Blog

NAN-S-2
Cricket
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) Akwa Ibom and Anambra have booked places in the final of the female cricket event of the ongoing 2016 National Youth Games in Ilorin.

In their first games, Akwa Ibom beat Rivers 58 runs for 1 in 6 Overs, while Anambra defeated Kaduna State by 7 wickets and Kwara beat Ekiti by 9 wickets.

In the first semi-final match, Anambra beat Niger by Super Overs while the second semi-final game saw Akwa Ibom hammer Kwara by 8 wickets.

The third place is scheduled for Sunday evening while the final will be played on Monday at the main bowl of the University of Ilorin Sports Complex.(NAN)
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(Edited and Controlled by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-ND-5
Gas
Asaba , Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) The price of cooking gas has dropped in Asaba, a market survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has shown.

The survey showed that the cost of refilling a 6-kilogramme cylinder dropped from N2, 000 to N1, 800.

The cost of refilling a 5-kilogramme cylinder of gas has also fallen from N1, 800 to N1600, while it takes N3, 800 to refill a 12.5-kilogramme cylinder of gas instead of N4, 000.

NAN reports that a 10-kilogramme cylinder of cooking gas which was sold for N3, 800 now sells for N3, 600 while 3-kilogramme of the commodity, earlier sold for N1, 200, is now N1000.

Mr Emmanuel Emeka, a staff of Superbet Gas Plant, attributed the fall in price to availability of the product and drop in the cost price.

Mrs Nina Emordi, a customer, expressed satisfaction with the slight price fall and said that the product should be made available so as to, at least, maintain the current price.

She also appealed to government to ensure that the price of the commodity reduced in due course to lessen the financial burden of those cooking with gas.(NAN)
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Edited by Kayode Olaitan

NAN-S-1
Display
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) The bowling skills of an eight-year-old cricketer, Adedeji Biokoto, on Sunday thrilled fans at the ongoing 2^nd National Youth Games in Ilorin, moving them to reward him with money on the pitch.

Biokoto’s performance helped Kwara Cricket team to win their opening match against their Abuja counterparts 83 runs for five in 10 Overs in the male category at the University of Ilorin.

The spin bowler told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the game that he was delighted to put up such a display.

“I am happy to have helped my team and I want to do better next time.

“I want to thank those who rewarded me with money, they have really motivated me.

“I am sure many of them would have doubted my ability because of my stature.

“I want to win gold at the end of the event,’’ a jubilant Biokoto said. (NAN)
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(Edited and Controlled by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-ND-3
Bakassi
By Omuboye Sukubo
Port Harcourt, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) Chief Ani Essien, former Chairman, Bakassi Local Council Area, Cross River, on Sunday called on the Federal Government to provide enough living accommodation for the returnees from the ceded area.

Essien made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

He told NAN that the Federal Government had promised the people that returned from Bakassi Peninsula which was ceded to Cameroun in 2013 of decent living accommodation, among other things.

According to him, government has yet to provide fully the accommodation and other things promised.

“Government told us that the ceding would be painless and would not deprive us of anything.

“But we have been left homeless; we have been left without resources and we have been left without an identity,’’ he complained.

According to Essien, issue bordering on Bakassi returnees had been politicised and some people now are now taking the advantage of the challenges.

“Nigeria should address the issues properly just as her counterpart, Cameroun, did.

“The Camerounian Government has brought development to the ceded area. It has built houses and provided other amenities for the fishermen there but this hasn’t been done here.

Essien said that it was agreed that the returnees would have a sense of belonging and urged government to revisit the Green Tree Agreement and fulfill its part f the agreement.

The former council chairman said the people of Bakassi had made submissions on the issue before the Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group led by King Alfred Diete-Spiff.(NAN)
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Edited by Kayode Olaitan

NAN-H-7
Love
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, Sept.25, 2016 (NAN) Catholic Rev. Fr. Julius Agah has called on Nigerians to show love to one another, especially more to the less privileged in the society.

He said on Sunday in his homily at the 2016 Cultural Day Celebration of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Catholic Church, Gwarimpa, Abuja, that people ought to embrace culture of love in their dealings with people.

The priest said any Christian that sowed charity would receive mercy and kindness from God as well as receiving love and mercy from people.

“If you don’t sow charity, you don’t expect to receive charity; if you don’t sow kindness, you can’t expect to receive kindness.

“ You should also listen to the Word of God because it is what you sow through His word that you will receive,’’ he said.

Agah said that the only culture that Jesus Christ taught His followers was culture of love, urging Christians to do same.

In his remarks, Mr Erim Abraham, Coordinator of the Cultural Day, said: “We have come as a community but individually unique; we have come to praise God as a people, but individually chosen.

“We have come to magnify God’s unity in our diversity and we have come to sing the praises of God in etymologies of our being.’’

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to preserve their cultures and use them for national unity and development.

The theme of the day is: “Imbibing the Culture of Perpetual Mercy.’’

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is a Roman Catholic title of the Virgin Mary represented in a celebrated 15th-century icon.

The icon has been in Rome since 1499 and it is permanently enshrined in the church of Sant’Alfonso di Liguori, an Italian Catholic bishop and a redemptorist priest.

Because such subsequent priests had been appointed custodians and missionaries of this icon by Pope Pius IX in 1865, the image has become popular among Roman Catholics and has been much reproduced.

Modern reproductions are sometimes displayed in homes, business establishments and public transportation.(NAN)
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Edited by Kayode Olaitan

Philanthropist urges churches to assist govt. in development projects

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Churches
By Veronica Dariya
Abuja, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Florence Olayinka-Olabosun, the Founder, Elizabeth Anidu Memorial Foundation, a charity organisation, on Sunday, advised churches to assist government by embarking on development projects.

Olayinka-Olabosun, gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja at the monthly thanksgiving service of the Global Reach Assembly Church, Bwari, Abuja.

She said that such efforts, would make the society a better place for all.

According to her, churches are economically buoyant but they are not giving back enough for the development of their various communities.

She maintained that the burden of developing any country should not be on the government alone, adding that a lot could be achieved, if all hands are on deck.

“Churches can collaborate with government authorities in several ways, such as repairing bad roads that lead to their worship centres.

“There are communities that do not have access to potable water; they can provide boreholes for them as well as give scholarship to the less privileged students.

“It is not enough to spread the message of love; we should actually practise it, especially to ensure that members of our churches or communities benefit from it”.

Olayinka-Olabosun maintained that churches should not just be a place of worship but a centre for coordinating positive ideas and godly principles that would benefit humanity.

She added that though, some organisations and private individuals usually visit the homeless and orphanages when the need arises, such gesture could be expanded to other areas for more assistance.

“After all, it is all part of evangelism, people will want to be recognised with such worship centres and members will be encouraged to do more”.

She, however, called on other Non-Governmental Organisations to help move the nation forward, stressing that development efforts should not be government’s responsibility alone. (NAN)
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Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Day: Pharmacists warn against quackery

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Quackery
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN)  The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Nasarawa State chapter, has warned quack pharmacy practitioners in the state to desist from illegal activities or face the full wrath of the law.

Mr Agada Vincent-Agada, the state president of the association, gave this advice on Sunday, in Keffi, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the 2016 World Pharmacists Day.

NAN reports that the World Pharmacists Day is marked annually every Sept. 25 and the 2016 celebration has its theme as, “Pharmacists Care For You”.

Vincent-Agada said that the association had planed to checkmate quackery in the profession, which, he said, was hampering quality health care service delivery in the country.

“Every Sept. 25 is set aside annually to create the public awareness as well as to encourage the activities that promote and consolidate the profession’s role in the society.

“The role of the pharmacists in the society cannot be over-emphasised, right from the manufacturing to the   administration of drugs.

“As key players in the health sector, the day has also been set aside not only to create awareness but to reflect the emotional connection pharmacists have for patients and the public.

“Without pharmacists, the work of doctors will be incomplete in discharging their duties. Anybody, who should be the closest to a doctor should be a pharmacist, “he said.

According to him, any pharmacist, who is not operating according to the professional ethics and values code will be asked to shut down in the interest of the peoples’ health and the country.

Vincent-Agada  also advised Nigerians to always avoid self medication but seek medical examination before taking drugs in the interest of their health and well being.

The president reinstated the commitment of the association to continue to initiate good policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of Nigerians.

Also in an interview with NAN, Mr Sabi’u Adamu, the Director and Head of Department, Pharmaceutical Service, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, said checking quackery was part of the indispensable role of pharmacists.

According to him, any drug being consumed by patients has its effect, hence the need to ensure that quacks are not allowed to tarnish the image of the society,” he said. (NAN)

AKW/ELLA/YEMI

Edited By Emmanuella Anokam

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-H-5
Immunisation
By Muhammed Mamman
Damaturu, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) The Yobe Government has established special immunisation centres on inlets of the four federal highways leading to Damaturu to immunise children on transit.

Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, the state Deputy Governor and Chairman State Committee on Polio Immunisation, announced this on Sunday in Damaturu while monitoring one of the centres at a check-point on Damaturu-Maiduguri highway.

According to him, the special centres are established to ensure that children on transit do not miss the routine immunisation exercise.

“As you are aware, there are reports of new polio cases in Borno, we have taken extra measures especially to ensure that children travelling from Borno and passing through the state were immunised.

“This is very necessary because we want to step up immunisation for Nigeria to be declared a polio free nation,’’ he said.

He advised parents to ensure that they presented their children and wards for immunisation.

Aliyu said that routine immunisation exercise had statrted in liberated communities in Gujba and Gulani local government areas of the state.

He also said that the state government was partnering with Dangote Foundation to rebuild health facilities in Gujba and Gulani local government areas destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Irrespective of this, most of parents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said their children had never been immunised.(NAN)
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Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede/Kayode Olaitan

NCS adopts new approach to check smuggling

NAN-H-8

Smugglers

By Aminu Ahmed Garko

Sokoto, Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) The Sokoto State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has adopted a community based approach to check the activities of smugglers in the area.

Alhaji Sani Madugu, the NCS Comptroller in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Sokoto.

He expressed optimism that the involvement of border communities, would greatly assist officers of the service to apprehend the smugglers.

Madugu, therefore, charged residents of the communities to always offer intelligence reports on the movement of suspected smugglers to the NCS officers manning the border posts.

This, he said, was necessary to enable them succeed in securing the country’s borders as well as curbing the activities of smugglers.

Madugu said the service had, however, embarked on enlightening the residents of border communities, especially youths, on the negative implications of smuggling business on the country’s economy.

“Our areas of jurisdiction are no go area for any economic saboteurs, as our competent officers are on ground in all the routes to ensure the arrest and prosecution of smugglers”.

He, however, called on all stakeholders to complement the efforts of the area command by mobilising residents to assist in curbing the activities of smugglers.  (NAN)
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Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-H-4
Fire
Omu-Aran (Kwara) Sept. 25, 2016 (NAN) Kwara government has established a fire service station in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, to reduce cases of fire outbreaks in the community.

The station will serve the residents of Isin, Oke-Ero, Osi, Irepodun, and part of Ifelodun local government areas in Kwara South Senatorial District of the state, according to the state government.

Mr Michael Olasunkanmi, the Officer In-Charge of the station, said the station presently had enough personnel and water facility to function.

He expressed the need for the cooperation of the residents in the areas of prompt report of fire incidents and road clearance during emergencies.

Olasukanmi said the station had wished to embark on a sensitisation tour of the town, saying the move was hampered by some challenges.

According to him, the low height of the cables in some areas had prevented the smooth passage of the fire service vehicle.

He listed other challenges as lack of furniture and office gadgets for use by the station personnel.

He urged the residents to always imbibe fire precautionary measures and regulations in order to guide against an outbreak.

“Every household is, therefore, enjoined to imbibe the habit of putting off unused electrical appliance and prompt reports of fire incident to the appropriate authority,’’ he said.

He advised the residents to promptly alert the station official on 09073156490 in case of emergencies.

Speaking on the development, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye, described the gesture as a welcome development.

He thanked the government for being sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the community.

Alhaji Luqman Owolewa and Chief Peter Oyinloye, Chairman, IrepodunCouncil and President, Omu-Aran Development Association, respectively, also commended the state government for the gesture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the station is equipped with a vehicle and other fire-fighting equipment.(NAN)
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Edited by Kayode Olaitan