By Abujah Racheal
A photo exhibition to highlight to amplify maternal health interventions in saving womens lives is scheduled to begin in Abuja on Friday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The exhibition by a network of journalism professionals would be held outdoors, while the virtual version also comes up the same day.

solution -focused photo exhibition will begin in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), on Friday, March 26, 2021 at Ventures Park in Abuja.

Mr Chibuike Alagboso, a 2019 fellow of the Solutions Journalism Network, USA, said that the exhibition would showcase solutions that made positive impact on the lives of women.

Alagboso, who work for a health communication and advocacy organisation, said the exhibition would highlight solutions that were improving maternal health interventions which was one of his organisations focus areas.

News about Nigerias poor maternal health indices is well known. Various stories have been written about the women that have lost their lives while giving birth.

This is not acceptable and people with the power to change the status quo must continue to be held accountable to do more in improving maternal outcomes.

It is also important to tell the stories of people who are working hard to improve the situation, he said.

Mrs Ruona Meyer, Africa Initiative Manager of the Solutions Journalism Network, said the exhibition had received submissions from photojournalists from Nigeria, Ghana, United States, and Germany.

She said that it was important to be inclusive while covering women issues by media practitioners.

The most commonly marginalised population, in society and in news reportage is often women. Sometimes, this is not intentional, but it can definitely be unlearned, because it comes at a great socioeconomic and even mortal cost to women.

The spirit with which the Solutions Journalism Network was set up and operates is to advocate for a more inclusive, wholesome version of the news.

Also speaking, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, Nigeria Health Watchs Managing Director, believes this was timely because it was a first of its kind photo exhibition in the country aiming to heighten awareness about maternal health.

It is time we had these discussions beyond the health sector and time we start asking questions, why are women still dying, just because they want to live, she said.

NAN reports that the organizers said attendance to both the physical and virtual exhibition is free after registration on www.bit.ly/posdeviants and www.bit.ly/virtualpdex.

Source: NAN News

By Oluwafunke Ishola

Two-third of Africans interviewed have expressed their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccines, says the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Africa CDC disclosed this in a statement from its Addis Ababa, Ethiopia headquarter on Thursday.

This was revealed as part of the findings of a report released by the Partnership for Evidence- Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) Consortium.

The consortium is made up of public health organisations such as the Africa CDC; Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies; the World Health Organization (WHO).

Some other organisations that make up the consortium are the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team; World Economic Forum (WEF) and private sector firms such as market research company, Ipsos.

The new briefs (part of the third series of data collection and analysis from PERC) combine results from phone surveys on the impact of public health and social measures (PHSMs) with information on epidemiological trends, media monitoring, and data on population mobility.

According to the statement, the sentiment on willingness to take the COVID-19 jabs varied across the continent.

In the 19 member countries surveyed, 91 per cent of the people surveyed in Morocco were mostly interested in receiving the vaccines, while Tunisia and Cameroon had the lowest number of people, at 35 per cent, it said.

It disclosed levels of acceptability in other countries with Nigeria at 72 per cent; South Africa and Zimbabwe being 61 per cent each; Zambia 53 per cent and Mozambique 75 per cent.

The report noted that Egypt had 78 per cent, Kenya 59 per cent, and the Democratic Republic of Congo had 52 per cent.

Dr Ahmed Ouma, Deputy Director, Africa CDC, recommended that African countries should continue with the rollout of the vaccine.

Ouma noted that the African Taskforce for Coronavirus (AFTCOR) had disclosed based on evidence that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh its risks.

Also, Dr Emmanuel Agogo, Nigeria Country Representative, Resolve to Save Lives, urged the media to take responsibility for enlightening audiences toward improving vaccine acceptance.

He advised journalists to shun sensationalism in their report on vaccines, dispel myths with reliable and accurate information, research, fact check and use trusted sources of information to enhance their reports. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Stella Kabruk

The Kaduna State Karate Association in conjunction with the state Ministry of Sports Development has begun open camp for 14 karatekas ahead of the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) in Edo.

Jummai Nuhu, the Public Relation Officer of the ministry, said on Thursday in Kaduna that the male and female karatekas and three coaches were camped at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival tagged Edo 2020 is scheduled to take place from April 2 to April 16.

Nuhu said the training was to boost their morale, strengthen performance and strategise for a resounding success during the tournament.

She said the camp was being sponsored by the association Chairman, Mr Lurgi de Rossi, adding that all the players were tested for the COVID-19 beforeallowed into the camp. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Two pilots were ejected from a Royal Navy aircraft during a flight over an English seaside county, Britains Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Local media, including Sky News, reported that the pilots were ejected after the Royal Navy Hawk aircraft crashed while flying over a helicopter base in Cornwall.

The ministry of defence confirmed that the pilots were ejected from the aircraft while flying in Cornwall but did not confirm if the aircraft had crashed.

The two pilots were being treated at the scene but are now being taken to a hospital, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Their injuries were not currently thought to be life-threatening or changing.

Members of the public were being asked to avoid the area, the force said.

An investigation has been launched into the case. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rita Iliya

No fewer than 53,000 poultry birds have been lost to avian flu otherwise known as bird flu in Choma village, Tafa Local Government Area of Niger.

Dr Sani Nma, Director, Veterinary Services of the states Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Minna.

NAN reports that the ministry had on March 23 in a statement announced the outbreak of the disease among some poultry farmers in the state.

The director said that the value of the lost birds was N615 million, adding that workers on the affected poultry farms in the community had been laid off.

Nma noted that samples of the birds were taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute (VON) in Plateau, where it was confirmed that the affected birds had the virus.

The farm consists of clusters of birds such as layers, pullet and cockerels.

The birds started dying one after the other and we were thinking it was a normal bacteria.

It was when the mortality rate increased that samples were taken to VON and it was discovered that the birds have been infected with AI type A of the virus, he said.

Nma described the laboratory where the samples were taken to as the Western Africa Regional Laboratory for avian influenza.

The director noted that the farm premises had been fumigated with disinfectant and educational materials had been given on how to contain the situation.

He said that the state government had advised poultry farmers to be alert, as well as strengthen their association to cater for such incidence. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Felicia Imohimi.

The Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OCP Africa Fertilisers for improved soil quality and increase in agricultural productivity.

The institute and OCP Africa signed the MoU at the ongoing inception workshop on Management of Problematic Soils in Nigeria in Abuja organised by the two organisations.

The theme of the workshop is Disseminating Innovation and Technologies for Managing Problematic Soils in Nigeria.

Prof. Victor Chude, Registrar of NISS noted that the overall goal of the project was to improve soil quality and increase agricultural productivity through effective sustainable management of problematic soils.

Chude said NISS was committed to educating farmers on resolving the various issues associated with problematic soil.

According to him, farmers must realise that there are problematic soil issues that must be managed for them to have a good harvest.

Chude noted that the project would commence in 12 intervention states across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

According to him, it is aimed at gathering compendium of maps and soil data to support development of effective soil sustainable management practices including site and crop specific blends.

Chude listed the beneficiary states based on zones as Anambra and Abia (South East), Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom (South- South), Ekiti and Ogun (South West), Nasarawa and Kogi, (North Central), Sokoto and Kebbi (North West); and Taraba and Gombe (North East)

OCP Africa Nigeria Country Manager, Caleb Usoh said providing solutions to one of the farmers age-long menace would ensure food security and eradicate poverty within the farming population.

Represented by Mr Oluwatoba Asana, Production and Technical Manager of the organisation Usoh attributed the low productivity per hectare of farmlands in the country mostly to soil conditions.

He said the management of problematic soils would lead to enhanced crop productivity through addition of soil amendments to correct the variances or by manipulating the agronomic practices.

Usoh noted that partnership with NISS was yet another testament to OCP Africas avowed commitment to see to the development of Nigerias agricultural ecosystem. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Douglas Okoro

Mr Chris Usolor representing Ezza South constituency in the Ebonyi House of Assembly says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would never succumb to intimidations of the ruling party in the state.

The PDP made the remarks in a statement released by the party at the end of a stakeholders meeting held on Thursday in Abakaliki .

According to the statement, members of the opposition PDP have resolved to remain united and committed to promoting good governance through vibrant and credible opposition.

Usulor, who signed the statement, alleged that members of the party including serving members of both the state and national assembly were being harrased and victimised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He said that the eight serving state lawmakers who did not defect with Gov. Dave Umahi would continue to remain loyal and committed members of PDP.

The eight of us in the house who refused to join the governor in defecting to APC have resolved to remain in the PDP and will not be swayed by anybody or any factor to leave the party.

Theres growing level of intimidation against our members and supporters because they have decided to remain in PDP.

As party leaders, we have to work hard in our various capacities to protect our teeming supporters and members across the state from these unwarranted attacks and incessant acts of intimidations, the statement read .

The statement urged leaders of the party to bury their political ambitions and personal interests to enable them build and sustain a united party in the state, vowing also to mobilize for new members to join the PDP .

The party leaders condemned what it described as the use of deceitful tactics to force its members and supporters especially at the rural areas to register with the APC.

Our members especially those in the rural areas are being deceived into registering with the APC in the ongoing partys registration exercise with false claims that they are compiling lists for empowerment programmes.

We urge our leaders in various communities to be vigilant in order to resist such subterfuge, it added .

The statement, therefore, urged PDP members and supporters not to fall for the desperate antics of the APC while remaining focused to the programmes of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, convened by the eight members of the state assembly took place at the residence of Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, who represented Ebonyi Central senatorial district.

Other serving members present at the meeting include; Mr Humphrey Nwuruku, former majority leader representing Ikwo South, Mrs Ngozi Eziuloh, representing Afikpo North-East, Mrs Franca Okpo who represents Abakaliki South constituency .

Others are; Dr Oliver Osi, representing Ivo constituency, Mr Chidi Eze, representing Afikpo South-East and Ali Okechukwu, representing Ishielu North constituencies .

Also, former Nigerian Ambassador and immediate-past chairman of the Divine Mandate Elders Forum, Chief Franklin Ogbuewu, a former Senator, Chief Sylvanus Ngele and former Minsiter of Health for State, Chief Fide Nwankwo attended.

Chief Solomon Onwe former deputy Speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly and one time National Secretary of the PDP was also in attendance including Mrs Adaeze Nwuzor and Chief Felix Mgbada among others.

In a swift reaction, Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, APC state caretaker committee chairman, described the PDP allegation as unfounded and baseless.

The APC and its government believe in the rule of law and virile opposition as bedrock for good governance.

The party is committed to providing good governance, Gov Dave Umahi is concentrating in providing dividends of democracy to our people.

We will not join issues with a sinking party, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Deborah Coker
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in Edo on Thursday in Benin, organised a one-day workshop to reposition corps and condition the minds of its Commanding Officers and Head of Operations against bribery and corruption.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop also to prepare the officials for effective achievements of the corps mandate in the state.

The event with the theme: Repositioning Commanding Officers and Head of Operations for Improved Operatives Performance in Edo was declared open by

Mr Henry Benamaisia, the Edo Sector Commander of the corps.

In his opening remarks, Benamaisia explained that the workshop was significant in ensuring that staff members were well equipped with the necessary knowledge in the fight against bribery and corrupt practices.

He explained that it was necessary for the repositioning of the minds of staff members and improve their performance in order to ensure that the corps strategic goals were effectively achieved.

He charged participants at the workshop to be proactive and ensure improved and effective operations and patrols without emasculating the motoring public.

He stressed that the workshop was in furtherance of the managements zero tolerance for corruption and to prepare the newly-deployed commanders for the tasks ahead in order to improve on their operational capacity.

The sector commander said that the workshop was in line with the crash reduction goal of the Corps for 2021.

He added that this was in order to harness a better output by the corps in Edo

Meanwhile, Mrs Faustina Adeoluwa, one of the resource persons, said that the lecture was aimed at sensitising staff members of the command to shun all forms of corrupt practices.

Adeoluwa, who represented the state Commissioner, ICPC Edo and Delta, in her presentation: Curbing Corruption on Nigerian Roads enunciated the effects and consequences of corruption and who was a corrupt officer.

Similarly, Mr Fatai Bakare, Head of Operations, FRSC, Delta, command in his presentation Enforcement of Critical Offences as a Strategic Tool to
Achieving Road Traffic Crash Reduction emphasised on methods for effective enforcement.

In the same vein, Mr Nazir Mohammed, Head of Operations, Edo command, identified the way forward from where the corps in the state presently was.

Mohammeds presentation was Exposition on Expectations in improving Operational Activities in an Operating Environment like Edo.

Source: NAN News

Emmanuel Oloniruha

Voter access to Polling Units (PUs)is at the heart of every electoral democracy because PUs are the basis on which citizens exercise their fundamental rights to vote and to make electoral choices freely.

However, the right to vote cannot be effectively exercised without a place to vote, which is polling unit.

The Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) defines a polling unit as the place, enclosure, booth, shade or house at which voting takes place under this Act (Section 156-interpretation).

Therefore, PUs constitutes the basic structure of Nigerias electoral system and democracy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to establish adequate number of PUs in the country and assign voters to them.

Specifically, Section 42 of the Act provides that: The Commission shall establish sufficient number of Polling Units in each Registration Area and allot voters to such Pus.

Bu over the years, concerned Nigerians observe that voter access to PUs across Nigeria has been on the decline, as the number of PUs remained static in spite of increase in population and the expansion of settlements across the country.

According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, voter access to polling units across Nigeria is presently in a state of crisis that needs urgent attention.

Yakubu said the current 119,973 existing polling units established by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) 25 years ago in 1996 was projected to serve 50 million registered voters, which gradually rose to 84,004,084 by 2019.

We envisage that by the next general elections in 2023, the population of registered voters may be twice the number projected in 1996. Yet, the number of polling units remains the same, he said.

Yakubu noted that over the years, several challenges have confronted INEC, including the inadequate number of polling units, as a result of population growth, demographic shifts, establishment of new settlements and residential areas.

Since the law ties registration of voters and voting to specific PUs, it means that voters have to walk long distances on election day to vote. Often, they are not able to do so because of restrictions on movement, he said.

Yakubu added that inadequacy of polling units implied that many of the PUs are overcrowded during electionscwhich is a recipe for delays, disruptions, violence and apathy.

He cited a situation during the 2011 elections, where most of the PUs saw turnouts exceeding the 500 voters designated per polling unit.

A review carried out by the commission in 2014 revealed that many polling units exceeded the designated figure of 500 voters per PU by a couple of thousands while some had over 4,000 registered voters.

For the 2019 general election, the average number of voters per polling unit was about 700 voters nationally, rising to more than 2,000 voters in the FCT while a specific polling unit in Nasarawa State had more than 15,000 voters.

These huge numbers of voters at PUs which constitutes health and safety issues in this period of the global COVID-19 pandemic, pointed to the urgency of reorganising polling units, Yakubu said.

Another problem according to Yakubu is the location of the PUs at difficult places which would not encourage voters to participate in elections, particularly persons living with disability.

Until recently, some were even located in the homes of important people and religious groups that often have political leanings capable of discouraging some voters from voting.

Also, some PUs are located in highly charged and contested areas, including areas experiencing communal conflicts, he observed.

All these, according to him have also contributed to violation of election regulations and guidelines, violence and insecurity during elections.

He noted that the problem also made arrangement of voting facilitates to be difficult and encouraged vote buying during elections.

This particular problem has become even more serious in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic because the constricted spaces available at polling units do not support the necessary social distancing recommended by health authorities, he said.

The INEC boss said the commission had made several efforts in the past to address the problem but were politicised or misunderstood by Nigerians, due to lack of proper sensitisation and the decisions coming close to elections.

According to Yakubu, some of the efforts by the commission to address the problem include the creation of baby units in 2007, voting points in 2011 and voting point settlements in FCT in 2016.

In an effort to address this challenges INEC in February began consultation with stakeholders early ahead of a new electoral cycle (2019-2023), with some major upcoming activities such as the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and several off-cycle elections.

At a presentation to the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters, Yakubu solicited NASS support to convert existing voting points across the country to polling units and relocate some to underserved areas.

He urged the lawmakers and stakeholders to help de-politicise issues around the intention, noting that existing PUs were no longer suitable for INEC to properly manage election and ensure that rules and regulations were strictly adhered to.

Yakubu disclosed that the commission already received no fewer than 9,000 requests from communities and individuals across Nigeria from October 2020 to February 2021 for the creation of new PUs.

INEC National Commissioner, Okechukwu Ibeanu, also making presentation on: The State of Voter Access to polling units in Nigeria, said the problem was nationwide and not limited to a particular state or political zone.

Ibeanu said the existing 119,973 were no longer conducive to voters to exercise their right to vote, especially in the context of the COVID-19 protocols.

Illustrating the voter turnout decline in Nigeria during election, Ibeanu said between 1999 and 2019, voter turnout in Nigeria dropped by 17 per cent, compare to Ghana which rose by 17 per cent within the same period.

If you look at Nigeria situation during that same period the number of voters per pulling unit increased by 217. Conversely for Ghana, it decreased by 91 voters.

So it seems to suggest that there is a strong link, such that the much the number of voters per polling unit, the lower the voter turnout, Ibeanu said.

He said that in addressing the present situation, the commission had proposed three frameworks for permanent solutions, include the possibility that residents of a new area to apply for PU, which will go through a verification and approval process.

The second approach will be to create what section 13 of the Electoral Act talks about as polling areas, while the third approach is the possibility of converting the existing voting points and voting settlements in the FCT to full-fledged pulling units.

We think that the first two proposed solutions will take a long time and substantial resources to achieve.

It seems to us that converting voting points and voting points settlement to pulling units is probably the most visible, the least time consuming and likely to be the least controversial, he said.

However, various stakeholders have expressed supports for INEC to as a matter of urgency expand polling units across the country.

President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan at a stakeholders forum organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters assured INEC of NASSs support on expanding polling units across the country.

Lawan said that the National Assembly would always support the provision of safe and more convenient environment for voters.

I want to assure the chairman of INEC and indeed Nigerians that the National Assembly will support INEC fully, completely and wholly in ensuring that we provide a better voting environment for our citizens.

We will do whatever it takes, because democracy is about participation and voting is probably the most important thing, Lawan said.

Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Leonard Nzenwa at INEC consultation with party leaders, described the commissions effort as timely, especially at a time the NASS Joint Committee on INEC was almost completing work on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2010.

Nzenwa said adequacy of PUs, conduciveness and a good environment was very important in deepening Nigeria democracy.

He advised INEC to begin the process of conversion based on clearly articulated guidelines.

Hajiya Saa Ibrahim, Chairman, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BOS), speaking when INEC consultation with labour unions and professional associations, advised the commission to remove all PUs located in compounds of traditional, religious and political leaders.

Ibrahim, represented by the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Elections Debate Group, Mr Eddie Emessiri, said the action was imperative to ensure that all eligible voters have access to polling units.

Ibrahim commended INEC for providing rich data on the proposed expansion of PUs, advising it to meticulously follow the provided data to avoid unnecessary pitfall.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye said that in the next few days, INEC would conclude the consultative phase and release clear guidelines for the movement of voting points to decongest the existing ones.

Okoye assured Nigerians that no voting point would be moved from one local government to another, nor undue advantage be given to any state or region.

The primary object of all this is to make the voting experience more pleasant and less tedious for Nigerians, he said.

Stakeholders believe that since declining access to PUs is potentially disenfranchising millionsof eligible voters, there is the need for INEC to urgently expand PUs if the credibility of the countrys electoral system.(NANFeatures)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has rejected the assessment of Bubari administration by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

Reacting to the current rating by CISLAC, Mohammed described it as unfair and unacceptable.

CISLAC, a non-governmental organisation, had on March 23 in Abuja addressed a press briefing where it allegedly accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of lack of transparency in the recovery of stolen assets.

However, fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday, the minister dismissed CISLACs accusation, saying the assessment is not truly a reflection of the realities on ground.

He said: I think that Im aware of that particular rating which was not quite flattering to Nigeria, but our position, which Ive declared before is that that rating does not truly reflect the great strides that the administration has made in the area of fighting corruption.

The government has put in place various reforms in fighting corruption, but some of these reforms will take time to yield the desired results because the matrix used by TI is not just about grafts alone.

It includes how transparent or how opaque the services are and youll find out that when we scored in the 2018, 2019 transparency reports, we realised that we scored very low in the area of ease of doing business in particular.

The minister stated that the Federal Government had embarked on various reforms aimed at tackling cases of corrupt practices in both private and public sectors of the economyto improve the countrys rating by the Transparency International (TI).

That is why the federal government embarked on reforms, especially at the seaports, because that is one area where we scored very low.

You will see that in recent times, weve embarked on numerous reforms at our seaports so that our rating will improve.

For instance, we realised that following the release of 2019 TI corruption perception index, we initiated reforms to improve on ease of doing business indices.

This is because we found that up to 40 per cent of the countrys corruption perception survey indices related to business, process and general public service delivery.

So, that is why we are concentrating on the ease of doing business, making sure that people can get to the ports, clear the goods in good time and by the time some of these forms start yielding fruits, Im sure that perception will improve, he added.

Mohammed further disclosed that the federal government had put in place preventive mechanism to check corruption rather than prosecution.

He said: We believe that its more important to put in place preventive mechanism rather than prosecution and this preventive mechanism that weve put in place include the programme launched by the ICPC, which is what they called the National Ethics Policy.

According to him, this policy addresses integrity issues in all sectors of the polity and is directly linked to the pillar of national anti-corruption strategy.

He revealed that the Code of Conduct Bureau had also put in place some preventive measures, especially in the area of energising the code of conduct for public officers

Mohammed disclosed that the Council for Ease of Doing Business recently launched the Nigerian Ports Process manual meant to help people doing business at the nation ports.

In addition, we actually also analysed the process that the TI used in the rating that was used recently and we found quite a few discrepancies in the rating process, including some data sources in which Nigerias course has remained flat over the past 10 years.

What we said is that we take this ratings seriously, so we actually went and analysed the ratings and we found that thereve been some gaps.

Its either weve not flooded enough data or they have not revised all data because we found it strange that the countrys rating in certain areas has remained the same for a period of 10 years.

We are taking the media measures so that they can get this data in respect of these sectors because we believe that its not possible for you not to improve, for you not to lose points for 10 years. So theres a bit of discrepancy there, he said.

Source: NAN News