By Yahaya Isah

The Nigerian Navy (NN), says its newest offshore survey vessel, NNS LANA, has began her homeward journey to the country.

This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Director of Information, Naval Headquarters, Commodore Suleman Dahun.

He, however, said the ship will visit ports in Lisbon, Las Palmas, Banjul and Tema-Ghana, before heading to Nigeria on May 17.

According to Dahun, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo, had addressed the ships company.

The CNS noted that the foremost desire of every littoral state is to have a fleet with the right mix of platforms to meet its operational objectives.

Gambo acknowledged that the homebound voyage of NNS LANA was another milestone in the NNs fleet recapitalisation efforts.

He added that the induction of NNS LANA would enhance the Navys capacity to provide survey services and charting, which were crucial to safe navigation and maritime security.

Gambo also said that the ship would add to the Navys power of providing security to the nations maritime environment and the Gulf of Guinea.

The CNS appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his untiring effort and ensuring that the NN have the requisite capability to meet its constitutional mandate.

Gambo commended the entire NNS LANA ship company for their good conduct since their arrival in France, and for cooperating with Messrs OCEA, the French company that constructed the ship.

The CNS urged them to maintain the good conduct as they begin their homebound voyage.

Gambo charged them to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and extant port administrative procedures and guidelines, as well as avoid any act capable of tarnishing the image of the service and the country.

He explained that the NNS LANA was designed with some shipborne training activities intended to broaden the companys knowledge and sharpen their skills in handling the ship and its systems.

He, therefore, enjoined the ship company to take the training seriously and absorb as much as possible, as they have become potential reference point to subsequent ships company.

The CNS urged the personnel to bring to bear, the NN core values of professionalism, integrity and teamwork, so that Nigeria will maximise the value of the new ship in the protection of its maritime environment.

In her remarks, the Nigerian Ambassador to France, Dr Modupe Irele, commended Messrs OCEA for their impressive craftsmanship in the construction of the hydrographic survey vessel, and sustaining the cordial relations between the two countries.

Irele noted that the growing collaboration between Nigerian Navy and Messrs OCEA, indicated the increased engagements between the two countries in economic, defence and security cooperation.

She commended the NN and Messrs OCEA for overcoming the difficulties, disruptions and delays caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic to complete the construction of NNS LANA.

Irele acknowledged that the desire shown by the two countries to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation and increase foreign investments, was mutually shared by President Muhammadu and President Emmanuel Macron.

According to her, the shared objective has resulted in an increasing level of exchange of visits by both leaders as well as frequent bilateral visits by high level government officials of both countries.

Irele also praised the efforts of the NN under the leadership of Gambo towards ensuring the maintenance of maritime security.

I hoped that the deployment of NNS LANA will increase the capacity of the service in promoting foreign trade and commercial activities among other things.

I equally wished NNS LANA and its crew a safe and healthy passage back home in international waters. she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Role of state govt. in preventing, countering violence extremism

A News Analysis by Kayode Adebiyi of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In 2017, the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), launched the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE).

President Muhammadu Buhari on Aug. 24, 2017 gave a directive on the implementation of the framework and national action plan for the P/CVE stating roles and regulations as well as urging state and local governments to get involved.

We are resolved to create safe spaces for our people to engage and contribute to the prevention of violent extremism. Whereas security measures remain necessary in addressing the threat of violent extremism, a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach is urgently required if we must address the drivers of violent extremism in our society.

This Policy Framework addresses all aspects dealing with our short, medium and long term goals. The Policy Framework will mainstream peace building into our efforts in dealing with the economic and social consequences of violent extremism in rebuilding and stabilizing the North East and other parts of Nigeria recently affected by violent conflicts.

In developing this Policy Framework, we ensured the participation of multiple Agencies of Government and the Civil Society, including women, youths, unions, faith based organisations, the media and academia, and benefited from the inputs of the international community.

This effort has resulted in this Policy Framework which shall be implemented by all relevant Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of their annual activities. States and Local Governments are equally encouraged to mirror and develop Action Plans that are relevant and specific to their communities in addressing the threat of violent extremism, the president said.

National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno, whose office coordinates governments Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) efforts, said the policy framework was a complementary, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach for addressing threats posed by violent extremist groups.

Through existing and new platforms, the framework seeks to build capacity, improve coordination, strengthen the justice system and by integrating strategic communication, provide alternative narratives to violent extremism, he said.

The presentation of the policy framework was an acknowledgment by the government that there had to be a broad structure capable of underlying the various interventions launched to tackle the menace of violent extremism in the country.

The policy framework has four core objectives, which are: to institutionalise, mainstream and coordinate P/CVE programmes at national, state and local government levels; and to strengthen accessible justice system and respect for human rights and rule of law.

Others are: to enhance capacity of individuals and communities to prevent and counter violent extremism and recover from violent occurrences; and to institutionalise, mainstream and integrate strategic communication in P/CVE programmes at all levels.

Nigerias Counter Terrorism Centre (CTC), established in 2012 and domiciled in ONSA, is responsible for driving governments efforts in the area of P/CVE.

Since becoming the NSA, Monguno has strengthened the CTC to spearhead the implementation of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.

Through collaboration with bilateral and multilateral organisations, as well as partner-countries, the Office has embarked on significant efforts leading to appreciable achievements of the goals of Nigerias P/CVE programme.

For instance, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Office has developed the Demobilisation, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) Action Plan for the country.

An Operational Project Team (OPT) was also constituted to monitor the implementation of the DDRR.

The Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA), together with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), recently launched the STRIVE Juvenile project in Nigeria aimed to prevent and respond to violence against children by terrorist and violent extremist groups.

Through this new STRIVE action would be taken to develop coherent strategies that better serve and protect children by enhancing safe and resilient communities, in which human rights and the rule of law guide the approach to combating violent extremism.

At the launch, Monguno, represented by Rear Admiral YEM Musa, Head of CTC, stated that the launch of the STRIVE Juvenile project provides an opportunity to demonstrate the firm commitment of the Nigerian Government to counter terrorism and highlights our efforts when it comes to preventing and countering violent extremism affecting children.

Also, in partnership with UNDP, it is embarking on a series of sensitisation workshops on P/CVE targeting the National Youth Service Corps, which could lead to effectively grassroots network of P/CVE community outreach.

However, in spite of President Buhari persuading states and local governments to replicate the action plan to suit specific needs, involvement in P/CVE programmes by states has been minimal.

In actualising the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for P/CVE, it is important for government at all levels to domesticate and mainstream P/CVE efforts of the Federal Government.

Some states have shown noteworthy interest; for instance, Nigeria is a Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund beneficiary country and Kaduna and Kano states are members of the Strong Cities Network.

However, much more still needs to be done by states and local governments, whose communities are directly at risk of violent extremism and radicalisation.

ONSA has been making efforts to get states more actively involved in its P/CVE programmes in line with the first core objective of the policy document.

In 2017, as part of implementation of the policy framework, the Office partnered UNDP to organise PCVE Sensitisation and Community Advocacy Workshops in five Northern states (Kogi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory).

The workshop was to create awareness among communities and stakeholders on how to integrate efforts in preventing and responding to violent extremism.

ONSA has been sending a team of facilitators to visit states to conduct stakeholders workshops with the aim of delivering the benefits of the strategy to them.

It has also been providing capacity to MDAs at state level to domesticate implementation of the Federal Governments P/CVE programmes in the fight against terrorism.

It is not hard to see why collaboration is crucial to any modern-day effort to fight violent extremism and terrorism.

At government level, whenever there is a terror attack, federal, state and local governments bear both the burden and the loss.

In the past, the argument had always been that intervention efforts at the national level were lacking in adequate coordination and harmonisation.

However, the current ONSA has since made coordination, inter-agency collaboration and strategic communication crucial creeds which drive governments P/CVE programmes, because it understands that the multiplicity of uncoordinated efforts can be counter-productive.

Under the current policy framework, states are encouraged to appoint State P/CVE Coordinators to deliver P/CVE State Action Plans.

It is expected that the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism will be reviewed every three years.

Therefore, key aspects of its next review should include a very specific definition and clarification of the appropriate roles and responsibilities of states and local governments as it clearly has for MDAs.

Also, ONSA should continue to provide expertise, research and support to states to enable them increase their level of participation in the Federal Governments P/CVE programemes. (NANFeatures)
****If used please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Prices of cement has increased by 67 per cent in the South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A market survey conducted by NAN at various wholesale and retail shops in the zone shows that the price of the product has increased almost by double when compared to the price in 2020.

A cement dealer at Kenyetta Market in Enugu State capital, Mr Ifeanyi Amadi said the increase in the products price started last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increase in dollar exchange.

He noted that a trailer load of Dangote cement with 600 bags initially sold at N1.5 million in 2020 but is now N2.3 million in the first quarter of 2021.

The prices change on daily basis, so as we are talking now, I cannot guarantee the prices it will be sold tomorrow, he said.

Another retailer at Uwani, Samuel Uwakwe, said he was surprised at the rate prices of the product in the country.

According to him, a bag of Dangote Cement is sold at N3,900, Unicem for N3,700; Bua Cement for N3,700 and Kogi Super Cement is sold at N3,600.

Uwakwe lamented that few individuals were given opportunity to supply the product and pleaded with suppliers to reduce the prices and make it available for the citizens.

He maintained that the prices would likely crash during raining season.

A Block Industry Owner, Mr Albert Okechukwu noted that increase in the price of the product affected his business as he still sold six-inch and nine-inch block at N170 and N180 respectively.

This is the same price we sold last year and it is same till date because we cannot change price in order to retain our customers but most block industries have reduced quality of their blocks, he said.

A site Engineer, Mr Emma Ugwuoke said he wanted to start a building in the village when the price was N2,800 last year but was waiting to see if it would come down.

When I went back next time, I was told it was N3, 000 and to my greatest surprise, they sell N3,900 and N4,000 now in my village.

There is nothing one can do than to buy it like that. I want government to do something urgently about it because it is frustrating buying cement at that price, Ugwuoke said.

In Abia, a cross-section of residents of Umuahia, the state capital, also decried the high price of cement, which ranges from N4,000 to N4,100 per 50kg bag.

Those who spoke to NAN said the price hike had further dashed the hope of many Nigerians, wishing to own their personal homes.

A businessman, Mr Victor Ugwu, said he had to suspend his building project because of the unfortunate development.

Ugwu said: I have stopped my project for now. I cannot afford to continue with the current price of the commodity.

The economy is very bad so I hope to wait until there is a drop in the price.

I think the hike can be attributed to the monopoly being enjoyed by the cement producers in the country. Unfortunately, there may not be any respite until that monopoly is broken.

However, a cement dealer, Mr James Ogbonna, said the problem had nothing to do with the manufacturers of the commodity.

Rather, Ogbonna blamed the price hike on the activities of shylock distributors of cement.

He said that the hike had affected his business adversely, adding that cement patronage had been at the lowest ebb, since the price hike.

He said: In the first and second week of March, we sold a bag for N3,200, but within the third week we started selling at N3,500.

By the end of March, the price moved up to N4,000 and now, we sell between N4,000 and N4100, depending on the brand.

Another dealer, Mr Godwin Okafor, said that his sales had dropped drastically as a result of the hike.

We have a lot of challenges in this cement business now. When we make deposit and order for the goods, it takes about one month before we get delivery, he said.

It is a similar situation in Awka in Anambra as stakeholders decry the situation.

Mr Kenechukwu Okoye, a cement dealer along Zik Avenue, Awka said before the #EndSARS protest in 2020, a 50kg bag of cement was sold at N2,500.

Shortly after the #EndSARS, the price rose to N3,000 and from there to the present price of N4,000 and N4,100, we are selling today, he said.

Okoye said though the distributors initially blamed the problem on difficulties encountered by the hauling firm transporting the product, the situation had come to stay.

In Owerri, Imo capital, price of cement is between N3,850 and N4300, depending on the brand.

At the Building Materials Market in Naze, Owerri North Local Government Area, Dangote and BUA cement are sold at N4,000 per bag while BUA and UNICEM are sold for N3,900.

Mr Okechukwu Okonya, a seller, said the cost could be attributed to high cost of transportation as a result of fuel price.

Okonya also said major dealers sometimes hoard the product in their warehouses to create artificial scarcity.

Another trader, Mr Marcel Iwu, agreed that although there had been hoarding by major dealers, manufacturers had also complained of increased cost of raw materials.

Iwu added that the prices could go higher or reduce at any given time, noting that even if prices fall, traders would want to sell off their old stock at higher rates.

NAN reports that in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, prices of almost all building materials have gone up.

The prices of cement, rods of various sizes, corrugated roofing sheets and other building materials and accessories according to NAN findings have been on the increase since January.

The price of Dangote and Bua which sold at N2,500 earlier in November and December 2020 now sold between N4000 and N4500.

Similarly, Unicem cement which also sold at N2,300 within the same period had also gone up to N4,000 and N4,300.

Mr John Okoh, a cement dealer at Kpiri-Kpiri market in an interview with NAN attributed the development to lack of price control mechanism and high rate of exchange rate of the Naira against the dollar.

The development is indeed affecting sales and business because many builders have put a stop to their building and other construction projects because they cannot cope with the present high cost of the product.

Another resident, Mr Clement Igbo, who owns a block moulding industry, said that the high cost of cement was hampering production, saying that he no longer produced maximally due to lack of buyers.

A bag of Dangote cement which is one of the best products for our business is selling for N4500 and it is difficult to buy at this prevailing price and make enough production.

We sell six inch and nine-inch block before this price increase at N150 and N200 but now 6 inch-block is sold at N220 while the 9-inch sells for between N250 and N300 respectively.

Many block industries in the town have closed down production while some have compromised standard which pose great dangers to the building industry, Igbo said.

He expressed fears that the high cost of cement which had led to improper mixture of concretes for building purpose might affect quality and standard of buildings.

Mr Jerry Onwe, an economic activist urged the Federal and state governments to revive moribund cement factories across the states to meet the increasing demands of cement consumption in Nigeria.

He noted that the quest for mass housing for poor Nigerians would remain elusive if urgent steps were not taken to address the high cost of building materials in Nigeria.

In a nation where an average worker earns N30,000 monthly as take-home wage, how can such a person afford a house of his own in view of the prevailing price of building materials?

We have reached a cross road as far as the issue of building materials is concerned and this is a time for government to intervene and bring the situation under control.

The Nkalagu Cement Factory in Ebonyi is capable of supply the cement needs of the entire South-East if properly revived, Onwe said.

Source: NAN News

By Mercy Obojeghren

Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba has lauded his Delta counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, for his outstanding accomplishments in infrastructure development in spite of the high cost.

Ishaku stated this on Friday in Asaba while inaugurating road projects in the capital city and Okpanam, near Asaba.

The projects included Jesus Saves Road, Agric Road and the dualised Okpanam Road.

He said state governments in Niger Delta deserved accolades for infrastructure development as projects, especially roads cost more in the region than in the North due to unfavourable terrain.

He said that as a one Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he was familiar with issues, including the terrain and cost of developing infrastructure in the region, and said that he was impressed with the quality of work being done by

Okowa in the state.

I am happy to be here in Delta for this momentous and historical occasion.

Okowas performance is a testament of the quality of leaders the PDP is putting up for governance in the states where they are leading.

I must commend him for his competence, integrity, commitment and indeed his wonderful contributions to the growth and development of Delta and Nigeria.

I am aware of his outstanding accomplishments in education, road construction, water supply as well as the empowerment of women and youths in the state, he said.

Ishaku added: I have been opportuned to be Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and I know how difficult and how expensive it is to build roads in the Niger Delta because it costs up to four to five times of what we spend in the North.

Not many people know what goes on underground in the roads and our people need to be told what Niger Delta states pass through in constructing roads.

In most cases people dont understand that the underground drainages cost even more than asphalting of the road itself.

It is imperative that we continue to sustain our support to governors like Okowa, who has been doing extremely well for his people and for the PDP.

Ishakua added that PDP governors were working hard by providing the people with live-changing projects, and said as we approach 2023, I urge Nigerians to support the party in our quest to take back power at the centre.

Happily today the residents of these roads have joined the community of beneficiaries of the Okowa-led administration.

Without mincing words we are proud of you, Governor Okowa, because you have done us proud in PDP and you have made your people happy as well.

The governor thanked resients of the state for the support and cooperation to Okowa and PDP, and urged them to remain committed in sustaining their support.

On his part, Okowa welcomed Ishaku to state, saying we are happy as a people and happy as a state and on behalf of the government and people of Delta we welcome you to our state.

As has been said, this area we are inaugurating this road today used to be a very difficult terrain and I must publicly appreciate the contractor, CCECC, for a great job done especially for achieving the ground sewer to the Amilimocha River.

Today the sewer is under the ground and with the reconstruction of the roads and the drains, everything looks so good and we are happy that you are here to inaugurate these important roads.

On the Okpanam road project, he said that the road was very key because it connected the twin towns of Asaba and Okpanam.

According to him, the road connects two Local Government Areas (LGAs) and we have completed it by ensuring that the storm water which used to be very problematic is now a thing of the past.

We have completed six out of the eight storm drainages and still have two more to ensure the completion of the entire storm drainages in Okpanam and Asaba and thereafter we can sleep with our two eyes closed, Okowa added.

Okowa thanked the people of Asaba and Okpanam for their cooperation and support in enabling the growth of the states capital territory.

Earlier in their welcome remarks, Chairman Oshimili South LGA, Mr Kelvin Ezenyili and his Oshimili North counterpart, Mr Innocent Esewezie, said that the area was host to the state capital but had never had it as good in infrastructure development as the present administration in the state had done.

Specifically, Esewezie said that the importance of roads to the growth and development of any society could not be over-emphasised.

Source: NAN News

By Priscilla Osaje

Alhaji Saleh Rabo, President of Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria(FTAN) is dead.

FTAN Public Relations Officer (North), Mr Joseph Karim, in a statement in Abuja, said that Rabos immediate family confirmed his passing on Friday.

He said that Rabo died on Friday in his residence, Abuja after a protracted illness and had been buried according to Islamic rites.

According to him, FTAN condoled with the family of the late President and the entire tourism trade community in Nigeria.

Rabo will be remembered for his loving personality, tolerance of detractors, genteelness in leadership, camaraderie and go-getting spirit.

He was a consummate travel and tourism professional and investor.

Rabo died being the Managing-Director of All States Travels with office in Transcorp Hilton Abuja, he said.

He said that Rabo first became the President of FTAN in June 2017, after winning a landslide victory at the general elections of the federation, and was subsequently re-elected in 2019 for his second and final term.

His tenure was due to elapse in July 2021 before his death.

The late FTAN president was previously the Vice-President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) Abuja zone.

During his time as FTAN President, Saleh accomplished a number of tourism industry developmental milestones, he said.

Karim gave some of them as a befitting secretariat for FTAN in Abuja within weeks of his election, entrenchment of professional development programmes for practitioners in the tourism and hospitality sector and advocacy for Nigerian government prioritisation of tourism industrys development.

He said that the late Rabo also re-established FTAN operational presence in each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday commenced training of its heads of Electoral Operations across the 36 states and the FCT on modalities for the expansion of Polling Units (PUs).

INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu said the two -day workshop in Abuja was to build the capacity of officers on the proposed conversion of voting points to PUs across the country.

Ibeanu, who is the Chairman, INEC Committee on Electoral Operations and Logistics, said the workshop was critical in the implementation of the process aimed at deepening voters participation in future electoral processes.

He said the training was an important activity towards realisation of the objectives of a journey which started few months ago.

He disclosed that there were 10,092 requests before the commission for polling units creation across the country.

The availability of polling units to voters has been dwindling and efforts to expand it has been unsuccessful because the commission has not been tactical in its approach.

Hence, the renewed effort to start consultations and engagements with stakeholders across the country to seek a buy in to solve the problem that has affected the electoral system in the past 25 years, he said.

Ibeanu said that in the process, a guideline was produced but there was need for implementation of the guidelines to achieve the aims.

To get the guidelines strictly followed, there must be adequate training of field operation officers who are heads of electoral operation in all the states who will be the anchor of the implementation.

The workshop is to ensure they are equipped with the methodology needed in carrying out the exercise, he said.

Ibeanu added that the heads of operations were expected to replicate the training in their respective states to officers at the local government areas.

He said the training needed to be concluded before the commencement of the Continuous Voters Registration exercise on June 28.

Ibeanu said that INEC was working to address challenges hindering eligible voters from participating in the electoral process before the general elections.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Voter Education and information Committee, Chief Festus Okoye, maintained that relocation of PUs would provide ample opportunities for new registrants to easily have access to polling units.

Okoye assured Nigerians that INEC would continue to engage the National Assembly to expedite action on amending the Electoral Act.

This, according to Okoye, is to accommodate new initiatives that will enhance more participation of eligible voters in the country.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ishaq Zaki
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has denied media reports connecting medical doctors with banditry in Zamfara State.

This is contained in a statement signed in Gusau on Friday by the associations state Chairman and Secretary, Dr Mannir Bature and Dr Remigius Nwachukwu.

The attention of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Zamfara State Chapter, has been drawn to a publication from various media organisations with a caption, Police in Zamfara arrest medical doctor, 7 others in connection with banditry.

However, we will like to make it clear to the general public that the above caption, which emanated from a joint press statement between the state Ministries of Information and that of Security and Home Affairs is incorrect.

Our investigation revealed that the said person is not a medical doctor, but a Medical Laboratory Technician, who is parading himself as a medical doctor to defraud unsuspecting individuals.

The person is neither a resident nor does he work in Zamfara state.

This clarification becomes necessary owing to the fact that only holder of MBBS, MBChB and BDS are entitled to be called medical doctor, they said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has called on the Federal Government to set up a presidential commission on cryptocurrency in view of surging intrusion of the bitcoin into global and local financial systems.

ACCI President, Dr Almujtaba Abubakar who made this known on Friday in Abuja in a statement listed some terms of reference to follow to include reviewing cryptocurrency policy frameworks worldwide.

He noted that the commission should assess successful, failing and failed frameworks globally, integrate and domesticate successful models for draft policy framework for Nigeria.

The commission shouldpropose plan of action for phased usage of the technological currency within the Nigerian financial system.

We suggest that members of the commission should be drawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Stock Exchange, banking /financial Institutions, bitcoin community, digital currency experts and relevant MDAs and organised private sector.

It is our considered view that such a commission will have all facts on the table and will be able to chart a sustainable path forward for Nigeria, he said

The ACCI president noted that it was aware of the recent controversy on the subject, which led to CBNs directives to banks and financial institutions.

He further said that it was also not oblivious of the policy gap that currently exists on the subject.

As noted by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, cryptocurrency is a global phenomenon which nations must address rather than run away from it.

The policy lacuna impresses on the administration to consider possible options to prepare the nation to cope with the positive and negative fallouts of this new financial technology, he added.

He said that global trends on the subject also made its imperative for Nigeria, the biggest economy in Africa to act swiftly on the policy plane.

According to him, just this week, the biggest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange announced its listing on the Nasdaq, marking a milestone in the economic journey of virtual currencies.

He noted that its Policy Advocacy Centre has conducted extensive review of the subject under a new policy brief and arrived at a number of policy proposals for the presidency and all stakeholders. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ebere Agozie

The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the disqualification of Sir Frank Ibezim as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Dec. 5, 2020 Imo North Senatorial election.

Justice Emmanuel Agim delivering a unanimous judgment held that the suit which led to Ibezims disqualification for allegedly supplying false information to secure nomination was statute barred at the time it was instituted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit was filed by Asomugha Elebeke, one of the aspirants, who had expressed interest to contest the partys primary for the bye-election.

The apex court therefore, voided, nullified and set aside the concurrent judgments of the Abuja Federal High Court and Court of Appeal that nullified the candidacy of Ibezim on the grounds of perjury.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had on March 18, ordered INEC to issue Ararume with the certificate of return.

The suit before the Supreme Court sought to upturn the judgment of Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, and that of the Court of Appeal which both nullified Ibezims candidacy on the grounds that he made false declarations in the documents he submitted to INEC.

The two lower courts specifically held that Ibezim bears two different and irreconcilable names and presented three falsified West African Examination Council results for the same election.

One of the certificates bears ChukwuemekaFrank Ibezim and another Francis Ibezim Chukwuemeka among other differences, it was held. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said 30,452 Nigerian residents have received shots of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday bringing the number of jabs so far to 1.08 million.

The NPHCDA disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday.

The agency said that 30,452 people have taken the first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

As of today, April 16, some 1,081,548 representing 53.8 per cent of the eligible persons targeted with the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered their first dose in this vaccination phase.

The 1,081,548, were eligible Nigerians who have been vaccinated in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it said.

The agency said that the figure was more than half of the percentage of target reached with first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

The immunisation agency disclosed that out ofthe 1,081,548 people given the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the country , 8,439 people have suffered mild Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI).

It added that 52 people had moderate to severe adverse effects on receiving the shots.

It explained that the mild reactions include body pains and swelling, the moderate to severe adverse effects presented were fever, vomiting, diarrhoea headaches, dizziness and allergic reactions.

The immunisation agency disclosed that there was no death from the administration of the vaccine and no case of blood clots related to the administration of the vaccines have been diagnosed in the country.

Itsaid thatfive states have the highest records of the AEFI namely: Kaduna (970); Cross River (859); Yobe (541); Kebbi (511); and Lagos (448).

The NPHCDA said that the cases were being investigated to ensure they were caused by vaccination.

According to it, states with coverage above 100 per cent have vaccinated more than the 50 per cent of eligible population required for the first dose.

The NPHCDA said that Lagos state topped the total clients vaccinated in the countryby administering 200,602 and Kano with 57, 900.

It said that they were followed by kaduna, 56,238; while Ogunwith 52,906 and the FCT with 46,049 had all received their first dose of Oxford AstraZeneca.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that for the country to achieve high immunity against COVID-19, it has set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021.

The country also hopes to attain 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

The country began vaccination since March 5, 2021 with healthcare workers who are mostly at risk to the infections being the first responders.

It noted that the vaccine roll-out would be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team, laboratory network, policemen, petrol station workers and strategic leaders.

Phase 2 Older adults aged 50 years and above. Those with co-morbidities aged 18 49 years of age

Phase 3 Those in states/LGAs with high disease burden and who missed phases 1 and 2.

Phase 4 Other eligible population as vaccines become available, its said.

The immunization agency said that as of April 15, 2021, just 1,051.096 shots had been administered in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It noted that the proportion of eligible people vaccinated in the country was 52. 2 per cent as of April ,15.

NAN recalls that the country took delivery of 3.94 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX, an UN-backed effort that promises access to free vaccines for up to 20 per cent of participating countries population.

The delivery is part of an overall 16 million doses planned to be delivered to Nigeria in batches over the next months.

Besides, on March 21, 2021 the country received another 300,000 doses of same vaccines from telecom giant, MTN.

On April 6, the government of India also delivered 100,000 doses of Covishield COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria.

The COVISHIELD, a brand of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine also manufactured is used in over 71 countries including the UK, Canada, India and Brazil.

With only about 4.4million doses of COVID-19 vaccines available in the country, Nigeria is still far from reaching its set target, according to health experts.

Due to limited doses of vaccine availability, the Federal government directed the states to halt vaccination once it used half of the doses allocated to them.

The Government said that the directive became necessary since the country was not sure when next batch of AstraZeneca vaccines would arrive the country.

We believe that in a situation where, we still cannot specifically determine when the next batch of AstraZeneca vaccines will arrive, then I think wisdom only dictates that it is better for us to vaccinate people fully.

It is so that we can say that we have a pool of citizens that have been fully vaccinated since this vaccination comes in two doses, it explained. (NAN)

Source: NAN News