Blog

NAN-H-5

Peace

Benin, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday called for peace among the people of Edo as they participated in the gubernatorial election in the state.

Anenih made the call after casting his vote at Uzenema Primary School, Urue-Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area at about 8.20 a.m.

He said that there was need for the people to maintain peace during and after the poll “for the state to have full benefit of democracy’’.

The PDP chieftain expressed satisfaction with the timely arrival of electoral officials and materials as well as the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area so far.

On security arrangement, the former minister of works said “as I said, it is too early to make a general statement”.

Meanwhile, Mr John Yakubu, deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in ongoing gubernatorial poll in Edo, has described the simultaneous accreditation and voting in the process as a perfect process.

“Rather than doing accreditation and coming back later to cast your vote, you do everything the same time and this is very good.

“I am alright with the whole process so far and I hope it continues that way, although I am hearing that there are pockets of violence in few areas around the senatorial district,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yakubu voted at 10.05 a.m. I  Unit 8, Ward 3, Esan North-East Local Government Area. (NAN)

ESI/OOJ/EMO/OPI

Edited by Ejike Obeta and Olisa Ifeajika

Mobilisation fee: Court to hear suit against NYSC Oct. 21

NAN-H-15
NYSC
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday fixed Oct. 21 to hear a suit against the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over alleged mobilisation fee fraud.
The Citizens Advocacy Initiative For Accountable Leadership (CAIFAL) had filed a suit against the NYSC in June, challenging collection of mobilisation fee.
Joined as respondents in the suit are the Director-General of NYSC, Sidmach Technologies Ltd, the Minister of  Youths and Sports and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the counsel representing CAIFAL, Chief Dania Abdullahi, was present in court on Wednesday, while there was no representation for the respondents.
Abdullahi told the court presided over by Justice Jude Dagat that the processes had been served on respondents.
CAIFAL is seeking a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of the NYSC Act 1993, the first to third respondents, have no statutory rights to demand a pre-mobilisation fee from prospective corps members.
In an affidavit deposed to by Mike Ogie, the group averred that sometime in 2014, the NYSC introduced an electronic registration programme, where prospective corps members were required to register online with the sum of N3,000, a condition precedent for mobilisation.
He averred that the NYSC entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with a company — Sidmach Technologies — to collect the fees on behalf of the NYSC through the issuance of scratch cards to corps members.
According to him, under the memorandum, 70 percent of the monies collected will be ceded to the company (Sidmach), while the balance of 30 percent was reserved for the NYSC.
He said the company had since 2014 collected over N1.3 billion on behalf of the NYSC, without remitting part of the  proceeds to the Scheme or the Federation Account.
The acts of the first to third respondents contradicted the true intention of the NYSC Act which makes it mandatory for prospective corps members to be compulsorily mobilised for service of their father land.
They are seeking a declaration that both the previous collection and continued collection of the monies from prospective corps members is illegal, wrongful and most improper.
They also want an order directing the first and second respondents to immediately render account of all monies so far realised from corps members since the inception of the collection in 2014.
The group also want an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the NYSC from further collecting any money from prospective corps members as a pre-mobilisation or re-deployment fee.

The court has fixed Oct. 21 for hearing. (NAN)
UNS/DA
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NAN-ELS-11
Nomination
By Emmanuel Okara
New York, Sept.28, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Music stars Beyonce and Justin Bieber are leading the nominations for this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards, earning five nods each at the major music event.

Beyonce is running for Best Video for her song “Formation”, Best Female, Best Live, Biggest Fans and Best Local Act (United States), while
Bieber, who triumphed at last year’s awards in Milan with five wins, was nominated for Best Song for “Sorry”, Best Male, Best Pop, Biggest Fans and Best Local Act (Canada).

British singer Adele got four nominations, including Best Song for her world hit “Hello”, Best Female and Best Live, alongside band Coldplay who also got four nominations, including Best Video for single “Up&Up”, Best Live and Best Rock.

Danish band Lukas Graham and Canadian singer Shawn Mendes also earned four nominations.

The MTV Europe Music Awards will be held in Rotterdam on Nov. 6. (Reuters/NAN)
ERO/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

FG to reduce rain-fed agriculture through irrigation
NAN-AE-5
Irrigation
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Mr Adeyinka Adenopo, Deputy Director, Pressurised Irrigation System, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, says the Federal Government is working toward reducing dependency on rain-fed agriculture through emphasis on irrigation.

Adenopo made this know in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said Nigeria can attain food sufficiency when it diversifies its agricultural resources, saying reducing emphasis on rain-fed agriculture would meet this target.

“For Nigeria to develop its agricultural sector she cannot continue to depend on rain-fed agriculture; we got to where we are today because we solely depended on oil, forgetting other resources.”

He said the ministry has realised that if the nation must attain food security, it must embark on deliberate measures to encourage irrigation agriculture.

He said rain water dependence would not meet the needs of agriculture in northern states, saying rainy season was usually short with little water collected.

Adenopo said embracing irrigation agriculture would also provide compensation for losses on agriculture, adding that water is constantly lost if not put into productive use.

“With irrigation agriculture, Nigeria can farm all-year round, there would be no restrictions, farming can go on, if water is readily available, all the crop needs is water and land, it will survive.”

The deputy director said Nigeria could also have repeated crop production annually with irrigation, saying this would reduce soil losses with controlled water on the soil.

He said it was saddening to note that Nigeria has 70,000 hectares of cultivated, in comparison with Brazil, Mexico, China and Senegal, which has large expanse for irrigation agriculture.

Adenopo said the country was intensifying efforts in irrigation agriculture, to boost food security and foreign exchange earnings

“As big as we are, we cannot compare ourselves with them, in Senegal, only one irrigation scheme irrigates 130,000 hectares, the whole of Nigeria is not irrigating more than 70,000 hectares.

“That is why we are intensifying efforts in irrigation scheme, so that we will be able to feed ourselves and also generate foreign earnings by exporting our crops,” he said. (NAN)
TAK/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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Oyegun expresses satisfaction on INEC’s conduct of Edo governorship election
NAN-H-18
Oyegun
Benin, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Chief John Oyegun, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress(APC), has expressed satisfaction on INEC’s conduct of Edo governorship election.

Oyegun, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 2 in Oredo Local Government Area at 11: 45, said: “I am impressed with the conduct of the election so far.
“The atmosphere has been peaceful and the weather has been very friendly to us all. The voters have been wonderful in their conduct,’’ he said.

Oyegun also commended the large turnout of voters, saying: “ the turnout is wonderful and I am pleasantly surprised.’’

“This is the best turnout so far in years. This is the best so far because I have always voted here.

“I hope, and it’s presumed that something good is about to happen in the state.

“It is a sign that the people are beginning to express their democratic rights and that democracy has become totally widespread in the state.

“It’s peaceful so far because I have been watching events on TV.’’

He described the security arrangement as “lovely and wonderful”.

“As the National Chairman of my party, it was something that was of grave concern to us all.

“All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will not be a major incident,’’ he said.

On the allegation of money inducement in some centres, he responded: “I have not seen any here where I have just voted.’’ (NAN)
KOO/TA
Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

Your blood type plays significant role on your health, says medical practitioner
NAN-HG-2
Blood
By Yashim Katurak Rebecca
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Dr Arikawe Adeolu, a medical practitioner at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, has said that the health status of an individual is significantly controlled by the blood group of such individual.

Adeolu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja, that this position was supported by recent discoveries in medical research.

He restated that medical research showed that the blood group could determine what disease the individual was resistant to or associated to.

Adeolu said that such medical situation would affect the overall well being of the individual because different blood groups were susceptible to certain diseases and resistant to others.

“The blood group is actually inherited from parents and passed down to children. It is responsible for the kind of antigen that is found on the outer surface of the red blood cells.

“We have four categories of blood group. They are blood group A, B, AB and O. These are the major blood groups into which people are divided and shared.
“It has been said that blood group O is more susceptible to have ulcers and to have some forms of infections like cholera.

“The same blood group has been shown to be resistant to diseases like malaria.There is also a reduced risk of having heart attack with blood group O.

“This shows that there are specific advantages or weaknesses for individual blood groups which affects the overall well being of people who belong to these blood groups,” Adeolu said.

The medical expert also disagreed with reports that there were specific foods for the different blood groups which must be adhered to in order to stay healthy.
He said such claims were yet to be proven scientifically hence people need not struggle to adhere to such a diet regimen.

According  Adeolu, there is no research that has shown that there is a specific kind of diet that is preferable or should be tailored to a particular kind of blood group.

Adeolu said individuals with different blood groups would be affected the same way when they consumed a particular food.

“Your diet in itself does not affect you because you are in a particular blood group.

“If different people with different blood groups eat the same kind of meal, it would have the same effect on them,” he said.

According to Adeolu, the medical world all over does not believe in such claims. (NAN)
(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)

NAN-H-27

Research

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Wednesday said it would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to conduct research into treatment and vaccines for infectious diseases.

Dr Jane Agbu, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, NOUN, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 2nd International Public Health Conference in Abuja.

The theme of the three-day conference is “Trending Issues in Public Health Services Delivery”.

According to her, NOUN, being an academic institution, deems it fit to bring scholars, experts and researchers to deliberate on the trending issues on public health.

She said that the conference was aimed at coming up with highlights on how to train, manage and provide services in public health related issues and others.

“We hope to go into collaborations with colleagues that attended this conference to come up with tropical research area in order to identify issues and work together scientifically.

“We will seek for fund and collaborate with sister institutions and research into some infectious diseases plaguing the country.

“We should have key into the research for Ebola cure when it came up, but the faculty is a new one; less than two years old.

“If any public emergency comes in the future, we shall collaborate and form a strong research team towards solving the problem,’’ she said.

Agbu listed the sub-themes of the conference as: Training interface in public health, advocacy and policy issues in public health and community empowerment in public health.

Others are: community empowerment in public health, national and international collaboration in public health delivery and private-public partnership in public.

She said that the conference would also look at evidence-based public health services, including needs assessment, community diagnosis and epidemiological mapping of disease occurrence. (NAN)

CJ/AIB/MTM/

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/controlled by Tukur Muntari.

NAN-H-2

Voting

Benin, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Mr Godwin Obaseki, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Wednesday’s governorship election in Edo, said he was satisfied with the conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obaseki told newsmen after voting in his Unit 19, Ward 4, Benin, at about 10.30 a.m. that he was particularly impressed with the prompt commencement of the exercise across the state and the peaceful conduct of voters.

He expressed hope that the peace, large turnout of the electorate and adequate security that had characterized the exercise so far, would be sustained to ensure that it ended peacefully.

According to him, we pray that there will be no crisis and spilling of blood, so that at the end of the day, it will end peacefully.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Osaze Ize-Iyamu, commended INEC and the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the poll.

Ize-Iyamu, who voted at 9.55 a.m. at Ighododo Primary School unit of Ward 5, Orhiomwon Local Government Area, however, urged PDP’s supporters to be vigilant and cautious, and monitor the process adequately.

“The PDP will more vigilant in the sorting and counting of the ballots,” he said, adding, however, that so far, the exercise has been peaceful and I hope that it will be same across the state.

On his part, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, voted at 11 a.m. at Iyobosa Primary School unit of Ward 7 in Orhiomwon Local Government Area.

After voting, he told newsmen that the electoral process had remarkably improved from what it used to be.

He expressed optimism that his party, APC, would win the election, adding that he was sure that the electoral process in Nigeria would improve to be like that of the U.S. (NAN)

Reporters/OPI/OPI

Edited and controlled by Olisa Ifeajika

Shettima to rebuild churches destroyed by Boko Haram in Lassa, Borno

NAN- H-24
Visit
Ali Inuwa
Lassa (Borno), Sept. 28, 2015 (NAN) Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has promised to rebuild churches and other structures destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Lassa as he visited liberated communities in the Southern Senatorial Zone of the state

“We will rebuild churches, private and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents,” Shettima said when he accessed the level of damage in Lassa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Wednesday.

He expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction, saying that government would commence the rehabilitation in a short while.

“We are going to rebuild churches and others structures destroyed in Lassa and other communities around.

“We are saddened by the large scale destruction in Lassa which is a predominantly Christian community, ” Shettima said.

He added:” We are doing this because we have a duty as a government to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all our endeavors.

“We believe that the Christian community has rights to be served like its Muslims counterpart, since we have rebuilt Mosques destroyed in other places, we must rebuild churches too.”

Shettima said specifically that the churches would be rebuilt before Christmas ahead of this year’s Yuletide.

“I want to assure that the churches will be rebuilt before December, so that the people can celebrate the Christmas in a more conducive atmosphere.

“We will also make sure that all private houses destroyed are rebuild without delay,” he said, adding that his action had no political under tone.

“We are not doing this for political reasons because we are not facing any election now.  Our actions are based on the desire to serve people and to ensure equity among them.”

He also visited the Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ali Mamza and the Emir of Askira Alhaji Abdullahi Askirama, where he pledged to rebuild the Askira-Uba Local Government Area secretariat and other structures damaged by the insurgents.

Shettima was also in Gwoza, headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Area where he promised to rebuild the palace of the Emir of Gwoza Alhaji Muhammad Timta.

“The Emir of Gwoza wants to return home but for his palace which is badly damaged. We will rebuild the palace in the next one month so he can come back, ” he said when he addressed elders of Gwoza in front of the damaged palace.

Shettima also visited Pulka, where he addressed hundreds of residents who had returned home, and promised to tackle the problem of water shortages facing the people.

“I want to pledge here that we are going to take immediate action to tackle the problem of water shortage facing the people.  We shall put in place the necessarily mechanism to address the problem immediately I return back to Maiduguri.”

He lauded the military for liberating the area from the Boko Haram insurgents, and promised enhance welfare for the people.

“ We have to commend the gallantry effort of the military in ensuring that peace return to our communities.

“We must continue to support them to ensure that the peace is maintained, people should give them 100 percent cooperation and report strange happenings to them,” he said.

Shettima distributed food items worth millions of Naira to the people before proceeding to the next community.

NAN recalls that the governor relocated to Bama last week to supervise the ongoing reconstruction of damaged structures in the area. (NAN)
ABI/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

FG targets 100,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture
NAN-AE-1
Agriculture
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has developed a 15-year strategic plan to develop 100, 000 hectares of irrigated agriculture in the country.

The Director, Irrigation and Drainage, with the ministry, Mr Matthew Offie, disclosed this in an interview with the the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that this would boost self sufficiency in food production and also generate foreign earnings.

The director told NAN that Nigeria cannot continue to depend solely on oil, saying agriculture through irrigation farming would go a long way to boost all-year round farming.

According to him, the plan which is in three phases will create avenues to see how to move the sector forward and partners with other sectors.

Offie said the Federal Government alone cannot drive the change, adding that the private sector needed to be involved.

“The Ministry has planned to develop  100,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture; we are currently working to see how soon this becomes operational.

“We have seen that government alone cannot fund these things; that is why we are partnering with private individuals, who have showed interest in developing irrigated agriculture in the country,” he said

The director said the Federal Government has shown its commitment towards improving the capacity of the Ministry of Water Resources in the inauguration of the Graduate and Youth Empowerment scheme.

The scheme, he said, allows unemployed youths to benefit from irrigation farming and Aquaculture through provision of water and land.

He said that River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) cultivate already developed irrigation scheme annually to boost food production, saying as the rainy season goes, they would utilise existing irrigation schemes.

Mrs Esther Oluniyi, Deputy Director, Irrigation, Planning, Design and Management with the ministry, told NAN that the scheme was an opportunity for youth interested in agriculture to engage in irrigated farming.

She said two RBDAs: Lower-Niger, Ogun-Osun, have been inaugurated, saying reports coming from the beneficiary youths have been encouraging.

“The ministry is interested in youth empowerment, hence the introduction of this scheme, with the enormous water that has been impounded in our dams, we are already achieving a lot.

“The beneficiaries are earning a lot from Aquaculture, farming, we are extending it to other RBDAs soon.”

Oluniyi urged youths interested in agriculture and Aquaculture to locate RBDAs nearest to them to meet the criteria and access the opportunity.

She added that plans are underway to extend irrigation opportunities to commercial farmers to cultivate rice toward boosting food security. (NAN)
TAK/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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