By George Odok
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, has stressed that the destiny of Nigeria can best actualised in the context of one indivisible and united nation.

Amaechi stated this while delivering the 34th Convocation Lecture of the University of Calabar, titled The National Question and the Challenges of Nationhood in Nigeria held on Friday in Calabar.

The Minister said that what was required was for all Nigerians to continue to work towards a nation in which the doors of opportunity are open to all citizens irrespective of ethnicity, creed, class or circumstance.

Amaechi noted that tackling insecurity and criminality must also be on the front burner to avoid an escalation leading to un-governability.

He also cautioned the political elite on actions that contribute to insecurity in the nation.

I agree with those patriotic voices who have cautioned that we need to do everything to arrest the general drift towards un-governability and state failure.

Nigeria should not queue up behind nations that have allowed these nascent forces to threaten their very existence or overwhelm them. We should instead face up to the challenges with maximum will.

It is in this context that we need to appreciate the valiant efforts being made by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to ensure our national survival through the restoration of security, rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure and the alleviation of desperate poverty, he said.

According to him, the recent rise in the clamour for restructuring and regional self determination by Nigerians were legitimate, but added that the countrys current difficulties were transient and can be resolved through active engagement of all stakeholders.

In recent days, we have begun to hear loud voices of disunity from various sections of the country.

In response to current economic difficulties and the problem of insecurity, some have insisted on the now familiar argument for restructuring of the federation.

Others have advocated increased regional autonomy. Some extremists are calling for secession of parts of the country from the federation.

None of these divisive options would serve the urgent needs of this nation or the long term aspiration of all our people for a better life in a happier nation.

Let me say without any fear that the concerns being raised by Nigerians about the future of our country are legitimate. They are indications of great patriotism and love, he added.

Amaechi noted that the country was treasured by all Nigerians who are anxious that it transforms into a better place for all.

He added that ethnicity and class, poverty and inequality are a major part of the problem, describing poverty as one of the greatest threats to the countrys national unity and survival.

For the avoidance of doubt, let me state that the desperate poverty that we have today has its roots in dispensations that came before the Buhari administration.

Specifically, our epidemic of mass poverty dates back to the return of civil rule in our country. It is unfair to heap the responsibility for the prevalence of poverty and inequality on this or any one administration in the history of the country.

I have a personal conviction that of all the challenges facing our nations actualisation, none is more urgent than the scourge of increasing poverty and the threat of massive inequality.

We must attack and conquer inequality and extreme poverty or the poor will overrun Nigeria.
Let us take the threat of mass poverty seriously and elevate inequality to the status of a perennial national emergency in the years ahead.

Nearly all the troubles that confront us as a nation can be traced to either direct poverty or the fear that the scourge of poverty could rise one day to devour the fortunes of the rich and prosperous, he said.

Source: NAN News

It stated that the new infections were registered from 14 states and the FCT with

It, however, reported additional five COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the death toll to 2,036.

Source: NAN News

By Sylvester Thompson

Dr Rose Gidado, Country Coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFABI), says rigorous testings are done on all biotech crops before being commercialised, and when approved for commercialisation, they are safe for consumption.

Gidado said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

According to her, foods made with biotech crops have been in the market for years and are safe as traditional crops.

Gidado, also Deputy Director, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), was reacting to negative comments that foods made with biotech crops are unsafe for human consumption.

The OFAB Nigeria Coordinator also debunked the myth that biotech crops are not safe for animal consumption either.

Biotech crops have been used for feeds for more than 18 years and there is no record of sickness or fatality.

Transgenic crops are subjected to a thorough safety assessment that includes a demonstration of required genetic stability prior to approval.

Conventionally bred and organic crops that carry far more mutations are not subjected to safety review, she said.

Gidado also spoke on the myth that seed companies forced farmers to buy expensive seeds and also sued farmers who planted biotech crops without their permission.

In response to this, she said that more than 90 per cent or over 18 million famers that planted biotech crops in 2014 were small resource-poor farmers in developing countries.

She pointed out that the unprecedented increase in number of farmers planting biotech crops showed that biotech crops delivered substantial, sustainable, socio-economic and environmental benefits.

In all cases, farmers are given the freedom to choose which types of seeds they wish to plant, she said.

On the issue of biotech crops being harmful to the environment, she said current farm practices, including the use of pesticides and herbicides were harmful to the environment.

Gidado maintained that those farm practices were also harmful to humans health, to farmers and consumers as well.

She said that biotech crops that were designed to be pest resistant would significantly reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, thereby reducing the risk to the environment and human health.

Gidado noted that biotechnology could actually contribute to the environment through the development of alternative energy sources.

She also reacted to the myth that field trials of biotech crops were dangerous with high risk of contaminating other non biotech crops in near-by fields.

Field trials are conducted under very strict conditions and follow stringent regulations, she said.

Gidado disclosed that those conditions include prevention of pollen flow and the prevention of entry into food and feed pathways.

She further said that failure to comply with any single condition or regulation meant that the trial would be stopped.

On the issue of lack of scientific data supporting that organic food was any safer than regular food, she said that genetic modification happened naturally.

According to her, farmers have been cross-breeding plants for centuries, depending on trial and error, to get the desired results.

The expert said biotechnology was a safer, more deliberate way of achieving and replicating the desired results.

In another development, she said there was no scientific data that proved organic farming to be safer than any other kind of farming.

Gidado said that there was no data to prove that Genetically Modified (GM)) crops were unsafe.
She also said that farming biotechnology crops actually required fewer resources than conventional farming.

Source: NAN News

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The National Universities Commission (NUC), has approved the upgrade of three institutions in Delta to universities.

The approval was given by the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, when the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, led top state government officials to present strategic documents of the universities at the commissions headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

The approved universities are the Delta State University, Agbor; Denis Osadebe University, Asaba and the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.

The development has made Delta a state with the highest number of universities in the country.

The state, with the three approved universities in addition to the one already in existence, now has four universities.

It also has two federal universities, namely; Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko and Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, making the total number of universities in the state six.

Rasheed, at the presentation of letter of recognition, charged the governor to provide sustainable financial resources for the survival of the universities.

Today, Delta State with this three will have four state universities and making it the state with the largest number of public universities in the country.

It is something worth celebrating, we advice the governor to kindly make the universities to serve the purpose they are created for by providing sustainable funding.

The Delta State University, Agbor, is the 54university in the country, while the Delta State University of Science and Technology is the 52university in the country.

With this, we now have 197 universities in the country, 98 of them are public universities, and 99 of them are private.

The total enrolment in the 99 private universities is slightly over five per cent of the total enrolment in the university system.

We have only 2.1 million university students and only five per cent are accounted for in the 99 private universities.

So we need governors who are education friendly to come up with this initiatives and to follow it up with concrete plans and arrangements for the success of the universities so established.

No doubt you will do something to ensure the universities do not become beggars, he said.

Rasheed, however, said that the commission would continue to work with the state to ensure the universities take their place among other universities.

Responding, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, said the sharp increase in demand for degree programmes necessitated the upgrade of the institutions.

He said that the Delta State University, Abraka, had over stretched its capacity, noting that there was need for the universities to broaden the knowledge of learners.

Feb 22, 2021, a new and historic chapter was opened for tertiary education in Delta State. On that day the state house of assembly passed an executive bill for the upgrade of the three existing institutions to universities.

There are several reasons for this; first , in the last decade or so we have witnessed a drastic drop in the demand for programmes offered by these higher institutions.

The sharp increase for the demand of degree programmes was observed in 2007 at the College of Education, Agbor.

This is after the NUC formalised the approval of its affiliation to Delta State University, to offer some degree programmes, thus the continuous increase in the demand of degree programmes.

The College of Education has over 50 per cent of the population enrolled in the degree programmes hence utilising most of its resources to run degree programmes to the detriment of the National Certificate of Education.

Okowa added that the low student subscription was also one of the reasons for the upgrade.

He noted that in the Delta State Polytechnics, Ozoro, resources were being under-utilised hence need for upgrade.

For the 2019/2020 academic session, 25,896 candidates choose the Delta State University, Abraka, and out of this number, 22,358 qualified but only 4,854 just about 20 per cent were admitted.

Regrettably, those who are unable to secure admission due to limited spaces in existing institutions are forced to seek opportunities in various expensive, not accredited degree programmes, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Victor Okoye

The Super Eagles are just a step away from qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and will be looking to pick all three points on Saturday.

When they take on the Republic of Benin, as much as they are hopeful however, their opponents might prove hard nuts to crack, given their recent performances.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that leaders Nigeria square off against the Squirrels at Porto-Novos Stade Charles de Gaulle in one of the Day 5 games.

The 2021 AFCON qualification series had in one ofthe earlier fixtures between both teams, in November 2019, seen the Squirrels shocking the Eagles.

They led with a goal inside the first five minutes at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

However, goals by Victor Osimhen and Samuel Kalu earned the Eagles all the points at stake.

Nigeria followed up with a 4-2 defeat of Lesotho in Maseru four days later to fly to the top of the pool.

But draws in their home and away duels with Sierra Leone a year later prolonged celebrations of qualification.

The Super Eagles are clear favorites in the head-to-head duel having won 12, lost one and drawn one out of the 15 games played by both teams.

But the Squirrels are currently in fine form and have a full squad for the encounter.

Michel Dussuyers men are on a five-game unbeaten run, having last tasted defeat against the Super Eagles in their first AFCON qualifying game in November 2019.

Their home form has also been spectacular, given they have not lost for eight years, having last tasted defeat against Algeria in 2013.

The Squirrels last outing at AFCON was during the 2019 edition where they crashed out of the quarter-final after a 1-0 defeat to Senegal.

Benin Republic have announced a 23-man squad to face Nigeria with Dijon goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe and Brest forward Steve Mounie making the cut.

The Squirrels currently occupy the second spot in Group L having accrued seven points from four matches played so far.

A positive result in both games will see the West African country reach the biennial African football showpiece for the fifth time.

Interestingly, all the players invited by coach Michel Dussuyer are foreign-based professionals, while captain Stephan Sessegnon, Olivier Gerdon and Rudy Gestede were omitted from the team.

Sessegnon remains without a club since the end of his spell at Turkish Super Lig outfit Genclerbirligi.

However, the 36-year-old will be in the Squirrels camp as a non-playing skipper to boost the morale of his teammates.

Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has also called up a lot of his foreign-based players in his squad and talked of the importance of rediscovering winning mentality.

He said this was needed to go into the FIFA World Cup qualifying battles.

Rohr will be counting on the likes of the in-form Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze and Galatasarays Henry Onyekuru.

They are to produce the needed firepower on the wings and supply goals for Napolis Osimhen and Genks forward Paul Onuachu.

Highly-rated Wilfred Ndidi and Etebo Oghenekaro will provide the needed support in the midfield.

The likes of William Ekong, Olaoluwa Aina, Chidozie Awaziem, Leon Balogun and Zaidu Sanusi are expected to inspire the team from the defence.

The team also received a big boost ahead of the clash following the arrival of Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho on Wednesday.

The former Manchester City prodigy who has been in terrific form recently bagged a double and an assist recently.

That was when Brendan Rodgers Foxes secured a 3-1 victory over Manchester United in Sundays FA Cup last eight fixture at the King Power Stadium.

In the process, the Nigerian became one of only two players along with Manchester Citys Sergio Aguero to score 20 or more goals in Englands Cup competitions over the last six years.

For context, only Aguero - with 21 goals - has scored more during that period in the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Iheanacho has also had a direct hand in 15 goals in his 15 starts across all competitions this season.

He has found the back of the net in each of his last four games, including a hat-trick against Sheffield United.

Nigeria lead Group L of the qualifiers with eight points from four games and victory over Benin or Lesotho will seal their place at the 2021 AFCON, scheduled for Cameroon.

The three-time African champions finished third at the last edition of the AFCON tournament in Egypt, behind winners Algeria and Senegal.

Sierra Leone, with three points, are scheduled to commence Saturdays action hwith bottom-placed Lesotho at 3 p.m., and Nigeria are up against Benin from 6 p.m.

This means the match in southern Africa would have ended before the group leaders take to the pitch.

A draw in Maseru sends Nigeria through to the finals in Cameroon, but team captain Ahmed Musa has said they were not interested in the encounter in Maseru.

He was quoted as saying they would rather concentrate on achieving a double over the Squirrels.

It is therefore hoped that the players at Rohrs disposal will produce a spectacular performance to guarantee Nigerias 19th appearance at the AFCON.

It is a competition they have won three times, secured second spot (silver) four times and finished third (bronze) eight times in 18 previous participations.

The Super Eagles will take on Lesotho in their final qualifying game on Tuesday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Bayo Olawunmi

Sam Ahmedu, member of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board, on Thursday assured that the federation would not spare any effort in getting the best out of the countrys national teams.

Ahmedu, who is the International Representative on the board, said in a statement that this was necessary asthe male and female senior national teams prepare for a busy 2021,

Ahmedu said since the board took over in 2017, the welfare of the players has been top of its agenda.

Getting to the apex of basketball in Africa and rolling with the best in the world never came by accident. Its a result of deliberate plans and heavy investments in camps, coaches and training.

We hosted Africa in 2018 and 2019 during the qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China which Nigeria was the first team in the world to qualify for and it never came cheap.

In the history of basketball in Nigeria, no board has spent quality time preparing for the championships and World Cups like we did.

We achieved so much at the 2017 and 2019 FIBA Afrobaskets, and hosting the FIBA World Cup qualification series as well as the FIBA World Cups in Spain and China.

This would never have been possible but for the efforts we put and huge money spent in achieving good results, Ahmedu, who is also the Chairman of the Benue basketball association, said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Comoros have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in their history.

Their qualification came after they picked up a point in a 0-0 draw with Togo at home on Thursday.

The final whistle drew wild celebrations in the stadium, with the players and coaches hugging, jumping and dancing.

This was as the reality of playing at Africas biggest competition dawned on them.

The result in Moroni sees Comoros move to nine points ahead of their final match against Egypt and this means the worst they can finish is second spot.

The islanders four points each against both Kenya and Togo coupled with the point at home against Egypt have seen them clinch a ticket to Cameroon.

Togo on the other hand have seen their qualification hopes dashed as they are bottom with just two points.

Egypt won the remaining qualification slot after picking a point against Kenya in the other group match in Nairobi.

The small island nation carried the dreams of an entire country.

Their first priority was ensuring they guarded their rear well and the first half did not have many goalscoring opportunities.

In the second period, Togo started stronger and they had two back-to-back chances, both falling to striker Ihlas Bebou.

First, in the 51st minute, the striker could not connect a Abou-Samiou Tchoutchoui cross from the right, his point-blank connection being blocked a few yards off goal.

Three minutes later, he was picked out with a brilliant cross from Richard Nane on the left, but the striker glanced his free header wide off target.

The two sides made changes, Togo going for an attacking mode with Ismail Ouro-Agoro coming in for Yayra Josue Doke.

Comoros brought in steel into their midfield, Fouad Bachirou coming in for Ahmed Mogni.

The home side was efficient in defending their rear and while Togo declined in their attack, the islanders sought to keep possession and knock the ball around the park.

Late on, they had a chance when substitute Youssouf Ibrohim raced on to a cross from the right.

But the Togolese goalkeeper spread his body nicely on the ground to block his connection.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged all countries to support the international treaty protecting UN staff and associated personnel.

This he said, was in order to ensure all those who carry out the vital work of the organisation have the safety they need to fulfill their mission.

In a message commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, the top UN official highlighted the extreme dangers encountered by UN staff and personnel globally.

The threats vary from deliberate and deadly ambushes to kidnappings, intimidation and unlawful detention.

But the thread is the same; these are unacceptable obstacles to fulfilling our mandates and advancing peace, sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian assistance around the globe.

National staff are often at particular risk, he said.

According to UN data, as of March 15, 20 UN personnel were in detention, including six who were arrested this year, five in 2020, and the rest before that.

Peacekeeping operations are a particular target, with at least 10 personnel having lost their lives this year to malicious attacks.

The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is marked each year on the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett.

Collet, a former journalist who was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was abducted by armed gunman in 1985.

His body was finally found in Lebanons Bekaa Valley in 2009.

The day also honors his memory, and that of all those who have suffered a similar fate.

In his message, the UN chief urged all countries to support the 1994 Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel as well as its 2005 Optional Protocol, which extends protection to UN personnel delivering humanitarian, political or development assistance.

To date, only 95 countries are party to the convention, and only 33 to the protocol. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mohamed Tunis has pleaded for prompt payment of Community Levy by Member States to finance projects across the sub-region.

Tunis made the call during the closing of the three-day seminar organised as part of activities of the first physical Extraordinary Session of the Parliaments fifth legislature in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The Public Relations Department of the ECOWAS Parliament disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day seminar which will be followed by the Extraordinary Session proper was held from March 23 to March 25.

Describing the seminar as successful, Tunis said the ECOWAS Parliament have adopted several recommendations aimed at improving and collecting arrears of contributions by Member States regarding the Community Levy.

Tunis said the involvement of ECOWAS Members of Parliament in monitoring the implementation of the Protocol on the Community Levy was unanimously adopted.

According to him, the aforesaid levy is intended to generate much needed revenue in order to enable ECOWAS to sufficiently finance its institutions and projects targeted at fostering the integration process.

Tunis added that payment of the levy by Member States would also help by improving the socio-economic livelihoods of the people in the sub-region.

As you all are aware, the seminar has been educative, inspiring and enriching. The benefits acquired form the deliberations over the pastfewdays are enormous.

And we are happy that the seminar has achieved the objectives for which it was organized.

Most importantly, we witnessed the fullest cooperation of Honorable Members of the ECOWAS Parliament, who would agree with me that this seminar hasbroaden our perspectiveson the general overviewof the communitylevy and status of its implementation.

It was also a forum in which we were presented the status of collection of the community levy,contribution arrears of Member States.

As well asthe prospect of the ECOWAS Community Levy in the faceofissues related to the EPAs and the AFCFTA.

We must be honest that we will face many challenges in implementing the commitments we have made, as some of our countries are in severe economiccrisis and some are still focused on tackling other pressing challenges.

Nevertheless, with a concerted effort we can succeed in getting our States to honor the protocols and declarations we have signed up to.

Tunis said the ECOWAS Parliament stands prepared to follow up on the recommendationsemanating from the discussions.

He also pledged the support of the Parliament to the Commission and other Institutions in ways that guarantee robust actions, aimed at mobilizing all member states to fulfill their obligations to the community.

We take due cognizant of the fact that these resources are germane to the successful implementation of the community programs and projects.

And it is my expectation that every member of the Parliament will make a genuine commitment to this cause, Tunis added.

Tunis appreciated the experts for their highly educative and enlightening presentations which have provided important insights that are expected to lead to forward-thinking actions.

According to the statement, also on the conclusion and recommendations adopted included the challenges arising from COVID-19 and how it has impacted mobilization rate negatively to about 30 per cent over the past two years.

Members of Parliament however took cognizant of the need to mobilize resources required to finance the Community Budget, hence the urgent need for each national delegation to be involved in the effective implementation relating to the Protocol.

Members of ECOWAS Parliament who are nationals of Member States were urged to capitalize on the provision of the rules of procedure at the national level to engage the Ministries in charge of Community Levy.

In order to discuss not only recoveries, but also effective implementation of the said protocol; raising awareness and advocacy should be undertaken by Members of ECOWAS Parliament in their respective States.

The issues around sanctions for non-compliance are however left to be determined by the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Source: NAN News

The World Bank has approved a loan of 400 million dollars for a food safety improvement project to help China reduce food safety risks.

Multiple measures were built into the project to assist farms and food enterprises to improve compliance with food safety regulations and achieve food safety certification standards, World Bank said.

Good agriculture practices would be promoted, and using biodegradable plastic mulch, eco-friendly food packaging and plastics, the bank said.

Efforts would go into upgrading public infrastructure for improved water quality and waste management.

Risk-based preventive controls for maintaining a safe food environment from farm to plate would also be carried out under the project, it said.

The project would support about 7,500 family farms, cooperatives, small and medium-sized enterprises as well as large-scale operations in the agriculture and food sector.

It would also improve food safety risk management and serve to run sustainable businesses, said the bank. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News