By Abiodun Lawal

The Federal Government has directed Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) to immediately start fixing the bad portions of the Ososa River bridges on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Monday by Mr Ahmed Umar, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun.

He explained that the measure was to reduce motorists vulnerability of plunging into the river.

Umar with some of his officers; the Federal Comptroller of Works in Ogun, Mr Bakare Umar and a representative of RCC had earlier conducted an assessment tour of the threefaulty bridges on Ososa River.

He said that the tour was sequel to a crash that claimed four lives there last Wednesday.

The Federal Comptroller of Works has directed the management of RCC to begin immediate palliative works on the bridges as agreed to reduce motorists vulnerability to traffic injuries and deaths there.

One of such moves is the temporary placement of movable concrete barriers at the edges of the bridges to create a better motoring environment and prevent vehicles from free fall into the river in the event of crashes.

A good number of concrete barriers are being placed on the edges of the bridges by a team of engineers from RCC at the moment.

Traffic has been temporarily diverted for a seamless palliative exercise, he said.

The sector commander advised motorists to exercise caution while approaching the Ososa bridges, saying that the FRSC traffic control operatives from Ijebu Ode were there to control traffic.(

Source: NAN News

The police and military officers arrested the offenders at the La Venti Lounge and Kitchen, about 12 km northeast of the capital Kampala, Patrick Onyango, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, told Xinhua on Monday.

Bars and clubs are not supposed to open and operate, said Onyango.

However, the partygoers defied the restrictions and began enjoying themselves without practicing social distancing.

This could be a breeding ground for the spread of the virus.

We had to come in order to prevent a further spread of the virus, he said.

He also said that the suspects currently detained at Najjera and Kiira police stations are waiting to be arraigned in courts over violation of presidential directives and Ministry of Health guidelines on COVID-19.

They will be charged with doing acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease, said Onyango.

Bans on public gatherings and a night curfew are in place in the east African country as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.

So far, Uganda has reported 1,115 COVID-19 cases, with 975 recoveries and two deaths since the first case was reported on March 21, according to the health ministry. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu

By Funmilayo Adeyemi
Secondary schools in the country are to reopen as from August 4, for exit classes only.

Mr Ben Goong, Director, Press and Public Relation, Federal Ministry of Education, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

Goong said that students would have two weeks within which to prepare for the West African Examinations (WAEC) which would commence from August 17.

He said these were the unanimous decisions reached at a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Honourable Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools, and chief executives of examination bodies.

He noted that it was agreed that the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break, from August 4 to enable them prepare for the WAEC examinations scheduled to commence from August 17, 2020.

He said that the meeting also resolved that a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and public spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them fast track the preparations for safe reopening as agreed.

Another meeting is to be convened on Tuesday between the Federal Ministry of Education and chief executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS to harmonise their examination dates.

This date will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education.

Source: NAN News

Pregnant Woman,

Hundreds of Nigerian women die every day of complications arising from unsafe abortions, an international NGO, Ipas, says.

Country Director of Ipas (Nigeria), Mr Lucky Palmer, said this on Sunday at a three-day Media Training for Journalists on Womens Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights/Global Gag Rule, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Palmer also disclosed that every eight minutes, a woman in a developing country died from such complications, adding that the figures were drawn from only those who visited hospitals for medical attention.

According to the Ipas representative in Nigeria, of the 85 million women who get pregnant annually, 40 million of them usually end up having abortions, with developing countries accounting for 98 per cent of the unsafe abortions.

He also said Africa and Latin America accounted for the highest number of unsafe abortions globally.

Palmer expressed sadness that Nigeria was yet to reform restrictive domestic laws and policies that placed women and girls health and lives at risk; as well as preventing them from exercising rights that the government had committed to under the international law.

The IPAs country representative added that in 2012 alone, 1.25 million Nigerian women had an abortion, doubling the number estimated in 1996.

He emphasised that unless urgent steps were taken, the number would keep increasing because only 16 per cent of all women of reproductive age were using any contraceptives, and just 11 per cent using modern methods.

That results in almost 10 million unintended pregnancies, of which more than half end in an induced abortion, he said.

The country director attributed this worrying global health challenge to the Global Gag Rule, noting that the training of journalists to help with awareness and advocacy, was one of the ways the organisation was exploring to tackle the issue.

He said a big burden was on the media to work closely with relevant organisations in curbing the menace.

Palmer urged the media to liaise with relevant agencies in advocating for the enforcement of laws and domestication of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, to promote womens sexual rights and health, create awareness, as well as educate the public on consequences of unsafe abortions.

Speaking on International Commitments to Womens Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, one of the workshop facilitators, Mrs Doris Ikpeze, said womens health was more than a health policy, it was an issue of human right which was constantly being violated by bad policies and laws, weak institutions and societal norms.

Ikpeze said that this was in spite of the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol) of 2004 by Nigeria.

She said Nigeria had, by ratifying the protocol, effectively pledged to protect the rights of women and girls and guarantee their rights to sexual and reproductive health.

According to her, the protocol urges all ratifying countries to protect the reproductive rights of women by authorising medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother, or the life of the mother or the foetus.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Government announced plans to set up an e-commerce hub for farmers and producers to process produce in hygienic condition for export.

The State Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya said this during the inspection tour of venues of the Eko City Farmers Market, Ileya Edition, at St. Georges Primary School, Falomo, Lagos and Opebi Primary School, Opebi.

Olusanya said that the proposed hub would be located in a central location where all the certification of produce would take place.

She said that the ministry was trying to connect with the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop an app-tech hub to encourage the youth to actually bring innovative solution in the agric space.

We are trying to set up hubs or platforms where we will be able to get our producers to come together and be able to produce in sanitary and hygienic condition for export opportunities.

We will get organisations like SON, NAFDAC to do a sort of assessment on the items produced for us to be able to export.

Essentially, we want to be able to make it easier for our producers to be able to produce in a way that they do not have to go through many channels to certify their products.

We want to make our certification take place in one location and then they can easily export, the acting commissioner said.

She said the state government was also trying to create an enabling environment for agric business and producers to ensure the ease of the doing business in the state.

When you talk about app-tech and e-commerce, I think we have a platform for that in the Eko City Farmers Market, which is supposed to connect the producers to the consumers and whosoever wants to buy along any value chain that exists already.

We know that there are several other platforms as well, like oja.ng and we have food.ng and a lot of platforms exist already to try to connect producers to the consumers.

I believe we are doing that and you can come to the Ministry of Agriculture if you need any resources, if you need any help and support, we are willing and glad to do that.

We have the agric-business department which actually has the mandate to be able to do farmer linkages to consumers, to farmers, to even the export community and to other stakeholders across the value chain. I believe that platform has been set up already, she said.

Olusanya said that the ministry would hold a virtual stakeholders engagement in August to find out activities in the agric space, challenges and how to mitigate them.

In August, we will be having our stakeholders engagement virtual, just to try to see what is ongoing with terrain in the agric space and to be able to see whatever challenges they have and how we can mitigate all and be able to offer solutions to them.

I believe in app-tech space, yes a lot will be done, a lot still need to be done.

We are also trying to connect to the our sister Ministry, which is the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop an app-tech hub to encourage the youth to actually bring innovative solution in the agric space, so we believe we are doing that.

Also, we have the Lagos State Entrepreneurship Programme (LAP), in Araga, we will be commencing with the next batch in August and part of their syllabus is the e-commerce section, just to try to encourage them that it is not just about physical interaction between yourself and the consumer or whosoever is buying.

It is to ensure that they can also setup e-commerce platforms, they can sell regardless of the time or the situation, Olusanya said.

Also speaking, Mr Gbolahan Yishau, member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Eti Osa Local Government, said that the state government had done a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was still on.

Yishau said the state government was ensuring that food got to the residents, which was why the Eko city farmers market was established.

On my part, what we have done is to empower people so that they can have the capacity to shop and buy whatever they need in their homes.

So, we brought vouchers to augment whatever they might have to come to the market with or even those who have nothing to shop with would be able to buy things.

The farmers are also happy because we have created additional market for people to buy from them.
I think it is a very good initiative, especially with the festivities coming up next week, so people can have food on their table, which is a core thing during this pandemic.

We have already given out some vouchers; in the morning, about 1000 people were given N1000 voucher and we are going to do more, he said.

Similarly, the Executive Chairman, Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Mr. Francis Oke, lauded the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Oke said the market would ease the pressure of going to the open market to shop for their needs during the festival.
He said the market would be held for five days in the LCDA in order to give more people, more farmers, and producers opportunity to showcase their produce.

This market is good for people that are preparing for the Ileya festival so that they can come here and buy whatever produce they want.

At least, to reduce the stress and tension from our people from buying farm produce for the ileya festival.

I have discussed with the Acting Commissioner that personally in Onigbongbo LCDA, we want a week long programme, not just one day, and luckily for us, the Commissioner agreed that we should have it till Friday, August 31, he said.

Source: NAN News

Sen. Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation

The Federal Government has approved the full resumption of 14 airports in the country for domestic operations from July 8 to July 24.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, made the announcement in his official Twitter handle, @hadisirika, on Sunday.

Sirika pointed out that the inspection on the airports had been completed.

Glad to announce that the following airports are open for full domestic operations, hence ministerial approvals in and out of them is not required.

These include private and charter operations. We will keep you informed on the other airports in due course, please, he said.

The affected airports, according to him, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport; Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, Victor Attah Airport, Uyo.

Others are Maiduguri Airport, Margaret Ekpo Airport, Calabar, Kaduna Airport, Yola Airport, Sultan Abubakar Airport, Sokoto; Birnin Kebbi Airport, Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos and Benin Airport.

Sirika said that approval for the resumption of domestic flight operations was given for each of the airports at different dates from July 8 to July 24.

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has visited the wounded soldiers receiving treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna.

The COAS also served the soldiers sumptuous meal.

Buratai said the visit was part of his effort to encourage the personnel who were wounded while fighting in various theatres of operation in the North East and North West.

He said his decision to visit the wounded troops was borne out of the recognition of their efforts in tackling the menace of insurgency and in defence of their fatherland.

He added that the troops had also exhibited true spirit of professional soldiers, adding that they had made great impact in the defence of their country.

Buratai also stated that welfare of personnel both on the field and barracks remained paramount to the Nigerian army under his leadership, assuring that all issues affecting their welfare and wellbeing would be addressed.

He also assured the soldiers that all cases requiring special attention outside the country would be properly taken care of.

He promised that efforts would be made to provide the necessary equipment for the hospital to be able to handle all cases locally.

According to him, Nigerian army has established and upgraded reference hospitals across the various geo-political zones to meet the medical needs of its troops undertaking operations across the country.

I am very happy to see you having met some of you on the field and due to your courage, determination and loyalty, you were there ready to sacrifice and you were wounded but you are here in very high mood.

This is a true spirit of a gallant and professional soldier and I am very proud of you all.

I am very happy that you made the impact that several of our colleagues and indeed Nigerians are now living in peace though relative but I assure you that it is much more better now than it was five or four years back.

I have been thoroughly briefed on some of your challenges especially about the follow up treatment of some of you abroad as well as the need for recreational facilities here.

I assure you that all these will be addressed very soon, he said.

The COAS also promised to arrange special programmes for the recuperating troops in form of skill acquisition while recuperating until they are fit to rejoin active military operations.

He assured them that the fight against terrorism and banditry in parts of the country were being carried out effectively.

He also assured the troops that new equipment and platforms had been procured for the war against insurgency and banditry in order to effectively tackle the challenges.

Earlier, the Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, Col. P.O Aburume, expressed appreciation for the visit, saying it was a morale and confidence booster for the soldiers.

Also, one of the wounded soldiers, Maj. D.M Dede, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the gesture, saying the visit was morale booster for them to recover and return to the war front to complete their mission.

Dede also commended the hospital for the adequate attention being given them, adding that the hospital was well equipped to meet their health needs.

You have served them food like this in the front line and because of your exemplary leadership, you still followed us here to be with us and we appreciate this, he said.

Similarly, Isah Yahaya, a Warrant Officer, said he could not wait to fully recover and return to the battle front to complete the task of eliminating the Boko haram terrorists.

While commending the commitment of Buratai to their welfare, Yahaya called on him to look into his promotion that was not granted him and other colleagues.

According to him, our welfare is well catered for here and the medical care is 100 per cent and we are very happy to see you here.

I am very much ready to go back to the mission area and fight the terrorists, he said.

Source: NAN News

President Nicols Maduro of Venezuela

By Lizzy Okoji
Ambassador of Venezuela to Nigeria, David Caraballo has called on the United Nations to intervene in the alleged human rights violation against citizens of Venezuela to uphold its sovereignty.

Caraballo made the call in Abuja during the commemoration of the 209th Independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the 237th birthday of Simon Bolivar, Liberator of Venezuela.

He alleged that some of the Human Rights violation against Venezuela includes the U.S. interference in its Constitution, imposition of the economic coercive measures and looting of Venezuelas funds and resources.

The envoy said Venezuela was trusting on the multilateral mechanisms of the UN to preserve its democracy, independence, sovereignty and constitution which has been under threat from the U.S.

Today we are celebrating with the Diplomatic Corp, with the Solidarity Movement, with the students for the spanish language and other friends.

From the Independence until today, we are supporting and fighting against the unilateral coercive measure, and the Venezuelan people are working together.

Working to defeat all the threats, all the aggressive actions against our independence and against our sovereignty.

For more than five years ago when President Obama declared and signed an executive order saying that Venezuela is a threat for the internal security of the USA.

And after Obama, with Trump, there have been unilateral coercive measures where they blocked and freeze the funds of Venezuelas banks institutions in different European and American banks.

Presently, the bank of London has more than 53 tones of reserve of gold of Venezuela, they froze this amount and they do not recognize the legitime government of Venezuela.

They have stolen more than 7 billion dollars in different accounts in different countries, properties of Venezuela, Caraballo said.

Caraballo said Venezuelas President, Nicolas Maduro had instructed the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs to press the complaints in the International Criminal Court against the U.S. government.

The envoy said that Venezuela would use its position in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to defend the abuses from the U.S. and other countries.

We believe in the multilateral mechanism to solve these situations and also we have enough capacity to increase our economy capacity in the size of the country.

Our participation in the Human Right Council is very important to defend the Human Rights abuses and also victims of Human Rights abuses from the USA.

And also in the framework of the United Nations conventions or international law, not only in this position but also the United Nations General Assembly in the mechanisms like the Non Aligment Movement.

We have the chairmanship of the Non-Alignment Movement. Venezuela believe in the multilateralism, in the solidarity, we believe in the capacity of diplomacy to solve the problems, he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Venezuela Embassy in Abuja marked the Independence in a low key in accordance with COVID-19 safety precautions with limited guests observing physical distancing.

The event also showcased a video of the history of Afro-descendants, highlighting how important Africa is to Venezuela.

It also showcased various investment opportunities and tourist areas of interest for Africans and Nigerians to key into.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

The health agency said that this brought to 59, the total number of laboratories in the country.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State

By Ariwodola Idowu

Ekiti State Government has announced introduction of new education policy to accommodate teaching of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), from primary schools.

The new development was made known in a statement in Ado Ekiti by the Commissioner for Information, Chief Muyiwa Olumilua.

He said that the policy was part of decisions taken late Friday at a virtual meeting of the State Executive Council, presided over by Gov. Kayode Fayemi.

According to him, the Executive Council approved the development of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT), policy in education for both primary and secondary schools in Ekiti State.

This is in furtherance of one of the major pillars of the Fayemi-led administration, which is the Knowledge Economy

The Policy was approved to fulfill the quest to commence ICT education right from our basic schools in Ekiti and to embrace a structured approach in building a robust, scalable and sustainable ICT culture.

The need to ensure that global practices are put in place so that teaching/leaning will deliver and produce world class products cannot be overemphasised, he said.

Olumilua further explained that the step would boost ICT know-how among the citizens and expand the scope of knowledge for more opportunities in the global community.

The Commissioner said the proposed policy would also cover six thematic areas which include: human capital development, infrastructure, awareness and communication, governance, financing, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

He said council also approved the memorandum on the Establishment of Ekiti State Institute of Local Government Studies Bill, 2020.

The bill is to make a Law to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Local Government Studies, in Ilawe-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti South West LGA.

He said that establishment of the institute was for students and civil servants to obtain training in Local Government Studies, Vocational Studies, Community Development and Social Work, ICT, and other relevant courses.

Besides, he said, council approved a memorandum on the review of Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 (Vol. 3