U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard

By Jessica Onyegbula

The United States Government, says it will continue to support Nigeria in its quest to end the HIV pandemic in the country.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, gave the assurance at the Workshop on Data Repository, as a Resource for Achieving HIV-Epidemic Control, on Thursday, in Abuja.

Leonard said that approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV, received support to improve quality of life, including Tuberculosis and HIV care services, and about 1.3 million orphans and vulnerable children received care and support services in Nigeria.

I am delighted to join you today to celebrate World AIDS Day 2020. Every year we gather to celebrate people living with HIV/AIDS, remember those who have passed on due to the disease, and thank those who continue to work tirelessly to bring this epidemic under control.

HIV/AIDS continues to be a leading cause of death, with over 690,000 people dying from AIDS-related illnesses in 2019.

Today, over 38 million people are living with HIV worldwide. The U.S. government is fighting this disease through treatment and prevention initiatives and expanding access to HIV services for people worldwide.

This World AIDS Day, we reaffirm our dedication to the fight to end HIV, she said.

Leonard also said that in spite of threat of COVID-19, the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) helped diagnose and provide treatment to 6,000 HIV-infected Nigerians in 2020.

This was done while maintaining the integrity and quality of services, and keeping the healthcare providers safe.

Now, PEPFAR is supporting lifesaving treatment to over a million patients and partnering with the government to achieve epidemic control, she said.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who declared the workshop open, said that the workshop was a timely opportunity to critically examine available data in the country.

Ehanire also acknowledged all the supports of partners.

There is no doubt that 2020 will be judged by history to be an important year in global public health.

Despite the threats that COVID-19 posed to our programmes and targets, it is a paradox, in that it also presented us important opportunity for learning and for change.

I am certain that most of this learning will remain with us even in the post COVID -19 era, Ehanire said.

The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Aliyu, said the National Data Repository would go a long way in identifying persons with HIV and placing them on treatment.

Similarly, Dr Murphy Akpu of the U.S PEPFAR, says the agency is proud of the investments made so far in Nigeria.

PEPFAR has invested more than billion in the national HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria alone. In Nigeria in 2020, more than 8.2 million people have received HIV counseling and testing services.

Similarly, more than 1.2 million pregnant women received HIV testing and counseling toward prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Network of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Mr Abdulahi Ibrahim, said the issue of accurate data posed some challenges.

He assured the partners that NEPWHAN was totally committed to the success of the project.

The Data Repository is a Repository of identified patients data collated from across the country.

It provides for patients data to be collected at facilities and entered directly into Electronic Medical Record system, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Suleiman Adamu Minister of Water resources

By Patricia Amogu

The Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu is pressing for the quick passage of the National Water Resources Bill.

As you are aware, the National Water Resources Bill has generated a lot of controversy by those who may not have proper understanding of its contents and merits.

The debate over the bill comes against the backdrop of a situation where the countrys health is being undermined by unsafe drinking water, the minister said while giving his keynote address at the 27th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR) on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the bill was the manifestation of the governments desire to ensure that the citizens derived maximum benefits from the countrys water resource endowments and potentials.

Adamu stated that the bill was the product of extensive national consultations and a consolidation of four existing laws with the countrys international obligations.

He said the passage of the bill would ensure the equitable and sustainable development, management and use of Nigerias water resources.

It is, therefore, a holistic document that contains provision for the establishment and management of all the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, including the River Basin Development Authorities, he said.

The minister said that to salvage the bill from unrelenting onslaught and to realize its guiding philosophy, the government was actively engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that the objectives were realized for the benefits of Nigerians.

Advocacy for the bill has been kick-started by my humble self through media briefings to sensitise members of the public on the benefits and desirability of the National Water Resources Bill, he said.

Dr Ifeoma Anyataaku, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, said that the importance of water for women and the girl-child could not be overemphasized, particularly during their monthly menstrual period and for other basic hygiene purposes.

Non-availability of water can cause absenteeism of the girl-child from school, she said.

The minister urged stakeholders to double their efforts to ensure that there is quality water for the entire nation. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Pharmacist Council of Nigeria

By Chukwuemeka Opara

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says it has sealed 348 pharmaceutical premises in Ebonyi for violating various regulatory and ethical tenets governing their practice.

Mr Elijah Mohammed, Registrar of the Council, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen on activities of the council in the state.

Mohammed, represented by Mrs Anthonia Aruya, Director (Inspection and Monitoring) of the council, said that the affected premises consist of three pharmacies and 345 patent medicine shops.

A total of 556 pharmaceutical premises were visited by the council in continuation of our activities aimed at sanitising the system for enhanced service delivery.

The pharmaceutical premises we visited include 49 pharmacies and 507 patent medicine shops.

Five premises were issued compliance directives for issues ranging from sale and dispensing of ethical and prescription drugs without a pharmacists supervision.

The compliance directives were also issued to them for unhygienic environment, poor documentation, among others for public safety, he said.

The registrar said that it was an offence to break the federal government seal and people found to have broken the seals placed on their premises would be prosecuted.

The public is advised to ask for the registration status of facilities where they access their medicines.

They should request for the current annual licences issued by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria from any pharmaceutical outlet, to safeguard themselves from patronising quacks, he said.

Mohammed said that the council had been in Ebonyi since Nov. 30 and visited several local government areas of the state such as Ebonyi, Ikwo, Ivo, Izzi, Ishielu, among others.

Ethical or prescription medicines are to be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist, while controlled medicines are to be handled by pharmacists exclusively.

All pharmaceutical outlets or premises where drugs are manufactured, warehoused, distributed, sold or dispensed must be registered and licensed by the council.

Anyone who operates outside these regulations is violating the law, as the council ensures compliance to regulations and guidelines bordering on the pharmaceutical sector, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FRSC personnel at an scene of an accident

By Bosede Olufunmi

Eight people died while six others sustained injuries, and six others escaped unhurt when a Volkswagen Sharon commercial vehicle rammed into a bus on Wudil-Bauchi highway on Thursday.

The accident happened at Dakare village in the Garko Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Kano, Mr Zubairu Mato, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.

We received a call at about 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 3 and we quickly dispatched our personnel and vehicle to the scene of the incident to rescue the victims at about 9:50 a.m., Mato stated.

He explained that the accident occurred as a result of over-speeding and dangerous driving.

The victims who lost their lives were male adults, while six were injured and six other escaped unhurt.

Mato said that the victims were taken to Garko General Hospital in Kano, where the doctor on duty confirmed eight dead, while six others were currently receiving treatment.

The commander appealed to motorists to obey traffic regulations and drive carefully to minimise road accidents. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Maternal death

By Abujah Racheal

Sustainable, scalable and equitable innovations in the healthcare system will reduce maternal deaths in Nigeria, Ms Iyadunni Olubode, a Consultant and the Nigeria Director of MSD for Mothers, an NGO, said on Thursday.

Olubode made the assertion in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on the sideline of the 2020 Future of Health Conference.

The Future of Health Conference is organised by the Nigeria Health Watch and the theme for 2020 is Innovation: Improving Health and Scaling Up Healthcare Access.

The conference aims at discussing innovations and how they are needed to improve healthcare access for every Nigerian.

Olubode, said that given the countrys Maternal Mortality Rate at 512 per 100,000 live births and the exacerbating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health outcomes, it had become clear that business as usual would not get the country there.

To meet our goals, we need strong, resilient, integrated health systems where public sector capacity is complemented by private sector innovation.

We need solutions that reflect the preferences, needs and values of the Nigerian woman; solutions that are scalable, sustainable and equitably available.

We also need the right policies environment and funding mechanisms that support these solutions.

Innovation is the key to bridging the gap from where we are to where we want to be, she explained.

Also speaking, Dr Moredreck Chibi, Regional Innovation Adviser of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), said that one of the challenges that could potentially inhibit innovation on the Africa continent was the digital divide.

Speaking on the critical interventions that African governments need to prioritise and bridge the divide, Chiba said that innovation thrives in a knowledge based economy where all the people have equal access to information in order to create a sustainable society.

Digital divide is one of the challenges especially in Africa as result of imbalances in terms of access to Internet infrastructure, information and knowledge.

This exacerbates inequity gaps and heavily compromises equal opportunities for economic empowerment.

Governments and other concerned stakeholders should concentrate on promoting ICT skills and digital literacy in a non-discriminative manner to ensure equal opportunities for the young and future generations.

Chibi told NAN that the provision of minimal package of interconnected and interoperable e-services that are accessible to everyone and the promotion of digital literacy should become top priority for governments.

This, he said, would ensure countries relevance for future knowledge based society.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Buhari receives Adama Barow

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged African leaders to always do the right thing to enhance democratic culture in the continent.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement, said Buhari gave the advice on Thursday when he received the President of The Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow.

Barrow was on a courtesy visit in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Nigerian leader said it was the least the country could do to lead an ECOWAS onslaught against the sit-tight President.

Nigeria played a key role in ousting former President Yahya Jammeh who refused to accept results of the election he lost in 2016.

Buhari pledged Nigerias support to The Gambia as it prepared to go to polls next year.

The future of our countries lay in our hands. We must respect our people and appreciate their support.

And when people do the right thing, they do themselves a lot of favour.

I was in Gambia physically at least two times; it was the least we could do to stabilise the region.

We have accepted multi-party democracy and we must comply with its tenets.

By supporting you, we are supporting ECOWAS.

We are dealing with our own troubles here, but we will continue to support you bilaterally and through ECOWAS, the president was quoted as saying.

The Gambian President, while fielding questions from State House correspondents, said his visit was to thank Nigeria, once again, for its multifarious help.

Barrow noted that the support had been unflinching since he got to office in 2017.

You have given us technical support in the Ministry of Education, in the Ministry of Justice and in many other areas; we are grateful, the Gambian president said.

Barrow said his country was recovering from 22 years of dictatorship, security problems, lack of infrastructure and a parlous economy.

He said that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was already sitting to redress injustices of the past.

There are a lot of things that are going on in The Gambia our reforms are going on..

We have the Truth and Reconciliation Commission going on and we have the security sector reform going on in The Gambia.

Basically, this is what we discussed and this is why we are here to update Mr President because Nigeria has been very, very supportive.

Nigeria has been a very good brother. Nigeria has given a big brother support in different areas; technical assistance, judicial, education sector and the economic team in The Gambia.

If you want to thank a farmer, the best place to thank him is to come to his farm; that is why we are here, to thank Mr president.

The Gambian leader said his country still needed Nigerias stabilising support.

Things would have been very difficult for us without the invaluable support you gave, Barrow said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says three trillion dollars is needed to bridge the infrastructural deficit in Nigeria over the next 30 years.

He said that adopting new models of investments for infrastructural development in the country was imperative as reliance on public expenditure alone was no longer sufficient to meet the needs.

Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, quoted the vice president as saying these while featuring at a webinar organised by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The forum was to discuss measures to deepen Nigerian infrastructure stock through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Osinbajo said that in spite of governments interventions over the years, Nigeria still faces a huge infrastructural deficit which is constraining rapid economic growth.

The vice president made reference to statistics provided in the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Masterplan (NIIMP) and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

The Federal Government recognises this fact which is why we are considering other approaches to complement and boost financing for the development and maintenance of infrastructure in Nigeria.

It is clear that this deficit can only be made up by private investment.

Private sector is 92 per cent of GDP while the public sector is mere eight per cent; so, the synergy between the public and private sector through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) is really the realistic solution, the statement qouted him as saying.

Osinbajo said that the Federal Government would have to spend the entire revised 2020 appropriation of N10.81 trillion continuously for the next 108 years or more on capital expenditure (CAPEX) to meet that target.

The fact that only N2.49 trillion was appropriated for capital expenditure in 2020, reflects the importance of deliberate and pragmatic action to boost infrastructural spending.

It seems to me to be quite clear that the financial outlay and management capability required for infrastructural development and service delivery outstrip the financial and technical resources available to government.

In other words, the traditional method of building infrastructure through budgetary allocations is inadequate and set to become harder because of increasingly limited fiscal space, he said.

On the benefits of effectively implementing PPP arrangement for Nigeria, he said if properly designed and executed, PPP models would unlock innovative infrastructure financing and management in a transparent and more efficient manner.

According to him, Nigeria using PPP frameworks will benefit immensely from huge local and foreign private sector resources.

He said that the Federal Government was leveraging on the partnership with the private sector to bridge the huge infrastructure gap.

The Federal Government has recently issued a circular on the administration of PPP projects in the country to provide the much-needed clarity.

The circular re-emphasises that the BPE shall be responsible for the concession of public enterprises and infrastructure already listed in the First and Second Schedules of the Public Enterprises Act.

The circular equally stipulates that the BPE shall act on behalf of the Federal Government as the counterparty on all infrastructure projects being developed on a PPP basis, he said.

He said the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) would continue to act as the regulatory agency for PPP transactions with powers to inspect, supervise and monitor projects and processes in order to ensure compliance with relevant laws, policies and regulations.

It is expected that this new policy direction would provide clarity to stakeholders and foster the improvement of PPP programmes in the country.

Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as the multilateral agencies and our development partners are urged to support the PPP policy objectives and institutional arrangements already put up by government, he said.

He said that the Federal Government through the CBN, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority and African Finance Corporation as well as other financial institutions would be creating a N15 trillion Infrastructure Fund.

According to him, the fund will help to, not only unlock investment from local sources, but also attract foreign private investment in infrastructure development. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ella Anokam

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has stressed the need for Nigerian cargoes to be freighted by the nationals to promote indigenous participation in maritime space, diversification and increase in international shipping trade

Dr Bashir Jamoh, NIMASA Director-General, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the NIMASA special day at the 15th Abuja International Trade Fair which had its theme as, Trade and Commerce Beyond Borders.

Jamoh, represented by Mr Momoh Alhassan, Head, Shipping Promotions Unit, spoke on Investment Opportunities for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Nigerian Blue Economy.

He said that for trade and commerce beyond borders to be achieved, there must be Cargo and Shipping industry.

Nigeria has cargoes and these cargoes should be carried by Nigerians to promote indigenous participation in the maritime space.

It will further promote diversification and increase in international shipping trade, such as exportation of available produce which when we utilise the capability in the country, will reduce importation of goods and services.

Conserve foreign exchange and curtail capital flight which will contribute to GDP growth and economic stability, he said .

The D-G explained that the National Shipping Policy, established under decree 10, 1987 stipulated that Nigerians should have a right of freight.

He noted that the right of freight must be up to 50 per cent of all dry cargo originating from international commercial ventures of local, state and the Federal Governments.

He said section 37, sub-section six, of the act also stipulated that the agency woulddetermine an efficient strategy for the participation of national carriers in the carriage of crude and petroleum products to and fro Nigeria.

He further said that the Nigeria Content Development Act of 2010 , was also aimed at ensuring that substantial proportion of activities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry was domiciled within the country.

This covers both upstream and downstream sectors of the sector.

These acts and policies that are favourable to indigenous players on the oil and gas sector shall be replicated in other sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals which have huge demand potential in global trade, he added.

He reiterated NIMASAs commitment through its 2007 act in promoting the development of indigenous commercial shipping in international and coastal shipping trade.

The NIMASA boss highlighted vast opportunities availed by maritime industry especially the Blue economy to MSMEs and other interested stakeholders in exploiting vast maritime potentials.

He said if the sector was well harnessed, income would accrue to small businesses in local and foreign currency, thereby collectively boosting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) .

The fair featured indoors exhibitions and virtual at Abuja Trade and Convention Centre. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A girl being defiled

By Oluwafunke Ishola

Stakeholders at a Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) programme have called for speedy trial of rape cases in Nigerian courts toward ensuring timely justice for victims.

The stakeholders made the call during the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) SGBV Projects Review and Evaluation in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the projects conducted by Centre LSD is under the joint European Union/United Nations Spotlight Initiative programme.

Spotlight Initiative is a joint EU-UN funded programme whose aim is to support a Nigeria where all women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from violence and harmful practices.

Centre LSD is an implementing partner under UN Women with projects in Lagos and Cross Rivers States.

The Lagos projects were implemented in six communities in Ikorodu and Yaba Local Government Areas; namely Igbogbo, Baiyeku and Ibeshe Communities in Ikorodu, while Iwaya, Adekunle and Makoko for Yaba LGA.

Speaking at the programme, Imam Masud Mohammed, General Secretary, Lagos Mainland Council of Imam, said that the slow pace of the judicial system in resolving rape cases had frustrated the efforts of many survivors from seeking justice.

Mohammed said that delay in the justice system had emboldened many perpetrators, while having a psychological effect on survivors.

A seven-year-old girl was raped in my community, and the case charged to court, however, we didnt get judgment till seven years after.

This shouldnt be; the process was frustrating and depressing for the girl, her family and interested parties, but our resolve to get justice kept us going, he said.

Mohammed thus called for special courts to ensure privacy for survivors during hearing of cases and to fast track the judicial process.

He said that the trainings conducted under the Centre LSD SGBV projects had increased the knowledge and boldness of community and religious leaders in Makoko and Iwaya to speak and take a stance against gender based violence.

Also, Chief Francis Ogunbanjo, a community leader in Iwaya, said that exposure from the training had assisted them to sensitise residents on gender based violence.

Recently, a 54-years-old man defiled a five years old girl, because of the knowledge and exposure from the training, we insisted that the issue must be charged to court.

Also, we ensure that all hotels and clubs in our community close by 12 a.m, enforcing this has reduced sexual assault and crime in the community, he said.

Commenting, Pastor Abayomi Adelakun, CDC Leader, Igbogbo/Baiyeku in Ikorodu, said that the intervention by Centre LSD had assisted the community to embark on preventive measures against SGBV.

According to him, harmful practices, domestic violence and abandonment issues against women and girls have reduced in the community,

Also, Chief Raymond Olaiya, Baale of Makoko community, said that more collaboration between all stakeholders was needed to end SGBV in Lagos, and indeed Nigeria.

Commenting, Mr Vincent Dania, Senior Programme Officer, Centre LSD, said that the programme was held to review progress on commitments, lessons learnt, success stories and emerging issues on ending SGBV against women and girls. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

British PM, Boris Johnson

By Lizzy Okoji

The United Kingdom (UK) has launched a number of immigration routes under its new points-based immigration system, including the skilled worker route (formerly known as the Tier 2 Visa).

The British High Commission in Nigeria disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, stating that applications for the new skilled worker visa by the UK opened on Dec. 1.

According to the mission, the launch of the new immigration routes seeks to ensure that UK businesses and universities continued to attract people from around the world, including Nigeria.

This, it added would complement the skills and talents already present in the UK.

Applications for the new skilled worker visa are now open 1 December, meaning the brightest and the best from around the world can now apply to work in the UK from 1 January 2021.

Under the points-based immigration system, points will be awarded for a job offer at the appropriate skill level, knowledge of English and being paid a minimum salary. Skilled worker visas will be awarded to those who gain enough points.

The new immigration rules will ensure that businesses can recruit the most highly qualified from across the globe to drive the economy forwards and keep the UK at the frontier of innovation.

It will also encourage employers to focus on training and investing in the UK workforce, driving productivity and improving opportunities for individuals, especially those impacted by coronavirus, the statement read.

Mr Priti Patel, Home Secretary of the United Kingdom said the government promised to end free movement, to take back control of the borders and to introduce a new points-based immigration system.

He added that the new policy meant that the government had delivered on that promise.

This simple, effective and flexible system will ensure employers can recruit the skilled workers they need, whilst also encouraging employers to train and invest in the UKs workforce.

We are also opening routes for those who have an exceptional talent or show exceptional promise in the fields of engineering, science, tech or culture, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News