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Tag: Abuja

  • Excessive consumption of catfish can cause cardiovascular diseases — Expert

    Excessive consumption of catfish can cause cardiovascular diseases — Expert

    A medical practitioner, Dr Arikawe Adeolu, said on Thursday in Abuja that excessive consumption of catfish could increase the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.

    Adeolu, a practitioner at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said that catfish contained omega-6 fatty acids, which could increase the level of inflammation in the body.

    He added that inflammation was the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers and diabetes.

    He said that although catfish also contained omega-3 fatty acids, which had a lot of health benefits, the ratio of omega-6 was far greater than omega-3 fatty acids.

    Adeolu said that this made it necessary for the fish to be consumed in moderation to prevent health complications.

    “Catfish is rich in two fatty acids – omega-3 fatty acids and the omega-6 fatty acids.

    “The omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the concentration of bad cholesterol in the blood stream and increase the concentration of good cholesterol in the blood stream.

    “It also helps protect the heart and the cardiovascular system from any form of disease, prevents inflammation within the body and helps reduce the quantity or concentration of inflammatory substances in the body.

    “The underlining basis for most cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer disease and many other diseases that we know today, is chronic inflammation, which signifies a long standing inflammation in the body.

    “This is where the catfish controversy comes in. A lot of reports have advised against eating it and this is because although it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits, it contains more omega-6 fatty acids.

    “Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory in the sense that they increase the level of inflammation within the body and make one more predisposed to any kind of disease.

    “When catfish features a lot in your diet, you consume more omega-6 fatty acids in your diet than the protective omega-3 fatty acids.

    “Therefore, you are more predisposed to diseases if you consume a lot of catfish.

    “The optimal ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is supposed to be four to one, but because the catfish is reared artificially and is fed with synthesised food, the ratio can be up to ten to one,’’ he said.

    Adeolu also said even though there were a lot of controversies surrounding the consumption of catfish, it still held some advantages over most fishes consumed today.

    He said catfish was a good source of protein, rich in essential amino acids needed to build muscles, bones and different tissues in the body.

    He explained that catfish contained a moderate amount of calories per serving or per graM, hence, was an ideal choice for those watching their body weight.

    According to him, catfish is rich in phosphorus and magnesium, which are essential micro-nutrients that play a significant role in a lot of biochemical processes in the body.

    “Catfish has a very low amount of mercury, which is very toxic to the human body and can when consumed in large quantities, damage the nervous system,“ Adeolu said.

  • Minister to meet stakeholders over Abuja Airport

    Minister to meet stakeholders over Abuja Airport

    The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, will on Thursday engage the Industry’s Stakeholders on issues arising from the proposed closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for repairs on its runway.

    Sirika disclosed this in a statement issued by Mr James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation on Monday in Abuja.

    He said the meeting was a follow-up to the decision of the Federal Government to temporarily shut down operations at the airport for six weeks in February and March.

    According to the minister, the Stakeholders’ Forum will afford him with the opportunity to officially inform the sector’s players of the decision.

    “It is also to brief them on efforts being made to ensure that the use of the Kaduna International Airport as an alternative during the six-Week closure of the Abuja Airport is seamless and hitch-free.

    “The Stakeholders will also be expected to make their contributions and key into the plans to make their operations during the period less problematic,” he said.

    Sirika, however, emphasised that the Forum was in line with government’s belief in ventilating people’s opinions in formulating and executing policies.

    He said that government was aware of the likely high level of discomfort and inconvenience the proposed closure of the airport would cause air transport passengers, airline operators and other service providers.

    He explained that the decision was informed by safety and security concerns, saying that government would rather lose billions of dollars in revenue than to risk lives.

    The minister also disclosed that the ministry would invite other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as security agencies and the Kaduna State Government who were expected to play roles during the six-week period.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the minister had in December revealed government plans to shut down the airport while briefing newsmen on its efforts toward addressing the challenges of aviation fuel.

  • ALL SET FOR DIGITAL SWITCH OVER IN ABUJA –LAI MOHAMMED

    ALL SET FOR DIGITAL SWITCH OVER IN ABUJA –LAI MOHAMMED

    THE minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said all is now set for the launch of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) in broadcasting.

    The minister announced this in Abuja on Monday during the tour of key facilities of Pinnacle Communication Limited, the signal distribution for the Abuja DSO.

    “We are impressed by the speed, commitment and passion of Pinnacle to this project,” he said.

    Alhaji Mohammed also said 30 free channels will be available for Abuja residents upon the switch over on Thursday and that over 450,000 Set-Top Boxes have been provided for the flag-off.

    “It’s a revolution in the broadcasting ecosystem as far as Nigeria is concerned because not only are we going to have better clarity and audio but the average resident of FCT who is in possession of our Set-Top Box will have 30 free channels from news, entertainment, music….This is going to open a new vista for content,” he said.

    The minister expressed confidence that within three years of the digital transition, one million jobs will be created in the development of television content, technical services, software development, as well as the installation and repair of Set-Top Boxes for over 24 million TV households, among others.

    The minister said even though the Digital Switch Over will not take place in one fell swoop across the country, the federal government remains resolute in its commitment to meeting the 2017 deadline for the DSO.

    Also speaking at the call centre of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), he said the government is equally concerned about customers’ satisfaction, which informed the setting up of the Call Centre where subscribers can call to make inquiries or complaints for prompt response.

    Alhaji Mohammed, who was accompanied by the NBC Director General, Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, and the Chairman of DIGITEAM Nigeria, Mr. Edward Amana, inspected facilities at the Monitoring Room, Transmission Station and the Call Centre.

    The Pilot Scheme of the DSO was launched in Jos, Plateau State, on 30 April 2016.

  • National banking licence: Wema Bank opens new branch in Abuja

    National banking licence: Wema Bank opens new branch in Abuja

    Wema Bank Plc has opened a new branch on Dunukofia Street, Area 11 part of Garki, Abuja as it continues its strategic expansion following Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) approval of its national licence.

    The license, approved in 2015, allows the lender to operate in all parts of the country.

    The new branch is expected to further strengthen the lender’s business in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in line with its growth plan.

    The bank’s Regional Operations Executive, South West & Abuja, Adeyemi Oshundiya said: “When we reopened our branch in Minna in September, I emphasised that Wema Bank, in its quest for growth, will only expand to places where there are compelling business opportunities. The bank’s position on this has not changed.”

    He explained that the new Dunukofia Branch used to operate from the Le Meridien Hotel. “The need to move to a bigger and more strategic location which will help us serve our customers better necessitated the opening of the new branch,” he said.

    In addition to expanding strategically, Wema Bank is also using technology to improve how it serves its customers. One such is the recent launch of Wema EasySavers, an account that can be opened with the unique code *945*10#, launched in partnership with youth-friendly telcoEtisalat. Wema EasySavers is available to all Etisalat subscribers. Its unique code *945*10# is layered on Wema Bank’s USSD banking code *945# launched earlier in the year. Wema Bank has been able to onboard more customers and has provided easier ways of banking through this service, as the code gives everyone with access to a GSM network the opportunity to bank on their mobile phones.

    Wema Bank has continued to show strength in the face of economic challenges in the country, opening new branches when people expect banks to downscale. Its strength and good standing in the Nigerian banking industry was recently validated by respected global ratings agency Fitch which affirmed Wema Bank’s Long-term National Rating and the Long-term Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) despite downgrading some bigger banks. The bank also raised N20 billion from the bond market recently to fund its expansion plans.

  • Dasuki: Absence of 2nd defendant stalls proceeding, adjourned until Jan. 25

    Dasuki: Absence of 2nd defendant stalls proceeding, adjourned until Jan. 25

    The absence of Salisu Shuaibu, the 2nd defendant and former Director of Finance and Account (DFA) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) stalled proceedings in Sambo Dasuki’s case at FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

    Dasuki, former NSA to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned before Justice Baba-Yusuf by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count charge bordering on diversion of about N13.6 billion.

    He is being tried alongside Shuaibu Salisu, former DFA in the NSA Office, together with Aminu Baba-Kusa, former NNPC Executive Director.

    Also tried were two firms — Acacia Holding Ltd. and Reliance Referral Hospital Ltd.

    At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, said he had been served with the medical report of the 2nd defendant confirming that he (Salisu Shuaibu) had been hospitalised.

    Atolagbe also told the court that the trial could not proceed in the absence of the second defendant and therefore applied for a short adjournment pending the recovery of the defendant.

    Shuaibu’s Counsel, Mr Adetayo Adeyemo, also apologised to the court that his client could not be in court because of illness.

    He told Justice Baba-Yusuf that the medical report of his client had already been made available to the court, the prosecution and other parties in the trial.

    Counsel to other defendants did not object to the application for an adjournment.

    Thereafter, Justice Baba-Yusuf noted that since the charge was filed, the second defendant had always been in court and for that reason, the court is obliged to grant the request for the adjournment.

    He then adjourned the trial until Jan. 25.

    Meanwhile, the second charge referred from Justice Peter Affen to Justice Baba-Yusuf was similarly adjourned until Jan. 24 for re-arraignment.

    Salisu Shuaibu is the 3rddefendant in that matter also.

    In the matter before Justice Peter Affen, Dauski is the second defendant, while Amb. Bashir Yuguda is the first defendant.

    Others are Dalhatu Investment Ltd., Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafaarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.

    They were arraigned on a 22-count charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N28,315 million.

  • Abuja becoming 24-hour city

    After 9pm in most cities across the country, residents retire to bed. Well, not so in Lagos, and it is becoming clear that Abuja is joining the non-sleeping towns.

    The nation’s capital bustles with nightlife. Clubs hum through the night with patrons happy to deny themselves sleep for fun.

    Now, it is not only the partying crowd that is staying awake; shoppers are waking up in the middle of the night and proceeding to the shops for some household items and more. That is because 24-hour shopping is taking root in the city.

    Twenty-four-hour shopping is gradually becoming a welcome development for residents of the FCT. In Maitama and Wuse II, closing shop for the night is becoming a thing of the past as 24 hours service is now in great demand by customers.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Metromart, a supermarket located in the heart of Wuse II Chief Chima Iwuanyanwu said, “We believe that the time we are in is when people are looking for where to buy food and things to eat and not the time to buy cars or some luxury items but the time for basic necessities. We have looked at this environment and realised that there were big shops all over the place but we needed a shop that will be close to the people and we intend for it not to be a profiteering venture, we believe in minimal profit and that the volume of sales is basically what makes the business profitable.

    “Ours is homely and we stock up with things necessary for residents; it is a 24-hour shopping experience, residents are free to wake up in the midnight and come shopping, we brought it to Wuse II so it is very close to people.”

    A customer at Metromart who identified herself as Mary Moses said that she now enjoys her night outings with the opportunity of 24 hours shopping experience close to her hangouts.

    “Formerly when you hung out and felt like going out to buy something outside the club, you realised that all the shops were closed, most of the shops close as early as 10pm and customers are stuck with no access to most of the things they need at night but with this right now, my friends and I and confident to hang out now and all I do is run across to Metromart or the pharmacies around that now operate 24 hours when we need it, it is really good and a great business strategy for them.”

     

  • Katsina State float catches fire at Carnival

    The Street procession of Abuja Carnival, which began on Saturday was temporarily disrupted as the Katsina State float went up in flames.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred when the beautifully decorated float mounted on an articulated truck came in contact with a high tension electric wire at Area One.
    The float was very high, while the wire was not that high.
    The Katsina State contingent did not notice that their float was too high to pass beneath the electric cables as they and everyone were carried away by the excitement and fanfare that being experienced during the procession.
    It took the combined efforts of the contingent, spectators, residents and other good Samaritans to put off the fire.
    This they did by pouring sachets of packaged water, popularly known as “pure water’’ on the burning float.
    While some were pouring water on the float, others tried to tear off the fabric used in decorating it to save the truck from burning.
    However, it was the fire extinguisher brought by a Good Samaritan that saved the truck from burning.
    NAN reports that nobody was injured during the incident.
    While, there were securities agencies, medical personal and other government parastatals on ground, the Nigeria Fire Service was conspicuously absent.
    The carnival continues on Sunday Dec. 4.
    Some states participating in the event includes Kwara, Bayelsa, Kogi, Yobe, Delta, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa among others. (NAN)

  • Free, fair election in Rivers abnormal, says Ganduje

    Free, fair election in Rivers abnormal, says Ganduje

    …Wike: Rivers elections normal

    Kano State Governor and Chairman of Rivers’ All Progressives Congress (APC) Rerun election Campaign Committee, Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday said that it will be easy for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to have free and fair elections in Rivers State and the southern part of the country.

    The rerun election in Rivers State is billed for December 10th.

    Ganduje, however said that everything will be done to change the trend and have free and fair elections in the state.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “We are prepared, we just came out of the Ondo elections, we have fresh ideas even though both environments are different but we have our own strategies. Like in Ondo state we must ensure we have free and fair elections.

    “You know in that part of the country having free and fair elections is not normal and we have to make it normal this time. We must ensure that they is security so that people will come out and vote that’s our main preoccupation at the moment. We are making wider consultations with stakeholders and we believe we will succeed,” he said.

    He said he was at the Villa to brief the President on the security situation in Kano, especially the fallout from the north western part of the country where some Boko Haram members and Kidnappers try to dominate the forest.

    He said: “They came back from Sambisa forest so that they can be operating from another part of the north western part of the country. So the security agencies are working very hard. A lot of arrest have been made and investigation is going on.

    “We won’t allow them to dominate Kano and make it as a launching pad, since the cosmopolitan city of Kano is an attractive place for such elements to come in. The security agencies have apprehended about three or four of them,” he stated.

    According to him, the President is happy with the situation in the state.

    On economic summit between Lagos and Kano, he said: “We appointed a technical committee. It is working on that, we are examining the business relationship between Lagos and Kano, we take advantage each state is having and we will invite Mr President to the summit.

    “The summit will hold in Kano. The governor of Lagos State has agreed it should hold in Kano. There are similarities between Lagos and Kano, both are mega cities. Lagos is the largest commercial city in Nigeria while Kano is the largest commercial city in the north.

    “We are both cosmopolitan and our developmental challenges are the same in terms of providing social amenities, security, urbanization. There is a need to look inward now that money is going down so we need to take comparative advantage of both states.

    “We have farmers and lot of agriculture production and Lagos have consumers and they also process and they have higher industries than Kano. This is the kind of relationship we can develop, and we believe it will work.”

    Reacting to the claim that having free and fair elections in Rivers is abnormal, the state governor, Nyesom Wike said elections in the state have been normal.

    “It is unfortunate if he said so. As far as I am concerned, elections have been normal in my part of the country. All we are asking for is free and fair election.

    “Is Governor Ganduje speaking on behalf of INEC? Is he the one conducting the elections now? He queried

    He added: “I have respect for him as an elderly person but his statement is unfortunate.

    “When his friend won the governorship election in Rivers State, the election was normal. The election was also normal in Edo State where his party won.

    “We are waiting for him to come and perform the magic he did in Kano State,” he stated.

  • Buhari, Moroccan King meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Moroccan King meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received the King of Morocco, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The monarch, who arrived the seat of power around 1.35 p.m. inspected the guards of honour after 21 gun-salute in his honour.

    He is expected to observe the jumaat prayer with the President before meeting.

    Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had on Thursday received the visiting Morocco king at Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Details later…

  • Buhari’s presence gave me victory, says Akeredolu

    Buhari’s presence gave me victory, says Akeredolu

    …Says no rift with Tinubu

    …Insists Buhari, Odigie-Oyegun heading APC leadership

    The Ondo State Governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday said that the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari at his campaign rally in state won the election for him.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting President Buhari with his deputy, Agboola Ajayi and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Even as he claimed that he has no rift with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he insisted that President Buhari and APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun are the head of the APC leadership.

    According to him, Tinubu, like other leaders of the party, fall under the leadership of Buhari and Odigie-Oyegun.

    On why he didn’t mention Tinubu while thanking leaders of the party in his speech after winning the election, he said: “I thanked the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the leader of our party profusely for the leadership which he showed leading to this election. I also thanked our indefatigable chairman for standing by the truth and for his position on this matter that led to this election. I have no reason to do otherwise.

    “You see, party structures to the best of my knowledge is very clear. You have the leadership of the party and that is represented by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. And after the election, a chief executive emerges, he becomes a leader of the party, you don’t have to personalize and be looking for leaders all over the place. If we have to do that then I will have to mention 36 or 37 leaders.

    “So I believe the leadership as represented by the president covers all leaders and that tells me it would include Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande, Onu, so many leaders. But president Buhari is the leader of the party so that is my position there,” he added.

    Asked how he was going to amend his strain relationship with Tinubu, he said: “The relationship with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has always been the same. I don’t think we have any strain relationship. For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the party and I don’t see any strain relationship between us.

    “And you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory message after the election, so what else do you expect? I mean all of us see this as victory for the APC, not for Akaredolu, not for as an individual but for the party as a whole.

    “I believe he is a member of the party. Mr. Femi Adesina had issued a release but you journalists just want to put words into our mouths,” he said.

    He explained that the Federal lawmakers who decamped to APC have done so during his campaign and were only formalizing it at the National Assembly.

    He said: “When you say a defection, Senator Yele Omogunwa even joined us in the campaign right there in Ondo State, he had joined the APC, he only just formalized it on the Senate floor today.

    “I mean when you have a party that is already balkanized like the PDP, from bottom to the top they have two candidates, they have two chairmen now. So you don’t have to be sneaking between one chairman and another you make up your mind to go to a place that is stable.

    “And I believe that he thinks that the APC is stable and he has come to a place he thinks his fortune will be better served and I am sure he took the right decision to join the party of the day.” He said

    He insisted that he will not go out straight to probe the administration of the outgoing governor, Olusegun Mimiko, but will probe anything he finds out of place in the process of his governance.

    He said: “At the center the government of the President Muhammadu Buhari said we must look back in order to move forward, he has been there for over a year now, has he instituted a probe looking back is not a probe and I maintain that I will not probe any regime.

    “This is responsible leadership I am elected to lead the people. The task ahead of us is enormous than for us to start instituting probes. My own is not to institute any probe of last regime and that is what president Buhari has done.

    “But if we find out that wrongs were committed we have enough laws of the land to take care of people who have committed wrong. As we start our work as we go ahead if there is any semblance of Dasukigate at the state, the law will take its course that is different from probing. We will follow what Mr. President is doing at the center.” He added

    Asked if he will end up reducing his campaign promises after assuming office, he said that what he meets on ground will determine if all the promises will be met.

    To him, nothing is wrong with reviewing such promises.

    He said: “You see as a candidate, it is expected of you to have a fore knowledge of the position for example of the finances for the number of things we need to do and what it will take to do. Now it is quite possible and I don’t rule out the fact that, you might set out in your campaign promises to achieve 10 things at a time. But because there is no way you can know everything that is in government when faced with realities it might not be possible to achieve those 10 things at a go.

    “But it is not to say that you will still not go for that 10. When you talk of review if you find a few things that are not in the right places, so there is nothing wrong if you try to review your campaign promises when faced with stake realities.

    “But for us in Ondo state, we have come up with five Cardinal points and it is so clear to us. We have decided that we will embark on job creation through agriculture, industrialization and entrepreneurship and what is going to cost government. We need machinery because it is not going to be agriculture through hoes and cutlasses but mechanized one. It is given that we must go back to basis.

    “On entrepreneurship we are going to encourage our state people to be self-employed and employ others. We are talking about public private partnership and there are a lot of people who want to come and build industries in our state because our state is a viable one.

    “We are going to have enabling environment for industrial growth. What is the cost? Maybe land. And then when you talk of functional education and technical growth, when you talk of infrastructure, there are schools that are already dilapidated and we believe that rather than spend money on a mega school, that money can repair and put several schools in a better form. How much will it cost us? It is the same money that we are spending.

    “We don’t want to take our people to civilization, we want to take civilization to our people. We want to ensure that the school within their vicinity are good enough for them to be interested in those school. Yes it is going to be cost intensive because we will develop our rural areas. We have told our people we are not going to build tar roads but we are going to provide accessible roads and when we have done our little bit people will do it for some time,” he said

    Lalong, who is the Chairman of Ondo APC Governorship Campaign Committee, said God answered his prediction of APC win in the election.

    Stressing that he was at the Villa to brief the President on his assignment in Ondo state, he said that he would round up his assignment and submit final report to the APC National Secretariat.

    He denied the allegation that APC was responsible for the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.

    He said: “These things happen; this is not the first time such is happening. When elections come in like this, you will find inter party conflict and friction, it was not APC that went to court, neither was it APC that gave the judgment, all we saw was friction or conflict between PDP and PDP and if that judgment was also going to help APC so be it.

    “But we were not parties to the case for somebody to even assume that APC was responsible for denying somebody no, APC is not the court, the court is a separate arm, I am saying that as far as we are concerned APC was not responsible for denying or delaying anybody the right to contest that election,” he stated.