NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Agency solicits lawmakers’ support for natural medicine roadmap

187 total views today

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

The Nigeria Natural Medicines Development Agency (NNMDA) has urged the House of Representatives to make budgetary allocation for the implementation of its 36-month roadmap on prioritising natural medicines in the country.

Prof. Martins Emeje, Director-General of the NNMDA, made the call on Monday in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

His call followed a recent resolution by the House of Representatives urging Nigerians to prioritise natural medicines.

Emeje, while commending the adoption of the resolution, described it as the best thing that had happened to the natural medicines ecosystem in the country in the past two decades.

“What we want from them now is the support for us to implement our road map as an agency.

“They need to put life in this resolution and make special budgetary allocation for implementation.

“We want to ensure that we have research farms where we can cultivate particular plants, rear particular animals, rear particular insects, create gardens of particular minerals, peculiar to only that environment.

“For each ward, Local Government or state, there are peculiar plants, animals and minerals that cannot be found somewhere else,’’ he told NAN.

According to him, diseases in every location have something to do with the natural constitution of that environment.

“It is the plants, animals and minerals in that community that can be explored for medicine for diseases found in that community.

“That is the reason why bitter leaves in my village may not have the vital constituents for treating diabetes, but the same bitter leaf in Ogun State, will have it.

“This is because of botanical and biological differences,” Emeje said.

Emeje said the intention was to create a one-stop health shop where natural medicines were produced in a particular community for the people.

“The House of Representatives took a resolution that says there is a need for Nigerians to promote and prioritise natural medicine.

“For the House of Representatives to make this resolution that it must become a priority, I am satisfied.

“It will be important that the appropriate committee responsible for ensuring that this kind of resolution is fully implemented will do so,” Emeje said.

According to him, the lawmakers have given the agency the weapon and the encouragement to work harder towards ensuring that Nigeria produces the natural medicine for its peculiar diseases. (NAN)

Edited by Uche Anunne

Lawmakers canvass tax incentives for small businesses in FCT

258 total views today

By Naomi Sharang

Some members of the House of Representatives have advocated for tax incentives for small businesses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to thrive.

The lawmakers made the call at the unveiling of an entrepreneurial centre, Dreamskin Luxe Empire, in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unveiling of the centre was to commemorate St. Valentine’s Day.

Rep. Chinedu Obika, representing Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency, specifically described FCT as a thriving environment for businesses.

Obika called on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and others to prevail on tax administrators not to multi-tax small scale business owners.

He said that multiple taxes would discourage entrepreneurship and development in the area councils, as some of the tax administrators collected tenement rates, business premises tax and all kinds of taxes.

According to him, they should be able to harmonise the taxes in order not to put too much pressure on businesses and force them to close down.

“This is because when businesses are closed, the people who are engaged in them will fall back to the streets; and an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.

“So the area councils, it is their duty to make sure that the businesses are encouraged through tax rebates or tax reduction.

“I am appealing to the Area Council Chairmen who represent AMAC and Bwari Area Councils, to look into the way and the model they are using to tax businesses in Abuja.

“Businesses like this that have sprung up should be encouraged. Instead of taxing them more, you should give them tax incentives to encourage them to employ more people or create more businesses.

“This will help to reduce unemployment. So we should be talking to them to make sure that they don’t double-tax these small, young businesses that are springing up,” he said.

Also speaking, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato Federal Constituency, said that the Tax Reform Bills, when passed, would give strong encouragement to small businesses.

Ugochinyere said that they would also ensure that the tax pressure was moved to big businesses, thus limiting the impacts on small businesses.

On her part, Rep. Chinwe Nnabuife, representing Orumba North/South Federal Constituency, called for more public/private partnerships to tackle unemployment in the country.

Nnabuife also called for youth empowerment, saying that it would tackle restiveness and agitations.

“When you empower somebody, you are giving the person the go-ahead to explore and to be self-sufficient,” she said.

Similarly, Rep. Mohammed Jamilu, representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency, called for collaborative efforts to tackle unemployment in the country.

“Relevant players in the private sector should partner with the government to address unemployment and ensure youth empowerment in order to curb insecurity and other social vices in the society.

Earlier, Mrs Nancy Irole, the Chief Executive Officer of the centre, said that seeing the Spa unveiled was ‘a dream come true’.

“Dreamskin Luxe Empire isn’t just a spa or a beauty lounge. It’s a place designed for Nigerians to check their wellness as they go about their normal businesses.

“It is a space where beauty, wellness and self-care come together to create an experience that leaves you feeling refreshed, confident and completely at ease,” Irole said. (NAN)

Edited by Florence Onuegbu and ‘Wale Sadeeq

Wike, 27 Rivers lawmakers not APC members – APC Chairman 

1,535 total views today

By Angela Atabo

Dr Tony Okocha, Chairman of the All Progressive Congress(APC), in Rivers,  has said that FCT minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of the APC.

He told newsmen on Thursday in Abuja that the 27 Rivers lawmakers currently in a bitter political struggle with Gov. Siminalayi Fubara were also not members of the APC.

“People say Wike has decamped to the APC. They also say that the 27 lawmakers currently fighting with Fubara have defected to the APC.

“I need to make this clear to everyone. Much as I wish to have them in my fold, none of them has agreed to join us.

“I am the one that should  know if they did. But, clearly, they have not.

“What the lawmakers did was a political gimmick.

“I tried to woo them, but they kept vacillating and did not.

“To defect, they must go to their wards, register and get their membership cards. None  of them has done that,” he said.

Okocha was particularly categorical in declaring that Wike would not leave the PDP.

“Wike will never leave the  PDP.

“He has always said that PDP made him what he is. He has always said that he would remain there.

“He is an ardent believer in PDP. He is not likely to leave that group,” Okocha said.

He, however, said that Wike is a member of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“In Rivers, I am 001 in APC, but in the Renewed Hope Agenda, I am 002. Wike is 001,” he explained.

He also spoke on Wike’s influence on Rivers’ politics

“Wike has done so much for Rivers, so he is strong.

“In the next 10 years, Wike will continue to influence the political direction in Rivers.

“It will be difficult to uproot him.

“Aside from his many projects scattered throughout the state, he has touched people’s lives directly. Such people will always be behind him,” he said.

He described Wike as a politician that could identify with every good cause irrespective of political party.

“Once the cause is good and will give him a platform to serve his people, Wike will be part of it,” Okocha said.(NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai/Ephraims Sheyin

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email