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    Federer pulls out of Dubai event to focus on training
    Roger Federer has pulled out of the upcoming ATP 500 event in Dubai after the former world number one lost in the Qatar Open quarter-finals on Thursday.

    It was his first tournament in more than a year.

    The 39-year-old Swiss, who returned to action after two knee operations last year, beat Briton Dan Evans in three sets in his comeback match in Doha.

    But he lost 3-6 6-1 7-5 to Georgias Nikoloz Basilashvili in the next round.

    Its been great to be back on the @atptour, loved every minute playing in Doha once again, 20-times Grand Slam winner Federer said on social media.

    Ive decided its best to go back to training and as a result, Ive decided to withdraw from Dubai next week.

    World number two Rafa Nadal has also pulled out of the Dubai Duty Free event, which runs from Sunday to March 20.

    Federer is an eight-times Dubai champion and claimed his 100th tour-level title at the tournament in 2019.

    He has already decided not to defend his Miami Open title at the March 22 to April 4 Masters 1000 event.

    Federer had targeted a return at last months Australian Open.

    But he skipped the Grand Slam and said he said he would play in events that would help him regain fitness before Wimbledon.

    Source: NAN News

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    ECOWAS Parliament Speaker urges citizens to take COVID-19 vaccine
    The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament has urged the citizens and residents of West Africa to ensure that they take the COVID-19 vaccine whenever they get the opportunity.

    This is even as he cautioned them to be patient and exercise restraint as the Leadership of the community and member states strive to make the vaccines available to all.

    Tunis disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that all negative theories being paraded against the vaccine were unfounded and should not deter any West African from being vaccinated.

    As the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, representing the over 300 million community citizens, my appeal to everybody is that you take the vaccine.

    When you have the opportunity to take the vaccine, take it.

    All of these theories about the vaccine killing people is not true. Take your vaccine, he said.

    He, however, cautioned that all, who received the vaccine should also adhere to the safety protocols as advised by the vaccine manufacturers.

    Even when you have taken your vaccine, let us continue to follow the health protocols of wearing these masks, let us continue to use our hand sanitisers, let us continue to wash our hands and also do our social distancing.

    As a community every government is fighting very hard to ensure that every citizen is vaccinated.

    If you are not opportune to be vaccinated now, it does not mean that more vaccines will not come.

    People need to be patient, if you are not called at this particular time, do not panic or demonstrate, if you dont have it today you will have it tomorrow.

    Until we have immunity, continue to wear your masks, he said.

    Source: NAN News

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    ECOWAS Parliament speaker calls for dialogue, youth empowerment to curtail terrorism in W/Africa
    The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis has called for dialogue and youth empowerment to curb the menace of terrorism and banditry in West Africa.

    Tunis told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that such engagements would keep the mind of the youth busy.

    He said that most of those engaged in violence were youths who would have not taken to such vices if they were gainfully employed.

    We need to create wealth for our people; if you notice, most of the people that are involved in banditry are young people, these are people who do not have jobs and believe that they do not have a future.

    But if we are able to create wealth; if we are able to create jobs for people, we would not have security issues.

    So, I believe that as a region our focus should be on creating jobs and wealth for our citizenry, he said.

    The Speaker commended the government of Nigeria for many its empowerment programmes it had set up for youths in spite of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said that such programmes could keep the youths away from criminal activities.

    That is the sort of thing I think we should be doing in all of the countries in the sub-region.

    If we have the youths occupied and they feel belonged; and they feel there is a future for them, we will not have terrorists around, he said.

    The Speaker said that dialogue with the various agreed parties would also play a great role because the bandits and terrorists were citizens of West Africa.

    Terrorists are our brothers; they are our children and they are not foreigners.

    If the bandits are Nigerians, Sierra Leoneans or Ghanaians, they are the same citizens of the community called West Africa and are likely to shield the sword, he said.

    Source: NAN News

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    Countries in Europe divided over COVID-19 vaccine
    European countries were divided in their responses to concerns about the AstraZeneca Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, with Germany and Poland continuing to use the jab while Bulgaria joined the ranks of those to stop using it temporarily.

    Jens Spahn, the German Health Minister criticised the suspension of the use of AstraZeneca vaccine doses in some countries, saying: the benefit is far greater than the risk.

    Denmark and several other European nations had earlier suspended the use of AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine after reports of severe cases of blood clots in people who had received it.

    After consulting experts at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Spahn said he could confidently state there was no noticeable accumulation of thrombosis cases in connection with the vaccination.

    I regret that some countries in the European Union have suspended vaccination with AstraZeneca, he said.

    The president of Germanys Robert Koch Institute for disease control, Lothar Wieler, said there is currently no indication that the events in Denmark and other countries are statistically significant.

    Polish officials reached a similar decision, saying they saw no reason to suspend the use of the vaccine.

    A Polish Health Ministry spokesperson said the deaths in Austria and Denmark were not associated with people having received the vaccine, during a news conference in Warsaw, citing EMAs statements.

    Case numbers are rising in Poland, which reported nearly 18,800 infections and 351 deaths on Friday, bringing its death toll to 46,724.

    The British variant of the virus is spreading rapidly in Poland, making up around 40 per cent of new cases, a proportion expected to rise to 50 per cent in coming days.

    Cases are also rising rapidly in Bulgaria, although officials there temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca jab.

    The Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov said the use of the vaccine would stop until EMA ruled on possible side effects.

    The Health Minister, Kostadin Angelov said he expected AstraZeneca to make a clear statement on the matter.

    The decision means Bulgaria will only use jabs made by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna for the time being.

    Bulgaria has recorded 395 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, according to data that was released on Thursday.

    By Friday, there were 39,823 cases of the virus in a country of 6.9 million people, up from 34,237 a week ago.

    Bulgarias death toll has reached nearly 11,100.

    As cases rise, the country tightened health regulations in 16 of the countrys 28 regions on Friday. (dpa/NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Bwari Area Council proposes over N6.6b 2021 appropriation
    By Veronica Dariya

    The Chairman, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, Mr John Gabaya, on Friday presented the 2021 budget proposal of over N6.6 billion before the members of the councils legislative arm.

    Gabaya, while presenting the proposal, pegged N3.4 billion on capital expenditure with Finance and Accounts gaining highest with N1, 613, 590, 926, followed by Works and Housing with N1, 456, 412, 488.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the councils 2021 proposed appropriation estimate also had N1, 128, 901, 718 for Health and Human services and N351, 310, 123 for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    The council boss in his presentation tagged, Budget of Revitalization, noted that his administration would stand against the present economic challenges to meet the needs of the people.

    Although the economic forecast for the year is still gloomy, but we believe that if this budget is approved, we will definitely improve from our 2020 performance.

    In 2020, councils performance in terms of Actual Gross and Net Revenue Realized was 48 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.

    Similarly, our Actual Recurrent and Capital Expenditure in the same year was 40 per cent and 08 per cent respectively.

    Against this backdrop, the focus of councils 2021 budget shall be the revitalization of the local economy and service delivery capacity of the various sectors of our economy.

    This is meant to enable our people rebuild their lives.

    The chairman added that the goal can only be achieved through concerted efforts and deliberate programmes and projects, targeted to improve the lives and livelihood of the people in the community.

    He noted that in-spite of the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, his administration was able to commence and complete some major rehabilitation projects on infrastructure.

    This, he listed as the construction and asphalt of Sabon-gari road in Bwari town, comprehensive renovation of Bwari Township Primary Healthcare centre and electrification of Ushafa farmers market.

    Others, he added, were the construction of Tokolo community bridge in collaboration with FCTA, the initiation and completion of a number of rural based projects among several other completed ones.

    He also noted that the abandoned Bwari township road that linked the towns major market, JAMB headquarters, and other major structures had commenced and attained 68 per cent completion level.

    He said: we are determined to complete the road and link it up with the Bwari-Jere express road before the rainy season.

    This will no doubt, boost the corporate image of the town and its socio-economic activities.

    Gabaya appreciated the moral, financial and material support given to the council by the various institutions in the town towards the success of the project.

    The completion of the projects, he further said, would open interior communities for development and other socio-economic benefits because of the joint efforts of all stakeholders.

    He also noted that the prudent and judicious management of a poor statutory allocation in 2020 as well as the meagre internally generated revenue as affected by the pandemic, helped achieved the goal.

    In his response, Speaker of the legislative arm, Mr Julius Adamu, promised that the house would do the needful to the proposal and return same to the chairman within the shortest possible time.

    He commended the chairman on the success of his administration thus far, but appealed for the restoration of dilapidated structures within the councils secretariat, including the legislative chamber.

    NAN reports that members of the legislative, councillors and staff of the council were present at the presentation. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Gunmen kidnapped 18-year-old girl in Kebbi- Police
    By Muhammad Lawal

    Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the kidnap of an 18-year-old girl (name withheld) at Gangaren NEPA, Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital in the early hours of Friday morning.

    DSP Nafiu Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi.

    He said that the police were on top of the situation, as all efforts were put in place to rescue the victim.

    Abubakar advised the public to furnish the police with useful information on the matter.

    He also urged the public to report to the security agencies any suspicious move to enable it take the necessary action to foil the illicit act.

    NAN reports that the father of the kidnapped lady, Faruq Mohammed is a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kebbi State Command.

    Speaking in an interview with journalists at the scene, Mohammed said the gunmen came into the area and started operation.

    *When they came to my house, I noticed some noise and understood that something was wrong. I have two exits in my house.

    I decided that we should go out through the garage, unfortunately, on opening the door, we met one of the bandits fully armed by the side of my car, we had to find another route and jumped into neighbouring house.

    The bandits broke into my house and started searching from room to room, unfortunately, my daughter was sleeping in her room, when they knocked, she opened the room and they picked her up.(NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    LEDAP urges NASS to insert gender diversity into constitution
    By Angela Atabo/Augusta Eke

    Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) has urged the National Assembly to alter the constitution by including gender diversity under section 14(3) and(4)after the Federal Character.

    LEDAP made the call at a news conference in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), with support from U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) under the project titled Supporting Advancement of Gender Equality (SAGE).

    Ms Pamela Okoroigwe, Senior Program Manager, LEDAP said that the constitutional amendment would serve as legal backing for the implementation of the National Gender Policy.

    Okoroigwe said that LEDAP reviewed some of the laws and policies that provided access to political offices like the Electoral Act, INEC Gender Policy and the Gender and Equal Opportunities (GEO) Bill.

    She said that the group made some findings on the existing legal barriers as well as recommendations to policy makers on affirmative action that could be adopted to increase access to political offices for women.

    She said that the group therefore, proposed the amendment of identified sections in existing laws and enactment of others which would address the identified gaps and back the implementation of policies.

    This ,she said was because women in Nigeria faced many challenges excluding them from entering, remaining and engaging in politics as aspirants ,candidates, delegates and party executives.

    We call on legislators to alter the constitution by changing the masculine language of the constitution to all gender accommodating language in line with the preamble of the 1999 Constitution, which states:

    We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the constant usage of he and chairman as found in the constitution .

    The alteration of the constitution should include place of residence and other status under sections 15 and 42 in the prohibited grounds to cure the peculiar women-only-discrimination fueled by place of origin versus place of marriage conflict.

    Affirmative action should be introduced in the constitution under section 42 to reverse the long years of unequal political participation and serve as legal backing.

    Okoroigwe said that the constitution should state under Section 48 that every state should have not less than one female senator while composition of the House of Representative, States Assembly and special advisers should have 35 per cent women.

    She added that the constitution should introduce that the president, governor, senate president, speaker and state houses of assembly should have a deputy of a different gender to reflect the true spirit of constitutional non-discrimination.

    She said that the composition of the courts, commissions, councils, bodies and tribunals should include not less than 35 per cent as women to serve as a standard core minimum.

    Okoroigwe said that the constitution should be altered to also change Federal Character Commission to Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission to redefine federal character in the interpretative section to include gender diversity.

    She said that LEDAP wanted the constitution altered to make INEC staff and ad hoc officers to include 35 per cent women and establish gender units and women friendly registration and voting points.

    Okoroigwe said the group urged INEC to develop action plans for the objectives in its guidelines, regulations and gender policy with timelines and conduct a baseline gender audit of all political parties.

    This ,she said was because LEDEP believed that womens participation was a matter of justice ,being part of Nigerian society and a call to duty because women have obligation to contribute their perspective to its advancement.

    Ms Annabel Ugwoke ,National Democratic Institute(NDI) Lead, SAGE programme ,said that the organisation has been working to support democracy in Nigeria since 1999 through engagement with legislative and executive arms of government among others.

    Ugwoke said the group sought to address barriers to womens political participation by advocating for reforms of Nigerias laws and political parties procedures and policies.

    According to her, the 2019 general elections produced less than 10 per cent of women in elective positions both at the national and state levels.

    Therefore the ongoing constitutional review process is a great opportunity to include gender responsive provisions in the amendment to address the issue.

    As activities for the 2021 womens day continues with the theme choose to challenge continues, ,I urge the you all to chose to challenge inequality in our political process.

    Ugwoke urged the media to engage in positive reportage of women in politics because when women were part of decision making process, the socio economic development of a nation will improve.

    Source: NAN News

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    Gov. Okowa to inaugurate Ovwor-Effurun-Otor Bridge on March 16
    By Edeki Igafe

    The Delta Government on Thursday disclosed that it would inaugurate the Ovwor-Olomu-Effurun-Otor Bridge in Ughelli South Local Government Area, on Tuesday, March 16.

    Mr Charles Aniagwu, the Commissioner for Information, made this disclosure to newsmen shortly after inspecting the project at Effurun-Otor.

    He said that the project would be inaugurated by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, who would be accompanied by his Edo counterpart, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

    We are happy that in about five days from now, these projects will be inaugurated by Gov. Okowa, in company with Gov. Obaseki, for the use of our people and the good of humanity.

    Aniagwu also inspected the rehabilitation and re-sealing of Otu-Jeremi-Okwagbe Road and the construction of Okwagbe-Otutuama-Esaba Road Phase 1, all in Ughelli South LGA.

    He said that the state government was happy with the successful completion of the bridge and the use of indigenous contractors.

    Ahead of the inauguration of the projects, we have come to look at the readiness of the contractors to welcome Gov. Okowa.

    Going round these projects, I can tell you that I am immensely proud of being a member of this government, he said.

    Aniagwu said that he was proud to see that indigenous contractors were able to deliver quality work like their foreign counterparts and in good time too.

    He said further that the use of local contractors had also reduced capital burden because majority of the workforce engaged by the indigenous companies were Nigerians and majority of them were citizens of Delta.

    The more we engage these qualified indigenous contractors the more we are able to build capacity to compete even within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

    The more projects they execute, the more funds available to them to purchase machinery and able to train their staff to international standard, he said.

    The commissioner also commended the Ughelli South Council Chairman, Dr Richard Kofi, for using youths trained under the councils skill acquisition programme to execute the interlocking of the internal roads within the councils secretariat.

    You will recall that over 6,000 youths of Delta have been trained in various skills and given starter-packs to become entrepreneurs.

    What Kofi has done here is in line with our prosperity mantra and local content initiative, he said.

    Responding, Kofi who conducted the commissioner round the council premises said his administration targeted the training of 3,000 people but was able to train 850 in interlocking, bag and shoe making.

    Source: NAN News

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    Robbers kill 2 commercial motorcyclists in Osun
    By Olajide Idowu

    The police in Osun on Friday confirmed that two commercial motorcyclists were killed during a foiled robbery at a commercial bank at Okuku in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

    The spokesman for the police in the state, SP Yemi Opalola, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that the robbers shot and killed the motorcyclists, thinking they were pursuing them.

    Opalola said the incident happened at 1.00 a.m. on Thursday.

    When the incident was reported, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olawale Olokode, immediately deployed special units and mobile policemen to Okuku.

    The commissioner of police later visited the scene of the crime with a team and found out that the robbers abandoned their vehicle and ran into bushes.

    Two commercial motorcycle operators were killed by the robbers, while they were trying to escape, Opalola said.

    She said that the police team, with the support of vigilante, was combing the bushes to apprehend the robbers.

    It should be on record that the operation was foiled.

    The police are still on the trail of the robbers to ensure they are arrested and brought to justice, she said.

    Source: NAN News

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    UN Chief: Global vaccine drive greatest moral test of our times
    The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday in a statement, hit out at vaccine nationalism and vaccine hoarding by wealthier countries, one year after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was declared.

    Guterres said the world had faced a tsunami of suffering in the past one year, adding that while vaccine rollouts bring some light at the end of the tunnel, that he was deeply concerned at discrepancies in access to jabs.

    We see many examples of vaccine nationalism and vaccine hoarding in wealthier countries, as well as continued side deals with manufacturers that undermine access for all, the UN chief said.

    The global vaccination campaign represents the greatest moral test of our times.

    Many low-income countries have not yet received a single vaccine dose, while some wealthier countries are on track to getting shots to their whole populations.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) had on Thursday declared a global pandemic.

    The WHO Chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, also expressed concern about inequality in vaccine distribution.

    He has repeatedly warned that if the virus spreads unhindered in some parts of the world, mutations and variants can pose a threat everywhere.

    The COVAX vaccine equality mechanism is set to provide around two billion doses of vaccines for underdeveloped countries by the end of 2021.

    So far, 14.7 million doses have been delivered to 22 countries via COVAX, the chief executive of vaccine alliance Gavi had tweeted on Thursday.

    Source: NAN News

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