By Oluwafunke Ishola

The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods Ltd., Chief Eric Umeofia, says that a powerful syndicate keen on killing his company is behind the “false and malicious’’ social media post against the company.

Speaking to newsmen on Saturday in Lagos on the raging Facebook controversy, Umeofia said that the syndicate, whom he identified as importers of tomato paste had been pulling such pranks over the years.

“Their ultimate goal is to discourage Erisco Foods as Nigeria’s major local tomato paste maker and force Nigeria to depend on imported tomato paste,’’ Umeofia said.

He vowed, however, that he would continue to forge ahead, to make tomato paste locally and discourage importation of the product to save the Nigerian economy.

Umeofia, who is described as Africa’s top tomato paste maker, said that the purported review of ‘Nagiko Tomato Mix’ by a Facebook user, named Chioma Egodi, was apparently another attempt to smear a local brand that had put a Nigerian manufacturer on the map.

Records show that Erisco Foods has had a dominant presence in the tomato paste sector in Angola and Liberia over the years, positioning itself as the fourth largest of its type in the world.

He lamented that the offensive Facebook post had a tendency to impact negatively on the company, describing the development as “one of the painful experiences of engaging in manufacturing in Nigeria’’.

According to Umeofia, the so called review of ‘Nagiko Tomato Mix’ by Egodi, showed her total lack of knowledge of the ingredients used in the making of tomato paste.

Describing Egodi’s post as baseless and malicious, he said that the write-up was clearly meant to drag Erisco Foods to the mud and destroy one of its flagship products.

“She showed her determination to kill our brand and products so why should I let her go scot-free?

“For the past five years, I’ve not received any credit facility in Nigeria – no loan. For the past three years, I’ve not received one dollar as foreign exchange.

“I’ve been sustaining my local production from my foreign investments in Angola and the United Arab Emirates.”

Narrating how the incident unfolded, Umeofia said that after Egodi’s product review on social media, he reached out to his staff to find out if any complaint had been filed by Egodi.

“I found out that there was none — no product, no batch number, no production number – but a claim that our product is killing people.

“We released a statement that we would not allow our efforts of over 40 years of production to be destroyed by a syndicate of importers who had been fighting our products.

“We decided to defend our corporate identity by tagging her to the statement.

“Some people advised her to pull down the post that she’s destroying someone’s business but she refused.

“She abused those that had positive comments about our products but made thumbs up for those that criticised it. Then we knew she had a hidden agenda.

Umeofia added: “we had fought tomato paste importers for years because we believe that producing products locally was the best way to support economic growth.

“Should I now sit back and allow someone to destroy what we’ve spent over 10 years building?”

The chief executive officer said that efforts to reach Egodi proved abortive, necessitating Erisco Foods to petition the inspector-general of police to investigate the allegations.

“If my product has been killing people, I should be killed.

“I have over 3,000 workers in my factory and pay over 20,000 people indirectly. How can I allow syndicates to destroy my hard work?”

Umeofia clarified that the product under scrutiny was a tomato mix and not tomato paste and that the former always had sugar as an active ingredient, stressing that the product was certified by NAFDAC.

He displayed an apology letter, purportedly written to Erisco Foods through the Nigeria Police Force, regarding the product review Egodi had posted. (NAN)

Edited by Silas Nwoha

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Junior Secondary School (JSS), Karu, Abuja has emerged winner of the

FCT Universal Basic Education Board Head-to-Head Debate Reality Show for Public and Private Junior Secondary Schools across the Six Area Councils of the FCT.

The JSS Karu won the competition, scoring 67 per cent while JSS Kubwa III scored 66.6 per cent to come in second position.

The third position went to ‘Pinky and Brains’, a private school in  Dutse Alhaji, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

Also,  the best speaker award was given to Ms Mfoniso-abasi Bernard of  the JSS  in Kubwa III.

The preliminaries of the contest was held in the six Area Councils of the FCT involving 75 schools with 35 student

Highlights of the debate centred on the rights of the children on compulsory free basic education for all children of school age resident in the FCT.

Speaking earlier, the Acting Executive Chairman of the board, Dr Alhassan Sule  said the debate was initiated as a platform to address the incidences of out-of-school children in territory.

He stated that the programme was aimed at giving every child the opportunity to develop their potential, boosting their confidence and critical thinking skills in addition to reducing minimally the incidence of out-of-school Children.

According to him, education is a right and not a privilege and offered solution to the myriad of human problems.

Also speaking,  Alhaji Kudu Dangana, Director, Social Mobilisation and Chairman, Head-To-Head Planning Committee appreciated the Acting Executive Chairman for coming  up with such a novel programme where learners could speak with evidence.

He said the programme would positively impact on the students and schools.

In the same vein, the Director, Quality Assurance Department of the board, Dr  Emmanuel Shuaibu, applauded the management for the innovation.

He called on principals to do more by bringing the best talents from the schools while also appreciating the Area Council Chairmen for their support towards the programme. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Deborah Coker

The Richard George Foundation (RGF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on Friday in Abuja, inaugurated its digital learning hub established for young talented graduates.

Mr Richard George, Founder RGF, while briefing newsmen shortly after the inauguration, said that it was expected that the facility would serve as a knowledge hub for young talented graduates.

George said that the vision of the Foundation was to start raising young talented Africans who would become real change makers.

”Because we believe that those whose the world has not changed are those ones who will absolutely change the world. And, we want to play a part in this, ” he said.

He explained that RGF was an organisation set up to provide empowerment for young talented graduates, adding that the pillars of the Foundation were three fold

He said the fold included skills acquisition development, which could be technical or soft skill.

Others he said included education, which was not in the formal structure as was common, and then entrepreneurship opportunities.

The founder added that it was hoped that the facility would provide an opportunity for it to begin to birth concept and ideas that will become the start up business for tomorrow’s young talented Nigerians.

He disclosed that the NGO was just nine months old as it was birthed in 2023, adding that the Foundation was anxious to hit a key milestone.

“This is part of the milestone, before we turn one year,” he said.

He also disclosed that since the birth of the Foundation, no fewer than 52 mentees had been mentored in the first cohort, adding that another 50 mentees were being unburdened to commence the second cohort mid October.

“It is a continuous exercise and our mentorship programme is designed for only six months at a time.

“And, we also create opportunities for the mentees to undertake internship in several organisations that are partnering with us or supporting our vision.

“We also provide opportunity for them to continue their learning or chose a different career part,” he said.

George noted that several challenges poses limitations which hamper young men and women in Nigeria as discovered Foundation through research.

He said this included inabilities of several young graduates to own laptops or devices for continuous learning improvement, resources for data, and internet connectivity and reliability.

“These limitations affect the continuous growth of mindset of several of the nation’s young talents.

“So, before they go into employment, they lack the skills to be able to function in organised setting,” he said.

He further said that unemployment had social issues and consequences for the demographics (18 to 35) years, which the Foundation was focusing on.

“Increase in unemployment from the research by KPMG is pointing to 43 per cent, which means we are talking of a ticking time bomb.

“Having this type of facility is an opportunity for them to transfer energy into a place where engagement, communication, teamwork will thrive .

“And, our job is to ensure that the mentorship against our ethos and principles embedded as customer practice so as to become real change makers,” George said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the symbolic tape cutting of the facility was done by Mrs Astrid Arens, President/Founder, Voice Aid Association, Germany, one of the partners of the Foundation. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Aderogba George

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau on Friday in Abuja called for more recognition of the nursing profession, saying the practitioners are relegated to the background.

The governor made the call at the presentation of a book titled: “Challenges and Triumph of the Nursing Profession in Nigeria” written by Prof. Kola Oyedepo.

According to Mutfwang, the centrality of the nursing profession to the health sector cannot be overemphasised and the contribution of the profession is enormous.

He therefore called on policy makers, trainers and stakeholders to make sure that they promote the profession to fulfil its mandate.

“Nurses are very central in the healthcare delivery system, midwives are very central to the issue of birth. We must make sure that the professionalism in the sector is enhanced in every way that is possible.

“I want to congratulate the author of this book for giving the nurses further tools
to work. As governors, we are going to ensure that the health sector is looked at comprehensively.

“This is to make sure that the nursing profession within the health sector is given its pride of place, we are going to make policy pronouncements. We are going to invest in training to enhance the profession in our state,” he said.

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Dr Faruk Abubakar, noted that nurses play a pivotal role in the healthcare delivery.

Represented by Mr Emmanuel Udontre, Director, Planning Research and Statistics, NMCN, Abubakar said that nurses have the autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings.

According to him, advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and patients, health system management and education are key roles of nurses.

He called on government at all levels to begin to show more care to the nurses for the big role they perform in the healthcare system.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of of Health (FMoH), Mrs Daju Kachallom, also stated that the nursing and Midwifery profession occupies a unique and vital place within the healthcare system.

Represented by Mrs Francisca Okafor, Director of Nursing, FMoH, Kachallom said that nurses and midwives are compassionate, skilled and tireless professionals.

She said they are often the first and last point of care for patients, stressing that they must be treated with dignity.

Kachallom stated that they provide comfort in times of distress, guidance during moment of uncertainty and skilful assistance during the most critical phases of life.

She thanked the author of the book for dishing out such enormous knowledge in the medical profession.

The book author disclosed that he was motivated to write the book to encourage practitioners of nursing and midwifery to be committed to the profession and to seek for more knowledge.

The professor added that he was also motivated to write the book so that people will give more recognition to the practitioners of nursing profession, saying that nurses give 70 to 75 per cent assistance to the medical profession.

Oyedepo who was responding to the allegation of nurses of not being part of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees, blamed the nurses saying that they are not projecting themselves well as it ought to be.

According to him, nurses have a lot of information that could revive the healthcare but they are not projecting such information in the right direction, hence they are relegated to the background.

“Information is power but when this is not given out in the right direction, there is bound to be setback.

“Nurses have a lot of information but they are not projecting them out, there is a lot of advocacy they need to be doing to make them to be recognised.

“If you don’t say I am here, nobody will recognise you. Out of the three professions in the health fields, pharmacy, nursing and medicine, nurses carry almost 70 per cent of the healthcare workers population.

“They are not showing up but they want to be in power, this is why the people in power just ignore them ,” Oyedepo said.

He called on nurses and midwives to make use of his book to garner more knowledge about the profession and way out of the challenges confronting it. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede