Illustration: President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila

By Emmanuel Afonne

An ICT expert, Dr Jamiu Yusuf, has urged the executive and legislative arms of government to be prudent in managing resources with lean management principles to ensure efficient public sector during the COVID-19 era.

Yusuf, who is the lead partner of an Abuja-based firm, Glodaris Technology Consulting, made the call in Abuja on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN).

He said that the current situation in the world especially as it concerned the declining price of crude oil at the international market, necessitated by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, called for caution in the management of resources.

Nigeria needs an urgent economy recovery from the ills of coronavirus and declining oil price which remains abysmally slow, with declining real incomes that have negative implications on the national growth, price and exchange rate stability as well as employment.

In other words, worsening oil prices and falling exchange rate will create fiscal crisis, imports will become more expensive and inflation pressures will rise, productive sector wobble, unemployment and poverty will worsen and external reserves further depleted.

Therefore, there is urgent need to apply lean management principle in order to re-organise our priorities, at both the executive and parliamentary arms of governance.

The wastages in the executive arm in terms of overlapping of jurisdictions of activities in governance must be urgently eliminated or reduced and remunerations for unnecessary activities removed.

On the parliamentary side, the cost of maintaining this arm of governance is out of tune with the current realities and need to be reduced drastically.

According to Yusuf, the pandemic has affected every sector of the economy, including health and education, a situation he said has giving rise to maternal death.

He regretted that much attention had been focused on coronavirus thereby neglecting people with other health issues especially the pregnant women.

Yusuf added: Maternal death is likely to continue in the medium to long term if nothing urgent is done.

The majority of women in rural areas of the country have no education, no access to skilled birth attendant, no exposure, no family planning, early age of childbearing and no access to information. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A Nigerian Seaport

By Edeki Igafe

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says nineships conveying general cargo and other items are expected to arrive at Delta ports between June 18 and June 30.

The NPA made this known in its daily publication, Shipping Position a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Warri.

Nine ships conveying PMS, AGO, Frozen fish, Butane gas and general cargo are expected at the Delta ports between June 18 and June 30, the authority said.

The organisation listed some of the expected vessels as MV Frio Nereus, MT Safe Sea Neha 111, MT Leon Herc, MV Hyde, and LPG Laperouse.

NPA also said that two vessels: MT Capt. Gregory and MT Abiola conveying 16,000 metric tons of PMS and 12,000 metric tons of crude oil were awaiting anchorage at the Bennett Island and Escravos respectively to discharge products.

The port authority said that MT ST Walga was waiting at the Fairway Buoy to discharge 15,000 metric tons of petrol. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

UEFA Champions League

This seasons Champions League, suspended in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be completed with an eight-team mini-tournament, European footballs governing body UEFA said on Wednesday.

The mini-tournament will be held in Lisbon, Portugal in August.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be staged over one leg, instead of the usual two, with the final to be held on Aug. 23, UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti said.

He spoke after an executive committee meeting held by video conference.

The four last 16 second leg matches which still have to be played will take place on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8, either at the originally scheduled venues or in Portugal.

The matches are Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs Chelsea, Juventus vs Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona vs Napoli.

Paris St-Germain (PSG), Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and RB Leipzig have already qualified for the quarter-finals.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said he expected matches to be played without fans, although there was a small chance that could change.

We dont think we can have spectators but things are changing rapidly and we will assess the situation at the beginning of January. he told a video news conference.

One month ago, I couldnt even say if we could play the competition.

He added there was no Plan B in case the public health situation in Portugal worsened, although UEFA was monitoring the situation daily.

The plan allows for a quicker completion of the season than the traditional two-legged home and away format.

Istanbul, which was due to host the 2020 final, will now instead be the venue for the 2021 edition.

All other scheduled hosts - St Petersburg, Munich and London - are moving back a year, UEFA said.

A similar format will be used to decide the Europa League competition in Germany from Aug. 10 to Aug. 21.

Matches will hold in Duisburg, Duesseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Cologne, which will host the final.

The womens Champions League will be staged as an eight-team mini-tournament in the Spanish cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian with the final on Aug. 30. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Players take a knee as EPL restarts

Players of Aston Villa and Sheffield United took a knee at kick-off in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as the 2019/2020 English Premier League (EPL) season restarted on Wednesday.

They were joined by the match referee, Michael Oliver, as well as the other officials.

The league returned after a 100-day hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the teams and match officials sent out a strong statement of support for the worldwide protests against racism.

All the players names on the back of their shirts were replaced with the words Black Lives Matter as the league formally joined the international protest.

The protest is a campaign sparked by the death last month of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

The kneeling protest followed a moments silence before kick-off in memory of those who died in the coronavirus pandemic.

The match at a rainy Villa Park was also the first in Premier League history to be played without fans, and with strict health protocols in place.

Only 300 personnel were allowed into a stadium divided into three different security zones to try to restrict any possible spread of the novel coronavirus.

The pandemic has claimed close to 42,000 lives in the UK.

There was none of the traditional routine at the start of a match, with teams emerging from their changing rooms separately, players lining up two metres apart and handshakes banned.

No ballboys were in attendance.

Both teams will be allowed to make five substitutions, in another first for the game in England.

It is following on from the allowances made by footballs world governing body FIFA for the leagues having to cram in matches after the lockdown.

The match was the first of 92 to be played inside the next six weeks to finish the Premier League season. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Habibu Harisu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Zonal Office in Sokoto has recovered about N400 million stolen fund in its operations between January and June 16, 2020.

Mr Abdullahi Lawal, the head of the office said this while speaking with newsmen in Sokoto.

Lawal said that the EFCC also securedseven convictions during the period under review.

He said that about 100 petitions were received by the agency, bordering on advanced fee fraud, money laundry, and land matters.

Lawal said that some leaders of Sokoto traders association were interrogated by the EFCC over alleged diversion of N1 billion loan facility granted by the State Government.

The zonal office is in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.

Source: NAN News

NAFDAC DG, Prof. Moji Adeyeye

By Aderogba George
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned business firms against undermining its regulatory activities but to take advantage of its ease of doing business platforms.

The warning was contained in a statement by NAFDAC Director of Public Affairs, Dr Jimoh Abubakar, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that the warning was in response to a recent online publication by the Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) undermining the operations of the agency.

Hesaidthe attention of NAFDAC had been drawn to the online publication of APFFLON entitled: APFFLON berates NAFDAC shoddy mode of operation.

Abubakar described the publication,especially the comments made by the associations president as a deliberate, calculated mischief, aimed at fighting the anti corruption system of NAFDAC.

In the past, importers and clearing agents were made to physically move from one NAFDAC office to the other to process the clearance of their goods at the ports.

With the appointment of the current Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, many things have changed in the agency.

We have fast tracked the implementation of electronic processing of clearance of goods at the ports from issuance oflicenses to the release of imported products at the ports.

The DG mandated that all processes within NAFDAC should move from the previous inefficient manual processing to the online systems, this is to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

The full automated system was deployed in 2017 with an identified group of low risk importers and clearing agents, who used the system for the clearance of their goods at the ports, hesaid.

Acccording to the him,the new system of online documentation and operations of NAFDAChas enabled business firms and owners to clear their consignment without visiting the offices of the agency except when invited.

Hesaid that NAFDAC portal of operation was auser friendly platform, and that it would go ahead with the modernisation of all processes within the agency.

He added that NAFDAC as a customer focused agency would always accept constructive criticism.

We have previously received some recommendations for better service delivery from credible importers and clearing agents, which we have entrenched and we will continually commit to embracing more suggestions and recommendations that will keep improving the way we carry out our mandate.

We wish to categorically state that officers have been trained to be professional, carry out their assignments ethically, the performance of officers are continuously monitored through the generation of reports by the platform.

The general public is therefore advised to disregard the misguided statements and outcry of the APFFLON group, who wants to undermine the genuine efforts of NAFDAC that is making all efforts to facilitate trade and curb corruption in the system, he added.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

Nigeria on Tuesday recorded 31 COVID-19 related deaths, the highest number of fatalities since the pandemic broke out othe Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) has said.

The centre also confirmed 490 new cases of the COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 17,148.

The NCDC announced this on its official Twitter handle.

It said that, as at June 16, 2020, the new cases were recorded in 16 states while no new state reported a case in the last 24 hours.

The NCDC said that Lagos reported the highest number of cases with 142 new cases and FCT was second with 60 new infections.

The 490 new cases are reported from 16 states- Lagos(142), FCT(60), Bayelsa(54), Rivers(39), Delta(37), Oyo(30), Kaduna(26), Imo(23), Enugu(19), Kwara(17), Gombe(11), Ondo(10), Bauchi(8), Ogun(7), Borno(6), Benue(1).

The NCDC said that till date,17,148 cases have been confirmed, 11,070 active cases 5,623 cases have been treated and discharged deaths, 96, 402 samples have been collected, and 455 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Meanwhile, NCDC said that Lagos State recorded 25 deaths between June 12 and 15 ; and they were all announced on June, 16.

NAN reports that Investigators working on the United Kingdom-based recovery trial announced that Dexamethasone, a low-cost and widely available steroid that lowers inflammation, improved patients chances of surviving severe COVID-19.

During the study, about 2,100 COVID-19 patients were treated with dexamethasone for 10 days. Patients on mechanical ventilation who were given Dexamethasone were 35 percent less likely to die compared to patients on ventilators who did not get the treatment.

In patients on less invasive forms of breathing support, Dexamethasone decreased the risk of death by 20 per cent while patients who did not require any respiratory help saw no improvements after taking the steroid.

The NCDC said that it is aware of recent outcomes from a UK-Government funded clinical trial for COVID-19.

It said that the results support the use of Dexamethsaone as a possible treatment to reduce the risk of death among COVID-19 patients, who require oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

The health agency called on Nigerians to note that the Government of Nigeria has not validated or approved any treatment for COVID-19.

In addition, the NCDC said that the use of Dexamethasone for COVID-19 treatment has not been validated by World Health Organisation (WHO).

We are aware of ongoing clinical trials conducted by scientists in the UK and will work with our sister agencies to evaluate this emerging data on the use of Dexamethasone.

We will inform the general public on outcomes following scientific review and validation, it said.

Source: NAN News

Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations

By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Defence Headquarters says more Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have continued to succumb to the superior tactics and fire power of the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Wednesday, said that the troops had increased the tempo of clearance operations in the theatres of operations.

Enenche disclosed that the troops of Army Super Camp 11 Gamboru in Borno effectively cleared Kusumu and Warshele Villages which appeared to be the terrorists logistics base on June 14.

He added that the troops also neutralised 13 terrorists in an encounter at Kumo, Diime and Sabori where some marauding Boko Haram criminals were hibernating.

According to him, after the encounter, the troops captured 21 locally made guns, two Dane guns, one Sniper Rifle, one 36 Hand Grenade, one Improvised Explosive Device Bomb and two Boko Haram flags.

Other captured items include five cutlasses, one digger, one spear, five bicycles, three motorcycles, five carts, two loud hailers and one Lister generator.

The troops equally rescued 32 captives comprising 16 women and 16 children, he said.

Enenche also disclosed that the troops made contact with a band of Boko Haram logistics couriers attempting to cross from the Mandara Mountains to Banki axis along Pulka Bokko Kirawa Road.

He added that two terrorists were neutralised while others escaped with gunshot wounds, adding troops recovered four bicycles and bags of grains from the fleeing insurgents.

According to Enenche, same troops in conjunction with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force on June 10, successfully ambushed and neutralised three terrorists dressed in foreign military camouflage uniform along Pulka Firgi Banki Junction Sabsawa.

He said that the troops also captured two AK47 Rifles loaded with magazines, one Rocket Propelled Gun, one Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb, five extra magazines, 45 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, one Hand Grenade, one Honda motorcycle, one cell phone and First Aid kits.

The coordinator further disclosed that troops of 151 Task Force Battalion neutralised one terrorist and one other captured alive at Miyanti in Bama Local Government Area.

He added that the troops of 117 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force killed one terrorist in an ambush against elements of Boko Haram criminals logistics couriers at Gwagwamdi in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno.

According to him, the troops captured one AK 47 Rifle, two AK 47 Rifle magazines, 27 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 8 bicycles and bags of foodstuff and clothing materials.

Additionally, a Toyota Starlet vehicle belonging to the insurgents was burnt during the fire fight.

Also on the same day, the combined troops of 242 Battalion, Sector 3 Quick Response Force and elements of Strong Response Area Gajiram while on fighting patrol encountered Boko Haram criminals mounted on three Gun Trucks at Jilgata.

In the process, the gallant troops eliminated five of the terrorists and recovered four AK 47 Rifles.

One Malam Hassan Bukar earlier abducted by the Boko Haram criminals was rescued while one Toyota Land Cruiser jeep was also recovered by the troops.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai commended the troops for their resilience and patriotism in crushing the remnants of Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province criminals.

He urged them to maintain the tempo as we approach the end of insurgency in the Country.

Equally, the High Command of the Nigerian Military appreciates troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE for their unwavering commitment in the Theatre, he said.

Source: NAN News

LASEMA demolishes partially collapsed 2-storey building at Iju

By Aisha Cole

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has demolished a two-storey building at Iju following pledged by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to safeguard lives and property of Lagos residents.

The Director-General of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, made the disclosure after the demolition, which took place in the wee hours on Wednesday in Lagos.

Oke-Osanyintolu said that the demolition ofpartially collapsed two-storey building located at No, 7 Okunsanya Str. off Shanuaje, Iju,took place following the pledge of the governor to safeguard lives and property of Lagosians.

The demolition process occurred with adistress call to the Command and Control Centre of LASEMA on Sunday June 14, that the said building located about 200 metres from Dana plane crash site at Toyin bus stop, lju-lshaga, self-collapsed by half on Sunday afternoon.

Investigations by several relevant government agencies followed with the conduct of integrity tests, which results to demolition after due diligence and necessary approval, was followed by a controlled demolition of the mentionedproperty.

The demolition commenced in the wee hours of Wednesday at about 2:16 am to remove all threats to residents, surrounding property and the entire environment.

The 38year old two-storey building, which took two scouting operations to locate at Toyin bus stop, lju- lshaga, had suffered apparent lack of maintenance and many years of neglect, which led to its partial self- collapse on Sunday, Oke-Osanyintolu said.

He, however, said that no casualties, or fatalities were recorded, in the LASEMA operation, which involved the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Nigerian Police, LASEMA Fire Unit and Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).

Oke-Osanyintolu said that property worth a fortune were destroyed due to the collapse.

The Director Operations of LASEMA, Mr Olatunde Akinsanya, said that the demolition was also corroborated by the outcome of several tests conducted during preliminary investigations, which showed that the building was distressed as previously red-marked by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).

Akinsanya said that the preliminary investigations revealed that the two-storey, building which self-collapsed partially from the rear when testedshowed the structure was highly unstable and posed a high risk to the neighborhood. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Fertiliser

By Peter Uwumarogie

The Gombe State Government has begun the sale of 20, 000 metric tonnes of assorted fertiliser to farmers at subsidised price of N5,000 per bag for the 2020 wet season.

Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, made the disclosure while inaugurating the sale of fertiliser to farmers on Wednesday in Gombe.

Yahaya said the fertiliser would be sold to farmers at subsidised price of N5,000 per bag, to improve their livelihoods, boost productivity and enhance food security.

He noted that about 80 per cent of the states population engaged in agriculture, adding that his administration would continue to support the development of the sector.

The governor said that aside keying into many agricultural initiatives at regional and national levels, the state was reviving its farm service centres to serve as one-stop shop of agricultural services.

Yahaya said that:We are also keying into the National Livestock Transformation Programme with Wawa-Zange Grazing reserve and the great irrigation potentials of our three major dams of Dadin Kowa, Cham and Balanga to promote large-scale irrigation activities.

The governor said that his administration had adopted proactive strategies to turn Gombe into an agricultural hub through industrialisation, aimed at diversifying the economy, create job opportunities and boost the states revenue base.

The governor added that the Fertiliser Monitoring Committee had been strengthened to ensure that the commodity reach intended beneficiaries promptly.

Our objective is for rural farmers to get basic farm inputs at their door-steps.

The Ministry of Agriculture and relevant security agencies are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the guidelines on the sale and distribution exercise, he said.

Yahaya warned farmers against encroaching into grazing reserves and cattle routes while also calling on herders and pastoralists, to avoid grazing on farm lands prior to harvest and evacuation of farm produce.

He lauded the Federal Governments support toward transforming the agriculture in the State, and called on farmers to take advantage of the huge governments investments in the sector.

Also speaking, Mr Muhammad Magaji, Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, said the fertiliser distribution exercise demonstrated the state governments readiness to reinvigorate agriculture.

Magaji said that the state government had distributed 30 trucks of NPK brand of fertiliser, agro-chemicals and knapsack sprayers to 6, 000 dry season farmers at subsidized rates.

The state government also reactivated the annual animal vaccination of cattle, sheep and goats as well as procurement of agricultural equipment for dry season farmers, he said.

He called on the state government to engage agricultural professionals for the ministry and the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), and revitalisation of pest control team of the ministry.

On his part, Dr Musa Inuwa, Gombe State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the Federal Government had approved the release and sale of essential chemicals (herbicides/pesticides), to farmers at subsidised prices.

In addition, 500 bags of improved sorghum, millet and cowpea seeds have been allocated to Gombe State as part of the palliative to 500 farmers in Nafada, Shongom, Yamaltu Deba, Dukku and Balanga Local Government Areas.

Inuwa added that to ensure food security in the country, the Federal Government also approved N13 billion for the control of Trans-Boundary Pests in 12 frontline states including Gombe. (NAN)

Source: NAN News