News Agency of Nigeria
General News

FG’s ESPW programme will impact Delta positively —Okowa

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By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has commended the Federal Government for the Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme, saying it will positively impact the state.

He gave the commendation on Tuesday in Asaba, during the flag-off of the 774,000 ESPW jobs programme of the Federal Government for the 774 Local Government Areas of the country.

Okowa was represented by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu.

He said that though each participant would be taking N20, 000 monthly stipend for the programme that would last for three months, the programme had the capacity of injecting about N500 million monthly into the state economy.

While thanking the Federal Government for the programme, he tasked the beneficiaries to effectively utilize the proceeds to build their future from little beginnings, and not to become reckless.

He said that the programme conformed with the State Empowerment programme, and was being executed without political party bias.

“What we have seen happen here today is that after the politicking that precedes an electioneering campaign is governance, and governance has no political coloration.

“Today’s programme is conceived by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government at the national level but it trickled down, irrespective of the party at the state level, such that the beneficiaries are Nigerians, because hunger does not know a political party.

“The more number of people you are able to empower, the more you take away crime and criminality.

“If you have in the case of Delta about N20 million going into a local government monthly, then escalate it to 25, 000 poor persons in the 25 LGAs, that brings it to N500 million monthly being injected into the state economy,” he said.

The governor said that given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the multiplier effect of the Federal Government programme was capable of healing the present recession in the country.

He said this was if the beneficiaries could effectively utilise the opportunity to invest their money.

In a keynote address, Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, said that the extended special public works programme was borne out the pilot programme approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) early in 2020.

The minister, represented by Mr Victor Ochie, Executive Director, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said the strategy was adopted by the Federal Government to fast- track the achievement of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017 to 2020).

“The pilot programme was implemented in eight states in order to gauge its impact on addressing the ballooning population of unemployed and rising insecurity in some parts of the country.

“However, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr President directed the Economic Sustainability Committee, China’s aired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to craft economic measures to cushion the adverse socio -econimic effect of the pandemic.

“The need to quickly address the above, informed the decision to implement the ESPW,” he said.

The Acting Director, NDE, Malam Abubakar Fikpo, represented by the State Coordinator, Mr Tony Olu, lauded the Federal Government for giving the directorate opportunity to execute the programme.

According to Fikpo, the ESPW prpgramme is a very significant step in Nigeria to win the war against mass unemployment as well as to ameliorate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that all the participants were duly documented and their details captured by designated banks to guarantee a fraud free, transparent and fair service delivery and to ensure effective monitoring.

The acting director charged the participants to reciprocate the gesture by diligently executing their assigned tasks throughout the three months duration.

Prof. Kelly Ejumudu, Chairman, State Selection Committee, charged the participants to see the gesture as a clarion call to serve the country.

He said that no government in the world could totally eliminate poverty and unemployment, but alleviate it.

“This is the first time that a government programme has cut through the entire 774 LGAs in the country, it is meant for the poor, not for the elite.

“This project is not for grabs, it is intended to benefit the poor in the society to enable them better their life, and at the end, the entire society will be better off.

“Participants should work, earn and develop a good investment culture and not to spend the money lavishly,” he cautioned.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Ms. Charity Okonkwo thanked the Federal Government for the programme, while promising their resolve to work, earn and manage their monies effectively.

She, however, join other stakeholders to call for government to evaluate and extend the programme beyond three months.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were equipped with the necessary gadgets and materials to enable them keep and maintain a clean environment across the 25 LGAs of Delta. (NAN)

Business , Economy/Business

NSE drops N393bn on renewed profit taking

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By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The nation’s bourse recorded its first loss in the year on Tuesday, dropping by N393 billion due to renewed profit taking on blue chips.

Specifically, the market capitalisation shed N393 billion or 1.83 per cent to close at N21.122 trillion from N21.515 trillion recorded on Monday.

Similarly, the All-Share Index lost 751.25 points or 1.83 per cent to close at 40,396.14 compared with 41,147.39 achieved on Monday.

The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; BUA Cement, MTN Nigeria Communications, Zenith Bank, Okomu Oil and Guaranty Trust Bank.

Market breadth was negative with 34 stocks losers, relative to 16 gainers.

Oando dominated the losers’ chart in percentage terms, losing 10 per cent to close at N3.33 per share.

FTN Cocoa followed with 9.72 per cent to close at 65k, while May and Baker shed 8.55 per cent to close at N3.21 per share.

FBN Holdings dipped 8.28 per cent to close at N7.20, while Associated Bus Company lost 7.89 per cent to close at 35k per share.

Conversely, BOC Gases led the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 9.72 per cent to close at N10.50 per share.

NEM Insurance trailed with 9.50 per cent to close at N1.96, while Sovereign Trust Insurance rose by 9.09 per cent to close at 24k per share.

Japaul Gold and Ventures went up by 8.82 per cent to close at 74k, while Livestock Feeds appreciated by 8.63 per cent to close at N1.51 per share.

However, the total volume of shares traded rose by 119.73 per cent as investors bought and sold 465.67 million shares worth N5.118 billion exchanged in 7,573 deals.

This was in contrast with a turnover of 211.93 million shares valued at N1.41 billion transacted in 3,438 deals on Monday.

Transactions in the shares of Transcorp topped the activity chart with 69.16 million shares worth N64.82 million.

Zenith Bank followed with 31.71 million shares valued at N788.33 million, while FCMB Group traded 26.594 million shares worth N80.21 million.

Japaul Gold and Ventures traded 26.04 million shares valued at N19.27 million, while Access Bank transacted 24.53 million shares worth N214.57 million. (NAN)

Foreign

NGO says 602 journalists died of COVID-19 in 2020

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No fewer than 602 journalists in 59 countries died of the novel coronavirus in 2020, the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said on Tuesday.

“More than 600 journalists died of COVID-19 pandemic in 59 countries in 10 months in 2020, that is to say 60 per month, or two per day on the average,” the NGO said in a statement.

According to the statistics, Peru recorded the largest number of such deaths – 93.

The next on the list are: Brazil (55), India (53), Mexico (45), Ecuador (42), Bangladesh (41), Italy (37), the U.S. (31), Pakistan (22), Turkey (17) and the United Kingdom (13).

In Russia, eight journalists had died from COVID-19 pandemic.

The NGO noted that the actual number of victims in the global journalistic community is “certainly higher,” as the cause of deaths is sometimes not revealed publicly. (Sputnik/NAN)

General News

Buhari mourns Birma,former Minister of Education

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By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his condolences over the death of former Minister of Education, and Sarkin Gabas of Adamawa, Alhaji Dauda Birma, describing him as a decent politician.

Reacting to Birma’s demise in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari said:

“I am deeply touched by the passing of Dauda Birma, one of the finest and most decent politicians of our time.

“Birma was a disciplined and respectable politician who gave politics a good image through personal examples.

“I must also state here that Dauda Birma was a committed party man that worked passionately and assiduously for the success of our party.

“May Allah forgive his shortcomings, reward his good deeds with paradise and grant his family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.’’ (NAN)

Foreign

UK University develops 5-minute test for COVID-19

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Scientists at the University of Birmingham said on Tuesday that they had developed a new COVID-19 test capable of delivering results in less than five minutes.

The new test simplifies the testing method to a single step and uses an alternative amplification method called Exponential Amplification Reaction (EXPAR), said the university.

The new test can reduce testing time from 30 minutes to less than five and deliver accurate results, local media reported.

It can be performed using standard laboratory equipment, compared to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, which require higher temperatures to separate out strands of DNA as part of the amplification process, according to the university.

It came as England enters a national lockdown from Tuesday, the third of its kind since the coronavirus pandemic began in Britain.

Scotland also enters a new lockdown from midnight on Monday, as well as a shutdown of schools until Feb. 1, 2021.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the U.S. have been racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines. (Xinhua/NAN)

Foreign

Nigeria engages China on COVID-19 vaccine – Onyeama

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By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The Federal Government says it has opened talks with the Peoples Republic of China to have access to COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr  Geoffery Onyeama, made the disclosure  on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen shortly after a bilateral meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.

Yi  is in Nigeria on a working visit.

Onyeama recalled that China was of immense assistance to Nigeria at the advent of the pandemic, noting that the donation of protective equipment greatly affected the nation in the fight against COVID-19.

The minister said that at this point when countries were discovering vaccines and China being one of them, Nigeria was engaging  the country in the area of access to the vaccine.

“We have received a lot of support from China in the area of personal protective equipment that they were very quick to provide us with and of course, with the vaccine discoveries now,

“China is also one of those countries that have been able to discover vaccines for COVID-19, so we are also engaging with China to also help with regards to access to vaccines for our people,” he said.

According to Onyeama, the relationship between both countries has dated 50 years, adding that both countries have many areas of cooperation to celebrate.

“We also realised that in 2021, we would be celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Peoples Republic of China,” he said.

Giving insights into some of the deliberations during the closed door meeting, Onyeama said that he and his counterpart looked at the trade relations between the two countries and areas that could be improved.

He said that they also discussed health issues and the global pandemic.

“In the area of fostering relations, both countries are now considering having a direct flight from Nigeria to China.

“We want to establish direct air link with China. We hope that very soon, a Nigerian carrier would be carrying out scheduled flights to China in the not too distant future,” he said. (NAN)

Economy/Business , Food Security

Food security: AFAN seeks all-year-round farming

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By Olayinka Olawale

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has called for the adoption of policies that would support all-year-round farming to mitigate hunger and malnutrition in the country.

AFAN’s National President, Mr Kabri Ibrahim, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

Ibrahim said that all-year-round farming would enable the country feed its growing population.

He said that the country would overcome issues relating to food scarcity, insufficiency and insecurity by embracing all-year-round farming.

The president who observed that the present seasonal farming was old fashioned stressed the need for sustained food production to feed the nation.

Ibrahim said that the country needed to move away from the traditional rain-fed practice to all-year-farming, adding that it would aid food security.

“Nigeria can mitigate issues related to food scarcity by practising agriculture all year round and not the dependence on rainfall that dominates the practice now.

“When you do all-year-round agriculture, you don’t have any gaps and this is what happens in some of the countries that have food security.

“If you look at some countries in Europe and the United States, as well as Brazil, they do agriculture all year round except those times when the climate will not allow.

“What they do is to produce food that will thrive in the climatic conditions prevailing at that time.

“In the middle of winter for instance, in France, you might not be able to grow corn but you can grow other things that thrive, you simply concentrate on them.

“In our environment, it is even more doable because we do not have a situation that prevents us from practising agriculture all year round,” he said.

Ibrahim said that farmers can concentrate on crops that thrives more during the harmattan and vis-a-vis the rainy season.

He called for the adoption of long-term strategies, new method and policies among the stakeholders in the private and public sector to achieve the goal.

Ibrahim listed some of the challenges mitigating all-year-round farming to include policy inconsistency, funding, poor irrigation system and lack of political will.

He also said that poor water management system posed a great threat to farming all year round.

He urged the Federal Government to improve irrigation systems, encourage mechanised farming as well as create access roads in order to increase food production and security in the country.

“We do farming when the rains come and the only thing that prevents you is the torrential rain.

“During the cold or the harmattan we experience in the North, it will still not prevent anybody from doing the dry season farming.

“The tomatoes that we use now are planted during the harmattan. There are crops that even thrive during harmattan or during the cold season, like wheat.

“Farmers can produce a lot of wheat during the cold,” he said. (NAN)

Health

Armenian president tests positive to Coronavirus

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Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has tested positive to COVID-19, said the presidential office on Tuesday.

According to the office, Sarkissian went to London on a New Year holiday with his family.

He underwent a successful leg surgery there and then showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus on Sunday.

Later, the result of his test for the coronavirus was positive.

Sarkissian will temporarily work remotely, said the office.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 160,544 on Tuesday, with 145,759 recoveries and 2,878 death in total, according to the Armenian Ministry of Health. (Xinhua/NAN)

Judiciary

Magistrate collapses in Calabar during protest

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By Christian Njoku

Magistrate Richard Bassey on Tuesday collapsed at the gate of the governor’s office in Calabar, Cross River, during a protest over unpaid 24 months salary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 30 Magistrates dressed in their full regalia embarked on a peaceful protest on Monday.

They appealed to Gov. Ben Ayade to pay the salaries owed them.

NAN reports that the incident happened on the second day of the protest.

NAN also reports that Bassey was revived when his colleagues poured water on him and took him to a nearby hospital.

Speaking to newsmen after the incident, the Chief Magistrate of Cross River, Solomon Abuo decried what he described as ill treatment meted to them by the state government.

Abuo said since they were employed, they had undergone several screening, adding that the protest was their last resort.

”We will continue to protest until we are paid.

“This is very embarrassing, in 2020 one of the Magistrates was arraigned before a fellow Magistrate over his inability to pay rent; most of us can’t pay our house rents and are squatting with colleagues.

“Is it wrong for one to serve the state as a judicial officers, are we supposed to go through this kind of humiliation,” he asked.

No official of the state government addressed the protesters since the protest began on Monday.

Justice Eyo Effiom-Ita, Acting Chief Judge of the state, told NAN that he was aware that the Magistrates had not been paid for a long time.

Effiom-Ita said different presentations had been made to the governor.

“The governor said he did not give clearance for their appointment, so, he will not pay them; until the governor changes his disposition, there is nothing anyone can do,” he said. (NAN)

Religious

Don’t relent in praying for Nigeria’s peace, unity, CAN urges

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By Aderemi Bamgbose

The Christian Association (CAN), Okitipupa Chapter, Ondo State, on Tuesday urged Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the unity and peace as well as stronger and better Nigeria for all.

The Chairman, CAN, Okitipupa Chapter, Pastor Peter Akinyelure, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Okitipupa.

Akinyelure said that what the country needed now was for all Christians, Muslims and Traditional worshippers to continue to pray for the country and put-up a common front.

According to him, if everything fails, God and prayers will never fail, the current challenges in the country are just temporary if Nigerians will not relent in their prayers.

He also appealed to government at all levels to create jobs for the youths to guide against youths restiveness and protests that always lead to wanton destructions.

“With everything that we are facing in this country right now, my advice in this New Year is for Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the unity and peace of this nation.

“Our country can only be stronger and better if we all can pray because if every other thing failed, God and prayers will not fail,” he said.

Akinyelure also said Okitipupa CAN Chapter would be organising a prayer session on Jan. 6.

He said that the gathering was to start the year with prayers and supplications against any form of wanton destruction which makes the state to lose most of its valuable heritage, especially during the 2020 #EndSARS protest.

“We are starting the New Year with prayers to commit our council area, the state and the country at large to the hand of God, for Him to take charge of everything this 2021,” he said. (NAN)

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