Blog

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Nutrition
By Oluwakemi Oladipo
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Some nutrition experts have stressed the importance of eating healthy meals, during and after pregnancy, to prevent under-nutrition in mothers and babies.

The experts made the assertion at a Media Workshop organised by Nestle Nigeria plc. in Agbara, Ogun.

The theme of the workshop is: “Good Nutrition, a Way of Life’’.

Dr Bartholomew Brai, the National President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, said, “under-nutrition during critical periods in development can lead to adverse health outcomes later in life.

“So, mothers should eat balanced and varied diet with the right amounts of vitamins and minerals.

“They should maintain normal weight prior to pregnancy, and healthy weight gain during pregnancy should be encouraged.

“After pregnancy, all mothers should practice six months exclusive breastfeeding; no other solids or liquid foods should be given to the baby.

“ Feeding on colostrum is a health benefit that comes from breast milk, because, it supplies the essential nutrients needed for baby’s cognitive development.

“Exclusive breastfeeding also protects against gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, slow infant weight gain and lower risk of obesity,’’ Brai said.

He said that breastfeeding was very relevant toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three.

According to him, SDG three seeks to ensure health and wellbeing for all, and it addresses reproductive, maternal and child health, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, as well as environmental diseases.

Brai said that appropriate complementary feeding was also a proven intervention to significantly reduce stunting during the first two years of life.

Also, Mr Chukwuma Muanya, the Deputy Editor, Guardian Newspaper, urged companies that were into nutrition products and services to support or partner with research firms to conduct surveys on nutrition.

According to him, research findings on nutrition issues attract high media interest and coverage, and should be publicised to members of the public.

On the challenges of reporting nutrition stories, Muanya said, “most nutrition studies and stories are sponsored by the industries or manufacturers.

“There is lack of specialised training in reporting science, nutrition and health, as well as poor funding for logistics, field visits and investigative stories.

“ Building the capacity of journalists to cover nutrition case studies, brand surveys and sensitisation of media editors on nutrition issues, is also a challenge,’’ he said.

In her remarks, Mrs Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, Manager, the Nestle Nutrition Institute, Africa, Anglophone, Central West African Region, said that the workshop was aimed at raising the level of media coverage of nutrition and creating shared value.

According to her, one of the major nutritional challenges in West Africa is the high prevalence of micro nutrient deficiencies, especially among children and women.

She said that the major interest of the company was to make societal challenges and business needs to intersect. (NAN)
OKG/VIV/GOK
Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Olagoke Olatoye
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Don calls for attitudinal change to save healthcare sector

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Healthcare
By Modupe Seriboh
Ibadan, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Ayo Arowojolu of University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan, has called for attitudinal change of all stakeholders to save the health system of the country.

Arowojolu, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, made the appeal on Friday as a guest lecturer at the annual general reunion of Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association.

The ceremony has as its theme: “The challenges of the Nigeria Health Care System’’.

He said that the health system was facing many daunting challenges which have affected the country’s health indices and demographic statistics.

According to him, research now showed that the average life expectancy of Nigerians at birth has dropped from 54 years in 2005 to 45 years in recent years.

Arowojolu that the poor state of the health system was attributed to the collapse of the primary and secondary tier levels of medical care.

He attributed archaic and substandard nature of health facilities as the major challenge to healthcare delivery system in the country.

“Some states in the federation still rely on the old general hospitals built by the colonial masters pre-independence while many facilities lack modern day equipment needed for the current trend in medical facilities,’’ he said.

He said that this has resulted to a rise in medical tourism where wealthy Nigerians travel abroad for medical attention.

Arowojolu said that research also showed that more than 5,000 Nigerians travel abroad for medical attention every month resulting in loss of N78 billion annually to capital flight.

The gynaecologist said that unemployment and lack of political will by the Federal and most State Governments to invest adequately on health have combine to compound the problems of healthcare delivery.

“Poor funding of health occurs at all government levels. Nigeria has a low domestic commitment to health, with less than five per cent of the country’s GDP going to health.

“In spite of WHO recommendation that countries should spend at least 10 per cent of their GDP on health, the country has very low budget allocations for health,’’ he said.

However, he said that the solution to the healthcare challenges would start with attitudinal change which perceives Nigeria as a single entity.

“This should be coupled with the establishment of healthcare centres for the provision of basic healthcare services such as immunisation against the major infectious diseases, mother and child healthcare.

“Others include family planning, treatment and prevention of communicable diseases, including STI and the provision of basic diagnostic tools.

“It is important to note that the successes of developed countries in their health services are the provision of adequate emergency care services,’’ Arowojolu said.

Arowojolu called on the government to make ambulance services available and mandatory in all local government areas which are lacking in most Nigerian communities.

The National President of the association, Mr Biodun Jolaoye, said that the lecture was timely in view of the fact that the concept of healthcare system has always been faced with ill health.

Jolaoye said that the annual event always dwells on issues of national interest, adding that speakers are only distinguished old boys. (NAN)

MAM/FF/MST

Edited by Fela Fashoro/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

ECOWAS Force to assist UN Mission in Mali

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Force
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), Col. Seidou Morou said on Friday that plans are underway for the troop to assist the UN Mission in Mali at the level of the African Union.

Morou told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of a five-day workshop, organised by the International  Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and ECOWAS on humanitarian laws in Abuja.

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), was established by Security Council resolution 2100 of April 25, 2013.

Under the terms of the resolution, according to a report, the Mission would support the political process and carry out a number of security-related stabilisation tasks.

It will also focused on major population centres and lines of communication, protecting civilians, human rights monitoring and the creation of conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance.

Others are the return of displaced persons, the extension of state authority and the preparation of free, inclusive and peaceful elections.

Morou described the Malian crisis as a “complex one” and that plans were underway to “generate” a force to assist the mission.

“The crisis in Mali is very complex but the population does not understand that; what is going on is not only a conventional war but an asymmetric war. When in Mali, it was no longer ECOWAS Standby Force, it is MINUSMA, that is the UN Mission; the standby force wants to go back but at the level of the AU.

“We are trying to generate a force that will assist MINUSMA because it cannot do all the missions, because UN mission is a peacekeeping mission. When you need a force to intervene, UN Mission cannot because they have to get a mandate different from the one they have,” he said.

He explained that it is a peacekeeping mission not fighting force, “so we need another fighting force that can intervene in the crisis. People are making mistakes, peacekeeping mission is not a peace imposing mission; peacekeeping missions do not have the mandate to fight.”

Morou further added that the just concluded workshop would promote the respect for human rights and humanitarian laws by security personnel.

He added that the respect for human rights and the humanitarian laws would reflect positively on the institution and the sub-region.

“We want security personnel to be aware of the international humanitarian laws so they can assist efficiently in crises situations and reduce casualties.

“No matter the crisis, we will like the military to be well-behaved by respecting human rights, so this can reflect positively on the institution and the sub-region,” he said.

Mr Frederico Almendra, a delegate for the Armed and Security Forces for the Lake Chad representing ICRC, said that the workshop would assist security personnel in the application of humanitarian laws in their operations.

“You have the simultaneous applications of different legal frameworks that officers frequently are called to manage and it becomes very complicated.

“The objective was to dispute less the value of international humanitarian law and see how it can be applied to the kind of operations they conduct,” he said.

The workshop addressed the inclusion of relevant legal concepts into the planning of military operations.

No fewer than 50 security personnel from the 15-member states participated in the workshop, organised by the ICRC and ECOWAS. (NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)

Expert urges government to leverage on ICT sector

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ICT
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Mr Rex Abitogun, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert, on Friday urged the Federal Government to leverage on the enormity of wealth lying on ICT sector to boost the economy.

Abitogun, also Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society, Abuja Chapter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the society’s Bi-Monthly meeting.

“If you want to get out of recession ICT professionals needs to be in the fore-front because we can help our people and government to develop solution that would keep the money in the country.

“Most of the time, you find out that people buy applications from outside without an input from the local professionals.

“When you have people in-house, they can advise the government on areas that will affect people positively within the country.

“And equally build our future leaders to embrace ICT and this can get us out of recession,’’ he said.

However, Abitogun said that government was not doing enough for the profession, adding that ICT is globally recognised and nothing could be done without it.

“But it is a pity that in our country, we don’t take ICT professionals and profession seriously. We see ICT as call centres in some ministries or departments.

“You must spend money to build capacity of your ICT professionals to get good results and FIRS has just shown us how they are using ICT to increase the revenue target of the federal government,’’ the chairman said.

Abitogun also called on government to create an office of Chief Information Officer of the Federation that would be in the fore front of advising government on ICT policies.

He said that by creating such an office, it will help move the country forward as ICT professionals would be able work together to help government to grow.

Abitogun explained that the society’s function was to bring members and some non-members together to impact them with knowledge,

“We provide platform for people to network with each other and equally to grow.

“We have the academia, we have those from the government, we have students from University of Abuja, we have captains of industry and we discuss things that will help government to grow,’’ he said. (NAN)
COA/AOM/MST
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

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WAEC

By Victor Adeoti

Osogbo, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Osun Government on Friday said the 46.3 per cent performance rate of its students in 2016 West African Examination Council (WAEC) result was attributable to its huge investment in the education sector.

Mr Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the governor, made the remark in a statement in Osogbo on Friday.

He said for a state that once fell to a woeful six per cent performance in the past to have moved up to 46.3 per cent illustrated the fact that government’s interventions in education were paying off.

He said government was not yet satisfied or resting on its oars until the state emerged the best in the country in external examinations.

Okanlawon said that the 2016 WAEC result for the state was the best in the last 13 years.

“Under Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s administration, the state has recorded gradual upward move from the abysmal performances due to the various interventions in the sector.

“For instance, the state has discouraged enrollment of students whose performances in internal examinations were nothing to write home about.

“This has compelled many of the students to change their orientation toward learning.

“Other novel interventions such as provision of stand-alone Tablet of Knowledge (Opon Imo) to all students writing WAEC each year has made learning much easier.

“Better learning environment has also contributed in no small measure to the improved results.

“So far, Osun has completed 1,694 classrooms in the existing elementary, middle and high schools; providing accommodation for 84,700 pupils at 50 pupils per classroom.

“We have provided more than 100,000 desks and chairs, toilets and boreholes for them’’, he said.

Okanlawon said with various interventions by government in education sector, the state was on its path of education glory. (NAN)

VE/FF/IEA

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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Idahosa Asowata

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Shares
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday recorded lowest trade volume with exchange of 70.94 million shares valued at N656.02 million transacted in 1,973 deals due to poor liquidity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the volume declined by 36.59 per cent when compared with 111.89 million shares worth N4.01 billion traded in 2,699 deals on Thursday.

Banking stocks remained the most active, with FBN Holdings emerging the most traded equity, accounting for 8.32 million shares valued at N25.02 million.

It was trailed by GTBank which sold 8.15 million shares worth N197.71 million, while Access Bank accounted for 7.79 million shares valued at N44.01 million.

Zenith Bank traded 6.07 million shares worth N89.36 million, while investors staked N2.49 million on 4.99 million shares of Wapic Insurance.

NAN also reports that market indices dropped marginally by 0.01 per cent.

The All-Share Index which opened at 27,598.34 lost 1.52 points or 0.01 per cent closed at
27,596.82.

Also, market capitalisation shed N1 billion or 0.01 per cent to close at N9.478 trillion against N9.479 trillion posted on Thursday.

PZ Industries recorded the highest price loss to lead the losers’ chart with a loss of 92k to close at N17.48 per share.

Cadbury came second on the table, having lost 69k to close at N3.13, while GTBank dipped 21k to close at N24.28 per share.

Dangote Flour lost 8k to close at N3.75 and Dangote sugar also declined by 8k to close at N6.20 per share.

Conversely, Seplat led the gainers’ table with a gain of N18.40 to close at N386.40 per share.

Mobil Oil followed with a gain of N3 to close at N190 and Oando chalked up 10k to close at N5.20 per share.

NPF Micro Finance Bank improved by 5k to close at N1.05 and Caverton grew by 4k to close at 86k per share. (NAN)
JNC/MO/HA
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(Edited by Morayo Omolade/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

Bauchi showcase best costumes in 2016 national festival

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Costumes

Bauchi, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Mr Zaman Wasani, the Director of Culture, Bauchi State Ministry for Information, Tourism and Culture, has said that the state took first position in cultural materials and costumes display in the just concluded National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST).

Wasani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that the victory was due to the commitment of the state government and people of the state in maintaining their beautiful culture.

He said that the state competed in six different events and won three among them, coming fourth position in both food cuisine and traditional wrestling.

The director urged parents to imbibe the habit of involving their young ones in cultural activities.

“We should lead by example, parents should develop the love of culture so that they can step it down to their children.

“Culture is a way of life and because we are deviating from our traditional culture, the society is losing its norms and values,” he explained. (NAN)

AE/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

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FAAN

By Solomon Asowata

Lagos, Oct.21, 2016 (NAN) Mr Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Friday formally assumed office at the Airports Council International (ACI)-Africa General Assembly in Maputo, Mozambique.

The Media Consultant to FAAN on ACI-Africa Maputo, Mr Yakubu Dati, made the announcement in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN reports that Dunoma was elected President, ACI-Africa at its ongoing annual assembly, regional conference and exhibition in Maputo.

The statement said Dunoma was presented to the assembly and also made a presentation on behalf of ACI-Africa to the outgone President, Pascal Komla.

According to the statement, the occasion was attended by the Director General ACI World, Mrs Angela Gittens , the Secretary-General, Mr Ali Tounsi, and board members of the organisation.

“Dunoma has made history as the first Nigerian to preside over the body made up of 62 members, operating 250 airports in 47 countries throughout the African continent.

“He is also to represent ACI Africa on the board of ACI World alongside Mr Bongani of South Africa.

“ACI is a non-for-profit organisation with five geographical regions – Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin American-Caribbean and North America.

“A consummate team player and dedicated professional, Dunoma has over three decades of hands-on experience in the aviation sector, which will come to bear in his presidency,” it said.

The statement quoted the Charge D’Affaires of the Nigerian High Commission in Maputo, Mrs Wosilat Adedeji, as describing Dunoma’s election as a great pride to Nigeria and the African continent.

According to the statement, Adedeji hosted the FAAN boss at the Nigerian House in Maputo.

She described Dunoma as an international brand ambassador for the country and the over 10,000 Nigerians resident in Mozambique. (NAN)

ASO/SOA

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

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History

By Olayinka Olawale

Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Mr Denja Abdulahi, President, Association of Nigerian Authors, has commended the Federal Government for the decision to reintroduce history into primary and junior secondary schools’ curriculum.

Abdulahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that history as a subject was very important to the educational development of the students.

NAN reports that ‎Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, had on Thursday flagged-off a programme on the Disarticulation of History from Social Studies Curriculum in Abuja.

Adamu said the learning of History would enable children in the earliest stage to become well enlightened citizens of the society who respect diversity and strive for attainment of the unity of Nigeria.

He called on experts involved in the disarticulation exercise to develop curricular objectives and contents that would lead to positive learning outcomes.
‎‎

Abdulahi told NAN that Nigerians always shy away from their history as the subject may not always be about palatable happenings.‎

“History can be unpalatable, but when we talk about the unpalatable happenings of history, we look at what happened and tell people how to avoid the pitfalls.

“If we don’t teach history, we are creating a rootless society, because from history, you get inspired about your origin, get inspiring stories about who you are, and what you can emulate from people of the past.

“It is from the same history that you get to know what led to the civil war, and our children can learn about Oyo Empire, Benin Empire, Songhai Empire and Borno Empire.

“`Nigerians don’t want to talk about civil war, coup and counter coup; all these things have happened, something led to them, and if we don’t tell our children about the civil war, then how do you want them to learn from the past?

He said that other countries of the world like the U.S. and UK, always talked about their civil war and taught it in their schools.

“We are happy the government is reintroducing it into the curriculum.

“Learning of history is very interesting and entertaining; children will enjoy it because it is fun when you listen to stories and events of the past.

“It will also draw the children to their roots and culture,“ he said. (NAN)

OOG/‎SOA

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

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Fani-Kayode
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday re-arrested Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, after he emerged from trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Fani-Kayode, who is former Director of Media and Publicity, campaign committee of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, is charged alongside a former Minister of Finance, Nenandi Usman and Danjuma Yusuf.

Also charged with them is a company, Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Ltd.

They were arraigned on a 17-count charge bordering on unlawful retention, unlawful use and unlawful payment of money to the tune of about N4.9 billion.

They each pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail.

On Friday, after the Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, opened the case and had wrapped up the witness’ evidence for the day, the court adjourned the case to Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 for continuation of trial and rose.

However, shortly after the accused left the courtroom, two officers of the EFCC dressed in white Kaftans, flanked his sides and requested that he followed them to the commission.

Immediately, the court’s gate was barricaded by a Toyota Hiace bus and Fani-Kayode was arrested and taken away by the EFCC.

Meanwhile, when the case was mentioned on Friday, Oyedepo had opened the case for the prosecution and called his first witness, a Media Consultant, Mr Idowu Olusegun.

Leading him in evidence, the witness, a media Consultant for Paste Posters Company Ltd., told the court that N30 million was paid in cash to him.

Olusegun said that the money was paid by the office of the Director of Media and Publicity, PDP Campaign Organisation.

According to him, he had reached an agreement with the organisation whose office is situate at 14B, Samora Micheal Avenue, Asokoro FCT, for the sum of N24 million for media consultancy services.

He said that a further negotiation was reached in which N50 would be paid for each size of A2 posters, while N20 would be paid for each size of A4 flyers.

Olusegun told the court that after the printing job for the posters and flyers was done, he was invited to the office of the organisation and given N30 million in cash.

He told the court that he had demanded to know why payments was made in cash and was informed by one Mr Oke, that cash was the approved means of payment.

He said that Oke had been the person communicating with him throughout the pendency of his engagement to do the media jobs.

The witness also told the court that apart from the N30 million paid to him, there is also an outstanding payment of N24 million which was not paid to his company.

After his testimony, and based on agreements of counsels, the court fixed Nov. 14 and 15 for continuation of trial.

Meanwhile, a mild drama unfolded in the court during trial when the trial judge, Justice Sule Hassan, ordered the seizure of the mobile phone of Fani-Kayode.

The accused had held his phones and suddenly, the phone rang out loud and the judge asked: “Who is doing that?’’

He spontaneously, ordered the court’s registrar to seize the phone.

Similarly, the trial judge also issued a warning to counsel representing the accused when he sighted him sipping bottle water during proceedings.

The judge warned the counsel to seek the permission of the court, whenever his client was pressed to drink water.

According to Hassan, the court is not a market place; there must be order and sanity.

In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2015.

In counts one to seven, they were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N3.8 billion which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and corruption.

In counts eight to 14, the accused were alleged to have unlawfully used over N970 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.

Meanwhile in counts 15 to17, Fani-Kayode and Olubode Oke, who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments of about N30 million in excess of the amount allowed by law without going through a financial institution.

Besides, Fani-Kayode was alleged to have made payments to Paste Poster Co (PPC) of No 125, Lewis St., Lagos, in excess of amounts allowed by law.

All offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b) and 16 (5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act. 2012. (NAN)
UNS/BOLA/PDE
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(Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Peter Ejiofor)