Author: The Nation

A Nigerian masseuse Joyce Ijeoma, has started a 72-hour massaging marathon in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest massage on different individuals.

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Here are five things to know about the marathon:

1. Ijeoma is looking to break Alastair Galpin’s record for the longest full-body massage in 25 hours and 4 minutes which was held in South Kalimantan, Indonesia in November 2015.

2. The marathon is taking place at 29B Kusenla Road Opposite Ave Maria Catholic Church, Ikate, Lekki.

3. Viewers can follow updates on the marathon, on joyce’s IG page, Joycijeoma

4. At the time of writing, she has completed 36 of the 72 hours earmarked.

5. Her three day endeavour to break the record began July 1, 2023 and is scheduled to end July 4, 2023

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) in collaboration with Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) are training another batch of 200 personnel.

This is contained in statement issued by Mr Mustapha Sumaila, the FCT-IRS Head of Corporate Communications, in Abuja on Sunday.

Sumaila said the training, which was focused on Tax Audit and Investigation, was conducted in line with the mandate of the service.

According to him, FCT-IRS is estsblished to ensure steady increase in revenue generation in the FCT.

The Acting Chairman FCT-IRS, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, according to Sumaila, said capacity building remained a priority.

Abdullahi said he would do everything possible to uphold it as it is one of the core objectives of the service.

He said the training could not have come at a better time, adding that efforts are geared at harmonising all revenue sources.

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He further said all would be done to centralise collection to the FCT-IRS, stressing that there is need to have skilled and equipped workforce to drive the process.

The acting chairman said the training would bring the total of trained personnel to 400, adding that 200 personnel were trained in 2022.

Abdullahi said tax officials required technical and verbal skills to effectively audit and interact with taxpayers, especially  high network individuals and politically exposed persons.

“The responsibility of the service is critical to the success of the FCT administration.

“As such, skillful tax men are needed to rapidly grow the tax net especially now that expectations are high on revenue generating agencies,” he said.

The Director, Human Capital Management and Development, FCT-IRS, Mr Umar Jada, said the service would continue to partner with professional bodies like CITN.

He said FCT-IRS always prioritised training and retraining of staff to improve service delivery, and achieve set goals and objectives of the service. 

(NAN)

The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has appealed to residents of the state to heed all precautionary measures on flooding as a way of mitigating its impact in their communities.

Mr Mohammed Garba, Director Relief and Rehabilitation, Gombe SEMA, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.

Garba said the agency has been sensitising the people and providing necessary information needed to mitigate disasters associated with flooding.

He said that part of what the agency expected from residents was to stop dumping wastes in drainages and waterways, “a major factor contributing to flooding especially when drainages are blocked and the huge volume of water create different routes for itself”.

The director said that the recent flooding experienced on May 14, in Bajoga in Funakaye Local Government Areas, was partly as a result of wastes dumped in drainages.

He explained that SEMA’s analysis of the flooding in Bajoga showed that the damage was severe as both residents and houses were affected.

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“There is a location where we have a big gully developing as a result of volume of water, and this happened because residents dump their wastes inside the drainages in that area.

“As a result of that flooding in Bajoga, more than 40 houses were affected and no fewer than 21 persons were injured.

“This is why we are appealing to residents to cooperate with us and stop dumping wastes in drainages or building on water ways.

“Through community efforts, drainages blocked should be cleared so that rain water can flow freely in the channels provided for such purposes,” he said.

On the flood outlook for Gombe State, the director said that unlike in 2022 when one LGA was predicted to experience flooding, in 2023, Balanga, Nafada and Yamaltu/Deba LGAs were among the 178 LGAs in 32 states “highly probable to flooding”.

“The stake is a bit higher than that of previous year and that is why we are engaging critical stakeholders for continue with the sensitisation and engagement to mitigate flood impact in the state.”

The director said that the massive sensitisation campaign was ordered by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya after analysis of the flood outlook.

Garba said that based on the directive, sensitisation had been intensified across the three LGAs, while efforts were on to cover other areas across the state.

He added that the message of the sensitisation had always been on the need for people to desist from building on water ways and dumping wastes in drainages.

“No one can stop flooding entirely but we can all mitigate its impact,” he said.

(NAN)