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Nigeria Repositions Transport, Tourism Sectors To Sustain Economic Growth

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Nigerian government says plans are underway to reposition Transport and Tourism sectors to sustain economic growth.

The Minister of Aviation Mr. Hadi Sirika stated this at the opening ceremony of the third edition of the Annual National Tourism And Transportation Summit And Expo(NTTS) at the National Conference Centre in Abuja.

Mr. Sirika also stated that “Nigeria is prioritizing reviving and revamping the National carrier, through which jobs will be created and economic opportunities opened”.

He stated that all sectors of the economy must come together to ensure the growth of the Transportation and Tourism sector as it is a major source of income.

He held that there must continue to be synergy and collaboration within these industries.

Participants at the Summit. Photo Credit: Tobi Sangotola

Also speaking at the event, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, Chairman Governing Council, Institute for Tourism Professionals, ITP,  said ‘’there’s a cross array of sectors coming together to spur the economy using tourism and transportation. The Industry, post-COVID-19 has changed, therefore this year’s edition of the summit is very crucial. ‘’’

Voice of Nigeria reports that the Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NCAT) are some of the headline members of this third edition of the summit.

Similarly, the Minister of State for the FCT, Ramatu Tijani Aliyu said “It’s transportation that drives destination branding, the FCT is set up as a tourism destination and therefore will align with the transportation sector to brand the city of Abuja’’.

She also noted that it was of utmost importance for a city to have the most efficient transportation services.

In the same vein, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu noted that “Transportation is an integral hub of any society’’.

Executive Director News, Voice of Nigeria, Ahaziah Suleiman who represented VON DG. Photo Credit; Tobi Sangotola

Mr. Okechukwu added that the Summit was “apt and timely coming on the heels of the present administration’s strive for excellence in the Tourism and Transportation sector”.

He noted that these two factors when properly harnessed will boost and revamp Nigeria’s economy, even as the world trudges past the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

The theme for this year’s summit is ‘’Repositioning tourism and transportation connectivity and mobility to revitalize the economy’’

Cross-section of participants at the summit. Photo Credit: Tobi Sangotola

The focus of the NTT summit and expo is to bridge divides and ensure efficient connectivity and mobility to boost the economy. The Summit also deliberates on the complex relationship between transport provision and tourism in boosting national economy.

The event was declared open by the Secretary to the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and attended by stakeholders in the transportation and tourism sector.

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Cross River targets 700 thousand children for Meningitis Campaign

Aisha John-Mark
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About 700 thousand children will be reached during the Meningitis A vaccination campaign in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.

Dr. Betta Edu, the Commissioner for Health in Cross River made the remark at the official launch of the Meningitis A campaign at Ediba community in Calabar Municipality.

Dr. Edu, who represented the deputy governor Professor Ivara Esu said: “Our target is to achieve universal coverage by protecting children from all vaccine preventable diseases. We are to reach 693 thousand children in Cross River State.

“We are not taking chances. Cross River has just flagged off the meningitis statewide vaccination campaign and we intend to reach out to at least 693 thousand children between the ages of One to Five years in churches, at home, market places and schools. We have points where parents are supposed to take their children to get vaccinated.”

The Commissioner noted that the campaign would be extended to the more than 46 thousand refugees in the state and urged the people to support the efforts of government to keep the populace safe and healthy.

“We would also be extending this campaign to the refugees and those seeking asylum in Cross River. There are over 46 thousand of them in camps around the state. Health workers have been trained and mobilized with adequate amount of vaccines and logistics to deliver on this mandate,” Edu said.

Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, the Director General of the Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, in a brief remark, described Meningitis A as “one of the deadly diseases, which if care is not taken, may result in the death of many children.”

Ekpenyong explained that parents, caregivers and guardians would be expected to take their wards to designated locations around their community for the vaccination, noting “health workers will not be going from door-to-door to administer these particular vaccines because they are injectable.

“Parents would have to take their children to primary healthcare centres or designated locations for the vaccines because when it comes to injections, there may be risk or complications that may arise if administered at home. Medically, it is acceptable to have injections of this nature administered within our facilities,” Ekpenyong hinted.

Supporting the campaign 

A representative of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Halima Tafida in a goodwill message assured that the agency was supporting the state with about thirty-four monitors and supervisors as well as to procure the vaccines for a successful campaign.

Eke Tobechukwu of the UNICEF office in Cross River in a message said 850 thousand doses of the vaccines have been procured to cater for the children and pledged to support the government to exceed its target of 693 thousand babies.

Highpoint of the ceremony was the vaccination of Ediba community children by relevant stakeholders in Calabar.

Brexit: Trade talks reach critical stage – UK

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The UK government has said talks with the EU on reaching a post-Brexit trade deal have reached a “critical stage”.

With time running out, the two sides are still arguing over fishing rights and business competition rules.

Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen are due to discuss the state of negotiations – their second phone call in 48 hours.

The EU mood was described as “gloomy”, while the UK said it was still “working to get” an agreement in place.

If a deal is not reached and ratified by 31 December, the UK and EU could introduce import charges on each other’s goods.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart Lord Frost are still locked in talks.

Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt told the House of Commons: “We are at a critical moment in the negotiations.”

She added: “We are all working to get a deal, but the only way that’s possible is if it’s compatible with our sovereignty and takes back control of our country’s trade and waters.”

 

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UNIOSUN takes over LAUTECH Teaching Hospital

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Osun State University has taken over the College of Health Sciences and the former Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria.

The state government of Osun also approved the immediate renaming of the Teaching Hospital as UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Folorunso Oladoyin Bamisayemi, on behalf of the Osun LAUTECH Committee under the chairmanship of Professor Olu Aina.

The development followed the dissolution of the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) by Oyo State and Osun State, after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to effect a new management structure of the institution.

Based on the terms of the MoU, the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently handed over ownership of LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, to the Oyo State Government while the Osun State Government took over the College of Health Sciences as well as the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Osogbo.

According to the statement, the new UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital will complement the main Teaching Hospital being constructed by Mr & Mrs. Modupe and Folorunso Alakija.

“Sequel to the separation of joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, between Oyo State and the State of Osun … the Government of the State of Osun has approved the renaming of former LAUTECH Teaching Hospital as UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital (UNIOSUNTH), Osogbo with immediate effect.

“All Consultants and other staff of the College of Health Sciences, as well as the Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, are assured of job security under the new arrangement as nobody will suffer a loss of job or income as a result of the separation of ownership”.

Subsequently, the Government has advised Staff and Students of Osun extraction in the Ogbomoso campus of LAUTECH to remain calm as their interests have been well protected by the MoU signed by the two Governors.

It said there is no reason for any staff to panic as their rights, privileges and duties would be dictated by the terms of their contract of employment.

The statement added that the Government has no reason to doubt the commitment and integrity of her counterpart in Oyo State regarding the faithful implementation of the MoU on job security and protection of student’s rights, saying, there is no need for any panic-induced mass transfer of workers of Osun extraction from Ogbomoso to Osun.

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President Buhari re-nominates AMCON boss for appointment

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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President Muhammadu Buhari has re-nominated Mr. Ahmed Kuru as Managing Director and Mr. Eberechukwu Uneze and Mr. Aminu Ismail as Executive Directors of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria for the final term of five years.

This was contained in a letter to the President of the Senate seeking confirmation of the nominees by the Upper Chamber in accordance with Section 10(1) of the AMCON Act, 2010.

Similarly, in another letter to the President of the Senate in compliance with Sections 5(4) and 8(3) of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2010, President Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the nominations of Mr. Bello Hassan as the Managing Director, and Mr. Mustapha Muhammad Ibrahim as Executive Director of the corporation.

The two nominees are to succeed Mr. Umaru Ibrahim and Prince Aghatise Erediuwa whose second terms end on December 8, 2020, as Managing Director and Executive Director (Operations).

Meanwhile, Omolola Abiola Edewor is to continue as Executive Director (Corporate Services) in the NDIC until her second and final term ends on January 24, 2022.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu revealed this via a statement on Monday.

 

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Pension Payment: Pensioners laud Oyo State Government

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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Pensioners in Oyo State have commended the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration for the payment of pensions and gratuities in the State.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Chapter, Mr. Segun Abatan, stated that no administration in the State, since 1999, has paid as much in pensions and gratuities as the administration in the past 19 months.

Abatan disclosed this on Monday, during the event of presentation of cheques to about 400 retired primary school teachers of the year 2012 and retired local government staff of the year 2015, to the tune of N1.05billion, held at the State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He ranked the Makinde government highest in payment of pensions and gratuities with its payment of about N6billion to retired primary school teachers and local government workers, and another N6billion to retired workers at the State level.

The Secretary noted that the NUP was also gladdened with assurances that the Makinde government would not only clear the backlog but also attend to recently retired workers.

Abatan said, “If you factor in about N6billion that this amiable Governor has given retired primary school teachers and local government workers and add to what he has been paying State pensioners, that is more than N12billion paid in less than two years. Seyi Makinde has paid more pensions and gratuities than all the governments since 1999 that we entered this pseudo-Fourth Republic.”

The presentation of gratuity cheques to the 400 retirees brings to 3,043 the number of such beneficiaries since September 2019 with a total of N5.92 billion paid.

In his remarks, the pioneer Chairman, Local Government Staff Pension Board, Oyo State, Prince Bayo Adeyemi, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of their gratuities for the benefit of their loved ones, and avail themselves of the services of trusted professionals and business experts on how best to invest their money.

The Chairman, Oyo State Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Adeyemi Ayodele, also admonished the beneficiaries to wisely spend their money on worthwhile projects and personal needs.

Recipients such as Mr. Ismaila Badmus, Mrs. Oladokun Sikeola, Mrs. Ogundairo Mariam, Mrs. Margaret Akinyemi and Mrs. Solademi Comfort, expressed gladness that the Makinde government had continued to put smiles on the faces of several retirees.

 

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Court Of Appeal Annual Working Retreat Opens In Lagos

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Court of Appeal in Nigeria has begun its first Working Retreat in Lagos. The Retreat will end with the 2020 Annual Conference slated for Friday 11th December 2020.

The Working Retreat features special court sittings by all Justices of the Court of Appeal drawn from all Divisions of the Court.

” The purpose of this retreat is to send out a public message that this Court will no longer be a dumping ground for those who seek to hamper justice delivery in Nigeria,” President, Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, told the audience in her opening remarks at the Lagos Division of the Court.

Justice Monica, 63, became the second woman to head the Court of Appeal after Zainab Bulkachuwa, the first woman, retired in March after forty-five years in the Nigerian Judiciary.

Until her current position, she was presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, and Life Member of Body of Benchers.

Justice Monica described the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal as a critical Division within the Court because of its location in the commercial nerve center of Nigeria. But despite this, she lamented that the Division has continued to experience a timeless delay in the hearing of appeals. The volume of appeals and the limited number of Justices available to hear them, she said, have contributed largely to these delays.

As of 1st December 2020, over 4,630 Appeals and 6,207 Motions are pending in the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, according to statistics of Appeals lodged at the Court.

Justice Dongban-Mensem said a majority of these Appeals had either been abandoned or purposely left to linger endlessly.

The Justice said “a good number of these appeals were filed with the aim of stalling the judicial process. This situation must certainly not be allowed to continue.”

The Working Retreat aims to reduce the burden of Appeal cases pending at the Court. Special court sessions will sit daily from the hours of 9 am to 12 pm between the 7th and 10th of December 2020.

The special court sessions will involve 23 Special Appellate Panels. The Panels will sit in batches of six Special Panels and each Panel will hear about 15 ripe appeals. Five Panels will sit at five designated Courtrooms of the National Industrial Court in Ikoyi and one panel at Court 1 of the Court of Appeal in Lagos Division.

A total of 345 appeals are scheduled for hearing. The scheduled Appeals hearings represent only 8% of the total number of Appeals in the Lagos Division.

“The task ahead may appear daunting, but we are resolute to decongest the court,” Hon Justice Dongban-Mensem said.

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Over 191,000 candidates sit for Immigration, NSCDC exams

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has conducted recruitment examination for about 191,000 candidates that applied for jobs in the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Addressing Journalists during the examinations on Monday in Abuja, the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Yakmut Alhassan Saleh, said the computer-based exam, which took place at the same time in 126 centres across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was conducted by JAMB to ensure transparency and avoid rancour and confusion that trailed a similar exercise a few years ago.

“We need to go through a transparent method of a recruitment exercise and it has to start from the word go. This is just one component of the exercise, after this, we go into physical and medical as well as psychometric exercise,” Yakmut said.

“We are into partnership with JAMB to ensure that every candidate is given a fair opportunity to prove that he has the merit and requirement that we need.”

All over the country, we have almost 190,000 candidates out of which 113,000 are Civil Defence, and for Immigration, we have 78,000 candidates across 126 centres in Nigeria. 

The examination is broken into three phases; we have the one for graduates and HND, NCE and OND and the third one for secondary school (leavers).

“The batches (for the exam) are in three sessions to four sessions based on the number of candidates per centre. We have 9:00am, 11:00am and 1:00pm.”

On the number of vacancies that are expected to be filled by the applicants, the Board’s secretary said 9,460 jobs are up for grabs by successful candidates, adding that the results from the JAMB recruitment exam are released immediately after the exercise.

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Nigerian Ministry of Health presents 2020 scorecard

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Nigerian ministry of health and its agencies have presented its 2020 scorecard to the public.

The scorecard was presented at the Ministerial Health Sector media Engagement, in Abuja.

It captured the successes, challenges, and achievements made by the ministry and it parastatals.

In his keynote address, the Nigerian ministry of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that the COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to the Health Systems of all countries like never before.

He said that respected and otherwise resilient systems have been nearly brought to their knees by the sheer volume of patients they had to cater to, and some have had to face embarrassing scarcity of simple items like face masks or sanitizers.

“All countries will no doubt be re-examining their Health systems which is why it has been said that the COVID-19 outbreak offers an opportunity to restructure, or even rebuild health systems. Nigeria’s health system has not fared so badly so far in the global covid19 outbreak, but we nonetheless have good reason to also examine our not-so-strong Health system, which is why we are here gathered today with Stakeholders, Partners, Donors, Civil Society, Academia, well-wishers and the media. We shall share with you a brief look at our Health system, it’s structures organizations and functions, as well as plans and aspirations, while the component organs of the Ministry of Health, our Departments and Agencies will, have time to briefly relate their experiences and also share the plans and aspirations of the Ministry of Health, as it concerns their sectors and as enshrined in the National Strategy Health Development Plan 2,” Dr. Ehanire said.

He also said that “the Federal Ministry of Health is the key Ministry of the Federal Government of Nigeria, playing an important role in President Buhari’s Next Level Agenda for human capital development for socio-economic growth. Our Ministry is responsible for the National Health system and its performance and provides strategic support to States, Local Government Areas, the private sector and Development Partners. It coordinates development of required Human Resources for Health and the infrastructure needed”.

The minister also noted that the Ministry is guided by the President’s “Health Sector Next Level Agenda” of 2019, a nine point, medium-term plan, to ramp up the push towards Universal Health Coverage.

“The Agenda has the following:

  1. implementation of Mandatory Universal Health Insurance in collaboration with State governments and the FCT Administration.
  2. operationalisation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in collaboration with partners and agencies

iii.    recruitment and deployment of 50,000 Community Health Extension Workers.

  1. revamping Federal Teaching Hospitals across the country;
  2. collaboration with Private Sector Investors to establish high-quality hospitals in Nigeria.
  3. reduction of gaps in all health-related SDGs by at least 60%.

vii.    reduction in the current imbalance between primary, secondary, and tertiary health care.

viii.    active collaboration with the private sector to create a large number of well-paying jobs for Nigerian youths; and

  1. contribution to the realisation of Mr. President’s June 12 promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years”. He said

Dr. Ehanire also stressed that despite disruption by the covid19 pandemic, progress has been made on all points.

“Covid19 itself emphasised the need and provided an opportunity to strengthen our health System and assure better coordination among the component institutions and along all tiers of government, as well as chances to improve synergy with partners, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders,” he noted.

He added that the ministry is focusing on Systems Strengthening of the National Primary Health care, actualisation of the Basic Healthcare Provision and implementation of health policies in Nigeria.

Heads of agencies in the ministry also took turns to give accounts of their stewardship in 2020.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman Senate committee on health, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, promised to use his office to make sure that budget allocation to the health sector is increased and fully released.

On their part, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF congratulated Nigeria and pledged more collaboration.

Speaking on behalf of Civil Societies, Prof. Ladipo Oladapo of the National Advocates for Health, called for more funding for family planning services for both males and females in Nigeria.

“We need to fast track the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to ensure quality healthcare in Primary Healthcare Centres. We must not forget the Abuja Declaration,“ Prof Oladapo said.

The Revised Implementation Guidelines for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund was also unveiled at the Ministerial  Health Sector Media Engagement.

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Rice Farming: Niger State commends Federal government’s intervention

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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Rice farmers in Niger State North Central Nigeria have commended the ongoing agricultural revolution programme by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Chairman of the Rice farmers association in Niger State, Alhaji Idris Abini said rice farmers in the state have benefited tremendously from the various platforms such as Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and the Unity Bank agricultural intervention in the State.

 “The Banks took their time to issue operational guide times, got involved in some hard to handle aspects of the programme like farm-land-mappings, screening of farmers names and provision and distribution of inputs to farmers,” said AbiniAbini.

The Niger state RIFAN Chairman, who mentioned this in a meeting held in Minna, the Niger State Capital on Monday,  said rice farmers in the state have so far benefited from inputs worth between N70,000 and N270,000.

“The challenge before all of us is that the management of the Banks and RIFAN have fulfilled their own part of the obligation by processing and forwarding the necessary agricultural inputs to the farmers”.

Idris, who commended the rice farmers association in the state for putting in place measures to recover loans disbursed from  45,000 beneficiaries, decried the non-payment of the loan by some beneficiaries and further urged the rice farmers to be fair to the programme in ensuring prompt payment of the various loans collected for their benefit.

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