By Lizzy Okoji

The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN) says it has stepped up measure on ending the disease by 2035,  as it inaugurated its new country office building in Abuja on Wednesday.

The National Director, TLMN, Dr Sudnay Udo, said   at the inauguration ceremony that “the expansion of the mission goes beyond a bigger space to an innovative space where strategies will be developed to ending leprosy.”

According to him,  TLMN’s new office building not only celebrates the physical manifestation of growth and progress but a significant milestone of a mission striving for zero transmission to leprosy, zero disabilities and zero discrimination.

“It is not about the building, it is not about the bricks and walls, it is about a space that is conducive for us to think, plan, innovate, we want to actually end leprosy in our life time.

“We want to control Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), we want to eradicate NTDs, we are not playing.

“TLM as a global entity will be 150 years next year and we have told ourselves that 150 years, it is time to end this thing.

“As we speak, we are putting together strategy for zero transmission of leprosy by 2035. That is our next major goal.

“We have done that as a health community for small pox, polio has already been squashed to the ground. Leprosy is the end as far as I am concerned. By 2035 it will be thrown to the dustbin of history,’’ Udo said.

Udo lauded TLM England and Wales for their support, the governments of Nigeria, Australia and Sweden, and other partners.

Mr Peter Waddup, Country Leader, TLM England and Wales said that TLM England and Wales was honored to be part of the journey to ending Leprosy in Nigeria.

Waddup expressed optimism that the new office building would enhance the capacity of TLM Nigeria, as he advised on early detection and treatment.

“We believe that eradicating leprosy in our lifetime is possible and we are just so thrilled to be part of the Leprosy Mission family and working in partnership with the leprosy mission Nigeria.

“And now that they have this new facility, we believe that they can make great strides to the goal of ending leprosy

“I will say that everyone needs to understand that leprosy is curable and very, very quickly.

“If you find the early signs of fair patch of skin then go to a doctor, come to the representatives of Leprosy Mission in Nigeria, they will give you the pills. It is when you hide in the way that it becomes an issue,” Waddup said.

Prof. James Ayatse, Tor Tiv and President, Association of Christian Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, said that the building would serve as a strategic hub that would enable TLMN to achieve its goals.

Ayatse also shed more light on leprosy, waring against the myths surrounding the disease, urging everyone to be agents of ending the disease, avoid discrimination against people with the disease, and show them love.

“This building will serve as a strategic hub, enabling TLM Nigeria to expand its reach, foster greater collaboration with stakeholder at all levels, enhance its research capabilities.

“And sustain its interventions towards transforming the lives of people and community affected by leprosy.

“Leprosy is treatable, curable, preventable and its treatment is free. We must keep challenging the deep-rooted myths and stereotypes surrounding the disease. It is not contagious, it is not hereditary and it is not a curse.

“We must eradicate the stigma and prejudice associated with leprosy. People associated with the disease are like you and me, deserving of acceptance and support.

“Let us build a society where no one suffers in silence and stigma becomes a thing of the past,” Ayatse said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Australian High Commissioner of Nigeria Leann Johnston, Swedish Deputy Head of Mission to Nigeria, Joran Bjallerstedt congratulated TLMN on the giant stride, pledging the continuous support of their governments. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Ibukun Emiola

A renewable energy expert, Mr Uka Ibe, has described the removal of fuel subsidy as a good economic decision which favoured the demand for renewable energy in Nigeria.

Ibe stated this while speaking on the acceptability of green energy regarding climate change advocacy with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Wednesday.

The Chief Executive Officer of Nexgen Energy and Allied Services Limited stated that there was the need for the implementation of government policies to tackle issues of climate change.

He said there had been more consideration for renewable energy products from his company, as informed by their distribution frequency.

“Yes, there has been an increasing uptake in the demand for renewable energy sources, in particular the solar hybrid systems, since the removal of fuel subsidy, which is a good economic decision,” Ibe said.

He, however, said the demand would have been more if the prices of green alternatives had not been affected by the removal of multiple exchange rates.

Ibe said the cost of importation has led to the increase in prices of solar power systems because Nigerian companies have challenges in accessing foreign exchange to import production inputs.

“Overall, I will say that in spite of this, there has been an uptake in the actual sales of solar power systems.

“It is now becoming the mainstream of energy deployment services in Nigeria, with about 10 per cent uptake recorded since the new administration took over,” he said.

Ibe added that in spite of the downward trend that usually come with seasonal changes, especially characterising the business during the rainy season, sales have continued to boom.

“Renewable energy products work for all categories of productive users, and there are no limitations as to what they can do.”

Ibe allayed the fear that solar systems were limited in their services, explaining that the sun with advanced technologies could serve human needs 10 times over.

He said the only limitation is the availability of funds to provide for the different needs of users.

“However, the good thing about solar systems is that they are scalable.

“When people start with what they can afford with the budget they have, they can increase the capacity with time as they have the resources.

“So, often times, the challenge is not what solar power system can do, but the finance to harness its potentials, which are unlimited,” Ibe said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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(Edited by Moses Solanke and Olawale Alabi)

By Tosin Kolade

A development training institute, Coinmac International, has suggested the adoption of Artificial Intelligence to curb fraud and misappropriation so as to improve auditing processes in the public sector.

Its Managing Director, Mr Ayo Salam, gave the suggestion in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a training workshop on Developing, Improving and Monitoring the Internal Audit Function.

The training was organised for Internal Audit staff of the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC).

He said the new administration should do more to reduce corruption in the public sector by training and retraining auditors in the country.

According to him, when auditors are properly trained, there will be adequate knowledge to block corruption loopholes.

“Adopting new technologies on auditing processes will help many organisations.

“As the business world changes at an accelerating rate, auditors need to continually add to their skills and knowledge to stay relevant; they need to remain educated on changes in business in general, and in audit processes.

“There has to be transparency and accountability; information and communication technology currently rules the world.

“We can, as much as possible, discourage corruption with institutional development. We can do this by ensuring we have schools for auditing that can build capacity for auditors. That is the purpose for this meeting.

“Internal auditors are key agents in preventing corruption and ensuring compliance to relevant laws and policies. Auditing the public sector will prevent mistakes and shortcomings in public administration.”

Salam said that raising the internal audit quality in N-HYPPADEC would ensure that the establishment continued to be free of corruption, while financial transparency and accountability would receive a boost.

He added that establishing and strengthening internal audit departments in government establishments would mitigate the misuse and abuse of public offices and complement efforts of anti-graft agencies.

The Managing Director, N-HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, in a remark, said that the workshop would upgrade the Commission’s Audit Unit into a robust one.

“We shall build an honest and responsible workforce in line with the aspirations of the Presidency,” he declared.

Yelwa urged participants to embrace new ideas and solutions to auditing challenges so as to promote innovation and creativity.

He expressed optimism that his officers would gain more knowledge on the significance of professional ethics such as confidentiality and independent viewpoint in auditing.

“We expect that they understand the risks and ethical responsibilities of compromising auditing process to suit personal interests or the interests of senior officers.

“The participants should also know that workshops such as this one, are not enough to make them exceptionally competent in their field.

“I, therefore, implore each of you to put in personal efforts towards enhancing your professional capacity,” he stated. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

By Kelechi Ogunleye

Mr Victor Muruako, Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) says that many states are yet to implement the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Muruako said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that some states had passed the law, but were yet to set up fiscal responsibility agency.

“Some did not exactly passed the law, they just tried to have it, and even some that passed it just have it on record and are yet to implement the law.

“As we speak about 26 states have adopted the law and are at various stages of implementation.

“For some states, their Governors have not signed the law, some that have signed it into law are yet to set up the agencies, so as we speak it’s s a work in progress,” he said.

He said he domestication of the Fiscal Responsibility Act was necessary to promote prudence in management of resources in states.

“When the need arouse for the Federal Government to bail out states, there was an agreement of two conditions that must be met.

“Part of which is the need for the sub-nationals to engage in reforms; one of the reforms is to pass the fiscal responsibility law, Audit law and Procurement law at their level,” he said.

Muruako commended the Nigerian Governors Forum for creating an enabling platform for peer review at sub-nationals.

He said that the Commission was engaging the Forum to ensure that all states adopt and implement the Fiscal Act.

“The forum has been a veritable forum to assist and they have done a lot to ensure that states engage in reforms,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

KAYC/EBI/MZA

Edited by Benson Iziama/Maharazu Ahmed

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday demolished houses and structures allegedly erected illegally in Gishiri community in Katampe District of the territory.

Officials of the Development Control Department of the FCTA, accompanied by joint security personnel, stormed the area with two bulldozers and pulled down the structures.

Mr Samson Atureta, District Monitor, Katampe and Mabushi District, FCTA, who led the team, said the exercise was part of continued efforts to reclaim lands developed by illegal occupants.

Atureta, a town planner, said the illegal occupants erected the structures on peoples’ plots, allocated for residential and commercial buildings, including those for educational and religious purposes.

He said the exercise started about two months ago, adding that, “this is our fourth visit to remove illegal structures and extensions in the community.

“There are many illegal developments and extensions in the Gishiri community, that is why we are clearing it for the rightful owners to take possession of their plots.

“So, what we are doing here is to ensure that those developments either in the form of buildings or extensions, are removed.

“So far, we have removed more than 100 illegal structures in the area,” he said.

He assured residents that the houses of indigenes and those with legal papers would not be tempered with.

He said that owners of the affected structures were duly notified about the intended demolition, adding that final notice had been issued a week ago, asking the occupants to remove their valuables and vacate the area.

One of the affected residents, who simply identified herself as Mama Blessing, said they were not given enough time to leave.

Blessing, who operates a drinking joint, appealed to the FCTA to provide them an alternative place to relocate.

“We are not rejecting the demolition exercise because we know that it is government land, but demolishing our houses and structures without providing an alternative place for us is really painful,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Meohammed-Aliyu

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) says plans are under way to fill up potholes and intervene in the repair of failed roads nationwide as the rainy season sets in.

The acting Managing Director, FERMA, Mr Godson Amos made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

According to him, the intervention was necessitated because of the need to ameliorate the hardship and delays road users face daily.

He was optimistic that the intervention would be acheived  within six weeks of the commencement and all potholes and road failure worked on, on federal roads across the country.

He said he had gotten reports across the country of of the deplorable Federal Roads across the country which had caused a lot of inconveniences to  road users.

He added that these failures have  hampered economic activities due to inability of the people to freely move goods from one place to the other.

” The failures on the roads are mostly caused by the incessant rainfall being experienced in many parts of the country, which results in cutting off of roads embankment and collapsing of many carriageway sections at many locations across the country.

“Also excessive traffic, ovet loading of vehicles coupled with age of the roads are other factors that have contributed to the dilapidation of the federal roads.

“This hinders the free flow of traffic, causing colossal damages to vehicles, wastages of productive man hours and huge discomfort to road users.

“Our of engineers in the Field Offices have already carried out route condition survey of the Federal Roads and heave identified all critical failures like road embankments washout and failed carriageway section for the agency to take action.”

Speaking on how the agency would executive this intervention, Amos said direct labour would be deployed by engaging skilled and unskilled youths in the communities.

He further said that  appraisals have been made, including the assessment of works requirement, estimation of resources like men, materials and machines that will be deployed to achieve most cost effective result.

Amos said in order to ensure that maximum results was achieved the agency had designed a good monitoring mechanism for effective and efficient monitoring of all the projects nationwide deploying management team for inspection.

H urged the media to give effective coverage to the activities of the agency and other stakeholders to partner with the agency to ensure that citizens have stress free and enjoyable travel experience on our highways.

The chief executive of FERMA however, said funding was a challenge in the maintenance of the 36,000 kilometres of federal highways all year round.

NAN reports that FERMA is an agency that was set up for the monitoring and maintenance of all federal roads in Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi