NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Guterres renews call for global vaccination campaign as COVID-19 clocks 1

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Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday renewed his call for a global vaccination campaign as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic clocked one year.

In a statement, Guterres stated that equity in vaccine distribution represented the “greatest moral test of our times”.

It was on March 11, 2020 that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus a pandemic, NAN reports.

Noting that the world had faced “a tsunami of suffering” since then, Guterres stated that there was “some light at the end of the tunnel” with the vaccine roll-out.

“COVAX, the global vaccine equity mechanism, has started delivery around the world, including to some of the lowest-income countries.

“Yet I am deeply concerned that many low-income countries have not yet received a single dose, while wealthier countries are on track to vaccinating their entire population.

“We see many examples of vaccine nationalism and vaccine hoarding in wealthier countries, as well as continued side deals with manufacturers that undermine access for all.”

As of Thursday afternoon, no fewer than 328 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in 126 countries, according to CNN.

Data compiled by the New York Times show that on continental basis, North America is leading with 17 doses administered per 100 people.

Europe is second with 10.2 doses/100 people, followed by South America (4.7 doses/100), Asia (2.6 doses/100), Africa (0.4 doses/100people) and Oceania (0.3 doses/100).

Looking back at the last 12 months, the UN chief said it had been a year of “empty office buildings, quiet streets and closed schools in much of the world”.

“I commend women, men and young people everywhere for adapting to work, learn and live in new ways.

“I honour health workers for their dedication and sacrifice and all other essential workers who have kept societies running.

“I salute all those who have stood up to the deniers and disinformation, and have followed science and safety protocols. You have helped save lives,” he said.

Guterres said the UN would continue to mobilise the international community through the COVAX facility to make vaccines affordable and available for all.(NAN)

FG to unbundle NIPOST soon — Pantami

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By Tolu Aiyegbusi

Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said on Thursday that plans had reached advanced stage to unbundle the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Pantami stated this in Abuja at the unveiling and launching of Nigeria at 60 commemorative postage stamps.

The News Agency of Nigerian NAN reports that two stamps in N500 and N100 denominations were unveiled at the ceremony.

“ Soon we will be unbundling other parts of NIPOST such as Property and Development company, Transportation and Logistic company, NIPOST Microfinance Bank, among others.

“ We will achieve this by leveraging on all our infrastructures around the country,” the minister said.

The minister noted that so many positive transformations were taking place in the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

He mentioned the issuance of commemorative postage stamps as a means of documentation and propagation of the nation’s history.

He noted that the postage stamps would help Nigerians to appreciate the unity, beauty and strength of the nation’s diversity.

The minister called on Nigerians to use the occasion to reflect and appreciate the nation at 60’s journey so far.

“The stamps have been produced some months ago, but could not be unveiled due to certain circumstances.

“The production of the postage stamps was part of the items listed for the celebration of Nigeria at 60 preparations, ” he said.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Dr Ismail Adewusi, Post Master General (PMG) of Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) said that the postage stamps were produced in order to celebrate the nation and document it for posterity.

He said that the history of Nigeria’s struggles dates back to past heroes and leaders whose struggles led to independence in 1960.

Adewusi noted that NIPOST had been part of the socio-cultural and economic growth of the country by the pictorial capturing of the country’s journey, via stamps.

He traced the history of postage stamps back to 1840 in the British Empire when the first set of postage stamps were introduced and later led to other postal reforms.

“ Postage stamps were introduced to profer solutions the prevailing communications and fiscal challenges in the British government,” he said.

Adewusi said postage stamps tell the true history of Nigeria as recorded through its lens.

“Postage stamps are a true recorder of events for history and witness to human civilization.

“ We offer user-friendly products at our different postal formations across the country,” he said.

NAN reports that the two sets of stamps came with Nigerian flag and inscription ‘Nigeria @60’ boldly written on them.

NAN also reports that NIPOST was carved out of the defunct Nigerian Post and Telecommunications  (P and T) department and remained a government agency even as its sister organisation, NITEL, was since unbundled and privatised. (NAN)

2023: NCWS ready to mobilise support for women — President

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By Justina Auta

The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) says it is ready to mobilise massive support for women candidates for various elective positions in the 2023 general elections.

Dr Laraba Shoda, NCWS President, said this on Thursday, while addressing the media during the National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting and celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) in Abuja.

Shoda said that women were ready to slug it out, and unlike in the past, were ready to support female  candidates at various levels in 2023.

“A lot of women are planning, they will come out by the time political parties do their conventions and everybody has taken the place that they want.

“Women of course will come out, and when women come out, do not be deceived because women are going to support them,” she said.

Shoda clarified that, though NCWS was not a political party, it had the responsibility to support women in politics.

“NCWS is not a political party, people belong to different political parties, when they come and approach us for support, we will all go out and see what we can do to support them.

“We will mobilise for them, sensitise for them and we will make sure that women vote for fellow women,” she said.

The NCWS president called on stakeholders to create a level playing field so that women could be accommodated in the political terrain.

She condemned the idea of money politics, saying it discourages women from the political terrain.

According to her, the organisation held a summit for women aspirants during the 2019 general elections, but many lost due to money politics.

“In fortunately, many of them did not win in the primaries for obvious reasons. They did not have deep pockets, that is one of the big reason; money politics.

” Unless we stop money politics and go for credible people that merit the position, women might continue to lag behind because we don’t have big pockets,” she said.

Shoda also called for action against political violence, which she said was a disincentive for women hoping to go into politics.

“Women are not violent, and you know during primaries, there is a lot of violence and women cannot come out with sticks, cutlasses and other violent objects because they want to win elections.

“We always weigh what we do. So, a lot of women draw back when they see violence.

“Right now in the Nigerian political scene, it is a man’s world; it is men dominated. That is the problem we have, but we are ready to slug it out in 2023,” she said.

On the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said it had further exposed gender inequality, exacerbated the pain of women and the consequences of patriarchal society.

“We can no longer ignore the fact that the pandemic laid bare existing inequalities in society and exacerbated them.

”It also exposed the absence of women in governance, while at the same time reinforced the call to address our gender-biased society.

“The consequences of patriarchy, unequal power relations were also revealed during the pandemic as male decision-makers were in charge of issues that disproportionately affected women and girls, exposing gender inequality in our society.’’

According to her, the NCWS and others have called on the government to adopt a gender-responsive approach in the inclusion of women in decision making and distribution processes for better and effective results.

Shoda also called on all female lawmakers to place women’s issues on the legislative agenda.

The council president said women in executive positions should encourage conversations around budget review and new appropriation to ensure that decisions are gender sensitive.

She said that the 2021 IWD celebration was symbolic as it highlights the achievement and landmark feats achieved by Nigerian women and others across the globe.

Highlight of the day was an award of “Ambassador of NCWS” to Alhaji Yusuf Manjalo, a seasoned administrator, for his support to women and children in Nigeria. (NAN)

$797m outstanding: ECOWAS Parliament holds Extraordinary Session on improving funding

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By Ifeanyi Nwoko

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis says payment of outstanding community levies for the development of ECOWAS institutions will be  the focus at the Extraordinary Session on March 23, in Freetown, Sierra-Leone.

Tunis disclosed this at an interactive session with newmen on Thursday in Abuja in commemoration of the first anniversary of the fifth legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Community Level Assessment Report by the ECOWAS Commission, Member States owed about 797 million dollars as outstanding community levy in the last 16 years.

To address this, Tunis said that strategies on ensuring outstanding and subsequent payments would be the focus of the first physical Extraordinary Session of the fifth legislature scheduled to hold between March 22 and April 3.

“The Sierra Leone meeting will be dealing with our strategic plans: What we really intend to do as a Parliament, strategic plans from 2020 to 2024, that is, through the lifespan of the fifth legislature.

“We would also have a plan and seminar that will be dedicated to Community Levy, how countries can help the ECOWAS generally to raise funds.

“Because there are certain countries that put in a lot of efforts, there are those who are not doing so well.

“That is one reason why at that particular Seminar in Freetown, we will have the Commissioner of Finance in the ECOWAS Commission and other players who are directly connected with community levy.

“We will also have a resource person from Gambia who is one of those, who actually started the whole idea of community levy in ECOWAS.

“So, all of those experts will be in Freetown on March 23rd to explain to Parliamentarians, to ensure that we are able to raise enough money for our programmes in ECOWAS.

“Not just ECOWAS Parliament but ECOWAS institutions generally, we have the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), they are doing extremely well, they are the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19.

“We have the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, the Commission is there that is providing the overall coordination for all the institutions.

“So, we are expecting that the Sierra Leone meeting, which is the first in-person meeting for ECOWAS Parliament will go a long way to look at all of these issues.

“And, to make recommendations to the ECOWAS Commission that will eventually go to the Council of Ministers and to the Authority of Heads of State” Tunis said.

According to Tunis, the ECOWAS Parliament is expectant that the meeting would be a success because Parliamentarians come from all of the countries in the sub-region, hence are Ambassadors of their countries to Parliament. (NAN)

COVID-19: Oyo Govt receives 127,740 doses of vaccine

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By David Adeoye
The Oyo State Government says it has receipt of 127,740 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Federal Government.
A statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by Mr Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Seyi Makinde, confirmed that the vaccines were received in Ibadan by the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board.
Adisa said the vaccines were received from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) in Abuja.
According to the him,  the Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Muideen Olatunji, said that 127,740 doses of the vaccines received by the state government were part of the first phase of vaccines distribution by the federal government.
Olatunji was quoted as saying that the vaccines were received in good condition and that they had also been kept in appropriate cold rooms, stressing that the state has very strong cold rooms “and we cannot even use up to one-third of the capacity”.
He maintained that the state government had commenced the training of health workers who would administer the vaccines to residents.
He added that the medical workers would also be trained at the local government area  levels.
He further stated that the vaccines would be distributed to the 33 local government areas of the state where “they will be kept under appropriate conditions”. (NAN)

NIREC urges for legislation to end environmental pollution

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By Jessica Onyegbula

The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has called on the government to make legislation to end all forms of environmental pollution in the country.

The Executive Secretary, NIREC, Mr Cornelius Omonokhua, made the call in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Omonokhua  noted with concern that the nation was experiencing its own fair share of environmental pollution and global warming effects.

“Our lands are polluted due to improper or lack of available dump site for domestic wastes, wrongful or excessive use of agro-allied chemicals which are mostly washed down into nearby rivers and streams thus also posing a threat to clean water.

“Our waters are polluted by direct dumping of refuse in water or water ways thus causing blockage of such water ways which results to flooding and contamination of water.

“These floods are responsible for loss of lives and property worth millions of naira on annual basis,” he said.

He said that secondly, crude oil drilling activities from the oil producing states is another aspect of water pollution mostly experienced in the southern part of the country.

“This involves oil spillage from the crude oil activities carried out in that region.

“These spillages be it on land or in water are responsible for the death of plants and aquatic animals thus making farming and fishing activities more difficult, ultimately affecting the means of livelihood of the host community,’’ he said.

Omonokhua said that improper chemical waste disposal by industries is also not left out of this.

He added that the pollution our air suffers mostly comes from emissions of carbon monoxide from automobiles and industries.

He also said that there are no stiff penalties for such emissions and as such a lot of vehicles drive around with visible emission, with heavy duty vehicles creating a dark cloud of soot while they are in motion.

Omonokhua said that indiscriminate burning of bushes and refuse also adds to the problem of air pollution in the country.

He said that the indiscriminate falling of trees without replanting, illegal mining, and so on, are all part of man’s activities that are taking a toll on the environment.

“The impact of these activities pollution resulting to climate change (climatic temperature rise) has given birth to high exposure to heat stress and ultraviolet radiation, absence of clean air, shortage of potable water, desertification and unpredictable weather.

“The fact that herdsmen and farmers are clashing over vegetation can be directly or indirectly linked to climate change.

“In order to mitigate the devastating effects of these pollutions, NIREC hereby calls on the government to make legislation particularly enabling the respective regulatory Ministries, Departments and Agencies to address and combat these crises,” he aid.

He called on all concerned industries that produce one form of waste or the other to be truly professional in their waste disposal methods and own up by cleaning up areas they have already polluted.

Omonokhua called on the Nigerian citizenry to be true nationalist by avoiding acts that could be inimical to the environment. (NAN)

Insecurity: PDP governors pledge to support FG

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The People’s Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) has pledged to support the Federal Government to address insecurity and restore peace in troubled areas of the country.

The Chairman of the Forum and Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said this while briefing newsmen at the end of the forum’s first physical meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

Tambuwal said that the PDP governors agreed to support the federal government initiatives in ensuring that whatever would re-establish peace in Nigeria, be it discussion, negotiations or kinetic approach.

This is a very productive meeting that review the situation of the country, the security challenges in the country.

“As governors of the PDP, we have agreed and resolved to continue to work with the federal government with the sole aim of reestablishing peace in troubled areas of the federation.

“We must not play politics with security and we must all work together to ensure that we bring back peace in our land.

“So we have agreed to continue to work with the federal government in that regard.”

Tambuwal said that the forum however appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to support state governments in the discharge of their mandates.

“We are appealing to Mr President to reconsider certain measures by bringing more succour and relief to the people of Nigeria.

“He should support state governments in the discharge of their mandate, by making available resources to the States.

“This is important so that we can execute our mandate and ensure that we engender good governance and good condition of living in our respective states throughout the country.”

On PDP, Tambuwal commended the National Working Committee (NWC) initiative for constituting the National Reconciliation Committee to reconcile aggrieved members of the party across the country.

“We have received interim report from that committee. They are doing very well and we are encouraging them to continue in that regard.

“The governor’s forum is going to back their efforts strongly so that we can possibly bring back those members of our party who have left out of anger and certain situations.”

Tambuwal also said that no member of the forum was contemplating of leaving PDP for another party.

“As you can see, most if not all of the governors of the PDP attended this meeting.

“This a very clear statement that no governor of PDP is contemplating leaving the party for any other party.

“We are brothers and we have committed ourselves to the party and to ensure that we continue to deliver on our mandate to the people of our respective states.”

Tambuwal said that the governors also agreed to work together with the NWC of the party to continue with what they started.

On e-registration of members of the party, Tambuwal said the governors appealed to the NWC to immediately set up machinery in motion to actualise it.

He also disclosed that the forum set up three committees on finance, legal matters and legislative interface.

The committee on finance is being led by the forum’s Deputy Chairman and Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River; legislative matters by the governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, and that of legal matters, led by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers.

On the protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress on alleged plans to move minimum wage from executive to concurrent list, Tambuwal described the accusation by the NLC as misplaced.

He said that no governor advocated for that.

Former Senate President and Chairman, PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Sen. Bukola Saraki, speaking to journalists after the meeting, said the committee briefed the governors on its efforts to reunite the party.

“We briefed them on efforts we have made so far, what we have been able to achieve, our strategy, and how we are going to work together,” he said.

He said that the committee efforts was already yielding positive results.

“We had stakeholders that were not ready working together. Now they’re working together, they are meeting.

“We have states where we have differences. People now are coming together.”

Also in attendance were governors of Abia, Delta, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Benue, Zamfara states and deputy governor of Adamawa. (NAN)

Buhari meets traditional rulers, vows to be harder on criminals

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By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari says security chiefs have received marching orders to go harder on criminals, including shooting anyone found to be in illegal possession of AK-47.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the president stated this during a meeting with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.

The Council is co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

The president, who briefed the traditional rulers on efforts by the government to improve the security situation in the country, said his administration had recorded appreciable successes in the North-East and South-South parts of the country.

‘‘But what surprises me is what is happening now in the North West where the same people, with the same culture, are killing each other, taking their livestock and burning properties.

‘‘As a result of that, we had a four-hour meeting of the National Security Council attended by the Ministers of Internal Affairs, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Service Chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police and others and we gave clear instructions.

‘‘One thing that got to the press, which I read myself, was that anyone with an AK-47 will be shot.

‘‘This is because AK-47 is supposed to be registered and it is only given to security officials.

‘‘We closed the borders for some years, but the intelligence report I’m getting on a daily basis is that those who are conducting the abductions, the killings and so on  are still not short of arms and ammunition,’’ he said.

The President expressed dismay over attacks on police stations and killings of security personnel by criminals, warning that ”no investor will invest in a country that is unsafe”.

Buhari also stressed the need for traditional rulers to use their roles and positions as bridge builders in each of their communities to complement government efforts at ensuring peace and security.

He appealed to the traditional leaders to deploy their reach and influence in the best interest of assisting the government to ”root out those whose sole objective remains to cause trouble and destroy livelihoods and families across the nation”.

The president, who listened to various interventions from representatives of the traditional rulers from each of the six- geo-political zones in the country, pledged that his administration would continue to support and work collaboratively with them to ensure peace and stability.

He restated his marching orders to the newly appointed Service Chiefs to bring the security situation under control.

He noted that closer control could only be achieved with the cooperation and collaboration of traditional rulers and authorities, who occupy a critical role in the society.

‘‘By your role and positions with history dating back hundred years, the people trust you implicitly and in return you provide them with comfort and guidance in accordance with our cultural heritage and traditions.

‘‘You are the bridge builders in each of your communities.

”No one is better placed with your strength of moral authority to ensure that people who visit your communities for either business, leisure or any honest and credible reason are protected and made to feel at home,’’ he said.

In separate remarks, the royal fathers stressed the need for the traditional institution to be assigned definite roles, particularly on peace and security, within the ambit of the Constitution as well as regular engagement with the National Assembly on multiple fronts.

The presidential aide disclosed that the Sultan of Sokoto, the Ooni of Ife, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, spoke at the meeting.

Others speakers included King Jaja of Opobo, Dr Dandeson Jaja, Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Adamu, Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Iliyasu and the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi.

The meeting was attended by security chiefs including the National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

The Director-General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i were also in attendance. (NAN)

Federal salary structure can’t be imposed on states- Fayemi

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said that federal salary structure should not be imposed on states.

Fayemi made the observation when he hosted pro-chancellors of state-owned universities on Thursday in Abuja.

Fayemi said that the same salary structure should not be imposed on states because federal and state governments do not have similar economic situations.

A statement issued by Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF Secretariat, quoted Fayemi as making the observation when the pro-chancellors deliberated on solutions to problems state-owned tertiary institutions.

“You can’t impose a federal salary structure on states because we do not all have the same economic or financial situations.

” I, for example, do not have the resources of Lagos State, so you won’t expect me to earn the same salary as the governor of Lagos,” he said.

The NGF chairman added that it was true that no state had fulfilled payment of salaries to states universities, but states were not always solely responsible for this.

“The people you appoint as vice chancellors need to speak truth to power, they need to be able to bite the bullet, and not just be a YES person.

“We need to work together to confront these issues, we are running glorified secondary schools as universities by this system and you have to help us in insisting that the institutions too, do the right thing, ” he added.

Fayemi agreed with the pro-chancellors that politics should not be involved in the nation’s school system, even though he argued that there were very smart people in politics in Nigeria.

Earlier, the pro-chancellors led by Mallam Yusuf Ali, the Pro-Chancellor of Osun State university, said that the seamless educational progression that the country should be experiencing was being hampered by paucity of funds.

He also listed other factors such as unions like: Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the students.

Ali also admonished the owners of state-owned universities to relegate politics to the backgrounds when considering their appointees.

He said that only the best and brightest with sound academic profiles should made to engage in matters relating to education.

The team which represents all the 48 universities owned by states pleaded with governors to take over the burden of payment of salaries of state universities.

They also called for the reintroduction of scholarships for indigent students and assist the committee of pro-chancellors of states universities to erect a secretariat of their own to facilitate their activities. (NAN)

Anambra receives 78,810 doses of COVID-19 vaccine

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By Chimezie Anaso

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra says the state has received 78,810 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Obiano said this at the inauguration of the COVID-19 vaccine introduction to the state at the Chuwkuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Amaku, Awka, on Thursday.

The governor urged residents of the state to obtain immunisation forms and make themselves available for administration of the vaccine in order to curb the spread of the virus.

He assured them that Anambra had a good storage facility for the vacciines.

“Residents of Anambra should fill the vaccine forms in order to be eligible for vaccination,” Obiano said.

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that Anambra was rid of COVID-19 virus and other viral diseases.

Obiano also warned the people of Anambra to always observe the COVID-19 protocols at all times as the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine does not guarantee 100 per cent immunity or cure for COVID-19 disease.  (NAN)

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