By Chimezie Anaao

The maiden My Anambra Football Super 8 tournament has entered semi final stage with four clubs emerging for a place in the grand finale.

The clubs are Pope John Paul FC, Okpuno, Konti FC Umunnachi, Melon FC Umunze and GP World, Nnewi set to fight for a place in the grand finale on Saturday.

The four clubs emerged from the four matches in both Group A and Group B played at the Chuba Ikpeazu mini stadium Onitsha on Wednesday.

In Group A, Pope John Paul FC drew 1-1 with Ifechikwulu to finish top with five points while Konti FC had a barren draw against Ranges FC of Umunze to finish second with four points scaling through ahead of of Ifechikwulu which also had four points.

Mekon FC with 10-men emerged winners of Group B after walloping Golden Boys FC of Onitsha 2-0 to finish with seven points ahead of GP World which managed a 2-2 draw with hard fighting SmithCity FC of Awka.

GP World FC were second from Group B with four points while SmithCity FC and Golden Boys crashed out of the competition with two points and one point respectively.

Kingsley Onunkwo, Team Manager of John Paul FC said the draw was a victory for them as it was necessary to give them a place in the semi finals.

Onunkwo said he was confident of victory in their next game and expressed optimism that they would advance to grand finale.

Solomon Morah, Coach of Ifechikwulu FC said they gave their best but regretted that they could not advance beyond the group stage.

Moran said it was a great experience for his team and expressed satisfaction with quality of organisation and officiating in the tournament.

The grand finale of the competition will hold at NEROS stadium, Nanka on April 3.

My Anambra Football Super 8 tournament was organised by Anambra State Football Association and sponsored by Aspire FC, Adazi-Ani, an Anambra based amateur football club. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The number of registered organ donation volunteers in China has crossed 3.15 million, the Red Cross Society of China said on Wednesday.

More than 33,000 organ donors donated after death, saving nearly 100,000 lives, according to Liang Huiling, Party chief and executive vice president of the Red Cross Society of China.

Human organ donation is a noble cause that saves lives, promotes love among people, and highlights social civilization and progress, Liang said this at an event held in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing to commemorate organ donors and also to raise public awareness of organ donation.

China started piloting the organ donation programme in 2010.

The number of donors increased to 4.16 per million population (PMP) in 2019 from 2.01 PMP in 2015, according to the 2019 report on China organ donation development released by the China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation in December 2020.

Volunteers became the sole legitimate source of transplants in China after organ trade was outlawed in 2011 and the use of organs from executed prisoners was banned in 2015. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has extended the sale of its expression of interest and nomination forms for the Anambra governorship election by one week

The party in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, retired Col. Austin Akobundu, said the closing date for the sales of the forms had been extended from Wednesday, March 31 to Wednesday, April 7.

Akobundu added that the date for the submission of the forms had also been extended to Saturday , April 10.
All aspirants, leaders of our party, critical stakeholders as well as our teeming supporters in Anambra are to take note and guided accordingly.

About 13 aspirants including three females -Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra), Lady Chidi Onyemelukwe, daughter of former vice president Alex Ekwueme; and Mrs Genevieve Ekwochi, had obtained the forms.

Others were Dr Obiora Okonkwo, Mr Chris Azubogu, Dr Winston Ude, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, Mr Godwin Maduka, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, Sen. Ugochukwu Uba, Mr Tony Nwoye and Chief Walter Okeke.

The forms were sold at N21million made up of N1million for expression of interest and N20million for nomination form.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Folasade Akpan

The World Bank says economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rise between 2.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent in 2021.

It said this in its Africa Pulse, a publication on Africas economy titled The Future of Work in Africa: Emerging Trends in Digital Technology Adoption released in Washington D. C. on Tuesday.

According to the report, the growth is dependent on the policies adopted by countries and the international community as a second wave of COVID-19 infections was partly dragging down the 2021 growth projections.

It said that while some countries had a significant drop in COVID-19 infections due to containment measures adopted by the government, other countries were facing an upward trend in infections.

It however said that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for 2022 was estimated at 3.1 per cent.

It added that for most countries in the region, activity would remain well below the pre-COVID-19 projections at the end of 2021, increasing the risk of long-lasting damage from the pandemic on peoples living standards.

The World Bank added that real GDP in the Western and Central Africa sub region was projected to grow at 2.1 per cent in 2021 and 3.0 per cent in 2022.

According to it, growth in the Western and Central Africa sub region contracted by 1.1 per cent in 2020, less than projected in October 2020 partly due to a less severe contraction in Nigeria, the sub regions largest economy, in the second half of the year.

Nigerias muted growth prospects and slow vaccine rollout will weigh on the sub regional economic outlook.

Excluding Nigeria, growth in the sub region is projected to rebound to 3.1 per cent in 2021, following a modest contraction in 2020, and strengthen to 4.3 per cent in 2022.

Metals exporters and non-resource-rich countries are expected to drive the recovery, it said.

The report said that Sub-Saharan Africas recovery was expected to vary across countries.

It said that non-resource-intensive countries, such as Cte dIvoire and Kenya, and mining-dependent economies, such as Botswana and Guinea, were expected to see robust growth in 2021.

This would be driven by a rebound in private consumption and investment as confidence strengthens and exports increase.

It estimated that in the Eastern and Southern Africa sub region, the growth contraction for 2020 would be -3.0 per cent, mostly driven by South Africa and Angola, the sub regions largest economies.

It added that excluding Angola and South Africa, economic activity in the sub region was projected to expand by 2.6 per cent in 2021, and 4.0 per cent in 2022.

In a statement issued by the bank, Mr Albert Zeufack, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, said African countries have made tremendous investments over the last year to keep their economies afloat and protect the lives and livelihoods of their people.

Ambitious reforms that support job creation, strengthen equitable growth, protect the vulnerable and contribute to environmental sustainability will be key to bolstering those efforts going forward toward a stronger recovery across the African continent.

Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, said he was convinced of the power of digital technology to transform the future of Africa.

We applaud countries that are already making necessary investments and innovative reforms, as this will not only create new jobs, but improve the jobs people already have and allow more people to work, earn and provide for their families and communities.

The Pulse, said that as the region looks ahead to economic recovery, digital technology not only had the potential to create new jobs, but could also help boost the productivity of existing ones.

It also pointed to mounting evidence that showed that large employment increases resulted in better employment opportunities for both low-and high-skilled workers and vulnerable groups such as women and young people.

It said that to harness the full potential of the digital technologies and to take advantage of the energy and ideas of a young, dynamic population, African governments, development partners and the private sector should prioritise digital infrastructure.

It added that they should invest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills and enhance the skills of workers to advance human capital.

Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa, said for the continent to leapfrog and to make the digital economy more inclusive, it would require actionable policies in place to ensure fast, affordable and reliable connectivity.

This will be key to boost productivity and improve employment and wages for both women and men in the formal and informal sector.

As countries move forward, jobs, digital connectivity and skills will need to be at the center of policy action and private sector response. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Presidents wife, Aisha Buhari, on Wednesday, unveiled the Gender Policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to promote gender mainstreaming in the nations armed forces.

Mrs Buhari, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs and Administration, Dr Hajo Sani, commended the military for taking step towards actualising gender mainstreaming in the armed forces.

She said that the policy had the propensity of opening up opportunities not only for the female personnel but also for the children aspiring to join the military.

According to her, the policy has set the stage for every woman in the AFN to begin to play a significant role in the defence of the nation from all forms of security challenges that confront Nigeria.

It is on record that women and girls exert more efforts than the men and boys to prove their competence in many chosen areas of endeavour including the military.

Therefore, the Armed Forces of Nigeria has set itself up to benefit maximally from the abundant innate capacities and capabilities women and children possess.

It is also heartwarming that with this giant step, the Armed Forces of Nigeria is encouraged to ensure that the large part of the population contributes to the task of defending the country against its enemies, she said.

She said that one of the cardinal focus of her Future Assured Programme under Aisha Buhari Foundation was the quest for gender inclusiveness and increased participation of women in decision-making processes.

She expressed hope that because women had been imbued with wisdom that enables them to unite systems, they would play a critical role in bringing solutions to various security challenges confronting the country.

This effort, according to her, is an added impetus to the efforts of Nigeria through the Ministry of Women Affairs and other civil society organisations working on ensuring women and girl children rights in the male-dominated environment of Nigeria.

She advocated that the policy should keep in view the challenges that militate against women emancipation, adding that gender stereotype against women was a potential threat to their advancement in the military.

According to her, there are a good number of reported cases where women were prevented from participating in combat duties, excluding pregnancy or maternity.

Women are often restricted to careers within the supportive aspect of the military such as finance, human resource, personnel, logistics, medical services, welfare etc.

I enjoin the military women to continuously take note of this and vehement exception to such psychological oppression with the formulation of this policy.

The security issues bedeviling our Country Nigeria still abound probably because we are yet to redefine the Armed Forces of Nigeria to explore the potentials of women for operational effectiveness.

Women possess the traits of patience, perseverance and passion. Because of the emotional buildup of women, we possess the tendency to transmit the same spirit to any task, she said.

Speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the complexity and dynamism of the spectrum of security challenges facing the world demand that all useful approaches and means must be employed to combat the menace emanating therefrom.

Irabor said it was the realisation that gender disparity contributed in no small measure to the suffering of women and girls in any environment that birthed the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

He said that the crux of the resolution aimed at ensuring that women and their societal needs were safeguarded through increased emphasis on granting access to opportunities in all spheres of human endeavours including the military.

Irabor said that Nigerian armed forces had become gender-sensitive by ensuring that the career paths of female personnel were unhindered.

This, according to him, is evident in the fact that the AFN can boast of producing female officers up to the rank of 2-star generals, adding that women were currently engaged in all areas of specialisation including combat operations.

He said that the Nigerian Defence Academy had continued to train female cadets as combatant officers as well as the establishment of Nigerian Army Women Corps in 2018.

According to him, the Nigerian Air Force established the Women of War in 2018 to involve women in all aspects of air operations including flying, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control and engineering.

He said that the Nigerian Navy had equally deployed women as sailors and for other key aspects such as ship maintenance.

The defence chief said that the coming of the policy was a clear declaration that the AFN was totally committed to taking the issue of women empowerment to higher levels.

He said that the policy was part of ongoing efforts at addressing some of the security challenges prevalent in the country.

The involvement of women and girls in a myriad of violent crimes and activities including banditry, kidnapping and terrorism among others, demands that the innate capacities and capabilities of women and girls are channelled and harnessed for societal benefits.

On this note, let me assure you all that the AFN remains seized in confronting all agents that threaten the peace of Nigeria, he said.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, commended the military for taken step to actualise the call for gender mainstreaming in the country.

Tallen, who was represented by the Director, Gender Affairs, Mrs Friya Bulus, pledged the ministrys support for women emancipation in the armed forces.

The President, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Victoria Irabor, commended the move and the unveiling of the policy document.

She advocated the proper implementation of the policy to enable it to achieve the desired goal, adding that the policy was poised to launch the Nigerian armed forces to greater heights.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by the service chiefs, their wives and coordinator of UN Women, British High Commissioner among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Francis Onyeukwu

Police in Anambra have confirmed gun attack on a gathering being addressed by Prof. Charles Soludo, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor in his country home in Isuofia, Aguata in Anambra.

Soludo, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the November 6, 2021 election, was said to be holding meeting with youths of his town at Isuofia Civic Center in Aguata Local Government Area of the state when the gunmen stormed the place.

Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who confirmed the attack to the News Agency if Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday evening in Awka, said he was not sure of the killings.

I can confirm that there was a gathering in Isuofia community where Prof. Soludo and other personalities gathered for a meeting on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

For now, we can only speak of the gun shots, but other details especially on whether there were causalities or not will be when we get more facts, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ijeh

The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, says the establishment of the Nigeria Police Radio, 99.1FM is to promote community policing and bring the police closer to the people.

Adamu stated this at the inauguration of the radio station on Wednesday in Abuja

He said the radio station was a legacy project, conceived, nurtured and actualised by the Nigeria Police.

Adamu said the project was part of strategies designed by his administration as the 20th I-G to combat crimes and stabilise security across the country.

As part of the implementation processes, we appreciated the need to bolster partnership and good working relationship between the police and the people in our various communities.

One of these strategies is the construction and setting up of this community based radio station, the Nigeria Police 99.1FM Radio, targeted at bringing the police closer to the people, he said.

He commended the federal government for its unrelenting commitment to the security and safety of Nigerians and support for the Nigeria Police in the enhancement of its operational capacity.

According to him, the Nigeria Police 99.1FM Radio is a product of this laudable gestures and it is within the vision of our community policing initiative.

He said the focus was to ensure smooth information flow, aimed at strengthening the bond between the citizens and the police.

Adamu said the radio station had since commenced test transmission in line with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) code and operational regulations.

The police boss said the station would serve as a veritable avenue for the Nigeria Police to engage, enlighten and inform the public on policing activities and other security related matters.

According to him, the station will also air phone-in programmes to involve the citizens in the security of their localities especially on ways to spot and report crimes and other necessary steps to take in the event of a crime or security emergency.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the project was a legacy project set up at a time when fake news was a big issue globally.

He said the establishment of a radio station by the police implied that Nigerians have a station where credible, accurate and timely information about security and other issues could be aired.

It cannot be said that the police radio is airing fake news.

When people listen to all other radio stations, they will tune to police station to have a confirmation of the news they have heard else where, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Key market indicators dropped further by 0.57 per cent at the nations bourse on Wednesday, on increased profit taking in banking and industrial sectors.

The downturn was supported by investors portfolio readjustment ahead of first quarter earnings results.

Specifically, the All-Share Index declined by 221.98 points or 0.57 per cent to close at 39,045.13, compared with 39,267.11 posted on Tuesday.

Also, the market capitalisation dropped by N116 billion, closing at N20.428 trillion, from N20.544 trillion.

The market loss was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks, amongst which are MTN Nigeria Communications (MTNN), Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Glaxo Smithkline Consumer, Access Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank.

Market sentiment remained negative with 24 stocks in contrast with 18 gainers.

Daar Communications led the losers chart in percentage terms, losing 8.70 per cent to close at 21k per share.

Wema Bank followed with a decline of 8.06 per cent to close at 57k, while University Press lost 7.76 per cent to close at N1.07 per share.

UACN Property Development Company lost 7.23 per cent to close at 77k, while Japaul Gold and Ventures shed 6.82 per cent to close at 41k per share.

Conversely, Linkage Assurance drove the gainers chart in percentage terms with 10 per cent to close at 66k per share.

Meyer and Prestige Assurance followed with a gain 9.76 per cent each to close at 45k each per share each.

NEM Insurance rose by 9.52 per cent to close at N2.30, while Guinness Nigeria appreciated by 7.28 per cent to close at N33.90 per share.

However, the total volume of shares traded increased by 3.3 per cent with a total of 347.17 million shares valued at N2.80 billion exchanged in 3,990 deals.

This was in contrast with 336.13 million shares worth N3.27 billion transacted in 4,394 deals on Tuesday.

Transactions in the shares of Wema Bank topped the activity chart with 94.05 million shares valued at N53.37 billion.

Union Bank of Nigeria followed with 78.91 million shares worth N418.22 million, while Zenith Bank traded 22.14 million shares valued at N500.20 million.

FBN Holdings traded 11.98 million shares worth N87.14 million, while Guaranty Trust Bank transacted 10.72 million shares worth N352.67 million. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Amen Gajira

Communities in Kauru and Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, on Wednesday signed a joint agreement to promote sustainable peace in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement, signed in Kafanchan, was facilitated by the Centre For Humanitarian Dialogue to deepen peace building efforts in the area.

In his remarks, Mr Cafra Caino, Executive ChairmanofKajuru Local Government pledged the councils committed to sustainable peace in Southern Kaduna.

He noted that there was no alternative to peace, in view of recent crisis in the area which had turned many into widows, orphans and homeless.

For anybody who has known or witnessed what happened in Kajuru in 2019 and 2020, it is something we will live to remember for the rest of our lives.

Violence and crisis has created widows and orphans in our midst. It is important to put all our efforts so that the fight against violence is sustained.

Part of our responsibility is to be partners in anything that will bring development and progress to the local government, he added.

He commended the Centre for its peace building efforts in Kajuru.

This is a day that sets us on a progressive path to peace building. The intervention of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue is timely and we have seen the result.

We are grateful for your intervention and we will like to do more with you.

According to him, misunderstanding was part and parcel of human relationship, but how they resolved them mattered.

He cautioned the people against taking laws into their hands even in the face of provocation and urged them to channel their grievances through lawful means. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

Nigerians in South Africa have been urged to key into the process of getting vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

Mr Collins Mgbo, Head of Secretariat, Nigeria Union in South Africa (NUSA), said this in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Mgbo said there was a need for Nigerians in South Africa to take the jab and disregard all conspiracy theory against the vaccine.

The government will shortly complete the first phase of its vaccination programme involving healthcare workers in the public and private sectors.

Over 230,000 healthcare workers have been vaccinated since the arrival of the first batch of the vaccine in February.

We will like to use this opportunity to advise all our compatriots to ignore vaccine related conspiracy theories and participate in the programme for possible alleviation of the global pandemic.

We will also like to appeal to all Nigerians living in South Africa to participate in the process whenever the vaccine is rolled out to the public, Mgbo said.

He said that the cumulative number of detected COVID-19 cases released by the South Africa Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, as at the middle of March stood at about 1,530,033 with 613 new cases identified.

Mgbo quoted Mkhize as saying that the country had recorded 95 more COVID-19 related deaths from different parts of the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News