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Tag: safe?

  • Banks remain safe, says CBN

    Banks remain safe, says CBN

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday assured bank customers that none of the 22 commercial banks in the country is in distress.

    CBN Acting Director of Communication, Isaac Okoroafor, said in a statement issued yesterday that  the infusion of a new Board and Management for Skye Bank Plc remains a proactive regulatory action meant to ensure that the lender does not continue to fail in its relevant prudential ratios.

    “Neither Skye Bank nor any other bank in the industry is in distress. Therefore, the CBN would like to request the general public to ignore speculations or rumours to the contrary as they could only be the handiwork of mischief makers who do not mean well for the Nigerian banking system and its economy,” he said.

    He explained that as the regulator of the industry, the CBN reassures the banking and general public that their deposits remain safe in any Nigerian bank and that there is, therefore, no need for panic withdrawals from any bank.

    He said by both the CBN’s examination reports as well as analysis from market watchers, International Credit Rating Agencies, and Development Finance Institutions, the Nigerian banking industry remains strong in spite of the global economic challenges emanating from the collapse of global commodity prices. “We therefore urge the banking public to remain calm and go about their normal businesses without panic. It is important that we do not create problems when none exists,” he said.

  • ‘Our environment is safe from pollution’

    The Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, has urged residents not to worry about environmental pollution from industrial waste. He spoke with The Nation at  2016 Ogun Investor’s Forum in Abeokuta.

    According to Oyeleye, the state has in place relevant agencies that are saddled with the responsibilities of taking care of the environment, and also monitoring of companies operating in the state.

    “We have an agency known as the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) which has the responsibility of making sure that environmental standards are adhered to  in terms of emission, waste management  and the operations of these companies. So, we are very much committed in that respect and we are doing what we are supposed to do in terms of monitoring the activities of these companies,” he explained.

    One of the set standards for companies borders on regulation of industrial emission and effluent. For instance, the Commissioner disclosed that his ministry go against companies that do not have waste treatment plants (WTP). This is to ensure that set standards that ought to be followed before discharging effluents into the environment. Companies that have not provided these facilities within their business premises, he explained, are being encouraged to do so.

    Besides, at the onset, when industries come to set up their industries in the state, Oyeleye explained, they were requested to put up road furniture which includes trees and light in their areas of operations.

    The Commissioner admitted that alongside industrialisation comes the challenge to preserve nature. This, he said, is why the state encourages and participate actively in the establishment of parks in the state and also encourage people to plant trees. He said that there is a lot of advocacy going into tree planting in the state to ensure that the ecosystem is well preserved.

    “Basically, people will be encouraged to replace and replenish some the trees that will have to go to make way for the industries and development generally. This is why on daily basis people are enlightened on the need to encourage and ensure greenery around them,” Oyeleye explained.

    He said the state is compliant to the COP 21 programme- a global programme on climate change, because issues of environment are very much encouraged even at the highest level of governance in the state. This explains why the state had a delegation led by the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to the COP21 programme in France last year.

    At the event, he said, the state was able to promote one of her programmes which centers on reforestation of 180,000 hectares of land in the state.

  • Govt assures HIV-infected expectant moms of safe delivery

    Govt assures HIV-infected expectant moms of safe delivery

    •Ministry trains TBAs, FBAs in HIV

    Expectant mothers living with HIV  in Akwa Ibom State can patronise Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and Faith-based Birth Attendants (FBAs) (those who take deliveries in churches and mission homes) without the fear of transmitting the virus to their babies. This is because the Ministry of Health has trained them in the art of safe delivery of patients with special needs.

    According to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, the roles of traditional and faith-based birth attendants in the provision of maternal health services needed to be expanded in the state because their engagement is aimed at improving maternal and neonatal child health services as well as increasing the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).

    The participants were drawn across the three pilot Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Eket, Etinan and Ikot Ekpene. Their training was in collaboration with the Management Science for Health (MSH) USAID, with assistance from the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB).

    At a programme to award certificates of participation to the participants, otherwise called ‘Graduation’, held at the E-Library Complex, Uyo,  Dr  Ukpong, said the journey began in October 2, last year with the policy launch for the regulation, monitoring and supervision of their operations in the state.

    Ukpong said: “The roles of traditional and faith-based birth attendants in the provision of maternal health services in our local communities cannot be denied, due to them being easily accessible and having the high level of trust that expectant women place in them. Also, the persistent space between the number of women that attend antenatal care (ANC) and the number of women that eventually deliver at the facilities with a skilled birth attendant particularly, the HIV positive expectant women reinforce the evidence of patronage of Traditional and Faith based attendants. As such, this engagement programme is imperative to ensure that the required services by pregnant women, especially HIV positive ones are received in a safe and hygienic environment with required referral services.”

    The Commissioner commended the TBAs for taking the training and internship seriously, and implored them to ensure the upgrade of their facilities and sites according to the set standards and criteria in the policy guidelines, “And do ensure that you record your data as at when due and appropriately,” he stated.

    In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr. Comfort Archibong said TBA and FBAs play important role in the community in the provision of maternal health services, by virtue of their proximity and accessibility to the rural dwellers, as they remain the preferred service providers for delivery in most communities over the formal health facilities.

    Dr Archibong said however deliveries with TBAs have been tainted with use of unsterilised tools, unskilled personnel, poor environmental conditions, and little or no knowledge of PMTCT, hence contributing to high maternal and infant mortality and mother to child transfer (MTCT) of HIV. “Women who test HIV positive and do not deliver in the facilities put their birth attendants (most likely TBAs and FBAs) and babies at risk of contracting the HIV virus. That is why the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Leadership Management and Governance project (LMG) is engaging with TBAs,” she stated.

    Dr Archibong said the focus is on five major areas: Regulation, Training, PMTCT, Coordination and Monitoring and Supervision.  “TBAs and FBAs have undergone two levels of training (Basic training and Internship) three weeks each, spanning duration of 6weeks. Their knowledge and skills was built in order to improve PMTCT uptake and improve maternal and child health. TBAs and FBAs graduating today have satisfactorily fulfilled the criteria required for the successful completion of their training,” said Dr Archibong.

  • ‘Our food stuff safe for consumption’

    Lassa Fever, which was first discovered in lassa town in Borno State in 1969, has killed scores of Nigerians in the last six months of its outbreak.  It was gathered that despite the rise in the number of people that have died of this deadly disease, Nigerians still couldn’t do without eating.

    The Ojuwoye market in Mushin, Lagos  attracts a large number of shoppers daily.  It was observed that some buyers look more observant when buying foodstuff which are prone to be infected by rats. Madam Rotimi, a shopper, said that she often asks the sellers if their items have been eaten by rats or if they have noticed rat fea ces in whatever they sell. She said that some of the traders lie to her but she takes precautions when buying from them. A yam seller, Omobolanle Babajide, disclosed that rats ate her tubers of yam and she had to cut out the part before cooking.

    The scare of Lassa Fever has made many shoppers wary of what they buy. And while many of them have resorted to physical means of checking whatever they buy, some shoppers like Babawande Ibidun rely on God, saying that she prays to God whenever she comes to the market to buy food stuff. Ibidun however, urged all Nigerians to be observant and cook whatever they purchase for consumption very well because heat helps in killing germs. According to her, if it can’t be cooked, it is advisable to be thrown away for safety reasons.

    As The Nation Shopping moved to other parts of the market, Mrs Okeke, who sells food stuffs, said that she eats any of her product rat destroys. She makes sure  she cooks it very well before consumption. Mrs Okeke explained that she makes use of rat killers in her shop and also seals opened cartons with cello tape after each day’s sales.

    Another trader at the market, Kadiri Yusuf, explained how he prevents rats from his food stuffs.

  • Pension funds safe, says PenCom chief

    Pension funds safe, says PenCom chief

    There has been no record of pension fraud or embezzlement under the new pension scheme, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), the Director-General, National Pension Commission (PeCom), Chinelo Anohu-Amazu has said.

    Speaking to reporters in Abuja, he said the over N5trillion pension funds under the CPS arrangement is safe.

    According to her, the fact that there has been no record of fraud, stealing or unlawful diversion by both regulator and operators since the establishment of the CPS shows that the scheme is safe. She said unlike in the past where Nigeria operated the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBs), which left a total deficit of over N2trillion, the CPS has in 10 years accumulated over N5trillion.

    The PenCom chief debunked claims that N3.5 trillion of the pension assets had been drawn down by the previous administration to finance recurrent expenditure. She said this is not correct noting that the amount being referred to, is the current total value of pension fund investments in Federal Government of Nigeria bonds and treasury bills.

    She assured that the pension fund assets are intact, stating that treasury bills and government bonds are adjudged to be the safest instruments for pension fund investments.

    She explained that the administration and workings of the CPS makes it difficult for anyone to steal or divert the funds.

    She said: “The scheme requires pension funds to be privately managed by licensed Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs). They have been duly licensed to open Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs)for employees, invest and manage the pension funds in a manner as the Commission may from time to time prescribe; maintain books of accounts on all transactions relating to the pension funds managed by it; provide regular information to the employees or beneficiaries and pay retirement benefits to employees in accordance with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2004.

    “Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) will be responsible for the warehousing of the pension fund assets. The PFAs shall not be allowed to hold the pension funds’ assets. The employer sends the contributions directly to the custodian, who notifies the PFA of the receipt of the contribution and the PFA subsequently credits the retirement savings account of the employee.

    “The custodian will execute transactions and undertake activities relating to the administration of pension fund investments upon instructions by the PFA. The custodian shall hold pension fund assets on trust for its clients.”

    She further explained that the key objective of the pension reform is to introduce a pension system that is sustainable and has the capacity to achieve the ultimate goal of providing a stable, predictable and adequate source of retirement income for each worker in Nigeria.

    “The reform also seeks to establish a uniform set of rules and regulations for the administration and payment of retirement benefits in both the public and private sectors; stem the growth of outstanding pension liabilities; reduce fiscal cost of pension to government; stimulate domestic savings; and generate pool of long-term funds for financing developmental projects and increase private investments,” she said.

    She pointed out that the  CPS  has gradually  gained  public  confidence   and  acceptability   within the  short  period  of  its implementation, adding that the  private  sector,  which  hitherto was  apprehensive   of the CPS,  has come  to accept  it and  is implementing the reform.

  • ‘Ogun pilgrims safe’

    The Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has said no pilgrim was affected in the crane that crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque, last Friday.

    The Amir-ul-hajj, Alhaji Rasheed Raji, made the confirmation in an interview with the pilgrims and board members in Saudi Arabia.

    Raji said all the state’s pilgrims were hale and hearty, noting that medical experts were on ground to take care of them.

    The Board Chairman, Dr. Ishaq Yusuf, urged the pilgrims to carry out their rites/assignments dilligently.

    Speaking in Mecca, Yusuf warned them to shun all vices that could bring disgrace to the state.

    The Olu of Itori, Oba Abdulfatai Akamo, who is a pilgrim, advised the pilgrims not to allow the shock of the incident dampen their spiritual morale.

    He urged the people to continue to support the pilgrims in praying for the unity, stability, and tranquillity in the state and the country.

  • Golf injuries: Play it safe with these tips

    Golf injuries: Play it safe with these tips

    •Golf injuries are common but avoidable. Learn how to protect yourself.

    Many golfing-related injuries are a result of poor mechanics or overuse, particularly in golfers who are new to the game or play infrequently. Although golf isn’t a contact sport, it puts significant demands on your body — which can easily lead to golf injuries. Follow these tips to stay in shape on the course.

     

    Adjust your swing

    Understanding the mechanics behind your golf swing can help you prevent golf injuries:

    • Use proper posture. Think about your posture before and during your swing. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight equally on both feet. Avoid hunching over the ball, which may contribute to neck and back strain.
    • Stay smooth. The power of a golf swing comes from force transferred smoothly through all the muscle groups, from your ankles to your wrists. If you depend on one part of your body for your hitting power, you may be more prone to injuries. For example, overemphasizing your wrists during your swing can lead to golfer’s elbow — a strain of the muscles on the inside of the forearm.
    • Don’t overswing. If you swing the club too hard or too fast, you may stress your joints. Relax and take a nice, easy swing at the ball. The best golfers have consistent — not necessarily fast — swing tempos.

    If you want to reduce the risk of golf injuries, consider taking lessons. What you learn about your golf swing may even help you shave strokes from your score.

    Other tips to keep you on the course

    There’s more to golf than your golf swing. Consider other ways to lower your risk of golf injuries:

    • Warm up. Before you practice your golf swing or play a round of golf, warm up with a brisk walk or a set of jumping jacks. Stretch your hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, shoulders, spine and pelvis. Swing your golf club a few times, gradually increasing your range of motion.
    • Start slowly. You might practice your swing for hours, believing it’s helping your game — but if your body isn’t conditioned for the strain, practicing your golf swing may do more harm than good. Work up to your desired level of activity instead.
    • Strengthen your muscles. You don’t need bulging muscles to hit a long drive — but the stronger your muscles, the greater your club speed. Better yet, stronger muscles are less prone to golf injuries. For best results, do strength training exercises year-round.
    • Focus on flexibility. Regular stretching can improve your range of motion and lead to a more fluid golf swing.
    • Build up your endurance. Regular aerobic activity can give you staying power on the course. Try walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming.
    • Lift and carry clubs carefully. Golfers who carry their own bags have higher rates of shoulder and back injuries than do other golfers. If you jerk heavy clubs out of the trunk of your car, you could injure yourself before you reach the first tee. Use proper lifting technique: Keep your back straight and use the strength of your legs to lift.
    • Choose proper footwear. Dress for comfort and protection from the elements. Wear golf shoes with short cleats.Long cleats dig into the sod and hold your feet planted as you swing, which may strain your knees or ankles.

    Watch out for hazards on the course

    Safety on the course is also important. While golfing, be careful to limit your sun exposure. Protect your skin by using sunscreen. Wear sunglasses to filter out UVA and UVB rays, and wear a hat with a visor to shade your eyes and face.

    Watch for signs and symptoms of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Red flags might include a headache, dizziness, nausea, a rapid heartbeat or confusion. Drink plenty of water, and cut your game short if necessary.

    And remember to keep an eye out for storms. Call it quits at the first sign of threatening skies or lightning.

     

    Play smart

    Whether golf is a new interest or a lifelong passion, make the most of your time on the course by protecting yourself from golf injuries. Consider it all part of the game.

     

    •Source: www.mayoclinic.org

  • Kaduna blast shows nobody is safe, says Anglican primate

    Kaduna blast shows nobody is safe, says Anglican primate

    The Primate of the Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, yesterday said that despite the devastating effect of Wednesday bomb blasts in Kaduna, it has its positive aspect, which is a signal that nobody is safe irrespective of his religion and ethnicity.

    Asked to comment on the bomb blast during the 3rd Session of the second synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Diocese of Kubwa, Abuja, he called on Nigerians to unite and end terrorism.

    He said: “That is a signal of insecurity. And again, it sends another signal, which I think has an aspect of it that is positive.

    “ That is let everybody east, west, north, south, Christian, Muslims, African traditional religionists, let’s put hands together and stop this terrorism. Nobody is spared, nobody is free, nobody is safe.”

    Okoh said that the abduction of the Chibok school girls has aggravated the state of insecurity in the country.

    According to him, the entire problem would have been solved only when the Boko Haram sect militants lay down their arms and make themselves available for dialogue.

    Asked whether he was satisfied with the Federal Government’s effort at rescuing the kidnaped school girls, the cleric explained that: “More than that, if the Federal Government wants to do bravado, all those girls will all be dead.”

    He described the militants as very complex people who could distribute the girls to different locations.

    Okoh admonished Nigerians that any attempt to forcefully rescue the school girls could result in a worse problem.

    He said: “So, allow the government to take its time to rescue these people the way it knows how to and bring them back alive.

    “To my mind, bringing them alive is more important than allowing them to destroy lives of those girls. They could easily be rehabilitated when they are out. They could be sent to schools locally or abroad, there could be medical facilities to take care ogf them. Please lets be patient so that these girls can

    come back alive. Otherwise, Boko Haram has shown to everybody that it can kill.”

    Also speaking, the Bishop, Diocese of Kubwa, Reverend Duke Akamisoko, revealed that the National University Commission (NUC) has given approval for the commencement of academic activities in Anglican University in 2015.

  • Towards a safe environment

    Towards a safe environment

    Members of Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS) have participated in a contest to promote environment-friendly innovations. HALIMAH AKANBI (200-Level Law) and IBRAHIM JATTO (400-Level Zoology) report.

    Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) chapter, has evoked the innovative spirit of students through an entrepreneurship contest held at the institution’s auditorium.

    The competition featured the exhibition of innovative projects done by five teams. The projects were financed by First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

    The first team carried out an evergreen project, which involved the use of briquette – an environment-friendly biofuel that can be used in place of coal or charcoal – to reduce air pollution. The project was unveiled by the team leader, Friday Nwankwo, who explained the use of the substance. He said briquette was made from the mixture of saw dust and moist rice shaft moulded it into round shapes and used as fuel.

    The team approached residents of communities around the campus and taught them how to produce briquettes and use them in fueling energy-saving stoves. The project has economic value of saving the income that could have been used to buy firewood; the raw materials used in the production of briquettes are readily available.

    Members of Team B were trained by a couple in Sokoto on how to use animal skin to produce several leather products such as bags. The husband trained male students how to cut the material into various shapes and styles, while the wife trained female students how to decorate the pieces and sew them into varieties of bags and leather accessories.

    During the presentation, Team B explained that the vocation has economic value, which is to harness natural resources in the state to empower the people. The social value, it said, is the promotion of art and culture of the people of Sokoto. The project was said to be environmentally-safe as the raw materials used are hides and skin of dead animals.

    The project of Team C was tagged: “Rice Cereal for Infants (RCI)”, aimed at eradicating malnutrition in local communities. The team embarked upon a sensitisation programme in the university’s host communities. Afterwards, members came up with a cereal formula produced from rice, carrot and groundnut. The move was to reduce malnutrition in children and to save expenses of buying factory made cereals, which are not affordable to the poor residents.

    Team D’s project was Net School, which involved creation of a website for local schools to make communication easier between parents, students  and the school authorities. Teachers can also use the online medium to communicate students’ performance to their parents. The project was said to be environment-friendly, because it discourages the use of papers which is made from trees.

    The last team carried out tomato puree project, which involved grinding and boiling of tomatoes. The pulverised substance was stored in mayonnaise containers and exposed to intense heat by boiling the paste in the bottles in order to pasteurize it. The tomato puree can be safely stored for a period of six months.

    The idea was to prevent waste of tomato by peasant farmers, who could not store the produce because of their lack of adequate storage facilities. It would also discourage women to buy imported tomato pastes. The team estimated that 160 women would save ¦ N4 million every year. The project was evaluated to have environmental value as it would save people from littering the community with spoilt tomato paste.

    Before winners were announced by the panel of judges, Commissioner for Environment, Dr Jabbi Kilgori, praised the innovative spirit of the students in imparting on the people and empowering themselves. He also recognised the students’ effort to initiate environment-friendly projects to reduce pollution and environmental problems.

    The ENACTUS Staff Adviser, Mallam S.B Shamaki, said all the teams performed brilliantly and described all of them as winners.

    Team A, which carried out evergreen project, won the contest, while Team B with its leather project, came second. The winners were presented with trophies by the Dr Kilgori.

    The projects would be presented in national challenge of the ENACTUS  coming up in Lagos later this month.

  • ‘It’s my duty to make environment safe’

    ‘It’s my duty to make environment safe’

    Ayomide Atitebi is making a difference in the society through his activities to restore the environment. The Nigerian Law School student is an ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), promoting TUNZA Eco-generation – a campaign for green environment in Africa. He speaks to CALEB ADEBAYO (500-Level Law, Obafemi Awolowo University).

    What is TUNZA?

    TUNZA is a Kiswahili word which means to treat something with care or affection. But it is an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which is specifically designed to develop activities in the areas of capacity building and environmental awareness for children and the youth, who are called TUNZA eco-generation ambassadors.

    What is the task like?

    It includes planning, executing and participating in various environmental awareness programmes in Nigeria, which, of course, is the region I represent. I have the responsibility of presenting the environmental situation in Nigeria at international forum.

    How were you selected as ambassador?

    I applied but they discovered that I have confidence to deliver the objectives of the initiative. I demonstrated a convincing and sincere passion for environmental protection, which is deeply rooted in my knowledge of environmental law and contemporary global environmental issues. Also, my activity plans as I was later informed, were considered to be unusually impressive.

    Can you share some of the activity plans?

    One of them is to engage public personalities, who have acquired a large public audience and credibility to use their platforms to effectively spread the message to every nook and cranny of Nigeria. Also, I intend to start a number of green projects involving youth and children with the aim of providing palliative solutions to our common environmental challenges in a way that will inspire others to join the group. I have already initiated some of these projects.

    What is the message of TUNZA?

    We are preaching that humanity should stop breaking the environment if we cannot fix it.

    What solution would you proffer for environmental hazards in the country?

    First, there is need for us to acknowledge that our development is sustainable only if the environment is made a key part of economic policies. And that encompasses rethinking our activities on the environment and its adverse consequences. Our waste management laws and policies need frequent review to meet the basic waste disposal challenges of this era. Such laws and policies must be strictly enforced to abate environmental hazards that would occur due to improper waste management. But more importantly, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) need to collaborate to promote eco-literacy among people in the grassroots, many of whom have little knowledge about the environmental consequences of their agricultural and domestic activities.

    Is there hope for Nigeria?

    Of course. Literally, we are not in absolute gloom and the darkness is not peculiar to our sky alone. I believe that despite the numerous challenges, there are quite a number of Nigerians who, in their various capacities, are fixing the nation for good. We must be hopeful.

    Do you think our environment affects our living and livelihood?

    That is incontrovertible. We are largely affected by environmental degradation and the truth is that we are seen through what we turn our environment into and what we make of it is a direct reflection of what we have become in order to survive. We cannot be oblivious of the impact of climate change, which is seriously affecting the quality and quantity of our food production, uncontrolled rural-urban migration, unpredictability of seasons, extinction of some species of flora and fauna and the monstrous effects of global warming. All these are the ways the environment is affecting our living.

    World Environmental Day was commemorated last month. What does it signify?

    It was a day to reflect on the state of our environment and what we must do as humans to protect it, not just for our immediate benefit, but also for the use and enjoyment of future generations. Every June 5, I organise Eco-photo and Design contest for the youth and children.

    Have you reached out to the government on how to engender policies that would promote good environment?

    I must admit that it has been challenging to collaborate with government for the purpose of facilitating and implementing good environmental policies and this is because of protocols and bureaucratic hurdles. But then, it is my duty to strive to break through the protocols and get the necessary government officials and bodies interested in my eco-friendly intentions.