Neymar injured

Paris St-Germain (PSG) striker Neymar has been ruled out of Brazils 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uruguay next week in Montevideo.

The forward had arrived in Brazil with a leg injury, even though he was certain to miss Fridays game against Venezuela in Sao Paulo.

But the national teams doctors had hoped he would recover in time for the second match in the double-header next Tuesday.

We were hopeful that he could play, thats why we brought him to Brazil, team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said late Thursday.

He improved but not enough to be ready for the game on Tuesday against Uruguay. The backroom staff decided to release Neymar Junior.

It was not clear whether he would remain with the Brazil squad or return to Paris.

Brazil won both their opening qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last month.

They are the only side in the 10-team South American section with a 100 per cent record so far.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

FBF chief Marco Rodriguez arrested by police

The interim head of Bolivias football federation (FBF) Marco Rodriguez has been arrested by police over allegations of corruption.

Rodriguez was arrested and detained during Thursdays 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match with Ecuador, an associate said.

Plainclothes police surprised Rodriguez while he was sitting in the stands with players not involved in the game at the Hernando Siles stadium in La Paz.

Some clubs and the professional football players union in Bolivia had accused Rodriguez of corruption and illegal profiteering.

He has also failed to comply with a court ruling that forces him to leave the presidency of the FBF.

Various factions are vying for control of the body.

Votes are scheduled for Friday and Saturday for the 2020-2022 presidency of the FBF.

We believe that there has been bad faith here. We believe that the ultimate goal is not to have an election, said Gaston Uribe, the executive director of the FBF and a close associate of Rodriguez.

Police came on a special commission to apprehend Marco Rodrguez, he said.

Uribe said Rodriguez had suffered sudden health problems when the police tried to transfer him from La Paz to the city of Santa Cruz to continue the judicial process.

He added that he was consequently admitted to hospital.

Ecuador won the game 3-2 thanks to a late penalty kick. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has expressed concern over the mental state of survivors of COVID-19 in the country.

Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the taskforce, expressed the concern in Abuja at the joint national briefing of the taskforce.

The PTF is still very much concerned about the mental health of survivors of the COVID-19 virus.

In this regard, the PTF is following reports from researches around the world regarding the state of psychiatric health of survivors and has intensified plans for in-country response under the treatment and post-treatment regimes, Mustapha said.

Mustapha said monitoring the global situation would particularly help in the planning of trips.

He noted that the global cases crossed the 52 million mark with USA, India and Brazil accounting for 48 per cent of all global cumulative burden.

The USA has been recording over 100,000 cases daily in recent times and the rate of fatalities is increasing in the UK and other European countries.

Five countries (USA, Brazil, India, Mexico and UK) account for 53 percent (685,176) of global deaths. On the African continent, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia reported the highest cases in the last 24 hours.

The number of cases has been fluctuating lately and that is an indication that we are not out of the woods yet.

The cases in Lagos where multiple infections were recorded in two schools are typical examples of the danger of reopening institutions without the required measures.

We must all rally round each other to stop this pandemic from destroying our lives and economy.

The PTF believes strongly that now is the time to raise the tempo of not just our national response but also our preparedness for a new wave of the pandemic or any other epidemic for that matter.

For example, it has been strongly observed that places of worship, gatherings and other events have dumped the use of face masks and adherence to other NPIs, he said.

He urged all Nigerians to come out for regular testing.

Mauritius has the highest tests per million (218,535) while Nigeria stands at 3,605 per million. This is grossly too low to be at a comfortable stage of defeating the pandemic considering the size of our population, he said.

The SGF also commiserated with the president as well as the government and people of Ghana over the death of a former president of that country, Jerry Rawlings.

He further expressed condolences on the death of Saeb Erakat, the Palestine Liberation Organisation Chief Negotiator.

We also commiserate with the Palestinian authority on this great loss.

This will no doubt have a tremendous impact on the peace process in the Middle-East, Mustapha said.

Source: NAN News

New Police Vans donated by Gov. Obi

By Chimezie Anaso

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has donated 13 operational vehicles to the State Police Command.

The governor who made the donation on Thursday also gave cash gifts to the families of police officers killed during the violent attacks that followed the EndSARS protests in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the next-of-kin of the four slain cops got N2 million each, the injured got N250,000 each to help them meet some of their needs.

He promised to underwrite the hospital bills of the injured.

Obiano also announced cash donations of N1 million each to the 11 Divisional Police Officers and their men, N1 million to the Special Anti-Cult Unit (SPACS) and N2 million each to Police Mobile bases in Awka and Onitsha.

The Onitsha Area Command got N500,000 while the Command Situation Office got N1 million.

The governor said the gesture was to show appreciation to the police command in Anambra for its role in protecting public property and to commiserate with the families of those police officers who were killed during the protests.

Obiano, who unveiled the Rapid Response Squad, said the 13 vehicles donated were to be used in boosting the logistics of the police and to enable it flush out people living in uncompleted buildings.

These are the major hideouts of the hoodlums from where they unleash their evil machinations; the vehicles should not be converted for social use such as weddings or escorting VIPs, he said.

In his remark, Police Commissioner John Abang thanked the governor and appealed for assistance in the rebuilding and renovation of police stations and barracks in the state.

He expressed the readiness of the command to reclaim the security space in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of China

By Harrison Arubu

China has broken its silence on the U.S. elections by congratulating the President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, according to media reports.

Bloomberg and Reuters attributed the reaction to Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, on Friday.

We respect the choice of the American people. We extend congratulations to Biden and Harris.

We understand the results of the U.S. election will be determined according to U.S. laws and procedures, Reuters quoted Wenbin as saying.

Until now, China was among a few notable countries who were yet to congratulate Biden since he was projected to have won the election on Nov. 7.

Russia, Brazil and Mexico have not commented on the outcome of the election, which President Donald Trump has refused to concede over alleged fraud.

Chinas acknowledgement came after several television networks on Thursday evening projected Biden would defeat Trump in the battleground state of Arizona.

Before the election, there were several alerts by the U.S. intelligence community over alleged attempts by Russia and China to interfere in the polls.

While China was alleged to be meddling in favour of Biden, Russia was accused of working in the interest of Trump. Both countries denied the allegations.

Under the Trump administration, relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated over alleged unfair trade practices and cyber espionage by Beijing.

Both countries have also been clashing over the COVID-19 pandemic and Chinas human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

In 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent congratulations to Trump on Nov. 9, a day after the election, Reuters reported. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Tony Oli, Chairman of Anambra Sports Development Commission (ASDC)

By Chimezie Anaso

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has earmarked N995 million for capital projects and recurrent expenditure in the sports sector during the 2021 fiscal year as against the 2020 which was N1.165 billion but was later reviewed to N485 million.

A breakdown of the budget shows that Awka Township Stadium will gulp N400 million, while the construction of zonal sports stadia at Otuocha, Ekwulobia and Ogidi takes N100 million.

The breakdown also showed that it will cost N150 million to form the state-owned male and female football clubs from outlay, while the development of community playgrounds and school sports would get N100 million and N60 million respectively.

Other projects and their estimated values are sports equipment, N30 million, National Sports Festival N35 million and Walk for Life N30 million.

It also indicated that N20 million will be spent on capacity building for sports activities, while N20 million goes to grants to sports bodies and associations.

The rest are sports competitions for local governments, schools and town unions N20 million, furniture and equipment N10 million, sports subvention across the state N15 million and Planning Research Statistics N5 million.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obiano proposed N143. 65 billion as the states budget for the 2021 fiscal year in Anambra.

Speaking on the budget, Tony Oli, Chairman of Anambra Sports Development Commission (ASDC), said one of the projects, Awka Township Stadium, would be delivered before the end of December.

Oli said the pitch, grandstand, tartan tracks and every necessary facilities would be put in place, while next year, expansion works would continue on facilities for others games, including indoor sports.

He said the target was to build zonal games centres in Otuocha, Ekwulobia and Ogidi to take care of the sports facility needs of the people in the areas.

Awka Township Stadium is in the budget last year and it is there again this year, the appearance this year is for the completion of the project. Work is going on steadily and I am always there to inspect the progress of the project.

His Excellency has mandated during one of his visits that the project be delivered this year, we are working toward that and I want to assure the people that an inaugural football match will be played there on Dec. 28.

Ekwulobia has been awarded and Otuocha has taken off. We are trying to stop the encroachment going on at the proposed land for Ogidi Stadium project so that work can effectively take off, he said.

Oli said the state male and females football teams would no longer be for competitions but for national leagues with independent management team and official grants.

The commissions chairman scored Anambra high in sports activities but rued the impact of COVID-19 which affected the sports calendar negatively. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Bah Moussa, military leader of al-Qaidas North Africa wing killed by French forces

French forces have killed Bah Moussa, a military leader of al-Qaidas North Africa wing in Mali, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Friday.

This is a major success in the fight against terrorism that France is leading with its partners in the Sahel, said Parly.

A historic figure of the jihadist movement in the Sahel, Bah ag Moussa is considered responsible for several attacks against Malian and international forces, she added in a statement.

Moussa, a military leader of the Rally for the Victory of Islam and Muslims, an al-Qaida wing operating in the Sahel region, was killed on Tuesday during an operation involving significant intelligence resources, ground troops and helicopters, according to the defence ministry.

France has led a special military operation to curb the insurgency in the Sahel region since 2014. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

UNICEF

By Cecilia Ijuo

The United Nations International Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF), has enrolled over 1,135, 465 out of school girls back to school across six states in Nigeria through its education support programme.

Mrs Azuka Menkiti, an education specialist with UNICEF Abuja office, made this known in an interview in Abuja at the end of a two-day educational steering committee meeting.

She said the committee was setup to oversee the implementation of 33 projects across across six states to enable UNICEF to work with both states and the Federal Government.

According to her, the essence is to bring additional one million girls to school with series of interventions.

Menkiti, said a sub technical committee meeting has been comprising of technical staff across the six states, directors of planning and directors of mobilisation and Federal Ministry of Education.

She said the sub committee would access the progress achieved over a period of eight years to reflect on the key challenges.

She said we have been able to reach our target and we are sure that a lot more girls have to come back to school because of this intervention.

Our record shows that we have over one million girls who have gone back to school.

The guide has been on a combination of series of intervention result that runs on three output areas under which we have been able to come up with different initiatives.

These initiatives are mostly dressing norms and cash transfer programme, where we are able to ensure that it is used to address the constraint that keeps them out of school.

She further said, we also ensure enrolment drive to address behaviours and socio-cultural norms that also affect a girls enrolment in school.

Others are, girls-for-girls already in school. While enrolment drive brings those out of school back to school, the girls-for-girls supports girls with life skills.

It also supports them in skills that will enhance self consciousness and help them appreciate the need to stay in school and build them as peer mobilisers who reach out to others.

Menkiti noted that the technical team had come up with clear intervention and processes that had worked for them and how they think it can sustain bringing those out of school back to school.

She added that the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba the Chairman of the National Steering Committee had adopted all recommendations made.

She stressed that Nwajiuba charged all stakeholders involved in the process not to allow plans made by the steering committee be in vain.

Menkiti, added that Nwajiuba callied on government at all levels to ensure the success of the intervention was scaled up and mainstreamed into a different state and national educational plans.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan

By Kingsley Okoye

Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, expressed optimism in Abuja on Thursday that Nigerias economy was being steered on the path of growth in spite of prevailing challenges.

Ola Awoniyi, his Special Adviser on Media said in a statement that Lawan made the pronouncement at the Nigeria and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article lV consultation held virtually.

Lawan catalogued efforts being made by the Nigerian government at promoting economic growth and reducing poverty.

He told the participants at the virtual interaction that Nigeria had to confront the challenge of limited resources, not just because of unpredictable revenue from oil, but also because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The problems have made us improve our efforts in the prudent management of resources, and in transparency and accountability.

Our focus has been on sustaining investments in infrastructure and utilities, trusting in their capacities to stimulate economic activities, enhancing growth, and thereafter improving the peoples standard of living.

Government has continued with its anti-corruption crusade, aside a pledge to ensure discipline in public expenditure process.

Our recent experiences call for further caution in the management of resources, just as it has been another reminder of the need to increase the drive for diversification.

Beyond oil, greater regard is now being paid to the steel, mining and the agriculture sectors.

The potentials in these sectors are significant for revenue generation and for job creation. They are additionally valuable in the bid to engage critical sections of the population, especially the youth, Lawan was quoted as saying.

The Senate President said the youth question had lately been at the centre of national conversation, flowing from the #EndSARS protests.

We believe that the recent crisis we had in the form of youth protest has also given us an additional idea of how much we need to pay attention to the needs of the youths.

Government has ended SARS, and is now taking steps towards improving social and economic needs of the youth.

One of such is the re-launch of the National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS), by the President on Nov. 9, 2020.

Our youths have become much more involved, and require greater recognition in terms of social and economic engagement.

The government has been additionally charged to continue with policies that seek to integrate them into the scheme of things.

In addition to NYFS is the National Youth Innovation Programme, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development which has capacity to generate N25 billion annually over the next three years, among others.

We prioritise implementation to show a sustained commitment to policies and programmes, Lawan added.

The Senate President said the National Assembly had been as responsive as possible in the provision of legislative support to people-oriented proposals.

This is in line with our resolve to safeguard social, economic and political stability, through value-adding actions.

We have similarly been focused on timing of processes like the annual budget, to make it more predictable, and organised.

Presently, we are in the middle of resolving the long-standing Petroleum Industry Bill, consistent with our determination to pass Bills with caution and precision.

We are sustaining this path of timeliness to eliminate avoidable delays in the legislative and governance processes.

Added to this is our commitment to our oversight functions to ensure that implementation is in tandem with our economic vision.

The goal of the administration is, therefore, hinged around a productive economy; a sustainable growth, and the reduction of poverty.

We prepare our budgets towards executing the national plan for economic progress for the good of the people. We are dedicated to this and we welcome support meant for their successes, Lawan said.

He said the 2021 budget currently being processed by the National Assembly was aimed at addressing the prevailing challenges including unemployment.

I believe we are on the right path. The budget estimates presented to us at the National Assembly have been designed in such a way that job opportunities will be created for more Nigerians to be engaged in productive activities, he added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

House of Reps at plenary

By Kingsley Okoye

Rep. Samuel Onuigbo (PDP Abia), has commended the Federal Government and Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, over moves to begin construction of a Federal Secretariat Complex in Abia.

Onuigbo also commended Fashola, for publicly acknowledging provision of the land by Abia State Government for the construction of the secretariat.

The lawmaker, who represents Ikwuano, Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency of Abia in the 9th House of Representatives, made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Friday.

He told NAN that Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, had approved the provision of the seven-hectare land to the Federal Ministry of Works, for building of the federal secretariat in the state.

Meanwhile Fashola, at a budget defence session on Nov. 12, at the Senate and House of Representatives joint Committee on Housing, acknowledged publicly that the Abia government had provided land for that purpose.

It has come to our attention that two states, Abia and Ebonyi, do not have federal secretariats, and I think that Abia has formally made a request to us, and they have also provided land as one of the requirements to build a secretariat, the minister said at the defence.

Onuigbo, said given the provision of land, the construction of the secretariat would be a win-win situation for Abia and Federal Government.

I just want to thank the Honourable Minister, for acknowledging the efforts made by Abia government in providing land for building of a federal secretariat, and to use this opportunity to commend him.

Because we had this conversation on Oct. 23, 2019, and between then and now, in spite of the COVID pandemic, we have been able to work in a cordial, harmonious and productive way which has led to the provision of the land.

Since the land has been made available, we can start from fencing the place to make sure that we have a federal secretariat in Abia, and reduce the associated cost by the government agencies in the state that are paying rent, he said.

Onuigbo said he had asked the minister during a budget defence session on Oct. 23, 2019, why Abia did not have a federal secretariat, like other states many years after it was created, and Fashola had advised him to liaise with Ikpeazu to provide land.

I wrote a letter on Oct. 23, 2019, and met with my governor, he has provided the land.

That gives me, and indeed other Abians, hope that the project will be carried out as soon as the Federal Ministry of Housing sets aside resources for that purpose, and I commend him, because this is swift action.

On addressing housing deficit in Nigeria, the lawmaker said government had to develop a clear policy designed at creating an enabling environment for private sector to drive development of the sector.

On the call for an Igbo presidency, Onuigbo said it was very important for other regions to support a president of Igbo extraction come 2023.

It is true that the Igbos are naturally and justifiably clamouring to be supported to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and their clamour is justified.

Because they have made more contributions to the development of Nigeria than any other tribe, because there is no part of this country that you go and you wont find an Igbo man.

On lessons from the EndSARS protest, he said there was an urgent need to empower the youths to be engaged and be fully productive.

Policies should be formulated and implemented to create employment and social amenities.

Have the children go school and be able to project when they are graduating, Onuigbo added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News