By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Nigerian Medical Mission to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 hajj has recommended sanctions on states with high number of advanced pregnant women pilgrims.

Dr Usman Galadima, Chief of Operations and Head of the mission, made the recommendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Makkah on Tuesday.

NAN reports that the mission was constituted by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) with a view to providing quality healthcare services to Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia throughout the Hajj period.

Galadima said that the mission had recorded cases of pregnant women coming for pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in spite of sustained efforts and awareness to prevent them from coming for hajj.

He confirmed that a Nigerian pilgrim had delivered a seven month old baby through cesarean section in Madina.

The head of the medical mission added that it had recorded cases of miscarriages which could have been prevented if the affected women registered for ante natal at the mission’s clinic.

Galadima called for a strong commitment from all hajj stakeholders to curtail the rate of pregnant women coming for pilgrimage.

According to him, any woman that wants to come on pilgrimage should plan well including avoidance of getting pregnant.

Galadima said: “What I will advise is that probably if some punitive measures can be established or be carried out against erring states or states with certain number of advanced pregnancies that is obviously to everybody.

“Probably that will curtail the surge that we are seeing now. So I think it requires commitment on the side of all the stakeholders.”

He said that during its pre-hajj programmes organised by the medical team, screening for prospective pilgrims in all the 36 states and the FCT were done.

According to him, the medical screening which included pregnancy tests were conducted by state nominees or members of the medical team that are from the states.

He added: “Even among the staffers of NAHCON, pregnancy tests were done on each and everyone of them and members of the medical team.

“So, NAHCON has zero tolerance for this. However, we still find them here now some are not aware or do not know that they are pregnant but some obviously concealed these pregnancies.

”It is curious to note that someone with advanced pregnancy missed all the screening.”

Galadima said that combining pregnancy and rigours of hajj was very difficult, adding that the woman runs a risk of loosing the pregnancy and putting her life at risk.

He added: “However, what we want to appeal now is that those that are pregnant, if actually they are aware, they should come to the hospital and register.

“We will carry out ante-natal services for them and this is because we have specialists such as Gynecologists and Obstetricians among us.

”So, we can look after them, look after their pregnancy and tell them the life style to adopt and how to prevent lost of pregnancy.”

Galadima stated that so far, the medical team had attended to over 11,000 pilgrims with different kinds of illnesses.

He added: “We have sufficient drugs and we are not getting so much complains. However, we have registered two mortalities.

“We had two deaths, one male and one female. That of the female occurred on Monday evening and that of the male, a few days ago.

“We have a total of 534 members of the Nigerian medical team out of which 222 are doctors and almost about 200 nurses as well.

”We have 93 pharmacists and about 27 community health officers.

“This is the highest number of medical professionals that we had to bring to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and this is because of the large contingent of Nigerian pilgrims which is about 95,000.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abubakar Ahmed/Bashir Rabe Mani

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Saudi Arabian General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) has cautioned Nigerian journalists currently covering the ongoing 2023 Hajj against political and sectarian reportage.

The commission’s Director in charge of Jeddah Office, Alhaji Hamzah Algobishie, made the call when he received a delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by its the Deputy Coordinator of Makkah, Alhaji Alidu Shutti, on Sunday.

Algobishie also urged the Nigerian media to be factual, fair, accurate and balanced while reporting all issues concerning the 2023 hajj related to Nigerian pilgrims.

He advised the media to work in accordance with the guidelines for hajj coverage in Makkah and Madina before, during and after the hajj rituals.

Similarly, the director enjoined members of the NAHCON media team to strickly limit themselves to reporting hajj affairs as their primary assignments for the Nigerian hajj commission in Saudi Arabia.

Algobishie emphasised the need for the media to avoid reporting any issues between the Saudi Arabian authorities and other countries.

The director, who stressed the need for journalists to adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession, expressed willingness of the organisation to offer clarification on issues that the media might seek explanation.

He, however, commended the Nigerian media for being responsive in reporting hajj activities in Saudi Arabia over the years.

” We are happy with Nigerian media for their conduct over the years. We are making some progress to ensure timely accreditation of the media.

” And we are ready to attach some of our personnel to guide the media on how to go about their reportage which is restricted to hajj activities.

” We have made it very clear to the Saudi Ministry for Hajj and Umrah to ensure that the media shun reporting politics and sectarian issues. They should also avoid reporting issues bordering on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and other countries.”

Algobishie pledged that the organisation would organise a capacity building workshop for NAHCON’s media team to broaden their knowledge and understanding of hajj and tourism issues in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Shittu had assured that members of the media team would continue to abide by the ethics of journalism and the guidelines for reporting hajj activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He disclosed that NAHCON mobilised about 50 journalists from different media organisations, including those broadcasting in some local langues to report hajj activities.

” This is because the 95,000 Nigerians left their families and relations in Nigeria who will like to be hearing about their loved ones in Saudi Arabia and through the media, the commission will keep them abreast of happenings here.

” On behalf of the Chairman of NAHCON, Zikrullah Hassan, we thank the General Commission for Audiovisual Media for its support and cooperation to the commission over years.

” The chairman wanted to be here personally but he is still in Nigeria to ensure that all pilgrims are transported to Saudi Arabia. You have been very supportive of the commission and we are
soliciting for more understanding.

” We assure you that the media will abide by the ethics of journalism and the Saudi Arabia rules and regulations.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission is responsible for the development, regulation and supervision of audio-visual media transmission and content in accordance with the kingdom’s media policy. (NAN)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Lizzy Okoji

The South African BRICS Business Council says it will be engaging Nigerian businesses and the private sector players, to expand trade and investment opportunities in Africa.

Chairperson of the council, Ms Busi Mabuza stated this in a virtual interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

According her, she will be on a working visit to engage with relevant partners in Nigeria in July.

Mabuza said that Nigeria played a critical role in the continent and had one of the most entrepreneurial cultures and experience in the world.

She said that considering the importance of Nigeria, South Africa was expecting to host a sizeable number of Nigerian delegation to the 2023 BRICS summit scheduled to hold in Augusut, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“My visit to Nigeria on July 4 and July 5 is to meet with business leaders and ask them to join hands with us so that we showcase the best of Africa to the rest of the world.

“And we cannot do that without Nigeria, the business people, from the continent,” she said.

Mabuza lauded Nigeria for thriving in other sectors, even though it was an oil reliant nation.

This, according to her, is one of the success secrets she will love Nigeria to share with other countries of the region.

According to Mabuza, making the agricultural sector attractive, innovative with more incentives, and creating an enabling environment for Small Medium Enterprises will draw the younger generation into harnessing the potentials in the sector.

“So far as agric business is concerned, there are very exciting opportunities across all manner of value chains.

“If we look at the example of India which is very similar in every way to us, technical support to rural based Small and Medium Enterprises is absolutely critical.

“Financial support on its own is not enough for these players, we need to couple it with opening up markets for these players. And that is where the common agro parks are so important.

“Another thing that the small players cannot afford to pay attention to is the agric-technology, because of its cost. So, the lessons are many and the interest is absolutely amazing.

“We saw last year, India announcing a two billion dollars investment in their agroparks because they have the opportunity to actually success going forward.

“And we believe that as an African continent, we are going to be attracting the investments if we are able to implement of this,” Mabuza said.

Responding to questions on Nigeria joining the BRICS nation, Mabuza said that it would be exciting.

She noted that there were engagements, as quite a number of countries had knocked off the doors of the BRICS formation, to seek membership and expansion.

“Nigeria is an important, critical anchor to the African countries, so I will be delighted if Nigeria were to join as soon as possible, if the membership is expanded,” she said.

Also speaking in the expectations from the new administration in Nigeria, which focused on improving the economy, Mabuza noted that there were expectations of an exploding growth rate, as was in the case of India, when she had her reforms.

Looking at the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war on the globe, Mabuza said it was time for Africa to walk away from its over dependency on other nations and be self-reliant.

NAN reports that the BRICS Business Council was established during the 2013 BRICS Summit.

The Council comprises of 25 prominent entrepreneurs drawn from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, representing different industries and sectors in BRICS member countries.

It meets twice a year, and the final report is presented to BRICS leaders at the Summit. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Rabiu Sani-Ali

By Lizzy Okoji

Opening Africa’s market to global investors, unlocking trade barriers on the continents will top discussions when Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the BRICS nation, meet in Johannesburg, South-Africa, in August.

Ms Busi Mabuza, the Chair of the South African BRICS Business Council, disclosed this in a virtual interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

Mabuza said that the 2023 BRICS Summit in August would centre on the theme “BRICS and Africa Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.

She explained that the goal is to create attractive opportunities for foreign investment, boost export capacities of countries in the continent in order to expand Africa’s economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rate.

The SA BRICS Council Chair said that the council also intend to adopt a pragmatic approach in addressing trade patterns that would see all partner markets and Africa benefiting from the BRICS cooperation.

Mabuza said that it would be a knowledge sharing meeting, with African nations also taking notes for the successes of other BRICS nations to improve their own economy and market.

“This is the third time that South Africa will be hosting the BRICS nations and each time it has been BRICS and Africa because we believe in the attractiveness of this continent not just one to an economy of its own.

“We are going to be having experts from the BRICS nations coming in and including our own. We do have experts on the African continent that can add value to all of these discussions.

“They are going to be discussions around the impact of climate change, agro-business, on farming, discussions around how to create geoprocessing units so that you are not just exporting the raw produce, the raw foods, it is important to export the processed ones as well.

“So, we expect that the experts would be sharing that knowledge with us.

“But what is critically important is that when we close those engagements, we go out and implement as a continent,” Mabuza said.

She said that although South Africa is the only African nation in the BRICS formation, it has remained a voice of the continent in the bloc.

“We believe in the attractiveness of this continent is not just one to an economy of its own.

“And with the African Continental Free Trade Area, now kicking into implementation gear, I believe that our composition to the preparedness is going to be much more compending than perhaps it has been in the past.

“What is going to be different this time is that we have composed that the focus on trade and investment needs to be sharpened.

“The BRICS economies have grown immeasurably since we joined the BRICS formation, however, a translation on the trade and investment side for the continent has been a bit lopsided and our partners agree that it is time that we focus on rebalancing that.

“They also need to take some value-added materials from us, we are taking value added materials from them and I believe that it is a good thing for us and transforming on that front,” Mabuza said.

NAN reports that the BRICS 2023 Summit under the Chair of South Africa would be inviting 20 Heads of State, multilateral and international partners to the event. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says it has transported 33,818 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 80 flights operations from May 26 to June 8.

NAHCON’s Coordinator in Madina, Alhaji Ibrahim Mahmud stated this at a news conference on Thursday in Madina, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mahmud, who said the pilgrims were accommodated in 31 hotels, added that 10,386 pilgrims had moved to Makkah, to continue with the next phase of the Hajj ritual.

He said the commission had established a Central Clinic in Madina as part of efforts to provide effective healthcare services to the pilgrims, adding that it also set up three clinic outposts in strategic areas to attend to the health needs of the pilgrims.

“As at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, a total of 80 flights conveying 33,818 pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and they were all accommodated in 31 hotels.

“Pilgrims have been performing their prayers in the Prophet’s mosque and visiting some religious and historical places in Madina,” he said.

The coordinator assured that the commission was working assiduously towards addressing some challenges arising from pilgrims’ accommodation and feeding.

He said the commission previously encountered challenges with pilgrims’ accommodation and feeding, adding that everything had been addressed.

Mahmud reiterated the commitment of the leadership of the NAHCON towards ensuring that the pilgrims perform their Hajj rites with ease, while staying the minimum possible days in Saudi Arabia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims; the 36 states and the FCT Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Boards, agencies and tour operators are expected to join other Muslims from around the world to perform this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia. (NAN)

Edited by Hajara Leman/Rabiu Sani-Ali

By Lizzy Okoji

The Federal Government in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday evacuated another batch of 112 stranded Nigerians from Libya’s capital, Tripoli.

Amb. Kabiru Musa, Charge D’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission to Libya made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Musa said that the continuous voluntary evacuation exercise was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure that none of its citizens was left stranded abroad.

He said that the evacuees were expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday evening.

“The Federal Government through its Mission in Libya facilitated the evacuation of another batch of 112 stranded Nigerians from the capital city of Tripoli.

“The evacuees include 55 men, 47 women, six children and four infants.

“They departed the Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli aboard chartered flight No. UZ01890 at 13.30 local time and are expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos same day,” he said.

According to him, this is the sixth evacuation exercise the Federal Government is conducting this year, with almost 5,000 Nigerians successfully evacuated from Libya.

“This is a voluntary exercise, and as long as our citizens are willing to return home, the government will continue to fulfill its responsibility to return them home in a safely manner.

“We appreciate the IOM and the Libyan authorities for their support,” Musa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as a transit country to Europe, thousands of Nigerians are reported to be stranded in Libya from human trafficking, and suffer terrible ordeals in the hands of their traffickers in the North American country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Fortune Abang

The Africa Business ventures and Investment group (ABVIG) in partnership with the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, USA has underscored the need for partnership among African countries to boost economic growth in the continent.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Moses Owharo, Executive-Director of ABVIG, against backdrop of the forthcoming Africa Infrastructure, Climate Change and Investment Summit (AICIS) , scheduled to hold between Sept. 5 and Sept 8, in the U.S.

Owharo, also Chairman, Planning and Organising Committee of AICIS, said the group, collaborating with the embassy and relevant stakeholders, had held series of meeting to prepare and ensure success of the forthcoming event.

According to him, the purpose of the meeting with the Embassy ahead of the planned AICIS + Exhibition scheduled to hold in Washington DC, is to strategise and finalise arrangement.

“It is incredible to partner the embassy, as well as other diplomatic missions, present and former African Heads of State, the United Nations, African Union, private sectors, and civil society, to boost economic growth in Africa.

“This is mostly needed as Nigeria is currently going through the effect of the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“Even though this may be temporary measure in the right direction, the Africa region needs a permanent solution that will power homes, production and foster better quality of life as effect of climate is at the center of these technologies.

“This AICIS will provide professional platform for more collaboration between renowned experts in BioMassTechnology with investors, businesses, policymakers to promote better and economic development in Africa.”

He quoted Dr Uzoma Emenike, Nigerian Ambassador to the United States in Washington DC, represented by Amb. Mobilaji Sogundero, Deputy Head of Mission, saying that the AICIS is apt in terms of tackling economic challenges.

“African organisations and governments need to deepen collaboration through Public Private Partnership with each other and connect with the West to ensure sustainable economic development in the continent of Africa.”

He also quoted the AICIS Coordinator, Lulieta Zhilla, as saying that the event would feature plenary, and executive workshop-breakout sessions, dinner and award of certificates..

“It will bring together more than 1,500 participants, investors, investment companies and multilateral organisations, including more than 100 exhibitors, and stakeholders from all sectors.

” They will discuss and address key issues affecting Africa’s development and growth.”

The chairman also quoted Franca Ukpaiama, Finance and Admin. Director of AICIS, saying in spite of the recent decentralization of the Nigerian Electrical Energy supply, there could not be better means to tackle such challenge than through partnership.

“To create awareness in our region about alternatives in power generation from technocrats that are equipped to help provide the most needed and reliable power supply strategy driven by our local materials, at a cheaper and affordable cost.” (NAN) (www.nannews.com.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Isaac Aregbesola