News Agency of Nigeria
Agriculture

Rotary Club, LASCODA partner Lagos Free Zone on coconut planting

Presentation of Coconut seedlings to eight communities in the Lagos Free Zone by Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic in collaboration with Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), on Friday in Lagos.

By Olayinka Olawale
The Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic and Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA) in collaboration with Toleram Group have donated coconut seedlings to eight communities within the Lagos Free Zone.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the eight communities are Idotun  Lekuru, Lujagba, Oke-Segun, Magbin- Segun, Itoke, Okunraye and Alasia.
The communities located around the Lagos Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area received 25 seedlings each at the premises of the Lekki Deep Sea Ports on Friday in Lagos.
Rotarian Gboyega Bada, President, Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, said that the club embraced coconut planting because of its importance to the environment and Lagos state.
Bada said the exercise was part of the club’s effort to replant coconut along the sea shores and coastal areas, schools and gardens in the state.
He said that coconut aside from the aesthetics beauty, also protect the environment from the effect of climate change.
He added that coconut protects the shoreline and communities alone the costal area from ocean surge and erosion.
According to him, the crop has high economic value due to its usefulness.
“We decided to go back to these communities to encourage them to replant coconut to bring back its beauty and importance along the shoreline.
“Coconut is the only crop that can survive in sea and that is why we are here to give seedlings to the communities in the free zone to plant, increase production and protect the costal areas.
In her remarks, Ms Abisola Olasanya, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, said that as custodian of the coconut tree along the coastal lines, it was important to replant the old trees in the host communities.
Olusanya, who was represented by Mr Gbolabo Olaniwun, Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, said that the benefits of coconut cannot be overemphasised.
She commended Rotary Club for adopting coconut one of its project in Lagos.
Olusanya added that the seedlings would replace the already old trees in the communities to prevent ocean vagaries and sea shores from erosion that might arise.

 

The commissioner urged  the communities to nurture the seedlings from germination to fruition adding that it would serve as source of livelihood to the communities and increase production.
Also, Mr Adurayemi Ogundele, Manager, Environment and Community, Lekki Port, thanked the Rotary Club, Ministry of Agriculture and LASCODA for the collaboration.
According to him, we are so glad to have you here because we understand the importance of planting trees in general whether coconut or vegetational, especially along the shoreline.
“Community wise, it is good for us to replant, perhaps if there are coconuts that have been lost so we can replant so that we have a shoreline bubbling.
“Not only for commercial purposes, when I came here also these are areas where you find people gather together like a recreation park.
“We are very sure this is a welcome development and we will make good use of it,” he said.
A representative of the communities, Mr Tunde Olooto, commended Rotary Club, LASCODA and the management of the free trade zone for the gesture.
Olooto said that the beneficiaries would plant the seedlings to safeguard the shoreline of the coastal communities for the betterment of the generations yet unborn to sustain their livelihood.
Earlier, the representatives of Rotary Club, LASCODA and Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture held a meeting with Toleram Group in the Corporate Headquarters, Lagos Free Zone, to collaborate on the establishment of coconut plantation.
Bada said the collaboration was to further discuss the better projection of coconut in Lagos and boost production to meet its demands.
He said that the club was working toward improving coconut production, creating employment and health benefits of the crop.
“Our visit today is to discuss partnership between the club and Toleram Group on establishment of coconut plantation within the free trade zone.
“We are here to thank the Toleram Group, owners of Lagos Free Zone for their support especially on our projects throughout the year.
“We are initiating coconut collaboration between Toleram and Rotary Club on establishment of coconut plantation for health and economic benefit.
“I am very optimistic that something good will come out of this visit.
“Already, Toleram have told us that they had earmarked some hectares for green area and will see how they can incorporate coconut into it.
Mr Vishal Shah, General Chief Sustainability Officer, Lagos Free Zone, lauded the club for the partnership, while pledging the group’s commitment to friendly ecosystem.
Shah said the Lagos Free Zone located on a 850 hectares of land had already earmarked space for green area in its master plan.
He said said that 44 hectares of the land had been earmarked for green within its master plan.
Shah said the management of the group would look at its master plan to see how it can accommodate coconut plantation.
He said the management of the zone was committed to protecting the environment and the ecosystem.
Shah said that the group would review the proposal and make its decision known to the club.
“We at the Lagos Free Zone are highly excited to host Rotary Club Eko Atlantic and LASCODA.
“We have earmarked some space for green area and it is in our master plan. We will see how we can incorporate coconut into it,” he said.
Other dignitaries at the event include Mrs Tokunbo Emokpae, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, represented by Mr Emmanuel Audu, Director of Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe.
Mr Dapo Olakulehin, GM, LASCODA represented by Mr Olatunji Amusat, Deputy Director, Planning and Research, LASCODA. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Economy/Business

Encourage local manufacturers to bridge Nigeria’s metering gap, MEMMCOL tasks FG



 

 

By Yusuf Yunus

Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Ltd. (MEMMCOL)  has called on the Federal Government to increase its support and encouragement to indigenous meter manufacturers, to bridge the nation’s metering gap.

Mr Kola Balogun, Chairman, MEMMCOL, made the appeal at the graduation ceremony of 10 youths on a five-week Printed Circuit Board (PCB) training course in Lagos, on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said that the country’s metering gap currently stands at over five million.

Balogun said that encouraging and allowing consumers to acquire meters on their own would spring up more investment in metering industry.

The indigenous electricity meters manufacturer also called on the government to license meter manufacturers to bridge the metering gap.

According to him, the federal government must continue to encourage local companies sufficiently or allow consumers to be able to buy meters on their own.

“If they can buy meters on their own, we will be able to invest.

“This means we should be licensed and most of the enterprises that are sustainable today are licensed enterprise.

“License meter manufacturers, so that we will be able to reach more users,” he said.

He also advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and development banks to seek ways of directly funding manufacturers, saying thst it the surest path to reducing unemployment in the country.

Speaking on the training course, he said the PCB fabrication design had never been done in any of the higher institutions or skill acquisition centres in the country.

He pointed that the idea behind the training course was to reposition Nigerian youths for the global digital economy.

“We want to represent our youths, especially those in the science domain to be able to key into global Artificial Intelligence (AI) space.

Balgun said: “Nigerians are known to be users of computers and telephone, but we do not manufacture these things.

“We are using this platform to be able to train youths to design these digital technologies and the fundamental foundation of designing electronic device is the PCD.

“The PCD is where you plug all your components to do the magic,” he added.

According to him, each of the graduands is a macro business enterprise as a unit and has the capacity to design and fabricate for all the global digital industries across the globe.

“They are digital entrepreneurs and engineers and can now fabricate PCB and it is the heart of any electronic device.

“Our next agenda is to write to most of the universities to send in some of their representatives,” Balogun emphasised.

He said that the company’s efforts in empowering youths and women with skill acquisition, had attracted grant from the German government to establish a skill acquisition institution.

“The grant is for establishing  institution for skill acquisition, which PCB will be part of the courses we are going to run.

“We have a database for all our students, to ensure that they comply with all the regulations in their curriculum.

“So, this will help them hold on to the discipline that is required to sustain what they have learnt.
“The setback we are having today is that most of the youths are losing their virtues and character that drives good knowledge.

“We are always preaching virtue, discipline and attitudinal change for us to be able to sustain the knowledge we are imparting on these youths,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr Waheed Olagunju, Chairman, One Innovation Hub, said that Nigerians needed to be well educated, skillful and healthy to eradicate poverty in the country by 2030, pointing out that the training speaks to the skill acquisition aspect.

Olagunju said: “For any nation to be productive, it needs to be skillful and the skills being imparted will enable them navigate the world better.

“We are in a knowledge based economy and PCDs are the heart of electronics.

“If we are able to produce PCDs, we will be able to produce anything electronics.

“This would go a long way to helping us achieving our objective of being a smart city and a smart city will play a critical role in driving the Nigerian economy.

“This is to enable Nigeria play an active role in the international arena that is being driven by the fourth industrial revolution.”

He noted that skill acquisition is very important for Nigeria to achieve its development aspiration as a community and as a country.

One of the graduands, Mr Lawal Kolawole, commended MOMAS Group for the initiative, while also calling on other corporate bodies to emulate the initiative to digitalise the Nigerian economy.

Kolawole said: “We are thought effective basic components of PCB and the installation.

“We are exposed to so many applications and appliances to electrical installations and telecommunications systems solutions.

“We are going to impact positively on our community when we return to Offa in Kwara State especially based on what we have been taught here,” he said.

NAN also reports that the company has trained and graduated over 1,000 youths in various specialties of the power sector from 2018 to 2022. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Environment

Recycling: Equipment lease, alternative to accessing advance machines — Experts

 

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

 

Mr Markus Wauschkuhn, Head of Programme, GIZ-SEDIN

 

Experts in the waste recycling space have urged operators within the ecosystem to embrace equipment leasing as an innovative means to access advanced and latest machinery to remain competitive in the business.

 

They said this this at an awareness consultation with the title: “Enhancing Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Access to Financing through Equipment Leasing”, held on Thursday in Lagos.

 

The awareness consultations and networking event was put together by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), in collaboration with the Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria (ELAN).

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the collaboration was supported by the Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Equipment in Nigeria Programme (SEDIN), a programme by the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ).

 

In her welcome address, Mrs Sina Uti-Waziri, Head of Component, Local Economic Development (GIZ-SEDIN), said that leasing had emerged as a viable option to support MSMEs to easily access financing.

 

Uti-Waziri said: “Equipment leasing is a financial product that allows businesses to rent equipments for a period of time as against purchasing it outrightly and not incurring the significant cost associated with procurement.

 

“It is especially important for MSMEs with limited financial resources. It is an opportunity for businesses to access the latest and most advanced equipment and machinery which allows them to stay competitive.

 

“Equipment leasing is particularly an interesting product in the plastic recycling sector because they are quite expensive to procure and leasing comes as an innovative alternative.”

 

Mr Markus Wauschkuhn, Head of Programme, GIZ-SEDIN, said that the limited awareness and knowledge of leasing to MSMEs had slowed the development of the industry as it should focus mainly on assets suitable for MSMEs.

 

Wauschkuhn said: “The event is to enhance the knowledge of equipment leasing among state MSME agencies and other key stakeholders within and outside the plastic recycling ecosystem in the state.

 

“To capitalise on the opportunities for equipment lessors and other private sector players, who are keen on supporting MSMEs and provide business case for seeking additional investment to the plastic recycling value chain,” he said.

 

He added that bringing stakeholders together was to discuss strategies and recommendations that leasing companies and other investors should follow, to implement policies to grow access to finance for MSMEs in the plastic recycling ecosystem.

 

Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in his opening remarks, said that Lagos State generates 13,000 metric tonnes of wastes daily and 15 per cent was plastic.

 

Odumboni, who was represented by M Akinbulo Ayobami, said that recovery of plastic wastes had been challenging, noting that only about 10 per cent of plastic waste was recovered daily.

 

He said collection of sorted wastes after they had been recovered was a challenge and for recovered wastes to be profitable, value should be added.

 

Mrs Elizabeth Ehigiamusoe, the Chairman of ELAN, said that the recycling industry in Nigeria had been estimated to worth two billion dollars, while struggling to live up to this lofty estimation.

According to him, this is due to the menace of indiscriminate disposal of waste, poor orientation and capacity to effectively convert this liability to a viable economic opportunity.

 

Ehigiamusoe, who was represented by Mr Tunde Netufo, Vice Chairman, ELAN, said: “This is where equipment leasing comes in to provide the necessary productive assets to strengthen the capacity of operators in this industry.

 

“Leasing can be brought to bear in this regard, as it facilitates easy and convenient access to the much-needed assets for productive ventures,” she noted.

 

Mr Andrew Emonuwa, the Executive Secretary of ELAN said that some of the challenges faced in the plastic recycling space included; insufficient funding; rapid population growth; poor investment in infrastructure development; inadequate technical capacity among others. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

 

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Oil & Gas

Energy transition: NMDPRA committed to sustainable gas utilisation – official



 

By Yunus Yusuf
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), says it is committed to ensuring the sustainable growth of natural gas exploitation and utilisation in Nigeria.
Its Chief Executive, Mr Farouk Ahmed, said on Tuesday in Lagos that it became important that companies and homes key into gas utilisation as alternative fossil fuel.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ahmed gave the advice at a one-day stakeholders engagement on “Gas Utilisation in Nigeria”.
Ahmed, who was represented by Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, the Executive Director, Distribution, System, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure of NMDPRA, enjoined Nigerians to massively adopt the usage of gas as against diesel and petrol for their daily energy needs.
He said that this would reduce the nation’s carbon footprint, tackle global warming as well as climate change.
He added: “It will also help to reposition the economy for sustainable growth and accelerate job creation since gas is believed to be the future of the nation’s economy.”
Ahmed said that the essence of the engagement was to encourage large consumers of petroleum products to become aware of the comparative advantages between the different fuels, particularly gas, which he added had been designated as Nigeria’s transition fuel.
He explained that to promote gas usage and investment, the Federal Government had various initiatives and policy frameworks which included National Gas Expansion Programme and the Decade of Gas Programme.
He observed that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)2021 had also enabled investments in the industry.
Ahmed expressed gladness that the government effort was yielding significant results, but added that more collaborations were needed to improve domestic gas utilisation.
The NMDPRA boss reiterated that Nigeria was blessed with abundant gas reserve, enough to last the nation for the next 90 years.
According to him, effective gas utilisation will make the nation become richer and the environment safer because it is much cleaner than other petroleum derivatives.
He said another great benefit of gas utilisation was the tendency to reduce the cost of doing business by 40 per cent.
Ahmed called on heavy consumers of energy to convert their diesel generators to gas engines, saying  that it was cost effective”.
He also advised consumers on the need to be properly licensed because of numerous benefits attached.
These, he noted, include ensuring safety of facilities and regular supplies of the product from the authority.
Delivering a keynote address, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, the Executive Director, Distribution, System, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure of NMDPRA, said that many institutions were ‘heaviest consumers’ of diesel and been identified as operating outside the regulatory oversight, which is not in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Ukoha, who was represented by Mr Ayo Cardoso,
Coordinator, South West of NMDPRA, said the engagement was an enlightenment on the need to urgently obtain the requisite petroleum storage.
Ukoha said the exercise was to take advantage of the evolving opportunities in the gas value chain for sustainable business growth.
He said the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was designed to enable Nigeria to derive more value from its natural gas.
According to him, Nigeria is embarking on different initiatives, projects and policies to enhance the performance of the oil and gas sector.
He listed some of the gas initiatives Nigeria is currently embarking upon to include the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP).
He said NGEP was designed to provide framework and policy support to extend gas supply and utilisation in power generation, gas-based industries and in emerging niche gas sectors.
“Such sectors are gas in transportation, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking and remote virtual gas supply using trucks to convey LNG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to industries,”he said.
He noted that natural gas was projected to be the leading fossil fuel and well-positioned as a sustainable fuel for an effective energy transition.
NAN also reports that some of the participants called on the authorities to assist in making the process of licensing seamless for them.
They called on the government to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder the process or reduce the cost of registration.
Mr Oladipo Olatunbosun, National President, Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), said that unaffordability of LPG posed serous challenge to the common man.
Olatunbosun urged the authority review the pricing of cooking gas to attract more utilisation and penetration.
He appealed to NMDPRA to sanction all illegal LPG skid operators within their operational cycle to create opportunities for legitimate marketers.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

General News

IWS reiterates commitment to empowering women

 

The President of IWS, Mrs Izabella Abia-Okon, second from left, with other members of the association during the programme on Tuesday, in Lagos

 

 

 

By Taiye Baiyerohi

The International Women’s Society (IWS) has pledged to continue to empower the disadvantaged in the country, particularly women and children.

 

The President of IWS, Mrs Izabella Abia-Okon,
said this during the association’s April meeting and cultural exchange programme in collaboration with the Nigerian-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday in Lagos.

According to Abia-Okon, IWS in 1999 established a skills acquisition centre in Lagos State, to elevate the socio-economic status of women in the state and country at large.

She said an average of 100 students graduate annually from the centre which offers vocational training in catering and events management, sewing and fashion designing; makeup; adult literacy; and computer related courses, among others.

Abia-Okon said that the exercise had helped to promote the springing up of more micro enterprises, thereby addressing the scourge of unemployment in the country, especially among the womenfolk.

She noted that the skills centre was NABTEB certified, which enables graduates to work anywhere in the world.

She, however, called on well-meaning Nigerians to support the association so as to continue its mission of empowering the underprivileged in the society.

“As an NGO project, we face significant financial challenges in sustaining our operations and providing quality hands on training, scholarships, and start-up support for our graduates.

“We rely on the support of generous donors, and together we can make a difference in lives of the less privileged in our society,” she said.

 

IWS was founded in 1957 in Lagos by a group of public-spirited women set out to champion women’s courses using its cut clear programmes that generally focus on providing for the less privileged; supporting widowed women financially; and providing avenues for acquisition of productive skills toward financial independence and development of their respective communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlight of the meeting was networking and understanding the opportunities of a Nigerian and Hungarian collaboration. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

Health

CloudClinic unveils tech-enabled healthcare platform in Lagos

L-R: Flourish Nnamdi, Product Manager; Ifeanyi Aneke, Founder and Chief Executive Officer and Dr Amy Ojiakor, Clinical Director, all of CloudClinic Ltd., during the unveiling of CloudClinic, on Monday, April 17, 2023, in Lagos.

 

 

By Oluwafunke Ishola

A digital healthcare service company, Cloud Clinic Ltd. (CCL), has unveiled its cloud-based healthcare solution to ease virtual consultation between patients and licensed medical practitioners.

Mr Ifeanyi Aneke, Founder, Cloud Clinic Ltd., at the unveiling on Monday in Lagos, said CloudClinic was motivated by a desire to bring quality and affordable healthcare to the ‘doorstep’ of every Nigerian.

According to him, the platform makes it possible for anyone to access affordable healthcare from the comfort of their homes, offices or on the go with the aid of their internet-enabled devices.

“We are delighted to introduce CloudClinic, a suite of mobile platform, web and API services specially designed to seamlessly connect healthcare seekers in Nigeria to licensed healthcare service providers such as doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and medical laboratories.

“We believe that healthcare should be convenient and accessible to every Nigerian. This belief birthed the development of our cloud-based healthcare platform,” he said.

Aneke said the platform has partnered over one thousand licensed medical laboratories, pharmacies, and hospitals across the country in its effort to improve access to timely and convenient healthcare services.

He said that CloudClinic was also liberalising access to healthcare through its native language feature, which matches patients with doctors, based on their preferred native languages to ensure effective communication.

Aneke said that the platform would ensure strict adherence to optimal and global healthcare standards for patients.

“CloudClinic offers an extensive feature that gives patients a wide range of diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and hospital options, relying on our partnership with licensed and recognised medical laboratories and pharmacies while ensuring the confidentiality of all medical records,” Aneke said.

Also, Dr Amy Ojiakor, Clinical Director, Cloud Clinic Ltd., said that Nigeria has a one to 10,000 doctor-to-patient ratio.

Ojiakor noted that an average Nigerian must drive long hours to get to a hospital and queue for hours to see a doctor.

She said that due to this limitation, hospitals were plagued with many incidents of late presentation, which leads to a high mortality rate.

“Through CloudClinic, a doctor can request an investigation or prescribe a drug for the patient.

“The solution also makes it possible for a patient to quickly locate a medical laboratory, pharmacy and hospital nearest to him or her,” she said.

According to her, CloudClinic also makes it possible for patients to have their samples collected in their homes and their drugs delivered to them when the patient cannot go out.

Similarly, Flourish Nnamdi, Product Manager, Cloud Clinic Ltd., said that the product was user-friendly and backed by 24-hour, seven days a week support.

Nnamdi appealed to stakeholders in the health sector to register on CloudClinic as a patient or doctor by downloading the app from the Apple Store, Google Play Store or by visiting the website. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Defence/Security

81 Division Garrison wins Nigerian Army combat competition

By Abiodun Lawal

The Nigerian Army on Sunday ended its Inter-Brigade Combat and  Proficiency Competition with 81 Division Garrison emerging the overall winner with a total of 460 points.

The event, held at the training ground of the 35 Artillery Brigade Alamala in  Abeokuta, Ogun, saw the 35 Artillery Brigade contingents clinching the second position with 440 points, while 9th  Brigade emerged second runner-up with 410 points.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four Brigades of the 81 Division Nigerian Army including 81 Division garrison, 9 Brigade, 45 Artillery Brigade and the host 35 Artillery Brigade, participated in the competition.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj.-Gen.Obinna Ajunwa, said the competition was meant to improve strength, confidence and combat readiness of the officers to face any security challenge.

Ajunwa represented by Brig.-Gen. O. B Davies, noted that the aims and objectives of the five day competition had been achieved.

He commended the participants and implored them to be more productive in their given tasks .

 

He explained that the competition was organised to improve junior leadership training , organisational ability and inculcate initiative in the stipulated rank perfect of non-commission officers in the division.

 

“Apart from competing among yourselves, I believe that the competition has fostered what we all desired to achieve.

“Likewise, the stamina and endurance displayed by the various commission during the combat swimming and just concluded obstacle competition is indeed highly commendable.

“Those of you that performed well in this competition would be privileged to represent the division at Nigerian Army level organised competition,” he said.

 

The Commanding Officer of 35 Artillery Brigade and host of the competition, Brig.-Gen. Muhammed Aminu, commended participants for their hardwork, urging them not to relent and try to do more in the next competition.

NAN reports that the participants competed in proficiency-enhancing competitions such as swimming, weapon handling, map reading and navigation, as well as shoot and obstacle crossing. (NAN)

Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Folasade Adeniran

Agriculture

Rotary Club, LASCODA plant 1,000 coconut seedlings on Lagos coastline

Members of Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic and Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA) during flag-off of 1,000 seedlings in Oniru Private Beach, VI, Lagos, on Friday.

 

 

By Olayinka Olawale

The Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic and the Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA) have begun planting of 1,000 coconut seedlings on Lagos coastline to rebuild the Atlantic green walls.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise at Oniru Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, Rotarian Gboyega Bada, President, Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, said the collaboration would protect the environment.

Bada noted that no fewer than 10,000 seedlings would be planted yearly by the club to promote coconut as a cash crop.

He said that the exercise was been carried out with 15 other Rotary Clubs in Lagos to bring back the glory of coconut as the only cash crop produced in the state.

Bada added that the club would partner the LASCODA on distribution and planting of coconut seedlings in public schools.

He said that the club had also sought the approval of the Lagos State Ministry of Education to plant coconut in all primary and secondary schools.

He noted that the move was a way of re-introducing coconut back to the new generation right from school.

In his remarks, Mr Dapo Olakulehin, the General Manager, LASCODA, said that about 180 kilometres from Ibeju-Lekki to Badagry, Seme border, would be rebuilt under the partnership.

Olakulehin said that the collaboration was to further promote sustainable coconut production, utilisation and commercialisation in the state.

According to him, the mandate of the LASCODA is to promote coconut production, utilisation and commercialisation.

“When we talk about production, that is where Rotary Club has come in today.

“A lot of coconut trees along our beaches are old and not performing the function that they are supposed to perform and that is why Rotary Club is coming in to build what we call green wall.

“When you look at Badagry to Ibeju-Lekki, there is this coastline which we call green wall and coconut is along this green wall.

“When you see this green wall, practically, they have collapsed because the coconuts trees are old and are going.

“That is what we a inaugurating today to rebuild the Atlantic green wall,” he said.

He commended the club for starting the initiative, adding that it would have greater impact on the society in the next five years.

“We are using this opportunity to call on non-governmental organisations and private sector to come to the aid of the Lagos State Government to build this wall back because government cannot do it alone.

“We are starting this exercise today with the private beaches, we will be going to other beaches.

“Here alone, we are planting 200 coconut seedlings in Oniru private beach and we will be extending to other beaches in the area,” he said.

In her remarks, the District Governor, Rotarian Omotunde Lawson, said that Rotary Club would continue to partner with the government to bring about service and development to the general public.

Lawson said that the partnership with the LASCODA was in line with one of the seven core pillars of the club which is protecting the environment.

“The importance, beauty and ambience of coconut cannot be over emphasised, as it will improve and provide means of livelihood to the people in this community.

“We are happy to be part of this great initiative in Lagos State,” she said.

Also, the Oniru of lruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, commended the initiative and implored the club to ensure that the coconut was properly maintained to reach its maturity stage.

Lawal represented by Chief Waisu Okoya, Baale of Itinri Community, in Victoria Island, urged them to extend the exercise to all other communities in the coastline.

Rotarian Olayinka Adeosun, the Assistant District Governor overseeing the activities of Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, said a group of people within the community had been selected to maintain, monitor and nurture  the crop. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Health

Experts advocate increased awareness, treatment for hemophilia disease

Prof. Sulaimon Akanmu

 

By Oluwafunke Ishola

Health experts have called for increased awareness on hemophilia disease to prevent and control the disorder.

The experts made the call on Thursday, during a virtual media round table organised by Pfizer to commemorate World Hemophilia Day.

The World Hemophilia Day (WHD) is celebrated annually on April 17, with a call to action for governments to improve access to treatment and care with an emphasis on better control and prevention of bleeds for all people with bleeding disorders.

The theme for this year’s event is: “Access for All: Prevention of bleeds as the global standard of care”.

Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder that causes the blood to take a long time to clot due to a deficiency in one of several blood clotting factors.

According to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), an international not-for-profit organisation, more than 38,000 people worldwide are living with hemophilia B in 2021.

 

Professor of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Sulaimon Akanmu, of the  Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, called for innovation in access to hemophilia treatments for patients.

He said that hemophilia tends to occur in males due to inherited X chromosomes from the mother.

“People with hemophilia are at risk for excessive and recurrent bleeding from modest injuries, which have the potential to be life threatening.

“People with severe hemophilia often bleed spontaneously into their muscles or joints, or rarely into other critical closed spaces such as the intracranial space, where bleeding can be fatal,” he said.

Akanmu, however, said that knowledge and diagnosis of hemophilia was low among the population and even healthcare workers.

According to him, this is responsible for underdiagnosed hemophilia cases in the country.

“We have lots of work to do to increase awareness of hemophilia among the general population because lots of male children are dying at a young age.

“The moment you sever the umbilical cord and that spot is oozing blood for too long or not healing on time. You can suspect hemophilia.

“Hemophilia Federation of Nigeria is taking steps to sensitise pregnant women and healthcare workers at health centres on the existence of hemophilia and how to identify it in children at young ages,” he said.

The professor further said that the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) was working in partnership with hemophilia treatment centres in 29 African countries to share knowledge and build global awareness through information exchange, education and training.

He noted that the WFH provided about 24 million units of clotting factor concentrates per year to patients in sub-Saharan Africa through humanitarian aid programmes.

He added that Pfizer was a visionary partner of the World Federation of Hemophilia for WHD.

 

Dr Vivian Painstill

 

Dr Vivian Painstil, the Senior Specialist Paediatrician, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana, said managing hemophilia could be challenging while people with the disease could leave fairly normal lives with certain precautions to prevent and control bleeds.

“The burden people living with hemophilia B face is significant. Many receive routine infusions or injections which can interfere with their ability to take part in day-to-day activities that others take for granted,” Painstil said.

She called for collaborative efforts to improve diagnosis, affordable treatment, social support and awareness for hemophilia.

Also, Mr Kodjo Soroh, the Medical Director, sub-Saharan Africa, Pfizer, said Pfizer’s goal was to ensure patients living with hemophilia are seen, heard and never forgotten.

Soroh said that Pfizer would continue to work tirelessly to find breakthrough solutions and therapeutic options to change the lives of people living with hemophilia.

“Pfizer’s efforts at advancing treatment for hemophilia and bridge gaps in access to care resonates with this year’s theme of the WHD Access For All: Prevention of Bleeds.

“Pfizer’s commitment to equity and continued investment in hemophilia is evident in its more than 30 years of experience in developing therapies for hematological disorders as it has a deep understanding of the significant challenges that people living with the disease continually face,” he said.

The medical director, therefore, said Pfizer would continue to amplify and celebrate the work of the global hemophilia community as it created awareness on the need for innovation in access to hemophilia treatments. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Economy/Business

SEC optimistic of ISB passage before May 29

By Ginika Okoye
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has expressed optimism that the Investment and Securities Bill (ISB) will be passed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari before May 29.
Mr Lamido Yuguda, the Director-General of SEC, expressed the optimism at a news conference  held on the first quarter post-Capital Market Meeting (CMC), on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ISB 2023 scaled through the final hurdle of the National Assembly when the Senate passed it on March 29.
The bill, which is expected to aid the functioning of the capital market and facilitate the ongoing economic diversification in the country, had been passed by the House of Representatives in December.
It is only awaiting presidential assent to become a law.
Yuguda said that the President would sign the ISB before leaving office in May.
He noted that the new law was long overdue.
He listed some of the provisions of the ISB as stiffer punishment for operators of Ponzi schemes, expansion of the categories of issuers of securities, and better coverage of some new products among others.
Yuguda added that the ISB has provisions for regulation of commodities exchanges and other operators in the commodities trading ecosystem.
“This is a significant development for the Nigerian capital market.
“I am optimistic that the President will sign the Bill into law before his tenure ends on May 29,” he said.
He also commended the President for his support in the nation’s capital market since 2015.
The director-general said that the market, over the years, had recorded tremendous growth and development, especially in the commodities ecosystem.
Speaking on annual renewal of registration of the Capital Market Operators (CMOs) conducted between Jan. 1 and 31, he said that 627 CMOs renewed their registration status.
“At the end of the exercise, 627 CMOs representing over half of the total number of CMOs on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) portal renewed their registration status.
“The Commission is carefully reviewing the report, and a position would be taken on those market operators that failed to renew their registration,” he said.
Yuguda disclosed that another important issue at the CMC meeting was the approval of rules on the revised National Investors Protection Fund.
He listed other issues discussed at the meeting was the registration of five new Fintech companies as full-fledged market operators.
Yuguda said that these include two crowdfunding intermediaries, two digital sub-brokers and one robo-adviser.
He, however, expressed optimism about the growth potential of the Nigerian capital market and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to building and maintaining a vibrant, fair, and transparent market for investors and issuers.
He expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the Investors and Securities Bill, (ISB) into law before leaving office in May, noting that it was long overdue.
“The meeting was officially informed about the passage of the Investments and Securities Bill (ISB) 2023 by the Senate.
”Some of the provisions in the ISB include stiffer punishment for operators of Ponzi schemes, expansion of the categories of issuers of securities, and better coverage of some new products among others.
“The ISB also has provisions for regulation of commodities exchanges and other operators in the commodities trading ecosystem,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa
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