Bauchi, Dec. 20, 2018(NAN) The Bauchi State Planning Commission says the sum of N117, 525,534,317 will be spent on 2019 capital expenditure in the state.
The Commissioner in charge of the agency, Alh Magaji Dambam, said this during a press conference on Thursday in Bauchi.
He also said that the sum of N79, 197,977,119 was allocated for recurrent expenditure.
He added that the health sector got the sum of N31, 326,287,433 representing 16.02 per cent, while education sector was allocated N41, 472,337,266 representing 21.8 per cent.
According to him, agriculture got N10, 791,551,005 representing 6 per cent, while water, sanitation and hygiene, youth and women empowerment and infrastructural developments got substantial amounts.
Dambam said the budget would be funded through a total projected fund of N160, 341,759,656 and internal/external loans of N36, 380,651,780.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state budgets N196, 722,411,436 for the 2019 fiscal year.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary in the board, Mr Yahuza Haruna, called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State to partner with the commission for quarterly briefing on performance of the budget.
He said that the quarterly briefing would better equip journalists with information on performance of various Ministries, Departments and Parastatals (MDAs) including facts and data. (NAN)
Genital
David Adeoye
Ibadan, Dec. 20, 2018(NAN) The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says six out of 10 women between 15 and 49 years in Oyo State are victims of genital mutilation.
Dr Olasunbo Odebode, Representative of UNICEF in-charge of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria, disclosed this on Thursday in Ibadan.
Odebode spoke at a public declaration of FGM abandonment by 21 communities in Oyo West Local Government area of the state.
According to Odebode, a Child Protection Specialist, mutilation prevalence rate for women between 15 and 49 years in the state is 55.5 per cent, the fifth highest in Nigeria.
She said the affected females live with the negative consequences of the practice, which undermined their physical, emotional and socio-economic well-being.
She described FGM as a harmful traditional practice, a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of women, which seriously compromised their health and psychological well-being.
”FGM is not only harmful but also against nature as it destroys the wholesome and beautiful way women and girls are naturally created.
”It poses increased risk of infection or prolonged labour, bleeding, still-birth and maternal death during childbirth as well as leaves lasting physical, emotional scars and an irreparable damage,” Odebode said.
She said FGM was a social norm and that people practice it because they believed that others in their community do it.
She urged stakeholders to collaborate in the campaign to end its menace in their respective communities.
Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu, Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state, said the agency had carried out series of programmes to sensitise the public on the effects of female genital mutilation.
Dosunmu commended traditional and community leaders in the area for dropping the age-long practice.
Oba Lamidi Olayiwola, the Aalafin of Oyo, promised to support UNICEF and NOA efforts in eliminating the practice in the state.
The monarch, represented by Chief Yusuf Akinade, the Basorun of Oyo Kingdom, charged community heads to sensitise people in their domain on the negative effects of the practice. (NAN)
DAK/JI/IM
Edited by Joseph Idika/Ibrahim Mammaga
Shares
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2019 (NAN) The volume of shares traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday rose by 171.65 per cent with the indices appreciating by 0.32 per cent.
Consequently, a total of 545.99 million shares worth N4.08 billion was exchanged in 3, 224 deals.
This was in contrast with a total of 200.99 million shares valued at N4.09 billion achieved in 3,035 deals on Wednesday.
Union Diagnostic drove the activity chart, exchanging 274.17 million shares worth N65.81 million.
Access Bank came second with an account of 61.87 million shares valued at N473.31 million, while Zenith Bank sold 37.29 million shares worth N838.48 million.
Lafarge Africa traded 24.45 million shares valued at N288.32 million, while Guaranty Trust Bank exchanged 20.81 million shares worth N711.83 million.
However, the crucial market indicators grew by 0.32 per cent following modest gain by some blue chips.
Specifically, the All-Share Index which opened at 30,704.98 rose by 97.92 points or 0.32 per cent to close at 30,802.90.
Also, the market capitalisation closed higher at N11. 251 trillion compared with N11. 215 trillion posted on Wednesday, an increase of N34 billion or 0.32 per cent.
Seplat led the gainers’ table, gaining N37.80 to close at N593 per share.
Dangote Cement followed with a gain of N4 to close at N190, while Conoil added 75k to close at N21 per share.
Berger Paint grew by 70k to close at N7. 85, while Dangote Sugar advanced by 70k to close at N14 per share.
On the other hand, Nestle topped the losers’ chart, dropping by N10 to close at N1, 460 per share.
Total trailed with a loss of N3 to close at N192, while Cement Company of Northern Nigeria lost N1. 25 to close at N17.80 per share.
Flour Mills was down by 85k to close at N21, while Ecobank depreciated by 75k to close at N14.25 per share. (NAN)
JNC/GOK
Edited by Olagoke Olatoye
Niger Assembly passes contributory healthcare bill
Health care
By Amen Gajira
Minna, Dec 20, 2018 (NAN) The Niger House of Assembly on Thursday passed the state contributory healthcare bill.
This followed the adoption of the report of the House Joint Committee on Health, Finance, Labour and productivity.
Presenting the report, Mr John Bahago, Chairman of the committee, said the establishment of the scheme would go a long way in improving healthcare delivery in the state.
“The committee in carrying out its assignment held stakeholders/public hearing.
“The committee considered the bill clause by clause with a view to ascertaining its merits and necessity.
“This is in addition to comparing the bill with similar laws passed by other legislature and drawing from the amended National Health Act 2014,” he said.
Bahago said the scheme would help in reducing financial barrier to quality healthcare services in the state.
“The bill is to ensure that residents of the state have access to affordable and quality healthcare services.
“Also, the establishment of the state contributory healthcare scheme will contribute in reducing the financial barrier to quality healthcare and high out of pocket payment for medical bills.
“Additionally, the Federal Government has made it mandatory for all states to establish a Health Contributory Scheme to enable them access the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund,” he said.
The House thereafter dissolved into committee of the whole for clause by clause consideration of the bill after which it was passed.
The Speaker, Alhaji Marafa Ahmed, thanked the committee for a thorough job, saying the passage of the bill would help transform the health sector in the state.
Marafa directed the clerk to forward clean copies of the bill to the governor for assent.
In a related development, the assembly passed a resolution reinstating member representing Tafa, Mr Danladi Iya, after his seat was declared vacant for defecting from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). (NAN)
AMEN/ABI
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said it will no longer use cyber cafes for registration of candidates, beginning from the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said this on Thursday on the sideline of a meeting with proprietors of Computer Based Test (CBT) centres at the University of Lagos.
“We are no longer going to allow the cyber cafes to do the registration exercise for prospective candidates because they are extorting candidates and overcharging them.
“They also do services they do not have the capacity to do, coupled with the fact that there was no way of tracking them because they were not registered.
“Another major reason is the mix-up they create on the data of the candidates. Some will just ask the candidates to write their names and other details down for them.
“On accumulating such data, they now get all of them mixed-up, thereby creating problems for these candidates.
“We know there will be uproar because they make a lot of illegitimate money from these services, but we cannot leave the candidates at their mercy.
“Particularly when people will make noise that it is JAMB that was extorting them,’’ he said.
The professor urged all prospective candidates to do their registration and access the board’s major services in any of its 718 accredited centres in the country.
Oloyede said the board would commence the sale of the registration form on Jan.3, 2019 and would span six weeks.
He gave the assurance that the general elections would not affect the sale of forms, adding that the board had adjusted its examination schedule ahead of the election.
“We thank INEC for giving us an early notice and so, it is expected that the exercise will be hitch-free,’’ he said.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that as always the case, there were special centres for visually impaired candidates.
He added that the board was already considering the introduction of a new technology for smooth conduct of the examination for such candidates.
“Next week, some of our officials will be in the United Kingdom where all the assessment bodies, who are attending to the blind, will meet.
“They will meet with a view to finding the best technology to use for these special candidates at a better price, because of the exchange rate.
“However, those with Braille machines, they are available; we will give them and those who do not have, we want to encourage them, whatever best method available to us, we will deploy because we want to be as inclusive as possible.
“That is also why we have set up a committee of experts under Prof. Peter Okebukola, to look for all-inclusive methods to be able to attend and bend it to suit the purposes of all these peculiar candidates,’’ he said.
Earlier, while addressing the CBT proprietors, Oloyede warned that the board would not tolerate any JAMB-related materials in all the centres, especially question papers, as most often turned out to be fake, thereby duping innocent candidates.
He said that JAMB would also not hesitate to blacklist any centre that attempted to undermine the integrity of its examination through infractions.
“JAMB will continue to partner with you, empower good CBT centres to do things properly, as all essential services will henceforth be done by our good CBT centres.
“But to whom much is given, much is expected and so as we restrict services to you, you will be rewarded accordingly.
“But that does not stop there, as we will also beam our searchlight by tracking you also, to ensure that you remain in the right track,’’ the registrar said.
He noted that make-shift CBT centres too would not be allowed, adding that the board normally conducted an all year round examination for parastatals and agencies, and candidates for tertiary institutions.
“Do not pack up your centres and convert it to another thing, after the UTME, because we can come at any time for inspection,’’ he said.
Oloyede said that all the CBT centres must ensure that the dual screen registration process was followed strictly and ensure that candidates sign out by doing a thumb print that would ensure that data was uploaded and printed. (NAN)
Sewage
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Dr Emmanuel Akpabio, of the Department of Geography and Natural Resources Management, University of Uyo, has expressed worry over poor sewage system to manage water pollution in parts of the country.
Akpabio said this at a one-day National Workshop Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Understanding Science and Policy in Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, Nigeria’s inability to evolve practical and context relevant policies for WASH has hampered efforts to secure and sustain improved performances, especially in rural areas.
He said it was a matter for regret that only Lagos, FCT and few states had functional sewage system, saying this was a big challenge to safe drinking water and sanitary services.
He said that in addressing the challenges of the sector, deliberate policies to promote safe disposal of waste, strengthening political commitment would be of greater advantage.
“Nigeria’s inability to evolve practical and context relevant policies for the WASH sector has hampered its efforts to secure and sustain improved performances most, especially in urban areas.
“It is a known fact that only limited area in Lagos, the FCT and few states have sewage system, this means a large number of states have not been able to sustain a functional sewerage system for their population.
“Within this context, the task of securing access to safe drinking water and sanitary services is transferred on to the ordinary citizens who have to depend on all forms of unimproved sources.”
Akpabio also called on all tiers of government to accelerate progress toward meeting the sanitation and hygiene needs of the populace.
He said that the recent declaration of emergency on water and sanitation sector had shown the highest political will to change the narratives.
Mrs Chizoba Opara, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, noted that there was the need to change the ‘business as usual ‘ doctrine if Nigeria would meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water and sanitation by 2030.
“The SDG goal six stipulates that there is a demand for WASH services to be provided in an adequate quantity and quality on premises and at an affordable price.
“Nigeria is among the nations in the world with the highest population of open defecators estimated at over 46 million, and 67 per cent of the population lack basic sanitation facilities.
“However, in order to ensure that this goal is met, with no one left behind, we must be committed to reconcile our actions and move forward as a collective effort to succeed.”
Opara added the recent inauguration of the National Action Plan for the Revitalisation of the WASH sector was an indication of the priority the present administration places to address these challenges.
Mrs Glory Otuojo, of the Development Impact Pathfinders Initiative, said that there was the need for Nigeria to embrace the Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) concept to end open defecation practice.
According to her, the ECOSAN concept is a new paradigm in sanitation that recognises human excreta and water from households not as a waste but as resources that can be recovered, treated, where necessary, and safely used again.
She noted that Ecological sanitation systems offered a range of low cost to high tech sanitation options, hygienically safe, comfortable to use, environmentally friendly and often more economic than conventional systems.
“In addition, they ideally enable a complete recovery of nutrients in household wastewater and their reuse in agriculture.’’
In this way, they help preserve soil fertility and safeguard long-term food security, while minimising the consumption and pollution of water resources.”
Otuojo said that as the global population and urban communities increases, sanitation crisis increase, hence the need to promote policies to improve lives of Nigerians. (NAN)
TAK/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf
violence
By Diana Omueza
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A don, Dr Freedom Onuoha, has advised security agencies to scale up operations against hard drugs and banned substances through a multi-agency exercise to identify “the hot spots of drug use”.
Onuoha, who teaches Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, also advised the security outfits to interdict the networks, routes and actors that sustained drug and substance abuse in each state of the federation.
He gave the advice at the dissemination of research findings from security threats assessment towards the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, a workshop organised by Cleen Foundation on Thursday in Abuja.
The CLEEN Foundation is a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) promoting public safety, security and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes and publications, in partnership with government, civil society and the private sector.
The Professor of political science pointed out that scaling up interdiction operations against hard drugs and other banned substances could help to curb electoral violence in the 2019 general elections.
Onuoha, while presenting the Security Threats Assessment (STA) findings, said that majority of the survey respondents held the view that widespread availability and use of hard drugs could precipitate electoral violence in the states.
‘’The view that widespread availability and use of hard drugs can bring about electoral violence was shared by residents in both rural and urban areas, and held mostly by people of 18 -39 years of age.
‘’The survey indicates that low sense of safety among members of the public essentially due to the inability of the security agents to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and assassination tops the list of factors that could lead to electoral violence, followed by partiality of security agents,’’ he said.
Onuoha noted also that exclusion of certain groups on the basis of age, gender and religious identity could also lead to electoral violence in the 2019 general elections.
He said that the respondents to the survey believed that the exclusion of youth, minority groups and women could contribute to violence during any elections.
He said that going by the National average score of the survey, more likely to also cause electoral violence were problems associated with the distribution, location and adequacy of polling units and voting points.
Onuoha said also that more likely to precipitate electoral violence included where the media was involved in partisanship, favouritism, partiality, and failure of regulatory bodies to ensure adherence to established rules by the media.
He also advised on a collaboration with relevant agencies such as the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in establishing framework for effective monitoring and response to the use of all media platforms.
On his part, Dr Benson Olugbuo, Executive Director, Cleen Foundation, said that the Nationwide Survey was embarked upon between October and December 2018 to assess electoral risk factors in Nigeria ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
He noted that it was with a view to identifying early warning signals that could assist relevant stakeholders, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and civil society organisations (CSOs) to deploy appropriate responses.
‘’The specific objectives of the assessment were to examine real and potential election security threats across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
‘’To identify actors and actions that could constitute threats to peaceful election in Nigeria and proffer recommendations to mitigate identified threats or potential risk factors’’, he said.
He said that vote buying was the foremost of the fourteen risk factors that could generate tension or electoral violence as revealed by the survey, and that citizen’s disaffection with government either on policy grounds or economic considerations could cause electoral violence with higher percentages.
Olugbuo suggested that the government, political parties, media, and civil society organisations must escalate public enlightenment and sensitisation programmes on the dangers of vote buying.
He advised INEC to be more involved in monitoring internal party processes and primaries with enhanced capacity to impose appropriate sanctions on erring parties.
‘’INEC should prioritise strategic communication to ensure that technical electoral hitches are not wrongly interpreted as deliberate attempts to favour a particular party or candidates during elections,’’ Olugbuo said. (NAN)
Benin, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A pro-APC group, Dennis Idahosa Campaign Organisation, has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from residents of Ovia Federal Constituency of Edo.
The Director General of the campaign organisation, Mr Charity Amayanevbo, made the allegation while speaking with newsmen in Benin on Thursday.
Amayanevbo said the opposition party was buying a PVC for N5,000 from the registered voters in the federal constituency.
He said the purpose of buying the cards was well known to the ruling All Progressive Congress, but every attempt to truncate the electoral process for the 2019 polls would be resisted.
The director general said that it was to secure the people’s mandate that the organisation embarked on vigorous campaign in all the nooks and crannies of Ovia Federal Constituency.
“We are greatly disturbed by this unwholesome practice adopted by the PDP in which they have degenerated to the level of buying PVCs for N5, 000 each.
“While we frown seriously at this practice, we hereby call on the law enforcement agencies to investigate this matter with a view to bringing those involved to book.
“To us, we believe that election is won by selling yourself to the electorate and not the other way round.
“This is why as a campaign organisation, we have embarked on vigorous campaign across the constituency in a bid to deliver our candidate, Idahosa.
“We urged our competitors to do same and not resort to the practice of trying to force themselves on the people,” he said.
When contacted, the state Chairman of PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, described the accusation as diversionary.
Orbih said the APC was accusing the PDP of what it was doing through the “Trader Moni” initiative.
Through the “Trader Moni” scheme coordinated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, petty traders across the country are being loaned N10,000 each. (NAN)
A Scleroderma Survivor, Miss Sarah Jatto, at 29 when visited NAN in Lagos.
Scleroderma
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A 29 year-old Scleroderma patient, Miss Sarah Jatto, on Thursday in Lagos, recounted her harrowing experiences when she was first diagnosed with a strange ailment, scleroderma, in the United Kingdom.
Jatto, a British-born Nigerian based in the UK, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that until she was diagnosed at the age of 21, she had never heard about the terrible health condition.
“The most devastating part of being diagnosed with scleroderma was when doctors told me they would be learning about the disease alongside me,’’ she said.
According to her, the pains and ordeal of having scleroderma have motivated me to advocate awareness and medical attention for people living with the condition in Nigeria, as many people have never heard about it.
Jatto is also the founder of “Me and Sclero Foundation’’ created to grant financial and moral support to people living with scleroderma.
Scleroderma, also called systemic sclerosis, is a chronic, degenerative disease that affects the joints, skin and internal organs; it is also associated with blood vessel abnormalities.
According to the WebMD, the condition causes the body to make too much of the protein collagen, an important part of skin.
“As a result, the skin gets thick; tight and scars can form on the lungs and kidneys; the blood vessels can thicken and not work the way they should, leading to tissue damage and high blood pressure.
“The exact causes of scleroderma are still not known and the disease is not contagious, infectious, cancerous or malignant, WebMD said.
Sarah Jatto, Scleroderma survivor at 16
Jatto said: “Until the age of 16, I was a normal, healthy and vibrant teenager.
“I noticed some patches and irritation on my skin and consulted a medical expert; they told me it was skin reaction and prescribed some ointment and medication.
“When the situation was not getting better, I went back and had to be subjected to various test; that was when they noticed some abnormalities and referred me to specialists.
“By then, I had started presenting symptoms of feeling cold; cold could mean anything; light winds, air conditioning, a cold room, cold drinks or ice cream.
“I also felt numbness in my fingers, with my fingers and toes started lacking blood flow to the tips, and I eventually developed painful digital ulcers.
“There were also larger patches on the skin, stiffness of the fingers and joints alongside others; shortly afterwards, my facial and physical features started changing.’’
Jatto told NAN that a few years later, she was eventually told that she had a condition called scleroderma.
Sarah Jatto at the age of 21
According to her, as at the time of my diagnosis, doctors did not know much about the condition because they had not come in contact with many people with it.
“A time came when I felt enough was enough and it was time to ‘shake it off!’ but I had to be strong and put my whole life back into perspective.
“I changed my thinking and started to dwell on how I could improve my lifestyle and future as well as embark on a journey of survival and reaching out.
“Through it all, with support from family and friends as well as good medical attention and counselling, I survived.
“I wish people living with scleroderma in Nigeria can receive the kind of incredible healthcare support that I have received in the UK,’’ she told NAN.
Jatto said that some of the challenges associated with living with scleroderma include discrimination, stigmatisation, lack of counselling and support system.
She said: “I will love the government to support scleroderma patients living in Nigeria; from what I have learnt from other scleroderma patients, medication and testing are very expensive.
“The medication varies from N5, 000 to N8, 000 depending on where you are getting the treatment from.
“This is the cheapest; so, a patient can end up spending about N40, 000 per month to get treatment.
“For someone who has scleroderma, you have to get regular tests and regular medication so that you can at least live a decent and functional life.
“So, I want the government to, if not give free healthcare, subsidise the medications that these patients are receiving,’’ Jatto pleaded.
She also called on the government to ensure that health facilities were fully equipped with adequate manpower for improved diagnosis and treatment of patients in the country.
“From my investigations, patients are told to go somewhere else for testing and sometimes when they come back with results, the results are not okay for the doctors.
“Consequently, they have to go back for retest and this is stressful; also, their blood tests are sent to India for diagnoses and they have to pay heavily for it.
“So, if there is a state-of-the-art equipment under one facility, it will be much easier for patients in Nigeria; patients who have diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, scleroderma or other health issues,’’ Jatto said.
She, however, called on stakeholders in the health sector to partner her foundation, “Me and Sclero’’ to create awareness on the rare condition.
According to her, there is no single organisation for scleroderma like there is abroad, and my foundation is created to bridge that gap.
“In May 2015, I opened social media accounts, @meandsclero, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram; in the summer of 2015 I challenged myself to write a book ‘Me & Sclero’ based on my experiences with battling scleroderma.
“ My aim is to ‘raise awareness and educate the world about ‘Scleroderma’ and I do this through documenting my journey; both the good and the bad.
“Me and Sclero Foundation was launched in 2018 and has 13 active members,’’ she said. (NAN).
Taekwondo
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Ferguson Oluigbo, President, Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association (NTRA), has called for improvement in time management in subsequent editions of the National Sports Festival (NSF).
Oluigbo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that there was poor time management in the taekwondo event of the the just-concluded 19th National Sports Festival (NSF).
He said that the situation had psychological and physical effects on athletes and officials.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 19th NSF tagged, ‘Abuja 2018 World Series Edition’, was held in Abuja from Dec. 6 to Dec. 16.
It featured 37 sports.
Oluigbo said: “Expectations were high in taekwondo event after six years of waiting; athletes were hungry for festival action but they were again subjected to long waiting before the fights.
“Most of the protocols were not necessary at that point in time because they resulted in starting the event as late as 5.00p.m., making athletes and officials to stay till 4.00a.m.
“The weighing-in exercise was not carried out in time, and athletes had to wait for long.
“That was bad and needed to be pointed out because it was not in the best interest of the practitioners and even the fans; the five-day event stretched to six days.”
He hailed the athletes and the officials who participated in the event for their patience and understanding, expressing satisfaction that, in spite of the lapses, some states still proved their mettle.
The association president noted that the just-concluded festival went a long way to restore lost hope of athletes and spurred them to commit themselves in training for improved performances.
“For six years, athletes were training, waiting and suffering postponements of this particular festival.
“However, the consolation is that the festival is back and will be observed biennially; athletes will be inspired to improve their skills,” he said.
Oluigbo noted that the festival had Rivers as the overall winner in taekwondo event with seven gold medals, while Kano got five and Lagos, two.
(NAN)
MIL/YI/IGO
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Edited by Yahaya Isah/Ijeoma Popoola
