Blog

NAN-H-83

Disruption
By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said on Thursday that there would be disruption of water supply in parts of the territory on Dec. 3.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Alhaji Hazat Sule, said the disruption would enable the board’s technical crew to carry out maintenance works on some damaged fittings on its tank at Kubwa, a suburb of the territory.

According to the statement, which was released in Abuja, the maintenance works will stop the leakages from the tank.

“The residents of Kubwa, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, University of Abuja, and Gwagwalada will experience water supply disruption on Sat, Dec. 3, 2016.

“Normal water supply would, however, be restored on Sun, Dec. 4, 2016, after the repair works would have been completed,’’ Sule said in the statement.

He expressed regret over the inconvenience the disruption might cause residents of the affected areas and advised them to store enough water that would last them through the period. (NAN)

KM/EEM/YEE

Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede/Emmanuel Yashim

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NAN-DS-7
Arms
By Moses Omorogieva
Badagry (Lagos), Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammadu, has warned the personnel of the corps to use arms against criminals and not innocent citizens.

Muhammadu gave the warning in Badagry, Lagos during the passing out parade of 200 officers and men of the corps trained by the Nigerian Army in handling arms and other combat drills.

The NSCDC boss, who was represented by the Assistant Commandant-General, Zone A, Lagos, Mr Waheed Popoola, said accidental discharge was not permitted by anyone in the corps.

“Accidental discharge is a capital offence in the NSCDC. You have been trained on how to handle of arms; this should guide you in the discharge of your duties.

“Anyone that misuses arms will never go near it again. The four-week training is meant to help corps personnel discharge their responsibilities as expected of them,’’ he said.

He said the training had improved the necessary skills of the officers and men of the corps and boosted their performance in the discharge of their official duties.

Muhammadu, who commended the Army and Lagos State Government for their assistance, however, requested for more equipment.

The representative of the Army, Col. U. Garuba of the 82 Division, said the training was a testimony of the cordial relationship between the Army and NSCDC.

Garuba said that the training would continue to assist the officers and men of the corps in the discharge of the functions.

The Commandant, Lagos State Command NSCDC, Mr Tajundeen Balogun, who expressed joy over the training, stressed that with the calibre of officers of the corps, life and property would be protected in the state.

He assured the people that the corps would join other sister agencies to provide adequate security during the yuletide in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officers and men demonstrated their new skills in handling arms to the admiration of officers and family members present.

Representatives of the Police, Navy, Prisons, Immigration, NDLEA, EFCC, SSS, ICPC and FRSC among others attended the ceremony. (NAN)
MIO/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed
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NAN-H-81

Engineers

Chinyere Bassey

Lagos, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology said on Thursday that the Federal Government would strengthen the use of indigenous engineers to develop the nation.

Onu, spoke as the Special Guest of Honour at the 38th annual conference of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) in Lagos.

The theme of the conference was; “Formulating a National Action Plan towards Integrating Nigerian Consultants into National Development-A case for inclusiveness’’.

According to the minister, it is unacceptable that Nigeria still relies on foreign experts to build her infrastructure, construction, refineries and many others.

He said that Nigeria was a great nation with sufficient resources that could build and develop her economy.

“It is only Nigerians that can best develop Nigeria. We are not fully utilising our limitless opportunities. Even President Muhammadu Buhari has said that this has to change.

“The Ministry of Science and Technology will not rest until it strengthens the country’s indigenous capacity for national development,’’ Onu said.

He said that the ministry would ensure that Science, Technology and innovation became an important instrument for economic renewal and social stability.

Onu commended the association for their commitment to national development as professional, noting that mathematics, science and engineering were important for creation of wealth, jobs, providing shelter, securing the nation and fighting hunger.

The minister said that the country had no business importing food and other goods if it was utilising its indigenous experts.

He said that the ministry was determined to move the economy from a resource based to a science and innovation base economy.

According to him, the ministry will need the skills, expertise, support and talent inherent in members of ACEN and other stakeholders to achieve its plans.

The Present of ACEN, Mr Suleiman Adamu also said that every developed country used its indigenous experts to fashion its developmental programmes.

Adamu said that by using indigenous experts in building the economy, the country would be improving the expertise of the nation as well as creating jobs.

He said that when indigenous experts were neglected and foreigners are used to execute projects, the country would not grow and the youths would not improve. (NAN)

CHIN/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

NAN-HG-24
Sex
Abakaliki, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Ebonyi State Action Committee on AIDS (EBOSACA) has advised youths to stay safe and avoid risky behaviours that can expose them to HIV and AIDS.

The Coordinator of the committee, Dr Augustie Nwazunku, gave the advise in Abakaliki on Thursday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the World AIDS Day.

Nwazunku said the committee had made the rate of infection to drop significantly, adding that people living with the virus had access to antiretroviral drugs.

He noted that the only way to avoid the virus was staying safe and avoiding risky behaviours that could expose one to it.

“It is important to emphasise and also drum it into the ears of our youths who constitute the most vulnerable group that abstinence which is staying safe and non indulgence in risky behaviours remain the surest way of avoiding the virus.

“Alcoholism, drug abuse and unprotected sex are some of the high risk behaviours that expose people to the the virus, ” Nwazunku said.

He explained that EBOSACA had waged a war against the spread of the virus through its radio and television programmes and road shows.

He urged the public not to stigmatise those living with the virus and to regularly go for testing and counseling in the approved centres.

“We say no to stigmatisation. If you stigmatise a person living with the virus, others will not be willing to declare their status for fear of being stigmatised.

“We also encourage people to regularly go for testing and counseling to be sure of their status.

“If you are HIV positive and detect it on time, you will be placed on the antiretroviral therapy and other life-saving drugs that will boost the immune system,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dec. 1 of every year is set aside as World AIDS Day to address the problems posed by the pandemic. (NAN)
ODO/MVO
(Edited by Mbadiwe Okwor)

NAN-HE-23

Passage

By Ismaila Chafe

Abuja, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) Senate President Bukola Saraki on Thursday assured of the early passage of the 2017 budget.

Saraki gave the assurance at the State House, Abuja, while answering questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The senate president, therefore, expressed the readiness of the National Assembly to receive the budget proposal.

Cue in audio

“ Once the document comes to us, we are ready.

“I think this time around, a lot of work has taken place behind the scenes – a lot of more collaborations and I think that you will see the result in the time frame it will take after the president will have released his budget.’’

Cue out audio

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the 2017 budget estimates for onward submission to the National Assembly.

NAN further reports that the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, who confirmed this development to State House correspondents, said the date for the presentation of the document would be fixed by the National Assembly.

Saraki then expressed optimism that President Buhari would soon transmit a letter to the National Assembly so as to lay the 2017 budget before it.

He also said normalcy had returned to the senate chamber after Wednesday’s incident where some PDP senators staged a walk-out in protest against one of their colleagues, who defected to APC.

He said: “It is a democracy at work. The opposition party has its views about the defection of a senator to the APC.

“Normalcy has been restored to the house and we are one family again.’’(NAN)

SYC/OSA/YEE

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Emmanuel Yashim

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NAN-AE-19
Inputs
Dutse, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa Government on Thursday said it had distributed farm inputs worth N37 million to 150 wheat farmers for the 2016 dry season farming.

The Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, said this at the launch of inputs for 2016 dry season wheat production in Dutse.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items were distributed under the International Fund for Agricultural Development/Community Agricultural Support Programme (IFAD/CASP).

The items include 600 bags of NPK, 300 bags of Urea and 150 sets of Water Pumps (WP20).

Each of the farmers was given four bags of NPK, two bags of Urea and one set of water pump.

Ali said the inputs were distributed to 150 farmers selected from 19 farmers associations in Buji, Dutse, Kiyawa, Auyo, Taura and Gwiwa Local Government Areas.

The commissioner said the state government had paid its counterpart fund amounting to N137 million for the programme.

According to him, the fund will enhance wheat, maize and tomato production.

Ali said the fund would also be utilised to check farmers/herdsmen clashes as well as help in the demarcation of cattle routes and grazing reserves across the state.

He said the money would be used in providing more windmills in the grazing reserves and on the training of youths in agriculture.

The IFAD Programme Coordinator in the state, Malam Umar Abubakar, said the beneficiaries were expected to cultivate 150 hectares of wheat.

Umar said 150 bags of improved seed distributed to the beneficiaries for the programme and urged them to complement government’s effort.

“It our hope that we succeed in this programme the way we succeeded in our cluster farm scheme.

“But for us to achieve this, you have to make judicious use of the inputs so that you will be able to pay back on time.

“I also want to use this opportunity to commend Gov. Badaru for his support to our programmes,” he said. (NAN)
MNB/MOL/IM
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Ibrahim Mammaga

NAN-HE-24

Shares

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Lagos, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for the second consecutive day on Thursday recorded marginal growth with the All-Share Index appreciating by 0.09 per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the index rose by 23.45 points or 0.09 per cent to close at 25,265. 08 against 25,241.63 posted on Wednesday.

In the same vein, the market capitalisation which opened at N8.689 trillion inched two billion naira to close at N8.691 trillion.

An analysis of the price movement table indicated that Mobil led the gainers’ table gaining N27.33 to close at N294 per share.

Forte Oil garnered N5.49 to close at N59.20 and Okomu Oil appreciated by N1.81 to close at N38.01 per share.

Also, International Breweries chalked up 58k to close at N19 and Oando rose by 18k to close at N3.97 per share.

Conversely, Total recorded the highest price loss to lead the losers’ chart, dropping by N8.10 to close at N250.80 per share.

Nigerian Breweries lost N1.98 to close at N143.02 and CCNN shed 22k to close at N4.26 per share.

NAHCO was down by 13k to close at N2.32 and UAC Property dropped 11k to close at N2.32 per share.

Also, the volume of shares traded closed higher as investors staked N1.91 billion on 773.87 million shares exchanged in 2,334 deals.

NAN reports that this was in contrast with a turnover of 414.16 million shares valued at N3.42 billion transacted in 2,567 deals on Wednesday.

Wema Bank remained the most traded stock with a total of 542.46 million shares worth N292.94 million.

Diamond Bank came second with 91.49 million shares valued at N198.31 million and GT Bank traded 23.74 million shares worth N541.16 million.

NAN reports that FCMB Group accounted for 17.66 million valued at N17.56 million. (NAN)

JNC/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

NAN-HG-23
Funding
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Dec.1, 2016 (NAN) Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to keep its promise to fund testing and treatment of HIV/Aids in order to put the virus under control.

Dr Kema Onu, Site Coordinator of the Foundation, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a sensitisation workshop as part of activities to mark the 2016 World’s Aids Day.

He identified inadequate domestic funding in the face of declining assistance from foreign donors the major challenge facing HIV response in Nigeria.

He urged the government to scale up the political will and step up domestic funding in order to achieve healthy population.

“Funding is still a huge challenge and we want the government to take full responsibility of funding as some patients still pay for their lab test in some states.

“Nigeria has the capacity to fund and sustain the fight against the virus; we should take up the responsibility of our citizens and foreign donors can complement us.

“We want the government to fund the procurement of anti-retro viral drugs in order to end the scourge in Nigeria and globally,’’ he said.

Onu appealed to foreign countries such as Germany, China among others, carrying out social responsibilities in Nigeria to increase their funding for the treatment of HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

He said that are still a large number of Nigerians who do not have access to treatment for HIV/AIDs, adding that increasing funding would enable more persons to receive treatment.

“Statistics from UNAIDS  shows that over 3.2 million people are living with the virus in Nigeria and only about 700,000 are on treatment, which translates to 27 per cent treatment gap which is a huge challenge.

“Out of over 3.2 million persons living with the virus, about 1.3 million are young women and girls between the ages of 15 to 24 years.

“Over 170,000 new infections are recorded annually with over 220,000 Aids related deaths yearly,’’ he said.

The coordinator said that achieving an Aids-free generation was possible if more people knew their status and those found positive placed on treatment.

He said that the awareness level of HIV was high in Nigeria, and stressed the need for behavioural change among the youths to enable them take healthy decisions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aids Healthcare Foundation is the largest non-profit HIV/ Aids organisation in the world that provides healthcare to more than 650,000 patients in 36 countries.

AHF Nigeria has been operating in the country since 2011 and has offices in six states in the federation. (NAN)

TIM/HS/AEA
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Edited by Halima Sheji/Archibong Asuquo

Group demands establishment of Ministry for Persons with Disabilities

NAN-HG-7
Disability
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) The National President of Persons With Disability Initiative Nigeria, Mr Augustine Onwuamaegbu, on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to create a ministry for persons with disabilities.

Onwuamaegbu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, ahead of the World Day of Persons with Disability scheduled for Dec 3.

According to him, the proposed ministry would be able to address the plight of disabled persons in urban and rural areas in the country.

“Sometimes they say they have a department in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development but it is just rehabilitation.

“We need a ministry, a department, agencies so as to articulate programmes for the Person with Disabilities (PWDs),’’ Onwuamaegbu said.

He also said the proposed ministry would address some of the pressing challenges of PWDs in terms of housing, transportation and education.

Onwuamaegbu said in spite of the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and international conventions, the PWDs in the country are not considered with respect to construction of roads, highways and public buildings as well as other key public infrastructure.

However, he called for corporate sponsorship of PWDs in terms of empowerment, education and employment.

Onwuamaegbu said with recent economic recession, many PWDs were suffering in silence.

“Over the year’s people go to seek sponsorship for those people among us who are less privileged, we give scholarships and empower them but with recession, we are yet to be funded.’’

He advised PWDs not to give up on themselves but rather look for meaningful ventures to better their lives.

NAN reports that the International Day of People with Disability is a day that is being promoted by the UN since 1992.

The aim of Disability Day is to encourage a better understanding of people affected by disability.

“ Together with helping to make people more aware of the rights, dignity and welfare of disabled people,’’ the UN said. (NAN)
OEO/HS/MST

Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

NAN-H-78

Games

By Temitope Ponle

Abuja, Dec. 1, 2016 (NAN) Nigeria would host the maiden edition of the West African Public Service Games (WAPSGA), the ECOWAS Commission has said.

Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Ms Fatimata Sow said this at a two-day meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the WAPSGA in Abuja on Thursday.

“Nigeria has been selected to host the first edition of the games.

“This gives us hope as the country which has developed the games will guide the process to its logical conclusion.’’

Sow was represented by the Director, ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, Mr Francis Njoaguani.

She said that the hosting of the games would “expand the scope of employment for the teeming youth of the region’’.

She urged all member states yet to establish their National Federations of WAPSGA to do so without further delay.

She added that the national federations would be the “pillars on which the WAPSGA will flourish’’.

The Head of Division, Youth, Sports and Employment, Mr Kennedy Barsisa recalled that the planning for the games started in 2007.

Barsisa said “by 2017, we will have the first edition of the WAPSGA’’.

Also, the Director, Gender, Youth Civil Society, Employment and Drug Control, Dr Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe said the games would promote sub-regional cooperation.

Tarfa was represented by Mr Daniel Akwasi Amankwaah, a Principal Programme Officer in the commission.

He reiterated the importance of sports in the society and added that it would also enhance integration in the West African region.

“Regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity, sports is enjoyed by all, its reach is unrivalled.

“The West African Public Service Games is a practical step to provide a platform for public servants to interact, share and exchange social and cultural values, thereby enhancing the regional integration agenda of ECOWAS.

“This is in conformity with the ECOWAS Vision 2020, which seeks to navigate from ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of people’’, he said.

The Chairman of the committee and First Secretary of Liberian Embassy, Mr Daniel Rogers, noted that promoting sports in the sub-region was also in line with the UN resolution on sports.

“You will recall that the United Nations in 2003 adopted a resolution to emphasise the role of sports as a means to promote education, health, development and peace.

“These are all essential ingredients in regional integration’’, he said. (NAN)

TOP/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama