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Terrorism: FG approves N5bn for health sector intervention in North East

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Intervention
Maiduguri, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government has earmarked about N5.5 billion for intervention in the critical health sector in North East to address the devastation caused by the Boko Haram attacks.

Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, disclosed this while speaking at the opening of the “Operationalisation of Saving One Million Lives Programme for the North East’’ in Maiduguri on Friday.

Adewole said that the money would be channelled through the Task Force on the North East.

“Mr President has approved the Task Force for the North East; the Task Force is a sub-unit of the Presidential Committee on the North East.

“That Task Force is under the direction of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and it is being chaired by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udoma,” he said.

Adewole explained that the Task Force will focus mainly on four key areas.

“The Task Force is to address four critical areas in the next six months; it will address water, environment, health and nutrition issues.

“In six months we want to restore sanity in the four sectors. I want to tell you that each sector is chaired by a minister,” he said.

Adewole added: “I am the Chairman of the sub-committee on Health and our budget of N4.3 billion has been approved for the North East.

“That budget will entail spending about N4 billion on health and nutrition for the sub-region with emphasis on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, in other words, within the health sector.

“We are committing about N5.5 billion to Borno and the neighbouring states in the North East with respect to the urgency.”

He said that the gesture was a pointer to the level of commitment by the President on the sub-region.

“This demonstrate Mr President’s interest in the North East,” Adewole said.

He said that the Presidential Committee would be inaugurated soon to further address the problems of the North East just like America addressed Europe’s after World War 11.

He explained further that the ministry decided to hold the meeting in Borno to show the world that peace had returned to the state.

“It is an indication of confidence that we have in Borno that we are comfortable to bring all our people here, we thank God for this opportunity.

“Our being here is significant, it has several purposes,” the minister said.

He said that the ministry had also approved the supply of drugs and other commodities worth N1.2 billion to Borno to tackle health challenges.

“We are providing drugs and other commodities worth about N1.2 billion to the state to tackle emergencies in health sector.

“I told the commissioner that we have delivered drugs and other commodities worth N400 million to the state and that we are going to add N800 million worth of drugs to make it N1.2 billion.

“But he said that the state does not need one of the drugs, and I told him that we will replace it,” Adewole said. (NAN)

ABI/EAL/MST
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Nigeria to demarcate Nigeria – Niger Republic boarder line with poles – NBC
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Demarcation
By Shuaibu Tatu
Birnin Kebbi, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Dr Muhammad Bose, Director General, National Boundary Commission (NBC), says the commission will soon erect demarcation poles on Nigeria’s boarder line with Niger Republic.
Bose made the disclosure when he visited the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, at his palace on Friday.
”My visit to Kebbi is to sensitize the people of Dadin-Kowa in Arewa Local Government that the commission is set to construct demarcation poles on Nigeria border line with Niger Republic.
”The commission enjoins the people not to see the artificial demarcation as something meant to cause disunity.
“Rather they should see it as a symbol of promoting unity, peace, mutual understanding, as well as social, cultural and economic development,” he said.
He commended the people living in the border towns for exhibiting discipline and maturity.
Bose promised that the governments of Nigeria and Niger Republic would provide basic social amenities that would promote peaceful co-existence among them.
Responding, the Emir of Argungu said the artificial boundaries created by colonialists did not divide the people of Nigeria from those in Niger Republic, rather it promoted peaceful co-existence.
Mera said Nigeria and Niger Republic shared common historical antecedents, including religion, culture, tradition and social-economic background.
The Sole Administration of Arewa Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad, commended the commission for the visit.
He assured that the people of the border towns would continue to promote peace in their domains. (NAN)
SZT/JI/WOJ
(Editing by Joseph Idika / Wale Ojetimi)

CAN recommend child-spacing for healthy, successful family life

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Family
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Elizabeth Abok, Chairperson, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Women wing, Kaduna State chapter, on Friday identified child-spacing as a path toward producing a healthy, vibrant and successful family life.

Abok said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State, on the sideline of UNICEF workshop on “Demand Creation for Child Survival and Development’’.

She said that child-spacing would avail the mother the opportunity to regain her strength and health, ready for another pregnancy.

Abok said: “If you want to have a healthy, vibrant and successful family, you have to plan very well because such plan helps the mother to actually prepare herself for subsequent birth.

“That is why UNICEF is bringing us back together again, we have been having series of meetings, workshops and seminars helping the mothers and fathers to see to a successful family life.”

She appealed to couples to take advantage of child-spacing to facilitate production of agile and viably productive children who would positively contribute to national growth and development.

According to her, CAN has been doing its best to educate people on the importance of child-spacing through its grassroots mobilisers (the chairpersons at local government levels).

“Our grassroots mobilisers move from zone to zone, community to community and Church to Church, sensitising people and bringing out figures; that is what we are doing and a lot has been done in that respect.”

The chairperson stressed the need for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for first six consecutive months to ensure children healthy growth devoid of incessant sickness.

Abok called on women to always ensure clean and tidy environment for healthy and happy family. (NAN)
KLM/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

NAN-H-10
Driver
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A 32-year-old truck driver, Olabode Ahmed, who allegedly knocked down and killed a pedestrian on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, was on Friday released on a N100, 000 bail.
The accused is also to produce two sureties, one of who must be a community leader in Lagos State, an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court has ruled.
Ahmed, a resident of No. 32, Muyanri Str., Toll-Gate, Badagry, Lagos State, has pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of dangerous driving and manslaughter.

The driver committed the offences on Oct. 7 at about 12.10a.m. along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

He drove a Scania truck with registration no. XX 260 XA dangerously and caused the death of a man, Christopher Jehibo, Police Prosecutor Babaji Ishaku told the court.
“The accused, while driving in the same direction inward Lagos on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, hit Jehibo and he died on the spot.’’

A team of traffic officials rushed to the scene and took the lifeless body to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.
The body has been deposited at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), mortuary, Ikeja.
The offences contravened Sections 19 and 20 of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences.
The Magistrate, Mr J.A. Adegun, adjourned the case to Oct. 24 for mention. (NAN)
LAW/DA
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Edited by Dele Akinsola

NAN-HE-15
Labourers

By Ajayi Toba

Ilorin, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Casual labourers in Kwara have said that the harsh economic situation occasioned by the recession is adversely affecting their jobs as contractors hardly engage them at sites.

The labourers lamented their plights to news Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Friday in Ilorin.

The labourers usually gather at a point in Amoyo, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, waiting for people that will engage them in construction works.

A labourer, Mr Mudashiru Saliman, said he had waited at their collection point endlessly for contractors to engage him.

Most of the casual workers visit construction sites in the hope of being engaged, but all efforts to get menial jobs are now proving abortive.

Saliman said most of the people that used to engage them in the menial jobs were civil servants who had not received salaries for months.

He said that one of his customers was a teacher in Ilorin whose salary was no longer regular.

The labourer added that he had been working for the teacher on his building site for about six years, adding that he was paid regularly and promptly until last year when salaries became irregular.

Saliman therefore appealed to the state government to pay civil servants’ salaries to enable labourers to get engaged and earn a living.

Another casual worker, Mr Ariyo Fadiu, also lamented the negative toll of the recession on his family due to non availability of work at construction sites.

He said since the beginning of the year, he was only able to work for two weeks at a building site in Ilorin.

Fadiu said attempt to get work at the construction of Kam Wire Iron mill at Jimba Oja was not successful because there was no more vacancy for casual workers.

Another labourer who pleaded anonymity, said that he was a trained bricklayer, but the recession forced him to look for daily paid job at construction sites.

He had to stop working on two buildings because the owner could not continue due to the recession.

The bricklayer attributed cost of building materials like cement, iron rods and granite to the low patronage of casual workers at construction sites.

He said the cement that used to cost N1,500 per bag now sold for N2,200 and had forced most customers to suspend work on their sites. (NAN)
LEX/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

NAN-H-17
Imprisonment
By Teniola Ibitola
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) For forging a radiography proficiency certificate with which he worked till his arrest, a man, Busuyi Durojaiye, on Friday got three years imprisonment with hard labour.

Chief Magistrate A.A. Demi-Ajayi of an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court sentenced Durojaiye with hard labour.

”The convict must be made an example to others like him who think they can pretend to be professionals to the detriment of the society and think they can get away with it.

”At the end of his jail term, he should be handed over to the Community Service Department, Ministry of Justice, to undergo counselling and a 200-hour community service,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Durojaiye was arraigned in 2006 for forging a radiography proficiency certificate with Registration No. 1074 and serial No.FGP 959/558/100.

He claimed to have obtained the certificate from the Federal School of Radiography, Yaba, Lagos, according to the police, which submitted that he used it on July 4, 2016 to seek employment with Jon-Ken Hospital in Akoka.

The police also said that Durojaiye was performing the duties of a radiographer including carrying out X-ray and ultrasound scan.

The prosecution added that the convict used the forged certificate to defraud people in a radiography centre in Ikeja.

The offences contravene Sections 363 and 378 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)
OAT/HAS/IGO
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(Edited By Hajia Sani/Ijeoma Popoola

NAN-H-15
Sentence
By Ugochi Ugochukwu
Abuja, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced a 20-year-old labourer, Nasipi Yusuf, to six strokes of the cane for criminal trespass.
Yusuf, whose address is unknown, was convicted on two-count charge of criminal trespass and attempt to commit theft.
The Area Court Judge, Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after the convict pleaded guilty to the charges.
The Prosecutor, Dalhatu Zannah, had told the court that Ayuba Inuya of DSS quarters, Welcome Close, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station on Oct. 15.
Zannah said that the convict criminally entered into the complainant’s house and attempted to steal his plasma television.
According to the prosecutor, the complainant caught the convict in the act.
He said that the convict made confessional statement admitting his guilt.
Zannah said that the offence contravened sections 348 and 95 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
UGO/ORO/TA
Edited by Razak Owolabi/Tajudeen Atitebi

Truck drivers threaten to down tools over bad Lagos ports access roads
NAN-H-16
Roads
By Uche Eletuo
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Chief Remi Ogungbemi, President, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), on Friday said that truckers may withdraw their services from Lagos ports because of the bad access roads.
Ogungbemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the port access roads were in terrible state and was hampering business.
The AMATO president said that the truckers’ planned boycott would have started before now if not for the intervention of some respected operators.
“The association intends to have a meeting with some operators on Oct. 25; if this meeting fails to proffer feasible palliatives, truckers will not have any other option.
“For a long time now, we have been drumming it in the ears of the authorities without any attention on their part.
“We cannot continue to work in a vicious circle in which trucks break down after every trip to the ports due to bad roads.
“We end up expending a huge amount to put them back on the road,’’ Ogungbemi said.
The condition of the road was so bad, causing trucks to stay longer than expected on loading queues or to drop empties, he said.
The AMATO president added that truck drivers wasted business hours just trying to get to the ports.
“It seems the only way left for us to make the authorities listen to us and fix the roads is to down tools.
NAN reports that some youths have taken advantage of the situation by undertaking temporary repairs to the road and putting in place makeshift platforms for vehicles to pass for a fee. (NAN)
EUC/COF/WOJ
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(Edited by Oluyinka Fadare / Wale Ojetimi)

Police dispels rumours of crisis in Gidan Waya, Jema’a LG

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Rumour

By Mohammad Tijjani

Kaduna, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Kaduna State Police Command, on Friday debunked rumours of purported crisis in Gidan Waya area of Jema’a Local Government.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relation Officer, ASP Aliyu Usman.

Usman stated that the rumour was the handy work of ”mischief makers”.

“The Command’s attention has been drawn to a rumour in circulation that there is crisis going on along Gidan Waya axis of the State.

“The Command hereby debunks this rumour; it is baseless, untrue story cooked up by mischief makers,” Usman said in the statement.

According to him, the Command remains resolute in fighting crime across the state and urged members of the public to desist from peddling rumours.

“It is imperative that members of the public desist from rumour mongering and other acts capable of promoting public discord.

”Citizens are hereby advised to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of intimidation as the police personnel deployed across the state are committed to the protection of lives and property of the citizens.”(NAN)

TJ/HAS/MZA

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Edited By Hajia Sani and controlled by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-HE-3
Ecobank
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Ecobank Group has launched a mobile payment app tagged ‘Ecobank Masterpass QR’ aimed at increasing its customer base to 100 million across Africa by 2020.

Masterpass QR is the first mobile-driven, Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payment solution.

Mr Ade Ayeyemi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank, announced this on Friday at the launch of Masterpass in Lagos.

Ayeyemi said that the bank’s customer base, currently at 11 million, would increase to 100 million in 2020 with the mobile application.

He said that the application would boost the bank’s customer base in 33 countries across Africa.

“This new agreement will give Ecobank the scale and capacity to achieve its 100 million customer ambition in a profitable and sustainable way by 2020.

 “The bank is creating a platform for everybody, for people who want to sell or even transfer money to make banking easy.

“Banking is not just about people on the top of pyramid but for everybody, and that is why we partnered with a range of people to make payment very easy,” Ayeyemi said.

He said that the application would address the challenge of expensive infrastructure associated with point of sale devices and eliminate the need for cash.

“This partnership will shift Africa to instant and secure digital payment solution,” he added.

Ayeyemi stated that the service would enable millions of micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa to have access to fast and secure digital payments.

Mr Charles Kie, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said that the application would open a lot of opportunities for everybody.

Kie said that the application would make banking easy and more convenient for Ecobank customers.

Mr Daniel Monehin, Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard said, said that Masterpass QR would meet the needs of micro merchants in Nigeria.

“Our extended partnership with Ecobank signals one of the largest implementations of a digital payment solution in Africa, resulting in millions of previously excluded people joining the financial ecosystem,” Monehin said.

According to him, micro, small and medium enterprises across Africa contribute significantly to economic growth, creating about 80 per cent of the region’s employment.

Monehin said that the introduction of digital payment solutions such as Masterpass QR, would help these businesses to become more efficient. (NAN)
JNC/IGO

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
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