Voice of Nigeria Broadcasting Service

Tokyo 2020 Confirms March 25th Torch Relay Commencement

Sports

-

March 15, 2021

Tokyo Olympics organisers said on Monday that the torch relay would commence on March 25 from the J-Village training centre in Fukushima, as planned, setting into motion the build-up towards the opening of the Games.

The Grand Start ceremony and first section of the relay on day 1 will not be open to the public as organisers reduce the number of participants and simplify the programme to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, organisers said in a statement.

Tokyo 2020 “is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch relay by taking countermeasures to prevent the spread of any infections among spectators, torchbearers, staff, and other relay participants, as well as local residents,” the statement said.

Chidi Nwoke/Reuters/JOC.

Former rebel leader Ntumi calls for peaceful, transparent elections

Africa

Hauwa Mustapha

-

March 15, 2021

0

The presidential election on 21^st March in Congo-Brazzaville “must be held in peace, transparency and respect for the rules of the game”, said the former rebel leader Pastor Ntumi, who took up arms after the re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the previous election in 2016.

The election “must not be an opportunity to reawaken the old demons of division,” added Frederic Bintsamou, alias Pastor Ntumi, as he received some 20 journalists in Mounkala, a town between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, in the Pool region, which is considered the agricultural breadbasket of Congo-Brazzaville.

Seven candidates are running on 21 March, including the incumbent president Sassou Nguesso, 77 years old and 36 in power.

The former rebel leader’s party, the National Council of Republicans (CNR), “is not presenting any candidate and is not supporting any candidate,” he added. “The candidates for the election must show love, greatness, patriotism and fair play”.

Pastor Ntumi, 56, took up arms after the disputed re-election of President Sassou Nguesso in March 2016.

The regular forces had counter-attacked in a closed-door conflict that had displaced 140,000 people, according to humanitarian sources.

The authorities finally announced a ceasefire just before Christmas 2017.

Pastor Ntumi regretted certain shortcomings in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

“It provided for a special status to be defined for me and for me to be assigned a guard of 30 soldiers. But, until today, nothing has been done. It is because my security is not assured that I do not circulate throughout the Pool and beyond,” he said.

Pastor Ntumi rejected the accusation that he was playing into the hands of the government in the run-up to the elections.

“I swear to God. I have never been in league with President Sassou (…) Except that we are building peace together,” he said.

The former rebel leader presented to the press the construction site of a hospital that he says he is building “for the people of the area”.

“It should already be finished but we don’t have enough money to go ahead,” he said.

Hauwa Mustapha

Egyptian, French navies hold joint exercise in Red Sea

Egyptian and French naval forces held joint military training in the Red Sea, Egypt’s armed forces said in a statement.

The Egyptian frigate al-Fateh and the combat group accompanying the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle participated in the exercise, according to the statement.

During the training, the forces implemented many joint combat activities, including forming close and remote guard of formations.

The forces also conducted joint night sailing, which demonstrated the ability of the joint marine units to deter various threats, the statement said, adding that the drills effectively contribute to preserving maritime security and stability in the region.

Egypt regularly holds joint military exercises with other countries to boost military collaboration and exchange military expertise.

Hauwa Mustapha

Morocco registers 305 new COVID-19 cases

Morocco has register 305 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 488,937.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 475,849 after 392 more were added.

The death toll rose to 8,723 with five new fatalities during the last 24 hours, while 395 people are in intensive care units.

The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.8 percent while the recovery rate is 97.3 percent.

Hauwa Mustapha

COVID-19: Indonesia orders 20 million vaccine doses for private vaccinations

Health

Lantana Nasir

-

March 15, 2021

0

Indonesia expects to receive 20.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna Inc and China’s Sinopharm from the second quarter to use in a private vaccination scheme, the head of a state pharmaceutical firm has said on Monday.

Indonesia authorised one of the world’s first private vaccination programmes last month to run alongside its national drive, enabling firms to buy state-procured vaccines for their staff in Southeast Asia’s biggest country.

While the plan is expected to speed up the pace of inoculation in the world’s fourth most populous country, some health experts have warned it could worsen inequity.

Honesti Basyir, CEO of Bio Farma, told a parliamentary hearing on Monday that it had ordered 15 million doses from China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and 5.2 million from Moderna.

The Sinopharm vaccine could arrive by the end of the second quarter, and the Moderna shot in the third quarter, he said.

Indonesia aims to inoculate 181.5 million people within a year in an effort to reach herd immunity in a vaccination drive that began in January.

The country has suffered one of Asia’s worst coronavirus epidemics, with more than 1.4 million cases and over 38,000 deaths so far.

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry had pushed the government to authorise the private inoculation drive.

More than 11,500 companies have signed up for the plan, which would see some 7.4 million people vaccinated, Rosan P. Roeslani, head of the business group, told the same hearing on Monday.

The programme would allow employees of participating companies, plus their family members, to receive free vaccinations at privately-run health centres with shots distributed by Bio Farma.

Indonesia’s food and drug agency is currently reviewing the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use approval, its chief Penny K. Lukito told the hearing.

The agency has made no mention of the approval status of the Moderna vaccine.

Chief of Army Staff commends Troops of Sector 2-Operations

Nigeria

Ime Njoku

-

March 15, 2021

0

The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru has commended troops of Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE for their exploits and achievements in dislodging the Boko Haram insurgents and Islamic States West Africa Province criminals from their claves within the Timbuktu Triangle during the first phase of Operation TURA TAKAIBANGO in the Sector’s Area of Operational Responsibility.

The Army Chief made the statement during his maiden familiarization visit to Sector 2 Headquarters in Damaturu the Yobe State capital.

He further stated that he has been briefed on the challenges confronting the troops in the Sector and assured them of his intervention as soon as possible while commending the resilience, doggedness and professionalism exhibited since the beginning of Operations.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima said the COAS equally encouraged them not to relent but to build on the successes recorded so far.

In his remarks, the Acting Commander Sector 2 Operation Lafiya DOLE Brig Gen Adamu Nura while welcoming the Chief of Army Staff assured him that the Sector under his watch will continue to make necessary sacrifices for the betterment of our county and North Eastern Region in particular.

He reiterated that Sector 2 will continue to align with the COAS Vision and Command Philosophy. The Chief of Army Staff was thereafter conducted round to inspect ongoing projects and construction of new barracks for 233 Battalion in Damaturu.

Ime N

Egyptian, French navies hold joint exercise in Red Sea

Africa

Hauwa Mustapha

-

March 15, 2021

0

Egyptian and French naval forces have held joint military training in the Red Sea, Egypt’s armed forces said in a statement.

The Egyptian frigate al-Fateh and the combat group accompanying the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle participated in the exercise, according to the statement.

During the training, the forces implemented many joint combat activities, including forming close and remote guard of formations.

The forces also conducted joint night sailing, which demonstrated the ability of the joint marine units to deter various threats, the statement said, adding that the drills effectively contribute to preserving maritime security and stability in the region.

Egypt regularly holds joint military exercises with other countries to boost military collaboration and exchange military expertise.

Hauwa Mustapha

Nigeria’s International Press Institute approves Constitution

Nigeria

Ime Njoku

-

March 15, 2021

0

The General Assembly of the International Press Institute (IPI), Nigerian Chapter, has approved a Constitution for its operations in the country.

The Approval was given at a meeting of IPI held both virtually and physically and hosted by Daily Trust Newspapers in Abuja.

IPI- the global network for senior journalists, publishers, Seasoned Broadcasters and Communication experts, is headquartered in Vienna, Austria and operates under a global constitution.

The Nigerian chapter, otherwise referred to as the Nigerian National Committee, has domesticated the IPI Constitution to suit its environment.

The IPI Nigeria constitution provides for an expansion of its current executive committee (Exco) from just the Chairman (now changed to President) and Secretary, to now include the offices of deputy president, assistant secretary, Auditor and legal adviser.

Other resolutions of the meeting chaired by its President, Malam Kabiru A. Yusuf, include deployment of robust measures that would enhance membership drive into the Nigerian chapter of the body, as well as approval of the criteria for such membership recruitment.

According to the provisions of the IPI Nigeria Constitution, membership of the Institute is open to persons active in the field of Journalism in reputable traditional and web news media organisations, freelancers and lecturers/researchers in schools of Journalism/Mass Communication/Communication Arts, or those working in outlets that defend and support the principles of Press Freedom and Rights and the desire to co-operate to achieve the objectives of the global body of the Institute.

According to the Constitution, membership is open to only persons who have spent 10 years and above in a recognized media organisation.

For individual membership, payment of registration fee of N10,000 and annual due of N20,000 is mandatory.

For corporate membership (reputable traditional and web news media organisations and platforms operating in Nigeria) it is N50,000 registration fee and N100,000 annual due.

The Constitution provides for a 7-member Board of Trustees for IPI Nigeria, with members entitled to not more than two-terms of five years each.

The General Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday, 23rd March, 2021, to receive the reports of the contact/mobilization and the property purchase ad hoc committees which were set up late last year, and to also start preparations for the composition for a new executive committee that will pilot the affairs of the IPI Nigeria for the next three years.

Those in attendance at the meeting include the IPI Nigeria Secretary and member of the IPI Executive Board, Raheem Adedoyin ; veteran journalists Emma Agu and Timothy Oyedeji; the Director General of the National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe; the Chairman of Blueprint, Malam Mohammed Idris; the Managing Director of ThisDay, Mr. Eniola Bello; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu; the Director, Digital Media of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Hajia Sani; the Assistant Director, Digital Media, VON, Rafat Salami; the immediate past CEO of Daily Trust, Malam Mannir Dan-Ali and former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism( NIJ), Lagos, Dr. Elizabeth Ikem

Also in attendance at the meeting were the Publisher of Politico Magazine, Mallam Shehu Mustapha, the founder of RadioNow, Ms Kadaria Ahmed; the Editor-in-Chief/Chief Operating Officer of Premium Times, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed; Publisher of Realnews Magazine, Ms Maureen Chigbo; the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Malam Naziru Mikailu Abubakar; the Deputy Editor of 21st Century Chronicle, Ms Catherine Agbo; General Manager/CEO of Trust TV, Malam Ibrahim Shehu Adamu; the Treasurer of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Ms Victoria Ibanga; ThisDay Deputy Editor, Tobi Soniyi; the General Manager, Business & Strategy of Daily Trust, Ahmed Shekarau, the General Manager of The Herald Newspapers, Yomi Adeboye and the Head of Department of Mass Communications, Kwara State University, Dr. Isiaja Aliagan.

Present also was the Chairman, Editorial Board, DAARS Communications, Kelly Elisha, Deputy Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria, Dr. Qasim Akinreti; Director International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade; the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief Newsdiaryonline, Danlami Nmodu; IPI stalwarts Aliu Akoshile, Dr. Okunzuwa Osawaru, Hajia Zainab Okino, Ms Catherine Agbo, Kenneth Adewale Kupoluyi and Temi Amusan.

Ime N

COVID-19: China administers 65 million vaccine doses

Health

Lantana Nasir

-

March 15, 2021

0

China, which has been accelerating efforts to vaccinate its population for COVID-19, had administered about 65 million doses as of Sunday, an official with China’s National Health Commission told a news briefing on Monday.

While China was among the first countries to begin administering vaccines last year and has been exporting millions of doses of its domestically developed shots to other countries, the vaccination rate for its own population fell behind those of countries such as Israel and the United States.

China has approved four domestically developed vaccines.

The country’s capital city, Beijing, had given 10 million doses, and over 3 million people have received two doses, the official Beijing Daily said.

The country aims to inoculate 40% of its 1.4 billion people by the end of June, according to state media, a target that will require that China administer some 4 million doses per day on average a significant acceleration from the rate of fewer than 1 million per day since the start of March.

“Chinese vaccine manufacturers are still expanding, and with the continuous release of production capacity, the output will gradually increase,” said Tian Yulong, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

He did not disclose China’s vaccine production rate or supply levels.

Unclaimed dividends, dormant accounts: SERAP sues Federal Government over $895bn

Business and Tech

Amaka Nliam

-

March 15, 2021

0

The Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a Nigerian advocacy group, has sought a Court order to restrain and stop the Federal Government of Nigeria from borrowing an estimated $895bn of unclaimed dividends and dormant account balances owned by Nigerians in any bank in the country.

(The Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is a Nigerian non-profit, non-partisan, legal and advocacy organization committed to promoting human rights, transparency and accountability in governance using training, advocacy, research and litigation).

https://twitter.com/SERAPNigeria/status/1371025262289285122

The suit filed last Friday before the Federal High Court, Abuja, followed move by @NigeriaGov to take over and borrow unclaimed dividends and dormant account balances owned by Nigerians in any bank in the country, while excluding dormant official bank accounts by public agencies.

The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/31/2021 filed last Friday read in part: “…@NigeriaGov should not be allowed to borrow Nigerians’ money. Borrowing unclaimed dividends and funds in dormant accounts owned by Nigerians would affect their right to an adequate standard of living.”

According to SERAP, “Despite Nigeria’s dwindling oil revenue, the growing level of public debt, and widespread poverty, public officers including the President, Vice-President, governors, their deputies and members of the National Assembly @nassnigeria have refused to cut their emoluments, allowances and security votes”.

Joined in the suit as Defendants are: Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation; the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

Amaka E. Nliam

Morocco registers 305 new COVID-19 cases

Africa

Hauwa Mustapha

-

March 15, 2021

0

Morocco has register 305 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 488,937.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 475,849 after 392 more were added.

The death toll rose to 8,723 with five new fatalities during the last 24 hours, while 395 people are in intensive care units.

The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.8 percent while the recovery rate is 97.3 percent.

Hauwa Mustapha

Nigeria to establish ICT, Postal Services Museum

Ime Njoku

-

March 15, 2021

0

The Nigerian government is to establish an Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Postal Services Museum.

This will enable the country document the metamorphosis of Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) and preserve the history, heritage and integrity of Nigerian culture through postage.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Isa Pantami disclosed this in Abuja at the unveiling and launch of Nigeria at 60 Anniversary Commemorative Postage Stamps.

He also said that the issuance of commemorative postage stamps will serve as a means of documentation and propagation of the nation’s history.

The Minister recalled that recently the Federal Executive Council had approved the establishment of a National ICT Park in Abuja as part of efforts in transforming Nigerian Postal Services “I had the privilege of making the submission and it was approved”

Dr.Pantami that “In that building we plan to establish what we call ICT and Postal Services Museum, in that museum we want to document the metamorphosis of NIPOST, we have stamps that are a hundred years old, our country sometimes does not value history, while history is key to our success.

“In that museum we want to ensure that all our transformations, history, and everything from the inception of the sector to date are well documented so that our children will be able to appreciate the history of their country. ” He emphasized.

According to Him “ this is part of what we have planned to achieve as going through history helps you to reorganize yourself and get ready for the challenges ahead and this is what we plan to do. This is just a summary of what we have been doing”He reiterated.

Pantami noted that the postage stamps would help Nigerians to appreciate the unity, beauty and strength of the nation’s diversity.

The Minister called on Nigerians to use the occasion to reflect and appreciate the journey of the nation at 60 so far.

“The stamps have been produced some months ago, but could not be unveiled due to certain circumstances.The production of the postage stamps was part of the items listed for the celebration of Nigeria at 60 preparations, ” He revealed.

He also disclosed that plans had reached advanced stage to unbundle NIPOST

“Soon we will be unbundling other parts of NIPOST such as Property and Development company, Transportation and Logistic company, NIPOST Microfinance Bank, among others.We will achieve this by leveraging on all our infrastructures around the country,” the Minister added.Pictures below:

Ime N

HEALTH

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

WORLD

NEWS COMMENTARY

NEWS FEATURE