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NAN-S-8
Walkover
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) Gateway FC of Abeokuta on Sunday in Ilorin refused to enter the pitch to play its Nigeria National League (NNL) day 14 match against Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC over what it tagged security lapses.

After the mandatory 30-minutes wait at the Kwara Stadium Complex, venue of the match, centre referee Hamza Garba from Kano sounded his whistle to confirm a walkover for the Ilorin-based side.

Walkover rules stipulate that the team, whose players were on the pitch for the entire 30 minutes before the centre referee sounded his whistle, (ABS Ilorin FC), gets three points.

ABS coach Henry Makinwa told newsmen after the game that the outcome of the match was a dream come true for him.

“I’m delighted we won the game as stipulated by the rules. I don’t know why they (Gateway United FC) refused to play.

“They were right there in the stadium but what the justifiable reason was for not playing is beyond me and beyond reasoning.

“If security is their reason, I think they got it wrong. There were enough policemen present, about 50 to 60 of them; so, why should they not play?

“At worst, they could have played under protest; as it is right now, I can say congratulations to my team for making it possible for us to get promoted into the Nigeria Professional Football League,” Makinwa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both teams were tied on 21-points but the Abeokuta-based team had superior goal advantage of plus six over ABS Ilorin’s plus five.

NAN also reports that no Gateway FC official was ready to comment on the match’s outcome as at the time of filing this report.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive committee member and Chairman, Referees Appointment Committee, Ahmed Fresh and SWAN President, Honour Sirawo were among spectators at the venue to watch the match. (NAN)
OOH/HAS/OFN
Edited By Hajia Sani//Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-34
Extension
Jos, Oct. 30 2016 (NAN) The on-going Jos Trade Fair has been extended by two days to enable Plateau civil servants receive their salary and benefit from the fair.

Mrs Bolcit Barshep, Managing Director of Anista Marketing, joint organisers of the fair with Plateau Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PLACCIMA)  announced the extension on Sunday in Jos.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the closing date of the Fair, fixed for Oct.29, had now been extended to Nov. 1.

She said that the extension was to enable salary earners, especially Local, State and Federal Government employees, receive their salaries and fully participate in the Fair.

“The trade fair commenced on Oct. 18 and most civil servants  have not been paid to be able to purchase items at subsidized rates.

“Most of them are praying for an extension into the first week of November, to enable them get their salaries and take advantage of the low prices to make purchases.

“That is why we have extended the fair,” she explained.

In reaction, some civil servants said they were elated at the development as they had earlier visited  venue of the fair but lacked the purchasing power to buy items at subsidized rate.

Mrs Chundung Gyang, a civil servant with the state Ministry of Agriculture, said the extension would enable her purchase quality clothes and shoes at low price.

“I am very thankful to the organisers of this event;they are very attentive and sensitive to the wish of customers.

“With this extension, I am very hopeful that I will be able to purchase those clothes and shoes for my children for Christmas as my salary would have been paid before the fair ends,” she said.

Similarly, Miss Salome Amos, another state civil servant, said that she saw a lot of kitchen wares at subsidised rates that she would go for.

“I could not purchase them earlier because I had no money to do so.

“With the extension of the fair, I will make withdrawals immediately I am paid my salary and purchase them,” she said.

Mr Emmanuel Eze, a Federal civil servant expressed the hope that he would have been paid on the last day of the fair.

“I will then give my wife money to go and make purchases for the house,” he said. (NAN)
UBO/ECN/ASH
Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye

NAN-H-45
Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted partly cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Monday morning and afternoon.

The NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Sunday in Abuja, added that the central states would have maximum temperatures of 29 to 37 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy morning with prospect of localised thunderstorms over the entire inland cities.

It also predicted localised rain over the entire coast in the afternoon and evening hours with maximum temperatures of 30 to 34 degrees Celsius.

According to NiMet, northern states will have sunny and dry conditions are expected in the morning and afternoon hours with improved visibility and maximum temperatures of 32 to 37 degrees Celsius.

“No fresh Plume of dust has been raised over the source region, sunny and dry conditions are anticipated over the extreme northern parts of the country.

“Localised thunderstorms and showers are expected over the south in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted. (NAN)
OYS/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-S-6
Moses
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) Victor Moses says he is “relishing” playing as a wing-back for Chelsea this season after struggling to hit the ground running since joining the Blues in 2012.

Moses opened up on the club’s website on why he has thrived as a wing-back despite having never played in that role before and credits his outstanding performance to his Italian manager at the club, Antonio Conte.

The 25-year-old has featured in eight Premier League matches for Chelsea, including in their last three against Hull City, Leicester City and Manchester United which they have won without conceding.

The Nigeria international said he was only focused on improving as a wing-back in Chelsea’s 3-4-3 formation.

“I have not played there before. I have just got to listen to what the manager asks me to do in that position and the way he wants me to do it.

“It’s very important to understand your teammates; so, every game we played, I just want to keep on improving.

“The more games you play, the more experience you get in that position and I’m really relishing and enjoying it at the moment.

“I have got Azpilicueta there, the spare right-back, who is behind me and he communicates with me and really helps me out to make sure I am in the right position.

“It’s very good to link up with Pedro and Willian too. They know when it’s time for me to go or when not to go.

“We speak to each other and we look at each other’s movement to make sure we are doing the right thing on the pitch,” Moses explained on the website.

He stated that the club’s performance in recent matches was due to serious “work as a unit in training”.

The former Wigan Athletic player hopes they can “keep the momentum going” in subsequent matches. (NAN)
VO/HAS/OFN
Edited By Hajia Sani//Felix Nwadioha

NAN-S-5
Tennis
Singapore, Oct. 30, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova secured the biggest victory of her career when she stormed to a 6-3 6-4 triumph over world number one, Angelique Kerber to claim the WTA Finals title on Sunday.

Cibulkova, making her debut in the elite eight-woman event, was at her effervescent best against her overwhelmed opponent, never giving the top seed an inch as she sealed an unlikely victory with a monumental hold of serve in a tense finale.

Kerber, the Australian and U.S. Open champion, is known for her resilience and fought to the bitter end of an absorbing contest but Cibulkova gritted her teeth and claimed victory with a lucky net cord on her fourth championship point.

“Coming here for the first time and winning the biggest tournament of my life, I just have no words.

“When the ball just went in on the match point, it was the happiest moment of my life,” said Cibulkova, who lost her first two matches in Singapore this week.

Cibulkova lost a tight three-setter to Kerber in her first round-robin match but turned the tables on the German in the final and will climb to a career-high world number five in the next rankings.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a nerve-settling comfortable hold to open the contest and immediately set about attacking a tentative Kerber.

Her booming forehand secured an early break as she raced into a 3-0 lead following another strong service game.

Kerber was slowly growing into the contest but still struggling to contain her opponent’s all-action style and the German would have been relieved to stave off another threat in her next service game to finally get on the scoreboard.

A loose forehand in the previous game was the first sign of a drop in intensity in Cibulkova’s game and Kerber utilised her exceptional defense to force the Slovakian into a few more errors.

She broke back to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

Cibulkova would not be denied, however, and her low-trajectory drives into the corners were becoming a problem Kerber was finding difficult to solve.

The seventh seed swarmed all over the German to break again and pull 5-2 clear.

Kerber secured her easiest hold of the match to force Cibulkova to serve for the set and the Slovakian proved up to the task.

She emphatically claimed the opener with a powerful forehand winner on her first set point.

The German appeared more focused at the start of the second set but Cibulkova was timing the ball beautifully and matching her opponent shot-for-shot as she wrapped off the set 6-4. (Reuters/NAN)
VO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-43
Services
By Aisha Ahmed
Kano, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) A Kano-based lawyer, Mr Ma’aruf Yakasai, has said his law firm will offer free legal services o the less privileged in the state.

Yakasai said this when he established a Prestige Law Clinic Unit in his chamber in Kano on Sunday.

He said it was the corporate responsibility of every lawyer to defend the less privileged in the society, adding that such free services were common all over the world.

According to him, the gesture will open the space for our congested prisons and ensure speedy dispensation of cases that are pending in various courts.

He noted that the less privileged always find it difficult to settle legal charges, and stressed that many cases were pending in courts because of the inability of people associated with them to shoulder the financial burden.

Yakasai further said that with the trend, the issue of decongesting prisons would remain unresolved.

He stressed the need for community support for the new initiative which led to the establishment of the Prestige Law Clinic Unit in the Chamber. (NAN)
AAA/JPE/OFN
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-42
NHIS
By Bassey Bassey
Uyo, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), says there is no record of the real number of people covered by the scheme in Nigeria.

Yusuf made the assertion on Saturday in Uyo at a one-day legislative retreat on immunisation, health financing and the National Health Act organised for House of Representatives Committees on Health Services.

The executive secretary said that he had decided to carry out biometric verification of the actual enrollees in the scheme in view of the lapses noticed in its implementation.

He said that he had already set up an enforcement department to ensure that the scheme work for the benefit of Nigerians.

“NHIS has the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of our people. We have agreed that it will not be business as usual.

“NHIS is the central bank of healthcare in Nigeria,” Yusuf said, but expressed regrets that management of the scheme since its inception in 2005 had made the scheme look elitist.

Yusuf said that NHIS was the only effective means to achieve universal health coverage in Nigeria, where the rich and the poor get healthcare without suffering financial burden.

He said he had the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to cleanse the scheme of endemic corruption, impunity, inefficiency and political patronage.

the executive secretary decried the fact that scheme was working more for the interest of the Health Management Organisations (HMOs) rather than the enrollees.

“NHIS is subsidy to HMOs. We paid the HMOs three months ahead. I paid in the last quarter eight billion naira.

“They keep inflating the number of enrollees that they have. We will conduct biometric verification of enrollees,” Yusuf said.

He urged the elected representatives of the people to get involved in NHIS to deliver healthcare to their various constituents.

Yusuf pleaded with the state governments to key into the scheme and take healthcare to the rural populace.

The retreat was sponsored by International Vaccine Access Centre, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.

Other co-sponsors were Direct Consulting and Logistics and ONE campaign, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning and Community Health Research Initiative.

The other stakeholders and sponsors, included Preston Healthcare Consulting, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NHIS and Federal Ministry of Health. (NAN)
BB/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

Stakeholders urge FG to allocate 6 per cent of 2017 Budget to health sector

NAN-H-23
Communiqué
Uyo, Oct. 30, 2016 (NAN) The stakeholders’ retreat on immunization, health financing and the National Health Act have urged the Federal Government to allocate six per cent of the 2017 Budget to health sector.
The stakeholders also urged the Federal Government to allocate 7.5 per cent of the 2018 Budget to health sector with a view to attaining 15 per cent by 2026.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the retreat, the stakeholders decried poor quality of healthcare in Nigeria resulting from poor funding and non-implementation of the National Health Act 2014.
The retreat noted that the Abuja Declaration of 2001 endorsed by African Union (AU) had proposed setting aside of 15 per cent annual budget by African countries for health sector financing.
The communiqué further urged the Federal Government to ensure 100 per cent release and cash backing for all budgetary provisions for the health sector.
The stakeholders called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to involve the legislature and civil society organisations (CSOs) in policy formulation and implementation of budget process.
The retreat urged the House Committees on Health to work with CSOs to ensure budgetary allocation of one per cent of consolidated revenue fund to Basic Healthcare Fund in 2017.
It recommended that the House of Representatives should collaborate with the Senate to allocate adequate funds for immunization, family planning, nutrition, maternal and new-born child health services in 2017.
The communiqué called on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to conduct biometric verification of all health insurance enrolees in Nigeria by 2017.
It urged NHIS to work with stakeholders in the sector to achieve universal health coverage for all Nigerians by 2030 with active involvement of states, communities and private sector.
The retreat recommended that the Federal Ministry of Health should constitute a Health Sector Working Group made up of key stakeholders to work on Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) implementation.
The communiqué urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to strengthen government institutions for the monitoring of released funds to the health sector to ensure prudent application of approved budget.
The retreat called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to evolve programmes that would encourage local production of vaccines by 2026.
The one-day legislative retreat held in Uyo on Saturday was organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), National Immunization Task Team (NIFT) for members, House of Representatives’ committees on Health Services.
The retreat was sponsored by International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC), Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Direct Consulting and Logistics (DCL) and ONE campaign.
Other co-sponsors are Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Community Health Research Initiative (CHR), Preston Healthcare Consulting, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), NHIS and Federal Ministry of Health. (NAN) BB/WOJ
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-S-4
Murray
Vienna, Oct. 30, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Andy Murray’s charge toward the world number one ranking continued as he beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 7-6(6) to claim the Vienna Open title on Sunday.

The Briton, seeking to end Serbian Novak Djokovic’s stranglehold on the number one spot by the end of the year, was cruising toward his third consecutive title before Tsonga turned the match into a real fight.

Murray was 3-1 ahead in the second set and had three break points to move 4-1 ahead but Tsonga dug in and began to play some stunning tennis to the delight of the crowd.

Tsonga broke for the first time to level the set at 4-4 when Murray made a rare unforced error and began hitting with ferocious power to shake the Scot.

The 29-year-old Murray, who won the titles in Beijing and Shanghai to eat into Djokovic’s lead in the rankings, would not be denied though and played a typically solid tiebreak.

He failed to convert his first match point when he netted a forehand return but set up another with a brilliant flicked backhand down the line off a cute Tsonga dropshot.

He then nailed a first serve to complete victory and secure a career-best seventh title of the season.

Murray’s 15th consecutive match win means he can overtake Djokovic by winning next week’s Paris Masters before the season concludes at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

He is now only 415 points in arrears of the Serb who will be under pressure to try to defend his title in Paris.

Should Wimbledon champion Murray overhaul Djokovic, he will become the oldest first-time world number one since John Newcombe scaled the summit aged 30 in 1974. (Reuters/NAN)
VO/JPE/OFN
Edited by Joseph Edeh//Felix Nwadioha