By Sylvester Thompson

Dr Victoria Enape, President, Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPIN), has urged the Federal Government to assent to the bill establishing the Institute.

Enape made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Saturday.

She said that the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals Bill, 2021, had scaled through all the legislative hurdles of the 9th National Assembly and was currently before the president for assent.

She said forensic investigation was not only vital for the restoration of the nations economy but crucial in the fight against fraud, corruption and cybercrime.

According to her, this is in line with the policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

Enape said that government was open minded towards any laudable initiative which is geared towards enhancing the relevant legal and institutional frameworks in the country.

She said that any proposal or proposed legislation in this regards should be painstakingly considered, based on merit.

Enape, however, stressed that the fight against fraud, corruption and cybercrime in the country should be seen as an all-inclusive fight.

It should not be limited by any propaganda of any existing organisation who are determined to arrogate the right to regulate certain sector of our economy to themselves alone, she said.

She said as a nation, Nigerians must put on thinking caps to ensure collaboration and synergy with the rest of the world as this will match the high tech level of crimes in todays digital revolution. (NAN)(www.nannews ng)

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has expressed deepened commitment to the actualisation of the sealink project in the country.

Mr Emmanuel Jime, NSCs Executive Secretary, said this when the Chairperson, Sealink Transnational Company, Mrs Dabney Shall-Holma, led a team to visit him on Friday in Abuja.

According to Jime, the NSC has a mandate to protect shippers and ensure their ease of doing business in the country.

He, therefore, said the council would do all that was neccessary to support the committee responsible for realising the sealink project.

Jime explained that the sealink was an initiative put in place to bridge the infrastructure gap in the nations maritime domain.

He said: There is no way that any nation can be effective in its trade unless there is connectivity through the waterways.

I will like to commend the vision of those who initiated this project.

Advocacy is our responsibility here at the shippers council and this has to do with the fact that the council is essentially to protect shippers.

But we are also in the position to engage in the kind of activity that ultimately benefits them. Advocacy is what we are going to do in partnership with you, Jime said.

He restated the need for Nigeria to own its vessel, saying that it would promote the ability of Nigerian shippers to take advantage of the infrastructure (sealink) that would be developed.

On the African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFA ), Jime said to effectively participate in that platform, Nigerians need to develop infrastructure that would respond to that emerging situation.

And I believe sealink has a strategic place as far as the development of our trade facilitation is concerned.

It helps in promotion of inland waterways operation for bulk commodities towards trade diversification of Nigeria economy.

Movement of cargo is key as far as our mandate is concerned.

So anything that will engender and enable the environment, such that Nigerian Shippers can take advantage of in evolving trade environment, we have a duty at shippers council to fully get engaged and participate in the process, he added.

Jime said: not only are we (NSC) going to be partners with you, from now on, if there is any effort that needs to be put in place that requires the shippers councils presence, be assured that we will be there all the way.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, represented by his Technical Adviser, Mr Hope Yongo, also expressed the banks commitment to the project.

NEXIM remains committed to the project and to ensure that we expand Nigerias export basket.

To make sure that being the dominant economy in Africa, we take our pride of place as a major trading partner and that can only happen with connectivity.

We need the support of the transportation sector and that is why we are here for a joint advocate.

We are hopeful to launch the sealink for both continental and inland waterways in June. We want to thicken and broaden Nigerian exports, he said.

On her part, Shall-Holma, said the committee was in partnership with several stakeholders to ensure the realisation of the project.

Shippers council has always been there through the process, what we want now is for you to be actively involved, she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

The FCT Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has appealed to the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) not to abruptly terminate the management concession agreement between it and the NISA Medical Group.

NISA manages the General Hospital, Garki, Abuja, on behalf of the FCTA under a 15-year concession agreement.

NMA FCT Chairman, Dr Enema Amodu, made the appeal on Friday at a news conference saying that the one month termination notice given by the FCT Administration (FCTA) to the NISA Medical Group was not a fair one.

He said it had also become necessary to shelve the planned contract termination because some NMA members and other medical personnel in the hospital were currently undergoing post-graduate programmes in the hospital , in addition to the freshly graduated doctors who were also doing their housemanship in the facility.

On the abrupt termination of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the NISA Medical Group and the FCTA at Garki hospital, the NMA FCT totally and completely rejects the position of the FCTA.

FCTA move will terminate the post-graduate medical training of doctors, as well as internship programmes of doctors, pharmacists and nurses who are currently running their programmes in the institution.

These prgrammes require a definite period for proper completion and exit. These accredited programmes are supervised by the highly exalted National Post-Graduate Medical College of Nigeria and other similar international bodies, he stressed.

Amodu advised that if the FCTA was terminating the concession agreement because of an alleged N131 million the NISA Medical Group was owing it, both parties should meet to resolve it.

It appealed to the FCTA to reconsider its stance on the termination of the contract.

According to him, the NMA FCT has noted with dismay the irregular and haphazard spate of posting of house officers to the hospital by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

He expressed the associations displeasure over the practice, pointing out that that the statutory period of housemanship for fresh graduates of medical school was sacrosanct.

He called for a reorganization of the process to achieve a seamless transition and placement of the medical doctors.

Amodu stated that the present situation was unacceptable, and that it fell below the expectations of the desired goal, saying that a bigger problem has been created with the central posting.

He recommended that the Federal Ministry of Health should revert to the previous state of allowing institutions to recruit and pay the doctors to forestall the unnecessary bottlenecks presently being experienced.

The NMA FCT Chairman also recommended a universal applicability of the proposed new hazard allowance to every medical doctor and health worker, irrespective of his duty post.

He said that every health personnel was exposed to the hazards of the profession wherever he was practising and, therefore, deserved to be paid accordingly.

He commended the Federal Government on the availability of COVID-19 vaccine, saying that most people have received the booster dose.

He said there was need for the government to also pay attention to other infectious diseases such as Lassa fever, cholera and malaria that affect the lower class of people.

Amodu also called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to solve the persistent fuel shortage in the country.

He said the situation had severely affected the practice of medicine as health workers were finding it difficult to get to their workplaces to discharge their duties.

He also called for frequent and compulsory medical check-ups for health workers to guide against any form of ailment.

Mr Moses Ebute (SAN), Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Abuja branch, who was also at the news conference condemned the one month notice given by the FCTA to NISA medical group.

He said that the legal profession was particularly concerned that the word abrupt termination used by the FCTA shows that it had even ended the contract without giving room for further discussion.

According to him, if the NISA Medical Group is unable to vacate the building within the one month notice given by the FCTA, it must not be evicted as the one-month notice is not enough. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has advised citizens and communities to eschew hostilities and embrace peaceful living.

The governor gave the advice in Asaba on Friday while receiving the report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry into intra-communal crisis in Evwreni in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, there is a need for communities to realise that there is no alternative to peace.

He said that any community that gets into trouble does not really look at the future of its people, because as long as there is trouble in any community, families are impacted negatively.

Okowa assured that the commissions report would be processed with a view to raising a White Paper that would permanently resolve the lingering crisis in the community.

He commended the chairman and members of the judicial panel for their painstaking effort in turning in their report on time.

The governor said that the government would continue to focus on peace-building in the state.

I want to reassure you that as a State Executive Council, we are going to look at the report very closely and constitute a committee to produce a white paper as quickly as we can, so that we can make decisions.

Theres no alternative to peace in our state. As a state, from the very day we got in on May 29, 2015, we have continued to stay focused on peace-building in our state, realising that a peaceful environment will be in a position to develop the state and attract investors.

With peace, our people can live in such a manner that they are happy with themselves, and God has helped us in that regard.

But, we have to continue to ensure that the peace is sustained, he said.

The governor said that Nigeria was bedeviled with security and other economic challenges but God had helped his administration in managing peace in the state.

Nigeria today is very troubled, but by Gods grace, we will continue to manage the peace in Delta State.

Obviously, we have our security challenges but we have been able to work hard with several arms of government involved in peace building and conflict resolution.

So we are glad that this panel has added its efforts by this report in helping us to build peace in Evwreni area.

Insecurity does not give room for development of any community and even for investors to come in.

It is our hope that the people of Evwreni community will realise that enough is enough and that they have done a lot of damage to themselves, and that there is a need to embrace peace, he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, Justice Michael Obi, while submitting the report, said that the panel received 23 memoranda from parties involved in the dispute during the public hearings of the Panel.

He said that the crisis in the community led to a number of deaths, created massive destruction of property, caused displacement of persons and almost crippled socio-cultural and economic activities in the community.

Obi disclosed that the panel came up with seven recommendations for consideration by the State Executive Council.

These, he said, would help the state government to entrench sustainable peace and unity in the community.

He thanked the governor for finding him and members of the panel worthy to serve.

Oni said that the assignment afforded them a unique opportunity of ascertaining the possible causes and solutions to the intra-communal crisis in Evwreni. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Ikechukwu Iweajunwa

Gunmen on Saturday attacked the Umuguma Police station in Owerri West council area of Imo and killed two officers on duty.

According to an eyewitness, who narrated the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) but pleaded anonymity, said the hoodlums came in two Toyota Hilux vehicles and attacked the station with an explosive device.

The source said two officers were seen dead at the station after the attackers left for an unknown destination.

He further narrated that while one of the officers was killed and cut with a machete, the other victim died at a water dispensing stand where he went to drink water after he was shot in one of his legs while trying to escape.

A NAN reporter, who visited the scene, confirmed that no fewer than 12 vehicles parked at the police station and the roof of the station were burnt by the explosives used in attacking the station.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman of Imo police command CSP Michael Abattam, said the hoodlums were repelled by the officers on guard.

I can confirm that there was an attack on the Umuguma police station, but the hoodlums were immediately repelled, he said, indicating that police have mounted serious manhunt for the hoodlums, he said. (NAN) ()

Source: NAN News

By Olaide Ayinde

Tragedy struck on Friday in Bauchi State, as three people lost their lives, while 16 others sustained various injuries in a lone auto crash.

Mr Yusuf Abdullahi, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Bauchi.

According to him, the accident which involved a commercial Toyota Hiace bus, belonging to Jigawa Sunrise, occurred in Kurosha village, along the Bauchi-Kano road.

The Sector Commander, who explained that the accident occurred at around 6:13 p.m., said it took the personnel of the corps barely eight minutes to arrive at the crash scene to clear the site.

He blamed the cause of the crash on speed violation and loss of control.

About 20 people were involved in the crash, made up of 18 male adults, one female adult and a female child.

Three male adults lost their lives on the spot, 16 people, including 15 male adults and a female adult sustained injuries, while the only soul unscathed was the female child, he said.

Abdullahi explained that both the remains of the deceased and those injured had been taken to Ningi General Hospital.(NAN) ().

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Friday commiserated with the family of late publisher of Hallmark Newspapers, Prince Emeka Obasi, who died on Tuesday at age of 58.

Okowas condolence message is contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, on Friday in Asaba.

He described the passing of Obasi as a tragic loss to his family and the media.

Okowa also consoled with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) over the loss.

He also sympathised with Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC), organisers of the annual Zik Prize in Leadership Awards, over the loss of the veteran journalist and former Commissioner for Information in Abia.

Okowa noted that Obasi would be long remembered for his invaluable contributions to journalism profession, including founding the National Mirror and Business Hallmark newspapers.

On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I mourn the passing of a patriotic Nigerian, Prince Emeka Obasi, who was Publisher of the Business Hallmark Newspapers.

Prince Obasi will be remembered for his passion for the journalism profession and contributions to good governance in Nigeria, particularly for the setting up of PPRAC and was privileged to be honoured in December, 2020.

I join Nigerians and the media community to condole his wife, Dr Betty Obasi, the children, friends, associates and well wishers over the passing of a consummate journalist and patriot.

It is my prayers that God will comfort them and grant them fortitude to bear the loss, Okowa said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

BY Zainab Oyekan

Dr Martin Adejo, a medical expert, has attributed grey hair in people to genetic, stress, disease and some vitamin deficiencies.

He said that grey hair was not just for the aged as could be seen across all ages which had made both the aged and young to feel at home with the growth.

Adejo responded to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey on grey hair in Jos on Friday.

He said that some people could have grey hair very early in life from their primary or post primary schools but that did not imply they were diseased.

I said earlier, grey hair on young people could be as a result of genetic trend, stress due to type of life or work engaged in by the young person, lack of vitamins or disease, to be cock sure, medical checks are needed, he said.

Adejo said that growing of grey hair should not be a worrisome trait to anyone once medically certified sound, people should take the growth as a new trend .

Getting worried over growing grey hair is not a solution but attitudinal change to accept the growth as fashion trend and enjoy their looks, he advised.

NAN report further that some respondent said that growing grey-hair is no longer a source of worry to them because going grey now is a trend in fashion and no more a sign of old age.

Mrs Hannatu Bello, a 47-year-old woman, said that before now, she saw herself as being unkempt and was always worried about her appearance.

Bello said that since the grey hair changed the old norm of being a stigma, I have developed more confident in myself.

Mr Andrew Bello, said that before now he was always dying his grey hair but now everyone admired him and called him a silver fox handsome man.

I am just 58 years old and I am all grey and my beard turned grey too making me look handsomely; I get hear women say you look good and my wife is crazy about my look too, said Bello.

Mrs Angela Emeka, a 44-year-old woman, said she started having grey in her early twenties and was worried then but there was a paradigm shift in fashion now that had given her the courage to be proud of it.

There is a social shift from women fearing grey hair, getting old to loving and embracing it and its a global social change, said Emeka.

Miss Abigail Dung, a 20 year old young girl who dyed her hair grey, said celebrities all over the world now wear grey as the in-thing.

Miss Jumai Johnson, a teenager, who had a grey wig on said that grey hair was not just for older people but a colour for everyone.

This development has helped to remove stigma that the hair colour was associated with getting old, said Johnson.

NAN reports that many people confessed that the grey hair is no longer an issue of worry as they have learnt to keep themselves neat and appear decent at all times. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned from London after a routine medical check-up.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian leader departed Abuja for the routine medical check-up in London on March 6.

The president had earlier wanted to embark on the medical trip from Nairobi, Kenya after attending the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) at 50 in that country, on March 5, but returned to Nigeria on March 4.

The presidents spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, had on March 1, in a statement said that from Kenya, the president would proceed to London for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks.

However, the president returned to Abuja on Friday at about 1.p.m. before embarking on the London trip on March 6.

While in London, the president was believed to have met with the Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECC), Mai Mala Buni.

The president, at the end of the London meeting with Buni, called on Governors of the All progressives Congress (APC) to stop further utterances that lead to disunity ahead of the National Convention.

A statement by the Presidents spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Wednesday in Abuja, said the president made the call via a letter he personally signed, and addressed to Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

Bagudu is also the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum.

NAN reports that the presidential aircraft carrying the president landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 7:09 p.m. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), says Nigeria has recorded tremendous breakthrough in import reduction by cumulatively saving N5.03 trillion between 2017 and 2020.

The minister disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the 2022 STI Expo in Abuja, on Friday.

Onu said the figure was derived from the data generated by the United Nations Harmonised System Code and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He said, due to advancement in STI, the nation had become a home for start-ups, as technology had been transferred to many of the nations micro, small and medium size enterprises.

Onu said, in the past six years, the country had made significant breakthrough in providing remedy to major diseases in form of drugs and medicine derived from our indigenous natural ingredients.

He added that the country had made much progress in the development of new drugs, at different levels of certification, including clinical trials.

In the areas of agriculture and food security, Onu said that the nations efforts are highly commendable.

He added, through research and innovation, efforts are ongoing to provide food security, as well as agro-raw materials for industries.

The minister said that Nigerian youths have been encouraged to actively participate in the STI sub-sector through studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

On gender balance and sensitivity, he said, we embarked on gender-sensitive programmes to make STI inclusive.

This is to improve the participation of girls and women in scientific research and innovation activities.

Earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said STI had been helpful in the production of solar panels to provide electricity to rural primary healthcare centres.

Ehanire said, inter-ministerial cooperation is needed to achieve meaningful breakthrough in the delivery of healthcare services to Nigerians.

Also speaking, Prof. Alpha Tejan, Sierra Leonean Minister of Higher Education, expressed appreciation to Nigeria for helping to bring back peace to his country.

Highlight of the closing ceremony was the presentation of different awards to deserving winners during the expo. (NAN)

Source: NAN News