President Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the international community to act in unison with rededicated efforts, using latest available technology and tools, to address the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.

Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide.

In his goodwill message to the roundtable conference of the Board of the Global Stop TB Partnership, the Nigerian leader expressed concern that efforts at ending a preventable and curable disease like TB were now complicated because of COVID-19.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidents spokesman, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, quoted Buhari to have told the roundtable session of Honorable Ministers of Health, during the 33rd Board Meeting of the Global Stop TB Partnership, that:

As I mentioned during the UN High Level Meeting in 2018, it is now even more urgent that the global community, especially the African region, act in unison with rededicated efforts, using the latest available technology and tools to address the TB epidemic.

Nigeria still ranks amongst those countries bearing the brunt of an increasing burden of TB with a growing number of missing TB cases.

The reversal of Nigerias difficult health indices, remains a top priority of this administration, including the gap in TB case detection, fueled partly by the dearth of acceptable, accessible, affordable and patient centered basic health facilities.

According to the Nigerian leader, his government has conceptualized and is currently implementing the Primary Health Care (PHC) revitalization programme, to empower more PHC centres to provide quality basic healthcare in the treatment of TB, HIV, malaria and other health challenges, delivered in a patient-centered way.

Buhari added that the Nigerian Government was also implementing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, prescribed by the National Health Act, to bridge the gap in health care financing, with funds released to support provision of a basic minimum package of health services.

We are also improving funding of health services through voluntary contributory schemes that reduce out of pocket spending and the risk of catastrophic costs to patients and their families including those with TB.

While warning on the consequences of the increasing epidemic, the president said:

If we fail in the fight to reverse the current trend in TB prevalence, TB will continue to fight us and lead to avoidable loss of lives, especially among the economically productive age group, and amongst our most vulnerable groups, especially women.

It is imperative that we not only commit to ending the TB epidemic as one of the milestones enshrined in the SDGs, but also to institute an accountability element to ensure that our commitment translates to achievement of desired results.

Buhari, who acknowledged that the work of the Stop TB Partnership all over the world had been so remarkable, despite numerous challenges, pledged his commitment to providing needed political leadership and support to end TB in Nigeria and globally.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court symbol

By Olaitan Idris

A Surulere Magistrates Court in Lagos State on Thursday remanded a 43-year-old man, Ifeanyi Ndieze, who allegedly defiled a three-year-old girl in a church.

The court could not take the plea of the defendant as the Magistrate, Mrs M. I. Dan-Oni, said she needed advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She ordered that the defendant should be kept at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the advice, and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the DPP.

Dan-Oni adjourned the case until Dec. 2 for mention.

The defendant, who resides at Karimu Street, Surulere, is facing a charge of defilement.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Courage Ekhueorohan, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on Oct. 29 at 8:00p.m at No. 18, Salau St., Surulere.

Ekhueorohan said that the defendant saw the toddler in a church and inserted his fingers in her private part in the guise of playing with her.

The prosecutor submitted that the defendant was arrested after the toddler told her mother what he did.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that defilement contravenes Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FIFA

FIFA is to introduce new regulations to protect the rights of women players, including mandatory maternity leave, the world football governing body said on Thursday.

The reforms have been put forward by FIFAs Football Stakeholders Committee (FSC) and will go to FIFAs Council in December for approval.

While many players in Europe are already protected by employment laws in their given countries, FIFA says its aim is to create new global minimum standards for female players all over the world.

It said the regulations were necessary given the rapid emergence of new clubs and leagues globally.

The proposed rules include a mandatory maternity leave of 14 weeks, at a minimum of two-thirds of the players contracted salary.

In addition to this, there will be a guarantee that no female player should suffer a disadvantage as a result of becoming pregnant.

The planned regulations also state that on their return to work after maternity leave, clubs must reintegrate female players and provide adequate medical and physical support.

Women players contractual rights were already covered by the existing regulations for all footballers but the changes are a bid to address specific concerns for female players.

It is also to be viewed as a basic minimum that can be applied in all countries.

As we try to accelerate the professionalism of the womens game, which is one of our strategic objectives, it is really important that we evolve and adapt the regulatory framework around the game at the same time.

This is a very good example, Sarai Bareman, FIFAs Chief Womens Football Officer, told reporters.

We want to see more women being able to earn a living playing football whilst at the same time being able to have a family life and being mothers.

It is important that we provide the necessary regulatory framework to protect those women, she added.

The new regulations also seek to address problems for coaches working internationally.

Until now coaches contracts have been subject to the same regulations as players, but FIFA wants to introduce specific language to deal with the rights of coaches.

The aim is to protect contractual stability, achieve greater transparency and make sure that coaches also get paid on time, FIFA said in a statement.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Irrigation

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to invest in the irrigation sub-sector to achieve sufficient food security.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu during the South East Regional Workshop on Establishment/Strengthening of Water Users Association for Management of Public Irrigation Schemes.

Adamu also said that the irrigation sub-sector was one of the key policy thrusts to help the Federal Government to lift 100million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030.

He said the Federal Government had resolved to massively invest in the sector to achieve food and water sufficiency by moving from drought-prone, rain-fed agriculture to irrigated agriculture for self-sufficiency.

This is the first in the series of workshops planned to establish or strengthen water users of public irrigation schemes for effective and efficient management of the schemes.

The current administration is committed to increasing food production through irrigated agriculture and ensuring greater efficiency and equity in the distribution and use of these resources for the well-being of Nigerians, he said.

Adamu said that the Water Bill was being presented to the National Assembly (NASS) to address various issues in the water sector.

We are aware that it has been misunderstood. However, it is clear that the bill is not with any negative intension but to promote sustainable integrated water resources management nationwide, Adamu said.

Also, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Chief Sunday Inyima, appealed to the Federal Government to reactivate the various irrigation projects in the South East.

He listed the Adani Irrigation Scheme and Ezzamgbo Veterinary Dam, built by the former Premier of Old Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, as irrigation schemes that needed to be rehabilitated.

The commissioner also appealed to the Federal Government to complete the Ivo Water Project and other abandoned dams attracted by some members of the national assembly to the state.

It is good to see how we can bring to life these dams that are not working in Ebonyi and other states in the region for the benefits of our farmers, he said.

He commended the Federal Government for its policies in the sector which he said had impacted positively on rice farmers in Ebonyi.
Nature blessed our rice and the farmers are doing better today, Inyima said.

Mr Gerald Osuagwu, the Managing Director, Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority, said that the South East needed efficient irrigation practices due to scarcity of land.

We are relevant to the farmers only if we are able to provide them the needed extension services that will enhance their productivity, including the provision of adequate water for irrigation, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Rajen Sachar, Head, Maritime and Port Infrastructure, Dangote Group, briefing Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund during his visit to the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemicals and Fertiliser projects in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos on Thursday.

By Solomon Asowata

The Dangote Group says it will continue to partner with research institutions for advancement of indigenous technology and national development.

Mr Mansur Ahmed, Group Executive Director, Dangote Group, made the pledge on Thursday in Lagos.

He spoke during a study tour of the Research and Development Steering Committee of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemicals and Fertiliser projects in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation, comprising top academics and researchers, was led on tour by the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.

Ahmed said collaboration between the government, academia and industry was needed to set Nigeria on the path of industrial development.

He said :The Dangote Group believes that there needs to be a synergy between the researchers in the universities and the industries, like what is found in advanced economies.

The industry and the academia need to work together to identify issues and problems that are looking for solutions and the researchers will now come back with their findings and proposed solutions.

If the solution meets the expectations of the industry, you will get the two working together to find home grown solutions to our problems.

I think the idea initiated now by TETFUND is a welcome development and we should make sure that whatever research that is going on in our universities is research that is useful and can be practicalised in our industries.

This will expand the scope of indigenous technology.

Ahmed emphasised that the Dangote Refinery project would generate over 250, 000 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians when completed.

According to him, part of the collaboration is to ensure that Nigerian graduates are equipped with the set skills to immediately fit into the industry upon employment, instead of wasting more years in training them.

Earlier, Bogoro said the visit was aimed at bridging the gap between the industry and the academia, adding that the committee was made up of over 100 eminent scholars and researchers.

This committee has 13 sub-committees and today four of them are here on this visit.

We have the Engineering, Bio-resource and Environment, Energy as well as Petroleum, Mining and Extraction sub-committees.

We couldnt have started this tour better than visiting Dangote Group which is the most innovative indigenous company.

We believe that through researches and collaboration with the industry, we will be able to apply science and technology to improve our country, Bogoro said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Rasha Kelej

By Ebere Agozie
Dr Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Merck Foundation, has disclosed that the Foundation had developed several programmes aimed at empowering African media talents through media recognition awards.

We focus on building African media capacity through our trainings, scholarships and media recognition awards throughout the year.

We recently celebrated more than 150 winners from African media organisations and provided training to more than 1,200 journalists in 18 African countries.

This programme will continue and progress in the next 10 years in partnership with African First Ladies and ministries of communication and information across Africa, she told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Abuja.

The CEO noted that the foundation also empowers youths and women in media through training and Master Classes for media award winners to raise awareness about health and sensitive issues such as coronavirus, infertility, stigma and girl education.

Merck Foundation is a philanthropic organisation committed to promoting the well-being of people and advancing their lives through science, particularly women and youth in underserved communities around the globe.

Reacting to her inclusion in the women jury for the 2020 APO Group African Women in Media Award, Kelej said her selection underscored the importance of gender equality in business and media.More Than a Mother. It is aimed at breaking the infertility stigma and empowering childless and infertile women through access to information, health, change of mind set and economic empowerment, she said.

NAN also reports that some of the global icons on the jury include, famous black actress and model, Naomi Campbell, and Fatma Samoura, the Secretary-General of FIFA.

Others are Nitin Gajria, Sub-Saharan Africa Director of Google, Vanessa Moungar, Director, Gender, Women and Civil Society of AfDB, and Rose Thuo, Head of Communications and Marketing, Africa, for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), among others.

Source: NAN News

(ICOMOS-Nigeria)

By Joshua Olomu

Committee of the International Committee for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-Nigeria) says it will lead a project to harness cultural heritage to support climate action in Nigeria.

Mallam Aliyu Abdu, the President of ICOMOS-Nigeria, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the initiative will be driven under the CVI-Africa Project that will involve a global team of experts led by institutions in Nigeria, Tanzania and the UK.

He said that the project would focus on climate impacts on Africas cultural heritage by piloting the application of the Climate Vulnerability Index for World Heritage property in the continent.

Abdu said that the CVI-Africa project would be implemented for the first time in Africa at two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nigeria and Tanzania.

The two are the Sukur Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site in Adamawa State being managed by National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara World Heritage Site in Tanzania.

This project is timely for the north-eastern part of Nigeria where climatic changes have resulted in depletion of resources leading to socio-cultural changes and increased tendencies of social conflicts which sometimes support insurgent outbursts.

The CVI-Africa project will support communities in their efforts to safeguard cultural heritage, respond to climate change and seek sustainable development options thus contributing to achieving the ambitions of the Paris Agreement.

The CVI-Africa project will provide foundational training in the CVI method to six African heritage professionals and in Nigeria, it will culminate in a workshop at the Sukur Cultural Landscape.

The workshop will involve the six heritage professionals, local and national experts, stakeholders and international partners withthe workshop and Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments as key partner, he said.

The ICOMOS-Nigeria presidentsaid that CVI-Africa project was made possible through a generous grant awarded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Councils Global Challenges Research Fund.

He said that the grant was funded through a demonstration scheme arranged by the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila

By Femi Ogunshola

Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has reiterated commitment of the House to enact a law that would ensure effective policing system in the country.

Gbajabiamila said this at the legislative agenda public policy dialogue series with the theme policing and human rights in Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that police reform had been the burden of the 9th legislative agenda, adding that it was meant to take off early in the year but derailed by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Gbajabiamila said that without an effective policing system the state would lose its legitimacy and authority, stressing that such situation should be avoided.

This is why we must commend the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which inherited a floored policing system but now making effort to correct it, he said.

He said that an effective policing system would be impossible when the citizenry do not trust the police, adding that communities would not also repose their confidence in a bad policing system.

The speaker, however, said that the House of Reps was not embarking on police reforms as a result of animosity but to help the police become better public servants by removing rogues among them.

According to him, we must begin to hold officers accountable for their actions and inaction; we must also ensure their welfare from recruitment to retirement.

Let us see to it that we deliver a better policing system that is accountable and mindful of citizens rights, we must work together to build this nation

We will look at other nations, how they are doing it to succeed and we will also adopt best practices to meet our need, he said.

He said that the House of Reps was poised to leave a legacy of police reform.

Rep. Henry Nwawuba, the Chairman, House Committee on Implementation and Monitoring of the Legislative Agenda, said that the 9th assembly was committed to innovative solution on governance in Nigeria.

He said that the legislative agenda of the 9th House was primed on contract with Nigerians, adding that the committee was poised to ensure that the House lived up to its expectation.

He added that the House would enact a law that would reform the Nigerian police adding that the law would improve policing system that would work for all.

Rep. Bello Kumo, the chairman House Committee of Police Affairs, said that when the bill would eventually be laid before the committee it would provide a viable ground for cross fertilisation of ideas.

This, according to him, will be on how best to police the country and also provide the guild on effective policing system in the country.

He said that the current police Act does not provide sanction for any erring police officer, adding that such must be addressed in the new police Act.

Mr Muhammed Yahaya, the Representative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said there was a huge deficit in the countrys policing system.

According to him, most police officers I see are usually decent and hard working, but in Nigeria, we have police with wrong approach to policing the country.

He said that the restoration of peace between the Nigerian police and community was paramount, adding that the police should become more like a service provider. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

INEC

By Douglas Okoro

Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ebonyi has resumed duty.

Mr George Edeani, INECs Head of Department (HOD), Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) in the state, made this known in a statement in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Chukwu resumed duties on Tuesday, Nov. 17 after a brief handing-over ceremony at the commissions state headquarters in Abakaliki.

Edeani said that the commissioner until his appointment was a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. (UNN).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chukwu replaced Prof. Godswill Obioma, the immediate past resident commissioner in the state.

The state office of INEC is glad to welcome its new REC, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu who was recently posted to Ebonyi.

Chukwu who assumed duty yesterday, November 17 is a former lecturer with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a seasoned academic, Edeani said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NSE

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday recorded the first gain in the week, halting the negative trend following positive sentiments in Dangote Cement and Lafarge Africa.

Consequently, the All-Share Index increased by 575.18 points or 1.68 per cent to close at 34,818.01 compared with 34,242.83 posted on Tuesday.

Thus, month-to-date and year-to-date gains increased to 14.0 per cent and 29.7 per cent, respectively.

Similarly, investors gained N301 billion as the market capitalisation closed higher at N18.193 trillion from N17.892 trillion on Tuesday, an increase of 1.68 per cent.

The uptrend was impacted by gains recorded in large and medium capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Dangote Cement, Nigerian Breweries, Lafarge Africa, Dangote Sugar Refinery and Zenith Bank.

Analysts at Afrinvest Limited expected sustained buy interest in the next trading session on strong investors sentiment.

Market breadth closed positive with 38 stocks in contrast with eight laggards.

Linkage Assurance and Sterling Bank led the gainers chart in percentage terms, gaining 10 per cent each, to close at 55k and N2.09 per share, respectively.

Lafarge Africa followed with a gain 9.55 per cent to close at N24.10 per share.

Honeywell Flour Mill improved by 9.43 per cent to close at N1.16, while Associated Bus Company appreciated by 9.38 per cent to close at 35k per share.

Conversely, Cornerstone Insurance drove the losers chart in percentage terms, dropping 8.62 per cent to close at 53k per share.

Regency Alliance Insurance followed with 8.33 per cent to close at 22k per share.

Mutual Benefits Assurance and Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services dipped 7.14 per cent each to close at 26k each, while Unity Bank shed 6.98 per cent to close at 80k per share.

Transcorp topped the activity chart with 160.58 million shares valued at N172.16 million.

Guaranty Trust Bank sold 70.68 million shares worth N2.62 billion, while Zenith Bank traded 57.30 million shares valued at N1.54 billion.

Access Bank accounted for 55.18 million shares worth N491.88 million, while FBN Holdings transacted 37.62 million shares worth N295.92 million.

In all, the total volume of shares traded decreased by 92.92 per cent with an exchange of 661.13 million valued at N8.29 billion in 7,324 deals.

This was in contrast with a turnover of 9.36 billion shares worth N12.02 billion transacted in 8,712 deals on Tuesday. (NAN)

Source: NAN News