Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi did not attend a pre-season medical with FC Barcelona on Sunday, a Barca club source has confirmed.

This is the last latest development, following his shock announcement on Tuesday that he wants to leave the club.

Reuters footage showed players arriving for coronavirus tests on Sunday morning and Messi did not appear.

He had been due at FC Barcelonas training ground at 10:15 a.m. local time.

Players had been given staggered appointments throughout the morning until midday.

Media reports on Saturday said Argentine Messi would not undergo a pre-season medical or attend training on Monday.

The 33-year-old six-times world player of the year informed his lifelong club on Tuesday he wished to leave immediately.

His request plunged Barca into new turmoil less than two weeks after their humiliating 8-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich.

Messis lawyers plan to invoke a clause in his four-year contract, signed in 2017.

The clause in the contract which expires in 2021 would have allowed the forward to leave the club for free if he had requested it by June 10.

They will argue that that date - nominally the end of the season - is now irrelevant after the coronavirus delays which led to the seasons extension and the team playing deep into August.

Under the terms of the contract, the only way Messi can leave without the clubs consent is if another club pays his release clause of 700 million euros (833 million dollars).(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Andy Murray

Former world number one Andy Murray says he is not in favour of a breakaway players group led by Novak Djokovic.

The Briton is now urging fellow athletes to give the governing body, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), more time to tackle their concerns.

Top-ranked Djokovic, Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American John Isner resigned from the players council of the ATP after other members formally asked them to step down.

The move has provoked resistance from the two most successful players in mens tennis, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, who are also part of the players council.

The sports world governing bodies have also called for unity.

I wont be signing it today, three-times Grand Slam winner Murray said ahead of the U.S. Open.

Im not totally against a players union, players association, but right now theres a couple of things: One is I feel like the current management that are in place should be given some time to implement their vision, the Briton told reporters.

Whether that works out, or not, would potentially influence me in the future as to which way I will go.

Djokovic posted on social media with a picture of more than 60 players on court at the U.S. Open venue.

We are excited to announce the beginning of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the first player-only association in tennis since 1972, Djokovic wrote.

Djokovic has said their intention was not to disrupt the existing ATP tour but offer a platform for players to be better heard on decisions that affect their livelihoods.

The ATP governs the mens professional tour and former Italian player Andrea Gaudenzi took over as chairman in January for a four-year term.

Murray also opposed the PTPA on the grounds that it is a body only for male athletes, since he believed a combined entity with women players would send a much more powerful message.

Australian Todd Woodbridge, a nine-times Wimbledon doubles champion and singles semi-finalist, slammed the timing of the move.

He pointed at the ATP Tour circuit just only returning last week after a six-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Let me just start by saying this is tone deaf by the group that have decided to break away, Woodbridge told Australias Nine media, also raising questions about the exclusion of women from the PTPA.

This is the first week back and they throw this sort of bomb out there? Im pretty disappointed with the way that theyve gone with that timing.

Belgian Kim Clijsters, a four-times Grand Slam singles winner, felt the womens WTA tour has been very well run over the years but there was always room for improvement.

Greek world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas said: I havent been involved at all, like zero. I have nothing to do with this. I dont even know what theyre talking about. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Nana Musa

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to continue strengthening the primary healthcare system and the inbuilt routine immunization strategy, using various data and technology driven tools.

Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the promise at the Africa Polio-Free certificate celebration, on Saturday in Abuja.

We shall deploy the valuable material and human resource for health assets that have been built up over the decades of fighting polio.

Towards the goal of supporting the prevention of other disease patterns, strengthening our health system, as we are currently doing with the COVID-19 pandemic response, he said.

The president said that it was a good example of what the country could achieve collectively as a people, when they work together.

We gather to celebrate the certification of Nigeria and with us the continent of Africa, as polio free.

Our own certification is the result of the collective efforts of many devoted and enthusiastic individuals, organizations who believed in the vision of a polio-free Nigeria and went over and beyond the ordinary to add value to the ideal, Buhari said.

He said that the achievement was possible with the help of development partners who mostly brought technical support and guidance, as well as sponsors and donors who brought financial support.

He also applauded the traditional, religious and community leaders who brought moral and social support, as well as other partners such as the Rotary International, who helped to set the goal and direct the course.

Buhari commended the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for the global conglomerate of which the Rotary International is a key member, for generating and driving the process that took Nigeria to the desired destination.

He urged the GPEI not to relent in its efforts until the entire world is free of the virus.

The Governor of Ekiti State and also the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi, commended all the partners that worked with the forum in ensuring that polio became history in the country.

The Chairman of Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee (NNPPC), Dr Tunji Funsho, said that the committee contributed to the eradication of polio in the country.

Funsho commended stakeholders for their constant contributions towards ending polio in African. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Electricity meters

By Zainab Oyekan

The Jos Electricity Distribution Plc (JED) has commenced mass metering of its customers, the companys Head, Corporate Communications, Dr Friday Elijah, has said.

Elijah disclosed in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos that the company had the capacity to meter every resident of the city.

People who want to be metered should go to any of the JED offices to apply for one.

Once applicants make the necessary payment, installation will be made within 10 days of payment.

We are here to serve you and if there are issues of any form concerning metering, we encourage our customers to report to us, he said.

He, however, warned people to desist from illegal connection and vandalising the companys property.

The official said some offenders had already been prosecuted, and warned that any one caught would be punished accordingly.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Bush meat

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Park Service and National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have warned against the consumption of bushmeat.

The Conservator of Park (CP), Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed, disclosed this on the sidelines of a sensitisation campaign to Gosa Market, Airport Road, in Abuja.

The two agencies had embarked on joint sensitisation campaign against bushmeat consumption to some markets in the FCT

Mohammed said the purpose of the campaign was to educate people on zoonotic disease, especially the vendors of bushmeat on the dangers it posed to the heath of humans.

He said zoonoses is a disease that could be transmitted from animal to humans and vice versa.

Mohammed said there were many zoonotic diseases that originate from wildlife, that is the bushmeat people consume, such as tuberculosis, Ebola and currently Corona Virus had been traced to wildlife.

The main objective of our outing is to sensitise the public to the significance of zoonoses.

It is a disease that can be transmitted from man to animal or animal to human and to some extent they have been traced to bushmeat.

We are here to educate the public, those that are into it, the vendors of bushmeat to avoid it.

We said we should come to those joints and spots to educate them because the hunters just kill these animals and the lifeless bodies are brought in for them, and they bought.

Before they process for selling, the vendors are the first contact and the disease is spread through contact and the disease keeps spreading from humans to even domestic animals. So that is why we are here.

He said the campaign would be continuous and the first target was Kuje and Abuja Municipal Area Councils.

Mohammed, however, said funding was needed to continue to support the exercise.

He advised the general public to avoid buying bushmeat as the best option to avoid the disease.

As I said they should avoid buying the bushmeat, like I said to the vendors.

The best option is to avoid it, that is my best advice to the public.

A Bushmeat seller, Madame Christiana , who spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) thanked the organisers of the programme and promised to abide by the rules.

What I will do is to abide by the rules . If I want to buy the bushmeat I will know how to buy it as they have enlightened us.

I will tell my customers to obey the social distancing when they come to buy.

Mr Josiah Goni, Chairman of the market, thanked the the National park and NESREA, adding that he was impressed with the programme.

Goni noted that many of the traders did not believe there is coronavirus, saying but I am sure they have learnt today that it is real.

He said he would further sensitise other traders that the virus is real and they should comply with the safety guidelines.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

A combined team of FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigeria Police has rescued three people trapped in a building a truck crashed into at Madala, FCT.

FEMA director-general Idriss Abbas in a statement on Sunday explained that the truck, which was loaded with beverages, crashed into the residential building on Saturday.

Abbas said that the victims sustained injuries and had been taken to the Zuba General Hospital.

He said the accident caused a gridlock on the Zuba-Abuja expressway, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes to reach Abuja.

The rains are getting heavier and the roads are getting slippery; motorists must apply more caution, he said.

The FEMA boss maintained that disaster management was a collective effort, urging developers to respect the Abuja Master Plan and follow due process before embarking on building projects.

He also enjoined developers to always follow approved building plans and desist from manipulating the plans to suit their personal interest, thereby endangering lives.

Some of the houses affected by flood are structures whose owners try to extend the fence to the banks of the rivers close to them, just to add a few meters to their originally approved plot, he observed.

Abbas stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to complement efforts of the FCT administration toward reducing disasters to the barest minimum.

He also advised residents to always call the toll-free emergency number 112 for prompt response to any emergency.

Source: NAN News

CAN

By Aderemi Bamgbose

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday, urged Christians to sustain adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines in spite of the reduction in the daily number of cases in the country.

Pastor Peter Akinyelure, CAN Chairman, Okitipupa Local Government Area (LGA) Chapter, Ondo State made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okitipupa.

He said that Christians must not take the reduction in the number of cases recorded by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for granted.

According to him, people must continue with the regular washing of hands and the use of alcohol- based hand sanitiser.

Akinyelure said that Christians should also continue to maintain physical distancing, avoid hugging, shaking of hands and maintain a clean environment in order to curtail the spread of the virus.

The cleric urged Christians to obey all government precautionary measures during their church services saying government was magnanimous to partially open churches.

We thank the government for partially opening the churches for us to fellowship together.

We urge our members to obey and respect the guidelines given to us before opening the churches such as, use of face masks, washing of hands, use of sanitiser and maintaining physical distance in the church.

The daily figure of COVID-19 is reducing but we must not lose our guard, we should sustain the adherence to the NCDC guidelines and protocols to chase the deadly disease away from our land, Akinyelure said.

The cleric, however, urged Christians to pray fervently for Gods intervention to end the COVID-19 pandemic. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Federal Government is set to inject over N600 billion as stimulus response into the agriculture sector.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, made this known in a statement signed by the Director of Information of the ministry, Mr Theodore Ogaziechi on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister according to the statement, made this known while on a tour of Dangote Fertiliser Plant and other fertiliser companies in Lagos State.

Nanono said the stimulus package would target small scale farmers, to ensure food security and sustainability.

He explained that the package would target farmers nationwide and expected to begin with an initial 2.4 million farmers.

He noted that to avoid the abuse of government funds and good intentions, the support would be in form of inputs and not cash as was the practice in the past.

The minister added that the closure of all international borders, necessitated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, had made it evident that Nigeria could conveniently and sustainably feed itself.

The minister, who commenced the tour with a courtesy call on the governor of Lagos State, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, promised to support the state farming communities with rural roads, solar lighting and water holes to increase productivity.

Nanono further promised to collaborate with the Lagos State government in revamping the fish sub-sector in order to tap into its marine potentials to reduce fish importation.

Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu promised to collaborate with the Federal Government not only in the fishing sector but mechanised farming as well.

The governor said this would be actualised when the largest rice mill in Nigeria with a capacity to mill approximately 30 million metric tonnes of rice per annum was completed.

He said it would help Nigeria focus more on exportation of rice and downward review of prices at the retail market.

The governor said Lagos State had a large retail market for agricultural products as well as the largest enabler in the industry with Dangote Fertiliser Plant cited in its domain.

For their part, Dangote Group and other fertiliser blending companies, including Premium Agro Limited, Elephant Group and Kewalram Group complained that raw materials for fertiliser blending were a challenge.

They said ammonium phosphate, particularly, was a major challenge.

Dangote Group, however, assured it would consider exploration of local source for the raw materials which would hopefully solve the problem of fertiliser shortfall in the country.

Source: NAN News

PDP Logo

The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), announced candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winners of all the chairmanship and councilorship seats in Saturdays council polls conducted across the 13 Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Mr Jossy Eze, Chairman of EBSIEC, made the disclosure in Abakaliki while announcing the results of the elections held across the 171 electoral wards and 13 councils of the state.

Eze announced that the commission has ratified and adopted the chairmanship results for the 13 LGAs as announced by various LGA returning officers and the councillorship results announced at the 171 electoral wards.

Chief Emmanuel Nwangele won the chairmanship position for Abakaliki LGA, Mrs Obiageri Oko-EnyimAfikpo North, Chief Eni Uduma Afikpo South and Mrs Chinyere NwogbagaEbonyi LGA.

Dr Nora Alo won the Chairmanship seat for Ezza North LGA, Mr Kenneth EzeEzza South LGA, Chief Stephen OrogwuIkwo LGA, Mr Henry EzeIshiellu and Mr Onyebuchi OgbaduIvo LGA.

Chief Paul Nwogha won the chairmanship position for Izzi LGA, Mrs Chinyere IyiokuOhaozara LGA, Clement OdahOhaukwu LGA and Mr Felix IgbokeOnicha LGA, he said.

The EBSIEC Chairman, however, declined to disclose the figures of the results.

He thanked all stakeholders involved in the conduct of the elections, for their support and encouragement.

I particularly thank the state government for not interfering in the conduct of the elections as this helped in making it credible, free and fair.

The election has been won and lost, but the victory is for everybody who participated at the elections.

The winners should carry everybody along and everyone should contribute in delivering democratic dividends to people at the grassroots, which the local government areas represent, he said.

Mr Onyekachi Nwebonyi, PDP Chairman in the state, commended EBSIEC for conducting a hitch-free election and all stakeholders who contributed to its smooth conduct.

We congratulate our candidates for the victory as its overwhelming nature shows that Ebonyi is a PDP state.

We assure the electorate that our candidates will continue to deliver democracy dividends to them under the able guidance of the state governor, he said.

Source: NAN News

Ekiti State Government says it has remodeled and repositioned its Cultural troupe to perform and earn money within and outside the country.

Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Prof. Ojo Bakare, Bakare said at the end of 21-day training on professionalism and technical know-how, for 32 energetic and talented youths newly employed into the troupe.

According to him, the remodeled troupe is designed to be a good product, sellable globally to generate revenue for Ekiti.

Bakare said: When I assumed office as commissioner in Dec. 31, 2019, we met a troupe depleted of personnel.

Today we are on the path to building not just a state or national but a global troupe.

Performing Arts requires energy, that is why we approached Gov., Kayode Fayemi, who generously approved the recruitment and training of 32 versatile, energetic and talented youths.

We are building not just a state or national, but global troupe that will be commercially driven for revenue generation to the state .

Arts is a product, ours will be developed to a commercially viable venture to increase Ekiti Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The Commissioner said that the sustainability of the envisioned troupe would be on Private Partnership Project.

He said that the artistes would be motivated through entitlement to allowances like, weigh-in and hazard among others.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ekiti Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Titilope Ganiyu, reiterated that the state was ready to remodel the troupe to enviable height.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Ekiti House of Assembly Committee on Culture and Tourism, Mr Adeyemi Ajibade, said lawmakers were ready to support the sector in terms of legislation that would promote its viability.

Ajibade said that there were bills currently in the House of Assembly aimed at promoting and sustaining the rich cultural values for the development of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highpoint of the event was the performance and display of talents by the various departments, dance, music and drama, to entertain the guests and audience.

Source: NAN News