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Tag: improve

  • How to improve traditional medicine, by board chair

    How to improve traditional medicine, by board chair

    Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board Chairman Dr Bunmi Omosehindemi has decried the lack of legal framework for traditional medicine regulation despite last year’s passage of the Health Bill. The bill recognises traditional medicine as part of the National Health System.

    Omosehindemi was addressing delegates from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health that came to understudy his board’s management of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). It was a consensus stakeholder meeting.

    The team included former Health Commissioner, Dr. Emem Bassey; Director Public Health, Dr. Ebuk; Dr. Udoh of  Public Health department; Director PRS, Dr. Emmanuel Ekong; SAPC AKSASCP, Dr. John Markson; PMTCT focal person AKSASCP Mrs. Emem Xavier; PHC Director, Uyo, Mrs. Ubong Abasi Victor; Director Med Services HMB, Dr. Adiakapan; Technical Advisor MSH, Iboro Nelson; Technical Advisor MSH; Lami Samaila; Senior Technical Advisor MSH, Salami Musa and Associate Director MSH, Funmi Esan.

    Speaking on “Engaging traditional birth attendants for improved Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Services-Lagos State Experiencee,”  Omosehindemi said, his board derived its legal backing from the Health Sector Reforms of 2006.

    He said: “The vision of our Primary HealthCare (PHC) System in Lagos State, which is the closest to the people, is to develop a sustainable system where health promotion and disease prevention are emphasised and quality of life is enhanced through integrated services. Lagos State has formally recognised the value of traditional medicine in health systems, particularly in relation to the PHC System in particular and the overall healthcare system in general.

    “But the challenges faced include The Traditional medicine healthcare sector is somewhat challenging to regulate due to the following: Absence of uniform structure and standard protocol; lack of human resources in building the capacity of TBAs; inadequate funding for development of traditional medicine; lack of institutional framework to the development of traditional medicine and socio-cultural barriers and lack of cooperation from conventional health practitioners.

    Dr Omosehindemi said that despite these challenges, the board was able to train 4,780 TBAs; collaborating with PATHS-2 (Partnership for Transforming Health System 2) a DFID sponsored project aimed at improving maternal and child outcome in Lagos State to develop a database of all registered TBA facilities.

    “Indications for database are ante natal care (ANC) attendance; maternal deaths; immunisation; and a three-way referral – HIV screening, Pallor cases (deemed useful in the evaluation of patients suspected of anemia) and complications. As part of the strategies to reduce maternal mortality, the State is developing an incentive-based relationship with the TBAs to attend ANC Clinics with their clients or ‘permit’ their clients to attend ANC clinics in the PHC Centres and also encourage prompt referral of challenging deliveries. One of the incentives considered is the upgrading and furnishing of their clinics to create an enabling environment for the practice of Traditional Medicine.”

    “Identified best practices include Legislation Section 125 subsection 8 and section 126 subsection 161 of the Health Sector Reform Law allows linkages with relevant health institutions. The role of TBA in reducing maternal and infant mortality cannot be overemphasised. Hence there is need to build the capacity of the TBA in order for them to perform this essential role. There is need for proper integration of the TBAs into the mainstream Health Care System as provided for in the Health Bill of 2014,” stated Dr Omosehindemi.

    He encouraged the Akwa Ibom State government to sustain its interest in the development of traditional medicine because, “A larger percentage of Nigerians reside in rural communities where we lack properly trained hands in modern medical practices. The TBAs are usually their first point of contact. However, Traditional Bone Setters, Herbalists, Traditional Birth Attendants etc., already exist in our rural communities providing care for our people at affordable prices. In addition, Traditional healers have the ability to build more trust in the entire healing process due to the high depth of cultural competence applied and the close proximity to the patients.”

    The participants expressed their satisfaction over the weeklong event as they were able to visit the Lagos State General Hospital Agege to observe internship sessions and training of TBAs at hospital; review the 10-week internship/training curriculum and timetable and obtain copies and speak to the TBAs regarding their assessment and rating of the internship and the implications on their services.

  • Akpan: Eagles will improve against South Africa

    Akpan: Eagles will improve against South Africa

    Reading midfielder  Hope Akpan has vowed that the Super Eagles will up their performance on Sunday when they face South Africa, following the loss to Uganda two days ago.

    The Anglo – Nigerian has lavished praise on Vincent Enyeama, saying the Lille goalkeeper is one of his role models.

    “Not the result we wanted yesterday (Wednesday), but there were positives from the performance of players still gelling together. We will improve for SA.

    “Congratulations to our captain Vincent Enyeama on 100 caps for the Super Eagles. The guy is simply an inspiration, ” said Hope Akpan on Twitter.

    23 – year – old Akpan has sported the Super Eagles jersey on three occasions since he debuted.

  • •Govt urged to improve gas supply

    10 power plants may get gas by June, says NNPC chief

    The 10 power plants built under the National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) initiative  will be connected to gas pipelines either by June or the end of the year, Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. David Ige has said.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the 12th Aret Adams Memorial Lecture in Lagos, at the weekend, Ige said the connection would enable the plants to access gas for improved electricity generation and distribution.

    Aret Adams was former Group Managing Director of NNPC.

    Ige said the plants are would add 5,000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity to the national grid upon completion.

    The plants are Geregu 11 (334Mw); Calabar (630Mw); Egbema (378Mw); and Ihonvbor (504 MW). Others are Gbarain (252Mw); Sapele( 504Mw); Omoku (252Mw); Alaoji (1030Mw); Olorunsogo II (750Mw) and Omotosho ( 500Mw).

    He said: “Plans are underway to connect gas pipelines to the 10 power plants constructed by the Federal Government to ease electricity problems and further encourage economic growth. Gas is critical to the growth of the power sector and the government is working to ensure that enough gas is channelled to the power generation plants.”

    Ige also stated that the government has made arrangement to  provide gas to the privatised power generation plants formerly owned by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

    He said there is enough gas waiting for Omoku power plant but noted that pipeline vandalism is a major problem in the industry even as the government plans to reduce or stop it.

    “A lot has been done to bring huge volumes of gas to the power plants. But each time, we try to breach the shortfall in gas supply; our efforts are frustrated by vandals who break the pipes at will. Since the beginning of this year, we have not had one week of respite. There have been consistent attacks of pipelines. When we have these attacks, the pipeline pressure drops immediately because of the off-take. If we shut down to repair the pipelines, it takes about 10 days to repair. Thereafter, you need some days to build up the pressure. By the time you are building up the pressure, people are attacking the pipelines again,” he added.

    The Acting Head, Public Communication, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, said the government is working hard to provide gas to the plants.

    The spokesman, Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Yakubu Lawal, said the company was not delaying the sale of the plants which investors bid for in 2014. He said the firm has completed the building of the plants, with Olorunsogo being the latest one commissioned a fortnight ago in Ogun State.

    “The goal of the company is to build the 10 power plants, which we have done in line with the mandates given to us by the government. It is the responsibility of NNPC to provide the gas. So, how did we cause the delay in the sale of the plants as rumoured in some quarters? he asked. Yakubu said gas supply was not part of the mandate given to the company and would not concern itself with that. He said the court would determine the fate of three of the plants that are under litigation.

  • How to improve livestock production, by expert

    Nigeria will  improve its  livestock industry by  increasing its seed stock, building larger capacity slaughterhouses and launching information systems for animal identification and traceability, an  expert, Dr Ademola Adeyemo  has  said.

    Adeyemo, the Deputy Director, Directorate of General Administration, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), stressed  the  need   to  increase the seed stock of commercial cattle which  could be  distributed to livestock farmers across the country.

    He  explained that  farmers were not making  much  because of the low proportion of pedigree animals , the low productivity of its commercial cattle population, small number of dedicated feedlots, and a lack of technical regulations for the production of livestock products  to meet world standards.

    While  cattle slaughter rate is increasing ,he  added that the number of  standard slaughter  houses are  small  to  take  care of  increasing  population  nationwide.

    According to him,  slaughter houses should be made  to  operate under international health and safety standards.

    He   said  operators  should  be  encouraged  to  use  modern technology, that could  led to higher-value product for  customers.

    With increased demand for beef, he  said   the cattle population has declined as farmers are having to sell more beef than is required to maintain or grow the population.

    He called  on the  government  to create favourable conditions for farm business, where raising cattle on a farm would be more beneficial than selling them, “and to import cattle population from other countries in order to achieve an increase in seed stock in the country” as soon as possible.

    With  insecurity in the North, he  said  the nation could experience  beef deficiency ,urging  the  government to raise  to the challenge  by  creating  the  conditions necessary for the development of the  cattle sector, which included low-cost feed production, high genetic potential and the availability of marketing outlets.

    In terms of genetic potential, he  said  the  sector  needs  to develop premium cattle, which is  key to the competitiveness and profitability of the sector.

  • NAHCO to improve terminal security

    NAHCO to improve terminal security

    Nigeria’s  ground handling operator, Nahco Aviance, has signed on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to shore up security at the nation’s foremost airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    This followed the fracas, which ensued between men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and licensed agents in November, last year.

    The fracas led to the closure of the Cargo terminal for about two weeks by the Federal Government.

    Armed operatives of the NSCDC had since January taken up positions in various sections of the terminal. They would have the responsibility to further enhance the security of the terminal.

    The operatives, who are about 25 in number, would complement other security arrangements already put in place by the ground handler, who also has a subsisting MoU with the Nigeria Air Force.

    According to the Head, Corporate Services, nahco aviance, Mr. Bashir Ahmed Gulma, Nahco Aviance, will do all it takes to ensure that the terminal is sanitised in line with the stakeholders agreement of December 2014.

    He said: “The deployment of Civil Defence operatives in several areas of operations is just one in our series of efforts to ensure that the cargo terminal meets international requirements.We are committed to fulfilling our own part of the agreement we have with the Nigeria Customs Service.”

    Gulma said the Civil Defence operatives would be confined only to NAHCO’s operational areas.

    The entrance to the gate of terminal called Hajj Camp is not one of those areas, he added.

  • Boateng: I can improve in every area

    Boateng: I can improve in every area

    FIFA.com: Jerome, during your spell in England you found out what it’s like to play through a season without a winter break. How important is a mid-season break to you personally?

    Jerome Boateng: It was very important in the year after a World Cup. I think it’s good for football in general actually, as it’s time off to take a deep breath and rebuild your energy. So it was especially important this time.

    Wouldn’t you have preferred to play through the break this season? You were in magnificent form before Christmas.

    Thank you. When you’re in the groove you obviously just want to keep playing. But if you look ahead to the games we will hopefully have coming up when there are trophies at stake in April or May, the winter break is a good opportunity to build up reserves of strength.

    There’s fierce competition for the centre-back positions at Bayern, and apart from you, there is Dante, Mehdi Benatia and now also Holger Badstuber, who’s back from a long injury lay-off. How certain are you of a regular starting berth?

    I’ll try to show that I deserve to retain my place in the starting line-up in every training session. I want to make it really hard for the boss to overlook me.

    You were red-carded in a Champions League match in December 2012 for a foul on the halfway line. But once you’d served out your ban you were a man transformed and your form improved dramatically. What happened there?

    Yes, I’d agree that it all took off from then on. I took a good, long look at myself and worked exceptionally hard on my game. I put in a lot of individual training sessions with [assistant coach] Peter Hermann and spent a lot of time talking to Jupp Heynckes. I made really good progress after that.

    It was a private moment for me alone. It was indescribable.

    Germany defender Jerome Boateng on his immediate thoughts after winning the 2014 World Cup

    Where could you still improve?

    In every area. You can never stop learning. You can always keep getting better in terms of positional play, heading, tackling and posing a threat in front of goal. I’m certainly not perfect.

    The FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala included the unveiling of the world team of the year. Were you surprised not to be in it?

    It would have been nice, but I’ve won the World Cup, and that matters a lot more to me personally than making it into a team of the year.

    How often do you reflect on the triumph in Brazil?

    What actually happens more often is that other people want to talk about it. I’m not the kind of guy to start meditating deeply on what happened in Brazil. I‘m still giving it time to sink in properly. At some point in the future I’ll watch the whole thing again and turn it over in my head. It’ll be much more valuable that way.

    Where’s your World Cup winner’s medal now?

    I’ve hung it up at home and it’s in a very nice place.

    In the book ‘One Night in Rio’ you wrote that the moment immediately after the final whistle against Argentina was very special and highly personal. Tell us what was going through your head.

    First of all I just felt immense gratitude, for being where I was and for the opportunity to win the World Cup with my team. And then I thought about how I started in football, out by our front door with my father, kicking a ball around when I was three. Then I mentally fast-forwarded through the clubs and events in my career. It was a private moment for me alone. It was indescribable.

    Is there anything about your career you would change if you could?

    Nothing at all. I regret none of the steps I’ve taken, including going to Manchester where I had a year full of bad luck with two serious knee injuries. When you look back on it I think I’ve done the right things and I’m happy. You learn a huge amount from adversity. When I was in Hamburg for example, I had a really tough spell under [Martin] Jol. But I’ve been at Bayern since 2011, and given everything I’ve achieved so far, I don’t think I can complain.

    A lot of players are coming back now and we’ve also had a decent period to train and prepare, so I’m confident we’ll get stuck into qualifying and make it through to the EURO.

    You went head-to-head with your brother Kevin-Prince of Ghana at the World Cup. What’s it like having a brother play for a different country?

    On the one hand it’s a bit odd, but on the other it’s fantastic too. It’s terrific that something like that can come about in the first place and that we have two players in our family capable of performing at that level.

    Have you talked to him at all about the situation being a little strange?

    Yes indeed, although it’s always been more by the way of pre-match banter. Obviously we’re perfectly aware it’s a strange situation and we’re used to it. We never played in the same team when we were young and never went on to do so, apart from a spell at Hertha.

    What can Bayern achieve this season?

    A lot! We’re still in with a chance of three trophies and we have big, ambitious targets. We know we’ll have to keep working very hard and hit peak form at the right time. But we have the potential and if we deliver when it matters we have a good chance.

    As for Germany, the target is qualifying for UEFA EURO 2016, although in the aftermath of winning the World Cup the campaign has been patchy. Can you turn it around?

    Yes, we have to. It wasn’t easy after the World Cup but we should still have taken more points. A lot of players are coming back now and we’ve also had a decent period to train and prepare, so I’m confident we’ll get stuck into qualifying and make it through to the EURO.

    Why do you think Germany have had a few problems?

    Everyone obviously wants to beat the world champions, and on the whole we didn’t play well either, although against Poland I reckon we were actually the better rather than the worse team. But we have to be playing better football and creating far more chances against Ireland and Scotland. Especially against Ireland in Schalke, when it simply wasn’t good enough.

  • ‘How to improve environment’

    ‘How to improve environment’

    A lawyer, Mr. Adewale Sanni, has called for better implementation of environmental law to reduce climate change effects.

    He said while new laws that address specific environmental issues may be needed, the existing ones must be enforced.

    Sanni spoke during the first yearly public lecture of the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation, titled: Climate change, ocean surge and sustainable development in Nigeria.

    He said: “I think that while the laws may not be very adequate, even the existing laws lack implementation owing so many factors, chief of which are paucity of finance and politics.

    “The government at either the states or federal appears to define ecological emergency in relation to the social status of the group affected. No wonder that they can hardly protect the very vulnerable people,” he said.

    On whether the extant laws are still relevant or need further amendment, Sanni said the major issue remains the political will to protect the environment.

    “Such laws are as relevant as we wish to make them relevant. The critical issue is the intention and capacity coupled with the political will,” he said.

    The lawyer also wants to see more people get involved in environmental activism to compel the government to protect the most vulnerable areas that have been neglected.

    “Environmental rights activism in Nigeria cannot be compared with more advanced societies in terms of effectiveness. Except for agitation to remedy certain wrongs usually by the communities directly affected, there are no sustained campaigns of national magnitude to raise awareness and consciousness,” he said.

    Sanni also believes areas prone to ocean surges deserve special compensation to victims where no preventive measures had been taken. Recently, the ocean overflew its boundaries and affected a number of towns and villages in Eti-Osa.

    “Coastal areas prone ocean surge like Eti-Osa need to be rescued and protected but this is hardly done now. The usual excuse is lack of fund. Even the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other agencies involved are poorly funded and trained,” he said.

    In his speech at the event, Sanni said Eti-Osa Local Government remains vulnerable to ocean surges, and urged the federal and state governments “to please do all necessary to save our community before it sinks.”

    “Urgent efforts must be made to arrest the current coastal erosion;, continuous depletion of what is left of our mangrove forests should also be halted,” he said.

    Sanni said communities which bear the brunt of development through constant displacements and loss of land “must be protected from the existential threat that is the bye product of the process.”

    The lawyer condemned the activities of illegal sand miners, adding that alternative employment should be provided for the perpetrators.

    “The Federal Government should give serious attention to this issue as it concerns Lagos State especially through the ecological fund. Eti-Osa is as essential to the economic prosperity of Lagos as it is to the socio-economic development of the nation at large,” he said.

    Lagos House of Assembly member, Abiodun Tobun, who chaired the event, said more effort should be made towards protecting the environment, such as by planting more trees “so that the environment can be healthy for all of us to live in.”

    Two lectures were delivered by a council members of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Desmond Majekodunmi, and Head, Department of Geography, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. S. I. Oni, represented by Dr Feyi Oni.

    “Nigeria the giant of Africa needs to be a leading voice in Africa for protecting the environment and particularly for cutting back on carbon emission. We should protect our low lying areas – shorelines – by developing groins and sea walls. The Federal Government must become involved, because it is an expensive project. We must stop beach sand mining and sea shell removal. We should be part of the solution, not the problem,” he said.

     

     

     

     

     

  • How to improve livestock production, by expert

    How to improve livestock production, by expert

    How can Nigeria improve livestock production? It is by  increasing its seed stock, building larger capacity slaughterhouses and launching information systems for animal identification and traceability, an  expert, Dr Ademola Adeyemo  has  said.

    Adeyemo,  Deputy Director, Directorate of General Administration, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), stressed  the  need   to  increase the seed stock of commercial cattle which  could be  distributed to livestock farmers.

    He    explained that  farmers were not making  much  because of the low proportion of pedigree animals, the low productivity of its commercial cattle, small number of dedicated feedlots, and the lack of technical regulations for livestock to meet world standards.

    Cattle slaughter rate, he said, is increasing, but the number of  standard slaughter  houses are  small  to  take  care of  increasing  population.

    According to him,  existing  slaughter houses should be made  to  operates under international health and safety standards.

    He   said  operators  should  be  encouraged  to  use  modern technology, that could  led to higher-value product for  customers.

    With increased demand for beef, he  said   the cattle population has declined as farmers are selling more beef than is required to maintain or grow the population.

    He called  on the  government   to create favourable conditions for farm business, where raising cattle on a farm would be more beneficial than selling them, “and to import cattle population from other countries to achieve an increase in seedstock in the country.”

    Also, he  said  the nation could experience   beef deficiency, as a result of the insecurity in the North, urging  the  government to raise  to the challenge  by  creating  the  conditions necessary for the development of the  cattle sector, which included low-cost feed production, high genetic potential and the availability of marketing outlets.

    In terms of genetic potential,he  said  the  sector  needs  to develop premium cattle, which is  key to the competitiveness and profitability of the sector.

  • Eguavoen: Keshi needs to improve technically

    Eguavoen: Keshi needs to improve technically

    Austin Eguavoen, Former Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria has waded into the ongoing debate if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should retain the services of Stephen Keshi as head coach of the senior national team.

    The 48-year-old was speaking to a Lagos State based radio station, Brilafm, when he reckoned that the Big Boss has done well since he took charge of the Super Eagles – winning the African Nations Cup and making the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after failing to achieve such feat since 1998.

    The current technical adviser of Gombe United says that if Keshi is eventually retained as the gaffer of the national team manager- he must develop himself by associating with top FA’s like the Dutch and Brazilian Federations.

    “I am not saying because Stephen Keshi is my friend then he deserves to stay- look at records, he has done well. He can only improve.

    “Jose Mourinho and other big coaches in the world do not sleep, so my only advice to Keshi, will be to try and associate with these top coaches.

    “He should go to football federations like the Dutch FA, Brazilian FA and ask questions because nobody knows it all. He still has a lot to improve on and he can take it up from there,” he submitted.

    Stephen Keshi is currently negotiating a new deal with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after his contract expired after the World Cup.

  • Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    •Appointees take oath

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has sworn in caretaker chairmen in the 16 local governments and the 19 local council development areas (lcdas).

    Fayemi said they were chosen for their competence and closeness to the grassroots.

    He urged them to be diligent, noting that they would be held accountable by God and the people.

    The governor said: “I have no doubt that going by the pedigree of the leaders being sworn in today, there will be accelerated progress in meeting the needs of our people at the grassroots. These are leaders carefully chosen, not only on account of their competence, but also for their closeness to the grassroots.

    “I urge you to live up to the expectations of our people in serving them with diligence and honour. Above all, remember that power belongs to God and to Him shall we  ultimately give account.”

    On the creation of the lcdas, Fayemi said it was to meet the “long and persistent clamour of our people for the creation of new local governments”.

    He said the chairmen would play pioneering roles in the establishment of structures, programmes and policies for good governance at the grassroots.

    Speaking for the chairmen, Ado West LCDA Caretaker Chairperson Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi said they will justify the confidence reposed in them.

    At the event were the Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva; House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin; All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman Chief Jide Awe; top government officials and traditional rulers.

    The council chairmen are Tope Olanipekun, Ado; Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi, Ado West LCDA; Sunday Ibitoye, Ado North LCDA; Raheem Balogun, Ado Central LCDA; Richard Apolola, Ekiti Southwest; Ayodeji Olaniyi, Igbara Odo/Ogotun LCDA; Tope Alonge, Oye; Olumide Adeyanju, Ifeloju LCDA; Adeyeye Bolaji, Ifesowapo LCDA; Dipo Ogunleye, Efon; Tope Ogunleye, Ilejemeje; Aribasoye Adeoye, Ajoni LCDA; Akinwale Alebiosu, Ero LCDA; Sina Ogunleye, Ifedara LCDA; and Kareem Agunbiade, Ekiti West.

    Others are Ayodeji Ajayi, Ise/Orun; Febisola Adewale, Emure; Olunide Fadipe, Isokan LCDA; Ojo Atibioke, Irewolede LCDA; Mrs Remi Balogun, Irede LCDA; Chief Dayo Ajayi, Ijero; Azeez Awolokun, Irepodun/Ifelodun; Gbenga Omole, Ikere West LCDA; Femi Ayodele, Ikere; Rotimi Afolabi, Ido/Osi; Bayo Akerele, Araromi LCDA; Damilare Ajayi, Gbonyin; Sunkanmi Onipede, Moba; Rotimi Ajidara, Ekiti East; Fadumiye Ayodele, Ayedire; Lateef Akanle, Ekiti South East LCDA; Olatiboye Titus, Okemesi/Ido Ile LCDA; Joshua Ayorinde, Eka Meta LCDA; Razak Aladetuyi, Ikole; and Kayode Ogunsakin, Ikole West.