkanang, had said that a total of 65 participants reported for the programme.

He added that in the past few years, a lot had been achieved towards the full takeoff of the school which made the
Midwifery Council of Nigeria to grant provisional accreditation to it.

He thanked the CAS for establishing the school and approving the conduct of the programme, noting that he had
showed enormous interest on the school and had taken giant strides towards ensuring its success.

He also thanked the CAS for approving the payment of accreditation fees to some regulatory bodies and renovation of temporary site for the takeoff of the College Medical Sciences for the schools. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Babajide Sanwo-Olu,Lagos State Governor

By Idris Olukoya

Scores of supernatural artistes, comprising magicians, illusionists, contortionists and others with extraordinary talents, will converge on December 20 for the Epe Heritage Festival in Lagos State.

Otedola 10dollar, organiser of the festival, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Epe that the show would open up the entertainment industry in the coastal city.

He said that Epe Heritage Festival would be a world class supernatural and magical entertainment show in Nigeria.

Otedola said that the supernatural sector of the entertainment industry was huge with enormous human potential but added that magical entertainers were limited.

I am, therefore, using this platform to showcase the talented magical entertainers to the world and bring new innovations into the entertainment industry, Otedola said.

According to him, the show is first of its kind and is billed to be a national concert that would be held across the country in due course.

Among activities lined up for the festival are magical shows, supernatural displays, live performances by upcoming artistes and traditional/cultural phenomenon, among others.

More than 10,000 guests are expected to attend the one-day show holding at Epe Recreation Centre from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with intriguing and exciting entertainment on display.

The organiser said that COVID-19 safety protocols would be strictly adhered to while maximum security had been put in place for the show. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Maina, back to jail

By Taiye Agbaje

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered that the arrested fugitive and former Chairman, the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, be remanded at a correctional centre, pending conclusion of his trial.

Justice Okon Abang gave the order following counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mohammed Abubakars oral application to the effect.

At the resumed hearing, Abubakar, urged the court to make an order for Mainas remand in correctional centre having been produced in court after jumping bail.

He said Maina was produced in court following the court order for his bail revocation and issuance of bench warrant for his arrest.

I want to inform the court that the 1st defendant (Maina) is in court pursuant to the bench warrant issued by the honourable court on Nov. 18 for his production in court.

The bench warrant was executed and we apply to the court to issue an order to remand the defendant (Maina) in prison custody, he said.

However, Mainas new counsel, Abel Adaji, opposed the EFCC counsel application.

Adaji, who appealed to the court not to grant Abubakars request, said he would have filed a process in response to his application but the exigency of time will not allow us to do that.

Earlier, Abubakar told the court that the matter was slated for continuation of evidence-in-chief of the ninth prosecution witness.

But Adaji prayed the court for an adjournment, informing that he had just been briefed about the matter this morning.

We will be applying for a short date to enable us prepared.

The anti-graft agencys lawyer objected to the application for an adjournment.

He said such plea contravened Section 349(3) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 because Maina had already engaged a counsel.

He urged the court to allow the witness continue with her evidence-in-chief and that Mainas new counsel could then sought for adjournment for cross examination if he so wished in the overall interest of justice.

But Adaji, who opposed Abubakars submission, insisted that he needed more time to study the proof of evidence in the interest of justice.

Ruling, Justice Abang recalled that Mainas bail was revoked on Nov. 18 because he jumped bail and the court ordered a bench warrant for his arrest and that the trial should continue in his absence.

Abang acknowledged that Maina who was now in court, was still presumed to be innocent until contrary is proved.

The judge held that Maina was still entitled to all the constitutional rights under relevant section of the countrys 1999 Constitution, especially with regard to fair hearing.

Justice Abang, who granted Mainas counsel prayer for an adjournment in order to be properly briefed, said the decision was in overall interest of justice.

Abang also upheld Adajis argument to adjourn the continuation of evidence-in-chief of the ninth prosecution witness to allow Maina briefed his lawyer properly.

He said the decision was in accordance with Section 349(3) of ACJA.

He, therefore, ordered that Maina should be remanded in a correctional centre pending conclusion of trial.

The judge, who did not specifically named a particular prison where Maina shouls be remanded, adjourned the matter until Dec. 8 for trial continuation.

Shortly after commencement of sitting, Francis Oronsaye, who had been appearing as Mainas lawyer, told the court that he filed a notice of withdrawal of legal representation for Maina dated Nov. 24 and filed Nov. 25.

Oronsanye, who works at the law office of Joe Gadzama and Co., said their decision not to appear in court for Maina lately was not borne out of their disrespect for court.

Our non-appearance before the court in the last sitting was not born out of disregard to court.

We have written to the 1st defendant indicating our intention to pull out of representation and we went further to file a notice of withdrawal of appearance, he said.

He said the statutory provision to take such action was three days before hearing, which they had fulfilled.

We hold this court in high esteem and we have complied with the statutory requirement of three days.

We adopt the said notice of withdrawal formally, he said.

Abubakar, who confirmed the service of the application, did not oppose Oronsayes motion.

Justice Abang then granted the application in accordance with Section 349(7) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC had, on Friday, produced Maina in court after his extradition to Nigeria from Republic of Niger.

Maina, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on N2 billion money laundering charges, had jumped bail and fled to the country.

Maina last attended court in July and had subsequently missed up to six court sessions since Sept. 29.

Besides, his surety, Sen. Ali Ndume, was imprisoned by the court for his inability to produce him in court but later granted him bail after spending five days in detention. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

The Nigerian Air Air Force (NAF) on Friday inducted three reactivated aircraft in Kano, to enhance its platforms and engagement in the campaign against insurgency and banditry in the country.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who spoke during the handover of the reactivated L-39ZA aircraft, at the 403 Flying Training School (FTS), Kano, said the platforms would enhance its operations.

Abubakar said the aircraft were reactivated with support of technical partners from the Czech Republic and engineering personnel of the service at the training school.

He said reactivation work on two L-39ZA aircrafts were successfully completed while the remaining one would soon be concluded.

The air chief said the service was currently reactivating two Alpha jets at Kainji while one other jet would be reactivated at Ikeja, Lagos State.

The reactivation, he said, would facilitate capacity building of its personnel, save maintenance cost and enhance air support operations in the theatre of operations.

Abubakar said the service prioritised collaboration with technical partners to train its personnel towards effective maintenance of its platforms.

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for the support to the service, Abubakar reiterated commitment to end insurgency and banditry as well as protect national territorial integrity.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports the CAS also inaugurated the 403 FTS historical gallery at the training facility. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sen. Shehu Sani in Court

By Wandoo Sombo

The Federal High Court Abuja on Friday, adjourned the alleged bribery case filed against Shehu Sani until Jan. 27 over the prosecutions unpreparedness to play an audio recording it tendered in evidence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Sani with two counts of bribery and influence peddling.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed hearing on Friday, the EFCC counsel, Mr Ekele Iheanacho told the court that the business of the day was listening to the audio recording the prosecution obtained as evidence.

However, when asked what efforts he had made to ensure that the audio recording was played in court, the prosecutor said; it was this morning that I informed the registrar that I have a laptop to set up for the audio.

The Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, wondered why the prosecutor had to wait only to contact the registrar on Friday to set up the audio.

The matter was adjourned since Oct. 23 and it is only today that you approached the court that you want to set up audio.

You did not take any other steps before now so it means you are not ready for your case.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until Jan. 27 and Jan.28, 2021.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Correctional centre in Nigeria

By Deborah Coker

Mr Felix Lawrence, on Friday, resumed office as the new Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Edo Command.

The commands Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Aminu Suleman, stated this in a statement issued in Benin, on Friday.

Suleman said that Lawrences deployment to the command was sequel to the recent posting order issued by the Controller-General of NCoS, Jaafaru Ahmed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new controller took over from Mr Babayo Maisanda.

Suleman said that the controller, while addressing the personnel at the commands headquarters, stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to achieve unity and full compliance with the service regulations.

He also quoted Lawrence as assuring the personnel of his full commitment to their welfare, in line with keen focus on achieving the mandate of the NCoS.

The PRO described the new controller as a thorough-bred professional and seasoned officer, who had attended several courses, both at home and abroad, and had headed several correctional facilities in the country.

He listed some of the facilities to include the Medium and Maximum Security Custodial Centres in Shendam, Plateau, Kuje in FCT, Enugu in Enugu state and Port Harcourt in Rivers. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos Trade Fair exhibition ground at TBS

By Oluwatope Lawanson and Solomon Asowata

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday declared the 2020 edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair open, reiterating the Federal Governments commitment to revamping Nigerias Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the trade fair, which is being promoted by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), will be on till Dec. 13.

The fair, the 34th edition, is holding both physically at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos, and virtually.

The president, represented by the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo, said the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic had made it imperative to accelerate the growth of the industrial sector.

Buhari said: We are currently revamping the NIRP with a focus on driving backward integration and increasingly domesticating production of key products, especially sugar, dairy, palm oil, cotton, textiles and garments, automobiles and cassava starch.

We are also to concession two Brownfield Special Economic Zones (Kano and Calabar) while commencing work on developing four additional Greenfield sites across the country.

According to him, the government is also facilitating trade and maximising the benefits of international trade through multilateral trade relations with other countries.

He said the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) was working assiduously to boost the countrys non-oil sector revenue and had rolled out export policies for 22 major products that could generate up to US billion annually in foreign exchange.

Buhari said: To boost our trade activities and prospects, we must support locally manufactured goods.

It is in this regard; our government signed the Executive Order 003 in 2017 and several campaigns have been launched to create necessary awareness and momentum.

As you will agree with me, this will, among other things, enable us create employment for our large and growing population, diversify the economy from a relatively narrow base, build industrial capacity and trade competitiveness.

He said that it would improve the management of Nigerias foreign exchange reserves to alleviate the economys vulnerability to changes in crude oil prices.

Once again, I want to use this medium to call for collaboration from various government agencies in this regard.

These accomplishments I have mentioned are a testament to the fact that all hands are on deck in establishing a solid foundation for even greater successes in future.

Our government is committed to continuing to forge ahead in the quest of making Nigeria realise its social and economic potential.

Therefore, the cooperation of us all as patriotic Nigerians as well as that of our friends and partners from around the world will be required to achieve our set targets, the president said.

Also, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajidr Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the fair provides unique opportunities for traders, investors and buyers from different parts of the globe.

Sanwo-Olu said the government was aligning with LCCI on its advocacy for the enthronement of policy consistency through alignment of fiscal and monetary policies.

This, he said, is to effectively address the myriad of bottlenecks impeding industrialisation, trade and investment in the country.

He assured the business community of the administrations commitment to improving the business environment to make it more attractive for investment.

According to him, this is in the face of the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic and devastating outcomes that followed the hijack of the peaceful #ENDSARS protest.

The governor said several businesses and business owners had been thrown into a state of confusion, debt and total loss following the vandalism and destruction.

He said:As a government, we are doing all we can to restore hope and to also help these businesses get back on their feet.

We understand that restoring our city will entail giving hope and succor to entrepreneurs and business owners, and in order to cushion the effect of all that has happened to them, we have provided avenues to give financial support in the forms of loans and grants.

We will also be providing tax break of PAYE to affected business owners where appropriate.

The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSTEF) is partnering with the private sector players to help businesses whose properties were looted or vandalised.

We have also created a N2.5 billion Lagos Recovery Fund for looted businesses, and so far, over 2,500 business owners have applied.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, President, LCCI, said the chamber had strong faith in the Nigerian economy and that the country would soon exit recession.

She said: The LCCI is committed to the vision of the current administration in respect of economic diversification and self-reliance.

Our programmes, advocacy activities and capacity development are geared toward the realisation of economic aspirations.

We recognise the imperative of non-oil sector development and the need to add value to our primary products in order to improve earnings for both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

This trade fair provides a platform to identify non-oil alternatives and highlights the significance of value addition.

The trade fair equally serves as an avenue to boost economic and commercial activities. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Wall Street

The U.S. government is just one step away from enacting a law that could kick several Chinese firms off Wall Street, which can further escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing.

According to a report by the Cable News Network (CNN) on Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives had passed a Bill to that effect on Wednesday.

The Bill seeks to enact a Law that would prevent companies that refuse to open their books to U.S. accounting regulators from trading on U.S. Stock exchanges.

The Bill is right now only awaiting President Donald Trumps signature to become Law.

The Bill states that the companies would be removed from the U.S. exchanges after three years if they did not provide U.S. regulators access to their audit information.

Though the Bill would apply to any foreign country, the focus on China is obvious, as Beijing has resisted such scrutiny.

All U.S.-listed public companies would also be required to disclose whether they are owned or controlled by a foreign government, including Chinas Communist Party.

The bipartisan co-sponsors of the legislation said earlier this year that their goal was to kick deceitful Chinese companies off U.S. exchanges.

The U.S. scrutiny intensified following a scandal involving Luckin Coffee, the Chinese coffee firm that disclosed massive accounting irregularities this spring, which was kicked out of the NASDAQ in June.

Politicians from both parties in the U.S. have criticised Chinas lack of transparency in its financial system, saying it could be putting American investors at risk of fraud.

This legislation would give Trump yet another way to put pressure on China before he leaves office in January.

The Trump administration has targeted companies like TikTok and forced Huawei into a fight for survival and banned Americans from investing in some Chinese firms.

Meanwhile, several Chinese companies have been preparing contingency plans in the light of the heightened scrutiny from the United States, the report says.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, tensions have been rising between the two countries over the issue of trade, Hong Kong legislation, origins of the virus and Beijings rising military aggression.

Amid the escalation, the State Department under Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pursued staunch policy measures against the Chinese government.

On Thursday, the Trump administration reduced the U.S. visitor visas validity period for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials and their family members from 10 years to one month.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on the same day blacklisted four more Chinese firms from accessing military tech, labelling them as being controlled by the Chinese military.

These moves are among the series of actions taken by the Trump administration, setting a tone for the U.S. President-elect Joe Biden taking office in January. (ANI/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Soil preservation in Africa

By Felicia Imohimi

The Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has warned against unsustainable soil management practices like misuse of agro-chemicals, soil sealing, pollution and increased fire frequency.

NISSs Registrar, Prof. Victor Chude, gave the warning on Friday in Abuja in a statement to commemorate the 2020 World Soil Day (WSD).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WSD, a UN observance day, is commemorated every Dec. 5, to celebrate healthy soils for food-secured future.

The theme for 2020 WSD is Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity.

Soil biodiversity is the variety of life that exists within the soil, including bacteria, fungi, earthworms and termites.

A teaspoon of topsoil typically contains a vast range of different species and up to six billion microorganisms.

Chude expressed concern that soil biodiversity was under threat.

He emphasised that some unsustainable farming practices including tillage, use of agro-chemicals, effects of climate change and soil pollution among others could have adverse consequences for the health and biodiversity of soils.

Land use change, unsustainable practices, soil sealing, pollution and increased fire frequency can damage soil biodiversity and its function beyond repair.

Some ecosystems may never recover, hence the need to preserve our soils before it reaches this stage.

This year, by addressing the increasing challenges of soil management in line with 2020 theme, the institute aim is to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being.

NISS encourages people around the world to engage in proactively improving soil health, sensitise the public on the scope of bio-diversity and its benefits to life as well as fight soil biodiversity loss.

If we do not act soon, the fertility of soil will continue to be adversely affected at an alarming rate, threatening global and national food supplies, food and nutrition security, Chude said.

He urged everyone to play a quality role in protecting soil biodiversity education and managing soil resources sustainably.

According to him, we all should also play quality role in protecting soil biodiversity by supporting soil biodiversity and sustainability research as well as investing in innovation and refusing, reducing, reusing and recycling materials before sending them to a landfill.

The registrar explained the WSD, an international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.

He noted under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform.

The FAO conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly.

In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating Dec. 5, 2014 as the official WSD.

Chude explained that the WSD Dec. 5 corresponded with the official birthday of late H.M King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of the initiative.

Speaking on the theme, he noted that plants nurture the whole creatures in the soil that in return feed and protect the plants, adding that this diverse community of living organisms keeps the soil healthy and fertile.

This vast world, according to him, constitutes soil biodiversity and determines the main biogeochemical processes that make life possible on earth.

It is worthy of note that beneath our feet, lies an outstanding diverse community of plants, animals and microbes that make up our soils.

Soils are more than just dirt-soil biodiversity helps us breathe and fight climate change, strong support for agriculture and food security, major reservoir of global biodiversity among others, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mr Sarki Auwalu, DPR Boss

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr Sarki Auwalu, says the department exceeded its revenue target by 36 per cent in 2014.

Auwalu made this known when he appeared before the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DPR was summoned by the committee over the report by the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF) on variance between the budget and actual revenue figures by revenue collecting agencies.

Auwalu said that between 2010 and 2014 the DPR had continued to exceed its target on revenue collections.

The Departments performance on revenue collection for the year 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were over and above the target.

It is important to note that from 2010 to 2015 we made 141, 170, 146, 129 and 135 per cent in revenue respectively.

By this, in the year under review that is 2014, the DPR collected revenue over and above the budget by 36 per cent, he said.

On underpayment of four per cent Cost of Collection (COC) to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as submitted by the AGF, he said that the amount in question was paid in December 2015.

An initial shortfall of N94.794 million being outstanding of cost of collection for the period November 2014 was recorded.

However, the sum of N4.923 million and N60.458 million were paid on Dec. 23, and Dec. 30, 2014, respectively, he said.

This, according to him, is a balance of N29.411 million observed by the auditor as underpayment of four per cent of COC in November 2014.

Giving a breakdown of the payments, he said that the outstanding N29.411 million was included in the payment of N2.549 billion being the four per cent of COC on total collection of N63.002 billion in Feb 2015.

In his remarks, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Wole Oke, commended the DPR for the clarification saying, We have no claim against you, this is very clear and straight forward.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

As countries gear up to vaccinate their citizens against coronavirus, the International Police, Interpol, on Thursday in Lyon issued a global alert over organized crime networks targeting the vaccines.

Jurgen Stock, Interpol Secretary-General, who gave the warning in an official statement in Lyon, France, urged countries to prepare for organised crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.

He, therefore, called for increased law enforcement and vigilance across its 194 member countries.

As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organizations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains.

Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives.

It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning, he added.

The Interpol also advised the public to take special care when going online to search for medical equipment or medicines.

In addition to the dangers of ordering potentially life-threatening products, an analysis by the INTERPOLs Cybercrime Unit revealed that of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices, around 1,700 contained cyber threats, especially phishing and spamming malware, it said.

On Wednesday, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to authorise the use of Pfizer-BioNTech for emergency purposes, thus, paving way for the delivery of the vaccines from next week.

More than 100,000 people in Russia have already been inoculated against the coronavirus, said Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, while presenting the Sputnik Vaccine to the United Nations over a video link. (ANI/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ikenna Osuoha

Dr Ejike Oji, the Chairman, Technical Management Committee, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP),
says fertility control is key to increasing Nigerias per capita income, aimed at engendering higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Oji made this known at the flagship News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum on Thursday in Abuja, adding that
Nigeria is among countries with low Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) at 12 per cent.

He noted that about 20 per cent of women and girls in the country were unable to access family planning services and commodities,
resulting to youthful bulge.

The medical practitioner said that about 70 per cent of Nigerias population was under 30 years, which remained a threat to
the countrys economic stability and security.

He noted that demographic crisis is being heightened by youthful bulge, emigration, clashes, shrinking of physical space as a
result of Sahara desert and Lake Chads encroachment.

Oji, who reiterated the imperatives of regulating the number of children per family, said it was paramount in securing a healthy and
prosperous future for generations unborn, as well as stabilising the economy.

According to him, the countrys youthful bulge is not just unemployed but largely unemployable.

The Family Planning advocate decried the rate of emigration of skilled and unskilled labour to foreign countries, saying it was orchestrated by demographic crisis.

Oji advocated generational deliberate steps, massive investment in appropriate education, security, ease of doing business and justice as veritable steps to transiting the country to demographic dividends.

He called for political will among state governments in particular to complement Federal Governments commitment to attaining the rebased 27 per cent prevalence for family planning as promised by Nigeria in the FP 2020 Initiative. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Army has urged religious leaders to produce appropriate narratives that would counter the terrorists ideologies towards discouraging the young minds from accepting extremist ideologies.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made the call at the Second Nigerian Army Spiritual Warfare Seminar organised by the Chaplain and Islamic Directorates on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the seminar is Insecurity in Nigeria: Repositioning Authentic Religious Narratives in the Information Spectrum.

Buratai, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Lt.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, said the seminar was aimed at evolving narratives to defeat the ideologies of religious based terrorist groups.

He said that the ongoing military operations against the Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists as well as other criminal groups were driven by the desire to keep Nigeria safe for everyone.

The COAS said that Nigerian Army had recorded great successes in these fights by applying all forms of kinetic operations, adding that the ideological beliefs of the terrorists had remained one of the challenges.

According to him, the terrorists groups believe strongly that their ideologies have enhanced their generation of resources and the recruitment of new fighters to their folds.

As such, we need to come up with positive and authentic narratives that can kill the ideology of the terrorists and of course wither out the inspired groups.

This, therefore, underscores the importance of this seminar as clerics play key roles in producing appropriate narratives required to counter the ideologies of these religious based terrorists groups, he said.

Buratai said the theme of the seminar was carefully crafted to ensure that authentic narratives are always available in the information Spectrum.

He also called on communities and the states to join the common purpose of rejecting the ideologies of the terrorist groups and challenge those who espouse them.

This, according to him, can be better achieved through the provision of authentic counter narratives targeted at the ideologies of the terrorist groups.

He said that religious leaders and clerics who regularly interface with people at the grassroots, families and local communities had important role to play in tackling terrorism and preventing violent extremism.

It is therefore my hope that this seminar will lead to a renewed and sustained focus on preventing terrorism and also effectively support the ongoing military efforts in the Nations counterterrorism and counter-insurgent operations, he said.

The Chief of Administration (Army), Maj.-Gen. Usman Yakubu, said the military had continued to use both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieve successes.

Yakubu said that the army had carried out several civil military interventions such as medical outreaches and other developmental projects to change the negative narratives used by the terrorists.

According to him, violent and terrorist-extremisms ideology is a major challenge, hence the need for the army to organise the seminar.

He said that the religious leaders were the major stakeholders in the drive to shaping and changing the wrong and negative narratives since they have direct contact with those who live in the rural areas.

Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya, who was a guest speaker at the event, said there was a global conspiracy and sabotage to destroy Nigeria by external factors because of its potential and those of the citizens.

Mailafiya called on all including civil society organisations to rally round the military in restoring the desired stable security in the country, adding that the fight against insurgency was a collective war. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

By Florence Onuegbu

The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it had earmarked N32.76 billion in the 2021 Appropriation Bill for security.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this during the 14th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security.

The theme of the meeting was Lagos Security: Resilience in the Face of Adversity.

Sanwo-Olu said that the year 2020 had been one of complex challenges to safety and security architecture in the state, adding that there had been significant threats to collective health, safety and security.

He said that the challenges had tasked governments resilience and crisis management capacity, but it had remained resolute and risen above the challenges.

According to him, government has been able to contain all major threats to safety and security in the state, and now is in a better position to prevent them in future.

At the 2021 budget presentation on Nov. 10, I stated that the Lagos State Government will commit N9.16 billion to social protection in order to critically address other contributors to crime such as substance abuse, youth unemployment and poor education.

Sanwo-Olu said that it was easier to prevent crime than control it, hence, government would embrace a deliberate and determined approach toward crime prevention and the preservation of law and order.

Nothing will deter us from protecting the lives and property of Lagos residents now and in the future. Safety and security will never be compromised in our state.

We have taken proactive measures of making the necessary budgetary provision for security.

We committed N32.76 billion to Public Order and Safety in the 2021 Appropriation Bill, which I presented to the State House of Assembly on Nov. 10.

We understand the correlation between development and security, the events of the recent past have shown that there can be no meaningful progress and development without security, he said.

The governor urged Lagos residents to join the government in upholding the security of the state, as security agencies and the government could not do it alone.

According to him, even as the government takes bold actions to secure the state, it is the duty of all residents to ensure that they do nothing to jeopardise the peace, safety, stability and security of the state.

He urged Lagos residents to remain vigilant and report all suspected attempts to disrupt law and order to the appropriate authorities.

Sanwo-Olu assured the people that the government would do more in the areas of intelligence-led policing, improved operational capacity and welfare of the security agencies.

He thanked the private sector for their support for the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Newsan

By Patricia Amogu

Society for Water and Sanitation (Newsan), an NGO, on Thursday pledged its support for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RUWASSA) programmes in all area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Mr Desmond Obieshe, Spokesman for Newsan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the collaboration with RUWASSA would help in bridging the missing gaps in the WASH sector in the FCT.

I believe that collaboration with RUWASSA will help us to bridge the gaps missing in the WASH sector here in the FCT.

We are giving our full support during this time that issues in WASH has become enlisted as a state of National emergency,

We are committed to fighting issues relating to WASH, thats why we are coming to throw our weights behind RUWASSA which is an umbrella body that sees to all water supply sanitation and hygiene issues in the rural communities in the FCT,Obieshe said.

He said that the NGO had just finished collating some data that would be helpful in correcting data related issues in the water sector.

If we have data then it becomes very easy for us to know the specific issues we are dealing with, and spearhead accurate solutions to them, he said.

Obieshe said that the NGO would hold a stakeholders meeting in Abuja to share a recent report on data collected from all the area councils in the FCT.

According to him, the planned stakeholders meeting will report back and share data collected among stakeholders in the WASH sector and also come up with a working group that will outline subsequent action plans to tackle major issues in the sector.

Collecting data wasnt easy around communities in the FCT, we visited all the area councils and submitted letters to the appropriate persons in charge, asking for convenient dates to come back and hold meetings with desk officers.

Some of the area councils didnt have designated desk officers to attend to us or even give us data,that was a major challenge in the collection of data, we also visited crucial stakeholders that see to WASH activities .

All responses were collected online after which we analysed and then summed up data and that is the result we now have with us, the NGO. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard

By Jessica Onyegbula

The United States Government, says it will continue to support Nigeria in its quest to end the HIV pandemic in the country.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, gave the assurance at the Workshop on Data Repository, as a Resource for Achieving HIV-Epidemic Control, on Thursday, in Abuja.

Leonard said that approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV, received support to improve quality of life, including Tuberculosis and HIV care services, and about 1.3 million orphans and vulnerable children received care and support services in Nigeria.

I am delighted to join you today to celebrate World AIDS Day 2020. Every year we gather to celebrate people living with HIV/AIDS, remember those who have passed on due to the disease, and thank those who continue to work tirelessly to bring this epidemic under control.

HIV/AIDS continues to be a leading cause of death, with over 690,000 people dying from AIDS-related illnesses in 2019.

Today, over 38 million people are living with HIV worldwide. The U.S. government is fighting this disease through treatment and prevention initiatives and expanding access to HIV services for people worldwide.

This World AIDS Day, we reaffirm our dedication to the fight to end HIV, she said.

Leonard also said that in spite of threat of COVID-19, the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) helped diagnose and provide treatment to 6,000 HIV-infected Nigerians in 2020.

This was done while maintaining the integrity and quality of services, and keeping the healthcare providers safe.

Now, PEPFAR is supporting lifesaving treatment to over a million patients and partnering with the government to achieve epidemic control, she said.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who declared the workshop open, said that the workshop was a timely opportunity to critically examine available data in the country.

Ehanire also acknowledged all the supports of partners.

There is no doubt that 2020 will be judged by history to be an important year in global public health.

Despite the threats that COVID-19 posed to our programmes and targets, it is a paradox, in that it also presented us important opportunity for learning and for change.

I am certain that most of this learning will remain with us even in the post COVID -19 era, Ehanire said.

The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Aliyu, said the National Data Repository would go a long way in identifying persons with HIV and placing them on treatment.

Similarly, Dr Murphy Akpu of the U.S PEPFAR, says the agency is proud of the investments made so far in Nigeria.

PEPFAR has invested more than billion in the national HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria alone. In Nigeria in 2020, more than 8.2 million people have received HIV counseling and testing services.

Similarly, more than 1.2 million pregnant women received HIV testing and counseling toward prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Network of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Mr Abdulahi Ibrahim, said the issue of accurate data posed some challenges.

He assured the partners that NEPWHAN was totally committed to the success of the project.

The Data Repository is a Repository of identified patients data collated from across the country.

It provides for patients data to be collected at facilities and entered directly into Electronic Medical Record system, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News