China’s primary and middle schools have introduced a ban on mobile phone use in classrooms, among wider efforts to protect pupils from internet and video game addiction.

Primary and middle school students should not bring mobile phones into classrooms, according to a circular from the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday on phones on campus.

If students must have a mobile phone at school, a special request should be submitted to the school authorities along with written consent from their guardians, said the ministry.

Once the request has been approved, students should hand in their mobile phones to relevant school authorities upon arrival.

The phones will be kept together and should by no means be allowed into the classrooms, the circular said.

Further measures will be put in place by schools to better meet students’ needs in reaching their parents over the phone while on campus.

Security forces in Somali on Monday ended an assault by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab fighters which left nine people dead in a hotel attack in Mogadishu.

A police spokesman said a suicide car bomb exploded on Sunday and was followed by a shootout between al Shabaab militants and security forces at the Hotel Afrik adding that the fight lasted into early Monday.

Sadik Ali told reporters from the scene via facebook that “the operation is over now. Nine people including four attackers died and over 10 civilians were injured. There is no electricity.’’

Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble said in a statement that among those killed was a former military general, Mohamed Nur Galal.

“I condemn the barbaric attack. May Allah have mercy on all those who died. General Mohamed Nur Galal, will be remembered for his over 50 year role in defending the country.’’

Al Shabaab has battled since 2008 to overthrow Somalia’s central government and establish its rule, based on its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

It carries out regular gun and bomb attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday announced 25 million dollars in financial aid to help the Philippines to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

The Manila-based bank said financing will come from a 125-million-dollar loan programme which was approved in August 2020 and aims to support the Philippine government’s efforts to handle COVID-19.

“Vaccination is the next critical step to protect lives and promote livelihood opportunities,’’ ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa said in a statement.

“We stand ready to support the government in these unprecedented times and help the economy navigate back to its pre-pandemic growth path,’’ he added.

The loan came as the World Health Organisation announced that the Philippines will be getting a total of 44 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX, a global initiative to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries.

Up to 9.2 million doses are expected to be delivered to the Philippines in the first half of the year, WHO country representative, Rabindra Abeyasinghe said.

“We are optimistic that the remainder of the 44 million doses will also come later on in the year,’’ he added.

Abeyasinghe stressed that the vaccine “is just one other tool’’ in the fight against the coronavirus, adding that people should continue to wear face masks, practice hand hygiene and physical distancing to protect themselves.

He also emphasized on the need for early detection and isolation and for infected people to remain in quarantine to avoid spreading the virus.

“We can suppress transmission, we can bring back economic activity, but that needs everybody’s participation and contribution,’’ Abeyashinghe added.

By Florence Onuegbu

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said that the demand for oxygen by coronavirus patients has increased to 400 cylinders per day.

Sanwo-Olu made this known on Sunday in a statement in which he updated residents on the management of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.

He reiterated that oxygen was free in all Lagos State-owned COVID-19 treatment centres.

“Considering that oxygen demand has spiked to between 300 and 400 cylinders per day across state-owned treatment facilities, the government is working hard to ensure availability.

“To this end, a second oxygen plant is under construction at the Gbagada General Hospital and will come on-stream within the next seven days.

“It is expected that this will boost the in-house capacity and availability of oxygen across all state government-managed treatment centres,´´ the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu said that the Lagos State Government was making efforts to transform the state-owned isolation centre in Gbagada into a fee-paying facility that people could elect to be treated at.

He said that the decision was due to the growing clamour by patients and families who were willing to pay for COVID-19 treatment, but would like to do so at a cost that was lower than what was currently obtainable at private facilities.

“This means that the COVID treatment facility in Yaba will continue to offer free and high-quality treatment to all persons.

“Gbagada centre will offer treatment at a moderated and affordable cost to those who wish to take advantage of extra offerings like private treatment rooms and more personalised levels of care,´´ Sanwo-Olu said.

He said that the government established a telemedicine service, EKOTELEMED, for patients who were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that did not require admission and could,  therefore, be managed in the comfort of their homes.

The governor said that EKOTELEMED was manned by well-trained medical personnel and available on a toll-free line, 08000EKOMED (08000356633).

He encouraged as many people as possible, whose cases fell in the asymptomatic or mild category, to take advantage of the EKOTELEMED service.

Sanwo-Olu said that so far about 5,000 patients had been reached through EKOTELEMED and more than a thousand care packs delivered to patients in the Home-based care programme. (NAN)

By Hamza Suleiman

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabo, has said that the welfare of troops fighting insurgents in the nation’s northeast remains one of the top priorities of the present administration.

Irabor stated this on Sunday in Maiduguri while addressing troops at the Military’s Command and Control Centre during his first operational visit.

The CDS, who was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, assured the troops of improved welfare in the theatre in order to motivate their fighting spirit.

“Mr President, the Commander-in-Chief,  sent his commendation to you. When we met with him, he charged us to let you know that your welfare is a top priority in government and to also let you know that issues bordering on equipment are what the government is working on in addition to those that have been procured and are on transit to Nigeria.

“Every Service Chief and I have made commitment that whatever is required for us to work as a team we would do.

“Well done, keep the spirit because that is precisely what it should be. We have no other choice but to meet the desires of our Commander-in-Chief.

“You will be seeing us very often, to let you know we are with you and to ensure that this operation comes to an end speedily,” he said.(NAN)

By Deborah Coker
The management of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, Uhogua, near Benin has indicated interest to go into mechanised farming if provided with land and other equipment.

Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, Coordinator of the camp, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

Folorunsho said that the venture would be used to engage the older IDPs in the camp, thereby serving as a means of employment to them.

He also said that the venture would enable the camp to be food sufficient to a large extent.

He explained that there was no better time to strategies for the survival and re-integration of the IDPs into normal life in the society than now.

He disclosed that some of the older IDPs were already workers in one form or the other in the camp, as they assist in providing care services to the younger IDPs.

He therefore appealed to government and communities around the camp to make its plan a reality by providing land and equipment for the project to commence.

“Don’t forget these older ones before the sack of their communities by insurgents were engaged in communal lives and fending for themselves and families.

“We believe that in the cause of undergoing rehabilitation from the trauma of events that made them IDPs, we can engage them and make their re-integration to the society faster through the venture.

“Believe me, they are very ready for this venture, if only we get what we are appealing for, which is land and equipment as well as seedlings, because they don’t want to be idle and be seen as liabilities”.

The coordinator also disclosed that in the last seven and half years, now fewer than 125 of the older IDPs have acquired skills in fashion design/tailoring, soap making, baking and fishery.

He explained that these ones were already training others in the camp, but said that the challenge was the inadequate sewing machines available.

Folorunsho also told NAN that more than 400 IDPs have successfully been re-united with their families.

He noted that the major challenges faced in the camp remains feeding and education support to those in tertiary institutions as well as those seeking to go there.

He also said that the health facility in the camp was in need of a medical doctor and drugs, because as of now the facility had no single doctor, and there was dearth of drugs too.

He commended the management of the University of Benin, the Nigerian Medical Association, the Nigerian Bar Association and some corporate organisations for their periodic mentorship of the IDPs.

“These mentorship has really helped us, that is why you see do much zest for education in the youths amongst us.

“We also specially commend the Edo Government for it’s interventions in assisting us with food items. Honestly these interventions always come at the right time”, he said.

By Dorcas Jonah

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a former Chairman of Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), says there is the need for Nigerians to imbibe the culture of creativity and skill development to curb unemployment and address poverty in Nigeria.

Ohuabunwa said this at the inauguration, unveiling of a political platform, “The New Nigeria (NNG)”, its logo and interaction with the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The inauguration was part of Ohuabunwa’s effort to further his presidential ambition come 2023.

He described cultural creativity and skill development as the most potent instrument for poverty reduction and tackling unemployment in the nation.

The convener said that in the highly competitive world, the success of the economy of a nation depended increasingly on the ability to create and innovate.

Ohuabunwa said the group was poised to work with relevant stakeholders to raise productivity and increase the Gross National Productivity with an effort to improve prosperity and drive down poverty.

“We are looking for creative and innovative Nigerians with entrepreneurial mindsets ready to optimize the 4th Industrial Revolution and are determined to create a nation that works for all,’’ he said.

Ohuabunwa said that he was confident that President Muhammadu Buhari would bequeath a legacy of free and fair elections in Nigerians at the end of his tenure.

He said he believed that Buhari would sign the Electoral Reforms Bill being considered by the National Assembly into law.

“I am not trusting in Buhari to do the electoral reforms, I don’t put my trust in any human being because remember the Bible said, how miserable for anybody that trusts in the arm of flesh.

“What I have said is that from what I have seen in the last two elections, I am not talking about an electoral law or no electoral law.

“We don’t need any electoral law to conduct a free and fair election, it is for us to determine to have a free and fair election and this can happen in favour of Nigeria,” he said.

Ohuabunwa also advocated for the need to bring morality into politics as the panacea to insecurity, corruption, unemployment and economic problems confronting the nation.

Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ in FCT, Emmanuel Ogbeche, said the union was partnering with the group to perform its function to hold leaders accountable on their promise. (NAN)

By Diana Omueza

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) says it plans to establish offices in the six political zones of the country towards actualising its mandate.

Mr James Lalu, Executive Secretary, NCPWD made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

The event was to commemorate the 2nd Anniversary of the National Disability Act 2018.

Lalu said that the meeting was aimed at gathering public opinions, suggestions and contributions from Nigerians, especially the disability community towards effective discharge of the duties of the commission.

According to him, meetings like this will help guide us in establishing our zonal offices and also in setting policies that will aid our operations.

“We laud this initiative put together by CCD to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act and we recognise its outstanding contributions for the establishment of the commission.

“The establishment of the commission has brought a very high expectation from Nigerians and especially the expectations from the disability community across the country have been heightened.

“That is why we are set to organise forums like this to share our experience and gather helpful contributions for the functioning and establishment of our zonal offices across the six geopolitical zones,” he said.

Lalu said that the commission would reserve 60 to 70 per cent employment in the zonal offices for PWDs.

This he said would give PWDs across board a sense of belonging in the commission.

“Section 29 of the act provides that five per cent employment be reserved across all sectors for PWDs both in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), but sadly there has been no compliance since the passage of the law.

“So we would begin with our commission by giving well read, qualified and fit PWDs with high proficiency in required skills the chance of being employed and to work alongside persons without disabilities.

“We would adopt various strategies to achieve the implementation of section 29 which focuses on employment for PWDs and we believe line MDAs will emulate our activities in no time,” he said.

He urged CCD and other disability organisations to unify the disability community and to sustain the yearly celebration.

Lalu said that the commission would collaborate with CCD to make the celebration an annual event, which would form an accountability forum to assess the commission and the level of implementation of the provisions of the act annually.

Mr David Anyaele, the Executive Director of CCD said that it was quite worrisome that line MDAs were not committed to the implementation of the National Disability Act.

Anyaele also said that it was sad that the National Assembly (NASS) also made minimal budget provision for the disability commission in the 2021 appropriation.

According to him, the NCPWDs would struggle without robust funding to attend to its mandate.

“The challenge facing Nigerians with disabilities is so much that without multifaceted approach we would struggle to achieve the purpose of the National Disability Act.

“We appeal to President Mohammadu Buhari to give executive support by way of compelling federal MDAs to implement concerned sections of the act through an executive order.

“We believe that the commitment of line MDAs to the full implementation of the disability act is the surest way of ensuring that citizens with disabilities benefit fully from the MDAs,” he said.

He called on the leadership of the NASS to support the new ad hoc committee on disability issues to ensure oversight of issues of critical concern to citizens with disability.

Anyaele appealed to NASS to be open to PWDs through access to communication, public hearing and through an establishment of a disability office at the assembly complex.

He reiterated that CCD remained committed to mobilising resources to support the commission to achieve its mandate and to support NASS to ensure effective oversight on the Act.

Anyaele also said that the group would continue to engage the disability commission, NASS, other disability groups, well-meaning Nigerians, local and international stakeholders to attract the needed attention for the improvement of lives of PWDs.(NAN)