Blog

Unemployment
By Temitope Salami
Sagamu (Ogun), Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Wednesday blamed the rising unemployment statistics bedeviling the nation on years of bad leadership and corruption in the polity.

Kazaure spoke during his working visit to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Sagamu, Ogun, while interacting with the Batch ‘B’ Stream II corps members currently undergoing orientation.

According to him, years of mismanagement and oil revenue dependency gave rise to the present condition, which he said, could have been avoided through stringent economic diversification protocols and infrastructure development.

Kazaure, represented by Alhaji Abdulrazak Salawu, the NYSC Director of Human Resource Management, however, tasked corps members to offset the status quo by adopting a “can-do” attitude toward national development.

“This country is overwhelmed by an abundance of divergent resources it has. It is quite absurd that we are still lamenting high level of poverty and unemployment in this time, it shouldn’t be.

“What we need is purposeful leadership, because God has blessed us with all we need to be a great nation in the true terms of it.

“I want you to make up your mind to make Nigeria great; have the mindset that you want to make that difference and things will change.

“Our problems can only be solved with a positive outlook to situations.

“This is not the time to despair, but to do what we can to arrest the dire situation we are faced with,” Kazaure said.

The NYSC chief then advised corps members to take seriously the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme designed to enable corps members to be self-dependent even after the service year.

“Please don’t look for white-collar jobs, your skills and potential can serve you better in the way of realising your dreams,” he said.

Kazaure also said that youths must learn to shun the use of hard drugs, which he said, was capable of truncating promising destinies, urging them to maintain a lifestyle of discipline.

In her remarks, the NYSC State Coordinator in Ogun, Mrs Josephine Bakare, thanked the director-general for the visit.

Bakare urged corps members to abide by the rules of the scheme while integrating with their host communities.

According to her, of the 2,042 corps members who registered for the orientation programme, 50 had relocated on the grounds of marital and healthcare.

“Twenty were redeployed on marital grounds, while 30 relocated on health grounds,” Bakare said.

She further called on the state

government to ease the burden of corps members by paying them allowances to supplement their monthly statutory allowances from the federal government. (NAN)
TDS/AOM/GOK
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Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

Plunge
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) A man, names withheld, who on Tuesday plunged into the channel below the bridge between Nyanya and Karu Junction in the Federal Capital Territory, has denied that he is a robber.

The young man’s plunge into the canal drew the attention of passersby, commuters and motorists, who were on their way to work, thereby causing severe gridlock on the Abuja-Keffi road.

Speaking with a Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after he was taken out of the canal, the young man said that he was an indigene of Obogwu, a town in Imo state.

He also said that he worked with a road transport company located in Jabi, Abuja.

At the Karu Divisional Head Quarters of the Police, where the victim was taken to in a Toyota Hilux van after he was rescued, an authoritative source told NAN that after the man could not talk much considering the injury he had sustained on the face and legs.

The young man was later transported to the Nyanya General Hospital, but was rejected by the officials there due to lack of bed space.

According to the source, the young man was then referred to the Asokoro District Hospital where he received medical attention.

When NAN Correspondent visited the Accident and Emergency Section of the hospital in Asokoro, the young man could be seen being treated by some medical personnel with three police officers interrogating him.

When asked: “Did you go and rob someone’’? by one of the policemen, he said: “No’’.

On sighting the NAN reporter in the emergency ward, one of the police officers interrogating the young man ordered him to leave the place immediately.

Responding, the Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, DSP Anjuguri Mamzah, told NAN that the matter had not been officially reported to him at the time of writing this report. (NAN)
CMY/YEE
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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Adams leads U.S. past 10-man Mexico

Nashville (U.S.), Sept. 12, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Tyler Adams scored in the 71st minute against 10-man Mexico, and the U.S. men’s national team defeated Mexico 1-0 on Tuesday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.

Mexico’s Angel Zaldivar was sent off in the 67th minute after a hard challenge on U.S. Captain Wil Trapp of the Columbus Crew. Zaldivar went for a slide tackle, but instead put his studs into Trapp’s right leg.

The Americans took advantage four minutes later. Defender Antonee Robinson, who plays for England’s Wigan Athletic, burst down the left flank and sent a cross to an onrushing Adams.

The 19-year-old midfielder for the New York Red Bulls made a 35-yard run and smashed the ball at the penalty spot for his first international goal in his seventh game.

Both teams are cycling fresh blood into their programmes. The Americans, who made six changes in the starting lineup from a 2-0 loss to Brazil on Friday, had a 22-man roster with 14 players under age 23.

The Mexicans had seven players make their national team debuts. El Tri lost 4-1 to Uruguay on Friday in Houston.

Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen had all three of his saves in the first half, when Mexico carried the play. In the 16th minute, he pushed a header by Edson Alvarez over the bar off a free kick.

In the 37th, Steffen denied Roberto Alvarado, who was unmarked after Diego Lainez made a run to the end line and sent the ball to the middle of the box.

The lone American shot in the first half was a 30-yard strike by Timothy Weah in the 42nd minute.

The U.S. trails the all-time series with a 19-34-15 mark, but is 14-7-6 since 2000.

The Americans next play Oct. 11 against Colombia, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (Reuters/NAN)
ERO/SN
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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Silas Nwoha

Waste
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, Sept. 12, 2019 (NAN) Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, the President, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMSON), has advised the Federal and State Governments to enforce the established environmental laws.

Osibanjo gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to him, there are many environmental problems arising from inability to manage the waste properly because governments do not enforce the laws and policies on environment.

”Inability to manage waste properly can have multiplier effects on how the environment of a community looks like.

”The drainage systems will be blocked by waste; this is washed into the canals and all other water ways.

”Then, there will be flooding when it rains, which may destroy lives and property.

”Weak buildings can collapse or show signs of distress when submerged in water for so long.

”Also, the leeches from the waste can penetrate the underground water, polluting the source of water and making it hazardous to health,” Osibanjo said.

According to him, Federal and State Governments are not carrying out thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

He said that most of our major markets were located on heavily polluted areas and these were places people and hoteliers, among others, were buying their foodstuffs.

Osibanjo said it was necessary that EIA should be respected and forcefully implemented for public interest and to avoid enormous disaster in future.

“Environmental pollution has ripple effects as it contaminates the land and causes havoc to agricultural produce.

“It also affected the rivers, putting humans in danger of eating contaminated aquatic animals like fishes, periwinkles, among others,’’ he said.

Osibanjo said that all the contaminated foodstuffs when injected, works as time bomb waiting to explode in form of cancer, body pains, headaches and other full blown diseases distrusting human health. (NAN)
ACA/MO/GOK
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Edited by Omolade Michael/Olagoke Olatoye

Army to conduct shooting, advises residents to keep-off

By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) The Depot Nigerian Army says it will conduct a final bush exercise tagged: “Exercise Kungama’’ for 77 Regular Recruits Intake from Sept. 17 and Sept. 30.

Lt. Adekunle Adeyemi-Akinyele, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Depot Nigerian Army, made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday in Zaria, Kaduna State.

“The recruits of 77 Regular Intake would be having their final bush exercise, nick-named “Exercise Kungama’’ from Monday, 17 to Sunday 30, September, 2018 at Falgore Forest Base Camp along Tudun Wada-Falgore-Saminaka Road.

“The exercise will involve firing of live ammunition using small arms and artillery guns. The authority has put in place safety precautions to ensure a safe and hitch-free exercise.

“Residents around Tudun-Wada, Falgore village, Kwanar Dan Gora and Dakatsalle in both Kaduna and Kano States are advised to go about their daily activities without panic.’’

Adeyemi-Akinyele, said however, that residents of the affected villages should stay away from the exercise areas. (NAN)
KLM/OMO/SN

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Edited by Martins Odeh/Silas Nwoha

Maku joins governorship race

Governorship

By Sunday John

Lafia, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has again joined the race for governorship of Nasarawa State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, Maku, the National Secretary of APGA, was its candidate in the state during the 2015 election.

His campaign director, Nawani Aboki, said in Lafia on Wednesday that Maku had purchased the nomination form of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Abiki expressed confidence that the former minister would get the party’s endorsement to contest for the seat in 2019.

He added that APGA stakeholders in the state would soon meet to ratify Maku’s candidature and select his running mate. (NAN)

SDJ/JTJ/MZA

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Edited by Julius Toba Jegede/Maharazu Ahmed

Practices
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) A Paediatrician, Dr Okiemute Olibamoyo, on Wednesday called on stakeholders in the health sector to educate mothers against indulging in practices injurious to their children’s health.

Olibamoyo of the Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to her, there are lots of practices being performed by mothers on their children that are wrong.

The paediatrician said: “Only regular and frequent public health enlightenment can stop it.

“One of such common and deadly practices being performed by mothers is when a child has a seizure or convulsion as most people know.

“You see the mother putting the child’s feet in hot oil, water or fire. This is wrong.

“Like the one that we saw in our children’s emergency where the child’s feet was severely burnt because he had convulsion and the mother’s resolve was to put the child’s feet on a burning stove.’’

The expert said the right thing to do in cases of convulsion in children was to move the child away from harmful areas and objects, so as to avoid harming himself further.

She said that convulsion only last for a minute, except if it is the protracted one which could last for about 30 minutes.

Olibamoyo warned mothers against putting spoon or other objects in the child’s mouth when he or she was convulsing, saying that it could cause more injuries to the child.

“It can even puncture their gums and the back of the throat or break their jaws, depending on what the person trying to help used.

“The person trying to help can also get a serious bite,’’ the expert said.

She advised that a child with prolonged convulsion should be quickly rushed to a nearby hospital for help.

Olibamoyo said that convulsion in children was caused by high fever, adding that this was because their regulatory mechanism for fever was not well developed.

She urged mothers to ensure proper management of fever in their children, advising that proper drugs should be given to control it.

Olibamoyo blamed poverty, ignorance and poor female education as major reasons why mothers went into some of those dangerous practices.

“In all of these, I will say, the level of poverty in Nigeria, ignorance and low female education are the reasons these things happen and it should be addressed,’’ she said. (NAN)
LED/COF/GOK
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Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Olagoke Olatoye

Serena ‘out of line’ but both sides share blame, says King

New York, Sept. 12, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Former world number one Billie Jean King has softened her initial stance on the controversy over Serena Williams, who was “totally out of line” when she vehemently disputed calls by chair umpire Carlos Ramos.

The altercation happened during Saturday’s U.S. Open final.

Ramos, however, could have prevented the affair had he communicated better and given Williams a ‘soft warning’, instead of a code violation when he saw her Coach Patrick Mouratoglou giving signals during the match, King said.

Williams was issued a warning, point and then game penalty after she argued with Ramos during the final, which was won 6-2 6-4 by Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

“Serena was out of line. There’s no question,” King told CNN on Tuesday. “No one is saying she was a good sport. If they are they are crazy.

“She was totally out of line. She knows it.”

King’s remarks to CNN were something of a walk back of her earlier comments, when she said in a Washington Post editorial that Williams had faced down sexism with her protests.

She also did not criticize Williams’ on-court behavior.

King, however, said Williams was not aware she had been handed a first violation and was surprised to have a point taken from her, when she received a second for later smashing her racquet.

The loss of the point prompted Williams to call Ramos a “thief”, which led to a third violation for verbal abuse that resulted in the umpire issuing a game penalty.

“Although he could have prevented the incident from escalating, King said.

“The point is he (aggravated) the situation. ‘I’m not attacking your character,’ is the most important thing he could have said,” King told CNN.

“I think everything would have been different.”

King said she hoped the incident would bring about needed changes to the sport, including allowing for direct communication between the umpire and the fans, over a loudspeaker and ending the ban on coaching during Grand Slam matches.

“Crisis creates an opportunity to get it right,” she said. (Reuters/NAN)
ERO/SN
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55-year-old mechanic in court for allegedly abandoning family

Court
By Aisha Gambo
Kaduna, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) A 55-year-old mechanic, Salisu Adamu on Wednesday appeared before Sharia Court II at Magajin Gari Kaduna for allegedly abandoning his family.

Aisha, his wife of 20 years told the court that Adamu is no longer a responsible husband and father, as he has not been taking care of them.

“My husband has not been fulfilling his responsibility as a husband and a father.

“He doesn’t provide food nor take care of our health and has not been paying rent which makes the landlord to harass us all the time,” she told the court.

Aisha said that she had been shouldering the responsibility of their seven children including their schooling.

The wife told the court that she had earlier reported the matter to the defendant’s guardian, but their intervention has not yielded any positive result.

The complainant therefore prayed to court to compel Adamu to take up his responsibility of father his children, because she could no longer shoulder the burden due to the collapse of her business.

In his defence, the husband agreed that he has not been responsible for the education of the children, but had from time to time provided them with food when he has the means.

He disagreed with his wife that he has been irresponsible since their marriage 20 years ago, saying that his problem began seven months ago when the company he worked for failed to pay him his salary.

The Judge Malam, Musa Sa’ad descended heavily on Adamu, saying his actions cannot be justified and a serious sin before Allah.

“It is a great offence not to cater for your family while you are able and healthy.

” It is compulsory for the defendant to take up his responsibility as a husband and a father which include providing food, clothing, shelter, health and education,” the Judge said.

He ordered the complainant to provide the court with estimate of her monthly requirement for the family upkeep for the court to decide.

Sa’ad assured the woman that “from now henceforth he (the husband) will be a man”.(NAN)
AMG/MZA

Pedestrian
By Moronke Boboye
Lagos, Sept.12, 2018 (NAN) A 42-year-old commercial driver, Hakeem Salau, who allegedly killed a pedestrian, was on Wednesday docked before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos over reckless driving and manslaughter.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Michael Unah, told the court that Salau, who resides at No. 9, Olumo St., Dalemo in Ogun, committed the offences on Aug. 28 at Kola Bus Stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Unah said that the accused, who drove a bus in a reckless manner, knocked down a 57-year-old woman.

“The woman was crossing the road when the accused drove recklessly and knocked her down.

“She died on her way to the hospital,’’ the prosecutor said.

The offences contravened Sections 27 and 28 of the Road Traffic Acts, Law of Lagos State, 2003.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr A. A Fashola, granted the accused bail of N750, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Fashola said that the sureties should show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned until Nov. 26 for mention. (NAN)

MTO/EOB/GOK
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Edited by Edith Bolokor/Olagoke Olatoye