APC Logo

By Deji Abdulwahab

The Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun the screening of aspirants for the June 22 Edo governorship primaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven-member screening committee, headed by Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, had so far screened five aspirants out of six.

Those screened included Gov. Godwin Obaseki, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Hon. Osaro Obaz, Dr Pius Odubu and Mr Chris Ogiemwonyi.

However, the remaining aspirant, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwe, will appear before the committee on Thursday (June 11).

During a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, Ayuba assured that his committee would ensure transparency.

According to him, the committees job is to verify claims by aspirants and give reasons for every of its action.

He urged the media to embark on investigative journalism, saying that sensational journalism would undermine the screening process.

NAN recalls that the APC National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday inaugurated the screening and appeal committees for the June 22 Edo governorship primaries.

The appeal committee headed by Prof. Abubakar Fari, is expected to handle the appeal or disagreement arising from the process. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

WHO

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says confirmed Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Africa are more than 200,000.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, gave the update on its official twitter handle @WHOAFRO.

There are over 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent with more than 90,000 recoveries and 5,400 deaths, it said.

WHO said that South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria had the highest reported cases on the continent.

According to the organisation, South Africa has 52,991 cases and 1, 162 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 13, 464 confirmed cases and 365 deaths, while Algeria has 10,382 confirmed cases and 724 deaths.

WHO said that Lesotho, Seychelles and Gambia were countries had the lowest confirmed cases on the continent.

It said Lesotho had only four confirmed cases with zero death, Seychelles had 11 reported cases and zero death, while Gambia recorded 28 confirmed cases also with no death. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Unity Bank

Unity Bank Plc on Wednesday declared gross earnings of N44.59 billion for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2019.

The bank also posted profit before tax of N550 million in its first quarter (Q1) result released alongside the 2019 financial year result to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

A review of the bank’s Q1 result showed that profit after tax rose by nine per cent to N506.07 million as against N464.87 reported in the comparative quarter of 2019.

The audited 2019 full year result showed that the bank recorded a profit before tax of N3.64 billion.

Its profit after tax closed at N3.38 billion, thereby consolidating on the gains of the reforms instituted by the Bank to grow a healthy balance sheet since the past two years.

Commenting on the results, Mrs Tomi Somefun, the bank’s Managing Director, said that “the potential in many aspects of the business as reflected in growing balance sheet of the Bank is indicative of market confidence in our repositioning efforts”.

“It is also noteworthy that playing in the agriculture sector as part of growth strategy and as bulwarks to drive value chain businesses in many segments of the retail market has continued to pay off.

“Looking ahead, we shall consolidate on the gains in the agribusiness, capitalizing on the growing profile in the sector, whilst also focusing on the youth market with increased investment in technology”,Somefun said.

She noted that the bank’s quest to deepen its retail play would go hand in hand with its focus on digital innovations.

“Already, we have deployed USSD banking, carried out augmentation of the platform to introduce local languages and further drive financial inclusion and have also launched omni-channel to cater for all segments of the banking public, especially the underbanked.

“In the coming years, the bank will be opening more channels and bundled products bouquet for identified cluster initiatives and also leverage and expand relationships with other partners to drive more growth in earnings and profits,” she said.

Somefun said that the bank had concluded arrangements to launch a healthcare product called UnityCares to tap into credit support intervention scheme for the Health sector being rolled out by Central Bank of Nigeria as stimulus packages.

She said the stimulus packages were rolled out by the apex bank to support the indigenous pharmaceutical companies and healthcare practitioners that hope to build and expand capacity.

Source: NAN News

Gov, Babagana Zulum

By Yakubu Uba

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has revoked the allocation of all residential quarters not yet occupied in Bama town in the past one year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the quarters known as Indimi Estate comprise 100 two-bedroom houses.

They were constructed by a businessman in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, as his contribution in complementing governments efforts in resettling returnees in the town affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Malam Isa Gusau, Spokesman fo the governor, in a statement, said Zulum who was on a visit to Bama had re-allocated the houses to some displaced and homeless persons.

He quoted the governor as saying that those earlier allocated the quarters showed that they did not need them.

Borno State Government has revoked all allocations of houses at Indimi Estate.

We cannot tolerate a situation where people claim ownership of those houses while they are living in Maiduguri, Gusau quoted the governor as saying.

While in Bama, the governor paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Bama, and supervised the distribution of foodstuffs jointly provided by the state and Federal Government to 25,000 displaced persons.

The governor also announced plans to reopen some schools in the area as well as plan to return people from refugee camps in Cameroon. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

INEC Boss

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says out of 18 registered political parties, 15 have notified their intention to conduct primaries to nominate candidates for the Edo Governorship election.

Mr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said this in a statement after a virtual meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

Okoye said that the notice was in accordance with Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities issued by the Commission on Feb. 6, party primaries for the Edo Governorship election will take place between June 2 and June 27, he said.

Okoye said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would hold direct primary on June 22, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would hold indirect primary between June 19 and June 20.

According to Okoye, the African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) will also conduct indirect primaries on June 25.

He also said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) had notified the commission that they would conduct indirect primaries on June 27.

Other parties to hold indirect primaries were Action Peoples Party (APP) on June 26, National Rescue Movement (NRM) June 20 and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) June 14.

Okoye appealled to the various political parties to conduct their primaries in full compliance with the provisions of the laws and guidelines.

These, according to him, include the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries (2018) and the INEC Policy for Conducting Elections in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Political parties must shun all acts capable of breaching the peace and unsettling the peace and order of the State and jeopardising the health and safety of party members, election officials and observers, he said.

On prosecution of election offenders, Okoye said that INEC had received 16 case files arising out of the 2019 general elections.

In the understanding that impunity encourages perpetrators of election offences, the Commission is vigorously prosecuting offenders.

So far, 16 case files arising out of the 2019 General Elections have been provided by the Police (the lead agency for electoral security) on conclusion of investigation.

The cases are in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos and Niger States, ranging from snatching and destruction of election materials, disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of ballot papers and Permanent Voters Cards to canvassing for votes at polling units on election day.

Besides, two cases emanating from the Bayelsa Governorship election and relating to snatching and destruction of electoral materials are also being prosecuted, he said.

Okoye therefore urged the political parties sponsoring candidates and participating in the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections to eschew violence and conduct their activities in the best traditions of electoral democracy.

He said that the commission would not condone acts of electoral impunity during the end of tenure of Governorship elections and the forthcoming by-elections.

The commission will work collaboratively with all the security agencies to ensure a good electoral environment for the conduct of elections, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A bill to prohibit the stigmatisation of victims of rape and insurgency has passed second reading in the Senate at the plenary on Wednesday.

This followed debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Sani Musa (Niger-APC).

The bill is entitled A Bill for an Act to Prohibit the Stigmatisation of Victims of Rape and Insurgency in order to encourage victims of rape to testify in court and victims of insurgency to be reintegrated into the community of his or choice.

Leading the debate, Musa said that the bill was read for the first time in the chamber on Dec. 10, 2019.

He said that the objective of the bill was to provide a legal and institutional framework for the protocol for reintegration of victims of rape and insurgency in the country.

Musa said that the bill if passed into law, would certainly provide a new lease of life for victims of rape and in the country.

He said that it was high time the Senate legislated and took actions that would address some of the shortcomings in the countrys legal system on issues of stigmatisation for victims of rape and violence.

Supporting the debate, Sen. Sandy Onor (Cross River-PDP) said that one of the topmost issue that was gaining currency in the country was the unending protest against rape and brutality against women.

He said that the bill if passed, would show to Nigerians that it is action not words. We have a way of moving quickly from theory to practice.

We must ensure that prosecution for rape and brutality against women is accelerated in our judicial process. Let justice be served in a way it should be served, he said.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said rape was a menace that must be addressed in the society.

We have to be in a haste to pass the legislation in order to arrest the situation.

He thereafter referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and they are to report back to the upper chamber in four weeks.

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ijeh
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has commenced its 8th plenary to resolve pending issues on police discipline, promotion, recommendations on concluded police investigations and other matters.

Mr Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the commission, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the virtual meeting powered by Google zoom was presided over by the Chairman of the Commission, Mr Musiliu Smith.

Ani said the meeting, earlier slated for March 24 and 25 but later postponed indefinitely in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic would be concluded on Thursday.

According to him, the plenary is the highest decision making meeting of the commission that considers recommendations from its different Standing Committees.

He said the commission had complied with directives of the Federal Government on requirements for effective opening of government offices.

The commission has since set up a PSC COVID-19 Committee and the Committee has ensured full compliance with the directives and advice on the COVID-19 pandemic preventive measures.

These requirements are; social distancing in offices; hand washing and sanitation facilities at entrances and strategic points and provision of Infrared thermometers at entrances for temperature check.

The committee is currently in the second phase of sensitisation of staff on how to personalise these measures as required by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) especially with the rate of community spread, he said.

Source: NAN News

Lagos Hospital Managed Preterm Baby

By Joan Odafe

The Amuwo Odofin Maternal and Child Centre (AOMCC) says it has successfully managed and discharged a preterm baby who weighed 700g at birth.

The Medical Director of AOMCC, Dr Dapo Soyinka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a Lagos on Wednesday when the baby boy came for checkup that he weighed 1.5kg within 50 days.

Soyinka said that successfuldelivery and management of a pre-term baby with such weight was a feat for the hospital which, he said, had not had such a challenge.

He said that the baby was not only born too early but also born too small for his gestational age.

According to him, it took expertise and dedication of specialists and staff of the hospital to be able to successfully manage the baby.

He pledged the hospitals continued monitoring of the babys development until 24 months, to ensure there would not be any complications.

The hospitals Head of Paediatrics Department, Dr Oyejoke Oyapero, also told NAN that the hospital was informed when the mother was referred to the hospital to expect a small baby.

She said that the hospital was worried about the weight.

Our fear was heightened with the weight of 700g, which is the smallest we have had in this hospital.

We were very skeptical about the survival of the baby because a baby is supposed to be about 25 weeks at that size, not 33 weeks, and the chance of survival is really slim, she said.

The paediatrician told NAN that after assessing the baby, given his size and age, the hospital intended to refer the baby to a tertiary hospital but could not find any with a space to admit him.

She noted that babies born too early, too small or too sick could develop complications that may lead to cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness and other diseases.

So, we progressed with the management of the baby, put him in an incubator, gave drugs to monitor any apnea (cessation in breathing) and fortunately, he did not have a lot of that.

The baby pulled through, we needed to transfuse at some point and we put the baby under photo-therapy, expecting jaundice.

At the first week, he dropped to 600g and we were scared but he started picking up again, and as the days went by, he got to 1,000g (one kilogramme), then 1,200g.

We had to bring the baby out of the incubator earlier because he had stayed longer, given the age, and monitored him closely, she said.

Oyapero added that the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) was then adopted to help the baby to get heat from the mother.

She said that this served as an apnea monitor to keep him awake and alive.

She told NAN that managing the preterm baby, who was born during the period of the total lockdown in the state , was challenging for the hospital and his mother, who had to monitor the baby two-hourly.

The paediatrician praised the Lagos State Government (LASG) for initiating free medicals in April which, she said, helped to speed up investigations, treatments and other procedures.

We were giving the baby breastmilk as soon as he was able to feed orally, and supplemented with preterm formula to help him to gain weight.

To the glory of God, the baby continued to gain weight and at 1, 400g, we were preparing to send him home.

On review today, the baby has reached 1,800g (1.8kg), which is very significant for a 60-day old; he has been gaining about 30g daily, she said.

She urged pregnant women to go to hospitals with facilities that could manage sick or pre-term babies.

She also advised them to go for antenatal care regularly, take their drugs, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, rest well and go to hospital without delay.

Oyapero commended the teamwork of staff and management of AOMCC, the parents and the LASG for the successful management of the baby.

The babys mother, Mrs Ojoma Ekhomun, said she was not sick during the pregnancy but experienced little pain on her navel at 27 weeks.

Ekhomun, who is a hairstylist, said she did not experience any problem but was not eating well and not taking enough rest.

When I went for my antenatal care, I requested to know my exact day of delivery; while carrying out ultrasound scan, they discovered that the amniotic fluid had reduced.

I also remember that I missed my check up at five months and my doctor wasnt happy with it when I went at about six months, she said.

Ekhomun said it was challenging taking care of a pre-term baby.

I am not scared. With the way he is improving daily, I have faith that with God and the help of the hospital, my baby wont have any complication, she said.

She urged pregnant women not to miss their antenatal care appointments, adding that they should eat properly and rest well.

She praised the LASG, staff and management of AOMCC for helping to save her baby.

Source: NAN News

CBN

National Co-operatives Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN) has lauded the waiving of guarantors for applicants of CBNs N50 billion COVID-19 Targeted Credit Facility.

CFAN described the gesture as a welcome development.

Mr Emmanuel Atama, the Executive Secretary of CFAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move would boost productivity of small businesses in the face of the pandemic.

was a welcomed development aimed at encouraging small businesses.

Atama, who commended CBN, noted that the waiver would also guarantee access to finance which was a major requirement of financial inclusion.

It is a good development because when people have challenges such as this and the government comes to their aid through soft loans of this nature, it will help them to reactivate and come out strong after the lockdown.

People should not abuse it so what it means is that they are solely relying on the capacity to pay.

You discover that before the gesture of the CBN, the issue of guarantor and collateral have relatively affected peoples capacity to access loans.

Now that there is a waiver, it is now a straight road to accessing finance so, it is good and it will give free access to the fund and productivity of SMEs.

When a loan is not secured by any form of guaranty, it is now relying on the ability to pay.

I strongly believe that the loan will be given to people that have the capacity to pay back. What it means is that there are a lot of people that have capacity but didnt have guaranty and collateral.

This will give such people an opportunity to access the finance so the emphasis should be how genuine is their request and the capacity and cash flow of the business to make the required returns, he said.

The executive secretary said the CBN had also engaged members of the cooperative to ensure they had access to fund to stimulate inclusive growth and development in the country.

According to him, we have been up and doing creating access to land, inputs for our members and working together with the relevant authorities so that after the lockdown, we will not have food crisis.

NAN reports that the CBN had announced the waiver, saying it was to ease the concerns of those who had fulfilled all requirements for the loan but were yet to have their accounts credited.

Source: NAN News

Rahamaniyya unsealed by DPR

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has commended oil marketers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for complying to the new pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

Mr Buba Abubakar, Zonal Operations Controller, Abuja, gave the commendation while monitoring some filling stations to ascertain the level of compliance by marketers, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Petroleum Products, Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had on June 1, announced a new price band of between N121.50 and 123.50 per liter for PSM.

Some of the filling stations visited include, Eterna Filling station Jabi, Total and Oando in Wuse zone 6, Rahamaniyya oil and Gas Mpape Junction, Yinzag petroils Mabushi among others .

NAN reports that majority of the filling stations visited were selling PMS at N123.50 per liter to motorists

In FCT, I think the marketers are doing well, I commend the marketers because all the stations we have visited about 33 or 36 of them, only about two of them we saw selling above the pump price and we have sealed them.

I hope they will continue to comply, he said.

He said that the two stations that were sealed were Rahamaniyya oil and Gas Mape Junction and Yinzag Petroils in Mabushi, adding that both were expected to comply or face the penalty.

As I am talking to you now, one of them Rahamaniyya has complied and we will unseal it immediately.

The penalty is N100, 000 per nozzle, so, if we come to your station and we discover that all the nozzles were bad, we will seal the station completely and you will pay the stipulated amount.

If it is 20 nozzles, you pay the amount as the case may be, he said.

Abubakar said that the aim of the monitoring was to ensure that Nigerian motorists were not short-changed by marketers at any point.

Since yesterday, we have been going around to make sure that filling stations dispense the exact quantity to motorists, which is one of the reasons that we are out.

Also, to make sure that they sell at the government price. Secondly, to make sure they dont cheat the public by under dispensing.

So, we will continue to go round, anybody found wanting, we will seal the station and charge them the appropriate penalty, Abubakar added.

He said that monitoring exercise is being carried out by all the DPR field officers across the country.

On the circulation of adulterated Diesel, he said that DPR had received about six complaints and it is working hard to ensure they were tested.

We have received a lot of complaints, some of them we visited and took sample.

We are now waiting for the analysis, although the Lab scientists are not available now but the few management staff that we have are trying to make sure that they do the analysis, so that is the status now, he said (NAN)

Source: NAN News