The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SON

  • Mother heartbroken after son is electrocuted

    Mother heartbroken after son is electrocuted

     …while trying to save sister’s cat during Harvey

    A mother has been left devastated after her son was electrocuted in the Texas floods while trying to save his sister’s cat. Andrew Pasek, 25, was wading through water in Houston with childhood friend Sean Stuart Tuesday when they neared a light pole, unaware it was electrified.

    Incredibly, after feeling the electrical current,  Pasek immediately thought of his friend.

    “He told Sean, ‘Don’t touch me, go away! I’m dying,’” his tearful mother, Jodell Pasek, told Inside Edition. “Sean ran across the street as much as he could to get out of that water.”

    Of her son, she added, “I can’t even imagine his selflessness.”

    No one could come to his recue for more than an hour until the power had been switched off in the neighborhood.

    “They could not save him or try and resuscitate him because of the electricity in the water,” his anguished mother said.

    Sadly, Andrew Pasek is not the only one to fall victim to the hidden flood danger.

    Five men and two journalists set out on a rescue mission in a boat, which lost power. When they started drifting towards downed wires that were sparking in the water, they jumped out in a bid to save themselves.

    But two men, Yahir Vizueth, 25, and Jorge Perez, 31, were electrocuted. Two others, Benjamin Vizueth, 31, and Gustavo Rodriguez-Hernandez, 40, are still missing.

    The two journalists with DailyMail.com and another man held onto a tree for hours until they were rescued.

    Vinnie McManus, who works with the fire marshal’s office in New York’s Nassau County on Long Island, says anyone in that situation must be aware of warning signs that there is an electrical current in the water.

    “You may hear some buzzing from electrical equipment,” he said.

    People in the water may also feel a slight tingling and, if so, “you must remove yourself immediately from that situation,” he said.

  • Lagos intervenes in case of woman who slashed son with razor blade

    Lagos intervenes in case of woman who slashed son with razor blade

    The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development has intervened in the case of a woman, Moji Lawal, who allegedly sliced her son’s hands.

    The ministry warned the woman to desist from the cruel act or be prepared to face the wrath of law.

    The Nation had exclusively reported last Saturday how Lawal subjected her son, Lateef, 14, to cruelty by slashing the boy’s hands for returning home late from church on Monday August 21.

    The woman, who is said to be a typist with Yaba College of Technology and resides at 56 Market Street Shomolu was said to have abandoned Lateef, a student of Morocco High School, shortly after she inflicted deep cuts onnhis hands.

    It was also learnt that bystanders took the boy to Shomolu General Hospital where the Medical Welfare Unit of the hospital took care of his treatment.

    It was learnt that the incident was reported at Alade Police Division.

    Speaking with The Nation on Thursday, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Pharm (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the officials of the ministry has stepped into the matter with a view to stopping the woman from subjecting the boy to further cruelty all in the name of discipline.

    She said: ‘’ Officials of the ministry have visited the woman’s residence as well as the hospital where the boy was treated. However, the boy has been released to his mother because he is a teenager and the woman is a first time offender.

    ‘’The woman has been cautioned against the use of inhuman or crude disciplinary measures to rein in her son. However, as a responsible state government, our officials shall continue to monitor the woman and the boy in order to see if she complies with our warning. If she fails to adhere to the warning, the government would take legal actions against her.’’

    The Commissioner urged parents to report their recalcitrant children to the appropriate authorities including her ministry instead of subjecting them to cruelty and deadly disciplinary measures.

    ‘’ The wellbeing of children is of importance to the state government, hence, we will not tolerate any form of degrading or inhuman treatment of children in Lagos State, no matter who the perpetrator is,’’ she added.

  • Why Baba Sala should be celebrated alive, by son

    Why Baba Sala should be celebrated alive, by son

    Famous afro pop artiste and son of veteran comedian Baba Sala, Mayowa Joseph Adejumo, who goes by the stage name B’sala, in a chat with The Nation opened up on the health status of his aged father, who was rumoured to have passed away few weeks back.

    On his father’s present state of health, he said, “being agile comes with age. He was on stage for more than 30 years nonstop. This is the time to retire and count his blessings. No comedian in the history of this country has ever lasted this long in the industry. He was there in the days of black and white TV and analogue broadcasting and is still present in this digital age. In mind, he’s agile; it’s only the weak bones. So with this, I say he’s a strong man. So I still call him agile, strong enough to see decades of digital revolution.”

    Mayowa decried a situation whereby his father is not being celebrated as a pioneer of comedy in Nigeria and Africa. He urged that the veteran needs to be celebrated while living and not when he’s gone, just like some past entertainers.

    “No he’s not getting the best, for someone who bagged the award of Member of Order Nigeria, (M.O.N.),” Mayowa said.

    “He needs to be celebrated more. He gave Nigerians comic relief during the civil war, trained the best guitarist in the history of Nigeria, King Sunny Ade. I think he should be more rewarded for his labour than just his personal efforts.

    “As the first comedian in Africa he needs to be celebrated while living not when he’s no more.”

  • SON gives deadline on energy efficient appliances

    SON gives deadline on energy efficient appliances

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has set next February as deadline to stop importation of fridges, air conditioners and other appliances not energy efficient. It has also fixed 2019 for locally- made ones.

    It’s Director-General,  Osita Aboloma, who made this known at the launch of the Nigeria Energy label in Lagos, said the concept will guide consumers’ choices in terms of energy conservation rating of appliances.

    He said with the launch, labels will be attached to all appliances with approved minimum energy performance, making it illegal to import any of the electrical products with less than a star.

    “We have designed a road map in conjunction with manufacturers for the implementation of the Minimum Energy Performance (MEPs) and label. Enforcement of the label is scheduled to commence after 18 months for local manufactures and six months for imported ones,” he said.

    According to Aboloma, it “will allow old stocks to be exhausted while importers of completely built units are to fully comply with the standard in six months”.

    He listed MEPs benefits to include  reduction in domestic energy consumption by up to 30 per cent of total energy demand, and improved quality of appliances as potential advantages.

    He said the implication of the drive towards efficiency is that air conditioners and refrigerators will be restricted and by extension halt the application of greenhouse gas as refrigerant in both air conditioning and refrigerating.

    Also speaking, Head of Programme, Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), Ms. Ina Hommers, said the rationale behind the €24.5million energy efficiency project, is to preserve the limited energy generated in the country, stressing that Nigeria needs to advance technologically by allowing only products that comply with international standards for the consumption of her people.

    She harped on the need to comply with global standards to grow the economy.

    President, Manufacturers’ Association of  Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, however, said inadequate energy supply has remained an enormous impediment to manufacturers as it stood at 0.1 per cent of world consumption.

    He said the quest for industrialisation may be a tall dream if the critical question of adequate energy promotion is not addressed.

    “Energy is critical to productivity in the manufacturing sector and its share in the sector is about 36 per cent- the highest in the world, which accounts for why our locally manufactured products are the costliest globally,” he said.

    Jacobs canvassed the need to change obsolete manufacturing equipments as they are high energy consumers. He called on the government to ensure more competitiveness of locally manufactured products by ensuring that producers are supported to access funds that can aid them.

    Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCsIMA) President, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, while supporting the need to imbibe efficient energy management  system and less cost on energy consumption, said the measure will encourage informed purchases decision on goods by the people.

    The Minister of  State for Industry, Trade & Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar said efficient energy will support industries to run at a minimal cost, and grow capacity utilisation, and as well retain jobs locally.

  • SON presents ISO certification to CHI

    Standards Organisa-tion of Nigeria (SON) has presented certificate of conformity to the requirements of NIS ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standards to Consolidated Hallmark Insurance (CHI) Plc.

    Speaking during the presentation held in Lagos, SON Director-General, Osita Aboloma, said with the certification, CHI is in tune with best practices and in line with the stipulations of the International Organisation for  Standards.

    Aboloma explained that ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System approach now provides the company a robust globally recognised and acceptable solution to address the challenges associated with consistently meeting requirements and addressing future needs and expectations of their customers in an increasingly dynamic insurance business environment.

    He stated that it also ensures that they consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements while managing the internal and external issues and addressing the risks and opportunities associated with insurance business.

    He stressed that the adoption of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System framework reflects CHI’s mission and vision to be a first-choice provider of insurance and other related services in Nigeria while preserving wealth, reducing anxiety and thus creating value.

    He challenged the company to keep the system healthy and up to date to reap the benefits of ISO approach to Quality management, noting that SON already has in place a process of receiving information from their customers to be sure that they are living up to expectations and improving continually.

    He said: “This system having been certified has been placed on annual surveillance audits to ensure continuing suitability and effectiveness of the implementation of the quality management system. In the course of the audit exercises, where non-conformances are observed and are effectively corrected within specified time frame, the system will retain the certificate. However, the certificate will be withdrawn if the structures in place for certification break down and necessary corrective actions are not taken on observed non-conformances.

    “By the presentation of this certificate today, CHI is adjudged to have a system that gives customers the assurance of your ability to consistently provide products and services that meet their requirements at all times thus promoting their confidence. This focus on quality service delivery will also strengthen your competitive strategies.”

    The Managing Director, CHI, Eddie Efekoha, said the company is committed not only to meeting the expectations of their clients but surpassing them.

    “We are on a mission to preserve wealth, reduce anxiety and create value for our clients. We preserve their assets through insurance, and when losses occur, we reduce the anxiety that usually accompanies such. We have been committed to quality and are today joining the only other insurance company we know that has been so certified by SON.

    “We will not abuse this privilege of our certification and are proud to have obtained the Quality Management System Certification from the SON. The internal processes of the company were audited by SON and confirmed to be such that provide the customers with the right level of quality service delivery,” he added.

  • Oloye ‘Lekan Alabi’s son weds in London

    Oloye ‘Lekan Alabi’s son weds in London

    If it is true that whatever a man can do a woman can do even better, then there is no reason why a son cannot also one-up his father. The Agba Akin Olubadan of Ibadanland Oloye ‘Lekan Alabi certainly does not mind that his son, Olayemi, is preparing to follow in his footsteps tying the nuptial knot at St. John’s Anglican Church, Hampstead, London. It is the same city and church where Olayemi’s father and mother got married many years ago.

    Olayemi is set to tie the knot with the love of his life, Adesola Adetoyosi, on Friday August 25 after an engagement ceremony on August 20, also in London. While the groom is a lawyer, the bride has a master’s degree in Pharmacy and hails from the prestigious Adefioye Royal Family of Ile-Ife in Osun State.

    The Cultural Ambassador of the National Museum Ile-Ife, Oloye Alabi, is leaving no stone unturned to make the wedding a memorable one for his beloved son. Arrangements are already in place to fly out dozens of guests to the United Kingdom on a chartered flight or two.

  • SON chief urges electrical dealers to embrace self-regulation

    SON chief urges electrical dealers to embrace self-regulation

    Newly elected executives of the Electrical Dealers Association of Nigeria (EDAN), Alaba International Market, have been challenged to embrace self regulation as part of the fight against the dangers posed by substandard products to the nation.

    Standards Organisation of Nigeria Directo-General Osita Aboloma, who gave the challenge while receiving the executives in his office in Lagos, stated that over 70 per cent of cables traded in Nigeria pass through the Alaba International Market.

    According to him, if the traders chose to stock and sell only quality cables and other electrical appliances, importers of substandard products would have no market for their nefarious activities.

    The SON DG urged the Alaba electrical dealers to be more patriotic by patronising certified made- in- Nigeria cables that have been attested among the best in the world and shun the stocking of imported substandard and cloned cables.

    He advised the EDAN executives to guide their members on the need to register all products with SON for traceability and confirmation of quality status in the overall interest of the nation and its citizens.

    Aboloma insisted that all electrical cables coming into the country must have the SON certificate of assessment programme known as SONCAP while locally manufactured products must have MANCAP certification, which is Manufacturers Assessment Programme, for standard quality and traceability.

    He pledged to support businesses  in all material ways possible to make them thrive and add their quota in the development of the economy.

    Also speaking at the occasion, SON Director of Compliance, Bede Obayi, an engineer, charged the electrical dealers to consciously work at developing a positive reputation for Alaba

    International Market.

    He warned that Nigerians are becoming better informed by the day as many other outlets are providing healthy competition to the Alaba International Market on cables and other electrical appliances.

    SON Head of Electrical Laboratory, Mr. Richard Adewumi, advised EDAN members to pay greater attention to issues like ratings, labels and product manuals in order to be in a better position to guide their customers rightly.

    Earlier, the President of  EDAN, Chief Fabian Ezeorjika, commended the SON DG for the renewed fight against substandard products in the Nigerian market and pledged the commitment of his executives to SON in that regard.

    He invited the SON DG and his management to bring the message of standardisation and quality assurance to EDAN members at the Alaba International Market in order to broaden their knowledge on electrical cables and appliances.

  • Tarfa Balogun’s son injured in auto crash

    The son of a former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tarfa Balogun was last night rushed to the Accident and Trauma Centre at Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos State capital, following an auto crash.

    It was gathered that the man, identified as Kunle Balogun, cheated death on Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos where his vehicle reportedly tumbled and crash-landed beside the lagoon.

    One of his friends said Kunle does not take alcohol, ruling out speculations that he might have been “under the influence”.

    Kunle, The Nation learnt, was driving an old model Ford Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) into Oworonshoki when another vehicle on top speed headed his direction.

    To avoid a collision, the young Balogun was said to have suddenly applied the brakes and swerved the vehicle.

    This reportedly resulted in the somersault.

    But for the quick intervention of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) officials, who extricated him from the vehicle, it could have been a tragedy.

    The victim, said to be in his ’20s, was said to be conscious but might have sustained spinal cord injury.

    LASEMA’s General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu confirmed the accident.

    He said: “Yes, there was an accident on Third Mainland Bridge involving a lone driver. We moved to the scene and rescued the young man. I do not know the cause of the accident. The vehicle has been taken off the road to avoid a gridlock.”

  • 2019: My son not interested in governorship – Saraki

    2019: My son not interested in governorship – Saraki

    President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has ruled out the possibility of his son participating in the governorship race in Kwara in 2019.

    He said at a Forum in Abuja that it was untrue that his son was being groomed as the next governor of the state.

    According to Saraki, the boy is not interested in politics. That is not in the offing at all; I am sure he doesn’t even want to hear politics at all.

    “You know it is not easy for children who are born to politicians, especially in this time, to embrace politics.

    “When I was much younger, we were insulated from some of the political issues, and because we didn’t read the newspapers, we didn’t know what was happening.

    “I reluctantly went into politics, you can go and check. Once or twice, I was given the form to run for House of Representatives, and I remember I just travelled and disappeared for months.

    “After seeing what my father had been through I thought to myself that this is not for me,” he said.

    Saraki, however, said that the most important thing for him in the state was the legacy which had been left and the continuity and good relationship between former and the serving governor.

    He said that his successor had also done a good job in transforming the state by creating an environment for entrepreneurship.

    “In the agricultural sector, we have done a lot of things that drive commercial activities which is not in the blueprint of the country.

    “Even in the universal health coverage which we are now talking about at the national level, I started that when I was governor, and now my governor has continued and built on that.

    “This shows the importance of continuity and stability and today, we thank God that we are one of those states where there is a very good relationship between former governor and current governor.” he said.

    He denied insinuation that pensioners in the state were still being owed arrears dating back to when he was governor.

    “Majority of the amounts still being owed are at the local government level, most of the state level pensions are not outstanding.

    “There might be issues with pensions here and there but I don’t know the details. I know that the arrears and liability are at local government level, not at state government level,” Saraki stated.

  • Father sells two-year-old son for N150, 000

    Father sells two-year-old son for N150, 000

    Cross River State Police Command has arrested a man, Abraham Moses Udoh, for allegedly selling his two-year-old son, Elisha, for N150,000 in Calabar.

    Police Commissioner Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, briefing reporters in Calabar yesterday, said Udoh’s wife reported the matter, after realising her husband had sold their son.

    Inuwa said: “On July 24, a case of child trafficking was reported at Uwanse Divisional Police Headquarters, Calabar by Mrs. Esther Abraham of 2, Amika Utuk Street, Calabar, against her husband, Mr. Abraham Moses Udoh, of the same address, whom she said sold their two-year-old son, Elisha Abraham, without her consent to a woman living in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for N150,000.

    “The sum of N100,300 was recovered from him and registered as exhibit. Investigation is on to arrest the suspected buyer and recover the child before they can be arraigned.”

    Udoh admitted to our reporter that he sold his son. He said he did so because he did not have money.

    Inuwa said the police have arrested four suspected attackers of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s son-in-law, Prince Godswill Edward, in Calabar.

    He said the suspects, Aniah Godwin Ungwugwaje, 18; Akwagiobo Boniface, 22; Adamade John Ereshie, 23 and Ekuma Ifeanyichukwu, 26, were nabbed at locations in Obudu town, Obudu Local Government of Cross River State, on July 26.

    “They have made statements, which will help us in our investigation.”

    Gunmen attacked Edward on July 7 at 17B, Kasuk Street, 3rd Avenue, State Housing Estate, Calabar while driving into his house. He was shot in the head and taken to hospital.