Blog

NAN-H-4

Intervention

Damaturu, Nov. 6, 2016 (NAN) Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa, Vice Chairman,  Presidential  Committee on North East Initiative, said the Victims Support Fund (VSF) would provide more interventions to support educational development in communities liberated from insurgency.

Tumsa disclosed this on Sunday while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.

He said, “the VSF,  which is a key component of the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative, will recover public institutions through reconstruction and provision of instructional materials to fast track education in the affected areas.”

Also speaking, Prof. Sunday Ocheche, Executive Director, VSF, said Gujba and Gulani local government areas, had been selected for the special intervention programmes of the fund.

“The fund is working on rebuilding General Hospital Buni Yadi and the Gujba local government secretariat.”

He said victims of insurgency in the two local government areas were supported with agricultural inputs for economic empowerment to facilitate their resettlement and  rehabilitation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, 1,500 women from the two local government areas, were supported with N20,000 each under the VSF Women Economic Empowerment project.

Ocheche said the women were carefully selected through cooperative societies to ensure good spread and fair coverage of the beneficiaries.

“Every  woman is starting a business of her choice with the N20,000 assistance, which is not a loan, for economic empowerment and self reliance.”

He said the programme was to support the victims in the process of resettlement and rehabilitation in their their original communities. (NAN)

MM/YAZ

Edited by Yusuf Zango

NAN-ND-1

Group

By Isaiah Ekah

Uyo, Nov. 6, 2016 (NAN) A socio-cultural group, South-South Solidarity Forum, has urged stakeholders in the Niger Delta to unite and find a way to tackle the resurgence of violence in the region.

The National President of the association, Dr Bassey Umoh, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Sunday.

Umoh appealed to the National and State Assembly members and elder statesmen from the region to convene a summit on the issues of the area and chat the way forward.

He said that the crises in the zone would be better resolved by the people of the region, who would then make their position known to the Federal Government for action.

Umoh said that a peaceful summit by stakeholders rather than military action would be a way to lead to the desired peace in the area.

According to him, the Federal Government must look into the immediate and remote causes of the crises and find lasting solution to the problems of neglect, deprivation and degradation.

“We in the South-South are very worried that there has not been a common platform in tackling these issues and we are not organised as a people.

“If the Federal Government wants to talk to the people of the Niger Delta, who will it talk to as the true representatives?

“This thing has gone beyond engaging few prominent persons from the region.

“If you are a governor today, you are a governor because your state is in Nigeria; if you are a senator you are there because there is an entity called Nigeria.

“If there are crises and secession, would you be a governor or senator or representatives of the people?

“We need a summit that will involve all the governors, senators, speakers and elder statesmen across the region.

“We cannot afford to sit back and watch this astronomical rise of violence in the Niger Delta. The representatives have to form a common front to tackle the problems,’’ he said.

Umoh said that the group was ready to champion the crusade of bringing together the people of the region with a view to finding lasting peace.

He appealed to the Niger Delta Avengers, other militant groups and all aggrieved individuals in the region to eschew violence and embrace peace.

He noted that the resurgence of violence in the region had badly affected the economy of the country. (NAN)

IE/EMO/OPI

Edited by Ejike Obeta and Olisa Ifeajika

NAN-H-61

Women

By Mohammed Mamman

Gulani (Yobe), Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) The Victims Support Fund (VSF) on Saturday inaugurated N30 milliom Women Economic Empowerment project for 1,500 women victims of insurgency in Gujba and Gulani local government areas of Yobe.

Inaugurating the project in Bara town in Yobe, Prof. Sunday Ocheche, the Executive Director of the fund, said the 1,500 women were selected from the two local government areas of the state.

He said, “every woman is receiving N20,000 to start a business for economic empowerment.

Ocheche said the project would support the resettlement of victims displaced by the protracted security challenge in the areas.

The Director assured that part of the fund would be utilized in rebuilding Gujba local government secretariat and the General Hospital in Buni Yadi.

Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa, Vice Chairnan of the fund, said the project was meant to empower women to start their businesses.

“This project is intended to provide women victims of insurgency with a means to rebuild their families,” he said.

The State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, commended the Buhari administration for its commitment to fighting and defeating insurgency in the North east.

Gaidam, who was represented by the state’s commissioner for women affairs, Hajiya Hajara Lawan, said the project would complement the resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts of the state government.

Gaidam said the VSF empowerment programme would contribute to financial stability and enhancement of economic lives of the beneficiaries. (NAN)
MM/SYC
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Edited by Ismaila Chafe

NAN-S-5

League

By Victor Okoye

Abuja, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Action from the English Premier League was full of drama on Saturday as a late Middlesborough goal denied Manchester City all three points, while Chelsea breezed past Everton with a 5-0 thumping of the Toffees.

Following their stunning 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona, Man City were out to maintain their positive momentum in the premier league when they hosted Middlesborough on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match played at the Etihad Stadium saw City completely controlling matters in the first half with Sergio Aguero opening scoring in the 43rd minute.

City had several opportunities to seal the deal but failed to finish things off and M’borough made them pay as Marten de Roon netted a stoppage time equalizer to salvage a point for the visitors.

Following Man City’s earlier slip, Chelsea climbed to the summit of the table, at least for the day, with Arsenal and Tottenham  set to play on Sunday.

However, the Blues needed to get the better of a tricky Everton outfit at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 21 home premier league games against the Toffees and they showed why early on.

Eden Hazard gave his side the lead in the 19th minute. The Chelsea fans had barely finished celebrating Hazard’s goal by the time Antonio Conte’s men doubled their lead.

Summer signing Marcos Alonso was on hand to grab his maiden goal for the club in the 20th minute.

It was all one-way traffic from then on as the Blues dominated possession and dictated the pace of the game.

They could have made it three just after the half hour mark, when Victor Moses hit the upright with a well struck shot.

Nevertheless, they would go into the break in full control as the league’s top scorer, Diego Costa added to his tally, netting his ninth of the season with a sweet volley.

Chelsea maintained their energy and aggression going into the second stanza with star man Hazard their main threat as he grabbed his brace in style.

The Blues were running rampage in London as the Toffees had no answers and Pedro Rodriguez made it 5-0 from close range to put Chelsea in dream land.

NAN also reports that Super Sunday promises yet another thriller as Arsenal and Tottenham will continue the race for the title.

The North London derby is the peak of the bunch with Spurs still unbeaten.

The Blues go top of the premier league by a single point with Arsenal and Liverpool still to play.

Burnley moved into the top half following their win over Crystal Palace.

Bottom of the table, Sunderland finally got off the mark on Saturday with their first win of the season, while Stoke rose to 11th place following their 1-1 draw to West Ham. NAN)

VO/YAZ
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Edited by Yusuf Zango

Sent from my iPhone

NAN-H-59
Rescue
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Nov. 5, 2016  (NAN) The police command in Oyo State on Saturday rescued a 10-year-old girl, who was allegedly unlawfully imprisoned by her father, the spokesman for the police, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu,  said.

Ajisebutu told newsmen that the victim was allegedly locked up in a room for three days without food by her father, who was currently at large.

He said that the girl was rescued by policemen from the Challenge Police Station.

“The police had acted on a tip=off from neighbours. The police responded swiftly and visited the house at Ajeigbe area, Ring Road, Ibadan.

“On arrival at the scene, it was discovered that three padlocks were used to lock the room. The locks had to be broken by the police before the little girl could be rescued,”  Ajisebutu said.

He said that the victim had been properly fed and taken to the police clinic for medical attention.

Ajisebutu said that the case was under investigation and that efforts had  been intensified to apprehend the suspect, who was at large. (NAN)

TAA/JCE

Edited by Chukwudi Ekezie

NAN-AE-5
Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted dusty, hazy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Sunday.

NiMet made the prediction in the Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Saturday in Abuja.

It said that partly cloudy skies were expected over few areas like Lokoja, Makurdi, Ilorin and Jalingo during morning hours with night time temperatures of 28 to 34 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy to partly cloudy mornings of the forecast period.

It also predicted prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Akure, Oshogho, Owerri, Awka, Benin, Port-Harcourt, Calabar, Lagos and Eket in the evening and night hours with night time temperatures of 32 to 33 degrees Celsius.

According to NiMet, northern states will experience dust haze with visibility of one to three kilometres over Kano, Sokoto, Nguru, Kastina and Maiduguri and night time temperatures of 35 to 37 degrees Celsius.

“Maiduguri, Potiskum, Nguru, Damaturu and Yola should have better visibility of between one to three kilometers with maximum temperatures of 34 to 39 degrees Celsius.

“Fresh dust plume has been raised from Chad republic which is expected to transport to the country in addition to the existing dust in suspension.

“There will be persistent reduced horizontal visibility over northern cities, hazy in the central part and partly cloudy condiction is anticipated over parts of the south with isolated thunderstorms,’’ NiMet predicted. (NAN)
OYS/WS/AFA
Edited by Wandoo Sombo/Felix Ajide
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Shell, FRSC organise safety competition for 15 schools in Jigawa

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Competition
Dutse, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Fifteen schools in Jigawa participated in the National Safety Competition for Senior Secondary Schools organised by Shell Petroleum Development Company in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

Mr Angus Ibezim, the FRSC Sector Commander in the state, said the competition, sponsored by Shell and conducted by the corps, was aimed at testing the participants’ safety knowledge and consciousness.

Ibezim said that it has also equipped the students with modern skills and knowledge on how to deal with safety and other emergency situations in schools and homes.

“This is an annual event, a competition being organised by FRSC in collaboration with Shell Petroleum; FRSC is driving it while the Shell is sponsoring it.

“The essence of this competition is to drive the Federal Government’s effort and programme on “Catch them Young.”

“It is FRSC project meant to ensure that we inculcate in the children the enduring road safety, so that as they grow up with it, when they become adults, and they will not depart from it.

“That is why we have Road Safety Clubs in schools to enable the schools train them with the knowledge and capacity to observe road safety rules, save their lives and lives of others on the road,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2016 written examination was conducted at Government Commercial Unity Secondary in School, Dutse.

NAN also reports that the Jigawa state College for the Gifted and Talented, Birninkudu, emerged the overall winner of the competition by scoring 75 per cent while Government Commercial Unity School, Dutse, came second with 72 per cent, followed by Salem Group of Schools, Dutse, with 68 per cent.

He said winners would receive different books on safety so that students would be encouraged to read and become acquainted with road safety rules and regulations.

He, however, said that the best three wining schools would also compete at the zonal level coming up later in November.

According to him, the wining schools would also have the privilege to represent the state at the national level.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Rabi Ishaq said that 150 schools were supposed to participate in the competition.

She urged the FRSC to do more in order to mobilise all secondary schools in the state to participate next year.

The commissioner was represented by Malam Kamil Ibrahim, a Deputy Director Special Duties, in the state. (NAN)
MNB/ASS/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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Lagos -Ibadan road not totally closed to traffic- Oyeyemi
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Expressway
By Angela Atabo

Abuja Nov.5, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Commission has said that the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is not totally closed to traffic as claimed by the public .

Mr Bisi Kazeem, FRSC Head Media and Strategy said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

kazeem said that it was only a section of the road that was closed.

The statement said that the FRSC Cops Marshal Dr Boboye Oyeyemi “Contrary to the wide held belief among the public that the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway has been totally closed.

” I want to clarify that it was only a section of the road that traffic is being diverted to the opposite side to enable the ongoing construction work along the road progress without hindrances.

“We are not happy with the hardships being experienced by the commuters, but we know that it is only a temporal sacrifice that has to be borne by people to allow for unhindered work on the road.”

Oyeyemi  appealed for patience, saying “when fully completed, the road users would heave a sigh of relief. ”

According to him, it is with an uneasiness that the approval for the temporal closure of the section of the road was given to the construction company.

He said that given the need to complete the road within the stipulated time and the volume of traffic being attracted along the route, the Corps was left with no option but to grant the request.

He said that it was not all the parts of the highway that was affected by the diversion order, but only five kilometer stretch before the interchange along the Lagos-Ibadan axis of the road.

He added that the Ibadan to Lagos axis of the road remains fully open to traffic except where those diverted had to share the road with oncoming vehicles.

Oyeyemi said this called for greater patience and tolerance on the part of the motorists in the collective desire to ensure orderliness at the spot.

He stressed that from the assurances given by the construction companies, he was convinced that the work is progressing according to schedules and would be completed within time limit

He added that the heightened gridlock witnessed on Friday was due to some religious programmes taking place along the route which contributed to the unusual traffic build up.

He assured that appropriate measures were being taken to reduce people’s hardships.

He also warned those that take advantage of the situation to drive against traffic, vowing that such offenders would not be spared if caught.(NAN)
ATAB/OFN

Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-49
Tourism
By Collins Yakubu-hammer
Abuja, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) Dr Charles Ugwuanyi, a Consultant Neurosurgeon with the Wellington Neurosurgery Centre, Abuja, says that Nigeria loses 1 billion dollars annually to medical tourism abroad.
Ogwuanyi made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the ‘Wellington Foundation fourth annual CME Course’ on Saturday in Abuja.
He called on the government to create enabling environment in the country to reduce the trend and make more Nigerians visit hospitals within the country to access quality health care.
“The country is losing at least one billion dollars on annual basis to medical tourism abroad; if we reduce the trend and retain that money in our health industry, it will move us forward.
“Let Nigerians know that those countries they are going to for medical tourism have also passed through this stage that we are now.
“We need to look at what they did to pass that stage; the government should create an enabling environment by encouraging medical insurance and private investors to provide and maintain those services.
“Also to reduce the trend, there should be equal local opportunity; all hands must be on deck by the Non-government organisations, private investors and of course the government,” Ugwuanyi said.
He urged the government to look at the reason why people go abroad for medical treatment and create similar opportunities in the country.
According to him, such opportunities will encourage Nigerians to look inwards for local solution to their health challenges.
“There is no better time than now that we are suffering from economy recession that we need to look for local solutions to our problems.
“This will mark the beginning to the reversal of medical tourism to foreign countries,” he said.
The Neurosurgeon also said that ‘circulation disorder’ in children is common in the environment.
He said lack of awareness was responsible for reason most parents brought their children at the late stage of the disorder to the hospitals.
“When they present their children to us late, there is not much we can do because the child will have already lost the viable neurology; at that stage, the brain is already death.
“There is nothing we can do to replace the brain; there is no brain transplant, but these are problems that can be corrected at early stage, either before conception or after delivery.
“However, at the Wellington Centre, there is a new equipment called ‘Medtronic Neuro Navigation System;’ these mechine is use to treat circulation disorder and hydrocephalus in children.
“In the last one month, the centre has successfully treated four cases; it is so nice, so good and increases precision and accuracy operating the human cerebrum,” Ugwuanyi said. (NAN)
CMY/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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13 die in boat mishap, tanker fire in Niger

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Accidents

By Aminu Ahmed Musa

Minna, Nov. 5, 2016 (NAN) A total of seven people have died in a boat mishap on River Gbako in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday, an official of the state emergency agency said.

Similarly, six people also died when fuel laden tankers collided in Mokwa.

Malam Ahmed Inga, Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency told newsmen in Minna on Saturday that four women and three children drawned when the boat they were travelling in capsised.

He explained that the boat was conveying 10 female farmers from Balsa community to a rice farm across the river.

Inga said that three women were rescued by local divers after the accident, which occurred at about 11 am.

“Yabagi Ibrahim, the owner of the farm lost a wife, a daughter and granddaughter in the unfortunate incident,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Gbako river is located on the border between Katcha and Lavun local government area of the state.

Similarly, six people also died when fuel laden tankers caused multiple accidents in Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government area of the state.

The director general said that two petrol tankers were invoolved in the accident which occurred on Friday due to break failure.

“It was said to have hit the one in front, which veered off the road and rammed against the wall of a guest house in the town,” he said.

He said that the tanker with the failed break also hit another one parked with the product by the side of the road, causing an explosion and fire.

Inga said many people sustained injuries, with two in critical condition and receiving treatment at Mokwa General Hospital.(NAN)

AAG/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed