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Port
By Uchenna Eletuo
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Mr Abdullahi Mohammed-Nura, the Lagos State Vice Chairman of National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), has accused security operatives on Apapa- Oshodi expressway of corruption.

Mohammed-Nura alleged in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the operatives had turned the beat to a money-making venture.

He said that the security operatives were taking advantage of the unprecedented gridlock on the road to exploit road users.

“We are at a cross road, in a precarious state sort of because of the perennial traffic jam on this road for over a year now.

“The most annoying is that operatives supposedly posted to manage the crisis are taking advantage of the situation to extort money from drivers and transporters.

“They charge drivers N40,000 to aid them to maneuver to the fast moving lane referred to as official lane,” Mohammed-Nura said.

According to him, drivers who crave to load their vehicles fast, “settle them” and go straight to the loading or off-loading point, while those who cannot pay remain in the redundant line for weeks.

Mr Emeka Okoroafor, a truck driver, queried the essence of security operatives on the road, stressing that their conducts were heightening the gridlock.

“If one enters a lane from Mile Two Bus Stop and eventually sees an opportunity to join the official lane at Sunrise Bus stop without the operatives’ consent, you will be asked to turn and go to Mile Two to start all over which may take an entire day.

“The operatives are made up of several uniformed men including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASMA),” Okoroafor said.

The driver, said that, the operatives only passed trucks whose drivers had “settled them”, leaving others to remain on the standstill indefinitely.

He appealed to the authorities to call the operatives to order, saying that they were making the cost of transportation of containers to go up.

Mr Idris Okikiola, a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official who was negotiating with a truck driver when approached by NAN, said that he was only charging the driver for repairing his truck while in the queue.

Okikiola said that his team, made up of officials of Nigerian Police, Navy and LASA, was assigned to control traffic on the road.

He denied that his team was engaged in any illegal practice.

Okikiola, however, said that the team had of late noticed that some operatives who were not assigned to the area, were coming to the place for unofficial duties.(NAN)
EUC/CHOM/TÁ

Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Tajudeen Atitebi

Ignorance, misconceptions increasing incidence of sickle cell disease – Expert
By Desmond Amanyi
Sickle Cell
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Dr Chioma Ofoekii, a medical practitioner based in Abuja, has identified ignorance and misconceptions as causes for increasing incidence of sickle cell in the country.
Ofoekii made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“The number of patients with sickle cell diseases soars yearly and this is more in rural areas hence increasing death rates, especially children.
“People indulge in marriages with the wrong blood genotype combinations without being aware of the dangers it poses to their offspring.
“Main reason why we seem to have so many children with the SS genotype (sicklers) is largely due to ignorance on the part of the parents.
“If we had a choice to give birth, we wouldn’t want to give birth to children with the SS blood genotype and put them through the kind of suffering they go through.
“So if we can curb the level of ignorance through education that will go a long way to reduce the incidence and prevalence of sickle cell disease in our society,’’ Ofoekii said.
She emphasised the need for government at all levels to increase health awareness campaigns in order to educate people on the dangers of the disease.
According to her, this will go a long way in creating the needed awareness as well as inform students about the illness.
Ofoekii, however, expressed concern about the content of messages being taught in schools, noting that there are misconceptions.
“The teaching that if you have four children one will be a sickler, one will have the AA genotype and the remaining two will have the AS genotype is wrong.
“This is wrong because they do not teach the children that it is a probability chart for each pregnancy.
“What this means is that at each point in time when you are pregnant, any of the three genotypes can manifest in the child.
“So that means that it is possible for an AS couple to give birth to three children with either AA or AS.
“Another couple may not be that fortunate. They might end up giving birth to only sicklers.
“So it is not enough to say that we are educating our kids in schools but we should also look at the content of the education.
“People are often taught that out of four children only one will be a sickler that is the wrong teaching.
“Some people have banked on it to say we will now have only three children since the last one will be a sickler.
“If they understand that for each pregnancy, there is a risk of having a sickler, then they will understand that the risk is not worth taking’’ she said.
Ofoekii stressed the need for marriage institutions to include teachings about sickle cell as part of their programmes.
“This will help create more awareness to intending couples on the need to check their blood genotypes before proceeding to marriage.

“The churches, the mosques, the courts where people can register and get married. Some of these institutions have marriage classes for intending couples.
“It will be beneficial to include a course on blood genotype, the risks and all that it entails to these intending couples so that they know well ahead of time.
“It should also be made compulsory to have people run test to determine their blood genotypes before they enter into marriage.
“If it becomes mandatory, they will be forced to do it because some people claim ignorance saying that they were not told in their churches and so on.
“For those institutions of marriage that have adopted it, it is very commendable.
“And aside the practice of teaching about genotype, what is more important is teaching the right thing so we do not mislead people with the information that we give,’’ the medical expert emphasised. (NAN)
DA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Recruitment
By Kazeem Akande
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Some applicants at the ongoing Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recruitment on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to review the age limit of prospective candidates.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that government should review the age limit from 30 years to 35 years.

NAN reports that FRSC had stipulated that candidates with First Degree and Higher National Diploma must not be more than 30 years of age.

Also, the National Certificate of Education (NCE), National Diploma and other equivalents must not be more than 28 years.

One of the applicants in Lagos, Mr Samuel Ogunmolu, told NAN that majority of candidates might not make it to the final stage due to age limitation.

Ogunmolu said that many of the applicants who were above the required age were not qualified according to the ongoing screening process.

“We appeal to the Federal Government to consider us so that we will not turn to wasted generations.

“This age discrimination is a big challenge to youths in this country.

“Banking sector is a no go area as a result of the same age challenge; we are begging the government to consider us for the job,” he said.

Another applicant, Mrs Titilayo Adebayo, told NAN that both age and marital status had discouraged her in the screening process.

Adebayo said that the screening procedure favoured singles and candidates below 30 years.

“It is unfortunate that youths in this country found themselves in this situation.

“After spending many years in schools from primary to tertiary institutions, government still denied us job because of our age, it is very unfortunate.

“At least, it is not our fault to attain such age before applying for the job, strike in various institutions contributed with the fact that private sectors require five years working experience.

“As a fresh graduate, obviously, I cannot produce what I do not have; I only have a year working experience which is youth service to the nation.

“So, all these contribute to applicants attaining 30 years above before applying for the job.

“There should be no age discrimination in this government’s work so far the applicant is fitted for the job,’’ she said.

Adebayo urged the government to urgently review the ongoing screening to accommodate more applicants to the agency.

“Many of us were depressed at the screening ground; though the officials are handling the situation with caution and care.

“We know that only the applicants with the required age will be shortlisted because everything is done transparently,’’ she added.

NAN reports that Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had said that applicants with tattoos, bow and K legs would be disqualified from its ongoing screening.

Oyeyemi disclosed this to NAN on Tuesday while inspecting the screening at Ikeja 9 Brigades Military Cantonment in Lagos.

“Likewise pregnant and married women, we can’t take them because that is the rule for uniform services,” Oyeyemi said. (NAN)
AKA/FF/GOK
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Olagoke Olatoye

Osun Re-run: INEC on global spotlight, says group

Re-run
By Diana Omueza
Abuja Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The League of Concerned Democratic Youths of Nigeria, a pressure group, says the electoral umpire is currently on global spotlight as it prepares for the Osun re-run governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the re-run election for Thursday.

Mr Mike Omoba, the National Coordinator of the league, has reminded INEC that it must be guided by its mandate.

Omoba, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, that the commission must uphold its integrity and act in line with global best practices.

He urged the commission to maintain absolute neutrality in determining the outcomes of all elections.

‘’INEC should remember that it is currently on the global spotlight.

‘’All its actions and inactions speak volumes in the ears of the global community, especially as political activities in Nigeria are gathering momentum towards a finale in the 2019 general elections.”

He said that it was imperative for INEC to shore up voters’ confidence and guarantee the sanctity and transparency of the 2019 general polls.

Omoba commended INEC for waht he described as a “relatively well conducted election” and also expressed satisfaction with the “massive” turnout of voters.

‘’The massive turnout of voters is an attestation to the fact that Osun people are keenly desirous of genuine change.”

He advised that while Sen. Adeleke and the PDP may be tinkering with legal options to upturn INEC’s inconclusive verdict on the election, the electorate should brace up en masse to cast their votes in the re-run.

‘’We encourage the good people of Osun not to rest on their oars until they achieve the leadership which they earnestly seek.

‘’It is not over until it is over; and it shall only be over when our preferred choice of candidate is sworn in as substantive governor of Osun.’’

Omoba, similarly commended Mr. David Adeleke, popularly known by his stage name as “Davido” for his steadfast loyalty and support for Sen. Ademola Adeleke’s political ambition.

‘’We, at the league of concerned democratic youths, believe that Davido’s solidarity with Sen. Adeleke, who happens to be his uncle, is proof of selflessness.

‘’It is not easy for an entertainer like Davido to create time to follow-up the campaign activities.

‘’This is proof not only of his selfless sacrifice, but his commitment to enthrone an enduring legacy of good governance in Osun.’’

He noted that leadership was inextricably linked with sacrifice and that the youths were ready to avail Davido of the needed support, if he considered pursuing any political ambition.

NAN recalls that INEC had declared the Sept. 22 Osun governorship election inconclusive because the number of votes cancelled were much more than the narrow margin by which the PDP candidate defeated his APC strong contender.

While Adeleke of PDP polled 254,698 votes in the Sept. 22 election, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC scored 254, 345 votes, a difference of 353 votes.

Due to cases of ballot boxes snatching that occurred in Ife north, Ife south, Orolu, and Osogbo, a total of 3,498 votes were cancelled in the seven affected polling units, the Returning Officer, Prof. Joseph Fuwape,
the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). (NAN)
DOM/CHOM/NKO
=============
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Nkechi Okoronkwo

By Ummul Idris
Ban
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ban the importation, production and distribution of products with Trans Fatty Acids (TFA) content.

Dr Fancis Faduyile, the National President of MNA, made the appeal in his address of welcome at the launch of “Improving the Cardiovascular Health of Nigerians (ICON)’’ project on Wednesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by Dr Tonnie Okoro, the Strategic Programme Manager of NMA.

Faduyile said that stakeholders must respond to the clarion call by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to all nations to take conscientious steps to eliminate or restrict the consumption of all forms of industrially produced TFAs.

“We hope that NAFDAC finds the courage to effectively ban the importation, production and distribution of food with TFAs content within the Nigerian markets going forward.

“There are overwhelming body of evidence of the harmful effects of TFAs in our diets; justifying the rationale for outright ban or at least a monitored restriction to not more than two per cent in all publicly available foods in Nigeria.

“As a responsible citizen and the true custodian of the health of Nigerians, the NMA has birthed a sustainable vehicle to be a platform through which it can continuously engage all stakeholders.

“And also key players in the nutrition industry who have relevant roles to play to end the era of TFAs in Nigeria. This passion led to the birth of the ICON project,’’ he said.

Responding, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christiana Adeyeye, commended NMA for its unwavering efforts in making relevant recommendations to the government in the interest of the nation.

Adeyeye, who was represented by Mr Ummulkhairi Bobboi, the Assistant Director, Food Safety in the agency, said that NAFDAC has a statutory responsibility to safeguard public health, through the execution of its mandate.

She said that concerns had been raised for several decades that TFAs are among the major causes of cardiovascular diseases.

Adeyeye, however, stressed that some meat and dairy products contain small amount of naturally occurring trans fat.

“Much of the trans fat in the food supply are created through an industrial process that solidifies vegetable oils and increases shelf lives of the foods and contain them.

“Consumption is now associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

“The removal of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, containing industrially produced trans-fat from the food supply, is now recommended by WHO as a public health intervention for reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.

“To this end, NAFDAC is prepared to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in order to come out with clear cut policies and action plan to mitigate the public health effects of consumption of food with high level of TFAs,’’ she said.

According to the NAFDAC boss, the agency intervention in reducing the menace of cardiovascular disease is in the provision of revised fat and oil regulations 2018 and the draft nutrition, health and other food claims regulations.

She stressed that there was the need for consumer awareness and education to enlighten the public on the adverse effects of TFAs and the need to avoid TFA rich food items.

NAN reports that the launch of the NMA-ICON project attracted relevant stakeholders from the country’s health sector to brain storm on the way forward for TFAs and health of Nigerians. (NAN)
UMD/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Election
By Angela Atabo
Abuja Sept.26,2018(NAN) A coalition of Civil Society Organisations(CSOs),Civil Society Situation Room has called on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and transparent election during the Osun re-run election.

Mr Clement Nwankwo, Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, made the call in a statement made on Wednesday in Abuja.

Nwankwo stressed the need to manage the election at the remaining seven polling units effectively.

“Situation Room calls on the security services to provide adequate security in these Polling units.

“The Polling Units should be protected from any intimidation, disruption and harassment and security services must be demonstrably non-partisan in their conduct,“ Nwanko said.

Nwankwo said that voters should be free to cast their votes in complete privacy without undue pressure, being watched, or improper interference.

He said that security services should ensure that vote buying was not allowed during the election.

The convener added that all persons seeking to abuse the electoral process through vote buying should be apprehended and charged to court.
Nwankwo said that voters and members of the Situation Room would be observing the polls alongside other local and international observers, to protect the rights of voters.

He said that the Situation Room was made up of CSOs working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the re-election, scheduled for Sept. 27, was as a result of the inconclusive nature of the last Saturday governorship election in the state.

According to the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, becomes necessary because the margin between the leading candidate 353 votes, which is lower than number of registered voters in the affected areas.   (NAN)
ATAB/DUA

Edited by Dada Ahmed

Ethiopian Airlines crowned best African airline
Award
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Ethiopian Airlines, on Wednesday, announced it had been crowned the “Best African Airline” at the second edition of Arabian Travel Awards 2018 held in Dubai.
The airline’s Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, said the award was a testimony that its product and services were meeting the high expectations of customers from the Middle East.
According to GebreMariam, the airline currently flies to 12 destinations in the Middle East and thrice daily from Dubai with ultramodern aircraft, connecting travellers to over 60 destinations in Africa and over 115 worldwide.
He pledged that the airline would continue to invest in expanding its ultramodern fleet and global destinations in line with its long term growth plan, Vision 2025.
The CEO said the Vision 2015 was to ultimately create better connectivity options for travellers around the world in general and the Middle East in particular.
“The Arabian Travel Awards recognise and encourage the talent in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors under different categories such as Airlines, Cruise companies and Hotels Travel Technology Providers among others.
“The winners of the award were determined based on the votes of travelers.
“Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25 per cent in the past seven years,” GebreMariam said in a statement. (NAN)
OYS/GOM/SA
Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Salif Atojoko
==================================

APC chieftain defects to PDP in Edo

Chieftain
By Deborah Coker
Benin, Sept 26, 2018 (NAN) Chief David Olukoga, an aide to former Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, and Chairman, Edo State Traffic Management Agency (ESTMA), on Wednesday, formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Olukoga led several of his supporters, majority of who were youths, to the PDP Secretariat.

They were received by Chief Dan Orbih, the party’s chairman as well as national executive members of the party.

Addressing the gathering at the occasion, Olukoga said that he decided to return to the PDP after due consultation with his supporters.

He also said that marginalisation as well as ethnic, regional and religious politics and impunity in the APC was a major reason for his leaving the party.

“I return to the PDP with a clear conscience, because I believe the party has learnt from its past mistakes and now well repositioned and forward looking,’’ he said.

He called on all Nigerians to join hands with the PDP and rescue the state in particular and the nation at large from maladministration of the ruling party.

Earlier, Orbih said that he was happy to address the thousands of youths, who have decided to leave the APC for the PDP.

He said that he was convinced that fundamental issues affecting the state were responsible for their defection.

He said some of the issues include failed promises of job creation for 200,000 persons annually, as well as the failed N30 billion Water Storm project.

The chairman said that the failed Water Storm project was also responsible for the disaster being experienced and flooding in some parts of the state capital.

He, therefore, appealed to NEMA as well as the state government to urgently provide relief materials to flood victims within the state capital and environs.

Orbih urged the state government to wake up and address the problems in the state as there was need for the government to take concrete action against problems affecting the state. (NAN)
DCO/FF/AFA
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Felix Ajide

Rep donates relief materials worth N3.2m to Jigawa flood victims

Donation
By Nabilu Balarabe
Kirikasamma (Jigawa), Sept. 26, 2018(NAN) Alhaji Abubakar Hassan-Fulata, the lawmaker representing Kirikasamma/Guri/Birniwa of Jigawa in the House of Representatives, has donated relief materials worth N3.2 million to victims of flooding in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that victims were from Kirikasamma and Guri Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.
Hassan-Fulata presented some of the items to Alhaji Salisu Kubayo, the Kirikasamma LGA Chairman at a ceremony on Wednesday in Kirikasamma.
He advised Kubayo to constitute a committee towards distributing the items to the victims.
Items donated included 100 bags of gari, 10 bags of sugar and 10 bags of groundnut cake among others.
The lawmaker also promised to notify the Federal Government about the disaster for more intervention.
Receiving the items Kubayo promised to be just and fair in the distribution.

He said farm produce and property worth over N500 million were lost in the flood which ravaged about 50 communities.
Kubayo commended the lawmaker for his usual quick response to emergencies in the area, and prayed God to give him the strength and health to continue serving his people effectively. (NAN)
NB/ABI
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Building
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Dr Maurice Ngwaba, the President, International Code Council-Nigeria National Chapter (ICC-NNC), on Wednesday called for efficient building code for Nigeria.

Ngwaba made this call at the ICC-NNC 2nd Educational Seminar in Lagos with the theme: ‘Developing and Implementing Modern Building Codes for Resilience and Sustainability’.

According to him, efficient building code will contribute to raising the quality of lives and safety of the property on built environment.

”Nigeria does not have efficient building code and building code processes.

”And this does not speak well of the country about to celebrate its 58th Independence Day on Oct. 1.

”ICC-NNC is not a statutory body and does not make, adopt or enforce codes.

”All these are functions of governments.

”However, as citizenry organised knowledge organisation, ICC-NNC, will progressively seek ways to support the building industry laws.

”This it will do to help improve the health, life and safety of Nigerians as well as share information that reduce risks of disasters and enhance the ability of communities to be resilience,” he said.

Ngwaba said that as new cities and developments spring up across the country, professionals would be relied on to engage in the planning, designing, and development of standardised property that would stand the test of time.

Mr David Walls, the Executive Director of Sustainable Programme, ICC, said that the International Code served as a model which could be adopted and amended to suit the locality.

He said that this way the code was adopted and modified to suit the local, states or countries’ peculiarities.

Walls said that the ICC had different codes under the building codes in the areas of maintenance, plumbing, electrical energy and green codes.

He said that the codes were reviewed every three years and open for inputs from stakeholders and even individuals.

Walls said that before the code was published, the committee organised elections and depending on the voting pattern, the code could be published or revisited.

He said that ICC was deeply involved in training and helping nations developed code standards.

Ms Suma Mohutsiwa, a representative of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Johannesburg, said that the UL had been partnering with key organisations to test and ensure that whatever was produced in any part of the world met local standards.

She said that in doing this, UL sets up code committees and stakeholders to make inputs and ensure that due processes were followed to develop standards.

Mohutsiwa said that UL works had helped the insurance companies and to reduce fire disasters in buildings that would otherwise have claimed many lives and property.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government on June 12 approved a new national building code that will regulate construction with the aim of improving on measures to safeguard lives and property in the country. (NAN)
OO/ACA/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf