COVID-19 updates by NCDC

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), has announced 300 new infections of the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NCDC made this known via its verified website on Sunday.

The NCDC said after some weeks of recording low number of cases in the country, the300 new cases brings the total number of infections in Nigeria to 64,090.

The health agency also announced the discharged of 26 patients from isolation centers across the country.

The NCDC said that the countrys epicenter, Lagos State, reported 255 new COVID-19 cases, its highest number of single-day infections since August 22.

The high number of infection in Lagos came 24 hours after the state recorded no new case of the virus. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had27 infections; Oyo 10; Kaduna 5; Ondo 2 and Kano 1.

According to the NCDC,26 COVID-19 patients have been discharged in the last 24 hours with 59,910 as the total number of successfully treated cases in the country.

The public health Agency said that no new COVID-19 deaths were reported during the period as the national death toll remained 1,154 for the fourth consecutive day.

The agency said that it had activated a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), at Level III, to coordinate the national response activities in the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Scores of terrorists killed in massive airstrikes on hideouts in Borno DHQ

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole, has neutralised several terrorists of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in airstrikes at Tumbun Allura in Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Monday, said the airstrikes also destroyed the terrorists logistics hub on the fringes of Lake Chad in Northern Borno.

Enenche said that some of their structures, including a suspected fuel storage facility were also destroyed in the attack.

He said the air raid was executed Sunday following a credible Human Intelligence reports as well as aerial surveillance missions which led to the identification of the location.

According to him, a command post as well as a suspected fuel dump, with large number of jerry cans and barrels concealed in make shift structures within the settlement were discovered and destroyed.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack aircraft, dispatched by the Air Task Force to engage the location, scored accurate hits in the target area resulting in the destruction of the terrorists fuel dump, which was seen engulfed in flames.

Several ISWAP elements were also neutralised as a result of the air strike, he said.

Source: NAN News

Pakistans Supreme Court on Monday approved bail for the Editor-in-Chief of the countrys largest media group, after he was detained for eight months without formal charges, a defence lawyer said.

Mir Shakeelur Rehman, who owns Jang Media Group, was arrested in March by anti-graft authorities on allegations of corruption related to a property deal he conducted more than three decades ago.

Rehman has since been in custody, but was never formally charged in court, in defiance of the countrys laws, his lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, said.

The Lahore High Court denied bail to Rehman in July, in what lawyers unions called a decision against all principles of justice.

Rehmans Jang Media Group publishes newspapers in both Urdu and English and runs Pakistans most popular television network Geo.

Unions for lawyers and journalist have been protesting against the arrest, saying it is part of a larger crackdown on those critical of the government and the military.

Pakistani media and journalists have faced threats and harassment since the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan took office in 2018 after elections tainted by allegations of manipulation by the military. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

European Union

The EU will impose tariffs on U.S. products in the dispute surrounding aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday.

A recent World Trade Organisation ruling permitted the EU to impose tariffs, Dombrovskis said.

And thats what we are doing, he said.

The ruling, issued in mid-October, allows the EU to impose tariffs worth nearly four billion dollars (3.37 billion euros) on U.S. imports annually to retaliate against unfair aircraft subsidies.

The EU would remain open to negotiations, however, with the commission advocating for both sides to drop tariffs on each others products, Dombrovskis said.

In a similar case, the WTO authorised the U.S. in 2019 to impose tariffs on EUproducts worth up to 7.5 billion dollars (6.3 billion euros) in response to illegal state aid to European plane-maker Airbus. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Nana Musa

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) will officially launch Retirement Savings Account (RSA) transfer system, under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) on Nov. 16.

The Head Corporate Communication, PenCom, Mr Peter Aghahowa, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

He said the commissionhad concluded arrangements for the take-off of RSA transfer to allow the RSA holders to transfer their accounts from one Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) to another once in a year.

He said this in line with section 13 of the Pension Reform Act 2014.

The launch date for the RSA Transfer System is scheduled for Nov. 16, this will signify the official opening of the RSA Transfer Window.

Priorto this launch, the commission had successfully developed the RSA transfer application a robust electronic platform that would enable seamless RSA transfers.

Also, the commission have conducted extensive workshops for licensed Pension Operators and State Pension Bureaus in readiness for this epoch-making event, Aghahowa said.

He said the activation of the RSA transfer process would stimulate competition and improve service delivery in the pension industry.

He also said it would assert the right of RSA holders to determine which PFA managed their pension contributions and retirement benefits.

Source: NAN News

Prof.Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), Vice-Chancellor Lagos State University (LASU)

By Oluwakemi Oladipo

Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), on Monday said that to adopt and accept virtual learning in post-COVID-19 era, Nigerian institutions needed to invest in online resources.

Fagbohun, a Professor of Environmental Law, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, it is clear in this COVID-19 era that academic institutions must invest in online resources.

Investment of academic institutions in this area, will ease and guide the attention of students to these online resources to complement whatever the lecturers are teaching them.

If the lecturer is going to focus on going into classrooms to teach face to face for two hours, the same cannot be done online because the students will get tired.

The pedagogy must change, you want to go online in your lecture for some 15 to 20 minutes, so you can still be able to retain that attention of the students with some online materials, he said.

The vice-chancellor said that LASU management always encouraged their faculty members to give support to their students, in terms of engaging them through other media platform such as WhatsApp, especially things they were used to.

Lecturers should give their students guide on online resources which will complement what they were taught during lectures.

Those are the critical things if we are going to make a success and delivery of virtual learning for our students.

The critical path of virtual learning in education system now is something that nobody can doubt and must be achieved.

I believe the way to go about it, in terms of getting our students key into virtual learning system, is first and foremost, for the management of every institution to believe they can achieve it, he said.

Fagbohun added that we might not have the online resources of Ivy League institutions in America or the U.K. were using to lecture but we could still effectively use virtual learning to support students.

He said that there must be a change of mindset within the education system by starting the process, then developing and aggressively improve on what we had.

I know we do not have enough online resources but that should not be an excuse not to start by taking our students through and giving them the opportunity of virtual learning.

Virtual learning can be looked at as a context of real time, that is, as the lecturer is teaching and students are responding online.

It can be a challenge to some of our students, particularly students who reside in rural areas and lack internet facilities, he said.

According to Fagbohun,the way to address students who are having challenges on internet facilities is for the lecturer to upload materials online for the students.

The students will have the opportunity to go online and assess those materials at their own convenient time which will help in the long term, Faghoun said.

Source: NAN News

PDP Logo

By Yemi Adeleye

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State charpter, has advised Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure more fairness as he commences second term in office on Monday.

The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

He said that the INEC boss on his reappointment should read the riot act to the INEC officials to elevate fairness in elections.

Indeed, the INEC Chairman should show more fairness and be able to speak the truth to his employer. The INEC chairman should prove his critics wrong by delivering credible elections all over the country.

Prof. Yakubu must show competence by not limiting duty to Election Day alone. He must read the riot act to all staff of the commission and himself to stay very credible and contented.

All he needs is stern body language and all will be proper. The late Dora Akunyile single-handedly revolutionised service delivery at NAFDAC, today she remains a heroine, Gani said.

The PDP spokesman urged the INEC chairman to reform and reinvigorates the electoral process by also ensuring credible continuous voter registration, education and elections.

Importantly, INEC must regularise continuous voter registration, look into adopting electronic voting.

We can start from all possible constituencies. Even in the U.S., some areas still did manual voting. These two areas should start now, he added.

NAN reports that after five years tenure, the INEC Chairman on Monday commenced a fresh term.

Yakubus reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, was announced on Oct. 27, in a letter to the Senate for confirmation, making him the first INEC chairman to have his tenure extended by another five years. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Abujah Racheal

Prof. Clement Adebamowo, a Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health has said that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak may have some positive and negative impact on cancer occurrence in patients.

Adebamowo, who is also an Associate Director Marlene and Stewart Greenabaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine made the claim in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Abuja.

Now that we have COVID-19, it is going to have some positive impact on cancer occurrence and some negative impact.

The negative impact is that we are already seeing that patients are not coming to hospitals even in developed countries so programmes for screening cancer are not seeing as many patients as they should be seeing.

What that means is that, later on, more people will be presenting with advanced cancer and they will have poor outcomes to treatment.

That is one possible impact of COVID-19 on cancer.

COVID-19 may also cause some cancers to reduce in incidence, like cervical cancer which is associated with Human papillomavirus (HPV), he said.

He said that HPV could be spread through personal contact, including sexual contact.

So when you have a virus that is putting pressure on human population to reduce personal contact, then the spread of viruses that are dependent on high levels of personal contact will reduce.

So, what we are going to see in future is a balance between these two contending forces, he explained.

The expert said that there was no available evidence to show if COVID-19 virus was going to be associated with any specific type of cancer or other non-communicable diseases in future.

We have seen preliminary evidence that it is associated with some mental health issues, long-time respiratory health issues, cardiovascular diseases and neurological diseases.

But cancer takes a long time before it occurs so whether people who have been infected by COVID-19 clear the virus, whether it remains in their system and if it would increase their risk of non-communicable diseases in the future is an open area for research, he stressed.

He said that COVID-19 was a viral pandemic which WHO had been preparing a plan for responding to for about 20 years.

One of the things that I have found disappointing in the current pandemic is how many countries did not implement those plans and there was a lot of confusion and denial of the science and of the public health, he noted.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Condom

By Amina Ahmed

The Ward Development Committee (WDC), Ganjuwa Local Government Council in Bauchi State has decried scarcity of Child Birth Spacing (CBS) commodities especially condoms in the area.

The WDC Chairman, Mr Mustpha Ibrahim, made the observation when Bauchi StatePublic Health Media Network visited Kafin Madaki Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) on Monday.

Ibrahim attributed the out of stock of CBS commodities in Kafin Madaki PHCto high demand of services by men in the area.

He said that husbands especially, were becoming considerate in respect to quality andhealthy lifestyle.

Husbands openly discuss CBS and go to facilities to access services, especially condoms.

The person in charge told me during a meeting that condoms finish first out of other CBS commodities because men are coming for the services.

CBS is well accepted because we have parents coming forpremarital counseling with intended couples. Our volunteers are conducting house to house for the success of CBS, he said.

The WDC chairman appealed to the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to avail the health centre with CBS commodities to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

Earlier, Mr Sani Usman, the deputy in charge of PHC Kafin Madaki said that no fewer than 60 CBS clients access the services monthly.

Usman said that in October, the facilities were out of stock of child birth spacing commodities.

In October, PHC were out of stock but this is because of an increase in the number of clientele recorded, Usman said.

He noted that somechallenges encountered with CBS were because the new clients experience minor side effects and the officials still counseled them appropriately. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Special welfare package will make teaching profession attractive Don

By Polycarp Auta

Prof. Mathew Sule, the Chairman, Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), says the special welfare package approved for teachers in Nigeria will make teaching profession in the country attractive.

Sule said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Monday.

He noted that the move would also encourage young people to have passion and venture into the teaching profession.

He said that the teaching profession had over time been less priced, less attractive and not valued by many, owing to poor remuneration for teachers in the country.

Sule said that the new welfare package would change the narrative.

He explained that the move would also enhance the quality of teaching and learning, as teachers would put in their best in carrying out their duties.

Teachers in this country have been less priced, devalued and the profession as whole is less attractive because of poor remuneration.

People, particularly the younger ones, come into the profession by accident because they feel is not encouraging.

I have been in the university system, where young people only study education courses by chance. They come to the Faculty of Education because other departments couldnt offer them admission.

With this new package in the offing, it is likely to make the profession attractive and also encourage young people to go into it with passion.

It will also improve the quality of teaching and learning in our schools, he said.

Sule, however, urged teachers in the country to reciprocate the gesture and advised them to work hard and ensure quality was achieved in the education system.

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari recently announced a special salary scale for teachers in the country and also increased their years of service from 35 to 40 years. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Immunisation

By Ikenna Osuoha

Dr Okai Aku of Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) says intensive immunisation of both mother and child is key to the prevention and reduction of Under-5 deaths in the country.

Aku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that healthcare for mother was foundational in protecting the unborn baby.

He explained that antenatal care was paramount in ensuring that the unborn overcame Under-5 mortality and neonatal fatalities.

We must always ensure that a pregnant mother is routinely immunised to serve as a guard to the unborn.

Because the mother and child are inseparable, they are both together and to a large extent the life of the baby depends on the mother, he said.

The medical practitioner, who urged parents to immunise their children, said most immunisations for infants were free.

There is every reason for all of us to act fast in saving our children by immunising them regularly as well as making referrals to pregnant mothers.

Aku emphasised the provision of adequate dieting and nutrition to pregnant mothers as a means of protecting the unborn baby from morbidities.

He said that nutritional factors were also responsible in most cases for the wellbeing of both mother and child.

He however, called for more advocacy targeted at the rural areas to break the barriers of cultural beliefs against antenatal care and immunisations. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Empowerment of girl-child critical to socioeconomic change NGO

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), an NGO, Mrs Adenike Essiet says empowering the girl-child is critical to achieving socioeconomic change in communities and the world at large.

Essiet said this during the graduation of Girls Leaders under the Girls Voice Initiative (GVI) programme on Monday in Lagos.

The GVI programme is a leadership and advocacy programme that builds the capacity of adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 19 to lead advocacy efforts on issues that affect them.

The programme was in collaboration with Action Health Incorporated and Rise UP, to enhance the capacity of the girls to become leaders and change agents in their respective communities.

Essiet said that the programme had provided opportunities for the 60 graduates to discover their potential, and how they could use advocacy to drive positive change in their communities.

According to her, to confer meaningful advantage on teens, teaching them to be effective leaders is an area of great opportunity.

She said that the girls during their training embarked on various advocacy projects on issues of sexual harassment, menstrual hygiene, improving wellbeing of out-of-school children, domestication of child protection policy in schools, and elimination of child marriage, among others.

Essiet noted that the girls through the projects got the commitment of community and religious leaders, legislators, executives, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other stakeholders to collaborate and proffer solutions to the issues.

According to her, positive outcomes from the projects have been achieved and will be built upon to ensure sustainable progress in identified areas.

Also speaking, Mrs Theresa Effa, the Country Director, Rise Up, said that the programme provided a platform to build the skills of the girls in advocacy, identifying issues in their communities, amplifying their voices, public speaking, and engagement with policy makers.

She said that the programme activates girls to transform their lives, families and communities for a more just and equitable world.

Effa noted that this was done through investment in local solutions, strengthening leadership, and building movements.

She expressed delight at the success recorded by the project, saying it had emboldened the girls leaders and led to positive transformation of communities.

Commenting, Miss Victoria Benedict, one of the graduates, said that the programme had motivated her to speak up for girls rights issues.

I have been working to end child marriage in Makoko Community of Lagos. We have gotten the community leaders to commit to ending harmful practices and reporting offenders to necessary authorities.

The GVI programme made me to realise that our voices are powerful and when used properly, we can change our community and the world, Benedict said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Rotimi Amaechi

By Lucy Ogalue
The National Freight Hauliers Association (NFHA) has commended achievements recorded so far by Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.

The National President of the association,Jackson Bent, in a statement on Sunday said in the history of the Ministry, Amaechi had proven to be outstanding.

He said Amaechi had achieved alot and had brought all major stakeholders in the industry together, which had never happened before.

This administration of the minister, is the best we have ever seen in Transportation sector.

I have many reasons for this, since he came there has being a complete revival in the industry, especially in this present situation about fall of economy in the entire world, not just in Nigeria.

In Nigeria what we have been depending on solely was petroleum, the rest is history, we knew what the value change of dollars used to be and what it is now.

Therefore the country has nowhere to turn around to rather than the transport industry, mining and other areas to be able to sustain our economy and the development of the nation.

Why I said the coming of this minister is the greatest thing that happened in this industry is that when he came, the first thing he did was to call a general Stakeholder forum to readjust the transportation industry, Bent said.

On the Kano-Maradi rail line, Bent said it was a real plus to the country as the establishment of the train to Niger Republic would boost Nigerias economy especially in the area of trade.

According to him, most of the products in Niger stores are imported from France, adding that for the rail line to exist, Niger Republic will have gotten approval from France.

He said the implication was that most of the products which would be imported from Nigeria to Niger would possibly get to France.

He said: Most of all the food in Niger are all imported items from France and other places.

So if Nigerian rail can open, all the trading aspect of it will boost the economy so much that you will be surprised even the people in Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, and others will export their produce to Niger, they have irrigation farms with a whole lot of produce in those areas.

What I am saying is that, for the fact that they even agreed to execute the project, its a plus for Nigeria.

A plus in the sense that instead of them depending on oversea materials and produce especially food, that can now be gotten from Nigeria.

Trading is going to be two ways, even if the bulk is from Nigeria, its for our own interest, we are opening market for our local products.

Let me tell you, Niger Republic has oil now, but the good news for Nigeria is that they dont have a port to transport it to Europe, it means they have to pass through Nigeria.

Now that the country is looking for the alternative to develop her economy that is why I am saying transportation, mines, and others will now come to the forefront, we are blessed in this country, he added.

While highlighting some achievements of the association, he said NFHA had been in existence for 19 years but was facing challenges because things were not properly put in place from the beginning.

Bent however noted that the present administration was working with relevant stakeholders to transform the image of the association.

He said the association was presently operating in about 28 states with over 1.8 million members.

Source: NAN News

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

By Shedrack Frank

Former President Good luck Jonathan and Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa have called for the immediate adoption of electronic voting system to curb the ugly trend of politicians using thuggery and cultism to win elections in the country.

The former President said over 50 per cent of the problems faced by the country, including insurgency, cultism and corruption, will be addressed with the adoption and effective use of e-voting.

Jonathan blamed the rising insecurity in the country on activities of politicians who werehell-bent on grabbing political power through the backdoor, against the popular wish of the people.

He said: Our political activities particularly the use of young people as militiamen and thugs and so on, to win elections has increased the security challenges facing our nation.

Some of the youths they use are so protected that even the police cannot arrest them because they are boys to powerful politicians who use them during elections.

That is why I have always advocated that for us to move forward as a country, we must use electronic voting where nobody will use thugs to win elections.

Immediately we use electronic voting, the issue of thuggery and cultism will drop by at least 50 per cent, he added.

Jonathan and Diri spoke on Sunday at the Third Synod of the Diocese of Ogbia at St Marks Anglican Church, Otakeme in the state.

Represented at the occasion by his deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Bayelsa governor urged youths to shun politicians who only use them to achieve their selfish political goals and abandon them afterwards.

He noted that the only way a youth could resist the temptation of going into thuggery and cultism was to love and appreciate him or herself, as a unique creation of God.

Diri, also used the opportunity to call on people of the state to key into the present administrations prosperity agenda, by embracing agriculture and small scale businesses to better their lot.

Just like our father (the former President) said earlier, I want to encourage our youths to resist evil politicians who do not mean well for them. If they invite you to carry guns, ask them, where are your children? You must learn to love yourself above any politician.

For us as a government, we are determined to improve the lives of our people. And our focus is to see how prosperity can be engendered, he said, adding, Prosperity is not engendered by coming to beg a politician to give you something to eat.

Diri emphasized: The man who teaches you how to fish is better than the one who gives you fish. To be taking fish from a politician every day is to be dependent.

So, we are ready to make our youths self-reliant and prosperous by teaching them how to fish in agriculture and other legitimate endeavours, he explained.

Both leaders made financial donations to the Ogbia Diocese and urged the clergy and laity not to relent in their prayers for the state in particular and the country in general.

Delivering his address, President of the Synod and Bishop of Ogbia Diocese, Rt. Rev. James Aye-Oruwori, cautioned the Federal Government against using its Companies and other Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to undermine the sacred place of the church in society.

He said the theme of this years synod tagged: I Am That I Am emphasizes the self-existent nature of God, who is in perfect control of all situations and circumstances.

Bishop Aye-Oruwori, who thanked the dignitaries and other attendees of the event, urged Christians not to presume to have known God enough, but strive to serve Him in humility at all times.

The 3-day programme had in attendance the Bishop of Northern Izon Diocese, Rt. Rev. Funkuro Amgbari, his Niger Delta West counterpart, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, the Bishop of the Diocese on the Lake, Imo State, Rt. Rev. Chijioke Oti, in addition to several other prominent personalities from within and outside the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Scores of terrorists killed in massive airstrikes on hideouts in Borno DHQ

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike has eliminated several armed bandits in an air strike on Saturday in the forest at Kuzo area of Kaduna State.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Maj. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Enenche said the air attack was executed on the bandits while they were attempting to move hundreds of rustled livestock through the area.

He said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack helicopter, on armed reconnaissance mission in the area, spotted the bandits, along with the rustled livestock, in an open patch along the East-West axis of the forest.

According to him, the helicopter strafed the target area leading to the neutralization of several of the bandits.

Source: NAN News

Ms Amina Mohammed, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Amina Mohammed is billed to arrive Nigeria on Sunday on a working visit with other members of the global body.

Mohammed, who is leading a delegation of five high level members of the UN to four West African countries, is on a mission to hold discussions on how to build back the economies post-COVID.

A statement issued by the United Nations Information Centre in Nigeria on Sunday, said that the UN delegation will also visit Ghana, Niger and Sierra Leone, all between Nov. 8 and Nov. 11.

She is to discuss with Governments and other stakeholders on strategies to build back better after the devastations caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During her time in Nigeria, she is expected to meet with H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Ms Mohammed will also join Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to launch the Nigeria UN Plus Offer For Socio-Economic Recovery 2020 -2022; as an offer for immediate and medium-term support to the Government and people of Nigeria in response to the socio-economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She will also join the Minister of Women Affairs to launch the Generation Equality campaign in Nigeria; to raise awareness about the Agenda of the Beijing Platform for Action and foster inter-generational exchange and dialogue to empower a new generation of womens rights activists, the statement said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other members of the delegation include: Mr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

Others are: Ms. Hannah Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU)

Also on the delegation are Ms. Cristina Duarte, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Africa and Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator, Director, Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19: Our disregard for safety can trigger a deadly second wave Ven. Akunna

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

Nigerians have been admonished to refrain from their nonchalant attitude towards the safety protocols of COVID-19 issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Ven. Ifeanyi Akunna, the Vicar of Anglican Church of the Epiphany, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, gave the warning on Sunday, while delivering a sermon titled: Seek Ye First.

The cleric cautioned Nigerians not to forget that the COVID-19 pandemic was not yet over, pointing out that continued disregard for their safety can trigger a second wave of the pandemic that could be worse than the first.

He regretted that Nigerians no longer adhered to NCDCs safety advisories on Coronavirus, stating that such lackadaisical attitude can lead to an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Nigeria again.

Everybody should watch and pray so that this second outbreak of Coronavirus will not lead to another round of lockdown and economic meltdown.

It is high time we prayed against this second outbreak so that it will not thrive in Nigeria.

This prayer, however, has to be backed with action as we need to take all the necessary precautions, he said.

He warned against politicizing or commercializing the pandemic and its handling, stressing that anyone who does so will have to answer to God someday.

God will hold anybody responsible, who takes undue advantage of the virus to defraud the government and exploit the poor, he said.
Akunna described the hoarding of palliatives meant for the masses as an act of sheer wickedness as the food aid meant for the poor were knowingly stowed away for selfish intentions.

He urged Nigerians to seek God in everything they do, while identifying greed, wickedness and injustice as the major problems of Nigeria.

The Anglican vicar noted that many Nigerians ran after money, materialism, glamour and fame at the expense of their souls, cautioning that the World, with all its glories, will surely pass away and only those who seek God will inherit eternal life.

Source: NAN News

Ollie Watkins as Aston Villa stun Arsenal

Aston Villa returned to winning ways in stunning fashion as Ollie Watkins scored twice in a 3-0 away thumping of an abject Arsenal in drizzly north London on Sunday.

The visitors had already seen a John McGinn goal ruled out for a harsh offside decision when Bukayo Saka, under pressure from Trezeguet, put into his own goal after 25 minutes.

Aston Villa went up a gear in the second half with Jack Grealish pulling the strings in midfield and it was no surprise when Watkins headed home in the 72nd minute.

Watkins struck again three minutes later after a rapid counter-attack to seal the points.

Two consecutive defeats had halted Aston Villas early season charge but they moved back up to sixth with 15 points from eight games.

Inconsistent Arsenal are down in 11th with 12 points after four wins and four defeats so far.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed,

By Florence Onuegbu

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday in Lagos said that the Federal Government will continue to address the issue of job creation for the youth.

Mohammed said this while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the meeting of governors, ministers and traditional rulers of South-West states following the EndSARS protest mayhem.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-day meeting was also attended by a Presidential delegation, led by the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

He said that the government would continue to engage the youths and address the issue of poverty alleviation.

It is not as if the government has not been addressing the issue of unemployment. The newly launched funds by the government was actually aimed at creating job opportunities.

What the government has done so far is to provide platforms where businesses can thrive, the minister said.

Mohammed said that the purpose of the South-West meeting was to allow governors and other political leaders in the South-West to interact.

He also said that the federal government delegation used the moment to commiserate with the Lagos State Government following the attack it suffered recently in the EndSARS protest mayhem.

It was a peaceful meeting and it was agreed that the state and the federal government response to the initial demand of the EndSARS protest was appropriate, the minister said.

He said that the government would continue to invest in the development of human capacity, with more implementation of economic policies that will engender development and building of more public infrastructure that would empower the teeming youths.

Earlier at the meeting, the South-West traditional rulers blamed politicians for the EndSARS protest mayhem witnessed in the region in the last few weeks.

The monarchs expressed disappointment at the manner politicians had turned politics into money induced venture at the expense of the interest of the youth.

They opined that high rate of unemployment among youths caused the agitation in the EndSARS protest.

The governors have taken the right steps with this meeting. However, they have been far away from we monarchs. You should not wait till election days before you reach out to us. This type of meeting should come regularly.

We know the good and the bad in our communities but we are under-utilised, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, said.

In his reaction, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said the destruction had put the region in a complex situation.

It is a complex and complicated matter. Our children are jobless and many are hungry. The problems are too much for the states.

The states are not independent. The structure we run in Nigeria cannot allow state governors to do much for their states, he said.

The Oluigbo of Ugbo, Oba Akinruntan Obateru, urged the Inspector General of Police to conduct detailed investigation into the incident and fish out those behind the protest.

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu said that truth is very bitter, noting that majority of the problems were caused by politicians.

The power with the federal government is too much. The security architecture of the country needs to be restructured.

The problem we have in Lagos is security and unemployment. The youths have to be looked after. What happened is pure case of security breach. The entire system needs reformation, Akiolu said.

Source: NAN News

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty kick for the third time this season as his team struggled to draw 2-2 at home to Verona on Sunday.

The Swede went on to score a stoppage time equaliser as the Serie A leaders hit back to draw.

Beaten 3-0 by Lille in the Europa League on Thursday, AC Milan trailed 2-0 after less than 20 minutes.

Antonin Barak scored for the visitors and Davide Calabria put through his own goal.

AC Milan pulled one back with a Giangiacomo Magnani own goal in the 27th minute.

They should have equalised midway through the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick, but Ibrahimovic sent a wild effort flying over the bar.

But, after Calabria had a 90th minute goal disallowed following a VAR review, Ibrahimovic headed in the equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

It was his eighth goal of the season, leaving AC Milan with 17 points from seven games.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News