Azikiwe Nnamdi

By Nathan Nwakamma

A forum of journalists in the south-eastern of the country, known as Izunwanne, has called for the declaration of every November 16 as a public holiday to honour the first President of Nigeria, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the call was made in a letter to south-east governors made available to the media on Friday in Yenagoa.

The letter, signed by the chairman of the forum Mr Abuchi Anuenyiagu, the forum cited a historical background to justify the call to honour the late Azikiwe.

They recalled that Nigeria attained Republican status on November 16, 1963, which coincided with the birthday of Azikiwe.

It is is a known fact that Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was instrumental to the inauguration of November 16 as Nigerias Republic Day.

The concept was to make that day, a National Day. The letter read.

It noted that Zik was the symbol of Nigerias nationhood, considering his leading role in the pre-independence struggle for self-rule by Nigeria.

Others they noted was his initiative to end the civil war, and his great ideas and liberal ideals that never discriminated against any Nigerian ethnic group.

The group explained that it was on the basis of all these that the forum urged the south-east governors to support and spearhead the initiative for the declaration of November 16 being the birthday anniversary of Zik as a national day.

The group urged governments of the five states in the south-east geo-political zone to emulate their south-west counterparts, such as in the case of June 12 struggle and take lead to declare November 16 a public holiday in honour of Azikiwe.

They said that Azikiwe, fondly referred to as Zik of Africa, was a south-eastner who once led the defunct Eastern Region and recorded great achievements in his time before advancing the campaign to the national level.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

AGF Abubakar Malami

By Ebere Agozie

The UN and the European Union (EU) have reiterated their support to Nigerias efforts to eradicating Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

The representatives of the UN and EU reaffirmed the commitment at the inauguration of a Inter-Ministerial Management Committee on Eradication of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Abuja.

UllaMueller, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), who noted that Nigeria has witnessed a spike in sexual violence with the COVID-19 pandemic, however, commended Nigeria for rising to the challenge and called on all for support.

We cannot say it often enough; we all have a responsibility to end gender based violence.

It is a devastating occurrence that happens every day in Nigeria and it is also a reality that women and girls live in fear every day.pandemic within a pandemic.

Malami charged the committee to give their best to save the country, especially the women and children from this menace.

To achieve this, the members must carry out a holistic examination of all issues ranging from legal, socio-cultural to economic perspective.

You are also expected to develop and implement effective approaches for prevention and effective responses whenever the crime occurs.

He added that the enormity of the problem calls for a targeted approach and concerted effort of all relevant stakeholders.

You all have been carefully selected to work assiduously together and come up with lasting solutions to the problem of SGBV in Nigeria.

You will be collaborating with the United Nations and Civil Society Organisations to tap from their wealth of experience on the issue and ensure best practices in the attainment of this objective.

The News Agency of Nigeria Reports that the committee has representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Women Affairs, the Police, Civil Society Organisations, among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with retired military officer and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Maj.- Gen. I.B.M Haruna as he clocks 80 years on Saturday.

Mr Femi Adesina, the presidents spokesman in a statement said Buharis congratulatory message was conveyed via a letter addressed to the retired military officer.

In the letter personally signed by the President to the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Kaduna, titled AN OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN TURNS 80, the President said: I am delighted to felicitate with you on the occasion of your 80th birthday.

Yours is a life that has impacted our country in diverse ways, and you deserve all the accolades that can come your way as you attain this landmark age.

From one of the pioneer intakes in the Boys Company (later Nigeria Military School) in 1954, to Regular Officers Special Training School, Teshi, Ghana, and then to Mons Officers Cadet School, Aldershot, England (1959), you were prepared for service all the way.

You contributed in no mean way in the war of peace to keep Nigeria one, and thereafter, served as Quarter Master General, Nigerian Army, and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Kaduna, among others.

Under your tenure as Federal Commissioner for Information (1975-1977), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) were established.

Also indelibly imprinted in our history were your roles as Chairman, Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77), Chairman, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Chairman, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, and many others.

Your people know your worth, and they gave you the title, and you continue to serve them faithfully.

As you turn 80, I wish you good health, strength and sound mind. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

WHO

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General (D-G ) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has urged everyone to play a part in preventing a further spread of COVID-19.

He also warned that there would be no return to the old normal.

Ghebreyesus who made the call at a news conference at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, said that COVID-19 cases worldwide had surpassed 15 million and nearly 620,000 deaths.

Most cases, or 10 million, were in just 10 countries, with the United States, Brazil and India accounting for nearly half; the US had passed the milestone of four million infections.

We are asking everyone to treat the decisions about where they go, what they do and who they meet with, as life-and-death decisions because they are.

It may not be your life, but your choices can be the difference between life and death for someone you love, or for a complete stranger.

The director-general said that COVID-19 had disrupted the lives of billions across the globe, adding that it was understandable that people would want to get on with their lives.

But we will not be going back to the old normal. The pandemic has already changed the way we live our lives.

Part of adjusting to the new normal is finding ways to live our lives safely, he advised.

He said that in recent weeks, outbreaks associated with nightclubs and other places where people had gathered had been reported, even in locations where virus transmission had been suppressed.

We must remember that most people are still susceptible to this virus. As long as it is circulating, everyone is at risk.

Just because cases might be at a low level where you live, that does not make it safe to let down your guard.

Ghebreyesus underlined that anyone, regardless of age or where they live, could help lead in efforts to beat the pandemic and build back a better society.

In recent years, we have seen young people leading grassroots movements for climate change and racial equality.

He said that the world needed young people to start a global movement for health, for a world in which health will be a human right and not a privilege. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Twitter

Twitter saw strong user growth but lower revenue in the second quarter, the social media giant reported on Thursday.

Its advertising demand suffered amid the coronavirus pandemic and protests.

The company said that the revenue was down by 19 per cent year-over-year to million, the company said.

Advertising revenue plunged 23 per cent, to million.

Global spending on advertising plummeted earlier this year as the pandemic hit, and saw a gradual, moderate recovery in the second quarter.

But Twitter noted that many brands slowed or paused spending in reaction to the protest movement against racism sparked by the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis Police custody in May.

Demand gradually improved once brands returned after the protests subsided, the company said.

Twitter incurred a 1.2-billion-dollar net loss in the second quarter, noting its results were impacted by a reversal of a more than 1-billion-dollar tax benefit recorded in 2019.

The messaging platform also saw an operating loss of million, compared to a 76-million-dollar operating income a year earlier.

Chief Executive, Jack Dorsey, highlighted tremendous growth in audience and engagement,with Twitters daily user base increasing a record 34 per cent year-over-year, to 186 million.

Last week, Twitter was hit with a wide-scale cyber security attack that saw an array of accounts of influential figures hacked.

Dorsey said the company has taken additional steps to improve resiliency against targeted social engineering attempts.

It has implemented numerous safeguards to improve the security of its internal systems and is working with law enforcement. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Oil rigs

Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have called for proactive fiscal policy in the petroleum industry to fast track investment and infrastructure development in the country.

The stakeholders disclosed this at the Virtual workshop on Leveraging Fiscal Regulations to Attract Investments in the Petroleum sector, on Thursday.

Mr Osten Olorunsola, Chairman, Energy Institute Nigeria, said that the oil and gas sector in Nigeria needed a lot of investment to meet with the current global challenges.

He stated that globally, the industry had witnessed decline in product demand and low price regime, adding that only low cost molecules would be able to make it in the market.

Olorunsola said that the sector in Nigeria needed to transform to meet with current trend as the sector was not buoyant as perceived by many.

He noted that the Nigerian government need to define what energy transformation meant to it and focus to ensure that it delivered on policies that would develop the sector.

We need steady revenue, growth in all spheres of the sector and value-oriented leaders.

We need to speed up with legislation to ensure that oil in the ground does not remain there and also create enabling environment for business to thrive.

All these will give rise to sustained investment, he said

Olorunsola further said that fair sharing remained the bone of contention in designing fiscal policy.

He advised that the new policy must ensure that change of government would not affect the sector, and must be simple, transparent, socially inclusive and flexible.

Beyond competitiveness, we must aim at fiscal profitability.

Investment in the sector will be enhanced with good fiscal regulations.

We need more transformation in fiscal policy to achieve the desired result, he added.

In her remarks, Mrs Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, President, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), said that Nigeria need to move as a nation that could generate foreign exchange and create employment.

She said that a lot need to be done to attract investors in the sector adding that Nigeria could take a cue from what Egypt had done in the past five years to develop their oil and gas sector.

The NGA president said that while Nigeria oil and gas sector contributed 9.14 per cent to GDP, other oil nation like Angola and Kuwait contributed 50 and 40 per cents respectively to their nations GDP.

Like Nigeria, Egypt has 61 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) of gas and 42TCF of gas yet to be discovered. This is small compared to what we have here in Nigeria.

They started importing gas when they saw that domestic production was no longer meeting domestic demand.

Egypt with good policy recognized this and unlocked their economy and had significant discovery and today, they are self sufficient, she said

She noted that fiscal policy was significant to investors, adding that the NGA believed that natural gas could help bring about a lot of changes in the industry.

Joe-Ezigbo noted there was need to look at types of resources in the country in creating the fiscal policy and ensure a stand-alone policy for gas.

She advised that government should also create landscape that incentivises gas, look at bottlenecks in contracting among others.

It is imperative to pass fiscal policy, for upstream, downstream and midstream with gas having a stand-alone policy.

The policy must address the dearth of capital and investment and must see gas as economic enabler that should not be over-taxed, the NGA president added.

Also speaking, Mr Joe Nwakwe, Chairman, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Nigeria Council, said that government must know that oil and gas also belonged to the next generation and hence good policy was imperative.

He said that the new fiscal policy must capture that to be realistic, adding that issues of Host Community must be critically looked into to ensure safety of workers.

Fiscal policy must strengthen licensing of operations and ensure peaceful production environment.

The host communities must also be happy with the business happening in their area, the SPE chairman said.

Source: NAN News

Court Symbol

An Abeokuta Magistrates Court in Isabo, Ogun, on Thursday sentenced a 47-year -old man, Omotola Ayokanmi, to three years imprisonment for impersonation.

The Magistrate, Mrs Folake Ogundele, sentenced Ayokanmi after he pleaded guilty to a charge of impersonation.

Ogundele sentenced the convict without an option of fine.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Fortune Akhenegor, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on July 16 at Federal High Court, Abeokuta.

Akhenegor said that the defendant unlawfully presented himself as legal practitioner.

He said that the convict went ahead to move an application for bail for a matter he appeared in as a counsel at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta.

The judge found fault in his address to the court which made the judge interrogate him.

He later confessed that he only had a diploma in law and had never been called to the Bar.

He confessed that he had been using his wifes gown who was called to Bar in 2006, but not practising.

The defendant has been practicing since 2007, he said.

Akhenegor said the offence contravened Section 484 of the Criminal Law of Ogun, 2006.

Source: NAN News

The red Chamber

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate on Thursday called on the Interim Management Commitee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) to refund the N4.923 billion payments, made to staff and contractors in breach of procurement process.

It said that the refund should be made to the NDDCs Account with immediate effect.

The resolution of the Senate was sequel to the adoption of recommendations of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee, investigating the alleged misappropriation of N40 billion by the current IMC.

The recommendation of the committee was presented to the Senate by the Chairman, Sen. Adetumbi (APC Ekiti).

A breakdown of the refund included Overseas Travel to the United Kingdom N85.7million, Scholarship grants N105.5 milliion, Union Members trip to Italy N164.2 million.

Other refunds to be made to the NDDCs Account by the IMC are: payment made for Lassa Fever Kit, N1.96 billion; payment for Public Communication valued at N1.12 billion, and COVID-19 fund, N1.49 billion.

The Senate also approved the recommendation that all expenditures on historical contracts and obligations like hotels, court judgment among others be refunded, as the payments were not provided for in the budget.

The recommendations approved by the Senate also indicated that henceforth, the NDDC should report directly to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It also recommendeded that the President should dissolve the IMC and set up a board for the commission.

The Senate recommended that oversight of the forensic audit should be transferred to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, to ensure transparency.

It urged the Federal Government to appoint a renowned auditor to supervise the forensic audit.

It recommended the strengthening of the NDDCs procurement department through appropriate staff engagement, by appointing staff with procurement chartered status, improved staff training among other policies on procurement process.

Similarly, the Senate recommended a review of the corporate social responsibility of the NDDC, adding that it wasdifficult to find a correlation between the Niger Delta community development and the cash invested in the zone.

According to the upper legislative chamber, the continued cash injection in the Niger Delta has not worked under the various IMCs.

The Senate harped on the need for government to intervene, by stepping down the IMC and properly consititute a board with specific mandate, to address the pains of the Niger Delta people. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed

By Huseyn Mbar

Bauchi State Government has approved the reduction of Right of Way (RoW), charges for telecommunication companies from N4,500 to N145 per linear meter.

This is contained in a statement signed by Adama Ibrahim, Information Officer, State Ministry of Lands, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Bauchi.

The statement said that the reduction was in tandem with the approval made by the National Economic Council and the governors forum.

It said that the gesture would create a user-friendly environment for information sharing that would aid social and economic development.

It is also part of ongoing reforms to ease business transactions to woe national and international investors into the state, it said.

The statement noted that with the development, the state would achieve full broadband by 2021 that would accelerate the deployment of affordable and reliable modern high speed connectivity.

It will attract new businesses, create jobs, improve access to quality of healthcare and digital education as well as boost internally generated revenue.

It will equally spur the telecommunication companies to further invest in broadband infrastructure to trigger ancillary online services, especially in the field of education, it said.

It hinted that the state government also approved waivers to defaulters of ground rents within the period of COVID-19 pandemic effective from January 1.

The statement explained that the government extended the waiver to payers of Deed Registration Fees after the expiration of grant to cushion negative impact of the pandemic.

Source: NAN News

Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital economy

By Jessica Dogo

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has inaugurated six completed projects across the country under the digital economy sector.

The inauguration, which was done virtually by Pantami on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari were geared toward supporting the developing a digital Nigeria.

The Minister noted that the drive was in line with the present administrations economic diversification, ensuring security, fighting corruption and leveraging on deploying Information Communications Technology (ICT), in achieving its agenda.

He said that the six projects could be mapped to relevant pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy Strategy (NDEPS).

The projects include the Tertiary Institution Centre, Enugu; the Nigerian Communication Satellite Northwest Regional Office, Kaduna; and Information Community Centre, Katsina.

Others are Information Technology Hub, Kaduna; Information Technology Development Hub, Lagos; and Emergency Communication Centre, Kaduna.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled NDEPS on Nov. 28, 2019 initiated by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy as part of key requirements of the e-government master plan.

The President had directed government institutions to create a digital transformation technical working group that will work with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The digital transformation is to ensure seamless and coordinated implementation of projects, programmes and policies.

The Plan is made up of eight pillars: first of the pillars is Developmental Regulation, which he said, is conceived as the regulation that promotes and supports development.

We are working on development regulations, digital integration, building solid infrastructure, deployment of emerging technologies, as well as local content promotion and we want all hands on deck.

The Minister emphasised the importance of Digital Literacy and Skills which were the second mainstay of the digital economy policy, adding that a digital economy was unrealisable without skills.

In Nigeria, what we lack is not certificates but skills. We need to change our perception. Degrees should be a validation of skills.

By providing skills, we will have many entrepreneurs who will be potential employers and not potential employees.

The projects are the reflection of the dividends of the sustainable developmental programmes of the administration of Mr President, Pantami said.

In his chairing remarks, Gov. Umara Zulum of Borno commended Pantami for his efficient supervision and policy direction of the parastatals under the ministry.

Zulum said that the projects were a testimony of effective implementation of policy through projects and programmes of the Ministry, noting that this would create employment thereby steering the economy and contributing greatly to Nigerias GDP.

The establishment of these six projects in different parts of the country will no doubt create employment opportunities and stimulate the national economy.

Honestly speaking, the activities of the ministry of communication were not known to many of us prior to the coming of Pantami, he said.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, commended Pantami and described the gesture as infectious enthusiasm.

They said he is new but his infectious enthusiasm really pervades both the new and the old.

He has shown the power of remitting youthfulness in assisting our government and Mr President to deliver the promises that have been made, he said.

On his part, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, said that the projects were as a result of enabling policies and institutions under the supervision of the Ministry.

Danbatta also said that the projects would enable the digital transformation of Nigeria.

Dignitaries at the event include: Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Managing Director, Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited, Prof. Mohammed Abubakar, among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

Federal Government has declared that the Madagascar COVID-19 herb syrup did not show any evidence that it had real curative properties against COVID-19.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure in Abuja at the 52nd Joint National Briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF), on COVID-19.

According to him, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), has shared its final report on the evaluation of the COVID Organics from Madagascar.

He said that the initial report showed that its main ingredient is the same as Artemisia annua.

While the preparation at high dose showed activity in reducing the frequency of cough, it did not show any evidence that it has real curative properties against COVID-19.

However, we shall continue to support all genuine efforts toward finding local COVID-19 cures, Ehanire said.

The minister also said that the COVID-19 cases recorded daily over the past weeks now fluctuate within the 500 to 700 bracket, with 543 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Accordingly, the nations confirmed total number in Nigeria so far is 38,344, of which 15,815 were successfully treated and discharged.

We have regrettably recorded 813 fatalities, mostly with co-morbidities and tested a total of 247,825 persons in all.

We can rightly assume from the exponentially increasing numbers that the pool of potentially infectious persons in the community is rising.

And with that, the risk of infection for citizens at all levels of society, since a very significant number of persons testing positive is not in observation or treatment, the minister said.

He, however, commended persons of influence in society, who tested positive for COVID-19 and came out publicly to declare it and entrust themselves to prescribed treatment.

Ehanire noted that those concerned did the nation a lot of good by showing that there was no shame and nothing to hide about COVID-19, and they also contributed immensely to building confidence in the health system.

While commending the nations health care providers for their efforts, the minister said that in spite of this, the focus was still on prevention, being better and cheaper than cure.

Ehanire said that the Federal Ministry of Health through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), now had 59 molecular diagnostic laboratories for COVID-19 tests activated.

He added that with a little improvement in logistics, lack of availability of testing capacity should not be a tenable excuse any more.

The minister also disclosed that all states of the federation, including the FCT , were receiving support from the COVID-19 response through the Regional Diseases Surveillance Enhancement (REDISSE), Project.

With this support, all states of the federation will receive N100m to enhance high impact priority response activities. The soon-to-be-reactivated BHCPF will join the funding pool, Ehanire said.

The minister said that Tuesday July 21, 2020, was the reporting day of the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19, when the leadership of the Ministry of Healths Agencies and Departments received the second report from the Chairman, Prof. Oyewale Tomori.

According to him, its findings are highly instructive and will be shared with agencies, the PTF and stakeholders.

Speaking on the Eid-el-Kabir Sallah celebration, Ehanire urged Muslims and Nigerians not to forget the precautions that had been prescribed, so as to reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission.

He said: All over the world, mass gatherings have been linked with the mass infections and casualties in other countries, which we see in the media each day, and which we are trying to avoid, in order not to overwhelm the capacity of our health system.

Since the risk of crowding cannot be ruled out in places of worship and pose a serious hazard for COVID-19 transmission, it is very wise that persons over 60 years, the obese and those in treatment for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, HIV, among others, or have had a transplant, should stay at home, pray at home.

I also strongly advise that travel be avoided in this period, except for a critical reason.

Speaking on some of the seemingly confused symptoms of COVID-19, the minister said that although COVID-19 could present with symptoms like fever, similar to malaria, it is not malaria.

Symptoms like cough, sore throat, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell, difficulty in breathing, headache, and less commonly, diarrhoea, body pain, catarrh, shivering, fatigue, especially when several symptoms occur together, are suggestive of COVID-19.

A test is required, the health minister advised.

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says there are now 59 laboratories with the capacity to test for COVID-19 across 29 states and the FCT, while two rapid diagnostic are in the pipeline for validation.

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General, NCDC, made this known during the Presidential Tasks Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

Ihekweazu said that the centre was working to ensure that testing capacity was available in remaining states across the country.

He stated that the NCDC team was currently in Zamfara, Kebbi, Gombe, and Taraba states.

In a bid to scale up national testing, the DG said the centre was leveraging on existing laboratory and converting them to test for COVID-19.

There are high throughput labs that existed for HIV testing, GeneXperts. Other approaches are inclusion of private laboratories and rapid diagnostic test kits.

There are 45 labs that can carry out real time PTR testing across the country, while four mega PCR labs have been activated to include; two national reference lab and the defence reference lab in Abuja, one lab at the, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital and another in Lagos, he said.

Ihekweazu also informed that seven private laboratories have been activated in Lagos, while two were almost ready in Abuja.

The private sector has seen its not as easy as we originally have thought, he said.

He added that 13 GeneXperts have been activated in 10 states, out of 400 available in the country.

On rapid diagnostic test kits, the DG said the centre have been working with Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria to validate a number of kits.

There are two that are showing good promise, the validation process is ongoing and in the next couple of weeks, we should be able to know if they are able to be included, Ihekweazu said.

On the target to test two million people by the end of this month, the DG said the testing in itself was not the goal, but that the goal was to bring people into care through testing and enable contact tracing to happen for those who were positive and generally move the system along.

On complaints from Nigerians over delay in getting COVID-19 test results, Ihekweazu informed that an online platform was underway where patients could access using a code to download their results once they get a message notification.

That platform is almost ready, we will be piloting it in Abuja first, once it demonstrates utility, we will scale it up across the country, the DG said.

Ihekweazu said the centre was ramping up stockpile of reagents and the country would have foresaw testing challenges.

He further informed that 250,000 people have been tested in the country so far. He announced that Nigeria carries out 3,000-4,000 tests daily.

Source: NAN News

A group of 95 migrants were returned to Khums, Libya by the coast guard.

IOM staff were onsite to provide needed assistance and report that among them were four women, the IOM tweeted.

Earlier on Wednesday, the IOM said that 131 illegal immigrants, including 13 miners, were rescued off the countrys western coast.

The IOM estimates that more than 6,100 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya so far in 2020, compared with 9,225 in 2019.

The fall of the previous Muammar Gaddafis government in 2011 has created a state of insecurity and chaos in Libya.

This has made Libya a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards European shores.

Immigrant shelters in Libya are overcrowded with immigrants, despite repeated international calls to close them. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Wednesday appointed 18 civilian governors for the states, including two women for the first time.

Appointment of civilian governors for the states constitutes a completion for the structures of the transitional period, said Hamdok at a press conference in the capital Khartoum.

According to a prime ministers decision, Ayman Khalid Nimir was appointed as governor of Khartoum State, Abdalla Shangrawi Ohaj for the Red Sea State and Abdalla Ali Ahmed Idriss for Gezira State.

We wanted to preserve the balance with regard to women participation and make their participation greatly satisfactory, said Hamdok.

It is worth noting that the appointment of state governors had faltered for about 10 months amid differences over the structures of Sudans transitional authority.

Since the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, Sudans states have been governed by the military in accordance with a decision issued by then Chairman of the Transitional Military Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, on April 12, 2019.

On Aug. 21, 2019, Sudan started a 39-month transitional period under a transitional government of military and civilian elements. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Australia is experiencing a health and economic crisis like nothing we have seen in the last 100 years, Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, said in a press conferencegiving a special budget update on Thursday.

The government has acted swiftly and decisively to provide economic support for workers, households and businesses of around AD289 billion or the equivalent of 14.6 per cent of GDP, he said.

Thereal GDP isforecastto fall by seven per cent in the April-June quarter and 3.75 per cent in the calendar year 2020, he said.

Net debt is expected to increase to AD677.1 billion, 35.7 per cent of GDP by July next year.

These harsh numbers reflect the harsh reality we have facedThe economic and fiscal outlook remains highly uncertain, he said.

He said there was a significant decline in tax receipts and a large increase in government payments,due to the COVID-19 pandemic andthe bush fires, leading to a dramatic change in the budget position.

Australias conservative government was planningto be back in the black and produce the first budget surplus since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC)of about AD5 billion this year, but the hopes have been obliterated by the pandemic.

The projected 2020-21 deficit is about four times the last record, which was AD54.5 billion when Australia tackled the 2008 GFC.

The unemployment rate will peak at 9.25 per cent by Christmas, said Frydenberg, though the effective rate, whichincludes thosenot looking for work or part-time workers working fewer hours,is likely muchhigher.

Australian Bureau of Statistics said this week theunemployment rate is currently 7.4 per cent and Frydenberg said the effective rate currently is more than 11 per cent.

More than 870,000 jobs were lost between March and May this yearand about one million workers saw their hours cut.

But the governments wage subsidy programme for employees has supported morethan 960,000 businesses and not-for-profits, helping some 3.5 million workers.

The government has so farintroduced fiscal support measures worth AD164 billion, or 8.4 per cent of GDP, he said.

Australias economy is entering recession territory due to the economic malaise from the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time in 29 years, with the official figures coming in September.

Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann, said Australia was in a better, stronger, more resilient positionthan about any other country in the world.

He added that Australia had outperformed nearly every other country, and that it was in a strong position for economic recovery.

Mining was one of the few sectors where the Thursdays economic update showed a bright spot, withinvestment in Australia expected to grow for the first time in seven years by four per cent in 2019/20 and another 9.5 per cent in 2020/21.

Its well known there can be volatility when it comes to iron ore prices so we continue to make sure we protect the stability of our budget settings in that context, Cormann said.

Australia has recorded more than 13,000 coronavirus cases and 133 COVID-19-related deaths. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Left to right Ayodeji Adelopo, Programme Director SOS Childrens Village Isolo, Eucharia Uzosike, Nestl Cares Representative and Maryam Daramola, National Corporate Relations Officer, SOS Childrens Home during the donation of relief materials by the Nestl Cares

By Vivian Ihechu

Nestl Nigeria volunteers donated food, beverages and personal hygiene products to children in 18 orphanages across Nigeria under its Global Employee Volunteer Programme, Nestl Cares.

Nestl Cares is aimed at enhancing volunteer activities and providing opportunity for Nestl employees to give back to society by offering their time, talent and resources.

Relief materials donated by staff and matched by the company reached over 700 children in 18 orphanages in the country.

The orphanages include the SOS Childrens Village, Isolo-Lagos, Sought After Childrens Orphanage, Ajah-Lagos, SOS Childrens Home Jos, Adonai Orphanage Home Kaduna, Nigerian Red Cross Motherless Babies Home Enugu, Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care, Yaba, Lagos.

Others include the Rachels Home, Abuja and St. Annes Childrens Home, Warri, Delta State.

Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, the Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Manager, Nestl Nigeria, said: we recognise that in times like this, the most important concern for caregivers is providing adequate nutrition for their children while ensuring the highest standards of hygiene to keep them safe.

This is why we have come together on the platform of Nestl Cares to provide nutritious food and beverages, as well as personal and homecare hygiene products to orphanages we support across Nigeria.

We are pleased that the items contributed by the volunteers were matched by the company, another way we leverage our resources at Nestl to deliver impact in our communities.

These donations are part of Nestl Nigerias contribution toward supporting the most vulnerable among us, most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We trust that the items will assist caregivers in meeting the nutritional and welfare needs of the children during these difficult times.

Mr Ayodeji Adelopo, the Programme Director, SOS Childrens Village, Isolo Lagos, who received the items on behalf of the organisation, said these times are challenging for all of us, and these are the times when support is really needed.

I would like to thank Nestl and its employees for not failing to provide the much-needed support.

At the Adonai Orphanage Home, Kaduna, the Director, Pastor Samuel Oyelowo and the Matron, Rev. Mrs Elizabeth O. Afuwape, who received the donations on behalf of the orphanage, also thanked Nestl for the support, especially in these times when good nutrition and hygiene are important to ensure the health of the children in the home.

Thank you Nestle for remembering us, especially now that the children are not in school. This will go a long way to meet their nutritional needs, Samuel said.

Since its foundation over 150 years ago, Nestl has been committed to helping parents and caregivers to provide the right nutrition for their children. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NNPC, Kebbi hovt. cultivate 2,675 hectares of cassava for bio-ethanol production Official

By Ibrahim Bello

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Kebbi State Government have cultivated cassava on 2,675 hectares of land for production of bio-ethanol in the state.

The Chairman of the Kebbi State Standing Committee on Biofuel, Prof. Mohammad Kaoje, made this known in a statement issued to newsmen on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi.

Kaoje said the cultivated area was part of the 5,000 hectares acquired for the project to be jointly financed at the cost of N500 million each by both NNPC and Kebbi government.

The obligation of both partners is that the state government is mandated to provide 20,000 hectares of land each for the cassava and sugarcane projects while the NNPC on the other hand is responsible for land validations.

I wish to seize this opportunity to report to you that KBSG has met all its obligations under the MoU.

In addition, it was agreed at a joint meeting of the partners that the state government should cultivate 5,000 hectares of cassava which will also form additional equity share for the state.

So far, 2,675 hectares have been cultivated and fully established. This is for the purpose of generating seedlings and raw material for test run of the machinery.

The NNPC on the other hand is responsible for land validation, soil testing, feasibility studies, community integration, stakeholders Engagement and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), he said.

According to Kaoje, the land validation is contracted to Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto and Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, in Sokoto and Adamawa States, for cassava and sugarcane respectively.

The chairman said that the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was also handling the agriculture component of the feasibility study.

The feasibility studies, soil testing and mapping have reached advanced stage of completion.

The total financial implication of these to the NNPC is about N500 million.

The Kebbi State Government has expended nearly the same amount towards meeting its own part of the obligation, the chairman said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NNPC and the state government signed an MoU in 2017 on cassava and sugarcane projects for bio-ethanol production.

The project targets about 20,000 hectares of land for local farmers to cultivates crops for the government in Gwazawa town in Kanya district of Zuru emirate in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Douglas Okoro

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it has embarked on enlightenment and advocacy campaigns on the prevention of community spread of COVID-19 in some local government areas of Ebonyi.

The Director of NOA in the state, Dr Emma Abah, who stated this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, said the exercise was aimed at sensitising the rural dwellers.

He said that the sensitisation campaign, tagged: Increased Risk Communication and Community Engagement on COVID-19, was aimed at engaging people at the grassroots on the need to be committed in the fight against community spread of the virus.

According to him, the statewide advocary/sensitisation programme would afford the traditional rulers, town union leaders and stakeholders of the various communities in the state in-depth knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 preventive measures.

The NOA director said that the exercise, which was grassroots-oriented, was also aimed at emphasising need to observe restrictions on burial and other social gatherings in order to stay safe.

He added that the initiative was equally geared towards addressing the dangers associated with open defecation and enlightening the rural dwellers, most of whom still lived in ignorance and doubt about the existence of the virus.

Abah urged the people of the state to increase their level of personal hygiene by maintaining regular hand washing and obeying all government approved restrictions and protocols in their various communities and villages to prevent community spread of the virus.

Our advocacy/sensitisation campaign is aimed at stopping community spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic ravaging the global community.

We believe that rural dwellers will listen and believe their traditional or community leaders when they educate and advise them on the necessary safety measures to take to avoid contracting the disease.

We want the traditional rulers and stakeholders to assist us to extend the crusade to hard-to-reach areas, especially the vulnerable people and those who are above 50 years of age.

The Federal Government has always made efforts through well-conceived and articulated programmes to address challenges, such as COVID-19 and we know that this engagement will assist in passing the message across, Abah said.

He appealed to traditional rulers, town union leaders, religious leaders and stakeholders in Ebonyi communities to spur the people to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols.

Abah commended state and federal governments for their commitment to tackling the spread of the virus, adding that collective efforts were required to effectively combat the disease.

The director said that the agency was engaging traditional rulers, town union leaders and other critical stakeholders in various communities to shore up support in the fight against the deadly novel coronavirus.

NAN reports that the team visited three local government areas, namely: Afikpo North, Ezza North and Ebonyi, in Ebonyi South, Ebonyi central and Ebonyi North zones respectively.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

Five countries have been identified as responsible for over 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in West Africa,
the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) said.

Addressing Members of ECOWAS Parliament during the Second Extra Ordinary Session which is holding via video conference, WAHO, however said that the case fatality rate in the region is under control.

Prof. Stanley Okolo, the Director General of WAHO, while making presentation to Parliament, said that as at July 16, the five countries recorded 84,118 cases out of the 96,936 cases in the region.

Okolo said five countries contributed almost 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in the region, namely: Nigeria, Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Senegal and Guinea.

What is important is to note the case fatality rate: how many people died because of COVID-19.

In our region, it is still relatively low at about 1.6 per cent, but that of course hides the fact that it is a rise from about 0.5 per cent to some countries that are at about 6 per cent, he said.

The WAHO boss added that if the number of active cases were to be considered, then Guinea Bissau with over 1,000 active cases would be added to the list of highest contributors.

He said that the case fatality rate for the region was currently at a median of about 2.16 per cent and an average of 1.6 per cent.

But the range of people dying after COVID-19 diagnosis is from about 0.57 per cent in Ghana to about six per cent in Niger.

If you look at our active cases, it is common where we have a higher population density.

We are not able to get all the figures from some districts in Mali and Niger due to insecurity.

He re-echoed the disclaimer about the peculiarity or not of COVID-19 among certain age groups, sexes or class.

He, however, noted that the younger people accounted for more of the cases, adding that the age-group contributed to the highest number of those who are nonchalant about precautions.

He explained that COVID-19 does not respect age or sex.

Yes, diagnosis is common in men than women, but when you look at the age distribution, you will find that from the youngest to
the oldest, COVID-19 tends to cut across all ages but commonest in the young age group.

These are the people who often dont take things serious and that is the tragedy of our situation in West Africa, because they are the ones who often survive, but then, if they do infect the old ones, we will have a major problem.

So, we have to target the young ones. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mr Alex Tarka, NAPE president

By Edith ike-Eboh

Mr Alex Tarka, President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) says the delay in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has negatively impacted exploration in the oil and gas sector.

Tarka made this known at Virtual workshop on Leveraging fiscal regulations to attract Investments in the Petroleum sector, on Thursday.

He said that there was the need for policy that would help drive the expected investments and stimulus in the upstream oil and gas sector for employment generation and economic growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Minister of State for petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylvahad onJuly 14announced that the PIB would be sent to the NASS in two weeks

NAN also reports that the National Assembly (NASS) said it is expecting the new PIB soon for deliberations and debate to begin on the much-awaited piece of legislation

He said there was need for aggressive exploration in the country noting that new fiscal policy of the PIB must reduce government participation to enable investors to participate.

He said that currently only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had been involved in exploration in the country.

This, he said, was not good for the sector with the role oil and gas sector played in the economic development of the country.

NAPE president noted that government must ensure that it stuck to the date it had proposed in the presentation of the PIB to the National Assembly and ensure that its speedy paasage.

Due to lack of PIB, no exploration is currently going on in the country, only NNPC is the one operating; this is not good for the industry.

The industry especially the upstream needs a lot of palliatives, waivers and stimulus to operate to enable it sustain employment .

We need policies in place to get thing done properly, he noted.

Tarka further noted that delay in passing PIB had driven away many investors to the sector adding that the quick passage of the bill would show the seriousness of Nigerian government in developing the sector.

Exploration is expensive, especially here, so as an investor, if I dont see any seriousness by government to show how safe my investment will be, I will keep it elsewhere.

Until PIB is passed, investors will continue to look elsewhere to invest, so, there is no better time than now to rob minds on this issue and get the bill passed, he added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News