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  • CPIN inducts I-G Kayode Egbetokun as Honorary Fellow 

    CP Adegoke Fayoade of Lagos State Command receiving plaque on behalf of I-G Kayode Egbetokun, for his induction as Honorary Fellow of CPIN by President of the institute, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga on Thursday

     

    I-G
    By Moses Omorogieva
    Lagos, June 27, 2024 (NAN) The Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria (CPIN) has inducted the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun, as an Honorary Fellow of the institute.

    Egbetokun’s induction took place during the institute’s 2024 Investiture/Induction Ceremony of new Fellows and Associates, which held on Thursday in Lagos.

    The theme for the event was: “20 years of contributory pension scheme in Nigeria: Challenges and the way forward”.

    The I-G, who was represented by the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, commended the institute for the honour, assuring of his commitment to improving the pension welfare of the force.

    Egbetokun promised to contribute his quota to the development of the institute, while leveraging  the fellowship to improve the pension of  police personnel.

    The President and Chairman, Council of CIPN, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, said they would continue to improve on  professionalism in order to meet the yearnings of Nigerians,as well as enhance and promote administration of pension in Nigeria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Egbetokun and 14 others were presented with certificates as fellows and associates of the institute. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
    MIO/VIV
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    Edited by Vivian Ihechu

     

  • U.S. presidential debate: What undecided voters think

    U.S. presidential debate: What undecided voters think

    Debate

    Washington, June 28, 2024 (Reuters/NAN) A group of U.S. voters who could not choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump before Thursday’s presidential debate delivered their verdicts after the contest and it was almost universally bad news for Biden.
    Of the 13 “undecideds” who spoke to Reuters, 10 described the 81-year-old Democratic president’s performance against Republican candidate Trump collectively as feeble, befuddled, embarrassing and difficult to watch.
    Gina Gannon, 65, a retiree in the battleground state of Georgia, voted for Trump in 2016 before ditching him for Biden in 2020.
    “Joe Biden looked very weak and confused right from the start. It concerns me that our global enemies see Joe Biden in this manner.
    “I was shocked and dismayed. I hate to see our president acting that way on TV and in front of the world,” Gannon said.
    She added: “I am voting for Donald Trump now.”
    Presidential debates typically have limited influence on voters but Biden and Trump are in a tight race and the election will likely be decided by just thousands of votes in a handful of swing states.
    Both candidates need to win over the relatively small number of voters who have not yet decided who to vote for.
    Biden delivered a shaky, faltering performance while Trump battered him with a series of often false attacks.
    Biden’s poor showing rattled his fellow Democrats and will likely deepen voter concerns that he is too old to serve another four-year term.
    Seven of the nine voters who were dismayed by Biden’s performance told Reuters they were now leaning towards Trump because they no longer believe Biden can perform his duties as president.
    Three of those said they would vote for Trump in his Nov. 5 election rematch with Biden, even though two of them said they do not like the former Republican president.
    Meredith Marshall, 51, who lives in the Los Angeles area and is self-employed, said the debate left her in shock.
    She voted for Biden in 2020 but is now leaning toward Trump, given what she described as Biden’s lack of mental acuity.
    “God forbid if my choices are as they stand right now based on this debate. Hands down I would vote for a liar and a convict over a person who doesn’t seem to be all there mentally.”
    About 20 per cent of voters say they have not picked a candidate in this year’s presidential race, are leaning toward third-party options, or might not vote at all, according to the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
    Reuters interviewed 15 such voters ahead of Thursday’s debate, and they agreed to be interviewed again after the event about whether the debate changed their views.
    It was not all bad news for Biden.
    Ashley Altum, a 28-year-old mental healthcare manager from South Carolina, had been torn between Biden or a third-party candidate before the debate.
    Now she is leaning more towards Biden.
    She said she was satisfied with Biden’s responses, given he was more willing than Trump to address questions directly.
    “I did see Biden slipping up quite a bit, but I’m always surprised more people don’t in these situations,” she said.
    “I think that anybody could go up there and speak eloquently is impressive to begin with.”
    Biden pointed out in the debate that Trump, at 78, is only three years younger.
    “But Trump was just Trump. From a cognitive decline perspective, I didn’t see that in Trump,” said Tom Reich, 36, a software engineer from South Carolina.
    The issues of age and mental capacity exploded onto the campaign trail in February following a report by a Department of Justice special counsel that suggested Biden was suffering memory lapses.
    “What a disaster for the Democrats,” Scott Harrington, 63, a fishmonger in Massachusetts, said after watching the debate.
    “I was basically undecided but was hoping Biden would have been good enough so I could vote for him. I dislike Trump intensely.
    “I was worried Biden would show he was not up to the job, but he was even worse than I feared. I might just abstain,” he added. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    YEE
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    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Economic challenges: Young professionals urge govt. to prioritise MSME growth

    NYPF President, Mr David Osadolor

     

    Hardship

    By Precious Akutamadu

    Port Harcourt, June 28, 2024 (NAN) The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to address the critical economic challenges facing the country.

    NYPF President, Mr David Osadolor, gave the advice in a communique outlining the resolutions taken at the end of the 4th MSME Summit in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    According to Osadolor, there is an urgent need for the government to create tailored and conscious support towards MSME to cushion the high inflation and pervasive poverty.

    “Investing in MSMEs is not merely an economic strategy; it is a pathway to lifting millions out of poverty.’’

    Osadolor emphasised that prioritising the growth of MSMEs was essential for national prosperity, as countries thrived when they invested in their MSMEs.

    He called on government at all levels to take decisive action by reducing the cost of governance and halt plans for frivolous expenditures and channel those resources into supporting MSMEs.

    Osadolor explained that the groundwork for a diversified economy that did not rely solely on oil could be created from MSME and reiterated that the focus must shift towards creating an enabling environment for these enterprises to flourish.

    He added that as the major producers of oil, the Niger-Delta must lead by example in the diversification process, envisioning a future where prosperity was sustained by a vibrant, innovative and resilient MSME sector.

    The NYPF president urged the government to create an enabling environment by implementing policies that would ease the regulatory burden on MSMEs and provide incentives for their growth.

    He also highlighted the need to invest in infrastructure that supported MSME operations, such as improved transportation networks and access to technology.

    On Finance, he urged the government to facilitate easier access to credit and funding for MSMEs through financial institutions and government grants.

    ‘‘The government can equally assist young entrepreneurs by providing education and training programmes to equip them with the skills needed to succeed in their ventures.

    “Government can also support MSMEs to foster innovation by supporting innovation hubs and incubators that nurture new business ideas and technologies.’’

    Osadolor commended Mr Moses Siasia, Chairman, Heritage Times, for his unwavering commitment to empowering young people and fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.

    “Siasia’s dedication serves as an inspiration to all and it is vital in shaping a brighter future for young professionals.

    ‘‘His foresight in recognising the transformative power of MSMEs mirrors the successful strategies employed by nations like China and Singapore, which have significantly boosted their per capita income through dedicated investment in their SMEs.

    ‘‘I am inspired by Franklin Roosevelt words who said ‘we cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future,’” he said.

    According to him, the goal is to ensure that the youths and young professionals of today are ready for the future. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

     

    PA/CJ/

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    Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

  • Saudi Arabia, UAE shorten Friday prayers amid heat waves

    Heat

    Cairo, June 28, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it shortened the traditional Friday prayers due to intense heat, until the end of the summer.

    In many countries, Muslims perform the Friday noon prayers, which include a religious sermon, in open-air arenas inside and outside the mosques.

    The UAE has directed all the preachers across the country to limit the Friday prayers to 10 minutes until early October to ensure the safety of worshippers.

    In Saudi Arabia, Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina are being limited to 15 minutes, to take into account worshippers praying in outer, un-shaded areas, the Presidency of Religious Affairs said.

    Meanwhile in Iraq, influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has urged preachers to “adhere to simple prayers” in order to keep the Friday sermon short, so that worshippers avoid intense heat.

    Intense heatwaves has affected people across the Middle East in recent weeks.

    More than 1,300 Muslim pilgrims died in the annual Hajj pilgrimage that ended earlier in June amid the extreme heat. (dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    HS

    ===

    Edited by Halima Sheji

     

  • Benue shifts LG election to Nov. 16

    Election
    By Dorathy Aninge
    Makurdi, June 28, 2024(NAN) Benue State Independent Electoral Commission(BSIEC) has shifted  the state’s local government election from July 6  to Nov. 16.
    Dr. John Chen,Chairman of the commission ,disclosed this while speaking with  newsmen on Friday in Makurdi.
    Dr. Chen said the change of date was necessitated by  logistical constraints.
    He said the commission needed more time to prepare and procure election materials,which he said had not yet been procured.
    “We have commenced the process of rescheduling by developing a revised timetable that will accommodate all critical activities and allow sufficient time for adequate preparation.
    “Today serves as the date for the issuance of the election notice in accordance with the relevant Statutes, particularly Sections 103 (3) and 150 of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, and detailed guidelines will be released in due course in accordance with these laws,” he said.
    The Chairman appealed to  all political parties,  candidates and critical stakeholders to cooperate with the commission to enable it conduct a free and fair election.
    (NAN)
    (www.nannews.ng)
    DAJ/BHB
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    Edited by Buhari Bolaji

  • Reps member inaugurates study facility at Abakaliki custodial centre

    Facility
    By Chukwuemeka Opara
    Abakaliki, June 28, 2024 (NAN) The Member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Chief Chinedu Ogah, has inaugurated a study facility of the National Open University, at the Abakaliki custodial centre.
    Oga inaugurated the facility on Friday as part of activities to mark his 48th birthday ceremony.
    He said it was to enhance the educational well-being of the inmates and give them hope of a secured future.
    The legislator said the inmates should be encouraged to embrace education while on awaiting trial or serving various sentences.
    “The inmates should access free education from the facility and one of my friends have promised to provide 24 computers at the facility.
    “The facility will be equipped with internet facilities to ensure that the inmates receive quality education.
    “I am also in contact with a United Nations agency and this custodial centre will be part of those to benefit from its intervention,” he said.
    He noted that the centre and the one at Afiikpo would receive infrastructural facelift as captured in the 2024 budget.
    “We are also providing free drugs for the inmates and urge that they should not be sold.
    “Sick inmates should be treated at the centre but those with serious cases should be referred to the Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
    “We don’t want to further lose any inmate and as the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, I will ensure you are well provided for,” he said.
    Ogah advised the inmates to behave well in order to be useful to themselves and the society when released.
    “Those that actually committed the offences being charged with, should repent while the innocent ones should know that God kept them at the centre to be saved.
    “Do not threaten custodial centre officials or cause trouble but be reformed with your stay at the centre,” he said.
    A Representative of the Controller of Corrections in Ebonyi, Linus Otah, thanked Ogah for his love for the officials and inmates of the centre and prayed for God’s protection upon him.
    “You have continued bringing good tidings to the centre and we would continue doing our best to take care of the inmates,” he said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ogah cut his birthday cake with the inmates, donated food items and also visited the custodial centre at Afiikpo. (NAN) (www.nannews.com)
    RCO/MNA
    Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

  • After dramatic tax win, Kenyan protesters plot next moves

    After dramatic tax win, Kenyan protesters plot next moves

    Plot

    Nairobi, June 28, 2024 (Reuters/NAN) After their stunning success in forcing the government to shelve 2.7 billion dollars in tax hikes, young Kenyan activists are setting their sights higher, taking aim at deeply ingrained corruption and misgovernance.
    Protesters say the finance bill President William Ruto abandoon on Wednesday was only a symptom of the problems plaguing a country where many young people face dwindling job prospects despite strong economic growth.
    The movement has little precedent in its mass mobilisation of Kenyans across ethnic and regional divisions while rejecting any kind of political leadership.
    Protests in Kenya have historically been led by elites, often ending in power-sharing deals that yielded few tangible benefits for demonstrators.
    Protesters now face the challenge of maintaining unity and momentum while pursuing broader, less immediate goals.
    They will also have to decide how to respond to Ruto’s offer of dialogue, which the president made on Wednesday without offering specifics.
    Writer and activist Nanjala Nyabola said most of those involved in the recent protests were motivated by legitimate, strongly held grievances with the government.
    “Until those grievances are addressed, it’s unlikely that they would be willing to make concessions.”
    How the diffuse and leaderless movement, which is largely organised via social media, pursues its objectives moving forward remains an open question – and a source of internal debate.
    Christine Odera, the co-chair of the Kenya Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, a civil society organisation, said there was a need for it to develop more formalised structures to advance the interests of young people and speak to the government.
    “If we go organically then we might lose the whole conversation,” said Odera, who participated in the protests.
    “The president has said we need to have conversations and all of us cannot sit in a stadium and have a conversation.” Others strongly disagree though.
    Ojango Omondi, a member of the Social Justice Centres Working Group, a community activist group in a poor district of Nairobi, said creating formal structures and designating national representatives could let the movement be corrupted by politicians.
    “We don’t need to negotiate anything. All we want is better living conditions,” he said.
    “All we want is the leaders to stop using our resources … to sponsor their lavish lifestyle.”
    Omondi said there was plenty to keep the past week’s protesters engaged – from organising funerals for the nearly two dozen people killed in clashes with police on Tuesday to forcing recall elections against members of parliament.
    Another key moment could be the government’s next bid to pass a finance bill, which is needed to fund expenditures in the upcoming fiscal year.
    Some protesters suspect the government will still try to jam through tax raises.
    In a country where ethnic affinities have traditionally been a key driver of protest, the current youth-driven demonstrations have stood out for building unity around common grievances.
    But cracks are already emerging.
    Even with Ruto’s U-turn on the tax hikes, some protesters called for a planned march on the presidential residence to go ahead on Thursday in an attempt to force the president from power.
    Others rejected the idea as a dangerous gambit.
    In the end, there were protests in several cities, although they were smaller than on Tuesday.
    In Ruto’s hometown and political stronghold of Eldoret, where thousands from different ethnic groups took to the streets on Tuesday, a human rights activist said some tensions were resurfacing since the president withdrew the bill.
    Nicholas Omito, CEO of the Centre for Human Rights and Mediation, said demonstrators from Ruto’s Kalenjin ethnic group were arguing that protests should end now that the bill was dropped.
    Ethnic Kikuyu demonstrators were insisting they should continue until Ruto resigned.
    Nyabola, the writer, conceded that the solidarity on display as Kenyans across all walks of life took to the streets in the bold showdown with their government could not undo the country’s long history of ethnic division.
    “You’re never going to get rid of it completely,” she said, adding: “But for now the class and wealth disparity between politicians and ordinary people has been the focus.” (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    YEE
    ===
    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Tinubu congratulates Nigerian winner of Prince’s Trust Global Sustainability award

    Tinubu congratulates Nigerian winner of Prince’s Trust Global Sustainability award

    Award

    By Salif Atojoko

    Abuja, June 28, 2024 (NAN) President Bola Tinubu has  congratulated Mr Ridwan AbdulRazaq, a renewable energy expert, on winning the 2024 Prince’s Trust Global Sustainability Award.

    Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, in a statement on Friday, said President Tinubu commended the Nigerian green-solution pacesetter.

    AbdulRazaq was honoured for advancing solar energy system design and deployment in Nigeria, especially in off-grid rural communities.

    Tinubu stated that AbdulRazaq’s achievement reinforced the long-held conviction that Nigeria’s climate goals, and his administration’s green industrial vision were realisable with the active participation of the nation’s gifted youths.

    “The President affirms that Nigeria can lead Africa and even the rest of the world in science, technology, cutting-edge manufacturing, and other spheres of human pursuits with the composite ingenuity of the youth.

    “Tinubu enjoins Nigerians not to relent in applying the resources of their talents in any given area as his administration remains committed to providing support and giving flight to their dreams,” said the statement. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    SA/JPE

    =====

    Edited by Joseph Edeh

  • NDLEA urges Nigerians to invest in hard drug prevention

    Drugs

    By Ige Adekunle

    Sango-Ota (Ogun), June 28, 2024 (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has advised Nigerians to invest in hard drug prevention measures to create a drug-free society.

    Mrs Ibinabo Archie-Abia, Assistant Commander General, Narcotics, Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, Lagos, made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ota, Ogun.

    This appeal was made in commemoration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, celebrated globally on June 26.

    Archie-Abia urged corporate organisations to collaborate with the agency in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking by providing more aid, logistics and policies for prevention.

    She explained that hard drugs contribute to crimes such as domestic violence, terrorism, rape, kidnapping and armed robbery.

    Archie-Abia stressed that many social vices in the country were influenced by drug abuse.

    Archie-Abia advised Nigerians, particularly the youth, to avoid consuming drugs, saying that ‘it not only destroys lives but also distorts the national economy’.

    “We are looking forward to a drug-free society and a Nigeria with zero tolerance to drugs.

    “NDLEA has reduced the volume of drugs in circulation through its activities, making it difficult for people to get supplies,” she said.

    According to her, the nation is making progress in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

    She noted that the NDLEA has effectively stopped the entry and exit of various drugs through airports, seaports, land borders, and inter-city routes.

    Archie-Abia also encouraged Nigerians to assist children already hooked on drugs by bringing them to the NDLEA for help and treatment, while noting that the agency had the cheapest rehabilitation centers provided by the federal government.

    She urged youths to focus on their studies and embrace skills acquisition to improve their lives without resorting to drugs. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    IGE/NNO/AWA
    =============
    Edited by Nick Nicholas/Olawunmi Ashafa

  • Japan’s Kobayashi Pharma probes dietary supplements deaths

    Japan’s Kobayashi Pharma probes dietary supplements deaths

    Deaths

    Tokyo, June 28, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN) Japanese drug maker Kobayashi Pharmaceutical firm said that it is looking into the 76 more deaths linked to the consumption of its red yeast rice dietary supplements.

    Local media reported on Friday.

    The scandal-hit company previously confirmed in March that five people had died after taking the “beni-koji choleste help” supplements, and recalled the products.

    However, on Friday it corrected the figure to four, saying one did not use the supplements, Kyodo News reported.

    Meanwhile, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Keizo Takemi revealed the drugmaker has failed to report to the government appropriately.

    Referring to the surge in the number of cases, Takemi said it was “extremely regrettable” that the company had not chosen to report to the ministry the updated number of suspected deaths since March.

    Takemi told reporters that the ministry will be directly involved in the investigating process and provide updates to the public, saying, “We cannot leave Kobayashi Pharmaceutical alone to handle it anymore.”

    The health ministry has asked Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to formulate and submit a plan by Saturday to investigate the 76 deaths that remained under suspicion as health hazards to the families and medical institutions.(Xinhua/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    HS/

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    Edited by Halima Sheji