Author: The Nation

The Federal Government has alerted the public on the outbreak of Anthrax disease in some neighbouring countries within the West African sub- region.

Dr Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the affected countries are, Northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso and Togo.

Umakhihe said that the disease which had claimed some lives is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and man.

He said that Anthrax spores are naturally found in the soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals.

Umakhihe said that people could get infected with Anthrax spores if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.

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He said that the disease is not contagious one  cannot get it by coming in close contact with an infected person.

” Signs of anthrax  are, flu- like symptoms,  such as cough, fever and muscle aches,“he said.

He said that  if not diagnosed and treated early, it will lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock and death.

The permanent secretary said that anthrax being a bacterial disease, responds to treatment with antibiotics and supportive therapy.

” It is primarily a disease of animals but because of man’s closeness to animals, non vaccinated animals with anthrax can easily be transmitted to man through the inhalation of anthrax spores.

” It could also be through  consumption of contaminated or infected animal products, such as hides and skin, meat or milk,” he said.

He said annual vaccinations with anthrax spores are available at the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau .

He said  that it is the cheapest and easiest means of prevention and control of the disease in animals, adding that infected animals cannot be vaccinated, but animals at risk can be vaccinated.

” There is a  need to intensify animal vaccinations along border States of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states, because of their proximity to Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana,” he said.

Umakhihe urged other states in Nigeria to join in the exercise to prevent the spread of the disease.

He advised that infected dead animals should be buried deep into the soil, with equipment used in the burial after applying chemicals that would kill the anthrax spores.

“The public is strongly advised to desist from the consumption of hides (pomo), smoked meat and bush meat as they pose serious risk until the situation is brought under control,” he said.

Umakhihe urged the public to remain calm and vigilant as the Federal Government has resuscitated a Standing Committee on the control of Anthrax.

He said that relevant institutions and collaborators have been contacted with the aim of controlling the outbreak.

“This is in addition to the sensitisation of State Directors of Veterinary Services nationwide,” he said.

(NAN)

The Accord Party, Lagos State Chapter, has urged President Bola Tinubu to dispense justice on June 12 by declaring late Chief MKO Abiola president-elect.

This is contained in a statement  by Mr Dele Oladeji,  State Chairman of the party  to mark Nigeria’s  Democracy Day.

Oladeji said the party wanted  Tinubu to declare MKO as president-elect of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election so as to bring an end to a long lingering injustice against Nigerians.

Oladeji noted that the “June 12 Day” remained a blight and  watershed on the checkered democratic history of Nigeria and Africa

“We request a release of the official result of June 12, a declaration of late MKO as the president-elect and presentation of insignia office and necessary compensation to his  family.”

The chairman stated that the requests would bring an end to long lingering injustice and correct a devastating social and electoral bills against Nigerians and Nigeria.

“This requests will not be for only late MKO Abiola but for all Nigerians and the world at large, who will feel a huge relief.

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“It will also restore their faith and hope in the country afresh.

“At this time, the June 12 Day should start to be celebratory like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“Also, it should stop being a day we keep mourning the injustice, loss to lives and property and the democratic rape of June 12 debacle,” he said.

The chairman reiterated that a fulfillment of the party’s request would shore up  renewed hope in the democratic system of Nigeria and Africa.

He explained that it would bring a lot of maturity and faith in the democratic system in Nigeria.

“It will  build trust, faith and hope in the government of Tinubu, develop and foster rapid growth of the judicial and justice system and process in Nigeria.”

Oladeji said this was the right to bring Justice to June 12 because a few of the active actors are still alive.

“Ex-president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida who annulled the election is still alive, Prof. Maurice Iwu, the third  INEC chairman who conducted  the election, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Mr  Dele Momodu.

“Others are Dr Kayode Fayemi and President Bola Tinubu l, who were  major actors and prominent agitators in the June 12  debacle.

“Tinubu was not only a victim and active actor but also went on exile with other like- minds, members and leadership of NADECO,” he said.

The chairman said the party looked forward to the official announcement of the result of the June 12, 1993 election and declaration of the winner while congratulating the President on the eventual victory of the Feb. 25, presidential election.

“We wish the President and Nigerians a successful tenure and a prosperous reign.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that former President Muhammadu Buhari on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day instead of May 29 in honour of late Chief M.K.O Abiola.

Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died in detention for an alleged treason.

The declaration followed many years of agitations by civil society groups that Abiola must be immortalized.

According to Buhari, the change was to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the presumed winner along with Nigerians were denied their rights and their choices.

(NAN)

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders in Enugu State have lauded successive administrations in Nigeria for sustaining democracy in the country since 1999.

They spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu on the backdrop of the 2023 Democracy Day celebration.

The State Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Fabian Nwigbo, said that Nigeria as a nation had made tremendous progress since 1999.

“The level of participation in the 2023 General Elections showed there is progress and that we are moving forward as a country,” he said.

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Nwigbo, however, appealed for improved workers’ welfare, adding that Nigerian workers were not well renumerated.

He regretted that a little minimum wage of N30, 000 was  yet to be paid to workers by 18 states in Nigeria.

“What is N30,000 for a Nigerian worker who has family and pays rent, school fees and buys other necessities of life?

“I am appealing to the Federal Government and state governments to have mercy on Nigerian workers and improve their working conditions,” Nwigbo said.

Olu Omotayo, Enugu based civil rights lawyer, noted that development in a democracy was a gradual process and called for strengthening of the various institutions in the country.

He said that security and economy should be strengthened and looked into by the new government, saying that “we cannot have economic and social developments without adequate security.

“Our democracy is gradually developing as we are not the same as we were in 1999.

“The present government should go back to the drawing board and see that the issue of security and economy is addressed to alleviate the plight of Nigerians,” Omotayo advised.

Also contributing, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, said the most important thing was that Nigeria had moved from dictatorship and imperialism to entirely paradigm of democracy.

He  added that Nigeria was able to manage its diversity that was so unique.

Ogbonnia said that since 1999, political elites struggled among themselves to get power and corner the nation’s resources.

He noted that the objectives of many politicians was not for the people’s interest but on how to aggrandise themselves and their cronies with wealth.

“It is no longer government of the people but government of the few, by the few and for the few,” he said.

He called for true independence of the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) and the Judiciary for effective discharge of their duties without any form of bias and favour.

He explained that where the president and state governors appointed electoral and judicial officers, they would no longer be independent and it hindered the doctrine of the separation of power.

“Our judiciary is a cobweb where small flies are always caught and big ones are allowed to break it and pass.

“There is no way an electoral body appointed by the president can conduct credible elections,” Ogbonnia said.

In the same vein, a medical Doctor with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, Dr. Eric Odo, appealed to the new President to match his words with action

Odo said that President Bola Tinubu had a good grasp of the democratic history especially as it relates to the annulled June 12, 1993, election widely believed to have been won by M.K.O Abiola.

The medical practitioner said that the solution to the current problems facing the country needs to be addressed.

He said Nigeria as a country had  passed through a lot of hardship especially during military dictatorship and also since the return of democracy in 1999.

Odo said that Nigerians have no choice than to continue to believe in the country hoping that “tomorrow would be better than today.”

He advocated for rapid industrialisation of the country so as to be a producing economy rather than a consuming economy.

“This can be done through creating financial and non financial enablers for the youthful population at medium scale levels.

“Strengthening the  judicial and local government system by making them completely autonomous administratively and financially, ” he said.

An industrialist, Mr Stanley Onah, advised the current government to begin the process of total restructuring as promised.

Onah said this would ensure economic freedom and true federalism.

He said that the solid mineral sector should be developed as a matter of urgency and be made to take its prime position as an alternate source of  revenue.

“The unity of the country should be cemented back by enthroning justice, equity and fairness, ” he said.

(NAN)

A former Minister of State for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, has restated his hope and belief in the election tribunals to do what is right for the nation.

Gbagi, who was the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)  during the March 15 governorship elections in Delta, made the remark in his goodwill massage to Nigerians on the nation’s Democracy Day celebration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gbagi’s message was contained in a statement on Monday in Asaba and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kenneth Orusi.

“As we celebrate our Democracy Day, let us never loose hope in our country and in our indomitable spirit and capacity to overcome difficult times, but rather, let us seize the moment to conquer.

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“Let us be positive with our case at the tribunal because we have a very good case. We are hopeful that the tribunal will do what is right at the appropriate time,” Gbagi said.

The SDP guber candidate, who lost the election to Mr. Sherrif Oborevwori of the PDP, called on Nigerians particularly Deltans, to be optimistic about the future of the country in spite of the challenges.

The business mogul said the nation held abundant promises for the citizens, adding that Nigeria and Delta State had all to overcome today’s threats and trials.

He said the democracy day celebration provided an opportunity to reflect on the country’s progress, its humble attainments and ponder over those dreams yet to be fulfilled.

He commended former President Muhammadu Buhari for reviewing Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12, to honour late MKO Abiola and other heroes who sacrificed their lives to birth a new Nigeria.

The SDP gubernatorial candidate recalled that M.K.O. Abiola ran for the presidency in 1993, for which the election results were annulled by then military president Ibrahim Babangida.

Gbagi called on his supporters and party faithful to use the day to spur themselves up, reflecting on the ideals of what Abiola and the SDP stood for.

He charged them to have faith in the tribunal to deliver judgement in his favour and the SDP.

“I join all citizens to celebrate Democracy Day of our great nation, Nigeria. As we mark this day, it allows us to reflect on our progress, celebrate our humble attainments and ponder over those dreams that are yet to be fulfilled.

“We may have hiccups and challenging times that might stretch our resolve and determination to forge ahead, but we should relent nor succumb to trials and threats of today,” Gbagi said.(NAN)