Athletes in a Marathon

By Moses Omorogieva

The organisers of the annual Access Bank Lagos City Marathon have announced two major changes to the 2021 edition of the Silver Label race, with the first being that only 10,000 runners from across the world would participate.

The organisers also suspended the 10km race which has always been the crowd puller since it was introduced into the Lagos Marathon.

Bukola Olopade, the race consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Company, explained on Friday in Lagos that the reduction in the number of participants was in the light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The drastic reduction in the number of runners was in adherence to safety COVID-19 protocols.

The measure is put in place by the World Athletics, Presidential Task Force, Sports Ministry and other relevant bodies to checkmate the further spread of COVID-19 in the country, he said in a statement.

He added Weve stepped back to take a breather and ensure that all strategies are put in place to have a race that would fit the protocols put together by the World Athletics, PTF, Ministry of Youth and Sports.

At the end of the day, we do not put brands and even the state in trouble, and I can say now we have mapped out our strategies and ready to deliver a safe race.

Outside the reduction of runners to 10,000, the 10km race which has always been the crowd puller since it was introduced into the Lagos Marathon has also been suspended from the 2021 race.

We are only focusing on our flagship race which is the 42km that already has a Silver Label from the World Athletics; with what we are putting in place for 2021, we hope we can be upgraded to the Gold Label.

Beyond the usual fanfare, the goal for 2021 is to stage a world-class event that is equally safe for all.

Already, activities for the 2021 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has officially commenced with the flagging off of registration on Thursday by top officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission.

Olopade added that the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission Sola Aiyepeku, alongside the Director-General, Oluwatoyin Gafaar were honored with the first two entry forms for the 2021 race.

Aiyepeku praised the ingenuity of the organisers for mapping out modalities for a safe race adding that Lagos State was making a big statement to stage the 2021 race. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

China donates to Myanmar

China on Friday donated more medical supplies to Myanmar to help the country fight COVID-19, the Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar,Chen Hai, said.

Chen handed over 240,000 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Myanmars Ministry of Health and Sports at the headquarters of Department of Medical Research in Yangon.

Chen said that China had always been in solidarity with Myanmar, providing assistance to Myanmar and will continue to strengthen cooperation with Myanmar to help overcome the pandemic.

Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health and Sports, said the donation of medical supplies and assistance by China had saved many lives.

Myint had expressed gratitude to China in a video message at the ceremony.

China has provided medical equipment to support Myanmar since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country and also sent groups of medical experts to help their Myanmar counterparts in the fight against the disease.

The number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 59,277 in Myanmar on Friday, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

A total of 1,342 new cases were reported, with 24 new deaths in the past 24 hours, the release said.

The death toll increased to 1,376 while 43,277 had recovered so far.

A total of 765,399 samples have been tested for the disease as of Friday since the disease was first detected in Myanmar on March 23 this year. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

U.S. President Donald Trump

The U.S. presidential election is not over, President Donald Trumps campaign team lawyer Matt Morgan said on Friday, after Democratic candidate Joe Biden gained the lead in ongoing vote counts in Pennsylvania and Georgia.

This election is not over, Morgan said. The false protection of Joe Biden as the winner is based on results in four states that are far from final.

State officials in Georgia and Pennsylvania earlier on Friday reported data showing that Biden has gained the lead over Trump in ongoing vote counts in both states.

Georgia is heading for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, Morgan said, while alleging that Pennsylvania had seen many irregularities.

Morgan also disputed the decision of two major media outlets to call the state of Nevada for Biden, saying that there appear to be thousands of improper mail ballots.

Fox News and the Associated Press have called the state for Biden, while other major media outlets have not yet made a projection on who will win the state.

Morgan called the projections for Biden irresponsible, adding that Trump is on course to win this state.

Biden is relying on these states for his phony claim on the White House, but once the election is final, President Trump will be re-elected, he said.

As of Friday morning, Biden had secured 264 of 270 electoral votes needed to win, compared to Trumps 214 votes, according to the Fox News and AP projections.

CNN and others have put the total electoral vote count at 253-213, in favour of Biden.

A victory in Pennsylvania, which carries 20 electoral votes, would make Biden the winner by all counts. (Sputnik/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Friday said its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as at Sept. 30 stood at N1.4billion as against N4.4billion projection for 2020.

Mr Fidets Okhiria, Managing Director of NRC, in a statement said the sum of N245million was remitted to the TSA as at Oct. 31.

Okhiria said this at the 2021 Budget Defence to the Joint Committee of Land and Marine transport at the National Assembly in Abuja.

He said that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affected its operations as train services were stopped during its peak, thus affecting the IGR projection for the year.

The Joint Committee should also note that for the year 2020, the Corporation presented a separate Internally Generated Revenue

Buhari and-Sanwo-Olu on Lagos EndSARS protest

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State behind closed doors where he received pictorial reports on properties damaged by hoodlums during #EndSARS protests in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Sunday Aghaeze, the Personal Assistant to the President (Photography), confirmed this via pictorial reports on the meeting.

The governor presented a report on the extent of the destruction suffered by Lagos State in the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests, one of the captions of the pictures indicated.

NAN reports that the governor, however, declined to take questions from State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting.

It would be recalled that similar report on the aftermath of the ENDSAR protest by the Ministers from the south west zone of the country was presented to the president during the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, submitted the report on behalf of the affected ministers where they urged the Federal Government to support Lagos State to restore damaged facilities.

They particularly appealed for the immediate repair of those facilities related to the maintenance of law and order, and the administration of justice such as police stations, court buildings and forensic laboratory in the state.

Buhari had in Oct. 21 sent members of the Federal Executive Council to their home states, with a view to solicit the support of stakeholders including political, traditional, religious and community leaders against the violence that emanated from EndSARS protests.

The presidential directive was also meant to douse tensions that resulted from the EndSARS protests across the country.

Fashola said: The other matter in which I briefed council on behalf of ministers from the South-West namely, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, representing Ekiti; Rauf Aregbesola, representing Osun, Sunday Dare, representing Oyo, Olamilekan Adegbite, representing Ogun, Olorunimbe Memora, Lagos and Tayo Alasoadura, representing Ondo, was in regard to how we executed the directive on the Oct. 21 to ministers, for us to visit our states governors.

So, we first met and then met with governors. After meeting with the governors, the position of the governors was that Lagos being the epic center, commercial and strategic city state in the South-West is where we should all go.

That was what informed our visit to Lagos. So, I just briefed council about the reports that were presented to us by the Lagos State Government when we visited. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Rocket moves into orbit with satellites

China had successfully sent 13 satellites into orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north Chinas Shanxi Province on Friday.

The satellites, including 10 commercial remote sensing satellites developed by Argentine company Satellogic, blasted off atop a Long March-6 carrier rocket at 11:19 a.m. (Beijing Time).

Each weighing about 41 kg and with a design life of three years, the 10 satellites will be used to provide commercial remote sensing services with their multispectral and hyperspectral loads.

Also on board the rocket were three satellites developed by Chinese high-tech companies and research institutes for remote-sensing observation, science experiments, and science popularisation.

One of the three is a 6G test satellite, weighing 70 kg and named after one its developers, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

The satellite, carrying a terahertz satellite communication load, will establish a transceiver link on the satellite platform and carry out terahertz load tests.

The launch of the 6G test satellite marks a breakthrough in the exploration of terahertz space communication technologies in Chinas space field, said Xu Yangsheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The satellite will be used in smart city construction, disaster prevention and mitigation, land planning, environmental protection, and the monitoring of major infrastructure construction.

Fridays launch was the 351st by the Long March rocket series. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Edo Sports Festival logo

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The National Council on Sports has recommended Dec. 3 to Dec. 18 for hosting of National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a communique issued at the end of its two-day meeting on Friday in Asaba, the Council, however, stressed that the Games would be held under strict COVID-19 protocols.

According to the communique signed by Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, and other members of the Council, this years games will be held in two phases.

Competition days Phase 1, comes up from Dec. 6 to Dec. 10; break and arrivals for second phase comes up on Dec, 11 and Competition days for Phase 2 from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16; closing ceremony for Dec. 17, and closure of Games Village on Dec. 18, it said.

The Technical Session of the meeting had agreed on the new format for the Games in order to strictly keep with the COVID-19 protocols.

The virtual meeting held earlier this year unanimously agreed to host the Festival this year.

The Committee of Experts set up during the virtual meeting made specific recommendations regarding the successful organisation of the 20th National Sports Festival.

It has become imperative to tinker with the modus operandi of the Festival, the communique read in part.

It, however, noted that the recommendations were subject to the guidelines of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and final approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who is the Chairman of the Council, assured that all COVID-19 protocols would be fully implemented in line with international best practice.

He said that all infrastructure for the Games were COVID-19 compliant as confirmed by the National Assembly inspection visit to the state.

Earlier, Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who was also present at the meeting, emphasised the states readiness to conduct COVID-19 testing for all athlete and officials who would attend the competition.

It is indeed heart warming that the long awaited NSF is holding this year 2020 as jointly approved by the National Council on Sports, today in Asaba, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival was postponed few days to kick off in March as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Port Harcourt Maiduguri narrow gauge railway

By Naomi Sharang and Kingsley Okoye

The reconstruction and rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Maiduguri (Eastern narrow gauge railway) is to start in 2021, says Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi.

He said this during the 2021 budget defence of the ministrys estimates before the Joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives held in Abuja on Friday.

Amaechi said that the rehabilitation of the gauge was part of priority projects of the Federal Government to achieve intermodal transportation to enhance economic growth.

He also mentioned the construction of the central railway from Itakpe to Abuja and connection to new Warri Port as part of the priority projects.

He disclosed that the ministry was proposing a total capital vote of N205,161,882,492 to cover: Land, N204,316,793,527; Marine, N845,088,965; and overhead of N358,799,999 in the 2021 budget for consideration.

The minister said that the aims and objectives of the proposals were to make significant progress on all ongoing projects as well as to complete and deliver modern railway services.

He said that the proposals would also provide an efficient and cost effective alternative transport for economic growth.

It is also for creation of job opportunities for the citizenry.

He further said that under the railway modernisation programme, the construction of Lagos Ibadan Standard Gauge line had reached 92 per cent completion.

However, for the project to achieve full loan drawn down from our co-financier, China EXIM Bank, and attain practical completion for intended purpose, some aspects of works involving construction of upgraded railway stations, signaling and telecommunication system among others have to be completed.

These additional and extra works amounting to 656 million dollars which is to be financed 100 per cent by the Federal Government has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for implementation.

Therefore, in order not to forestall the progress of implementation, adequate fund needs to be provided in the 2021 budget proposal to facilitate the completion of the project.

Amaechi said that the ministry in its budget proposal had presented amounts required for completion of some projects by the year 2021.

He said that it included completion and fencing on the Abuja Kaduna railway line to ensure security and safety of train operations for the staff members, passengers and general public.

In his remarks, Mr Tajudeen Abass, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport, requested additional time to consider the budget proposal for the ministry owing to the delay in the submission of the document. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NCDC Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) update

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced an additional 180 new cases of the Coronavirus (COVID19) infections in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 63,508.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, gave the figures in Abuja on Thursday while updating newsmen on COVID-19 infections in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 673,183 people have been tested for the disease since the first confirmed case was reported in the country on Feb. 27, 2020.

Ihekweazu said that the new infections were reported in 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said there was no COVID-19-related fatality in the past 24 hours in Nigeria.

The NCDC DG also disclosed that 73 COVID-19 patients had been successfully treated and discharged at isolations centres across the country.

According to him, Lagos recorded the highest number of 87 new infections , while Oyo, the FCT, Plateau and Edo had 51, 12, 10 and four new confirmed cases respectively.

Ekiti and Ogun had three new cases each; Bauchi, Kaduna and Niger had two cases each and Kano, Ondo, Osun and Rivers had one each.

Till date, 63,508 cases have been confirmed in the country, 59,748 patients have been discharged and 1,155 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the FCT, Ihekweazu said.

He said the NCDC has activated a multi-sectoral National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), at Level III to coordinate response activities.

Ihekweazu disclosed that his agency has accredited Clina Lancet Laboratory, Abuja, as a private fee-paying laboratory for COVID-19 testing.

Source: NAN News

We can restrict movement if need arises Immigration Service

By Aderogba George

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has the powers to restrict movement as a border management agency if there is need for that.

Mr Sunday James, the officer in charge of Press and Public Relations Unit of the service, stated this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.

According to James, rumours are making the rounds about restriction of movement in some part of the country especially at the border posts, adding that this has nothing to do with the EndSARS protest.

As an enforcement agency in charge of border management, if there is an order restricting anybody from entry into the country, we enforce it without any prejudice.

This doesnt have anything to do with EndSARS protest or an individual, it is a routine assignment, James said.

He appealed to Nigerians to maintain law and order at all times.

Source: NAN News

who

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) have called for urgent actions to protect most vulnerable children from deadly measles and polio epidemics as COVID-19 disrupts immunisations.

The UN agencies made the call in a statement posted on WHO website.

According the statement, the agencies have issued an urgent call to action as COVID-19 continues to disrupt immunisation services worldwide, leaving millions of vulnerable children at heightened risk of preventable childhood diseases.

The two organisations estimate that 655 million dollars (400 million dollars for polio and 255 million dollars for measles) are needed to address dangerous immunity gaps in non-Gavi eligible countries and target age groups.

The statement quoted Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General as saying, COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on health services and in particular immunisation services worldwide.

But unlike with COVID, we have the tools and knowledge to stop diseases such as polio and measles.

What we need are the resources and commitments to put these tools and knowledge into action. If we do that, childrens lives will be saved.

Similarly, the statement quoted Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director as saying we cannot allow the fight against one deadly disease to cause us to lose ground in the fight against other diseases.

Addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic is critical.

However, other deadly diseases also threaten the lives of millions of children in some of the poorest areas of the world.

That is why today we are urgently calling for global action from country leaders, donors and partners.

We need additional financial resources to safely resume vaccination campaigns and prioritise immunisation systems that are critical to protect children and avert other epidemics besides COVID-19.

In recent years, there has been a global resurgence of measles with ongoing outbreaks in all parts of the world.Vaccination coverage gaps have been further exacerbated in 2020 by COVID-19.

In 2019, measles climbed to the highest number of new infections in more than two decades.

Annual measles mortality data for 2019 to be released next week would show the continued negative toll that sustained outbreaks were having in many countries around the world.

At the same time, poliovirus transmission is expected to increase in Pakistan, Afghanistan and in many under-immunised areas of Africa.

Failure to eradicate polio now would lead to global resurgence of the disease, resulting in as many as 200,000 new cases annually within 10 years.

New tools, including a next-generation novel oral polio vaccine and the forthcoming Measles Outbreak Strategic Response Plan are expected to be deployed over the coming months to help tackle these growing threats in a more effective and sustainable manner, and ultimately save lives.

The Plan is a worldwide strategy to quickly and effectively prevent, detect and respond to measles outbreaks.

Source: NAN News

Stocks in the Asia Pacific region were mixed on Friday as Democratic challenger Joe Biden, inches closer to taking the White House.

This comes after Wall Street rose amid protracted vote-counting following the U.S. elections on Tuesday, Nov.3, 2020.

Japans benchmark Nikkei 225Stock Average added 0.91 per cent to end at 24,325.23, hitting the highest level in 29 years, while the broader Topix index was up 0.52 per cent to 1,658.49.

South Koreas benchmark Kospi Indexedged up 0.11per cent to close at 2,416.5.

Chinas Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.24 per cent and Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index edged down 0.09 per cent after a 3.25-per cent surge on Thursday.

Australiasbenchmark S

UNICEF Logo

Olukayode Babalola

UNICEF says the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) will not stop its support and interventions toward the welfare and protection of rights of children in Nasarawa state and the country in general.

Dr Zakari Adam, ChiefofField Office, UNICEF Kaduna, gave the assurance in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Friday.

NAN reports that Nasarawa state falls under the jurisdiction of the Kaduna Field Office of UNICEF.

Adam said the advent of COVID-19 had affected certain activities for children but UNICEF has also taken certain steps to sustain its support for the interventions for children.

According to him, this is to maintain the progress made on the rights and welfare of children in the state.

New initiatives and measures in providing social services and health intervention for children, children returning to school in remote areas and the general protection of the child have been put in place in partnership with the state government.

As UNICEF, we will always be available to give the needed support so that the goals on children can be achieved despite the impact of COVID-19.

And when I am talking of goals, I mean access to social services for children like health, education and what have you.

Ensuring that children are in school, they have access to portable water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives are effective for children and communities. We will continue to prioritise all these interventions concerning children

So, our role in UNICEF is to continue to support whatever measures put in place to ensure children are enjoying their basic rights, he told NAN.

The chief of field office applauded the cooperation and collaboration of the Nasarawa state government on issues regarding children in the state.

He reiterated UNICEFs resolve to continue to partner the state government to meet set goals.

It is a good collaboration we have with the state government and that is why the situation of the children is improving despite COVID-19.

Nasarawa government has put in place measures to ensure that children continue to enjoy their rights.

We want to continue in our role in supporting any effort that makes life better for children in the state, he said.

Adam told NAN that UNICEF had recently concluded a two-day 2020 End of the Year Review and Planning meeting with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

He explained that the essence of the meeting was to take advantage of the end of the year partnership between the state government and UNICEF to review the work plan for 2020, identify activities that were achieved and plan for 2021.

Source: NAN News

By Abiodun Oluleye/Sarafina Christopher

With the current global economic downturn, there appears to be a ray of hope for intending livestock farmers as farming in grasscutters is one business that is not affected by foreign exchange.

Mr Alhassan Akogwu, the owner of Favour Grasscutter Farm, Dutse-Bmuko, Bwari Area Council, FCT, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Abuja.

Akogwu, who specialises in grasscutter farming, said he ventured into the business because it was less costly and higher in profit margin.

He said he discovered that the business he started in 2018 had not once been affected by the fluctuation in foreign exchange, but had continued to thrive even in the face of the current economic hardship, occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

I opted for grasscutter farming because it is less cost-effective and higher in profit margin as against other livestock farming like poultry, cattle and snails.

Before I started this grasscutter venture, I was always running into debts, so I call it a business that dollar does not affect.

I have been into livestock farming for some time. I started with fish farming, but the fluctuation in the price of dollar affected the business and it became an issue.

Any time the fish feed finished, I could neither sleep nor rest because the price was increasing on a weekly basis, he explained.

According to Akogwu, he started searching for a kind of livestock business that will not be affected by dollar, and came across grasscutter farming, as all that was required to rear it was within ones reach.

All it consumes is within your community; you do not have to buy their food.

When I was rearing fish, if their food finished, there would be tension in the house as we would be under pressure of where to get money to buy feed.

Meanwhile, with grasscutter, you have nothing to be afraid of because wherever you go you must see and get grass for the feeding.

Giving more insight into the business, Akogwu emphasised on training as the basic tool in starting the business.

Rearing of grasscutter is very easy, but you have to acquire training first on how to take care of them.

This training is not theoretical, rather it is a practical one done right in the farm because the grasscutter is a wild animal that needs to be handled with caution.

To start this business, you need to get a litters, and each litter can give you 3-4 young grasscutters.

These young animals suckle for 49 days before they are weaned, and the female mates again. After this, it is necessary to check if the female is pregnant.

Because grasscutters are polygamous in nature, their gestation period is five months, they give birth twice a year with a minimum of 4-5 youngsters and maximum of 15-17.

Meaning within a year, you have up to 50 young grasscutters, and when you sell them according to colony, you discover that you make profit and return on investment.

Coming down to the marketing and consumption of grasscutters, you do not have any difficulty in selling because there is no religious or cultural prohibition of grasscutter meat, everyone can eat it and it is very nutritious.

Also contributing, Mrs Elizabeth Akogwu, said farming in grassutters, also known as cane rat, was more profitable than working and earning salary because she had worked in the private sector for five years and had nothing to show for it.

Mrs Akogwu said she realised that apart from the fear of job insecurity, it was time consuming, had no long term benefits, and the take home pay was nothing to write home about.

My husband advised me that instead of depending on a meagre salary, why would I not join him in the business.

At first, I was a bit discouraged, but when the grasscutters started reproducing and yielding faster, I was really happy.

So I want to encourage women to support their husbands when they have business ideas like this.

Also the single ladies can do it too, you do not have to wait until you are married before you start the business, you can be doing this for your future home, she said.

While also encouraging the youths to explore opportunities in the business, Mrs Akogwu noted that there were lots of benefits with determination and perseverance.

If our youths can channel their energy into this kind of business, it will be difficult to find hoodlums in the country, because it is cost effective, less stressful and you can make a lot money from it.

I believe that one day people will come from other countries to buy grasscutters, and it will be an indigenous meat from Nigeria, she said.

NAN reports that grasscutters are loved and treasured in West and Central Africa; and their meat is considered to have one of the highest protein level and lowest fat content.

Source: NAN News

By Douglas Okoro

Ebonyi Government has banned the use of high-speed motorcycles for both private and commercial purposes in Abakaliki and other urban centres in the state.

The states Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Uchenna Orji, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abakaliki.

The commissioner said that the decision was taken at the states executive council meeting.

Orji noted that the governments move was aimed at containing the rate which criminals use high-speed motorcycles to perpetrate crimes in different parts of the state.

He added that government also banned commercial and private motorcyclists from operating in any part of the state between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The ban on the use of high-powered motorcycles is an exco decision and its aimed at curtailing criminality in the state.

Security report has it that some of the people that use high-speed motorcycles use them to hit their unsuspecting targets and zoom off. So it was banned.

Government has also outlawed ordinary motorcycles for both commercial and private motorcyclists from operating in the state between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The action is taken to effectively protect and secure the state, our citizens and their property.

Our dear Gov. Dave Umahi is irrevocably committed to the protection of the lives and property of everybody living in the state, said Orji.

Source: NAN News

Court symbol

By Mustapha Yauri

A High Court sitting in Dogarawa Zaria, Kaduna State on Friday refused an application seeking to stop the coronation of Amb. Nuhu Bamalli, as the Emir of Zazzau.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the coronation is scheduled to hold on Nov.9

The suit was filed by Alhaji Bashir Aminu (Iyan Zazzau) challenging the coronation of the new emir.

NAN reports that that on Oct. 16, Aminu filed an interlocutory application praying the court for an order of interim injunction restraining Gov. Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna from installing, crowning, recognising and dealing with any person whosoever as the emir of Zazzau.

Delivering a ruling, Justice Kabir Dabo, said: due to the important roles played by traditional rulers in the society and likelihood of a breakdown in peace.

Chieftaincy matters must be given accelerated hearing by courts in line with the reasoning of Supreme Court injunctions like this should be utterly discouraged.

The court prefers to make an order of accelerated hearing or trial than to grant an injunctive order sought by the Plaintiff.

The sole issue for determination is whether at this stage it will be in the interest of justice to grant this application. The answer in no.

The reliefs prayed for in the motion dated Oct. 10 are refused, he said

He, therefore, adjourned the matter until Nov. 11 for pre-trial conference.

Aminu through his counsel, Yunus Usman, SAN, prayed the court to stop the Gov. El-rufai from performing or executing any ceremony for the purpose of installing any person as emir of Zazzau pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

He prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining Bamalli from parading himself as the Emir of Zazzau pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Other defendants are Balarabe Lawal, Secretary to Kaduna State Government, the Attorney-General of Kaduna State, Jafaru Sani (Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Kaduna State) and Zazzau Emirate Council; Ibrahim Aminu (wazirin Zazzau).

Others are Alhaji Umar Mohammed (Fagacin Zazzau); Alhaji Muhammad Abbas (Makama Karamin Zazzau); Alhaji Dalhatu Kasim (Limamin Jummaan Zazzau) and Alhaji Muhammad-Sani Aliyu (Limamin Kona Zazzau).

Source: NAN News

UNESCO

By Justina Auta

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has stressed the
need for Media and Information Literacy (MIL) competencies to dispel misinformation surrounding COVID-19.

The Officer in Charge of UNESCO Abuja Regional Office, Mr Sow Mamadou-Lamine, made the call during a Webinar
with theme Creating a Peaceful Society: Media and Information Literacy, A Way Out.

The Webinar was part of activities to mark Regional Commemoration of the Global MIL Week 2020, annually marked to review
and celebrate the progress achieved toward MIL for All.

Mamadou-Lamine said that media and information competencies would improve access to knowledge for all; freedom of expression,
which were necessary to win the war on misinformation.

He added that we witnessed broad circulation of misinformation and conspiracy on COVID-19 pandemic worldwide in the past 10
months.

In spite of the late arrival of COVID-19 to some West African countries, related misinformation continued to impede access to
trustworthy sources and reliable information, with the ravage of the virus itself.

The crisis also shed a light on the deficiencies in systematic mechanisms to combat disinformation in an emergency.

Dr Zubairu Attah, a Consultant and Specialist on gender issues who spoke on Emergency Communication, said media and information
literacy ensured better understanding of issues and how to address them to avoid crises and instability in any society.

Attah suggested that strategic behavioural change activities be done structurally, psycho-socially and comprehensively
with stakeholders involved to get individual, institutional and corporate attitudinal change, necessary for nation building.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the regional celebration lasted three months from August till
November 2020 with activities organised by UNESCO Abuja to combat disinformation from communication experts
and the public, especially the youth.

Source: NAN News

By Desmond Ejibas

The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) says plans are underway for the 2020 general pilgrimage to Israel to begin on Dec. 13.

Dr Yakubu Pam, Executive Secretary, NCPC announced this on Friday at a meeting with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa.

Represented by Mr Amos Yohanna, NCPCs Director of Operations, Pam said that intending pilgrims from Rivers and environs were among the first batch to be airlifted to Jerusalem, Israel.

So, we came here to discuss with management of the Port Harcourt International Airport just as we are planning to flag off the 2020 pilgrimage on Dec. 13.

We are already in touch with all stakeholders to ensure that we have seamless exercise, understanding that 2020 exercise will be quite different due to COVID-19 pandemic.

So basically, we are here to see how both agencies can cooperate and ensure that pilgrims are kept safe with the Federal Governments protocol on COVID-19, he said.

Pam said that the commission was already in partnership with the Israeli authorities and had put in place measures to ensure a successful airlifting of pilgrims to the holy land.

We are aware that one of the restrictions put in place by the government is that non passengers are not allowed inside the airport.

But, we are concerned that some of the pilgrims are travelling out of the country for the first time, and so they need assistance.

So, we are meeting with the airport authorities to allow few of our personnel inside the airport to assist pilgrims travelling out of the country for the first time, he said.

Mr Felix Akinbinu, Manager of the Port Harcourt International Airport assured the NCPC delegation of full cooperation after it secured approval of the Federal Government to use the facility.

He pointed out that FAAN had the resources, manpower and equipment needed to handle special flights.

We pray that we get signal to commence international flights; but if we dont, we also have manpower on ground to attend to special flights for pilgrims.

However, we expect pilgrims to be law abiding and submit themselves to all checks inside the terminal building, he added.

Source: NAN News

By Fortune Abang

Mr Thamsanqa Mseleku, the High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, says his country is committed to deepening media relations with Nigeria through institutions, such as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),.

Mseleku said this while receiving Mr Buki Ponle, the Managing Director of NAN, who was on a courtesy visit to the South Africa High Commission in Abuja on Friday.

He described the move to strengthen media relations between South Africa and Nigeria as timely and promised to do everything within the ambit of the mission to achieve results.

According to him, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SBAC) is undergoing restructuring, especially as government or private owned media agencies do not have adequate funding, therefore search for other mechanisms.

Mseleku said, We are very keen as a mission to improve people-to-people relations and the media is very central to achieving that.

Through such means, people can be exposed to understand one another and who they are; which is one area that we have been trying to have conversations with our government and Nigeria.

South Africans need to begin to see voices of true Nigerians, such that Nigerians are not misunderstood, because there are a lot of real Nigerians, but a silent majority.

The perception given is that Nigeria is what you see in the street selling drugs, human trafficking, yet Nigerians in South Africa comprise whole range of very skilled and dedicated people.

From nuclear Physicists, Mathematicians and Doctors, but they are not visible, except to their students and not the public, so we need to create platforms to deepen media relations.

He reiterated that the collaboration between South Africa and Nigeria in terms of media relations has become imperative to promote value exchange and knowledge sharing.

He explained collaboration between South African and Nigerian artistes to showcase oneness at their various levels, but decried the fact that such was not published on relevant media platforms.

When you see stories on social media that are anti-Nigeria sentiment, South African artistes respond and get negative publication, because there is no adequate room for information exchange to counter such.

There is a lot of work to do; the media is a very important platform for disseminating information about both countries to ensure we benefit from each other in various ways, he added.

Earlier, Ponle had said his visit was to further deepen relations between NAN and the commission.

He said NAN at inception had established 10 outstations, including one in South Africa, but was left with three offices due to paucity of funds, which affected their operations.

He said that NAN had established cooperation with South Africa and therefore, underscored the need for partnership with the commission to increase visibility between the two countries via the media.

According to him, plans have been put in place to renew operations of NAN outstation in South Africa, in 2021.

We are trying to change the narrative and perception, and to ensure that we put to the barest minimum issues of hate speech and fake news.

When we deepen media relations and project it as it is, about Nigerians in South Africa and South Africans in Nigeria, the whole thing will change for good.

What we have as differences about one another will just dissolve, when they see the whole thing published and being watched by millions of viewers.

This is the essence of our exchange programme and that is what we have been doing and will continue to do, Ponle said.

He, however, identified SMS mobile service, PR-wire and NAN forum, as a high profile platforms for captains of industry, diplomatic missions and heads of ministries, departments and agencies, which NAN provides.

NAN reports that the high point of the visit was the exchange of gifts between Ponle and Mseleku.

Source: NAN News

APC logo

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) has taken delivery of the partys membership registration materials.

The Chairman of the committee, Gov. Mai Mala Buni, said on Thursday in Abuja that the delivery of the materials was the beginning of the efforts at repositioning APC as a viable, consistent, cohesive and coordinated political party in the country.

We just took delivery of the first consignment of the registration materials.

The membership registration will commence soon and we have more than 119,973 polling units across the country, he said.

Buni, who is also the governor of Yobe, added that the consignment came with personal information slips, stressing that the date for the commencement of the exercise would be made known in due time.

We are going to register, revalidate and update our existing membership register across the country, Buni added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee had earlier appealed to aggrieved members of the party to halt all litigations in the spirit of true reconciliation.

The committee had expressed optimism that the affected parties would fully comply with the appeal in the true spirit of peace and reconciliation.

NAN further reports that the APC caretaker and extraordinary convention planning committee was inaugurated on June 25 to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

The committee, with six months life span, is also expected to plan a national convention for the election of members of the partys National Working Committee (NWC). (NAN)

Source: NAN News