By Isaiah Eka

The Akwa Ibom Government has cancelled the hosting of this years annual Christmas Carol festival to curtail the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.

The cancellation was made known in statement issued by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Orman Esin, in Uyo on Thursday.

Esin said this was due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he noted had hindered preparations for the festival, which usually takes about six months ahead.

He said that in obedience to the WHO, NCDC and the State Government protocols on social distancing and the threat of a second wave of the virus, the festival had to be put on hold.

The Government of Akwa Ibom State wishes to inform the general public that the 2020 Edition of the states award winning Christmas Carols festival has been cancelled.

This development is hinged on the logistics challenge posed by the global lockdown and international travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the bourgeoning threat of a second wave of the virus.

As expected of world class event of that magnitude, its preparation starts at least six months before the date.

The global travel restrictions and closure of factories earlier in the year, made it impossible to commence the planning of this annual soul lifting spiritual event this year.

The government deeply regrets this development and urges citizens to take personal responsibility, in addition to government restrictions, to prevent the transmission of the dreaded virus, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Philip Yatai

The Care and Action Research Non-Governmental Organisation (CaRE-NGO) has trained 150 residents of Sabon Tasha, Kaduna on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), urban agriculture, and home gardening.

Prof. Bala Dogo, the Coordinator of the project, said at the opening of the training in Kaduna on Thursday that the goal was to empower the community with smart agriculture techniques for food production.

Dogo said that the training was supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-Small Grant Programme (SGP) Nigeria and was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

He said that the GEF-SGP Nigeria launched in 2009, supports non-governmental and community-based organisations in the country to protect the environment, while generating sustainable livelihoods for the poor and the marginalised.

According to him, CSA is an approach that guides actions to transform agricultural systems to effectively support development in communities and ensure food security in changing climate.

While urban agriculture is the practice of farming within the boundaries of towns or cities, he said.

He said that the participants would be trained on CSA, urban agriculture, roof-top farming, raising of seedlings, land preparation for heaps using sacks, local chicken production, and dry season farming of vegetables.

Other areas include grass cutter, rabbit and snail farming, fertilizer production from eggshells, yam cultivation in sacks and other forms of agricultural practices in available spaces in homes.

After the training, the 150 trainees, made up of youths and women groups, farmers associations and tribal unions, will come up with action plans, and would be expected to train others.

CaRE-NGO CSA Resource Centre will supervise their activities and provide the needed guidance and technical support, he said.

Dogo said that CSA, urban and home gardening would provide a huge opportunity for farming households to sustain food production in little spaces in their homes and urban centres, while protecting the climate and the environment.

We at CaRE-NGO want people in the Sabon Tasha community to know that within the little space in and around their houses, they can do a lot of farming activities using climate smart agriculture.

With little space and water households can produce vegetables, grow fruit trees, keep grasscutters, rabbits, fish, poultry, pigs, goats and other livestock.

Water from the fishpond can be used to water the garden, chicken drops to feed the fishes, while dung from livestock can be used as organic fertilizer for backyard garden or greenhouse, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NGO unveiled a Greenhouse constructed and demonstrated how to produce all kinds of vegetables and nurseries for fruit trees and other crops.

The NGO also inaugurated a borehole constructed and donated to it and its host community by GEF-SGP Nigeria. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and other experts will on Friday converge on Nasarawa to take stock of the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country by Nigerian media organisations.

Ehanire will speak alongside other experts at a two-day workshop organised by the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHEJ) with the theme COVID-19 Reportage Assessment Meeting.

The workshop aims to appraise efforts of the Nigerian media, especially health reporters in their reportage of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement by Mr Hassan Zugi, the ANHEJ President.

He stated that the minister would deliver the keynote address titled X-raying Media Activities During COVID-19 Pandemic: Federal Ministry of Healths Perspective,
alongside other resource persons from the health sector and international organisations.

He noted that Nigerian health reporters, caught between the right to safety, passion, fear, emotions and obligations to employers constantly demanding news content, continued
to show resilience in upholding the tenets of the profession.

He explained that health reporters constantly educated and informed the masses of the disease, monitored global COVID-19 infections and recoveries, vaccines production, and the need to adhere strictly to laid down guidelines to contain the spread of the virus.

The workshop would, therefore, assess the sudden emergence of the coronavirus disease and how media professionals stayed afloat by providing relevant information to the public.

It would also assess media professionals positions as opinion leaders to shape behavioural change patterns, ensure safety from the virus, demand accountability from government, and guarantee that COVID-19 pandemic did not override other life-threatening health issues as well as for citizens to have access to adequate healthcare services.

He regretted that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted activities in all sectors globally as leaders, governments and captains of industries continued to grapple with strategies to limit the impacts of the disease.

While the number of reported cases in Nigeria is showing a downward trend, there have been projections of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is already forcing some developed countries, especially in Europe and the U.S., to reintroduce lockdowns and other stringent measures for containment.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) has taken a number of decisions leading to changes in the way cannabis is internationally regulated, including its reclassification out of the most dangerous category of drugs.

In reviewing a series of World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on marijuana and its derivatives, the CND zeroed in on the decision to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs where it was listed alongside deadly addictive opioids, including heroin.

A UN statement said the CNDs 53-Member States voted to removed cannabis where it had been placed for 59 years from the strictest control schedules, that even discouraged its use for medical purposes.

With a historic vote of 27 in favour, 25 against, and one abstention, the CND has opened the door to recognising the medicinal and therapeutic potential of the commonly-used but still largely illegal recreational drug.

Moreover, the UN statement said the decision could also drive additional scientific research into the plants long-heralded medicinal properties and act as catalyst for countries to legalise the drug for medicinal use, and reconsider laws on its recreational use.

Back in January 2019, WHO unveiled six WHO recommendations surrounding the scheduling of cannabis in UN drug control treaties.

The statement said while the proposals were originally set to be voted on during the CNDs March 2019 session, many countries had requested more time to study the endorsements and define their positions, according to news reports.

Among WHOs many points, it clarified that cannabidiol (CBD) a non-intoxicating compound is not subject to international controls. CBD has taken on a prominent role in wellness therapies in recent years, and sparked a billion-dollar industry.

Currently, more than 50 countries have adopted medicinal cannabis programmes while Canada, Uruguay and 15 US states have legalised its recreational use, with Mexico and Luxembourg close to becoming the third and fourth countries to do so. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

NSE

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has announced that the revised Stamp Duty on securities transactions to 0.08 per cent from 0.075 per cent, will take effect from Dec. 7.

This is contained in a notice by the NSE made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

According to the notice, the change is necessitated by the classification of Contract Notes as an ad valorem tax by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The notice read in part: As a responsive self-regulatory organisation, the NSE is committed to enforcing rules and ensuring compliance with regulations and other applicable government requirements.

While it had maintained a stamp duty rate of 0.075 per cent in line with what was obtainable in the Nigerian capital market, it is imperative that the FIRS stamp duty regime of 0.08 per cent onsecurities transactions is applied.

To this end, the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) will adjust its system to implement the automated deduction of the Stamp Duty rate of 0.08 per cent from Monday, Dec. 7.

The Exchange has also issued the requisite guidance to Dealing Member Firms to put in place the necessary measures to ensure compliance and communicate this change to investors in a timely manner.

Capital market stakeholders requiring further information can refer to the market circular issued by the Exchange on 17 November captioned Administration of Stamp Duty on Securities Transactions, which can be accessed on NSEs website.

Investors are also advised to contact their respective stockbrokers for more information or clarification, it read. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NSE

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The nations bourse on Wednesday shed its gaining streak due to sell pressure in large capitalised stocks as the All-Share Index recorded the first loss in seven consecutive trading sessions.

Consequently, the All-Share Index lost 90.80 points or 0.26 per cent to close at 35,056.82 against 35,147.62 recorded on Tuesday.

Also, the market capitalisation which opened at N18.364 trillion dipped N42 billion to close at N18.322 trillion.

The downtrend was driven by price depreciation in medium and large capitalised stocks including Nigerian Breweries, Chemical and Allied Products, Guaranty Trust Bank, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills (NNFM) and Flour Mills.

Market sentiment as measured by market breadth was negative, with 22 losers and 19 gainers.

C

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has charged the Flying Eagles to make Nigeria proud by winning the WAFU U-20 competition in Benin Republic.

Dare gave the charge on Wednesday when he paid a visit to the teams training camp in Abuja.

The minister urged the team to display the Nigerian spirit of resilience and determination to win the tournament which starts on Saturday in Cotonou.

The Flying Eagles have always made us proud, go there and make Nigerians proud.

We believe you are young, talented and determined. Your coaches have impacted much on you, go there and come back victorious, he said.

Coach of the team, Ladan Bosso, assured that the team was ready to do the nation proud in spite being in a tough group.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team is expected to depart for the competition on Friday via Lagos to Cotonou.

Nigeria are drawn in Group B alongside Ghanas Black Satellites and the Junior Elephants of Cote dIvoire.

Nigeria plays her first match against Cote d Ivoire on Sunday.

The WAFU Zone B Cup in Benin Republic serves as qualifiers for the 2021 U-20 AFCON in Mauritania, where the U20 World Cup tickets will be decided. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 Vaccine Research

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday advocated equitable access to Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, especially for people affected by armed conflict.

The ICRC made the appeal in a statement posted on its website.

According to the humanitarian agency, as vaccines for COVID-19 become available, ICRC hopes to ensure that people affected by conflict and violence have access to it.

We hope that people affected by conflict and violence who might otherwise be forced to the back of the line or forgotten all-together, also have equitable access to the vaccine.

For people living in conflict areas, access to basic health services is often challenging or impossible. These populations are just as vulnerable to COVID-19 and deserve to be protected from this severe health menace.

In addition, the ICRC estimates that more than 60 million people live in areas controlled by non-state armed groups, risk not being included in national vaccine distribution frameworks.

Marginalised communities, including internally displaced persons, migrants, asylum seekers and detainees, must also be included in national vaccination programmes and be recognised as people in need of the health protections the vaccine will provide.

The statement quoted Robert Mardini, ICRCs Director-General, as saying health workers or someone with a compromised immune system in regions affected by armed conflict endure the double burden of conflict and COVID-19 in often-forgotten and neglected areas.

We believe that people there should have the same right and access to the vaccine as others do.

In conflict settings, poor health capacities due to the breakdown or destruction of health services, lack of health personnel, precarious infrastructure and disputed borders might hamper vaccine distribution.

Reaching front-lines and areas controlled by non-state armed groups bring complications such as difficult logistics, the need for travel permissions and reduced availability of electricity and refrigeration.

Restrictive measures and sanctions may impede access to these areas.

In addition, the statement noted that together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the ICRC would support Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to support vaccination programme.

The ICRC will support other Red Cross movement as they have a leading role in carrying out vaccination programme and distributing the COVID vaccine in their respective countries.

According to the statement, the ICRC is ready to support national vaccination campaigns and facilitate access to the COVID-19 vaccine by populations in countries affected by armed conflict and violence.

Also, the ICRC is ready to use its privileged position and offer its services as a neutral intermediary to ensure access to the vaccine for people living in conflict zones, in areas not under governmental control and in places of detention.

Excluding these populations from a COVID-19 vaccine presents a clear risk since no one will be safe until everyone is safe.

The ICRC, however, requested that states should ensure the inclusion of populations in humanitarian settings in national vaccination frameworks.

States support Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, which have a key role in COVID-19 vaccination; states should maintain and strengthen routine immunisations and essential health services.

Measles and polio campaigns have been suspended in dozens of countries, and at least 80 million children under age one are at risk of diseases with significant mortality such as measles, diphtheria and polio.

Whilst a COVID vaccine is urgent, other vaccines are also most needed and must be provided.

ICRC stated that Community members, Red Cross/Red Crescent volunteers and religious and community leaders should be invited to help design and implement vaccine mobilization plans.

Engaging communities and providing them with accurate information will be critical for the success of COVID-19 vaccination programmes and the safety of health personnel.

The statement further quoted Mardini, as saying, together with our Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, the ICRC is ready to contribute to the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

ICRC is ready to contribute to the distribution of COVID-19, especially in areas affected by conflict and last-mile areas along the frontlines, as well as in places of detention.

We will also prioritise routine vaccinations and work to provide reliable information about vaccines. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Arbovirus and Vector Research Centre (NAVRC) to investigate the outbreak of an unidentified ailment in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly also urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to promptly put up surveillance to contain the disease and see to the treatment of victims, while protecting others from further contracting it.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) during plenary on Wednesday.

The motion is tagged: Urgent need to deal with the outbreak of a strange ailment said to be Yellow Fever ravaging Okpeilo-Otukpa and Itabano-Owukpa communities in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue.

Moving the motion, Moro said that the ailment had not yet been effectively diagnosed by health authorities.

He, however, said that the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services had been able to intervene to some extent, having collected samples and sent same to National Reference Laboratory.

The lawmaker said this was to establish the kind of organism that was causing the ailment.

He said that the death toll was increasing, adding that the disease was spreading to other communities.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted by the lawmakers after a voice vote pronounced by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Benue state government had said no fewer than 17 lives were lost in the communities in November.

Some of the symptoms of the illness include fever, abdominal pain, and general body weakness, while some stool and vomit with traces of blood. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Stakeholders laud security agencies role in managing COVID-19 pandemic

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Stakeholders have commended security agencies in the country for playing important roles in the management of national emergencies such as the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

They gave the commendation at the National Conference on The Roles of Nigerias Security Agencies in the COVID-19 Pandemic Environment, organised by the National Defence Collage (NDC) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The conference was organised in conjunction with Africa Global Empowerment and Development Network (AGED Network), a Non-Governmental Organisation.

The Commandant, NDC, Rear Adm. Mackson Kadiri, said the conference was organised to raise awareness and understanding of how the security community should engage with the citizenry in managing national emergencies like the COVID 19 pandemic.

Kadiri said that the security agencies had exhibited professionalism, accountability and restraint in their engagement with the civil populace.

He said that there was a need to enhance and infuse new thinking by stakeholders towards promoting good relations between members of the security agencies and the general society.

According to him, the NDC has recognised the need for this and has been at the forefront of promoting best practices for Nigerias security sector.

How the security community should engage with the citizenry, especially when it comes to managing national emergencies, like the COVID 19 pandemic, he said.

The President, AGED Network, Dr. Bala Kotangora, said the conference was apt in view of the fact that the nations security equipment and personnel had been stretched beyond the elasticity of human capacity.

Kotangora said the advancement of COVID-19 had disengaged more security operatives from their usual and daily schedule of duties, adding that the situation had in-turn led to increase in crime rate.

While commending the efforts of security services in ridding the society of crimes and criminalities, he urged them to show doggedness and embrace the new challenges as they evolve.

He explained that the networks core mandate was to assist security agencies in the area of provision of modern equipment as well as supporting to enhance the welfare of the personnel through its welfare programmes.

He said the organisation had signed a memorandum of understanding with the NDC with the primary purpose of advancing security sector reforms and synergy.

The Country Representative, International Crisis Group, Mr Nnamdi Obasi, said that the roles of security agencies were expanded as a result of the global health challenge occasioned by the COVID-19.

Obasi, who delivered a paper titled; Security Agencies in Global Response to COVID-19 pandemic, Roles and Issues, said the security agencies acted beyond their normal mandates.

He said that their roles that included providing planning support to local administration, facilitating enabling responses like logistics, repatriation of nationals and boosting health services as well as enforcing containment protocols and regulations.

According to him, there were issues in involvement of security agencies in the management of the pandemic such as reallocation of human resources from their core mandate among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference has participants drawn from the security agencies, civil society organisations and government agencies among others.

Source: NAN News