Blog

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Commitment
New York, Sept. 21, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Over one billion dollars debt and financing commitments from U.S. agencies and private investors will be announced for U.S. President Barack Obama’s signature on Africa energy initiative known as Power Africa.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Gayle Smith said that the latest deals were finalised around a U.S.-Africa business forum on the sidelines of the ongoing U.N. meetings in New York.

Smith said that the deals covered funding for regional infrastructure facilities, risk insurance and renewable power projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania.

Obama inaugurated the initiative in 2013 with an initial investment of 7 billion dollars, which aimed to install 10,000 megawatts of new generation capacity and connect 20 million new customers.

It is also aimed at improving electric reliability across the Sub-Saharan Africa.

The programme hoped to attract private capital into energy projects in a region where regulatory hurdles and lack of risk instruments have often kept Western investors away.

To date, Power Africa has mobilised more than 52 billion dollars in additional commitments, of which 40 billion dollars is from private companies according to USAID, which coordinates the programme.

Power Africa is tracking more than 500 deals, and 40 transaction advisers working across Africa have identified 60,000 megawatts of potential deals, Smith says.

While the initiative has been criticised for its slow start, she said that projects were starting to come online.

“We are starting to see some of these projects go online and actually start the generation.

“We are seeing an uptick in commitments, which is because confidence of the market is building and they’re seeing you can actually get these transactions done,” Smith said.

Smith said that the Electrify Africa Act, which unanimously passed by the House of Representatives and Senate aimed to build on Power Africa

He said that the passage sent “a signal that this is something the U.S. will continue to do” even as the Obama administration winds down.

The legislation is largely symbolic and declares the policy of the U.S. to encourage electrification in Africa and instructs the U.S. Treasury and other agencies to make electrification funding a priority. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited Isaac Aregbesola/Grace Yussuf)

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Support
Mainok (Borno), Sept. 21, 2016(NAN) The Japanese Government on Wednesday presented farm implements worth millions of Naira
to farmers in Mainok in Kaga Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno, as part of its support toward ensuring quick recovery for victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Mrs Sali Musa, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Programme Officer launched the distribution of the items to the beneficiaries at a ceremony in Mainok.

Musa said that the presentation was made under UN Social Support Programme for insurgency victims.

She explained that the action was targeted at dry season farmers to enable them to start producing food for subsistence, after suffering from
the Boko Haram insurgency for some years.

She added that “we are gathered here for the presentation of agricultural implement donated by the Japanese Government aimed at ensuring speed recovery of the state from the devastation of the insurgency.

“The Japanese Government decided to assist the state because of the devastation suffered from the Boko Haram crisis.

“There is no doubt that the state is highly devastated by the insurgency, resulting in many people losing their homes and becoming Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“It is based on this premise that the Japanese Government decided that the state should have more support than others in the
country so it can recover quickly”.

Dr Babagana Umara, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, thanked the Japanese Government for the donation.

Umara, who was represented by Malam Yarima Sale, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the items
for the intended purposes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items presented included 100 bags of fertilizer, 100 bags of beans, 300 cartons of herbicides, 300 cartons of pesticides, among others.

The Japanese Government had also made similar donation to farmers in Ngamdu, another community in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

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Tuberculosis
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has urged world leaders to make concerted effort to address the spread of Tuberculosis across the globe.

Mrs Buhari made the call in an inaugural speech which she delivered on the margins of the 71st United Nations General Assembly currently underway in New York City, U.S.

A statement issued by the Director of Media to the Wife of the President, Zakari Yau Nadabo, in Abuja on Tuesday stated that
Mrs Buhari made the call under the auspices of “Stop TB Partnership”, a world renowned Tuberculosis (TB) advocacy group for the eradication of the deadly disease of which the president’s wife championed same cause in Nigeria.

She enjoined Heads of State around the world to include Tuberculosis as part of the challenges confronting the global community as they come together this week to discuss the world’s most pressing political and development challenges.

The president’s wife expressed happiness that the disease, through the intervention of the Stop TB Partnership, was beginning to receive more deserving label.

She added that “tuberculosis is no longer viewed as inescapable bacteria that must be controlled, but a global emergency that demands political response at the highest levels.”

She said that the world was too interconnected to treat a deadly infectious disease such as TB in isolation or as a regional disease.

“The rise of infectious disease like TB poses challenges far beyond the health sector as they can bring down entire economies, spread fear and panic, and impact the very core of society, as shown by the recent Ebola epidemic.

“There are few health challenges that demonstrate the need for partnership more than TB.

“No disease in history has crossed as many borders and inflicted as much damage as TB, where loved ones had been lost either in the U.S.,
Nigeria or anywhere in the world.”

Mrs Buhari commended the leadership of Stop TB Partnership, which brought together governments, parliamentarians, development partners, private sector, and civil society organisations to unite against the disease.

She supported the recent call by a South African minister to convene a UN High-Level meeting on TB in September 2017.

She said that as wife of the President of Nigeria, she was interested in assisting and championing the campaign against the spread of TB.

She pledged to mobilise the wives of governors in Nigeria to support and advance the cause to ending TB. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

Rotary International commits $35m to support polio eradication
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Polio
By Collins Yakubu-hammer
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Rotary International has said that the organisation has committed additional 35 million dollars in grants to support the global effort to end polio.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Michelle Kloempken, the media contact of the organisation and made available to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

“ The announcement follows recent reports of three new cases of wild poliovirus in Nigeria: two cases in July, and one in August.

“ The three cases are the first to be detected in Nigeria since July 2014.

“ With these cases, funding for polio eradication is particularly vital as rapid response plans are now in action in Nigeria and surrounding countries to stop the outbreak quickly and prevent its spread.

“ Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) are acting to immunise children in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin (Chad, northern Cameroon, southern Niger and the Central African Republic).

“Nearly one-fourth of the funds ($8.15 million) will support the emergency response campaigns in this at-risk regions,’’ Kloempken said.

According to him, while significant strides have been made against the paralyzing disease, with just 26 cases reported in 2016, polio remains a threat in hard-to-reach and underserved areas and conflict zones.

Also Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee said the organisation was disappointed with the recent news coming out of Nigeria.

“This situation underscores the extreme importance of widespread immunisation campaigns and strong disease surveillance in all countries of the world until polio is fully eradicated.

“This funding will help ensure that Rotary and our GPEI partners are doing all that we can to redouble our efforts and protect the progress in polio-free parts of the world.

“ To sustain this progress and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed,’’ McGrovern said.

NAN reports that the $35 million in grant brings the humanitarian service organisation’s contribution to $105 million in 2016. (NAN)
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Edited by Felix Ajide
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NiMet predicts cloudy weather conditions for Wednesday
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Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country with rains over Mambilla Plateau on Wednesday morning.

The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Tuesday in Abuja.

It added that thundery activities were expected over Abuja, Plateau, Nasarawa, Venue, Taraba, Bauchi, Kogi, Niger and Kwara in the afternoon and evening hours with maximum températures of 26 to 30 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted that the southern states would experience morning rains over the coastal cities of Lagos, Portharcourt, Eket, Yenagoa, Calabar and Inland cities of Benin, Ikom, Enugu and Ijebu-Ode during the forecast period.

It also predicted that afternoon rains would prevail over Enugu, Onitsha, Awka, Ebonyi, Owerri, Portharcourt, Calabar and most southwest cities during the afternoon and evening hours with maximum températures of 32 to 34 degrees Celsius.

NiMet predicted that Northern states would experience partly cloudy morning with thunderstorms over Maiduguri, Damaturi, Potiskum, Nguru, Katsina, Kano, Zaria, Gusau and Yelwa with maximum températures of 29 to 30 degrees Celsius. (NAN)
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Edited by Felix Ajide
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Ajimobi says LG elections will hold this year

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Elections
By Akeem Abass

Ibadan, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Tuesday indicated that local government elections in the state would still hold before the end of the year.

Ajimobi gave the indication while receiving the first batch of 176 Muslim pilgrims who returned from Mecca in his office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor was represented by Alhaji Ismail Alli, the Secretary to the State Government, at the event.

“The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) will soon roll out its calendar for the election, which will hold before the end of the year,’’ the governor said.

Ajimobi urged the pilgrims to imbibe discipline, hard work, commitment and righteousness they learnt from the 2016 hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

The governor said he was excited that the pilgrims prayed for the peace and prosperity of the state and nation at large.

“We appreciate your prayers for the state and the 33 local governments.

“We also thank you for your prayers on the country in these trying times.

“We hope the best would soon happen to the country,’’ Ajimobi said.

He enjoined them to eschew immoral activities, urging them to embrace attitudinal change.

“The lesson of hajj is to worship God, who created us all.

“We gave all our commitment to worshipping God during the exercise and I think such should be replicated after the exercise.

“We are thankful to Almighty God that 176 of our pilgrims have returned safe and sound.

“We have a report of a hitch-free exercise and hope to receive another batch of 450 pilgrims on Wednesday,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the pilgrims were led by Sheikh Muyideen Bello.

Earlier, Bello had expressed the pilgrims’ appreciation for the support of the state government towards a hitch-free exercise in the holy land.

Bello, who is the State’s 2016 Amirul Hajj, said the pilgrims prayed for the country, state, 33 local governments and a hitch-free local government election.

He said that they prayed fervently for peace and prosperity in the state and the country at large. (NAN)

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Edited by Fela Fashoro and Oluwole Sogunle)

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Hospital
Harare, Sept. 20, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Zimbabweans launched an outcry on social media on Tuesday after a leaked memo announced the temporary closure of the country’s main referral hospital.

The Harare Central Hospital was only able to perform emergency operations due to the lack of essential drugs and medicines, according to the hospital’s leaked internal memo dated Sept. 16.

“The dysfunctional hospital was a sign of “total state failure,” opposition leader and former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti said on Twitter.

Harare Central Hospital, responsible for a catchment area of roughly 1 million people, cares for more than 110,000 patients annually and has more than 1,000 beds.

Citizens vented their anger about the hospital’s closure on news websites and WhatsApp.

The outrage was particularly focused on President Robert Mugabe, who regularly flies to Singapore for medical treatment.

Public hospitals in Zimbabwe have been suffering financial shortages for several years now, with many patients forced to bring their own linen and purchase their own medication at pharmacies.

“The shortage of drugs and equipment at central hospitals has reached crisis proportions, with patients going for days without proper treatment.

Meanwhile, the southern African nation’s politicians “get their treatment in the private sector or abroad,” Itai Rusike, the Executive Director of non-profit organisation, Community Working Group on Health said.

Zimbabwe’s economy has steadily deteriorated since Mugabe, 92, came to power in 1980 and has several times faced total collapse. (dpa/NAN)
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(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

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Projects

By Taiye Edeni

Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, said on Tuesday that the ministry had been implementing inherited projects in aviation sector and had not initiated new ones.

Amaechi stated this when members of the Transportation Growth Initiative (TGI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO0, visited him in Abuja.

He stated that the ministry had made a decision to implement projects initiated by previous administrations instead of introducing new ones.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that TGI was led by former Aviation Minister, Mr Osita Chidoka, who is the body’s Chairman, Board of Trustees.

Chidoka is also former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

Amaechi pledged to the group in its forthcoming international transport conference billed for October.

He lauded the idea of bringing all transport stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad together to brainstorm on the way forward for the challenges in the sector.

The minister said that he would study the master plan of transportation, non- motorised policy and the rail master plan brought to his notice by the NGO.

He assured that if the “master plan is viable, it will be implemented’’.

Earlier, Chidoka said that the international conference would hold from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25 at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, with all stakeholders in aviation and transportation participating.

He said that the conference would address the institutional gap between the transport agencies and transport operators.

Chidoka said that the conference, which would be declared opened by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would involve dignitaries from Ghana, Kenya, The Netherlands, Sierra Leone and several European countries.

He said that the fastest way to diversify the economy was through transportation, noting that transportation would help to facilitate trade.

He further urged parastatals under the ministry to participate in the forthcoming conference to help move the sector forward.

Chidoka said that during the past administration, there were three master plans initiated that needed to be looked into and updated.

He said the master plan of transportation, master plan of rail and non-motorised transport policy should be looked into “to help the sector’’.

“We want to bring together researchers, policy makers, regulators and operators in the transportation industry in a unified platform for addressing the challenges in the industry,’’ he said. (NAN)

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Edited by David Onilede and Olisa Ifeajika

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Killing

Srinagar (Kashmir), Sept. 20, 2016 (dpa/NAN) No fewer than 10 presumed militants were killed by Indian forces along the frontiers of disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, further boosting the body count in the troubled region.

The incident came two days after a rebel attack killed 18 soldiers. Both attacks came near the border town of Uri.

Tuesday’s incident occurred shortly after Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire across the Line of Control.

The line of control is the military frontier that divides the disputed Kashmir region into two parts, one administered by India and the other by Pakistan.

Indian officials said that their military posts came under heavy fire from Pakistani forces, who they alleged, violated a 2003 ceasefire, forcing their troops to retaliate.

A group of up to 15 rebels were involved in the “infiltration attempt” at Uri. Ten were dead after a gun battle that was ongoing, a local police officer said on condition of anonymity.

India often accuses Pakistani forces of firing at Indian posts to give cover to militants attempting to sneak into Indian Territory.

On Sunday, four militants attacked the Indian army’s base in Uri, killing 18 soldiers before they were shot dead.

The border trouble came as Delhi and Islamabad are locked in a war of words following the attack, which India blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group.

Pakistan has denied the allegations as India claimed to have evidence to support its claims.

The Indian army said it had recovered weapons and food with Pakistani markings during search operations following the attack.

India has long blamed Islamabad for backing militant groups based on its territory for cross-border attacks and fomenting the unrest in Kashmir. Pakistan denies the allegations.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought at least two wars over Kashmir since their independence from Britain in 1947.

Sunday’s attack was among the worst attacks on the Indian army in the insurgency-hit region in several years. (dpa/NAN)

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(Edited by Isaac Aregbesola and Olisa Ifeajika)