By Ahmed Abba

The Yobe state Government has disbursed N75 million empowerment grant to 1,500 female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returnees in the state.

Gov. Mai Mala Buni, who disclosed on Sunday in Damaturu, the grant was disbursed with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Yobe state government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under the Stabilisation Facility programme, is supporting the 1,500 beneficiaries with the sum of N50, 000 each as startup grant, Buni said.

He also noted that his administration had recently distributed a pair of goats and N10,000 to five women in each of the 178 wards across the state as a deliberate measure to empower them.

Similarly; 3,000 women were supported through the state ministry of Women Affairs with N20,000 each to improve bean cake Kosai, Cincin and Soya beans cake Awara making businesses, Buni added.

He commended the UNDP for partnering with the state government, and supporting resettlement, rehabilitation and recovery programmes to improve the peoples lives.

I also commend the UNDP for supporting the construction of market infrastructure, distribution of farm inputs, rehabilitation of primary schools and equipping the Buni Yadi General Hospital.

No doubt, such humanitarian gestures would go a long way in our post-insurgency recovery process., he said

Buni called on the beneficiaries to make good use of the intervention, to enhance their businesses, promote self-reliance, sustenance and dignity.

In his remarks, Dr. Muhammed Goje, expressed gratitude to Gov. Buni on behalf of the beneficiaries.

He also enjoined the MD Yobe Microfinance Bank and his team to ensure compliance with all terms of the agreement by paying off all the beneficiaries within 72 hours of the launch.

I also want crave your indulgence to ensure accountability in the disbursement process and have a feedback mechanism in case of any problems that may arise in the process. Goje said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwatope Lawanson

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat says Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, must agree to come together as one in order to survive as a nation.

Hamzat made the remark at the Annual Public Ramadan lecture of the State Council of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, held at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos on Sunday.

The deputy governor noted that there must be unity of purpose as a nation for development to take place.

He urged Muslims and non Muslims alike to live as one and shun all forms of enmity.

According to him, there can be no development in a country if there is insecurity.

The biggest threat to humanity is when there is no peace of mind, therefore, l urge us all to live as one.

There should be no issues of Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa, this must stop.

For peace and development sake, we must unite as one, for united we stand and divided we fall.

If we are united, it will be very easy to solve insecurity as a nation, he said.

Earlier in his goodwill message, Chairman, Lagos State Council of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji AbdRahman Salaudeen, urged all Muslim faithful to take wholly, opportunities of the Ramadan to get closer to Allah, seek His favours and perfect godliness toward one another.

Salaudeen said that Ramadan period was a month of favours, blessings and exchange of pleasantries as well as good wishes.

By fasting, we are continually reminded of our trait and dependence upon the Divine, thus leading us to humility, reverence, piety and selflessness.

We develop the holy qualities of empathy and compassion, becoming more aware of our intrinsic connection and oneness as human beings, regardless of borders or labels that creates differences, he said.

Sheik Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, the National Missioner, Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, in his lecture on Insecurity: The Impact on Socio Economic Development of the Nation, charged the government to implement the laws on insecurity as it affected development.

According to the missioner, there cant be security where there is lawlessness.

Ahmad said that impunity, lawlessness, and corruption was fighting back.

Insecurity is a major challenge bedeviling the country and must be tackled before it becomes a national disaster.

Nigeria is blessed with a lot of natural resources, human capital development but all these are taken for granted, he said.

Ahmad urged Nigerians to serve and praise God in truth despite the challenges being faced. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Peter Okolie

Wife of Anambra Governor, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, has urged women to evolve measures at stopping the recurring incidents of gender-based violence in the society.

Mrs Obiano made the appeal in a message to Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) in commemoration of Mothering Sunday.

The message was signed by Mr Emeka Ozumba, the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Obiano and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The theme of this years Catholic Mothering Sunday is: The Role of Women In Eliminating Discrimination and Gender-based Violence.

Mrs Obiano, who is also theFounder of Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE), advised women topromote the culture of tolerance and inclusiveness as a measure.

According to her, everybody is called to be tolerant of one another and to promote equal access to opportunities and resources to everyone both in the family and at community level.

Above all, communication is key to building mutual understanding and bonding among couples.

Thus, with mutual respect, we are able to diffuse tension that arises from minor misunderstanding which if not properly managed leads to outbreak of regrettable violence, she said.

Mrs Obiano described the theme of this years celebration as apt, saying it recognised the central role of mothers in re-enforcing good values to check all forms of discrimination and gender-based violence.

The First Lady advocated the deepening of relationship with children at home by making conscious effort at being their friend rather than someone they dread as well as holding regular discussion and sharing fun times.

Mrs Obiano commended the state governments inclusive approach which had ensured the accommodation of all shades of opinion and recognition of women in the scheme of things.

She congratulated CWO on their special day and urged them to tap inspiration from the unique role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who remained steadfast in trying times. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has called on parents and religious leaders to join the agency in tackling drug abuse in the country.

Marwa made the call on Sunday in Abuja at the 18th annual unity Ramadan lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Abuja.

The NDLEA boss, who decried the rising spate of drug abuse in the country, said all hands must be on deck to arrest the ugly trend.

I want to emphasise that the society must be involved in the fight against drug abuse.

Yes, the NDLEA has the mandate to check drug abuse but it must start with proper parenting by the family, parents should take more interests in their children and the type of company they keep.

Religious organisations, schools and traditional institutions also have a great role to play for us to win this war, he said.

He said about 15 million Nigerians were currently into drug abuse and this trend must be checked or else the figure would rise to 35 million Nigerians by 2050.

Marwa explained that the increase in crime and criminality such as kidnapping and banditry could be traced to the use of drugs.

He, however, assured the public that the NDLEA would continue to deploy more proactive measures to prevent, arrest and rehabilitate drug users in the country.

Earlier, Prof. Usman Bugaje, an Islamic scholar, in his lecture with the theme Legacy of Islam called on Muslims to use the Ramadan period to get closer to Allah through supplication and good deeds.

He described Muslims as scholars and innovators who contributed immensely to the early growth of science, medicine and technology.

According to him, Islam propelled the Muslim society in the early centuries to knowledge and research which led to inventions in medicine, machines and modernisation.

He called on Muslims to always distinguish themselves in their fields so as to leave a lasting legacy that others would want to emulate.

The National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah, Sheikh Fuad Adeyemi, in his remarks called on Muslims to dedicate the month of Ramadan to praying for peace and stability of the country.

Islam is peace and Muslims must preach peace, talk peace, act peace and prevent anything that will disturb the peace of the society.

It is only in an atmosphere of peace that we all can practise our religions and invite others to the faith, he said.

Adeyemi said Al-Habibiyyah had lined up a lot of activities during Ramadan such as Tafsir,. lectures and Food Bank programme where about 2,000 people would be fed daily.

The Imam said the organisation would continue to pray and work with relevant stakeholders to make Nigeria a better place.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture with the theme Legacy of Islam was attended by Islamic scholars, politicians, the academia and Muslims from all walks of life.

Source: NAN News

By Yetunde Fatungase

Prof. Kolawole Salako, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has decried the addiction and obsession of youths to irrelevant fantasy on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Salako, who was speaking at a thanksgiving service to mark his 60th birthday in Abeokuta on Sunday, urged the youth to face their books rather than facebook.

He decried the reluctance of contemporary students to reading their books and facing their studies.

The don noted that todays youths had bastardised the positive impact of technology, thesocial media in particular, by wasting quality times on immoral fantasy that did not add value to their lives and the society.

Unlike our days when we read and researched deeply, todays youths are fond of consulting Google for answers to everything.

As a matter fact I started nursing the ambition of becoming a professor right from my secondary school days.

With determination and trust in God, any youth can achieve his or her dreams, irrespective of daunting challenges, the vice-chancellor said

Earlier in his sermon, the Pastor of Living Spring Chapel, Abeokuta, Kayode Ojo who preached on the theme; Receiving Gods Power describedSalako as a man who feared God and relied on His power, before and now, as vice chancellor.

He described the power of God as dependable, reliable and permanent, saying all other powers are temporal.

Taking his sermon from the Books of John 1: 2 and Zechariah Chapter 9, the cleric charged the congregation to give their all to Christ, in order to have His unrivalled power.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that special prayers were offered for peace, progress and development of the country and for Gods continuous guidance, protection and prosperity of the vice chancellor and his family.

Source: NAN News

By Ariwodola Idowu

Ekiti Government says it is set to commence emission test on vehicles, generators, other petrol and diesel engines in the state.

Mrs Iyabo Fakunle-Okieimen, the state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, said this in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.

She explained that the move was part of efforts at battling the effects of global warming and ensuring a healthy environment for people in the state.

Fakunle-Okieimen said that conducting the test was crucial to achieving the goal of reducing air pollutants emitted from the exhaust systems of petrol and diesel engines to a tolerable level.

Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), the commissioner noted that harmful emissions from exhausts of engines were major contributory factors to poor air quality.

She said that the poor air quality could cause many killer diseases.

She named such diseases to includelower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, cancers, cerebrovascular and ischaemic heart diseases.

The commissioner explained that these emissions also depleted the ozone layer, allowing the direct radiation of the sun on earth, thus making the environment to experience unnecessary heat.

Fakunle-Okieimen said government would need the support of all stakeholders in ensuring the well-being of the people, just assheassured that officialsfor the test hadbeen directed to be thorough and professional.

Source: NAN News

By Muftau Ogunyemi

An 18 seater bus on Sunday plunged into the Owena River on the Akure Ondo road in Ondo State.

An eye witness account stated that the driver of the bus who was coming from the Ondo town axis and heading toward Akure lost control as a result of speeding and plunged into the river.

The witness further revealed that five of the passengers including a child were rescued and taken to the hospital by motorists and men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

The witness added that some of the passengers lost their lives at the scene of the accident.

Mr Ahmed Hassan, Ondo State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Coprs (FRSC), confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Akure.

Hassan, however, stated that thenumber of casualties had yet to be ascertained.

He added that men of the command were still at the scene of the accident.

Yes, there is an accident where a bus plunged into the Owena River and our men are still at the scene for rescue, but we cannot ascertain the number of people that died or survived for now, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Edith Ike-Eboh

By Amen Gajira

Muhammed Kassim, Deputy Chief Imam of Central Mosque Kafanchan, Kaduna State, has appealed to traders not to hike the prices of their commodities during the month of Ramadan.

Kassim made the call in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Kafanchan, headquarters of Jemaa Local Government Area.

He said the call had become necessary given the already harsh economic realities in the country, adding that traders shouldnt make things harder for the poor.

Traders are supposed to show love and compassion during this period of Ramadan.

When you hike prices, you are not helping yourself and Allah will not bless such money, but when you bring down prices, Allah will bless you abundantly.

Things are already hard enough for the poor and vulnerable, so I am appealing to traders not to make it any harder for them, he added

The deputy chief Imam said that Ramadan fasting was a soul-searching exercise which required Muslims to be prayerful to enable them attain self-righteousness.

He admonished Muslims not to engage in idle talk while fasting, but to instead read the Holy Quran regularly and be devoted to doing good things.

I urge all Muslims to read the Quran regularly as they fast. They are also expected to share what they have with other people.

Also, the way a Muslim talks during this Holy month of Ramadan should be simple and gentle, Kassim said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Reporters

Some medical experts say usage of sex enhancement drugs have both positive and negative implications on human health.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that though, the drugs have benefits to human health, its negative implications far outweigh its benefits.

NAN reports that sex enhancement drugs also known as Erectile Dysfunction Medication are majorly patronised and used by men than women.

It also reports that Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse.

Commenting, Dr Ayodele Ademola, a Consultant Gynaecologist, said it was not advisable to use sex enhancement drugs, except when it became exceptionally necessary, and must be used under strict medical prescription and supervision.

Ayodele, also the Medical Director, StrongTower Hospital and Advanced Fertility Centre, a Lagos-based private medical facility, said that usage of sex enhancement drugs could cause cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, heart failure and other related diseases.

According to him, there are many instances where people who used sex enhancement drugs ended up losing their lives.

I have had a situation where two elderly couple who took erectile dysfunction drugs simultaneously had heart attack and died.

Also, a young man of about 45 years of age, who took overdose of tramadol with the aim of enhancing his sex performance, also died in the course of having sexual intercourse.

If anyone has potency problem, it is advisable that such person seeks medical attention, rather than using enhancement drugs, because it has many underlying side effects which may result to complete loss of life, Ayodele said.

The expert, therefore, advised people who have potency problem to avoid self-medication or usage of enhancement drugs, urging them to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment.

He said that hypertensive, diabetic and aged people were at higher risk to the usage of sex enhancement drugs, advising them to completely avoid using it, saying that they might drop dead in the process.

Contributing, Dr JosephAkinde, Chairman, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SGON), Lagos Chapter, advised people to desist from abusing drugs with the aim to enhance sexual performance.

Akinde said some people abuse drugs to take excessive amount of it in order to enhance sexual performance, noting that most of the drugs sometimes were not specifically made for potency improvement.

He decried the use of tramadol, intake of excessive alcohol, over-the-counter enhancement drugsand other toxicants to boost sexual drive, adding that such approaches were typical drug abuse and could result to more harm than good.

Akinde listed some health implications of over-the-counter male enhancement drugs to include damage to the urethra, permanent difficulty maintaining an erection, permanent problems with urination, penis fractures causing bleeding andrequiring surgery and dangerous drops in blood pressure.

In his comments, Dr Patrick Omogbohun, a General Physician, urged people to be more conscious of what they eat, saying diet and lifestyle could contribute to potency problem.

Omogbohun, also the Medical Director, MercyWay Medical Centre, Ejigbo, said diets high in saturated fats were linked to heart disease, adding that men with heart disease were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction.

He said changes to diet, exercise, reduction in smoking and alcohol consumption could reduce the risk of developing conditions such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases that could lead to erectile dysfunction.

Healthy lifestyle habits like getting regular exercise, eating a varied and nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding tobacco use should be maintained, Omogbohun said.

Also, a General Physician, Dr Tunji Akintade, said that use of sex enhancement drugs for men and women was normal and could increase their bonding.

Akintade advised people with heart challenges to desist from using sex enhancement drugs, saying that such drugs portend dangers, which could be deadly.

He said that such medication could cause their blood pressure to dangerously drop to low level.

The expert also warned people with severe liver impairment or end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis to avoid sex enhancement products.

He said that continuous use of such medications might lead to chronic fatigue syndrome or erectile dysfunction for men and women.

In his remarks, Dr Adeniyi Adelodun, a Medical Parasitologist, said that the most common side effects of sex enhancement drugs were headaches, upset stomach, nasal congestion, muscle pain, and facial flushing.

Adelodun said that most of these symptoms were relatively mild and go away after few hours.

ED drugs can make blood pressure to temporarily drop; so, never use them, if you also take medications that contain nitrates.

Priapism (long-lasting and sometimes painful erection) low blood pressure, if Viagra is taken with certain other medications.

Cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, irregular heartbeat or stroke occur mainly in people with heart disease, he said.

Adelodun said that there was no particular reason for men and women to take it, but based on individual decision.

Also, Dr Olamide Olowoyo, a Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, advised individuals with erectile dysfunction to seek medical help instead of taking concoctions and medications for sexual enhancement.

Olowoyo, who works at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta in Lagos, said that concoctions or medication to enhance sexual performance could result to unpredictable health hazards.

We have seen a lot of cases of people, most especially men taking range of products to enhance sexual performance.

Some take herbal concoctions and dedication without prescription, and this is very worrisome because of the adverse effect on their body.

For some people it increases their blood pressure, causes angina (chest pain), frack heart attack and for some it affects their kidney because of the toxin and others.

For the kidney, toxins in these herbal concoctions affects the kidney and shut the kidney down and some of these individuals will have to go for dialysis to flush out this toxin.

Even, after going through dialysis, due to the injury to the kidney, it can progress to acute kidney diseases.

In Nigeria, young people are coming down with advanced kidney diseases, because some of them have been taking herbal concoctionsfor a long time, she said.

According to her, causes of erectile dysfunction can be hormonal, due to co-morbidities such individuals have or psychological effect.

Olowoyo called for regulation that would help regulate the usage of medication in the country.

We dont really enforce regulation for drugs, people can just walk on, and say I want to buy a particular medication and get it over the counter without any prescription from the doctors.

This is a call for concern that should be tackled urgently, she said.

Commenting, Mr Remi Gbadebo, a Businessman, said many people used sex enhancement drugs or concoctions, not because they have erectile dysfunction, but to impress their partner(s).

One of the main reasons I know why peopletake sexual enhancement drugs is to impress their partners during sex.

It is not that most of them cant perform, but they want to leave a lasting memory in the minds of their partners, Gbadebo said.

Also, Mr SamuelAdeolu, an auto mechanic,said he used to take herbal concoctions once in a while to boost his sexual performance.

I use to take herbal drugs, but not always, and I dont see anything wrong in it, Adeolu said.

Also, Mr Michael Olaitan, a Businessman, said that he was forced to take enhancement drugs the night his wife complained of sexual satisfaction.

Olaitan, however, said he was conscious of the side effects of the drugs, hence his resolved to take it sparingly based on medical advice. (NAN)

Source: NAN News