Health

Ogun Health Workers Commence Use of Protective Glass Box

By Web News 889

Health workers at the Ogun State COVID-19 Testing Centres have commenced the use of protective glass box instead of the usual disposable Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs, while collecting samples for screening. 

The State Ministry of Health, had recently announced that the unique Protective Glass Box was more reliable against infection compared with the PPE which could expose the user to risk at the point of removal. 

The Ministry said in a statement in Abeokuta that health workers operating behind the glass box only had to extend their arms through the built-in hand gloves compartment to take samples of persons at the other side of the box. 

It noted that trained hygienists would ensure the disinfection of hand gloves compartment after each use to enhance the safety of health officers collecting samples for screening. 

The statement indicated that a number of suspected patients who presented themselves for testing at the centre on reasonable grounds were given their results promptly. 

It added that a state government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker had recently visited the newly unveiled Walk-in and Drive-through Testing Centre at the Ijamido Town Hall, Ota for assessment.

Oluremi Olugbenro

Economy

Ramadan: Markets Deserted in Ogun Amidst Lockdown

By Web News 828

Roads and market stalls in Abeokuta the Ogun state capital are deserted with few persons on essential duties moving while the markets are empty following the lockdown been observed twenty-four hours to the commencement of the Ramadan fast.

However, some dignitaries including former governor Ibikunle Amosun have started another round of empowerment to assist Muslims and other residents to cope with the harsh economic situation caused by the lockdown to combat COVID-19.

Correspondent Wale Oluokun has the details.

Wale Oluokun

Health

Tuberculosis: Access to Proper Healthcare Services is Important – Ogun Gov.’s Wife

By Web News 1283

Ogun State government has blamed the prevalence of tuberculosis in the society to poor access to healthcare services especially among the less privileged.

Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun made this known in a statement in Abeokuta through her media aide, Kemi Oyeleye to commemorate the 2020 World Tuberculosis Day.

Mrs Abiodun who described tuberculosis as one of the major causes of death in Nigeria said there was the need for stakeholders to work together to ensure people have access to quality healthcare services in the state.

The wife of Ogun State governor explained that the celebration of the World Tuberculosis Day with the theme “It’s Time” was to the draw attention of relevant stakeholders on the need to reduce stigma and discrimination as well as to build accountability.  

She pointed out that Ogun State has 306 DOTS sites for TB services which increased from 216 DOTS sites in 2018 across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state while TB diagnosis remained free to patients. 

Mrs Abiodun said eighty-three per cent of a total of three thousand, one hundred and two cases managed in 2019 were successfully treated.

Olusegun Folarin

Sport

Edo 2020: Governor Abiodun Promises Athletes Adequate Support

By Web News 819

Ogun State Government has promised to provide a system that can be used to develop athletes that will compete for laurels for the state and Nigeria at large.

The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun stated this while receiving the Torch of Unity of the 20th National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 at the forecourt of the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. 

Governor Abiodun who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele explained that the national sports festival was an opportunity to bring the youth together, develop and discover new talents.

The governor admonished the state’s contingent to be of good conduct by following instructions of health and security personnel in order to achieve success at the festival. 

In a chat with newsmen at the event, Commissioner for Youth and Sport, Dr Oluwadare Kehinde expressed optimism that team Ogun would do the state proud at the festival.

The Director of Sports, Ogun State Sports Council, Mr Adesola Faleti who said the state would participate in thirty-two sports, added that all the state’s athletes have resumed camping ahead of the festival.

Olusegun Folarin

News

NLC Calls for Involvement of Women in Policy Making

By Web News 862 2

A lecture to commemorate the 2020 International Women’s Day has been held in Abeokuta, Ogun state, with a call for increased sensitization to policies that will involve women in policy making in the country.

The lecture which was organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, women committee, Ogun state wing, held at NLC Secretariat, Leme, Abeokuta. 

Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Sport

Egba Youths Football Championship Kicks off in Abeokuta

By Web News 1048

Ogun Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson has encouraged stakeholders in the sports sector to support the development of grassroots games towards eradicating crimes in the communities.

Mr Ebrimson made the call at the official kick-off of the second edition of Egba Youths Football Championship in Abeokuta.

The Egba Youths Football competition was put together for participants from six local government areas of Ogun central to promote peaceful coexistence among the people.

The Ogun state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson who performed the kick-off ceremony of the annual football competition said sports remained a viable instrument to enhance the effectiveness of community policing in the country.

Mr Ebrimson described the competition as laudable, pointing out that the event would help to reduce social ills in the state.

He said the command would also take advantage of the competition to strengthen the ties between police and the communities.

The initiator, a member of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Ogun state chapter, Mr Olalekan Soyinka said the competition was put together to nurture and develop talents in the state.

The competition was witnessed by school pupils who visited Muda Lawal Stadium, Asero, Abeokuta for the inter-house sports rehearsals as well as soccer fans from different parts of the state. 

In one of the matches decided, Gadmaj FC defeated FMC by three goals to one.

The competition will be rounded off on the 19th of April, 2020.

Olusegun Folarin

Crime

Police Nab Five-Man Robbery Gang in Ogun

By Web News 1461

Ogun State Police Command has arrested six robbery suspects over a recent attack at an estate around Olomoore, Abeokuta.

According to a statement by the command’s spokesman, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, the suspects had invaded the estate with a cutlass and inflicted injuries on the residents and also dispossessed them of handsets, laptop, cash, and other valuables.

He explained that the arrest of the suspects was made possible following the tracking of a member of the gang.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the gang was trailed to the house of an herbalist at Olomoore area of Abeokuta which serves as their hideout.

He noted that robbery suspects also resisted arrest during which one of them was shot, and five others arrested, alongside the herbalist.

Recovered from the robbery suspects are one laptop, five handsets, a cutlass, and charms.

The statement further noted that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Keneth Ebrimson has ordered the transfer of the suspect to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for further investigation.

Wale Oluokun

Economy

2-Year Jail Term Await Illegal Miners in Proposed Law – Minister

By Web News 714

A minimum of two years imprisonment without an option of fine awaits illegal miners across the country in new legislation being proposed to improve the mining sector of the economy.

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah made this known in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital while addressing stakeholders in the mining industry.

Radio Nigeria Correspondent, Wale Oluokun has the details of the minister’s one-day working visit to Ogun state.

Wale Oluokun

Security

Community Policing Would Enhance Security – Ogun PPRO

By Web News 913

In a bid to find a lasting solution to security challenges facing the country, security experts have stressed the need to enhance community policing.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in Ogun State, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi stated this while speaking with Radio Nigeria’s Paramount FM in Abeokuta. 

Mr. Oyeyemi said security agencies on ground cannot perform their duties alone, hence the need to introduce community policing which would go a long way in enhancing security in the state as well as the country at large.

He also urged the authorities of community policing to ensure the proper orientation of members that would be recruited into the scheme.

Also speaking, the Ogun State So Safe Corps Commander, Mr. Soji Ganzallo said measures had been put in place to make the state safer for residents, adding that there would be no hiding place for criminals.

Olajumoke Idowu

Education

Reinstate Management Courses in FUNAAB – VC

By Web News 947

Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Professor Kolawole Salako wants the restoration of the institution’s College of Management Sciences for knowledge development in the society.

The Vice-Chancellor made this known at the University Senate while addressing newsmen as part of the Twenty Seventh Convocation of the institution.

Professor Salako explained that agriculture accommodates all disciplines known to man and stated that the institution is a multidisciplinary school, hence the need to restore the management courses.

The Vice-Chancellor said the 27th Convocation of the institution would graduate three thousand, two hundred twenty-six.

Professor Salako hinted that some of the twenty-three projects embarked upon by the present administration of the university are to be inaugurated as part of the convocation ceremony.

The Vice-Chancellor, alongside the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Professor Bolanle Akeredolu-Ale and other top management members of the university also inspected some agriculture innovations and products of the students and staff of the institution at the exhibition ground.

Wale Oluokun

Politics

“Operation Amotekun” is here to stay – Governor Makinde

By Web News 731

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, says the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed “Operation Amotekun” is established to complement the work of the security agencies and bridge the gaps in the security network of the geopolitical zone.

He made this position known against the backdrop of the statement credited to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami that the outfit was illegal.

Governor Makinde while speaking with newsmen during a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta said the minister’s comment was uncalled for.

According to him, Operation Amotekun has not in any way violated the constitution, but rather, it was an intervention to narrow the gaps in security of the South-West.

He added that governors of the South-West designed the operation to complement efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.

Speaking on the purpose of the visit to former President Obasanjo, Governor Makinde maintained that he was in Abeokuta to pay a visit to the former President as part of the tradition to pay homage to elders to wish them a happy and rewarding New Year.

Iyabo Adebisi

Crime

Quack Doctor Arrested Over Deadly Abortion in Ogun

By Web News 784

The Ogun State Police Command is investigating a 56 year old suspect, Salahudeen Jamiu for allegedly killing a housewife and mother of four while carrying out abortion on her. 

The suspected fake doctor was apprehended by the police on Thursday 24th October for allegedly committing the crime at his maternity centre located at Onipanu area of Ifo Local Government in Ogun State.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi told journalists in Abeokuta that the woman’s husband had reported to the police that he discovered his wife’s corpse outside a building in the area. 

The police spokesman said the man narrated how he went to the clinic and found it deserted after receiving a call from one Dupe Odebunmi who claimed to be a nurse that his wife, Kehinde Olakitan was sick and on admission at Mojisola Maternity Clinic belonging to the suspect. 

The PPRO disclosed that the alleged quack doctor who took to his heels after the incident was tracked down by police detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer, Onipanu Division, Magdalene Adeniji. 

He claimed that the suspect admitted to carrying out an abortion on the deceased who was brought to him her friend, Dupe Odebunmi and that the mother of four died in the process while he dumped her corpse close to the woman’s residence out of fear. 

Mr. Oyeyemi said the corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital Ota, for autopsy while the suspect had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation and prosecution on the directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama.

Oluremi Olugbenro

Economy

Experts Examine Economic Implications of the New Minimum Wage

By Web News 739

Since the signing of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage by President Muhammad Buhari early this year and the promise for immediate implementation when the harmonisation is carried out, many Nigerians have continued to express their displeasure on the fall out of the development on the society.

Radio Nigeria correspondent, Wale Oluokun, in this special report x-rayed the implications of the salary increase on the economy and the reactions of some civil servants in Ogun State on the new salary regime.

While Economists agreed that the consequential implications of the new minimum wage which has come to stay is always negative not minding the margin of the increments.

The economic experts were also of the view that the possibility of inflation arising from the increment should be considered. 

However, as the implementation is being awaited from both the federal and the state levels, traders and artisans have already started tailoring their prices to the new wage regime in some parts of Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.

Inflating and repair of vehicle tyres in Abeokuta have suddenly got hiked by 100 percent.

To inflate a tyre now cost 200 naira from the former 100 naira which when questions was raised, no satisfactory answer was provided.

Increase in prices of services and commodities, is synonymous to increase in salary of civil servants.

It is also worth of note that in some years before, petroleum prices sometimes got increased making the consequential increment  to be of no significance.

As the civil servants await the payment of the new wage increase, what are the thoughts of federal and state civil servants about this increment and the difference the increment will make in their lives.

Mr. Adeoye Dacosta a Federal civil servant with National Orientation Agency, Abeokuta while speaking said the labour unions and the government should ensure that power, housing, health and transportation sectors are well managed to make the new salary meaningful to the workers.

Also speaking, another civil servant with the Ogun State government Mr. Babatunde Abatan said state government should comply with the resolution of the labour at the federal level as the workers will buy from the same market.

It is also believed that problems have solutions, what possible step could be taken to prevent possible price increase of services and commodity and measures needed to prevent inflation, A professor of Production and environmental Economics of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Professor Idris Ayinde called on the federal government to reenergize the non-formal sector to create more employment opportunities and to also put in place price control mechanism to stabilize prices.

According to him, crisis that will spring up from non-implementation of the new salary could affect the Gross Domestic Product of the nation.

With the concerns from the experts on the undue publicity given to the increase in salary, they also agreed that there may not be significant change in the livelihood patterns of the workers as a cost-push inflation is a possible problem that will affect the new salary regime.

Wale Oluokun