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  • NOA to issue standardised version of new National Anthem

    NOA to issue standardised version of new National Anthem
    Anthem
    By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
    Abuja, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The National Orientation Agency (NOA)  has assured citizens that a standardised version of the Nation Anthem would be issued by the Agency after consultation with stakeholders.
    The Director-General of the Agency, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu gave the assurance in a statement issued by the agency’s Deputy Director of press, Mr Paul Odenyi on Tuesday in Abuja.
    Issa-Onilu gave the assurance after several versions of the anthem appeared on the social media, with the community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOS) also reporting citizens’ confusion with the correct lyrics, instrumental and audio rendition of the anthem.
    “Our COMOS whom we ordered to learn the new national anthem have come up with a feedback that many of our people are eager to learn and promote the new anthem.
     “But they are confused and wondered if the ones they find online is the correct version. They have asked questions about which of the stanzas is the national prayer, ” Issa-Onilu said.
    The director-general assured Nigerians that a decision of which stanzas to be adopted as national prayer would be taken after the necessary approval procedure.
    He advised government agencies who seek to play the anthem at their functions to revert to the Agency for the official copy of the new Anthem. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    CMYSH
    =======
    edoted by Sadiya Hamza

  • Why we didn’t join strike –  private school proprietors

     

     

    Strike

    By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

    Lagos, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Lagos State Chapter, says its members did not join the indefinite labour strike because they believe that strike is not the way to get a solution.

    The President of the chapter,  Mr Alaka Yusuf, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that strike would also disrupt learning and students’ progress.

    He said that NAPPS operated on a planned academic calendar and could not afford to lose any day.

    NAN reports that while public primary and secondary schools were under lock on Monday and Tuesday due to labour strike,  private schools were open for operations.

    The nationwide strike was called  by  the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    The unions protested inclusiveness of negotiations with the Federal Government on a new minimum wage.

    NLC and TUC have, however, suspended the strike for a week to give room for continued  negotiations on a new minimum wage.

    The suspension followed a meeting of the unions with Federal Government representatives on Monday.

    Alaka said, “I want to say NAPPS  has been advised by our president not go on strike  but to be watchful during strike.

    “Our schools are not affected, and we must ensure that our students learn adequately.

    “We believe we are helping government to bridge the gap in education. When a child is not educated or loses a day to be educated,  that child has lost a lot in his or her development.

    “For us, going on strike is not a way to get solution to the nation’s problem,” he said.

    Alaka said that NAPPS would prefer that NLC and TUC should continue to engage the Federal Government in dialogue for resolution of any conflict.

     

    “However, we expect the government, too, to reason with the citizenry and see that everything that we are doing, especially now that inflation has risen, is  commensurate,” Alaka said.

     

    Mrs Adebola Olubodun, Principal of Grimes International College, a private school in Suberu Oje, Alagbado, Lagos State,  also told NAN that the school did not go on strike.

     

    ”We are in school,  teaching and learning are ongoing, students will be having their test this week.

    “For us, there is no strike,” Olubodun said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    MIL/IGO

    ========

    Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

  • LASBCA seeks consultants for Certified Accreditors Programme

    LASBCA seeks consultants for Certified Accreditors Programme

    Accreditors

    By Lydia Ngwakwe

    Lagos, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has urged qualified consultants in the built environment to participate in its new Certified Accreditors Programme (CAP).

    The Director, Public Affairs Unit, LASBCA, Mr Olusegun Olaoye, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

    Commenting on the call for expression of interest, Mr Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, LASBCA, said that the state was set to engage consultants who would act as certified accreditors to assist with reviewing building plans, inspections, and monitoring compliance.

    He said that the programme aimed to leverage private sector expertise to improve efficiency and ensure all buildings in the state met safety standards.

    “The Public- Private synergy referred to as “Certified Accreditors Programme” (CAP), is aimed at leveraging on the peculiar expertise and experience of private sector professionals.

    “Also aimed to further accelerate LASBCA’s effectiveness toward optimum service delivery with the view to actualise its operational mandates of ensuring all new and existing buildings in Lagos State are constructed fit for human habitation and avert incidence of building collapses.”

    Oki said that the programme aligned with the state government’s goals for sustainable urban development.

    According to him,  the goal of the programme is  to improve LASBCA’s ability to ensure new and existing buildings comply with regulations and are safe for habitation.

    He said that the state government would consider consultants who were duly registered in Nigeria with relevant experience and professional body membership.

    He, therefore, called on interested members of the public to obtain an Expression of Interest (EOI) form from LASBCA headquarters.

    According to him, a fee applies for the EOI form.

    He said that submitting an EOI form was not a guarantee selection for the programme

    He gave July 31 as the deadline for submission of the form. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    LED/FAA
    ====
    Edited by Folasade Adeniran

  • Yobe Govt unveils ‘state-of-the-art’ biomedical research lab

    Yobe Govt unveils state-of-the-art biomedical research lab

    Laboratory
    By Ahmed Abba
    Damaturu, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The Yobe Government has unveiled a state-of-the-art ultramodern Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) at the state university.

    Dr Bello Kawuwa, the Yobe Commissioner for Higher Education, made this known while unveiling the laboratory in Damaturu.

    Kawuwa described the BioRTC as a testament to Gov Mai Mala Buni’s dedication to improving public health and advancing scientific research in the state.

    He highlighted the lab’s cutting-edge equipment and collaboration with global experts, positioning Yobe to address pressing health concerns like chronic kidney disease.

    “This laboratory is a clear indication and testimony that Gov  Mala Buni’s commitment to change narrative as far as public health is concerned and advancing the frontiers of science and technology.

    “Especially that involves research medical sciences assembling the global best brains and equipments to conduct research for both national, international and local concerns,” said.

    Also speaking, Prof Mala Daura, the Vice Chancellor of the Yobe State University said the lab is highly equipped with support from a lot of institutions abroad.

    Daura, represented by Prof Muhammad Lawan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Services explained the lab’s areas of focus to include malaria, chronic kidney disease, dementia, among others.

    Prof Daura also emphasised the BioRTC’s role in fostering international collaboration.

    “The centre also organises workshops and summer schools with facilitators from around the world – Japan, UK Germany, Spain and Senegal – who come here with support of the state government,” he noted.

    The VC added that the BioRTC’s establishment marked a significant step forward for the state’s pursuit of scientific and medical advancements.

    The centre, he said, harnessed cutting-edge technology and global partnerships with potential to address critical public health issues and contribute meaningfully to the field of biomedical research.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    AIA/SH

    =======

    edited by Sadiya Hamza

  • Makinde appoints Kalilu substantive VC, LAUTECH

    Makinde appoints Kalilu substantive VC, LAUTECH

    Appointment
    By David Adeoye
    Ibadan, June 4, 2024 (NAN) Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of Prof. Razaq Kalilu as the substantive Vice Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ibadan by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu.

    Kalilu, according to the statement, will serve for a single term of five years with effect from June 12.

    Makinde is quoted as saying that his government looked forward to Kalilu’s hard work, diligence and professionalism in realising the administration’s mission for the institution.

    “Prof Kalilu, a well established figure in the world of art and art history, joined the service of LAUTECH on Sept 1, 1992.

    “He was pronounced a Professor of Arts and History, Department of Fine and Applied Arts,
    Faculty of Environmental Sciences on Oct 1, 1999.

    “Kalilu, an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Osun State and the University of Ibadan, Ibadan Oyo State, is a specialist in Form and Material

    “He is a member of several academic and intellectual organisations, such as the Australian Ceramic Society; the International Association of Astronomical Artists and a Fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artists,” the statement read in part.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
    DAK/SOA

    Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

  • Group implements early child learning programme to support education

    Education

    By Nicholas Obisike

    Aba (Abia) June 4, 2024 (NAN) The Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) has commenced the implementation of Early Child Learning Advancement Programme (E-CLAP) in support of primary education in Abia.

    The Coordinator of the group for the South-East, Mrs Eunice Egbuna, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Tuesday.

    She said that the programme was sponsored by Sterling Bank, through its Education Support outlet, Sterling One Foundation, which engaged CSACEFA to implement the programme in Abia.

    Egbuna said that the programme, designed to last for eight months, would commence at Umuola Central School, Aba.

    She said that the programme would focus on the education of children in their first three years in the primary school (Basic 1-3) with emphasis on the use of mother tongue in educating them.

    “This is with the belief that mother tongue helps to impact lasting knowledge on the children and help them to learn faster.

    “In addition, it focuses on employment of new techniques, well-tailored technology, application of non-formal education curriculum and innovative resource materials in the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy.

    “The programme also promotes safe space application in the teaching and learning environments as well as recourse to the rights of the learner,” Egbuna said.

    She said that the programme would be more beneficial to children in the rural areas and conflict-prone environments, who always lag behind academically for the lack of exposure and concentration.

    “Because of that, their first three years in the primary school is punctuated by a lot of struggles to adjust to new environment, which often lead to the lack of concentration and difficulty in learning.

    “This programme, therefore, aims at injecting the use of technologies, such as audio-visual materials, non-formal education curriculum and other innovations.

    According to her, the programme also aims at the injection of resource materials to sustain their interest and improve their learning ability in literacy and numeracy,” Egbuna said.

    She opined that by the end of the whole exercise, a good number of beneficiaries would have been impacted on to the level of being able to show mastery of reading and writing.

    “They will all do better in calculation within their scope in basic four to six, and to achieve all these, teachers of the early grade pupils will be trained to adapt to this new trend.

    “They will be monitored after the training to access how well or otherwise they are doing in the application of the learning, as the pupils’ learning outcome will also be monitored,” she said.

    Egbuna said that Umuola Central School, Aba, had been chosen as the pilot school and that the outcome of the project would determine its extension to other schools in Abia.

    She urged parents to support their children in learning the new learning technology and the juxtaposition of formal and non-formal curriculum in the school.

    This, she said, would help the children to develop interest in skills of their choice.

    NAN reports that an interactive session was also organised for the parents of the pupils, who commended the organisers and sponsors of the programme.

    They described it as a laudable initiative. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    NUO/EMAF
    Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

     

  • S/Korea suspends military agreement with N/Korea

    S/Korea suspends military agreement with N/Korea

    Agreement

    Seoul, June 4, 2024 (dpa/NAN) South Korea’s government has approved suspending an agreement with North Korea on détente measures, clearing the way for resuming all military activities along the heavily fortified border between the two countries.

    Vice Defence Minister Cho Chang Rae said that all activities of its armed forces along the military demarcation line and on the north-western islands, which were restricted by the 2018 military agreement, would resume in Seoul on Tuesday.

    The Cabinet and President Yoon Suk Yeol approved a temporary motion to lift the agreement.

    In September 2018, the two sides agreed to a series of measures as part of a temporary rapprochement to avoid incidents along the heavily defended border.

    There have been increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula over the past few months.

    South Korea recently warned North Korea of harsh counter-measures after balloons carrying refuse were sent over the border.

    South Korea’s military also accused its neighbour of jamming the GPS satellite navigation system in the border region.

    Pyongyang described its balloons as a response to propaganda flyers sent over the border by South Korean organisations.

    It said on Sunday that it planned to halt the balloon campaign temporarily.

    The 2018 agreement provided for no-fly zones in the border area and a ban on naval manoeuvres in a buffer zone in the Yellow Sea.

    South Korea suspended parts of the agreement in November due to the launch of a spy satellite by North Korea.

    Pyongyang then announced that it would no longer honour any parts of the agreement.

    Cho did not give any details about planned military activities on the border.

    However, the suspension of the agreement means that South Korea can, again, hold military exercises close to the border line. (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)

    YEE

    ===

    (Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

  • EKSG presents N30.5m to retirees under contributory pension scheme

    EKSG presents N30.5m to retirees under contributory pension scheme
    Pensioners
    By Funmilayo Okunade
    Ado-Ekiti, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The Ekiti Government has disbursed the sum of N30.5 million to 30 retirees under the state Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti presented the 30 payment beneficiaries with their cheques on Tuesday, in Ado-Ekiti.
    Oyebanji, represented by the deputy governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, promised that no retiree wouldl be denied his or her benefits after retirement from the service of the state.
    The governor said that the beneficiaries represent the fourth batch to receive payments under the CPS.
    He described the initiative as a game changer in the lives of retirees in the state.
    Oyebanji said the CPS was conceptualised  to ensure future financial security for the retirees, assuring that his government won’t dash the hope of pensioners on getting their benefits.
    “Considering the tremendous success the CPS had recorded in Ekiti State, efforts are on top gear to expand the coverage of the scheme by migrating all public servants, except those who will be retiring before Dec. 31, 2028, and the Justices from the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) to CPS.
    “The DBS, which had become unfashionable all over the world, is bedeviled with the problem of huge arrears of unpaid gratuity among other challenges that have rendered the scheme unsustainable.
    “But the CPS is designed in such a way that when employees retire, they  get their retirement benefits promptly.
    “The CPS has come to stay in Ekiti. Since its inception, retirees under the scheme have been enjoying their retirement benefits without delay.
    “Let me assure you of the commitment of Ekiti State government to the welfare of all workforce and the good people of the state”, he said.
    Oyebanji urged the beneficiaries to refrain from financial profligacy or indulgence in acts that could rob them of their benefits after receiving the entitlements.
    Applauding the governor for prioritising the welfare of pensioners, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ekiti, Mr Joel Akinola, thanked Oyebanji.
    “It was like the governor is a God sent to pensioners with the way he has been prioritising our welfare.
    “He has tried and we are happy with him. The governor was sent to deliver pensioners from sufferings,” the chairman  said.
    Akinola admonished the beneficiaries to be frugal.
    “Don’t squander this opportunity. Invest in something that can give you gains. Eat well and prioritise your health needs, so that your labour won’t be in vain,”  he said.
    The Permanent Secretary, Ekiti Pension Commission, Mrs Omotola Faseluka, described the CPS as a universal cure to the recurrent and painful cases of prolonged indebtedness of retirement benefits.
    “Oyebanji shall work in tandem with the kernel of the policy to make lives more abundant for pensioners,”
    Faseluka said that the payment was a confidence- booster and strong indication that the current government maintains high proclivity to fulfilling its obligations to the senior citizens, by keeping to the prompt payment of benefits under the CPS.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    FOA/AOS
    ========
    Edited by Bayo Sekoni

  • UNFPA, Sokoto State Govt. repair 1,000 VVF patients in 6 years — Govs. wife

    UNFPA, Sokoto State Govt. repair 1,000 VVF patients in 6 years  — Govs. wife

    VVF
    By Habibu Harisu
    Sokoto, June 4, 2024 (NAN) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with Sokoto State Government, offered free surgeries to over 1,000 Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) patients in the state in six years.
    The wife of the state governor, Hajiya Fatima Ahmad, disclosed the figure during the 2024 Safe Motherhood and Fistula Day celebrations on Tuesday in Sokoto.
    She explained that out of the 1,000 VVF patients who benefitted from the free treatment between 2018 and 2023, 500 women and girls were rehabilitated and
    reintegrated into thier communities.
    She commended UNFPA for leading the global campaign to end VVF, a drive to transform the lives of vulnerable women and girls.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that VVF, also known as fistula,
    is a serious disability that can be experienced by women after childbirth, defined as a hole that develops between the vagina and the bladder, resulting in uncontrollable leaking of urine.
    VVF can be caused by injury to the bladder at the time of gynecologic, urological or other pelvic surgery, and commonly during prolonged labour.
    However,  the condition can be repaired through surgery to close the opening.
    Sometimes, additional procedures are needed to correct the original cause of the problem, such as damage to the bladder. Surgery to correct vesicovaginal fistulas is generally successful.
    The governor’s wife, therefore, reiterated commitment “to end the devastating condition that affects countless women and girls worldwide.
    “Obstetric fistula is not just a medical issue, it is a stark indicator of inequity, poverty, and the failure to uphold the basic rights of women and girls.
    “Fistula, primarily caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without timely medical intervention, leaves women incontinent, often ostracised, and in severe physical and emotional pain.
    “In spite of it being preventable and treatable, more than two million women globally continue to suffer from this condition due to inadequate access to quality maternal healthcare,” she said.
    According to her, this year’s theme, “Breaking the Cycle: Preventing Fistula Worldwide”, underscores the urgent need to address obstetric fistula comprehensively.
    She emphasised equitable access to quality maternal health services, social reintegration, and sustained investment in healthcare systems.
    The UNFPA Programme Officer, Gloria Enueze, said that the Fund focuses on supporting multi-faceted approach to ending Fistula, Family Planing and other healthcare services.
    Enueze noted that the efforts comprised raising awareness, educating communities about fistula and its prevention to reduce stigma and ensure those affected received support.
    Others included improved maternal healthcare by ensuring women accessed
    skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, and quality prenatal and postnatal services.
    According to her, empowering women and girls through strengthening education, economic opportunities, and legal protections will address the root causes of fistula, such as child marriage and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
    She added that supporting survivors with comprehensive rehabilitation services, including surgical treatment, psychological support and social reintegration programmes have been the focus of UNFPA to tackle the menace.
    for fistula survivors.
    In her address, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, assured proactive government collaboration with UNFPA and other donor agencies to enhance peoples’ health and wellbeing.
    Balarabe said the present administration prioritises health sector among its nine-point agenda, and ensured proper allocation in fiscal provisions.
    NAN reports that event featured lecture presentation on family planning, safe child delivery and presentation by Dr Larai Tambuwal, the Executive Secretary, Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA).
    The governor’s wife also donated sanitary items, clothing materials and cash to patients and pledged to provide power generating set to the Maryam Abacha Women and Children’s Hospital Fistula Centre for smooth operations.
    The event also witnessed songs on fistula from survivors, attended by The Challenge Initiative (TCI), Marie Stoppes and other NGOs anchoring Family Planing engagements. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    HMH/HA
    Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

  • Police nab 5 kidnap suspects in Kaduna

    Arrest
    By Muhammad Tijjani
    Kaduna, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The Police Command in Kaduna State says its operatives have arrested five notorious kidnap suspects in Kaduna, the state capital.
    The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.
    Hassan said that the suspects had partaken in several kidnappings in the North-West zone of the country.
    “On May 29, acting on a tip-off from a concerned citizen, a joint patrol team comprising officers from the Saminaka Division and the Hunters Group in Lere Local Government Area (LGA) successfully arrested three suspects involved in kidnapping and cattle rustling,” he said.
    Hassan said that the suspects had confessed to being part of a kidnapping syndicate in Lere council area and admitted to stealing two cattle, which they sold to a 47-year-old man from Dokan Lere, who had also been arrested.
    He listed the recovered items to include: a locally-made single-barrel gun, a cutlass and three mobile phones.
    The spokesman said that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) for further investigation.
    In the same vein, he said that following credible intelligence information about suspicious movement of a bandit, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Tudun Wada Zaria Division led a swift action, resulting in the arrest of a 70-year-old man from Tudunjukun in Zaria.
    He said that the arrest took place at about 2.50 a.m., adding that during the operation, an AK-47 rifle, a locally-made pistol and three cartridges were recovered from the suspect.
    “The suspect is helping the police in their investigations to apprehend his accomplice and he will be charged to court as soon the investigation is completed,” he said.
    Hassan said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ali Dabigi, assured the public of the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.
    He said that the command would continue to act decisively against criminal elements in the state. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    TJ/EBI/WAS
    Edited by Benson Iziama and ‘Wale Sadeeq