By Thompson Yamput

Former Senator Sati Gogwim of Plateau died on Tuesday after a protracted illness, a family source has said.

Mr Williams Gogwim, a younger brother of the deceased disclosed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pankshin on Wednesday.

My brother has been sick since last year and in December he left the country for treatment abroad and only returned on Sunday, April 4.

He came back a little bit stronger, until this morning when he had health crisis, which compelled us to rush him to Rayfield Medical Centre.

Unfortunately on getting there he was confirmed dead, he said.

Williams said the family had taken his death in good faith, adding that as true Christians, they believed God called him home.

We are going to miss him, his love and warm as a brother, father, uncle and supporter, he said.

Williams said that the family was shocked over his demise and would discuss the funeral soon.

Gogwim was elected as senator representing Plateau Central in 2007 and spent four years at the National Assembly before loosing to Sen. Joshua Dariye in 2011.

Gogwim hailed from Dawaki village in Kanke Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.

He retired as a Major in the Nigerian Army before joiningpolitics and became a senator in 2007. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Germany is facing an increasing shortage of skilled workers in the coming decades, according to a study by the German Economic Institute (IW) published on Wednesday.

If the retirement age stays the same and there is no increase in targeted immigration, German businesses could lose one in eight skilled employees without counting the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the IW.

The study looked at what will happen to the German labour market once the baby boomer generation retires.

If retirement rules dont change and immigration is low the worst-case scenario 4.2 million skilled workers, or 12 per cent, will exit the workforce by 2040, the IW found.

According to the more likely middle scenario, the number of skilled workers will decline by 3.1 million, or 8.8 per cent, it found.

However, if immigration rules are adjusted and the retirement age pushed back, the number of skilled workers between ages 20 and 69 could be kept almost stable in the coming years, the study said.

Nonetheless, the German economy should prepare for structural change as more and more people chose an academic education over professional training.

This will result in a different composition of the skilled workforce in the future, the IW researchers said.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rotimi Ijikanmi

The Nigeria Press Council has condemned certain media publications on the recent attacks and killings in some states in the South-East region .

The Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr Francis Nwosu said the publications are unprofessional, sensational and capable of escalating the attacks and igniting reprisal killings.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, Nwosu admonished media houses and practitioners to abide by the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists.

He urged journalists to eschew reports that can infringe on the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary specifically deplored the front page report in the Daily Trust Newspaper publication of April 5 , stressing that the headline and the story are sensational, inciting and unprofessional.

The attention of the Nigeria Press Council has been drawn to the front page publication of the Daily Trust Newspaper on Monday April 5, 2021.

The story and its headline is not only inciting but also sensational.

This kind of report will not only lead to escalating attacks but also ignite reprisal killings in parts of the country, he said.

Nwosu said the story negates the provision of Section 11 of the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists as approved by the Nigerian Press Organisation which states: A journalist should strive to enhance national unity and public good

He said the publication is also in violation of section 12 of the code which is on social responsibility of the journalists to their community.

It is on the basis of these two provisions of the Code that the Nigeria Press Council holds as a mandate to address this fundamental problem that is emerging in our society.

As journalists, we must uphold national unity first and any report that infringes on the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria, we must avoid it even it means that we have to play down on the stories.

Whether in the print and electronic media, private or government media the ethics of the profession must be adhered to regarding the unity, and indivisibility of Nigeria

Any report that gives the impression that one ethnic group is being profiled is absolutely unacceptable and that is where we stand, he said.

Nwosu said it was unfortunate that the council had received several reports on ethnic profiling which were not in the interest of the country

He, therefore, enjoined media practitioners to respect the unity and diversity of the country while appealing to their sensibilities not to draw one ethnic group against the other. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rita Iliya
Gov. Abubakar Bello has announced the appointment of Alhaji Ahmad Gunna, the Acting Chairman of the Niger State Revenue Board, as the new Emir of Kagara.

The appointment is announced in a statement by Bellos Chief Press Secretary, Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, in Minna on Wednesday.

Bello congratulated Gunna, who is also the Dan Majen Kagara.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the appointment of the new Emir followed the death of the former Emir, Alhaji Salihu Kagara, on March 1, after a protracted illness in Minna, the state capital after 39 years on the throne.

Bello described the appointment as well-deserved, adding that his nomination by the kingmakers stands him out as the one with the royal pedigree to stir the emirate to greatness.

He expressed the believe that, as a reputable professional and public servant, the new emir has the capacity to build on the legacies of his predecessors by upholding the sanctity of the traditional institution.

Bello told the new emir that he was ascending the throne at a critical period of insecurity in his domain and urged him to use his wealth of experience by collaborating with relevant stakeholders to bring enduring peace to the area.

He called on the people of Kagara emirate to support the new emir to bring harmony and peaceful coexistence towards the socioeconomic development of the area in particular and the state in general.

Gunna scored the highest number of votes in the recently concluded election by the electoral college of the Kagara emirate and subsequently declared winner.

Source: NAN News

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will present its conclusions on a potential link between blood clots and AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine later on Wednesday.

The agency started investigating a potential link after reports of blood clots emerged in several countries, with some researchers having found young women to be at particular risk of thrombosis, a potentially dangerous condition in which blood clots can obstruct blood flow after receiving the jab.

Several countries across the bloc suspended the use of AstraZeneca in mid-March, but took it up again after the EMA indicated the vaccine was still safe for use after an initial review of the relevant data.

However, Germany then once shelved AstraZeneca in late March, restricting the use to people older than 60 years amid persistent safety concerns.

Frances highest health authority also recommends the vaccination with AstraZeneca only for people over 55 years.

Marco Cavaleri, the head of the EMAs vaccination department, told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero in an interview published on Tuesday that, according to his own assessment, there was a connection between incidents of blood clots in the brain and the AstraZeneca vaccinations that had not yet been determined more precisely.

The EU health ministers will convene in a videoconference to discuss the EMAs findings in the evening. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ruth Oketunde

Mr Abdullahi Candido, Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Wednesday inaugurated the rehabilitated 750-meter Asphalt access roads in Pyakasa, a community in Kabusa ward of the area council.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other projects inaugurated include a primary health care centre in Gbessa and Kaba communities both in Gui and Gwagwa ward respectively.

Other projects inaugurated are a 480-meter road with drainages at Toge community and renovated Jiwa Chief palace, among other projects.

Candido, while inaugurating the projects explained that the projects were part of his promises of fulfilling his democratic mandates to residents of the area council.

He said that the rehabilitated roads would ease interconnectivity with other villages and boost business activities in the area council.

The chairman, however, charged the residents of the communities to protect the infrastructures and ensure that the essence of bringing such infrastructures to their communities was not defeated.

Mr Gaza Andrew, the Director of Works, AMAC, said that the inaugurated roads had several culverts at every junction to make the roads durable and stand the test of time.

The Chief of Pyakasa community, Mr Bako Josiah, appreciated the chairman of the area council for the developmental projects.

He however assured of his communitys readiness to maintain the projects for the benefits of its residents. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The Federal Government has explained why it asked all states administering the COVID-19 vaccine to stop the exercise the moment they used half of the doses allocated to them.

Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, gave the explanation at Tuesdays media briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, in Abuja,.

Mamora explained that the directive became necessary since the country was not sure when next the second batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine would arrive the country.

He said that it was also to enable those who had received their first jab to be able to complete their vaccination.

According to him, it is true, the directive to states to vaccinate half of the doses deployed.

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

And so, we can say that we have a pool of citizens that have been fully vaccinated, since this vaccination comes in two doses.

So thats what gave rise to that directive, rather than just going ahead with just single dose when the full dose should be two doses of the same.

So we felt that it was proper for us in the circumstance to ensure that those who have been vaccinated have been fully vaccinated, he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, assured that the agency was investigating the reported blood clotting in some individuals that had taken the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine.

Ihekweazu said: Theres been ongoing investigations that we have all been following on the suspected link that the AstraZeneca vaccines to certain rear experience of blood clotting in individuals in Europe.

Those investigations are still ongoing. Not all European countries are adopting the vaccines for their populations.

In Nigeria, with every vaccine, we have a parallel system to measure and to monitor any side effects.

That is ongoing and is being managed by the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

We will continue to monitor patients in Nigeria. You know, every demographic is different, the demographic in taking vaccines in every country is different, the interaction between different drugs people are taking.

So there are many circumstances that need to be fully evaluated, we will look at the data ourselves here in Nigeria and I will take action as needed.

So I think for now, we can be sure that we have an effective vaccination programme going on. And were very responsive to the concerns of Nigerians, I will respond to them as appropriate.

Also, the NPHCDA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, clarified that the AstraZeneca vaccines and Johnson and Johnson vaccine could not be taken by the same individual.

Shuaib was responding to a question on if Johnson and Johnson vaccine can be taken in a case where the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine was not available.

He said: I mean, that is not right. You cannot take the AstraZeneca on your left and Johnson and Johnson on the right. So it has to be both doses of AstraZeneca and a single shot of the Johnson and Johnson.

On the reported side effects of the AstraZeneca, he said: I think we have said on multiple occasions here, that there are side effects of these vaccines, side effects of vaccines are not unique to the COVID-19 vaccine.

So one thing that we continue to tell vaccinators is that even before people take the vaccines, they should be educated on the potential side effects.

Meanwhile, Mr Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of PTF on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said civil servants on Grade Level 12 and below would continue to work from home.

He said it was because there were certain red flags that needed to be interrogated further.

The SGF said the PTF would inform the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, as to when it would be appropriate for them to return.

(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwaseun Nubi

Olabanji Oladapo, Secretary-General of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), says women have not been given their deserved dues in spite of their contributions to the countrys sports development.

Oladapo spoke on Tuesday in Lagos at an event to mark the United International Sports Days Sports Development for Peace, organised by the NOC.

He said both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United Nations (UN) had decided to use Tuesday to celebrate all sports women and men across the world .

IOC and UN have long been committed in using sports as a tool to promote peace and eradicate cultural barriers.

If you look at women contributing to sports, I will say women have not really been given their dues.

This event was possible today because the women had dillgently worked to make it possible.

This development today symbolises a way of promoting and encouraging peace in the sports world in our society, the NOC Secretary-General said.

He then contended that women at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival in Edo would earn more medals than the men.

Women participation in sports activities over the years really speaks volume.

I am convinced that at Edo 2020, I believe we will have women winning more medals than the men.

In the past five years, women participation in sports has grown tremendously, Oladapo said.

He said the NOC would soon make some of the women part of its committee in due time.

Speaking also, Tayo Popoola, the Convener of Women Support for International Day for Sports for Development for Peace, said women needed to be empowered and encouraged more in sports activities.

However, women are doing more in sports events than the men.

She added that women all across the country should be given more opportunities like the men.

As a woman, I feel we are trying and Nigeria as a country is also trying. But I feel we can do better .

If it comes to sports, the people that are making the country proud are actually women.

If you count the number of gold medals Nigeria have won, majority of the medals are from women.

The country can do better by encouraging women. It can also empower women by engaging them in more sports activities.

This will help reduce the number of crime in the society. I believe if we do this there will be peace, Popoola said.

Chioma Ajunwa, an Olympic gold medalist, added that government needs to do more to promote sports in the country.

Sports in Nigeria, however, lacks the peace it needs to grow.

Ajunwa added that politics needed to be taken away from the sports federations to pave way for peace in different federations.

The essence of this is to advocate for peace in all federations.

Sports brings so much value to the athletes by giving them hope of getting to limelight.

We have allowed politics to take away the peace of the sports world, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Igbaugba Ehigimetor

Few hours to the opening ceremony of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Benin, Edo-based journalists were yet to be accredited, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN reports that the journalists had since a fortnight ago filled the accreditation forms as part of the processes for accreditation.

However, while journalists from outside the state who went through the same process were duly accredited on Monday evening, those practising in the state were not accredited.

NAN reports that several Benin-based journalists waited endlessly into the night on Monday with the hope of getting their accreditation tags, but were unable to.

Already, the festivals organisers have insisted that nobody, including journalists, would be allowed into the Stadium and other games venues without accreditation.

Musa Ebomhiana, a Project Manager in the Media and Communication Sub-Committee for the festivals Local Organising Committee (LOC), has however assured that journalists in Edo would be accredited.

No journalist will be denied accreditation or entrance into the venue, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News