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  • Ukrainian reconstruction chief resigns ahead of Berlin conference

    Resignation

    Kiev, June 10, 2024 (dpa/NAN) The head of the Ukrainian agency for reconstruction, Mustafa Nayyem, handed his resignation shortly before the start of the next round of talks on rebuilding Ukraine began in Berlin.

    “Since November 2023, the agency’s team has been confronted with constant resistance and the creation of artificial obstacles,” Nayyem wrote on Facebook on Monday.

    Nayyem in his post lamented the underfunding of his agency and excessive bureaucracy, which delayed reconstruction measures.

    Further work became impossible since the dismissal of Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov at the beginning of May.

    Nayyem’s resignation was prompted by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal’s refusal to authorise a business trip to the reconstruction conference in Berlin.

    The third international conference to date was planned for Tuesday and Wednesday.

    According to a media report, a large part of Nayyem’s team is also quitting, which calls the agency’s future work into question.

    Nayyem, a former journalist, has headed the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development since January 2023.

    He first became internationally known for his prominent role in starting the 2013 pro-Western protests in Ukraine.

    The war in Ukraine was estimated to have caused damage to several hundred billion dollars since Russia started it more than two years ago. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    COO/HS
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    Edited by Cecilia Odey and Halima Sheji

     

  • LG autonomy will enhance primary healthcare delivery — Expert

    LG autonomy will enhance primary healthcare delivery — Expert

    Autonomy
    By Folasade Akpan
    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Dr Joseph Enegela, the Founder of Africa Diseases Prevention and Research Development Initiative (ADRAP), says granting full autonomy to local government areas will enhance Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery.

    Enegela said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    According to him, there is strong link between full autonomy and healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

    He explained that “by design, if you look at our healthcare system from the primary to secondary to tertiary level, there are strict roles for those who work in the PHC system.

    “The same also goes for those in the secondary and tertiary health system, and those roles and responsibilities help to describe what kind of ailments each can handle.

    “The sad part is that PHCs fall under the local government system, which is the most inefficient arm of government.

    “The LGA health systems are run by the LGAs in the states and they get the least funding in spite of allocations from Federal Government, so they are inefficient.”

    Enegela said that until total autonomy is given to the third tier of government and those who run the local governments know their responsibilities to the people, they would not think of it as important.

    “So, there is strong link between local government autonomy and PHCs’ performance,” Enegela said, noting that “but to achieve the desired results, the system requires complete overhaul, with strict supervision.”

    He also appealed to the Federal Government to support LGAs to build, own and manage their PHCs.

    He also urged the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, to focus on PHC delivery and on increasing the health insurance coverage of Nigerians.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    FOF/TOA/HA
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    Edited by Taiye Agbaje/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

     

  • Reps minority leader canvases return to parliamentary system of govt.

    Reps minority leader canvases return to parliamentary system of govt.

    Governance

    By EricJames Ochigbo

    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers) has called for a return to the parliamentary system of government.

    Chinda, who made the call on Monday in Abuja, said that there was a need to practice a homegrown parliamentary system of government to address challenges facing the country.

     The lawmaker explained that the current Presidential system of government was copied without recourse to native background.

     According to him, the current system is skewed towards failure, considering our background, our experiences and our diversity which should be an advantage to us.

     “When you look at the places where systems of government are copied from, they consider their culture, they consider their beliefs; they consider their society in adopting a system of government.

     “But in Nigeria, we either copy from the UK or we copy from the U.S., without recourse to our background. And that is why we are asking for a homegrown system of government.

     “We must twist it to consider our peculiar background. And that is why we say the time has come for us to move forward,” he said.

     Chinda said that government after government had made efforts to cut the cost of governance in Nigeria.

    He said that efforts made to merge agencies of government and to slash allowances and salaries of public office holders had not been achieved.

     According to him, it is all motion without movement. We must do something fundamental if we want to move forward.

    Chinda said that efforts had been made to study why the parliamentary system practiced in the first republic collapsed, saying that it was as a result of ignorance.

    He said that the parliamentary system is cost effective and self-cleansing, as it does not require much to remove a corrupt officer and make people in public office to sit up. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    EOO/JPE

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    Edited by Joseph Edeh

  • 221 Christians from Adamawa to perform 2024 Pilgrimage, says official

    221 Christians from Adamawa to perform 2024 Pilgrimage, says official

     

    Pilgrimage

    By Talatu Maiwada

    Yola, June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Adamawa Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has concluded plans to airlift 221 intending pilgrims to Jerusalem on June 29.

    The Ag. Executive Secretary, of the Board, Ms Angelina Emmanuel disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Monday.

    She said, the board had successfully screened all the intending pilgrims both at the state level and local governments.

    “We have 179 prospective pilgrims from the state and 42 from the local governments, where two persons were selected from each of the 21 local governments in Adamawa.

    “Altogether we have 221 registered prospective pilgrims from Adamawa state who would be airlifted on June 29 to Jerusalem”, she said.

    Emmanuel said that the screening exercise conducted for intending pilgrims was towards achieving a seamless 2024 Christian Pilgrimage.

    According to her, the screening exercise was a demonstration of government’s commitment to safeguard pilgrims’ health and ensure proper documentation before travelling.

    The Executive Secretary said that the screening excercise was conducted by various bodies including; team of medical personnel, officials from Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Department of State Service (DSS) among others.

    “The exercise is an annual routine to ascertain the health status of intending pilgrims, ensuring relevant documents such as international passport, yellow card, COVID-19 card are complete and accurate.

    “The officials also do a background check on pilgrims personality and guarantors in order to avoid abscondment, while those with chronic diseases, less than 30 years and pregnant women are disqualified,” she said.

    Emmanuel urged the intending pilgrims to be of good behaviour and shun acts that could bring the state and the country to disrepute while in Jerusalem.

    The executive secretary said that a pilgrimage was not going on a tour for pleasure, but a period of commitment to spiritual exercise — “like praying for themselves, family, state and country”.

    She stressed the need for intending pilgrims to comply with the procedures and protocols established by the commission.

    Emmanuel further expressed gratitude to the State Governor for his unwavering support towards the entire operations as well as the sponsorship of the Pilgrims for the 2024 pilgrimage.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    TIM/AOS

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    Edited by Bayo Sekoni

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Nigeria can earn $11bn annually from livestock—Minister

    Livestock

    By Bukola Adewumi

    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, says the livestock sector has the potential to contribute more than 11 billion dollars annually to  Nigeria’s economy if properly harnessed.

    Abdullahi communicated this at the 3rd meeting of the Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Global Eradication Programme Regional Roadmap and Blueprint Consumption Consultation in the West Africa Region Hybrid conference on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that the livestock sector contributed about 17 per cent of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) and five per cent of the national GDP.

    “Unfortunately, the production, trade, and marketing of sheep and goats are seriously constrained by the continuous presence of PPR, which limits its productivity and access to markets.

    “This disease often causes large financial losses, particularly detrimental to small ruminant farmers.

    “That is why the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current government is committed to improving the livestock sub-sector as a means of fostering economic growth,’’ he said.

    He added that the agenda was to also ensure food security and enhance the livelihoods of our people.

    Abdullahi said that the eradication of PPR and other major transboundary animal diseases (TADs) was a critical component of this agenda.

    According to him, by eliminating this disease, it will not only protect the nation’s livestock but also empower rural communities and contribute to the nation’s economic resilience.

    On his part, Dr Otto Muhinda, Country Team Leader, FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO-ECTAD), who represented the FOA Country Representative, Dominque Kouacou, said PPR and other small ruminant diseases respected neither national nor regional borders.

    “We must do all we can to provide cross-border collaboration and actions, in line with the episystems approach of the PPR eradication strategy,” he said.

    He said that in Africa, FAO had been working closely with the African Union Commission (AUC) for the formulation and implementation of continental, regional and national strategic plans. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    BOL/CJ/CEO/

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    Edited by Chidi Opara

  • Community pleads with LASG on deplorable road

    Road
    By Adepote Arowojobe
    Ikorodu (Lagos State), June 10, 2024 (NAN) Some residents and landlords of Wood Island Estate in Yewa community at Igbo-Olomu area of Ikorodu has pleaded with the Lagos State Government to repair the deplorable road in the area.

    They made the  in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Monday.

    NAN reports that the road connected about 10 communities such as Olorunsogo, Greenland, Accord Estate, Ire Akari, Oju Oro and others.

    Mr Sunbo Owolabi, Chairman, Wood Island Estate Community Development Association (CDA), said that the bad road had led to loss of property, extended travel time and high transport fare for residents.

    According to the chairman, the deplorable conditions of the roads has contributed to low commercial activities in the area while many communities are often cut off for several days whenever there is rainfall.

    “We have filled the road several times, but due to overflowing of water from canal, the road becomes impassable.

    “We are appealing to government, if the government can assist us in channeling the canal, we will be very happy.

    “We have been going through this problem for more than eight years, in fact there was a year a child was drowned,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Secretary to the CDA, Mrs Bimbo Olaoluwa, appreciated the state for the completion of first phase and embarking on the construction of second phase of Agric-Isawo road.

    She appealed to both the local and state governments to pay attention to Wood Island Estate, adding that the deplorable state of the road had caused untold hardship to people living in the community.

    “We are always in a sorry state anytime there is flow of water from the canal, we trek most time to our houses while coming or going out.

    “Government has done well on Isawo road but we need more interventions to reduce the hardship in our community,” she said.

    Mr Sunday Ukor, a landlord, urged Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently intervene to prevent property and buildings from flooding.

    Ukor lamented that the cost of transportation had increased to more than 300 per cent due to the state of road and this, he said, had added more burden on them.

    “Sanwo-Olu is a listening governor, we need drains where water from the canal can pass in order not to destroy our property,” he said.

    Also Mr Olayiwola Adeniyi, a motorist, called on government as a matter of urgency to intervene and repair the Wood Island Estate road because “criminals use it to perpetrate their evil act because it is bad.

    “Most of us who ply this route have stopped due to unabated criminal activities on the road,” he said.

    Mrs Ajike Onasanya, a resident, also pleaded with the government to intervene on the condition of the road, adding that she had been robbed on many occasions on the road.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    ADEX/KAY
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    Edited by Kayode Olaitan

  • Press Hamas to accept ceasefire deal, Blinken urges Mideast states

    Deal

    Cairo, June 10, 2024 (dpa/NAN) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Middle Eastern governments to pressure Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement to accept U.S. President Joe Biden proposal to end the war in Gaza.

    “My message to governments throughout the region and people throughout the region: If you want a ceasefire, press Hamas to say yes,” he said shortly before leaving Egypt.

    “If you want to alleviate the terrible suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, press Hamas to say yes. If you want to get the hostages home, press Hamas to say yes,” Blinken added.

    Countries in the region and around the world have endorsed the three-phase plan, while “the only party that has not said yes is Hamas,” Blinken said on Monday.

    Blinken said that Israel has accepted Biden’s proposal, and they were critical in putting it forward.

    However, there has not been clear public approval from the Israeli government.

    Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s conditions for an end to the war had not changed. These included the total destruction of Hamas and the release of all the hostages.

    Reaching a ceasefire deal also “opens the path to more durable security, calm, peace in Gaza and for that it is critical that we continue to work on plans for the day after,” Blinken added.

    Qatar, the United States and Egypt have been mediating for months to achieve a ceasefire and exchange hostages kept by the militant group for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

    Blinken arrived in Cairo on Monday for a meeting with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi on the first leg of his Middle East tour aimed at brokering an end the ongoing Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.

    Egypt’s presidency said in a statement that the two reviewed joint efforts to reach a ceasefire and exchange hostages, and have agreed to intensify efforts during the current stage.

    Al-Sissi stressed the importance of concerted international efforts to remove obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, ending the war and preventing the expansion of the conflict, the statement added.

    After Egypt, Blinken plans to head to Israel. His tour is also expected to include Jordan and Qatar and to last until Wednesday.(dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    HS

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    Edited by Halima Sheji

     

  • Radda releases N10bn to 34 LGAs to build health centres

    Radda releases N10bn to 34 LGAs to build health centres

    Centres
    By Abbas Bamalli
    Katsina, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State has released over N10 billion to chairmen of the 34 local government areas of the state to build primary health centres.

    The governor said this during an interactive session with journalists on Monday in Katsina, saying that three primary health centres would be constructed in each council area.

    He added that “when I became the governor, I talked about World Health Organisation’s resolution on the need to have functional primary health centres in rural areas that can work 24 hours.

    “The aim is to reduce child and maternal mortality and other difficulties faced by rural people whenever they are sick.

    “If we have functional healthcare facilities in rural areas, even a woman in labour can be attended to by a professional health worker at any time.

    “And if there is need to take her to a secondary healthcare facility, the centre should have an ambulance that can convey her there.”

    According to him, there should also be accommodation for health workers, enough drugs, constant/potable water, and electricity supply, among others.

    Radda revealed that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) would provide those institutions with running cost, from N250,000 to N400,000.

    “This fund is enough for the running of daily activities of the centres. But we cannot benefit from the fund until we have fully functional healthcare centres.

    “If we have functional primary health centres in rural areas, it will assist in decongesting hospitals in urban areas, and the health level of the people will improve.

    “The only challenge we are going to face is staffing, because we have shortages of staff to man these centres. To recruit health workers is not easy now, but we will do that in due course.

    “However, we have over 5,000 casual staff and if we are to confirm them, their salaries would double that of the over 7,000 teachers recently recruited.

    “This is because the salary of some health workers almost tripple that of teachers.

    “That’s the challenge now, but in spite of that, we will recruit health workers in due course.

    “Before the end of the year, we’ll make sure that no fewer than 361 functional primary health care centres are provided in the state.”(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    ABS/GOM/HA
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    Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

  • FG advocates harmonisation of NIN, TIN for access to information

    Harmonisation

    By Yahaya Isah
    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government has advocated the harmonisation of the National Identification Number (NIN) and Tax Identification Number (TIN) to ensure easier access to information for taxable income for the country.
    The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji- Ojo, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Monday by Mr Ozoya Imohimi, the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry.
    Tunji-Ojo made the call when the Secretary of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr Olusegun Adesokun, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
    The minister, who decried the issue of tax evasion, said that technologically, if the NIN and TIN brought together as one number, it would difficult for people to evade tax.
    He also called for synergy between the critical agencies such as the JTB and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance better achievements.
    “The relationship between the JTB and NIS should be like siamese twins. If there is a synergy, a lot will be achieved.
    “Many expatriates today are evading tax both at state and federal levels.’’
    He said that the NIN should be the unique security identifier, adding that it would display tax status and all the relevant information needed.
    Tunji-Ojo said that the JTB should create solutions to the harmonisation of data and identity systems, calling for the adoption and implementation of technology to help harmonise critical data.
    In his remarks, Adesokan said the purpose of his visit was to seek further meaningful collaboration with the ministry on capacity building.
    He added that the visit was to commence dialogue on issues relating to expatriate data and expatriate tax.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    YI/DCO/ADA
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    Edited by Deborah Coker/Deji Abdulwahab

  • Youth ministry creates platform for young people to excel

    Youth ministry creates platform for young people to excel

    Young
    By Franca Ofili
    Abuja, June 10, 2024(NAN) The Minister of State for Youth Development,
    Mr Ayodele Olawande, says the ministry is set with a platform where young people
    can address issues that affect them and excel.

    Olawande told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the young peoples’ platform would include all youth leaders of ethnic groups.

    He said that the platform would be used to ascertain what young people have in  their respective areas.

    He added that “if we can identify products in your areas that can be used to make or create goods for production, it will be welcomed.

    “We can meet with all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to channel our complaints, for example, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) gives education scholarship to young people, the youths need to know about it.”

    According to him, efforts will be intensified toward improving the National Directorate of
    Employment (NDE) training centres to be visible and viable for young people.

    On the issue of lack of start-up grant after training, he urged the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to play its part toward ensuring grants to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

    He said “we will let SMEDAN know that some of the youths will need money to start their businesses, while some will  need seedlings and fertiliser.”

    Olawande explained that in Niger, great farming activities are taking place, noting that the ministry would partner the state government to ensure that young people are engaged.

    “Niger produces what they eat and can also produce for people and the governor is doing fantastically well. I will visit my state and do a survey on products that young people can produce and even export.

    “Everything cannot be from Federal Government, if we also put the governors on their toes and work together, we will achieve a lot.”

    On the issue of “japa”, where people leave the country for greener pasture, he advised that people should go and learn some skills and come back to the country to implement.

    “My advise is that when people leave the country, they should acquire knowledge and come back and develop the country.

    “So, if you have the opportunity to travel, why can’t you travel and come back and invest in your country?.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FNO/OJI/HA
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    Edited by Maureen Ojinaka/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu