By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed commitment to implementing higher standards of environmental sanitation and orderliness.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, gave the assurance at the launching of inclusive sensitisation on environmental sanitation, held at Kwali Area Council Abuja on Monday.

Aliyu explained that the exercise was part of measures to increase public awareness on sound environmental practices in all communities across the six area councils of the FCT.

The minister also stated that the exercise would inculcate in residents, the habit of maintaining clean and hygienic environments in the satellite towns.

According to her, all hands must be on deck, and everyone has to take responsibility for his or her actions.

As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that communities take action to prevent further transmission, reduce the impacts of the outbreak and support control measures.

Proper waste management and good hygiene practices are critical to enhancing public health and are indispensable for optimal economic productivity.

It is for this reason that the FCTA , through the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) initiated the Inclusive Sensitisation On Environmental Sanitation in all communities in the FCT, to ensure that everyone gets involved in taking actions to guarantee a healthy environment, she said.

She noted that most of the diseases affecting people were as a result of poor environmental hygiene practices, the effect of which had been an increase in morbidity and mortality rates in children under five.

Aliyu assured that the FCT administration would continue to enforce existing policies and guidelines on issues related to acceptable waste management practices.

The minister affirmed that indiscriminate disposal of wastes had an impact not only on public health, but also on human dignity and personal safety.

Aliyu noted that the sanitation programme launched would greatly improve the health conditions of residents of the FCT.

She also said that sanitation would help it take a step closer to achieving one of the cardinal objectives of the administration while advancing the cause of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) attainment.

Speaking, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusola Adesola, expressed concern on the World Banks reports on the economic impact of poor sanitation across communities in Nigeria.

The report according to him estimated that Nigeria losses a whooping N455 billion annually, representing 1.3 per cent of the nations Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He was represented by the Acting Secretary Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs Omolola Olanipekun.

Adesola said the event was a clear demonstration and very pungent commitment by the FCT administration toward improving environmental sanitation and good hygiene across all communities of the six area councils.

He noted that poor sanitation had become a major public health concern with unprecedented attendant adverse impacts on all.

It is common knowledge that diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea are linked to poor sanitary conditions.

This goes to show that the state of sanitation of a particular community, largely determines the health status and wellbeing of its residents, Adesola said.

Also, Mr Olusegun Olusa, Director, Environmental Services, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD), said the FCT Master Plan made provisions for development of sanitary and engineered landfills at Gosa in Abuja Municipal Area Council and Guabe in Kuje Area Council.

Olusa, who regretted that both lands had been seriously encumbered, however, assured that the FCDA was working on the design of an engineered landfill to be situated at 350 hectares currently being salvaged from 500 hectares originally provided for in the master plan at Gosa.

According to him, when developed, it will serve as final treatment site for waste from FCC and the area council. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

Sustainable access to gas is significant in Nigerias quest to make the manufacturing sector a key driver in job creation for the teeming youths.

Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment made this known on Monday in Abuja.

Adebayo stated this at the pre-summit virtual conference of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit on Decade of Gas Mandate.

A statement by Ifedayo Sayo, Special Assistant to the minister on media, said Adebayo stressed the need to harness the potential that gas presented for Nigerias industrialisation.

The Minister who was represented by his Technical Adviser, Kamal Bakrin, said gas could become a source of competitive advantage for Nigerias manufacturing sector.

We believe that gas can become a source of competitive advantage for Nigerias manufacturing sector and a strong lever for its positioning as the preferred manufacturing hub in Africa.

This is especially important as we implement measures that can leapfrog us to the front of the line as the destination for manufacturing for the rest of Africa, he said.

The minister said the manufacturing sector could be a source of foreign exchange for the country and the channel for long-term economic security.

According to him, an affordable source of gas is one of the enablers for realising this vision.

We have been in deliberations with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources on how to improve the availability and cost of gas for the manufacturing sector.

And I trust, this is one of the issues this conference will discuss and hopefully address, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

Coven Works, a Nigerian-American Information Technology (IT) company, has secured collaboration with a French School in Paris to help Nigerians advance learning in Artificial Intelligence(AI), Business and Ethics.

Mr Olusola Amusan, Chief Executive Officer of Coven Works, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Amusan said the institution, Aivancity School for Technology, Business andSociety, Paris-Cachan, Paris, was built around three cores of the 21st century, which are AI, Business and Ethics.

He said that the school focused on developing the capacity of humans and organisations to address economic and social challenges related to the exploitation of data and AIs potential.

Globalisation is forcing companies to hire humans from all countries in highly skilled occupations like, Data Science and AI, hence the need for these sort of partnerships with a top French institution.

Most business schools have rigid admission requirements, they mostly require that students have a background in certain fields before admission can be guaranteed but, our partner is open to students from various disciplinary backgrounds like literary, economy, science and more.

The school offers an Update Guarantee that enables graduates to return to take courses and continue to have access to online courses, media library and many resources even upon graduation.

This largely contributes to accomplishing the mandate of the schools value which provides a guide to graduates throughout their professional career and strengthening their professional integration, Amusan said.

He further mentioned that the school offered the Grande cole programme (higher education programme) which included a course Building Fundamentals

By Shedrack Frank

Gov. Duoye Diri of Bayelsa has banned logging and other deforestation activities as part of efforts to protect the states forest reserves and rare plant species.

The governor announced this in Yenagoa on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark this years International Day of Forests.
Diri directed that all commercial timber dealers must obtain permit from the Ministry of Environment henceforth, before embarking on logging activities.

He called for a fresh bill to repeal obsolete environmental laws, and directed the environment ministry and civil society groups to work with his office to prepare and send such bill to the House of Assembly.

Diri said that his administration was determined to protect all species within the states reserves through legal framework.

It is interesting that somebody that came from Cameroon has told us about a specie in the world found only in our state and yet we cannot protect it. This bill should look at ways and means of preserving such rare species in our forests, he said.

The governor, who frowned at the use of dynamites by fishermen, also directed that the bill should make the use of explosives on the states waterways an offence.

Diri said that his government which preaches prosperity, should not fold its arms and watch forests in the state degraded.

He urged the Commissioner for Environment to reform the forest guards and deploy them to their respective local government areas to ensure effective protection of the reserves.

The governor also granted the request by the ministry of environment to adopt six proposed forest reserves in the state.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iselema Gbaranbiri, had earlier explained that the International Day of Forests was declared by United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness on the importance of forests for the benefit of all generations.

Gbaranbiri noted that healthy forests influence the quantity of water yielded from watersheds, and provide logs, firewoods, fodder and medicinal plants used by local and indigenous communities.

According to him, the state has six forest reserves the Taylor Creek, Edumanom, Apoi Creek, Nun River, Igbedi Creek and Ikebiri Creek.

Coordinator of the Red Colobus Conservation Network, Miss Florence Aghomo, from Cameroon, in a remark, advised the Bayelsa government to act responsibly towards preserving its forests which she said had great socio-economic benefits.

Aghomo said that Nigeria was home to two of 18 Taxa species known to science, with one of them the Niger Delta red Colobus found in Bayelsa.

She added that the second Preusss red colobus was in Cross River.

These species must be preserved carefully, she said.

Mr Morris Alagoa from the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), lauded the governor for organising the historic event, and appealed for the establishment of a zoological garden and community forest-driven management in Bayelsa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event witnessed the planting of trees by Diri, his deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and other top government functionaries. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

Interweave Solutions International, a U.S.-based business organisation, has moved to engage Nigerian women in business, to drive home gender equality.

The Nigerian branch of the organisation, made this known at an investiture for new ambassadors of the group on Monday, in Abuja.

Retired Gen. Paul Boroh, a member of its board of trustees, said part of the focus of the organisation in Nigeria, was to get women empowered with business ideas to be self-reliant.

Boroh, a former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Amnesty Programme, said there had been too much focus on men in the area of excelling in business.

He emphasised that the time was ripe for women to rise up to the challenge and participate in business to be self-reliant and be reckoned with in the society like their male counterparts.

We are determined to engage more women in Interweave business solutions to achieve gender equality in businesses.

How do we achieve this; it is to ensure that we include more women in whatever business idea we are bringing on.

The women also have the capacity to transform an entire society; we will give them the latitude or sojourn of whatever we are doing.

The notion that women may misuse the opportunity given to them is a capital lie.

The reality of the situation now is that nobody can claim to know more than the other, he stressed.

Boroh called on women to take a cue from the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Nigerias Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and be focused in whatever they are doing.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to support the women folk in order to make them get to an enviable height in the society.

Country Director of Interweave Solutions International, Mr Exodus-Esuku Ibor, said the organisation in Nigeria aimed to move people from poverty to prosperity through neighbourhood self-reliance business.

He said that the organisation was concerned about the word self-reliance to move people into providing for themselves and also provide for their immediate family for self sufficiency.

When you are self-reliant, you will understand the principle of starting a business and growing it, this will impact on your community and your children.

Our aim is to bring out talents in people, some persons have talent but they do not know how to use it, he said.

Mr Mojeed Abayomi, the Overseer, Global Community for Abundant Life (G-CAL), a business organisation, pledged to partner with Interweave Solution to encourage the youths to go into business.

Abayomi said that G-CAL had the same vision as the organisation, which was to drive youths into business.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that about 28 ambassadors of the group have so far been certified and licenced in Nigeria by the organisation.

The ambassadors have equally been charged to reach out to persons and groups in Nigeria, and train them to become self-reliant using unique modules and business training materials, carefully designed by Interweave International-USA.

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ajogun

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has condemned the vandalism of some facilities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by unknown persons in Agbede, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

Obaseki condemned the act on Tuesday in Benin when he received the TCN Manager in Edo, Mr Isaac Okpe, who paid the governor a courtesy visit.

According to him, as government we are very concerned about the incident of the vandalism, and what struck me is why will people go out to vandalise such facilities with such a high risk.

Why will they take such risk, was it deliberate or sabotage? There is need to report the incident to the IGP and also the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS).

We need to know the purpose why they engage in such risk. If you recall about four years ago, we set up a committee to look at the menace of settlement of where these equipment are sited, because some communities were claiming that they were not paid.

I think that what we should do is to revisit that report again to enable us get to root of the issue, he said.

The governor assured that his administration would engage local vigilante to protect all the TCN facilities across the state, adding that electricity has enough value in the state.

These your assets are of great value to us in Edo and it will continue to be of great value, we are using electricity to grow our businesses in the state.

We are really sorry about the vandalism, and it is something that is not acceptable, the governor said.

Earlier, the TCN manager in the state, Mr Isaac Okpe, thanked the governor for his support, also used the occasion to congratulated him on his election victory and the tribunal victory.

We want to thank you for your collaboration and support that made the construction and energizing of Etsako 132/33kv substation a reality.

We also want to solicit your support in tackling the menace of vandalism of our equipment.

On 18th of March, 2021, unknown persons vandalised five units of our towers (T313 T317) on Benin Irrua Okpella 132KV line at Agbede in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

We are presently back feeding Etsako substation from Ajaokuta, this is affecting the quality of power supply in these areas.

We are here to ask for your support in galvanizing the security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders in the state to protect TCN facilities in their respective areas, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patricia Amogu

Prof. Eleazor Ikonne, the Chairman, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board, of Nigeria (ODORBN), has advocated proper diagnosis of blurred vision before going for glasses.

Ikonne made the call at sideline of the official ground breaking and foundation laying ceremony of the proposed 21st century globally competitive edifice for ODORBN in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, not all blurred visions are caused by eye problems; someone might have diabetics for instance and think they have eye problems without knowing it is diabetics.

The first point of call when you have any blurred vision should be the clinic of an optometrist, who is trained to take history of your health diagnose and advise you on what to do.

Sometimes there are systemic conditions that the first appearance is on the visions, if you meet someone, who is not properly trained; such a person would do a wrong recommendation.

There should be a legislation that every school age child should be checked on admission because a child might be performing poorly without knowing its because of eye problems, he said.

Speaking on the structure, the professor of optometry said that when completed, it would attract more foreign partnership and investors in into the countrys health sector.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer/Registrar ODORBN, Prof. Ebele Uzodike, said that the construction of the permanent office for optometrists would reposition the profession to perform better.

She described ground breaking as giving birth to something important. For over 20 years, we have operated in borrowed buildings, from Lagos to Abuja.

Today, not only are we in the FCT, but we are now trying to build our own edifice, where we will stay and grow.

The population of virtually challenged people varies in Nigeria, depending on the population and location. We have over 5,000 licensed optometrists in Nigeria. We also have over 2,500 dispensing opticians, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Vivian Emoni

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) on Monday warned FCT residents to desist from all types of illegal activities in the FCT or face prosecution.

Dr Hassan Abubakar, Director of the Board spoke during a clean-up exercise organised by AEPB at Karimajiji, along Airport Road.

Abubakar said the aim of the exercise was to ensure that the FCT environment looked beautiful, adding that the effort would prevent the spread of diseases.

I am advising the public to desist from this illegal act but if they refuse to abide by our instructions, we will get them arrested and prosecute them, we have informed them earlier.

We have also informed the leadership of the area and they gave us permission to arrest and prosecute anyone caught in such act.

My advice to the residents is that when you follow the rules, you will have rest of mind, once the law is obeyed, you will not have issues with anybody.

If you do not want to obey our rules and regulations you will not rest and AEPB will not rest because we cannot sit and watch you engage in illegal activities. We are out, we must make sure that we stop all illegal activities.

All the open defecation they are practising around here, we are ready to arrest and prosecute anyone caught.

Our monitoring team will always visit the area. We want to make sure that this place remains clean and neat, he explained.

Abubakar said that the board was under administrate directive to stop all environmentally harmful practices in the area.

We are determined; we must not allow those people to engage in illegal trading. All the mechanics, hawkers and other illegal activities must stop.

This is Airport Road, this area need to be clean and look very nice so that when our visitors come aroundfrom other states or country, they will know that the FCT environment is clean and healthy, he said.

The director urged the residents to support the government so as to ensure that the FCT environment was kept clean and attractive. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kemi Akintokun

The Work and Play Motorsports Group, organiser of the 2021 Ondo Auto Rally, says the motorsports will attract top racers across the country.

Its President, Adeoye Ojuoko, said that the event was scheduled for April 3 at the Ilara Mokin Racing Course.

Ojuoko, in a statement, said:We have our 2018 and 2020 winner, Antonio Sandouk, on hand from Lagos.

Others are Femi Dada, Jay Bash, Argo Raak, Muyiwa Akintola, and Femi Fatimehin, among others, coming in for the on-road and off-road races.

All these speak to the credibility of the event and the interest it has stirred in the motorsports industry.

We have worked at making this very edition the best and have over the past five years fine-tuned our processes.

We believe an incredible racing atmosphere would be created that is unmatched so far, Ojuoko said.

He said that the group built an exclusive off-road track that will host the event in Ilara-Imokin in Ondo State.

The group president said the track was first put to test in November 2019, adding that COVID-19 pandemic shut down all activities lined up by the group in 2020.

Our event is unique because of several things, our tracks inclusive, and our purpose of build off-road track is what the top racers have been planning to come and conquer, he said.

Ojuokosaid that Serbian Argo Raak won the first-ever off-road event on the track and would be put to challenge by two-time Work and Play winner, Antonio Sandouk, Femi Fatimehin, among others.

Also, Work and Play was recently awarded the Best Tourism Promotion Initiative at the 2020 Nigeria Tourism Award.

This 2021 edition of the event will also see a whistle-stop by some of the touring racers at Idanre Hill and the Smokin Hills Golf Course, which hosts the Work and Play racing tracks. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has described late former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Kashimawo Laloko, as one of the best grassroots coaches Nigeria ever produced.

The minister said this in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), John Joshua-Akanji, on Monday in Abuja following the demise of the coach on Sunday.

My condolences to the family of Chief Laloko on his death. He was not just a coach, he was a talent hunter and technically sound.

I followed his trajectory as coach of Stationery Stores of Lagos, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, The Gambia National team, Technical Director of the NFA as well as Founder of the Pepsi Academy.

He was just not dedicated, hardworking and a disciplinarian, he made his mark everywhere he worked.

He was one of Nigerias best coaches, even when he became a paramount ruler, he was never tired in lending his support to Nigerian football, Dare said.

The minister also recalled how the late coach was at the media unveiling of the National Principals Cup in Lagos in 2020 and was very excited about the revival of the competition.

Laloko was so passionate about Nigerian football and gave everything for its growth. Nigeria has lost a great man. May his soul rest in peace, Dare added.

Laloko, 76, died in Lagos on Sunday.

The late coach was credited with the discovery of many great players including Mikel Obi, Ezekiel Bala, Osaze Odewimgie among others.

He held the traditional title of Parakoyi of Egbaland in Ogun. (NAN)

Source: NAN News