By Franca Ofili

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has said that exposure to second-hand smoke from tobacco is a leading preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Ehanire said this on Monday in Abuja during a news briefing to mark the 2021 World No Tobacco Day with the theme Commit to Quit.

He listed some of the diseases as hypertension, stroke, cancers, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Ehanire said that the objective of the day was to advocate strong tobacco cessation guidelines and programmes.

He said others were to promote increased access to tobacco cessation services such that at least 100 million tobacco users worldwide were offered help and empowered to make successful attempts to quit the use of tobacco.

According to him, it will help raise awareness on tobacco industry tactics.

Ehanire quoted the World Health Organisation data as saying:

There are more than 1.3 billion tobacco users in the world, and that tobacco is in one way or another responsible for more than eight million deaths each year.

Also more than seven million of which are as the result of direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being indirectly exposed to second-hand smoke.

He said further that findings from the 2012 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) showed that 5.6 per cent Nigerians, 15 years and older, currently use tobacco products of which 3.9 per cent are smokers.

The GATS result further shows that 45.4 per cent of the smokers had attempted to quit in the past 12 months prior to the survey, of which 61.1 per cent attempted to do so without any assistance.

Also, 15 per cent tried counseling and 5.2 per cent tried pharmacotherapy.

The death toll from tobacco is high in Nigeria as the Tobacco Atlas of 2018 report estimates more than 16,100 deaths from tobacco-related diseases every year.

The minister said that another research finding published in 2021 by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa showed that 29,472 deaths in Nigeria were attributable to smoking.

Ehanire said that in other to tackle the tobacco menace Nigeria signed and ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

According to him, in furtherance of the WHO FCTC, Nigeria enacted the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019.

He said that the offer of support to quit tobacco use was one of the best buys in tobacco control measures, collectively called the MPOWER.

M = Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; P = Protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke; O = Offer help to quit tobacco use by tobacco cessation services.

W = Warn people about the dangers of tobacco use; E = Enforce full ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and R = Raise excise taxes on tobacco products.

According to him, the ministry in collaboration with WHO and Nigeria Tobacco Alliance (NTCA), will be conducting some activities to help address tobacco issues.

He listed them as virtual tobacco cessation webinar and setting up a tobacco cessation toll-free call centre in the ministry to offer cessation services to tobacco users.

Others are: to set up a mobile tobacco cessation (mCessation) services, whereby tobacco users can access quit support using WhatsApp number 41 79893 1892.

He said it would also provide support to five States: Kano, Ogun, Imo, Edo and Bayelsa to organise the World No Tobacco Day.

Beyond cessation services Nigeria will, as from June 23, start implementation of graphic pictorial health warning messages and tobacco product packaging to replace the age-long health warning texts.

Increasing excise tax on tobacco products to make it more unaffordable is a strong way to discourage tobacco use. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Franca Ofili

Dr Walter Mulombo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Nigeria, says the world body is set to scale-up programmes in 22 countries to help people to quit tobacco use.

He made this known on Monday in Abuja at a news conference to mark the 2021 World No Tobacco Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World No Tobacco Day is annually marked on May 31 to raise awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco smoking and has Commit to Quit as theme of the 2021 edition.

The representative said the World No Tobacco Day is to remind everyone that tobacco kills half of its users.

He added that Nigeria was selected as one of the 22 countries for the WHO scale-up programmes, especially at the primary health care and community levels.

He explained that the programme will include the setting up of a toll-free quit line and the pilot of a WHO supported mobile cessation (mCessation) programme for a period of 9 12 months.

This will be through the use of pre-designed WhatsAPP toolkit and Facebook Messenger in different languages.

Mulombo said millions of people were motivated to quit tobacco during the COVID-19 pandemic following evidence that smoking impaired lung function, making it harder for the body to fight coronaviruses.

He noted that this year was unique as the 2021 campaign would be a year-long, aimed at encouraging 100 million people to pledge to quit tobacco.

He said the organisation had requested for space within the ministry to set up a call centre office where counsellors would respond to callers needs.

He added that Nigeria received a World No Tobacco Day Award in the last three years, which recognises individuals or organisations for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control.

He pledged continued support for the country to meet obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, the Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said the theme of the 2021 World No Tobacco Day was apt as it removed conditions that might affect FCTC implementation.

He noted that government should remove all conditions by implementing WHO -FCTC compliant laws and policies.

We call on government to begin comprehensive enforcement of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019.

Also, government must enforce the ban on tobacco advertisements and promotion, including the ban on smoking in movies and entertainment platforms.

Enforce graphic health warning on tobacco packs, enforce the ban of the sale of tobacco products to underage and raise taxes on tobacco products, among others, Oluwafemi said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

No fewer than 472 cataract patients have received free surgery in the Sokoto State phase of Friends of Osinbajo Medical Outreach.

Dr Abubakar Dange, Coordinator of the Medical Outreach in the state, said this while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Sokoto.

The exercise, organised by friends of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo under the auspices of the March 8 Initiative, is an offshoot of the nationwide Free Eye Care/ Surgery inaugurated recently in Ikenne, Ogun.

Dange said it was the first of the three-day exercise at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.

The Sokoto phase of the medical outreach witnessed a large turnout and already 472 cataract patients got free eye surgeries with many others receiving free consultations, screening, and other corrective eye care interventions.

The initiative, which has impacted many Nigerians across different sectors over the years is one way the vice president has asked his friends and associates to mark his birthday instead of spending scarce resources on gifts and others.

The exercise kicked off at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, as early as 8 a.m. on May 25 with many patients from within and outside the state capital presenting themselves for screening and treatment before a team led by the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Nuhu Maishanu.

Although 1,500 patients are targeted for treatment during the period of the exercise, the medical team has so far conducted successful surgeries on 472 patients and thousands more received other corrective eye care interventions between May 27 and May 30, he said.

Some beneficiaries barred their minds on the impact of the exercise, thanking the vice president and his friends for making the medical outreach possible.

Aliyu Murtala, a farmer, said he came there because he could not see very well with both eyes but after the treatment, he could see clearly.

But the interesting thing about what has happened here today is that I did not pay a dime to get this quality of treatment.

Although I have not met the man responsible for all the good things that we are experiencing here today, I am told that the person is the vice president of our country.

I just want to thank him and all the other people supporting this gesture. I pray that Allah continues to bless and increase him in every aspect of life, he said.

On his part, Alhaji Damboa from Wammako, Sokoto, thanked God and the sponsors of the outreach.

He prayed God to grant good health to the vice president, take him to greater heights, and also prayed for peace and unity in the country.

A female beneficiary of the free eye care, Hajia Indo Ibrahim, said she came to the hospital because of her eyes and was treated.

I have received treatment and I feel okay today; When I came here yesterday, I couldnt see your interviewers face, but now I can see your face clearly.

I am very happy because I did not pay for the service and medication given to me, for that, I thank those responsible for this.

I pray that Allah rewards them and grants all their heart desires, also preserving them to continue to support the needy just as they have supported us.

And, we will continue to vote for them whenever they come seeking our support, she said.

The Vice-Chairman of Gudu LGA of Sokoto, Abdulahi Jimajimi, said that it was pleasing to note that the vice president and his friends instead of spending so much money to make merry in celebration of his birthday chose to support the less privileged in the society.

Just behind me, you can see the crowd, over 500 people have so far been treated within three days that the programme started. We are grateful to the Vice President for the gesture especially in choosing to address a common problem among people in our communities.

We remain grateful to the vice president and his friends especially for remembering the masses instead of lavishing a lot of money on birthday parties and other luxuries, he said.

Other locations for the medical outreach across the state include General Hospital Illela and General Hospital Dogon Daji.

The exercise is expected to end on June 20. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Some Nollywood celebrities have teamed up to denounce the promotion of tobacco products in Nigerian movies targeting children.

They disclosed this in a statement by Esther Aghotor, Creative Director, #SmokeFreeNollywood, a non- governmental organisation, in Abuja on Monday.

The celebrities joined forces with the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign backed by Washington DC-based campaign for Tobacco Free Kids in collaboration with public strategy firm, Gatefield, to mark the 2021 World No Tobacco Day.

37 per cent of these smokers started smoking as children due to the influence of movies that are created, said the statement.

Celebrities involved in the campaign include; Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Osas Ighodaro, Anto Lecky and Meg Otanwa.

Others include Michelle Dede, Kayode Kasum, Daniel Effiong, Linda Ejiofor, Kiki Omeili, and Imoh Emmanuel Chimezie, among others.

The statement also quoted the World Health Organisation, as saying, that 370,000 children in Nigeria smoke daily.

It noted that research showed that a significant percentage of current adult smokers were influenced by movies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Tinubu Support Group (TSG) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the pro-masses policies being executed by his administration.

In a congratulatory message to the President on his sixth anniversary on Monday in Abuja, TSGs Director-General, Malam Umar Muhammed, congratulated Buhari for his remarkable achievements during the period.

Muhammed said that the President had demonstrated determination to further improve the social services and infrastructure in the country.

He wished the Nigerian leader good health and more years of visionary leadership as President of the country.

Muhammed stated that the next level government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of Buhari had taken the country a step ahead.

He described the President as a good manager of human and capital resources.

We want to use this occasion to commend our President for the way he has been administering the country for six years.

We made bold to say that President Buhari is highly committed to the rehabilitation of the nations infrastructural system as exemplified in the countrys revamped railway system.

It is also on record that right from the moment he won the Presidential Election in 2015, the impression of the President as a no nonsense and incorruptible leader sent signals to looters of public funds.

The D-G recalled that in September 2015, President Buhari directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to disburse N689.5 billion as bailout to 27 states of the federation to pay salaries.

He noted that this was to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

It is obvious that your programmes are driven by the citizens needs, and we believe you will continue to harness the potentials of our country in the direction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the betterment of the citizenry.

Muhammed prayed that the remaining years of Buhari would witness more progress and called on Nigerians to cooperate with government in the fight against insecurity. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ariwodola Idowu

The Southern Senators Forum on Monday, described the death of former Presidential Political Adviser, Ahmed Gulak as a national disaster.

The forum also described the development as a signal that the countrys insecurity has permeated every section of the nation.

The Senators tasked the police and Nigerian Army to fish out the killers and those perpetrating other horrendous crimes in every section of the country in a brazen fashion that quaked the countrys bond of unity.

The forums Chairman and Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said these in a condolence message made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, titled: Stop The Drift to Anarchy.

The forum expressed sadness at the gruesome killing of the former Presidential Aide, whom the Senators described as a detribalised and consummate politician, with national clout and acceptability.

Bamidele stated that with the terrific bout at which people were being killed by unknown gunmen, that the time has come for the security architecture to redouble their efforts and arrest the countrys drift into a scary state of anarchy.

We receive the sudden demise of our brother and friend, Ahmed Gulak by unknown gunmen with Schick and heavy hearts.

This was more of a national calamity, taking cognisance of the detrabalistic nature of the deceased, who believed in building bridges across ethnic lines by his interactions and association.

We condemn a situation whereby Nigerians are no longer safe in virtually every part of our country in totality.

The kernel for the existence of any government is to guarantee the safety of lives and property of the citizens and the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari must be alive to this bidding.

As enshrined in the statute book, we believe every Nigerian carrying out legitimate businesses in any part of the country should undertake such with the guarantee of safety, and Nigeria shouldnt fail in this regard.

We believe that the perpetrators of this heinous crime that had again brought Nigeria to a calamitous situation should be nabbed and brought behind bars to face the consequences of their tragic actions.

The 51 Senators from the Southern part of the country, expressed our heartfelt condolences to Ahmed Gulaks friends, family, confidants, people and government of Adamawa State and the entire Nigerians on the death of this notable politician.

Although the situation surrounding his death was callous and painful, they should take it with what the holy book established that Allah gives and takes, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Temitope Ponle

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said revenue generating agencies remitted more than N1.5 trillion into the Federation Account in the first quarter of 2021.

Mr Elias Mbam, the Chairman of RMAFC disclosed this in Abuja, when he received Revenue Performance Report from the Post-Mortem Sub-Committee of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

Mr Nwachukwu Christian, Public Relations Officer of RMAFC, in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, said the report showed that Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) made the highest remittance of more than N759 billion.

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) surpassed its target for the quarter with more than N891 million.

The chairman further said that more than N496 billion was also remitted into the Federation Account as value added tax (VAT) for the first quarter of 2021.

This, according to him, surpassed the targeted tax revenue representing 108.01 per cent for the period under review.

Mbam also said that the commission in collaboration with the Post-Mortem Sub Committee of FAAC, received outstanding arrears payment of N260 billion.

This is in addition to more than N845 billion that the Sub- Committee recovered in the 2020.

The chairman stressed the commitment of the commission in its effort to increase revenue generation and equitable distribution of the accrued revenues to the three tiers of government. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologungba

The Nigerian-American Diaspora Community has held a discussion with the U.S. Department of State on ways to address Nigerias security and economic challenges.

The discussion, which was coordinated by officials of the Nigerian-American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC), said the Biden administration was interested in ensuring a stable Nigeria.

President of NAPAC, Dr Nelson Aluya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in New York, that the department was interested in concerns expressed by Nigerians about creating a stable country back home.

They (U.S. officials) recognised that there are multiple problems in Nigeria and they recognised the potential of the Nigerian-American Diaspora Community in the U.S. in solving those issues.

They are ready to work with us on those key issues; we are concerned and frustrated with ineptitude and lack of leadership in security because of the way people are dying.

They did tell us that they are working with the Nigerian government and they are in direct contact to help out in the context of national integrity and autonomy, he said.

Aluya explained that NAPAC was working with other stakeholders to build a strong, united, indissoluble and indivisible Nigerian community in the U.S.

Our goal is to pull Nigerians in the U.S. and across the globe together, into a strong and formidable force, so that together, we can collaborate with other Nigerian associations.

We need to work together and do greater things in Nigeria so that we can elevate the youth to foster dialogue for peace and negotiation, as well as taking active steps to engage the government, he said.

Aluya said the essence of the interaction was to bring Nigerians in the U.S. together on a platform to listen to what the U.S. could offer NigerianAmericans in their quest to provide help and resources.

In addition, he said, the meeting also provided an avenue to tell the U.S. officials what Nigerians in the U.S. could offer them and the possible avenues for collaboration.

We can collaborate to do the job of diaspora with the help of the listening ear of the State Department to directly impact on good governance in Nigeria, he added.

Aluya said the group would organise more town hall meetings to interact with the U.S. and Nigerian governments to brainstorm on ensuring a prosperous and peaceful Nigeria. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed shock over the death of his former political adviser, Ahmed Gulak, who was killed on Sunday by gunmen in Owerri, Imo.

Jonathan said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ikechukwu Eze, on Monday in Abuja.

I received with shock the death of Gulak who died on Sunday, May 30, in Owerri, Imo.

Gulak was a loyal public servant and dedicated patriot who gave his all in service to his country.

His death is a painful loss to me and many others who worked and interacted with him,he said.

Jonathan said that Gulak would be remembered for his modest contributions to the growth of the nations democracy, especially his memorable days both as a speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly and Political Adviser in his administration.

Jonathan prayed God to comfort his family and grant his soul eternal rest.

My deepest condolences to his family, the government and the people of Adamawa state, who are bound to feel the loss of this eminent and patriotic Nigerian.

May God grant his family, friends and supporters solace, even as I appeal for calm while law enforcement agents carry out their investigations, he said. (NAN)

OBE/BHB/ABI

Source: NAN News

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Managers of National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in the Northeast region of the country have lauded the Federal Government for the Programme for lifting millions of people in the region out of poverty.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, the managers explained that the implementation of the programme had impacted positively in the lives of the people in the zone.

Ms Mary Yuwadi, the Acting NSIP Focal person in Adamawa said, the programme had impacted in the lives of the graduate and non-graduate beneficiaries.

The NPower has components like N-Teach, N-Heath, N-Agro and many others. The beneficiaries are doing well. Some have poultry farms and some are now financially stable that they sponsor the education of their younger ones.

The School Feeding Programme has led to high number of enrolment among children into primaries one to three. Also, livelihood of the poor has been enhanced by the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).

We want to thank the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Ummar Farouq for the programme. We shall remain committed than ever before to the over all success of the programme, Yuwadi said.

Mr Idris Goje, the State Secretary of NSIP in Taraba, said the programme had a lot of success stories in the state.

The beneficiaries were posted to schools, primary healthcare centres and Taraba Agricultural Development Programme, where they put in their best and everything is okay now unlike when there was no NPower.

The N-Power Programme has contributed to the reduction of crime rate in the state. Most beneficiaries now have their own automobile workshops, farms and other business.

On the CCT, some poor people that could not boast of N100 before are now being paid N5,000. Most of them have put the money into good use and are now helping other, Goje said.

He appreciated the Federal Government and urged it to ensure sustainability of the programme.

Similarly, Malam Muhammed Musa, the Head of N-Power in Bauchi said that the state had benefited from all the components of the NSIP since 2016.

He said that over 15,000 youths both graduate and non-graduate had benefited from the programme.

Over 8,000 N-Teach participants were able to cover the gap of lack of teachers in the state.

The N-Health and others have impacted positively in the entire staye. Since Nigerias independence in 1960, this is the only Programme that touches the lives of the youths positively in the country, Musa said.

NAN reports that success stories were also recorded in parts of Borno that has been suffering from insurgency for some years now.

Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to NAN, said that the programme had brought succor to them and their families.

A beneficiary, Mr Adamu Ahmed, from Adamawa said that it was from the programme that he was able to establish a patent medicine store and also got married to his wife, adding that he was now a proud father of one.

Imran Adamu, a beneficiary of the N-Health component of the NPower from Gombe said, from his stipends of N30,000 monthly, he was able to save N480,000 and used it to start operating a chemist shop.

Other beneficiaries, Mrs Jamila Ooye in Taraba, Mr John Moses in Maiduguri and Malam Muhammed Chiroma in Yobe appreciated Buhari and Farouq for the programme.

According to them, their lives and that of their loved ones have changed for the better and are out of poverty compare when the the programme was not in existence.

Source: NAN News