APC logo

By Emmanuel Mogbede

An emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary on Sunday.

Nabena said that NEC members had been invited through a letter by the National Secretary of the partys Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John Akpanudoedeheh.

According to him, the meeting which will hold virtually, will review the partys position and set agenda for its next move.

In line with the COVID-19 public health protocols, the APC NEC meeting will be virtual. Login details will be sent to APC NEC members in due course.

The meeting is slated for 11 a.m. at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja, the APC spokesman said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

SDG

By Perpetua Onuegbu

In line with the objectives of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence (GBV), the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, has donated a 208-bed Model Transit facility to Ekiti State.

Janet Mcdickson, Head, Communications, OSSAP-SDGs, who disclosed this in a statement, said the facility was constructed and equipped in collaboration with the State Government to empower women and girls victims of GBV.

The facility contains an administrative block, a crche, 250-seater conference hall, 200 rooms self-contained apartment and a skills acquisition centre for hairdressing, tailoring, photography among others.

At the ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SSAP-SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, noted that the facility would aid the achievements of goals 3, 5, 10, 16 and 17 of SDGs.

The presidential aide commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to improve issues involving women and the girl child.

Orelope-Adefulire, who urged Ekiti state governments to ensure that they mainstream SDGs into their plans and policies, commended the government for its commitment to the 2030 Agenda.

In his speech, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, said the facility would complement the States Sexual Assault Referral Centre, popularly known as Moremi Clinic, in the fight against GBV.

According to him, the Transit Home as a safe haven for women, will also help the state to ensure that victims of gender abuse get justice and also provide succour to them.

The governor noted that his administration had signified its commitment to fight GBV with its naming and shaming policy as demonstrated by its sexual offenders register.

He added that violence against women is a serious violation of human rights with impacts ranging from physical, sexual and mental to even permanent disabilities for the victims.

Also speaking, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, described the facility as another evidence of Buharis desire to the achievement of the global goals.

She assured that the Buhari administration would continue to implement policies and initiatives for the protection of girls and women with introduction of broader social investment programmes in support of vulnerable Nigerians. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State

Ariwodola Idowu

Ekiti State government is poised to reverse astronomical increases in transportation fares, Akin Oyebode, Spokesman for Gov. Kayode Fayemi, said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.

Oyebode said toward the realisation of the reversal, a government delegation, led by Biodun Omoleye, Chief of Staff to the governor, met with transportation unions on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti.

At the meeting were leaders and representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and Pick-up and Lorry Association of Nigeria.

Others represented were those of Okada Riders Association, Tricycle Riders Association, and the National Association of Cooperative Transport and Tipper Drivers Association.

The governors spokesman said in the statement that government was convinced that the astronomical increases in fares resulted in unbearable increases in the costs of goods and services being experienced in the state.

He said government was astonished that transportation fare for a 45-kilometre journey outside the state, which used to be N500, suddenly went to as high as N1,400 and asked transportation unions to scale the fares downward in the interest of the masses.

We hope that in the next five days, this high cost would be reversed for the good of all, Oyebode said in the statement.

He said that at Sundays meeting, Chairman of RTEAN, Rotimi Olanbiwonninu, said the hike in the price of petrol, costly vehicle spare parts and the COVID-19 safety protocols, which demanded that transporters operated below capacity, combined to cause increased fares.

He lamented that proceeds from trips embarked upon by transporters who were compelled to reduce number of passengers barely covered the cost of buying fuel.

Also at the meeting were the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Hakeem Jamiu, the Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Mr Akin Omole and the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief Muyiwa Olumilua.

In attendance were Ado Local Government Chairman, Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Engagement and Enlightenment, Mrs Tosin Ajisafe-Aluko. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court symbol

By Deborah Akpede

An Igando Customary Court in Lagos State on Monday dissolved 15-year-old marriage of a cleric, Yusuf Adeniyi, over infidelity.

Yusufs wife, Rebecca, 44, sought the dissolution of the marriage, saying that she caught him cheating on her.

Rebecca claimed that she caught her 47-year-old husband with a married woman on their matrimonial bed.

The Court President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, granted the request, saying that the petitioner insisted on divorce.

The court is left with no option than to grant your prayer and hereby pronounces the union dissolved.

The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mrs Rebecca Adeniyi and Mr Yusuf Adeniyi dissolved.

Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

Each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours, he said.

Koledoye ordered Yusuf to be responsible for their childrens feeding, education and general welfare.

Rebecca had also told the court that Yusuf had extra marital affairs with both single and married women.

I caught him having sexual intercourse with one. I grabbed the woman and tore her clothes.

I raised alarm; he started begging me not to expose the woman.

My husbands behaviour toward me changed after the incident. He no longer gave me money nor cared for me, she submitted.

The 44-year-old mother of four also claimed that her husband was fetish, saying that he married her with charm.

I was under the influence of charm in my marriage with Yusuf.

The wool was pulled off my eyes five years ago but I decided to remain in the marriage because of my children.

According to her, when her father died, Yusuf did not go for the burial.

Rebecca told the court that she was fed up with the marriage.

Responding, Yusuf admitted having an extra marital affair with a married woman but blamed it on the devil.

I begged my wife to forgive me but she refused and raised alarm, he told the court.

The respondent, however, denied being fetish, saying that he never married his wife with any charm.

It is my wife that is fetish. She frequently visits herbalists and comes home with different substances.

He prayed the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying that he still loved Rebecca. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Crude oil

Oil prices fell on Monday as markets reacted to reports that major producers disagree on how much oil to pump in the coming months.

European Brent oil intermittently dropped below 46 dollars per barrel, around 2 dollars lower than on Friday.

The U.S.benchmark crude oil brand West Texas Intermediate briefly fell below 44.50 dollars.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a Russia-led group of allied producers, jointly known as OPEC , are conducting online talks on Monday and Tuesday to discuss whether to prolong the current production curbs.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hurt global energy demand and oil prices earlier this year, OPEC decided in April to cut production by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd), reducing global supply by 10 per cent.

Under the agreed OPEC plan, the cut was relaxed by 2 million bpd in August and is scheduled to ease by nearly 2 million bpd more in January.

OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Russia want to delay the January rise, as many major economies are still grappling with a second COVID-19 wave.

Prices fell on Monday as an alternative plan emerged that would gradually raise oil output instead of delaying the increase by several months.

Oil prices are also under pressure because production in Libya and the United States has been increasing, according to analysts at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.

Overall, we are pessimistic about oil prices in the short term,they wrote.

Oil ministers from OPEC are set to start talks at 2 p.m (1300 GMT), while the broader OPEC group is scheduled to meet online on Tuesday afternoon.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

WHO

Gaps in life-saving interventions are undermining efforts to curb malaria, amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic could set back the fight against the disease even further, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

According to the World Malaria Report, released on Monday, the situation is particularly concerning in high-burden countries in Africa.

The UN health agency urged nations and health partners to step up the fight against malaria, with better targeting of interventions, new tools and increased funding.

It is time for leaders across Africa and the world to rise once again to the challenge of malaria, just as they did when they laid the foundation for the progress made since the beginning of this century, said WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Through joint action and a commitment to leaving no one behind, we can achieve our shared vision of a world free of malaria, Tedros said.

Though preventable and curable, malaria continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year. According to the WHO, nearly half of the worlds population is at risk of the disease and most cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Malaria is transmitted through the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. Controlling the vector such as by using mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying can help prevent and reduce transmission of the disease.

The WHO report found that in 2019, malaria cases globally numbered about 229 million, an annual estimate that has remained virtually unchanged over the last four years. Last year, the disease claimed about 409,000 lives, compared to 411,000 in 2018.

WHO said as in past years, the African region accounted for more than 90 per cent of the overall disease burden.

The region has made much progress since 2000, reducing its malaria death toll by 44 per cent from an estimated 680,000 to 384,000 but the pace has slowed in recent years, particularly in countries with a high disease burden.

A funding shortfall at both the international and domestic levels poses a significant threat to future gains, according to WHO.

In 2019, total funding reached US billion, far short of the global target of US.6 billion, resulting in critical gaps in access to proven malaria control tools.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic emerged as an additional challenge for essential health services worldwide. Though most malaria prevention campaigns were able to move forward without major delays, WHO voiced concerns that even moderate disruptions in access to treatment could lead to a considerable loss of life.

For instance, a 10 per cent disruption in access to effective antimalarial treatment in sub-Saharan Africa could lead to 19,000 additional deaths, while disruptions of 25-50 per cent in the region could result in an additional 46,000 and 100,000 deaths, respectively.

According to the WHO, ensuring access to malaria prevention, such as insecticide-treated nets and preventive medicines for children, also supported the response to COVID-19 by reducing the number of malaria infections and, in turn, easing the strain on health systems.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, underlined the need to ensure that malaria programmes are sustained and expanded.

COVID-19 threatens to further derail our efforts to overcome malaria, particularly treating people with the disease. Despite the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on African economies, international partners and countries need to do more to ensure that the resources are there to expand malaria programmes which are making such a difference in peoples lives, she said. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

By Emmanuel Antswen

Global powers are deliberately blocking Nigerias moves to acquire needed armament to end terrorism and insurgency, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in Makurdi on Monday.

Speaking with newsmen on the side-line of a visit he paid to Benue States Gov. Samuel Ortom, the minister said the action of the world powers was deleterious and frustrating Nigerias resolve to end the twin-menace as well as end extremism.

He said notwithstanding the frustrations, the Federal Government would fight terrorism and insurgency to a logical conclusion.

We will never stop protecting lives and livelihoods. However, we must also understand that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners.

For instance, Nigeria had made attempts to acquire better and more effective platforms to deal with the terrorists, but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platforms, he said.

The minister also condemned the mindless killing of innocent Nigerian farmers by extremists in Borno last week.

What actually happened in Borno was quite unfortunate, but we also have to look at the strategy of the terrorists.

Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen and so when they go on this kind of mindless killings, a dying terrorist group will suddenly spring to life.

This does not mean the government is not doing enough.

Terrorists everywhere have the same concept which is a group of people who are extremists and do not believe that you and I should be alive, he said.

The minister also said the Federal Government had done so much in addressing security challenges facing Benue State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministers visit to Makurdi was for the official handing over of the North Central Zone campus of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR)

Alhaji Mohammed commended the state government for its commitment to the development of tourism and hospitality for improved revenue generation.

He said that tourism and hospitality sector contributed 4.8 per cent to Nigerias GDP and employed more than one million people.

The minister said tourism and hospitality sector ranked second only to agriculture as largest employer of labour in the country.

Alhaji Mohammed assured that the North Central campus of NIHOTOUR would train personnel in the sector for optimal output. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FG pays 2186 MSMEs under Payroll Support Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government says 2186 companies employing 12,117 individuals have benefitted from its N75 billion Survival Fund for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi at the formal take-off of the North -Centh Zonal Headquarters of National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Campus was handed over to the Ministry of Information and Culture on behalf of NIHOTOUR by the Benue State Government.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister said the Federal Government had done a lot to alleviate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially as it affects the Creative and Tourism sector.

He said Travel, Hospitality, Tourism and other related services had over one million private establishments employing over 9.8

million persons in the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory.

The minister said theindustry contributed about 4.8 per cent to total national output (GDP) and utilised about 1.6 per xent of Nigerians in the year 2016.

In addition, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers2019 hospitality report, the Nigerian hospitality industry is expected to grow by 12 per cent yearly till

2023, making it one of the fastest growing markets.

That is until the world encountered a hurdle by the name COVID-19, he said.

Mohammed said the Federal Government would continue to do everything possible to encourage tourism development in Nigeria, due to its tremendous benefits.

Speaking on the project, the minister said it was coming at a time when globally, tourism is assuming its pride of place as a major catalyst for economic growth.

He noted that one of the prerequisites for tourism development was availability of well-trained personnel.

This forms the basis for the Federal

Governments decision to have a specialised training institution for the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria, which culminated in the establishment of NIHOTOUR.

It is our belief that no amount of investments in either infrastructure or in expanding tourism capacity in Nigeria will ever be successful unless the necessary manpower in the required numbers and at the required levels of knowledge and skills are provided to manage the sector.

This is why we are committed to seeing NIHOTOUR achieve its mandate in this respect, he said.

The minister assured that Benue and the country in general will benefit from the great export earning capacity, employment generation and wealth redistribution from the project.

He thanked Gov. Samuel Ortom for fulfilling the promise ofdonatingan edifice to the institute, adding that it showed the states commitment to the growth of the hospitality and tourism sector.

Mohammed reiterated his ministrysdetermination to develop, project and showcase Nigerias tourism endowment.

The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Benson Abounu, thanked the Federal Government and the Minister for giving Benue the opportunity to host the institution on behalf of the North-Central zone

He said the hospitality and tourism sector had become the area of focus for developed and developing countries, from which Nigeria must take opportunity of diversifying its economy.

He said that apart from being the food basket of the nation, Benue had abundant tourism potential to create jobs for the youths and boost the states economy.

He recalled that the project which was conceivedin 2015 and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2016, was completed in Januarythough delayed for handing over due to COVID-19.

The governor called on other North Central states to take the advantage of the courses available in the school.

On his part, NIHOTOUR Direcor-General, Alh. Nura Kangiwa, said the institution would offer 14 specialised Certificate and Diploma Courses in Hospitality ND Tourism sector.

He thanked the state for its support in realising the project, with a call on the governor to produce Tourism Master Plan for the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sen. Bola Tinubu

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

A political pressure group, Tinubu Vanguard, has condemned the gruesome murderof 43 farmers by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.

Dr Johnny Ben, the groups Director-General, condemned the act in a statement on Monday, describing the killing as great loss to the people of Borno and the entire country.

Ben urged Nigerians to be vigilant and provide necessary information to security agencies about suspicious movements of criminal element.

We condemn the killing of 43 farmers in Borno by Boko Haram; it is an indication that the sect is making a strong come back.

This is a great loss to the people of Borno and indeed the entire country, as the farmers are integral to governments plan towards food security.

It is worrisome to hear that the bandits also burnt their farm produce after the gruesome killings.

We sympathise with families of the deceased, the government and the people of Borno, he said.

The groups boss called on the military authorities to redouble their efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians in NorthEast and across the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo

The Kwara government says it has recorded six new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to 1,118.

Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Spokesman of the Technical Committee on COVID-19, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

Of the 1,118 confirmed cases, he said that 1,059 had been discharged, with 30 dead.

As at 9:20 pm. on Sunday, the number of active cases is now 29, while 1,059 have so far been discharged and 30 deaths recorded, Ajakaye said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News