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Tag: Nigeria News

  • Olowo: we’ll rebrand ‘Igogo’ festival

    The Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, on Wednesday said that the town’s famous cultural festival, ‘Igogo,’ is to be rebranded and projected for global tourists’ attraction.

    The monarch disclosed this in his palace while receiving the management staff of Radio Nigeria’s Positive FM, Akure, in his palace at Owo.

    Oba Ogunoye said that he was working on putting the age-long festival on the global stage to promote Owo cultural heritage and drive the tourism potential of the ancient town.

    The Olowo said that more of the rich culture and traditions of Owo would be on display on December 14, during the presentation of staff Office and the celebration of 1000 years of Owo existence.

    He expressed satisfaction with the station’s professionalism in news reportage and information dissemination, which he said stood the broadcasting station out.

    Oba Gbadegesin, who pointed out that he was an ardent listener of Positive FM, promised to always partner with Radio Nigeria in the coverage of major activities of the town.

    The General Manager, Positive FM, Tunde Abiodun, hailed the revered monarch on his installation as the new Olowo of Owo.

    The general manager assured that radio station, as a grassroots news medium in Ondo State, remained committed to promoting major events in Owo Kingdom.

  • NGO seeks media support

    A NON-governmental organization (NGO), Search for Common Ground, has called for the strengthening of local journalists to constructively report the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

    The organisation spoke at the inauguration of a media training programme for journalists in Lokoja, the state capital.

    It noted the pivotal role of the media in the electoral process.

    The training programme was titled: Role of Media in Conflict Reporting: an Overview.

    Read Also: Kogi 2019: INEC clear 52

    The NGO urged the participants to be mindful of their role in the overall stability of the process.

    “We should be aware of our responsibility as journalists and recognise the power that your words and your language has. They can have instant impact that can help or hurt, hinder the progress towards peace or support it.

    “Be well informed about the issues and people you are writing about. Be balanced in finding out their interests, not just what interests the public. Challenge hate speech, even when it is hidden in metaphors and proverbs, by insisting upon clarity and simple language,” said Temisan Etietsola, the NGO’s Chief Resource Officer.

  • Dead cows: outbreak of epidemic likely, says NMA

    Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ondo State chapter, Dr. Wale Oke, on Wednesday warned that an epidemic outbreak looms in Ijare community, following the killing of over 36 cows by lightning recently.

    Oke said if appropriate steps were not taken to check the health and environmental consequences of the dead cows, the community risked the outbreak of diseases.

    The medical practitioner advised the community to immediately contact the veterinary department in the state for advice on measures to take to prevent any outbreak of an epidemic due to the incident.

    The NMA chairman said: “The community head should inform the appropriate agency in the state, which would decide on how the dead cows would be evacuated and buried appropriately.

    Read Also: Killing of python caused cows’ death on sacred hill, say indigenes

    “They should also disinfect the place and the town to prevent epidemic outbreak in the community as a result of decomposed bodies of the cows.”

    Recall that last Saturday lightning reportedly killed the 36 cows on the sacred Oke-Owa hill in Ijare, Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The herders abandoned their livestock and fled.

    The traditional ruler of the town, the Sapetu of Ijare, Wemimo Olaniran, had said it was a taboo to eat animals killed by lightning.

    He pointed out that spiritual rites would be performed to prevent spiritual consequences of the incident on the natives and residents of the town.

  • PDP will win Bayelsa by landslide, Dickson boasts

    BAYELSA State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has boasted that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the November 16 governorship poll in the state by landslide.

    The governor alleged that the inability of the APC to produce a validly-nominated candidate boosted the chances of the PDP at the forthcoming election.

    A statement signed on Wednesday by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, said the governor spoke while inaugurating five new special advisers in Government House, Yenagoa.

    Dickson said no amount of propaganda, intimidation and financial inducement would stop majority of the people from voting for the PDP.

    He, however, said despite the traumatic post primary election crisis facing the main opposition in the state, his party would prepare very well for the coming poll.

    He said: “We are, preparing the ground to usher in the next administration, and make no mistake, the next administration is going to be a PDP-led administration in our state. Make no mistake, the Ijaw nation has no room for APC, this state is a PDP home.

    “We are the only party that has a validly-nominated candidate for the election. Mark my words validly nominated candidates, that’s what the law requires and the person must be qualified. As we speak, the other side, the APC, does not have a validly nominated candidate”.

    GDickson, who congratulated the new special advisers, described their appointments as a recognition of the important contributions they made in their previous assignments.

    He urged them to join other members of the Restoration Government to mobilize more support for right causes that would promote the continued stability, peace and development of the state.

    The Governor assured that more young people would be appointed into positions of trust in the coming days as part of efforts aimed at rewarding loyalty, dedication and hard work.

    Read Also: Bayelsa polls: Who succeeds Dickson?

    He said: “This swearing-in is just a tip of the iceberg. By tomorrow or next, more young people who have already been identified across the various local government areas and other stakeholders would be brought in as our way of broadening the base of our restoration government. It is also our way of identifying young people who needs to be given responsibility.

    “I implore You all to continue to do what you have been doing, mobilizing support and laying the foundation for a great and prosperous Bayelsa that we have all stood by the last 8 years. By tomorrow or before the end of the week a number of them that were identified will be brought in to be involved.”

    The special advisers are the former Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Sagbama Local Government Council, Michael Magbisa, and his Yenagoa counterpart, Austin Sambo.

    Others include the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma,Tolumoye Bikikoro,  Pius Andabai-Wareyai and  Ebilade Ekerefe.

     

  • Court grants N10m bail to ex-Petroleum Ministry director

    A HIGH Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja on Wednesday admitted a former Director, Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Grace Taiga, to bail at N10 million, with two sureties, who must sign bonds of N10m each.

    Mrs. Taiga was arraigned before the court last Friday on an eight-count charge in which she was, among others, accused of  receiving bribe, through her offshore bank account in signing the Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between P&ID Limited and the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Petroleum Resources Ministry on January 11, 2019, and over which an arbitration panel, which sat in London, awarded about $9.6billion damages against Nigeria.

    Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, in a ruling, also ordered that the sureties to be produced by the defendant must be resident in Abuja and should depose to affidavits of means before the court, adding that they must also be civil servants, not below directorate cadre

    Justice Adeniyi allowed Mrs. Taiga to keep her international passport, in view of her lawyer’s claim that she was battling ill-health, but ordered that she must first inform the court should there be need for her to travel outside the country.

    Lawyer to the defendant, Ola Olanipekun (SAN) had, while moving her bail application, noted that Mrs. Taiga suffers from chronic diabetes and high blood pressure among other ailments.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Court orders Sowore’s release

    The judge had, upon her arraignment on September 20, 2019 ordered that Mrs. Taiga be remanded in Suleja prison, Niger State pending the hearing of her bail application on September25, 2019. The application was heard and granted yesterday.

    Mrs. Taiga is also accused, in the charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of violating various laws by entering into the GSPA without a prior approval by the Federal Executive Council and a certificate of no-objection to the contract from the Bureau of Public Enterprise.

    The charge is in relation to the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA), in respect of which a British court upheld P&ID claim to the  $9.6bn damages awarded against Nigeria by an arbitration tribunal

    The EFCC alleged that Mrs. Taiga  signed as Nigeria’s witness to the GSPA while the then Minister who was the head of the Ministry, Rilwan Lukman (now late), signed as Nigeria’s representative.

     

  • Reps urge Fed Govt to curtail Lassa fever outbreak

    The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure that the outbreak is contained to reduce the fatality ratio in confirmed cases.

    The House also asked the government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, to create more awareness on the dangers of the fever and other communicable diseases to enable the populace adopt preventive measures to avoid contracting it.

    The lawmakers’ resolution stemmed from a motion sponsored by Robert Aondona Tyough (Benue) informing the House of the outbreak of Lassa fever in his state.

    The lawmaker described Lassa fever as “an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of two to 21 days’ duration that is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of a rodent”.

    He explained that “person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures”.

    Tyough added: “Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.”

    Read Also: Govt tackles spread of monkey pox, Lassa fever, others

    He said that “on 21 January 2019, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of Lassa fever following an increase in the number of cases, a total of 213 confirmed cases were reported in sixteen States including Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, Anambra, Kaduna, Kwara, FCT, Benue, Rivers, Nassarawa and Kogi across 40 Local Government Areas leading to the death of  41 people”.

    He said that “in the reporting week 26 between 24 – 30 June, 2019, two new confirmed cases were reported from the two States of Edo (1) and Benue (1) with one death from Benue state;

    “From 1 January to 30 June, 2019, a total of 2882 suspected cases have been reported from 22 states, of which 603 were confirmed positive, 17 probable and 2262 were negative”.

    He expressed concern that since the onset of the 2019 outbreak in the country, there have been 136 confirmed cases of deaths thereby putting the fatality ratio in confirmed cases to a high 22.6%;

    He informed the House that the Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Sunday Ongbabo had confirmed another round of outbreak of Lassa fever in the state with the death of a patient in Makurdi, the State Capital;

  • Buratai deplores importation of military hardware

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Buratai Tukur, has said the operational efficiency of the Army is hampered by its dependence on importation of military hardware and defence logistics.

    Tukur, who made the remark while showcasing locally manufactured military hardware during a Special Army Day celebration at the Abuja International Trade Fair ground, said the dependence on imported defence logistics to combat security challenges also drains the country’s foreign reserve.

    “There is urgent need to sustain the investment in research and development (R&D) on military hardware to reduce overdependence on importation of logistics to shore up and sustain the capabilities towards mitigating contemporary security challenges.

    “It is worthy to note that most of the requisite materials are imported, which not only drains our foreign reserve but impacts negatively on the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Army due to their lead time.

    “Today, we are all aware of the nature of security challenges facing our dear country and the resultant employment of the elements of national power by the Federal Government to contain them. The complex nature of the security environment has resulted in the deployment of the military virtually in all the 36 states of the federation.

    “It is, however, heart-warming that the military along with other security agencies have substantially restored law and order to the crisis affected areas.”

    Read Also: Don’t glorify terrorists, treat them as criminals, Buratai warns

    The successes of the Nigerian Army, in particular, are based on quality manpower development, capacity building, provision of adequate platforms and other essential materials to boost its operational capacity.”

    Buratai explained that in its resolve to check the trend, “the Nigeria Army, therefore, directed the Command Engineering Depot to collaborate with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in research and development and equally funded their innovative ideas to produce a number of products displayed today”.

    This, he said, “lays a solid foundation for future consolidation of local production of military hardware and it will reduce the overdependence on the importation of defence logistics”.

    He added: “The sustenance of local capacity for production of both lethal and non-lethal military hardware rests solidly on quality manpower. Consequently, the Nigerian Army has established Nigerian Army University in Biu and continually sponsored officers and soldiers on post-graduate studies on robotics and automobile and software engineering.”

    The special guest of honour and Minister of Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, lauded the ingenuity of Nigerian Army.

    He said the innovation showed that there is hope for the nation to achieve greatness.

  • African free trade stumbles with Nigerian blockade of Benin

    THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Benin Republic, Niger Republic and Ghana are feeling the heat of Nigeria’s border closure with neighbouring countries.

    The border restrictions came after Nigeria and Benin agreed in July to join the African Continental Free Trade Area, which targets greater economic integration through the removal of trade barriers and tariffs on 90 per cent of commodities. The duty-free movement of goods is expected to boost trade in the market of 1.2 billion people, similar in size to India, and a combined gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion.

    But, Nigeria has limited the entry of cargo from its borders with Benin

    “Over 80 per cent of West African cross-border trade is by road,” said Muda Yusuf, the head of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries (LCCI). He added: “The cost is quite enormous and the closure is not sustainable”.

    The impact of the dispute is being felt as far as Ghana, which is separated from Nigeria by Benin and Togo. Manufacturers have complained about the impact on costs, John Defor, research director at the Association of Ghana Industries, said on telephone. Units of multinational companies including  Unilever NV, are in talks with the Federal Government to find a solution.

    Traders and smugglers in Benin have taken advantage of Nigeria’s protectionist policies to import and re-export goods to their bigger neighbour, said Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, an economics professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal’s capital, Dakar.

    Read Also: Further thoughts on border closure

    Rice is a good example. Benin, with a population of 11 million that is barely five per cent of the Nigerian population is the biggest buyer of the grain from Thailand, the world’s second-largest exporter. Official shipments from Thailand to Nigeria have dwindled to almost nothing from more than 1.2 million tons in 2014, while those to Benin have increased by more than half.

    “Benin is basically importing for Nigeria,” Mbaye, who is a senior fellow at the Washington D.C.-based Brookings Institution, said: “Protectionism is difficult to implement in a globalized world, because people find ways around it,” he added.

    Buhari defended the blockade at a meeting in Japan with Beninese President Patrice Talon at the end of last month. He said Benin and its northern neighbor, Niger, should take “strict and comprehensive measures” to curtail smuggling across their borders.

    While Nigeria is committed to the African free-trade deal, the agreement “must not only promote free trade, but legal trade of quality made-in-Africa goods,” Buhari said in a Sept. 20 speech.

     

  • NBC fines 20 stations in second quarter of 2019

    Twenty stations violated the nation’s broadcasting codes in the second quarter of 2019, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said.

    The stations were fined for breaching the provisions of the broadcasting code on hate speech.

    A breakdown of the offences, which were allegedly committed between April and June, according to NBC’s Director General Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, include breaching broadcasting code on hate speech, use of vulgar lyrics and obscene content.

    Kawu berated African Independent Television (AIT) for defying all actions to ensure compliance with the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

    Sections of the breached codes are: Section 1.16.1(f): The law of contempt, relating to matter pending before law court’s, and Section 5.1.12: News and current affairs programme shall be guided by the ethical standards of journalism.

    Kaduna Zone recorded the highest in obscenity, while Abuja Zone topped the chart in hate speech.

    In the area of unverified claims, the Ibadan Zone recorded the highest.

    On fines meted out to the errant stations, Abuja Zone recorded the highest with 47.17 per cent, Ibadan Zone came second with 15.09 per cent and Benin came third with 13.22 per cent while the lowest was Enugu Zone with 1.89 per cent.

    Forty-five stations were fined in the first quarter of the year for similar offences.

    Addressing reporters on the second quarter monitoring of broadcast stations’ profile, Kawu said: “Coming shortly after the National and State Elections in the first quarter of the year, the report indicates that though there is a drop in breaches related to hateful, abusive and inflammatory broadcast, which peaked during the elections, and for which as many as 45 stations were fined, the second quarter indicates that the trend has continued among certain stations, especially in political programmes.

    “Therefore, 20 stations were fined in the second quarter for breaching provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code on hate speech.

    “Other breaches were in the area of Obscene and Vulgar Lyrics – 10 stations were fined for infractions related to use of vulgar lyrics and obscene content. It is worth mentioning that the programme, Big Brother Naija (BBN4) was cautioned against unwholesome content on its broadcast.

    “Use of unsubstantiated and misleading claims by advertisers, especially trado-medic advertising, also dropped significantly from the last quarter, but a total of 30 stations were fined for infractions related to same.

    “Ten broadcast stations were fined for breaches related to station announcers turning themselves into advertisers, hypers and promoters of products.”

    On AIT, Kawu said: “Our monitoring activities indicate that some stations, especially AIT, are deliberately meddling in the cases before the election tribunal. It is trite knowledge that the media cannot comment on or discuss the details of any matter in court. The Broadcast Code in Section 1.16.1(f) requires all broadcasters to comply with the law of contempt relating to matters pending before the law courts.”

  • Radiotherapy outside Nigeria unnecessary, says NHA’s CMD

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital Abuja (NHA), Dr. J. A. F. Momoh, has said it is a waste of resources and unnecessary venture for Nigerians to embark on medical tourism for radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer.

    The NHA is the only government hospital in West Africa with two radiotherapy equipment that are functional at the same time; the second is the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

    Momoh addressed reporters ahead of the 20th anniversary of the NHA with the theme: The Past, the Present and the Future.

    He said: “If you are going for radiotherapy outside the country, I can really say it is no longer necessary.

    “We installed our equipment two years ago and since then the equipment has been functional non-stop. It only had to be shut down for three days for routine maintenance.

    “The advantage of getting treatment at the National Hospital is that there will be no time when we say we cannot treat a patient because equipment has broken down. We can easily shut down one for routine maintenance while the other is working.

    “The second equipment was donated by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).”

    The CMD explained why he recommended that anyone in need of radiotherapy should not engage in medical tourism.

    Read Also: Treatment of cancer like HIV and AIDS should be free

    “When people were going abroad, they had to spend up to $10,000 for treatment. Whereas in National Hospital, we are charging less than 10 per cent of that amount.

    “Even for the indigent patients, there is a programme for the consideration of treatment, either at subsidised or a totally waved rate,” he said.

    Momoh stressed the need for the public to be aware that cancer treatment is not only about the availability of equipment but involves early screening and diagnosis so that chemotherapy and surgery can be done, where necessary.

    “The cost of treatment here for radiotherapy is greatly subsidised by the Federal Government. The equipment has been installed, commissioned, and licensed for treatment, and we are treating patients on this,” he said.

    The NHA Board Chairman Mrs Patricia Etteh lauded the efforts of the Federal Government and its Ministry of Health for supporting the hospital.

    The former House of Representatives Speaker urged them to put more funding to address the old challenges, such as dilapidated infrastructure and biomedical equipment.

    “The Federal Government has made effective healthcare delivery to all Nigerians its cardinal goal and all efforts are being put in place to ensure that medical tourism is minimised,” she said.