NNPC Headquarters

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has redeployed some top management staff as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the corporation for greater efficiency, transparency and profitability.

Dr Kennie Obateru, NNPCs Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, announced this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Obateru said the redeployments and appointments were in line with the Next Level Agenda of President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

He said that under the exercise, Mr Adokiye Tombomieye, the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD), had been appointed the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), Upstream.

According to the statement, Mr Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC), has beenappointed the new COO, Corporate Services, following the retirement of Mr Farouk Garba.

Mr Adeyemi Adetunji, the COO Upstream, was redeployed to Ventures and Business Development Directorate as COO, to replace Mr Roland Onoriode Ewubare, who voluntarily retired last week.

Also, Mr Billy Okoye, Managing Director of the NNPC Retail Limited replaces Tombomieye as the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division.

He said Mrs Elizabeth Aliyuda, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing NNPC Retail Limited, now takes over from Okoye as Managing Director.

He said Usman Farouk, Executive Director Asset Management and Technical Services at the NGMC takes over from Mr Ahmed as Managing Director.

Obateru also stated that President Buhari had accepted the resignation of Mr Roland Ewubare, who was the immediate past COO, Ventures and New Business Directorate of the corporation.

He said that the President also accepted the retirement of the immediate past COO, Corporate Services, Mr Farouk Garba, thanking the two former COOs for their meritorious service to the corporation and the nation.

Obateru quoted the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, as saying that the new appointments would enable the corporation to live up to the expectation of its shareholders and Nigerians.

He added that the exercise would give impetus to the ongoing restructuring within the corporation, which is in line with the corporate vision of Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE).

Source: NAN News

File Photo: Marginal Oil field

By Edeki Igafe

The Ijaws in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta have urged the Federal Government to give them right of first refusal in marginal oil fields located in the kingdom.

Godspower Gbenekama, Spokesman of Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, made the call on Sunday at a news conference held at Oporoza, the administrative headquarters of the Gbaramatu kingdom.

Gbenekama who spoke on behalf of the chiefs and other sons and daughters of Gbaramatu, some of whom held placards, alleged the marginalisation of the oil-producing kingdom.

Some of the placards reads: FG should restart the Omadinor-Escravos road project, Bring back our Dockyard, NIMASA, among others.

We have by this medium announced our total and unequivocal objection to a bidding process that has for long excluded well-to-do Gbaramatu indigenes from the marginal fields.

The Federal Governmentshould come up with modalities where competent companies owned by Gbaramatu indigenes will be given the right of first refusal on oil fields located in Gbaramatu and Warri South-West, he said.

Gbenekamawas unhappy with the ongoing bidding process for the 57 marginal fields by the DPR which according to him had excluded Gbaramatu-owned companies from partaking.

He appealed to the government to relocate to Gbaramatu the Floating Dock/Ship Building Yard originally planned to aid learning in the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

Gbenekama also appealed to the Federal Government to resume work on the abandoned Omadinor-Escravos road to boost socio-economic and peaceful co-existence of Ijaws and Itsekiris.

We urge the Federal Government to restart the Omadinor-Escravos road project to improve the economic relations between the neighbouring Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.

The Federal Government should also resume work on the multi-billion dollars Gas Revolution Industrial Park in Ogidigben and Deep Seaport in Gbaramatu both in Warri South-West, among others, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Chikwe Ikekweazu NCDC Boss

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has launched an online course on infection prevention and control (ICP) for health workers, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection transmission in healthcare setting.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, on Sunday in Abuja, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the online course would be available to the general public, particularly the healthcare workers.

According to him, the programme is aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases while administering health care in the country.

As at July 4, a total of 28,167 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 634 deaths have been recorded by NCDC.

Additionally, as at June 2, about 812 healthcare workers have been infected in the country, with over 230,000 infected globally, he noted.

Ihekweazu said that the national strategy in term of response to COVID-19 had been multifaceted.

He added that in the absence of a vaccine or cure, compliance with IPC measures remained one of the most effective interventions to control the outbreak.

The director-general said that the NCDC had made efforts to rapidly strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers in infection prevention and control, wherever health care was provided.

Since the first case in Nigeria was confirmed in February, NCDC has supported the training of about 17,436 health workers in IPC.

It has been working in collaboration with the Departments of Hospital Services and Food and Drugs of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to ensure that health workers are provided with the required personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risk of infection among them.

To ensure that IPC training, knowledge and information are easily accessible to those who need it, the Infection Prevention and Control Unit of the NCDC, with technical assistance from eHealth Africa, has developed a COVID-19 IPC online course.

The course features modules on standard and transmission-based precautions, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential aspects of infection control in healthcare.

A certificate of participation will also be awarded at the end of the course by NCDC, he stated.

The director-general said that the online course was also designed to document vital information to monitor the IPC compliance across health facilities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in public, private and faith-based facilities in the country.

He stated that infection prevention and control measures cut across all other components of the COVID-19 response in Nigeria and that it was critical for strengthening national health security.

Registration for the free online course on infection prevention and control can be done using the link: https://elearning.ncdc.gov.ng/courses/infection-prevention-and- control-for-covid-19/.

The NCDC, under the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Health and her other agencies, remains strongly committed to protecting the health of Nigerians.

We urge the public to remain aware of the risks of COVID-19 and to adhere to the preventive measures advised by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Visit covid19.ncdc.gov.ng for real-time updates and guidelines on the COVID-19 outbreak, he advised. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Sunday said that the state tested a total of 42,348 samples for COVID-19 as at July 3.

Abayomi, who made the disclosure on his Twitter account, said that of the 42,348 samples, 10,926 returned positive.

He said that 748 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the state on July 3, out of which 87 new cases were confirmed.

Out of the total number of confirmed cases, 1,695 patients have since been discharged from the Lagos COVID-19 care centres following full recovery.

A total of 6,259 of the cases monitored in communities by COVID-19 Lagos Response Team have either fully recovered or are positively responding to treatments, he said.

The commissioner said that 365 of the cases were under isolation in public and private care centres.

Abayomi, however, said that 2,430 active cases in the communities had yet to turn up for admission in care centres either due to fear of stigmatisation or preference for home care treatments.

As at July 3, the number of COVID-19 related deaths in Lagos State had risen to 177, he said.

According to the official, the time to take responsibility is now.

He advised the state residents to observe physical distancing and regularly wash their hands.

Abayomi also advised the residents to stay at home when unnecessary to go out, adding that they should wear face masks when going out to reduce the risk of infection.

Source: NAN News

BUA Group

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

BUA Cement has announced plans to establish a three million metric tonnes cement plant and 50 megawatts power plant in Guyuk and Lamurde, Adamawa State.

The Chairman of BUA, Abdul Samad Rabiu, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

Rabiu led the companys management team on a courtesy call to the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri after preliminary findings revealed that Guyuk and Lamurde areas had quality limestone.

Preliminary findings show that the two local governments of Guyuk and Lamurde are reputed to have good quality limestone deposits and BUA Cement is ready to begin the investment in the state.

BUA will use new technologies to supply power to the proposed cement plant and communities of Guyuk and Lamurde in addition to providing three thousand direct and five thousand indirect jobs.

Guyuk Cement Plant will be a major investment in the North-East by BUA, while we solicit the support of Gov. Umaru Fintiri to set up the factory in Guyuk, he said.

Rabiu said that the company had made a decision to source its raw materials locally, adding that it had invested billions of dollars in various sectors across Nigeria.

He urged the state government to support BUA to actualise the Guyuk Cement project.

He also hailed the governors commitment in developing the state within one year in office, despite the economic challenges in Adamawa.

Responding, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri said his administrations effort in exploring local contents had started yielding results and thanked BUA for showing interest in establishing the cement plant in Guyuk.

He assured the management team of BUA that government would make available whatever was needed and provide the necessary support to make the project a reality.

The government is ready to protect the investment once it is established and this administration will maintain the good relationship with the company for the benefit of the state.

According to the statement, BUA is Nigerias second largest cement producer by volume with cement plants in Sokoto and Edo States.

The companys newest plant in Sokoto is expected to be operational in 2021.

When completed, the Guyuk Cement Plant will bring BUAs total capacity to 14 million metric tonnes per annum.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Sheyi Makinde

By David Adeoye

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Saturday, inaugurated an upgraded 10-bed space Agbami Isolation Centre in Jericho, Ibadan for the COVID-19 patients.

Makinde said on the occasion that the new facility would encourage private individuals to self-isolate at the centre.

He explained that the facility, which wasa Tuberculosis (TB) Centre, was inaugurated at the twilight of the last administration.

It has been upgraded now; we have oxygen concentrator here and you will get the type of care that you truly deserved.

Now, there is COVID-19 pandemic in our hand and we also have high-earned individuals in Oyo State, who are not comfortable going to Olodo Isolation Centre, because they want individual room and privacy.

For those individuals, we know some of you have aged parents at home and because we have to give concession for such individuals to self-isolate at home and monitor them, now, we dont have to do much of that anymore.

With the facilities here, you can self-isolate privately by just drive in.

We will give you the treatment and we will ensure that you dont infect others.

Once you have been properly managed, you will go back to your various homes, the governor said.

He enjoined people not to be negligent of the coronavirus, or afraid to confirm their COVID-19 status, adding that the disease was not a death sentence.

I battled COVID-19; so, it is not a death sentence and it is not something to be ashamed of.

The virus is here with us and it will be here for some times to come.

It is not going to disappear in two or three weeks from now. So, we have to learn to live with it.

If any of us is sick, we have the facilities; we have taken the opportunity of the disease to strengthen our health care facilities.

He said that after the pandemic, the facilities would remain and that government would continue to maintain them.

You dont need to go and hide at private hospitals where they dont really have facilities, resources and the personnel to ensure that you access adequate care, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar, addressing NAF troops in Maiduguri on Saturday

By Yakubu Uba

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar, has lauded troops of the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole for making substantial progress in the fight against Boko Haram in the North East.

Abubakar made the commendation on Satuday while addressing Officers, Air Men and Air Women at the Maiduguri Air Force Base.

He urged them to increase the tempo so as to round up the operations by the end of the year.

I want to say that we are satisfied and excited that you are making substantial progress in ensuring that the Boko Haram terrorists are eliminated in the North East and our people can go back to their farms and live their normal lives.

I want to urge you to continue to ensure that everything is being done to ensure that north east and indeed the entire country is secured.

Keep working hard. I want to assume that at least before the end of this year or latest by the end of this year we should be rounding up this operation, Abubakar said.

While noting that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to support the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), he said the surveillance aircraft sent to Germany for maintenance was back and would be deployed to support operations in north east.

He also said that substantial progress had been made in acquiring the Super Tucano aircraft from USA and that personnel from NAF to handle the planes had been nominated to commence training.

The CAS lauded the improved synergy between the Air Force and Nigerian Army and assured that the air force would continue to work closely with the ground troops.

He added this would be by shaping the ground for the ground troops to conduct their operations as effectively as possible.

He also assured the troops of NAF commitment to their welfare at all time.

On our part at the Air Force headquarters, I want to assure you that we will continue to support your operations not only in terms of training and equipment.

But all the welfare requirements that you need in order to make you more effective in the discharge of your assigned tasks, the CAS assured the troops.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlight of the occasion is the inspection of some war planes at the base by the Air Chief, who interacted with the respective crews to boost their morale.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19: NAPPS trains 300 on school reopening strategies

By Tolu Aiyegbusi

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT chapter, has begun capacity building for no fewer than 300 of its members following planned reopening of school.

The virtual training and workshop series scheduled to hold throughout July is aimed at empowering the members on schools re-opening strategies in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The theme of the four-part series is: Re-opening: Insight series for NAPPS FCT schools.

The training is held on the meeting app, Zoom webinar.

Mrs Olusola Bankole, the President of the chapter, said on Saturday during the webinar that the training was part of the associations social responsibility.

She added that it was in support of the Federal Governments plan to reopen schools, which were closed in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the series of virtual training and workshops on schools reopening would take every aspect of health and safety into consideration.

Other aspects of the webinar seminar are business continuity sessions and finance discussions peculiar to schools in FCT and the country in general, she said.

Bankole said that over 300 schools registered for the first part of the series, with additional representation from school proprietors from Enugu, Nasarawa, Niger and Kaduna states.

Apart from that, we also have over 100 public school principals and teachers from across the country in attendance.

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT Chapter, wants to get her member-schools set for resumption.

The executives had earlier initiated a series of thought-provoking and honest sessions, and the fallout of all that is the structured Zoom webinars.

The health training contents are part of the guidelines intended for schools, it conforms to the standards of WHO and NCDC, and a team of experts are supporting, she said.

Dr Bukola Dosunmu, a healthcare expert, said at the event that there was the need for schools to make their resumption plans to suit their peculiar structures.

She advised that each school should take its staff number and space capacity into consideration.

Mrs Ifechukwu Ezeani, a finance expert, urged participants to go back to the drawing board and come up with a needs assessment and incident management team.

She said that adopting new plans in the face of the pandemic would help in adaptability and smooth running of schools as a business entity.

Similarly, Coach Sam Obafemi, a behavioural change expert, urged school proprietors to set aside sentiments and switch to survival mode.

He said that all schools should set long-term goals that would take into consideration survival methods in spite of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

I would also advise school owners to suspend activities such as cultural and social events and strategise on ways they can minimise expenses.

Schools should maximise disruptive technology, adopt best digital formats such as meeting physically twice a week and making the most of online or recorded classes, he said.

A UK-based information technology expert, Mr Roland Sodeinde, noted that the older generation of learners were digital immigrants while the new generation were digital natives.

He called on all the participants to maximise the use of free online resources to improve teaching and learning.

In her remarks, Mrs Samira Jibir, the Proprietor of Glisten International School, Jahi, Abuja, advised that everyone should pay attention to his or her psychological well-being.

She said that the association would explore profitable partnerships and work on getting palliatives for member-teachers.

She added that government rules on reopening of schools should be adhered to, urging that physical visits to schools should be minimised.

NAN reports that the association had supported the schools reopening plan of the Federal government during the 2014 Ebola epidemic.

No fewer than 300 persons comprising members of NAPPS from FCT, Enugu, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna chapters, as well as principals and teachers in public schools participated in the online meeting.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Friday Idachaba

The Kogi Non-Governmental Organisations Network (KONGONET) has called on the state COVID-19 Squadron Committee to provide clarifications on the states COVID-19 status and end conflict between the state and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Th KONGONET Chairman, Mr Idris Muraina, made the call on its 2nd Quarter 2020 statement on the state of affairs in the state released in Lokoja, on saturday

Muraina said the conflict was detrimental to the health of the people, noting that both the state government and NCDC were determined to save lives.

He said that COVID-19 had adversely affected all sectors of the nations economy and required collective efforts to curbs its spread.

He said the network admitted the existence of a committee put together by Kogi Government to provide guidance and direction on preventing the outbreak of the disease in the state.

While the state government is yet to officially acknowledge COVID-19 cases in the state, the NCDC continues to stick to its guns that Kogi State has four COVID-19 cases.

It is our hope that the state COVID-19 Squadron Committee will provide clarifications on the needless squabbles with NCDC.

Both are set up to save lives. Who gets the trophy for the needless competition?

We join the state government in the call on Kogi people to avoid panic and adhere to the protective guidelines as provided by the NCDC.

We also hope the Squadron Committee, under the leadership of Chief David Edward Onoja, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, will do the needful by implementing multiple sensitisation programmes, he said.

Muraina noted that the state was witnessing much upgrade and construction of health facilities but noted that the level of attention provided for patients in government health facilities left more to be desired.

He said that civil societies working on health and wellbeing had reported that the states ministry of healths annual budget in the past three years was not adequate.

He called for more spending on the states health sector.

The coalition istrying to come to terms with the recent withdrawal of donor-agencies from the state, with the attendant unusual increase in public health challenges.

It, therefore, calls on the Kogi Ministry of Health and, by extension, the state government to come up with strategies to stem tuberculosis.

The epileptic release of funds to Kogi State Agency for the Control of Aids for planned activities still remains an issue unresolved, compounding the challenges of HIV/AIDS control in the state, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

ENSG takes up care of brutalised minors wellbeing, medical bills

By Stanley Nwanosike

Enugu State Government has pledged to take adequate care of wellbeing of the 10-year-old female house-help (name withheld), who was grievously maltreated by her guardian, Mrs Ifeoma Ozougwu.

The states Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji, made the pledge when she visited the victim at the hospital on Saturday.

The state government also promised to offset her medical bills and ensure that she receives adequate medical attention at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane.

Nnaji, who was immediately directed by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to visit the abused child, empathised with the victim and her family.

She assured the family that the state government would not take the matter lightly.

We can never sweep it (matter) under the carpet as the dastardly act undermined the Child Rights Act that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyis administration spent millions of naira, time and energy to enact in the collaboration with UNICEF.

The Child Rights Act makes sure that every child in Enugu State is protected, given education, healthcare and right to life among others.

Enugu state government is not taking this lying low.

The government will take care of all the medical bills and everything concerning this girl, she said.

She expresseddeep shock over the cruel and inhumane treatment of the minor in the hands of her guardians.

Nnaji thankedneighbours for bringing the ugly incident to public domain, describing them as Good Samaritans.

In his remark, Prof. Hycienth Onah, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, explained that the victim had been responding to treatment.

Her chances of full recovery are high, Onah said.

Responding, the mother of the victim, Mrs Nnedinso Nnadi, expressed gratitude to the state government for intervening in rescuing her daughter.

Nnadi said that it was a traumatic experience for the child and the entire family.

She asked God to reward all those who had played roles in the rescue and treatment of her child.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victimsguardians, Mrs Ifeoma Ozougwu and her husband, Mr Jude Ozougwu, have been arrested by the Police.

The Ozougwus hail from Aku community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News