Author: The Nation

By Oyebola Owolabi

Residents of Itun-Oko Oba Community in the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have written to the Lagos State government over uncovered drainage in their community.

They said the two-meter drainage was being constructed across the community by some persons who claimed to have the permission of the Department of Drainage, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

In the petition by the community’s representative, Rev Benson Elebuju, through their lawyer, Ola Ogunbiyi, the residents said the drainage poses a danger to them if not covered.

According to them, a drainage channel that passes through a nearby estate to a canal was blocked, which led to construction of another channel through the community.

He said: “The Community is of view that the channel should be covered in conformity with international standards, predominant practices in adjourning channels at Panti Street and Adebisi Street, Yaba, and the constructions prevalent and done by the Lagos State Government.

“The representative of the construction company billed to carry out the construction said the company was not given money to cover the channel. This will amount to monumental danger to the  community.”

“The community believes the government will not construct a channel and leave it uncovered,” the petition reads in part.

By Jeremiah Gbolahan

A Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Tolu Odebiyi has awarded scholarship to 54 graduates and undergraduates from his district.

The scholarship scheme, he said, would support the beneficiaries’ education throughout the duration of their studies.

The senator urged youths to embrace technological practices to enable them explore opportunities that abound in the emerging fourth industrial revolution era.

Odebiyi noted that it has become expedient for the nation to ensure a paradigm shift from the present educational structure which he described as being outdated.

According to him, digital skills and training would enable youth to be self-reliant.

He said: “Technology is the future, you must be opened to embrace it. You must be technologically savvy, and be ready to maximise and explore modern technologies to your advantage. The current realities across the world, including Nigeria, presuppose that many jobs might be taken over by technology in the next few years. Robotics, Artificial intelligence (AI), Machines learning and Virtual reality (VR) amongst others are the new world order of technology which you all must be ready to embrace,” he said.

Chairman, Board of Trustee, Tolu Odebiyi Foundation and former Vice- Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof Rahman Bello, said the foundation would give educational leverage to students from the district.

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigeria will continue to stand with all her neighbours in the fight against terrorism.

The president stated this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja yesterday while reacting to the recent killing of 137 Nigeriens by Boko Haram and Islam in West Africa (ISWA).

President Buhari called his Nigerien counterpart, Mahamadou Issoufou, on phone, to sympathise with him and citizens of the neighbouring country over terrorist attacks.

The Nigerian leader condemned the terrorist’s attacks, describing it as heinous.

“Our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of victims and people of Niger Republic. Nigeria stands with all her neighbours in the fight against terrorism,” he said.

Buhari and Issoufou had agreed to strengthen sub-regional security as a way to push back against Boko Haram and Islam in West Africa, ISWA’s worrisome assertiveness in sub- Sahara and Sahel regions.

African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development have decried slowness in accessing COVID-19 vaccines and funding for vaccine equity.

They expressed their disappointment in a communique issued at the end of the 53rd session of Conference of Ministers organised by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

The hybrid event, under the theme: ‘Africa’s sustainable industrialisation and diversification in the digital era in the context of COVID-19’, ended yesterday.

Participants at the event hosted by Ethiopia said without rapid access to vaccines, the tidal wave of coronavirus would overwhelm Africa’s fragile health systems, decimate limited human resources and set back its recovery.

They noted that by March 18, the continent had crossed the grim milestone of 4.1 million coronavirus infections, with a case fatality ratio in excess of the global average.

The ministers expressed deep concern over the impact of the pandemic on the health of African citizens, economies, as well as on the continent’s prospects of achieving the African Union 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063.

According to the ministers, the impact of the pandemic on Africa’s economies has been devastating.

For the first time in a quarter century, Africa’s economies are in recession, as real GDP growth contracted by 2.4 per cent in 2020.

They noted that 30 million people lost their jobs and slipped into poverty, as revenues plummeted while expenditures soared in response to the pressing needs of the crisis and the exigencies of climate change.

“African countries are now allocating significant proportions of their budgets to implement policies that respond to the impact of extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, crop failures and infrastructure destruction.

“In some cases, up to 10 per cent of GDP has already been diverted towards climate-change adaptation. Our fiscal buffers are now truly depleted.

“These developments have undermined the economic outlook of several African countries, triggering credit rating downgrades in at least 12 African countries.

“Six African countries, including Sao Tome and Principe, the only African country set to graduate from Least Developing Country (LDC) status, are now in debt distress.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the ECA, Vera Songwe, stressed on the need for a swift, bold and positive response on Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).

The COVID-19 crisis will cause a “long rain shadow” and there will “definitely” be another surge in infections, England’s Chief Medical Officer Prof. Chris Whitty has said.

Prof. Whitty, who spoke on the anniversary of the UK’s first lockdown, warned of “bumps and twists on the road” as the country attempts to recover from the pandemic.

He also highlighted the “very big job of work” in preventing “lifelong” problems related to the effect of lockdowns, such as increased deprivation and non-COVID health issues.

Addressing the Public Health Conference 2021 organised by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), Whitty told delegates: “The path from here on in does look better than the last year.”

But, predicting a further spike in infections at some point and possible vaccine supply problems, he added: “There are going to be lots of bumps and twists on the road from here on in.

“There will definitely be another surge at some point whether it’s before winter or next winter, we don’t know.

“Variants are going to cause problems, there will be stockouts of vaccines and no doubt there will be multiple problems at a national level but also at a local level – school outbreaks, prison outbreaks, all those things that people are dealing with on a day-to-day basis.”

A year on from when Prime Minister Boris Johnson first told the public to “stay at home”, Prof. Whitty said the government knew “right from the beginning the lockdown was going to have really severe effects on many people’s health”.

Britons trying to travel abroad without a reasonable excuse could be fined up to £5,000 under the legislation, which will come into force on Monday if approved by MPs.

International travel was already banned in most circumstances under the lockdown rules but the law is being tweaked for when the stay-at-home order lifts on March 29.

Under the new laws, non-essential foreign travel will be banned until June 30 – unless ministers bring in new rules to speed up the timetable.

A Government taskforce is looking at when foreign travel could resume and it is expected to report to Boris Johnson by April 12.

Obong Udo Ekpenyong, a former aide to Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, is to be interred on Friday at Ikot Oku Usung in Ukanafun Local Government.

Ekpenyong died on January 19. He was 64.

The ex-special adviser was a commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Ukanafun council, and former acting state secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There will be a thanksgiving service on Sunday at the Delightful Christian Church International, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Boulevard, off Idoro Road, Uyo.

Ekpenyong served as national ex-officio member and member of PDP’s National Executive Council (NEC).

He had a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Microbiology from the University of Benin, and a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Environmental Management from Enugu State University of Science & Technology.

He was an astute politician, bridge builder, and pathfinder.  The ex-aide carved a niche for himself in simplicity, adroitness, compassion, diligence, commitment, dedication and loyalty.