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Tag: National Coordinator

  • US to donate $90m for humanitarian AIDS survey

    The US government will provide $90m for the Nigeria AIDS Indicators and Impact Survey (NAIIS) which will cover HIV, and hepatitis B and C across Nigeria.

    The aim is to provide answers on the precise number of people infected with HIV for better health planning and results.

    The survey, which will take place for six months, was launched in June 2018 and will run until December 2018.

    Read Also:Don’t discriminate against workers living with HIV/AIDS – NACA

    The National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control Program, Federal Ministry of Health, and Secretary for Technical Committee, NAIIS, Dr. Sunday Aboje said this during an interview at the 15th Anniversary of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Photo Exhibition which took place in Abuja on Thursday.

    Aboje said that the survey will be the largest ever population-based HIV/AIDS survey carried out anywhere in the world with a sample size of 170,000 individuals across Nigeria.

    “We did the pilot survey last month. Within a week or two we will begin the major survey.

    “Once the survey is done, every individual found positive will be immediately linked to treatment and not only for HIV, but also viral hepatitis B and C.”

    The Federal Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, commended PEPFAR for their relentless efforts towards bettering the lives of individuals affected with HIV.

    “We celebrate the entire victory of science over death and disease that the landscape of HIV represents.

    “We commend the US government for sustaining this single intervention. They are the most ambitious in this world.

    “We are improving the quality of lives and transforming an entire disease spectrum from a hopeless situation to one where there is hope.”

    United States Chargé d’Affaires, David Young, who also spoke at the occasion, said that the US government has provided over $5b for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and cure programs and developed the capacity of the Nigerian health systems.

    “Before PEPFAR, HIV infection was a death sentence in Nigeria and other African countries.

    “We have made significant progress- over 779,000 men, women, and children are currently on HIV treatment.

    “7.7m people last year received HIV counseling and testing services and 1.6m pregnant women received HIV testing and counseling through Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.

    “More than 1m orphans and vulnerable children received care and support.”

    “We emphasize that this is an ongoing partnership in the future.”

  • Civil society group decries IGP’s handling of Benue killings

    Civil society group decries IGP’s handling of Benue killings

    A civil society organisation, the Sanctity Transparency Peace Initiative (STPI) has called on the Inspector General of Police Mr. Ibrahim Idris to come clean on the alleged complicity of the police and its negligence which has worsened the herdsmen’s killings across the country.

    In a communique issued on Tuesday after its emergency meeting in Abuja, the group bemoaned the deteriorating security situation in the country, particularly in Benue State.

    The communique, signed by its National Coordinator, Sunday Alakho, the group condemned what it called the less than salutary role of the police chief since the killings by suspected herdsmen started on New Year’s day.

    The group said the IGP’s initial description of the mass murder of innocent villagers by herdsmen as a “mere communal clash” is callous and insensitive against people crying out for Justice.

    It further accused the IGP of flouting the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to relocate to Benue State and also rated the intervention of the police as a monumental failure, as according to the group, the killings have continued unabated.

    The group also expressed concerns over remarks credited to the IGP that the implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition Law in Benue was responsible for the killings.

    It wondered if the same law was responsible for the herdsmen’s similar killings in Plataeu, Zamfara, Edo, Ogun, Kaduna and Oyo States where such laws do not exist.

    The STPI maintained that the complicity of the police was confirmed by the reference to Benue’s Governor Samuel Ortom as a “drowning man” by Force spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood.

    It demanded for a full public explanation from the police authorities on what it meant by branding an elected governor “a drowning man”.

    The group urged the Nigerian people not to take the characterisation lightly, as it could be interpreted to mean the safety of the Governor is endangered. It demanded a public pronouncement by the police guaranteeing the safety of Governor Ortom.

    The STPI joined other Nigerians in calling for the immediate arrest of leaders of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore which it accused of masterminding the killings, following an earlier threat issued by the herdsmen.

    It charged the IGP to impartially execute his presidential mandate by ensuring the safe return of villagers who have been moving to Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps and to ensure the safety of their communities failing which he should resign.

    The STPI warned the police authorities to refrain from dragging the noble force into the murky waters of politics in order to disabuse the minds of citizens who suspect that the role of the police in this crisis is a manifestation of a hidden agenda against particular ethnic groups.

    It also recalled with dismay an earlier statement credited to the Minister of Defence, Gen. Dan Ali, citing the Anti Open Grazing law law passed by the state as being responsible for the killings.

  • Gani Adams advocates use of local languages

    Gani Adams advocates use of local languages

    The National Coordinator, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, has said investment in the education of children and usage of mother tongue is the panacea to quick development of the nation.

    According to him, Nigeria started to retrogress when its languages got relegated to the background, with the favourable use of the white man’s language to the detriment of indigenous ones, being the cause of the underdevelopment of Africa.

    He said this at the finale of the Olokun festival quiz competition where secondary schools were quizzed on their mastery of the Yoruba language in Lagos.

    He said children are the future of any country and adequate investment in their education and well being using their mother tongue assured progress for the country.

    He said: “Any country that wants to be technologically developed must use her language in developing the codes for the technology,which is why the Western world are more advanced”.

    Adams, who is the Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival, said  the foundation decided to hold the quiz competition because of the importance it attached to  language as a vehicle for cultural re-birth.

    He said one of the achievements of the organisation is the usage of the Yoruba language for plenary sessions among some state’s houses of assemblies in the south west.

    “The competition would give the students opportunity to know more about the Yoruba language and to also develop themselves intellectually as it builds their confidence which is helpful in going to future competitions “,he asserted.

    Some of the schools that took part in the competition were: Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, Opebi Senior High School, Community High School, Wasinmi, Omole Senior High School, Oregun Senior High School, Army Children School and Ilupeju Senior Secondary School all in Lagos State.

  • Youth groups yearn for good governance

    A coalition of youth group under the aegis of “Youths Occupy State Assembly” (YOSA) has pledged to upturn the old traditional system of recycling politicians in a bid to take over the centre-stage of governance.

    The group adopted the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), as the only veritable platform to actualise their dream at a press conference held at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba Lagos.

    The National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Eric Oluwole,  noted that the various youth platforms in the Southwest geo-political Zone have, within the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees the rights to lawful assembly and freedom of speech, resolved to rise against the dominance and recycling of old politicians. They have resolved to reposition the bastardised political system through the involvement of youths in governance.

    Oluwole said: “We have decided to adopt the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), as the only credible, veritable and youth-oriented party to be occupied and endorsed for youths in their political agitation.

    “Respecting our political ancestral father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, an astute politician, presented the most coherent plan of action during the electioneering campaign in 1979. The party jettisoned building a coalition in a polarised political environment but based-partnership on the co-operation of like-minded advocates of democratic values with an objective cited in free education for all, free medical care, full employment, integrated rural development and good roads, among others.

    “The recent ‘not-too-young-to-run’ bill passed by the National Assembly was a commendable step embarked upon by the youth assemblies in Nigeria depicted our resolve to occupy the political space, in order to remodify the leadership order that has become a bottleneck in service delivery of good governance in Nigeria”, Oluwole said.

    In his remarks, the National Chairman of the UPN, Prof. Bankole Okuwa, blamed Nigerian leaders for the poor economic state of the country.

    The Political Scientist said since the country’s political independence in 1960, Nigeria, being a leading African country, is not an example in everything positive.

    “This is the home of corruption in the world. We are number three in the world. All our leaders know all this when they travel to developed countries. They know those things that are good but they can’t replicate them when they return home. All the leaders want is maintaining an upper class status so that they can be different from others.

    “Young graduates have no jobs and none of the political parties that we have in this country is ready to look into the issue of youth unemployment. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in a shambles. PDP is in ruins. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has a semblance of the UPN but they don’t practice the concepts and philosophies of the party,” he said.

    Prof. Okuwa advised the youth not to despair, that they should make themselves available for elective positions and seize the opportunities to unleash their potential in the 2019 general elections.

     

  • Niger Delta elders to meet Buhari with new template for peace

    Niger Delta elders to meet Buhari with new template for peace

    Niger Delta leaders of thought under a new platform of Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC), have prepared a new template for sustainable peace and development of the region to be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The new body, which said it had been mandated by the coalition of the Niger Delta agitators to negotiate for the region, expressed optimism that the meeting with Buhari would hold in October this year.

    The group of elders emerged a few weeks ago after the coalition of Niger Delta militants passed a vote of no confidence in the Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

    The elders drawn from all the states in the Niger Delta region including Cross River met at the palace of Ibedaowei of Opokuma Kingdom, King Okpoitari Diongoli, in Opokuma, Bayelsa State, at the weekend, to adopt the new template.

    The National Chairman, PNDPC, His Royal Majesty Charles Ayemi-Botu, said the new body was put in place to selflessly fight for the development of the region through dialogue with the Presidency.

    Ayemi-Botu, a former National Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria (OMPCN) and paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, said the body was formed to change the negative narratives of the region.

    He said: ”This is an all-encompassing Niger Delta people, who in consonance with our sons and daughters, agitating in the creeks, come together to see how we can provide a lasting solution to the age-long marginalisation and problems of the region.

    ”This body is independent of any other body. We have set up a strategic planning committee and after a month, we are now ready with our own vision and mission. We have just gone through it, circulated it among our members and in our subsequent meeting, we are going to adopt it and the world we know what we stand for.

    ”So, our being here is to show that we are a different set of people from the region that has the interest of the people of the region at heart. And we will in this October meet with the Presidency to discuss and come out with what and what we are going to do to better the lots of the people of the region.

    ”We know the problems of the region and we are going to present these problems to the Presidency. We want to make the Niger Delta region like ‘Dubai of Nigeria’ because nature in its infinite mercy has bestowed on us the ‘black gold’ which is the economic livewire of the country.

    ”Over 98 per cent of the gross domestic product is coming from oil; but because we have bad leadership, people who are self-centred, people who only feel to better themselves and leaving the rest to suffer, that is how we are where we are. But it is no longer going to be business as usual.”

    He insisted that the group was not partisan adding that members comprised traditional rulers, religious leaders, eminent persons, technocrats, among others.

    He said the activities of the group since its formation were the reason for the relative peace enjoyed in the region following commitment by militants to ensure ceasefire.

    Ayemi-Botu said: ”You see last year when the agitators or freedom fighters  went to the creeks and started destroying the economy. That added to the recession but when we came and asked for peace, they sheathed their swords and allowed peace to reign.

    ”The production that was up to 2.2million barrels went down to 700,000 barrels, but as at August when we met them and they embraced peace and ceasefire, you can see that our economy has jerked up to 2million barrels per day and the recession is gone.

    ”We pray that given the time and understanding of the Federal Government, the peaceful situation in the country and the upsurge in the production of oil in the country will continue and Nigeria and Niger Delta will not remain the same again.”

    Also speaking, the National Coordinator, PNDPC, Chief Mike Loyibo, said the body was not formed to fight any group but to advance the peace, security and development of the region.

    ”Our mission is to see how we can advance the fulcrum of the Niger Delta people. We are not a political party, we have activists, clergy men, opinion leaders and we came together when we realised that there was a problem about leadership,” he said.

  • Loan repayment: Banks’ shareholders push for takeover of Etisalat

    Loan repayment: Banks’ shareholders push for takeover of Etisalat

    Some shareholder groups in the nation’s capital market on Tuesday urged Etisalat Nigeria to settle the N1.2 billion debt it owed 13 commercial banks to avoid a takeover.

    A cross section of the shareholder groups stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

    They insisted that the company must settle the debt for the banks to meet up with their dividend obligations.

    Mr Boniface Okezie, National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, called on Etisalat to settle the debt owed the commercial banks to avoid a legal action.

    Okezie said that the affected banks should approach the court for receivership if Etisalat failed to settle the debt.

    He stated that the banks had obligations to their shareholders in terms of dividend payment at the end of the financial year, insisting that the debt must be paid.

    Also, Mr Godwin Anono, the Chairman of Nigeria Professional Shareholders Association, said that the company should settle the debt and desist from making unnecessary noise about the whole thing.

    He said the transaction was in line with customer-bank relationship, noting that terms and conditions must be obeyed.

    Anono said further that the shareholders were in support of the banks to acquire the company if it failed to settle the loan.

    “This is like any other transaction, it’s not government business and I stand on existing protocol that the banks should acquire the company,’’ he said.

    In his view, Mr Sewa Wusu, Head Research, SCM Capital Ltd., said that the issue of loan between Etisalat and the consortium of banks was a customer-bank relationship which ought to be settled amicably with terms agreeable between both parties.

    He said that the issue was beginning to elicit concerns in the banking industry given the level of amount involved and its potential impact on the balance sheets of those banks involved.

    “But I think, the monetary authority is also involved to ensure prompt settlement of the situation among the parties,’’ he said.

    Etisalat, on June 20, said it had been instructed to transfer its 45 per cent stake in Etisalat Nigeria to a loan trustee.

    It said it had been notified to transfer its stake by June 23, saying that the stake had a carrying value of zero on its books.

    However, in the last few months, Etisalat Nigeria has been in talks with Nigerian banks to restructure a 1.2 billion-dollar loan after missing repayments.

    The loan is a seven-year facility agreed with 13 banks in 2013 to refinance a 650 million-dollar loan and fund expansion of its network.

    Although the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria stepped into the fray to prevent a takeover by the banks, those discussions failed to produce an agreement on restructuring the debt.

     

  • Makarfi’s PDP under fire over comment on released Chibok girls

    Makarfi’s PDP under fire over comment on released Chibok girls

    Following a statement credited to Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s led faction of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) condemning the negotiation and the prisoner swap that resulted in the release of 82 of the girls abducted from a girls secondary school in Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists, a group under the auspices of League of Upcoming Political Parties has described the statement as shocking from a ‘confused group’.

    The league in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Musa Ahmadu and make available to media in Kaduna Monday added that, is more shocking that the statement was coming from the faction led by man who has been the executive governor and chief security officer of a state for eight years and who is widely acclaimed to have brought relative peace to his state of Kaduna during his tenure.

    The statement read in part, “the comment of the PDP at a time when the whole world was congratulating the federal government for leading the initiative that saved the lives of 82 innocent young girls, brought joy to their homes and rekindled the hope of the citizenry that it is now blessed with an effective government which can go all lengths to secure the lives of its citizens.

    “The statement by a faction of a fractured party can only be excused on the basis that the stress of its prolonged engagement to claim authenticity of the party has begun to affect the psyche of its leadership and raises the question whether the statement is not a subtle extension of the cold war between the Makarfi faction and Ali Modu Sheriff.

    “We advice Makarfi not to allow his frustration with Modu Sheriff rob him on his integrity and wisdom for he is one of the most respected among the tribe of former governors in Nigeria. Issuing this kinds of statements that panders to kindergarten logic would definitely harm his head earned reputation.

    “The Makarfi faction said the negotiations that led to the release of the 82 girls violate international best practices  of not negotiating with terrorists, but the faction tends to forget that even US which is the lead figure in the fight against terrorism has never closed the path towards negotiation when it’s interest is at stake and has many times  entered into negotiations with terrorists groups and exchanged prisoners with the underlying aim of securing the lives of hostages first before any other thing”.

    The statement continued, ‎”the Makarfi faction seems to have forgotten  that at the end of every strategy or engagement, it is the result that matters  and that best practices are not statutes but strategies hence cannot be violated but replaced when the matter demands a different approach.

    “The faction also claimed the release of the girls through this process will exert pressure on the parents of the remaining girls yet to be released. They claim the parents of the remaining girls would begin to wonder why their own children were not among the lucky ones released.

    “The recent release of the 82 girls, the largest number so far, rather than sadden the parents of those that are yet to return, has followed a similar pattern by reigniting the hope of the parents of those yet to see their children that it remains a matter of time for them to be equally lucky and has erased the despondency created by the PDP government which kept making statements about its helplessness on the situation and inflicting psychological torture on the parents.

    “The current release of the 82 girls needs to be stressed has not only restored hope in the whole of Chibok, Borno State and Nigeria but globally, that not only are these girls alive and well but with the application of  efficient strategies like the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has done, the remaining girls would be found and rescued.

    “We wonder where Makarfi ‎ and his cohorts have been all this while when the current administration has recorded success in the fight against the insurgents by clearing the dreaded Sambisa Forest which became a no go area in the PDP era, secured the release of kidnapped victims, preventing the terrorists from holding any territory under the federal republic of Nigeria and degrading the terrorists to a stage where they can only attack soft targets.

    “But it must be made clear to Makarfi and his co-travellers  that the current administration places high premium on the sanctity of human lives and respect for human rights which has been the hallmark of the current military in all its operations”, the statement added.

     

  • FG begins pilot implementation of conditional cash transfer in Kogi

    FG begins pilot implementation of conditional cash transfer in Kogi

    The Federal Government said it has earmarked six local government areas in Kogi State as pilot project for the implementation of its Conditional Cash Transfer of N5, 000 monthly per household.

    The National Coordinator, National Cash Transfer Project (NCTP), Office of the Vice President, Dr Temitope Sinkaye, made this known on Thursday at the inauguration of “100-Day Rapid Result Initiative (RRI)” workshop on Conditional Cash Transfer in Lokoja.

    He stated that the projects has two components, which include Base (Unconditional) Cash Transfer of N5,000 for the most vulnerables in which payment had already commenced in nine states, and Conditional Cash Transfer of additional N5,000 for households with children, pregnant women and school age children, among others.

    “We are here to develop a framework for implementation of the conditional cash transfer which is the second component that is being funded by the World Bank, unlike the base cash transfer that is solely funded by the federal government.

    “Kogi was selected as pilot state for the 100-day to test run the implementation strategy, and two local government has been selected in each senatorial zone for the test run namely: Lokoja, Yagba West, Okehi, Ajaokuta, Ibaji and Dekina respectively.

    “At the end of the 100 day after the design and test running, if we are sure that this framework is good enough, then we will replicate it in other states of the federation.

    “For now, we have a total of nine states including Kogi in attendance to participate in the 100-day RRI, others are: Oyo, Kwara, Osun, Cross River, Ekiti, Niger, Bauchi and Borno State,” Sinkaye said.

    Declaring the workshop open, Governor Yahaya Bello, expressed joy and optimism that the cash transfer program would serve as a foundation of hope for many vulnerable people and also reduce crime in the society.

    Bello, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Simon Achuba, pointed out that the program being executed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was highly commendable and should be applauded by all Nigerians.

    He however advised the implementators of the program to be God fearing, and do their best to make sure that the money get to the target poor people in the society.

     

  • Meningitis: Minister calls for proactive measures

    Meningitis: Minister calls for proactive measures

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has challenged heads of federal government tertiary hospitals in the country on the need to be proactive in responding to outbreak of diseases.

    Besides, the minister urged all the federal government tertiary hospitals to adopt secondary and primary health facilities, supervise it and make sure they work well.

    Prof. Adewole made the call while meeting with the heads of the federal government tertiary health Institutions in Abuja following the outbreak of meningitis which has claimed over 700 lives since November 2016.

    He said the meeting was convened to chart a way forward in case of any disease outbreak in the country.

    Adewole said: “I should start with global health security, as we might be aware, we have been dealing with series of outbreaks over the last one year. We started with Lassa, we moved on to cholera, there were pockets of measles and now we are dealing with meningitis”.

    “The outbreak of meningitis in Zamfara actually started late November 2016, but we did not know till February which was unfortunate, if we got to know early, we would have deployed the vaccines available to us, create awareness and take charge of the situation early enough, but since we did not know, we lost valuable time to respond to the outbreak”. He stressed.

    Speaking further on the strategies of the federal hospitals to support the primary and secondary health care centres in the States, the Minister urged all the federal government tertiary hospitals to adopt secondary and primary health facilities, supervise it and make sure they work well.

    The Minister said that during emergency, medical personnel in the federal hospitals must support the state, primary and general hospitals.

    In his words: “We cannot pretend that what is happening outside our tertiary health centres do not concern us, and this is one reason why we must interact with primary and secondary health facilities in the state, otherwise we would spend valuable time treating diarrhea and vomiting instead of looking after the complex cases that we ought to do”.

    The Minister also urged the general public to notify the Federal Ministry of Health on any outbreak to enable the ministry deploy response team immediately to checkmate the spread of the diseases.

    In his remarks, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said that the Centre had already dispatched response team and presently working with the state governments in the affected areas of Sokoto and Zamfara. He added that the team is working on early detection and treatment.

    He urged the Chief Executives of the tertiary hospitals to work closely with the leadership of the state governments in managing the outbreak.

    Ihekweazu added that the agency was working hard to prevent the outbreak of cholera as the raining season has begun in some parts of the country.

  • Gas flaring: Group seeks stiffer punishment for erring companies

    Gas flaring: Group seeks stiffer punishment for erring companies

    Mr. Sherif Mulade, National Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), has called for stiffer penalties against oil companies that refuse to end gas flaring.

    Mulade made the call in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen on Monday in Warri, Delta.

    He also urged the Federal Government to sanction multinational oil companies that refused to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta region.

    Mulade also alleged that the oil multinationals operating in the Niger Delta were not ready to end gas flaring in the oil-rich region.

    He urged the government to compel such companies to adhere strictly to the environmental global best practices to save the environment.

    “It is unfortunate that Multinational oil companies that adhere strictly to global environmental best practices in their countries and other parts of the globe will refuse to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta.

    “Federal Government should not treat the oil companies with kid’s glove; it should do the needful by compelling them to end the hazard.

    “The lawmakers should also be up and doing with regards to the enforcement of the law on gas flaring in the country,” he said.

    Mulade also stated that gas flaring coupled with the activities of pipeline vandals were having a ripple effects on the Niger Delta’s ecosystem.

    “Today our roofs are being destroyed following the air pollution emanating from gas flaring.

    “Also life expectancy in the region is becoming shorter because of unabated release of emission to the air,” he said.

    NAN reports that gas flaring is the burning of natural gas and petroleum hydrocarbons in flare stacks by upstream oil companies in oil fields during operations.

    NAN recalls that gas flaring is the singular and most common source of global warming and contributes to emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen (II) oxide and methane, which have the propensity of causing environmental pollution and ecological disturbances or destruction.