News

Radio Nigeria to Prioritize People-Oriented Content- DG

By Web News 303

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

The Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Dr. Mohammed Bulama, has restated Radio Nigeria’s commitment to delivering people-oriented programmes and policies.

Dr. Bulama, represented by the Zonal Director of FRCN, Ibadan, Mr. Dominic Mokikan, gave the assurance while inspecting facilities at Radio Nigeria’s Choice FM, under construction at Otta, Ogun State.

He said the Corporation would continue to explore collaborations and partnerships to expand access to quality broadcasting across the country.

Interacting with a community leader in the area and Senior Legislative Aid to the Senate President, Mr. Kayode Taiwo, Dr. Bulama emphasized that getting the right support would enable the station to serve the people better.

In his remarks, Mr. Taiwo pledged the support of the people of Ota for the successful completion of the station, describing Choice FM as a true symbol of Federal presence that will boost the area’s social and economic development.

Representative of the Director General was accompanied on the visit by Deputy Director, Engineering Services, FRCN Ibadan, Engineer Ibiyemi Obadina, and the General Manager, Paramount FM Abeokuta, Mrs. Oluremi Olugbenro.

Education

NYSC DG Bemoans Declining Welfare for Corps Members 

By Web News 513

By Adenitan Akinola

The Director General, DG of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed has expressed worry over the declining welfare provision for corps members by their employers.

The Director General while delivering a keynote address during the 2023 Corps Employer’s Workshop held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, in Ede, Osun State, noted that the issue of poor welfare for corps members had continually impeded their optimal performance and compromises the philosophy of the NYSC scheme.

Brigadier General Ahmed explained that the majority of those who made requests for corps members to be posted to their establishments did not provide accommodation for them and where such was provided; it was usually in deplorable conditions unfit for human habitation.

He also berated poor security of areas where the accommodations were provided, noting that many did not provide transportation or any allowance in lieu of transport for the corps members.

The Director General alleged some employers of corpers of conniving with them to commit truancy which often put their lives at risk.

“Many employers connive with those posted to them, allowing them to travel at will. In fact, we have evidence that some of the employers shared part of the allowance the federal government pays these children to permit them to leave their place of primary assignment. Unfortunately, we have lost some of them to this truancy. Last week, one had an accident in Kogi State while travelling without authorization, while two others died in an accident during an illegal journey”.

The Director General’s address which was delivered by the Deputy Director, Corps Development, South West Area of the NYSC, Mr Williams Ella, emphasized that the workshop was to enable both parties to find better ways to address the issues of corps members’ welfare so as to get optimal performance from them.

The employers of corps members also tabled certain challenges that continually affect some of the areas of welfare mentioned.

Mr Ademola Agbeko who represented Redeemers’ University, Ede said the federal government should start the welfare by paying a living monthly wage to the corps members and improve the security of lives and property in the country.

Similarly, Pastor Olaleye Sadiq pointed out that the attitude of some of the corpers, like not staying in accommodation provided by employers or staying out till late hours before returning home, among others had continued to hamper the efforts of employers aimed at securing them. 

In an opening remark, the Osun State coordinator of the NYSC, Mr Ndoma Agbor Obim said the workshop with the theme, “Optimizing The Productivity of Corps Members Through Enhanced Welfare and Security During The Service Year”, is a significant milestone in the ongoing commitment to connecting talented corps members with employers who share the NYSC vision of fostering personal and professional growth.

Earlier, the Osun State Commissioner for Youth, Mr. Moshood Olagunju urged participants to take advantage of the workshop to understand and clear issues on their obligations in the welfare of the corps members.

Papers were presented by guest lecturers including Dr Olutosin Olufisayo of Adeleke University who spoke on, “Improving the Welfare and Security of Corps Members for Increased Productivity”.

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Health

Don’t create unnecessary panic, share only verified information – NCDC DG

By Web News 442

By Nafiu Busari

The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa says the purported new Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, named BA.2.86 is not in Nigeria.

It also denied any increase in cases of COVID-19 in the country.

In a statement on the new COVID-19 variant, Dr Adetifa said while cases had been reported in 51 countries, risk assessment by WHO found this new variant poses a low risk at the global level.

“In addition, EG.5 has not been associated with any change in symptoms/clinical manifestation and has not produced an increase in severity of illness and/or hospitalizations or difference in death rates in reporting countries,” he added.

Dr Adetifa declared that EG.5 causes symptoms like those seen with other COVID-19 variants, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat. 

The statement stated, “So far, only one case of EG.5 has been seen in Africa, it has not been identified in Nigeria”.

“The recently discovered/reported BA.2.86 is a descendent lineage of BA.2 (a sublineage of Omicron, also found in Nigeria in 2022). As of August 23, 2023, the BA.2.86 variant had been reported in a handful of countries – the United Kingdom, Israel, Denmark, South Africa, and the United States”. 

“It has been classified by the WHO as a “variant under monitoring” (VUM) because it has multiple genetic differences that make it substantially different from its ancestor, BA.2 and from other currently circulating XBB-derived SARS-CoV-2 variants”.

“Since there are few cases identified so far, there is not enough information to make conclusive assessments of virulence, transmission, and severity. However, we do not expect it to be much different from other omicron descendants currently circulating. Although the ancestor, BA.2 has been previously found in Nigeria, no BA.2.86 variant has been identified in Nigeria”.

“The NCDC’s COVID-19 Technical Working Group (COVID-19 TWG) is closely monitoring COVID-19 epidemiology – local, regional, continental, and global – including emerging variants”. 

“Our influenza sentinel surveillance sites continue to provide information on COVID-19 prevalence in patients with influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness”.

 “We have not observed any increase in the trend of COVID-19 in this patient group. We continue to carry out genomics surveillance even with the low testing levels and encourage testing locations in states to ensure their positive samples are sent on to the NCDC for sequencing”.

 “Unrelated to the news of these emerging variants, the NCDC and partners are working on implementing an enhanced COVID-19 testing exercise in four states to obtain complementary and more detailed information about circulating variants in the country. In addition, COVID-19 rapid diagnostic kits are being distributed for the purpose of improving bi-directional COVID-19 testing.”

He, however, urged Nigerians including media practitioners to act responsibly and share only verified information.

“There is no need to cause unnecessary anxiety and panic. As we have consistently advised, COVID-19 is here to stay and is now mainly a problem for those at high risk – the elderly, those with underlying chronic illnesses, especially hypertension, diabetes, those on cancer treatment, organ transplant recipients, and those whose immune systems are suppressed for one reason or the other.”

According to him, actions that individuals and families need to take to prevent the infection include testing for any febrile illness and respiratory symptoms regardless of how mild to be sure it’s not COVID, vaccination against COVID-19, good hand hygiene by washing hands regularly with soap under running water and wearing of masks by individuals with flu-like symptoms like coughing and sneezing.

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Lifestyle

2023: Media Executives, Stakeholders Strategise

By Web News 578

All is now set for the opening of a two-day workshop in Lagos organised by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, on Broadcast Ecology and Politics in Nigeria.

Participants are drawn from the academia, political class, media, judiciary, youth organisations, members of the executive and the legislative arms of government and broadcasters including the Zonal Director Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Ibadan, Mrs Bolatito Joseph.

A view of some attendees at the event including, the Zonal Director, FRCN Ibadan National Station, Mrs Bolatito Joseph (2nd left) at the event.

The event will afford participants the opportunity of having a retrospect of the immediate past two elections towards a better 2023 experience through the dissemination of correct and accurate information on the part of the media.

Keynote Speaker at the ceremony is the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Mr Rasheed Bawa.

Their review of the 2015 and 2019 elections will be handled by former Director-General, Nigeria Television Authority NTA Dr Tony Iredia and a Mass Communication scholar Professor Stella Okunna.

Akinyinka Akintola

Agriculture

Seed Council To Establish Zonal Seed Multiplication Laboratories

By Web News 703

In a bid to enhance the multiplication of quality seeds, the National Agriculture Seed Council, NASC is to establish tissue culture laboratories in all the geo-political zones of the country.

The Director-General, NASC, Dr. Olusegun Ojo stated this at the formal opening of training organized in conjunction with the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, the University of Ibadan for the staff of the council.

The two-week training program centred on tissue culture techniques, research and management of tissue culture laboratories.

Dr. Ojo represented by the NASC South-West Director, Mr. Kunle Adeseko said the establishment of the tissue culture laboratory, TSL was borne out of the need to have modern seed multiplication facilities and such laboratory would also be at the zonal offices in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

“The idea of establishing TSL was because of the desire to have modern seed multiplication facilities for the proposed NASC Centre of Excellence for seed in West Africa to train seed entrepreneurs on the novel High Ratio propagation technologies developed under the YIIFSWA and BASICS projects.”

“To hit the ground running, a building was constructed at the headquarters and it is being equipped with basic laboratory equipment for the take-off of the TCL”.

Dr. Ojo explained that being a new area of speciality in the council necessitated the partnership with the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology to train the newly employed staff on tissue culture techniques and management of tissue culture laboratories. 

“It’s a rare privilege accorded you by the management and you are therefore enjoined to take the training seriously and pay undivided attention to the instructions by the resource persons and make it worth the while for the resources put together to organise the training”.

“The training is considered a train-the-trainers course as skills and knowledge acquired by you are expected to be stepped down to your colleagues”

Also speaking, the training facilitator, Dr. Morufat Balogun, said it was the first time NASC would train its staff on tissue culture.

“This is highly appreciated and commendable, we will give the participants the best because the department has experts who can handle the training”.

“The two-week training promises to be very rich so participants should be open and feel free to ask questions”.

Also, the UI Director of Teaching and Research Farm, Professor Andrew Omojola, who spoke on “the importance of quality seed, public and private partnerships in Agricultural Value chain”, said seeds have more value than plants or fruits.

He urged farmers to ensure that the source of the seeds they planted was guaranteed.

Professor Omojola emphasised that public-private partnership was paramount for farmers and agriculturists to make more profits and impacts.

“You cannot do it alone as far as research is concerned, so be in partnership with the right competent people and add value to your seed through packaging”.

The Head of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology Department, Professor Rasheed Awodoyin, said it was a good relationship working with NASC, especially in the area of training.

He said it was paramount to adopt the method of tissue culture in the production of seedlings.

“Tissue culture is a sure thing one must key into to meet the present demand, with tissue culture, one can produce more seedlings at any time”.

Ridwan Fasasi

Judiciary

Court Orders FG, DSS To Pay Igboho 20 Billion In Damages

By Web News 1268

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered the Federal Government, the Director General, Department of State Security, DSS, and the DSS Director in Oyo State to pay 20 billion naira exceptional and aggravated damage over the unlawful invasion of the residence of Sunday Adeyemo “Igboho” in Ibadan.

The court also granted all the relief prayed for, before the Oyo State High Court by the Yoruba nation agitator before the court.

Justice Ladiran Akintola in his 90 minutes judgment equally restrained the Federal Government, the DSS, their agents, privies or otherwise from further harassing, molesting or arresting him.

The judge also awarded 2 million naira cost against the Federal Government, DG DSS and the DSS Director in Oyo State.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Akintola struck out the preliminary objection filed by the 2nd and 3rd respondents were not signed and or dated when it was filed before the court.

Justice Akintola emphasized that the failure to date and sign the objection thereby made it defective and ineffective.

On whether the High Court has the jurisdiction to hear the case, Justice Akintola said it had been established by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court that that both the Federal High Court and State High Court have competent jurisdiction especially in a Fundamental Rights suit which occurred within the jurisdiction of both courts.

He stressed that the siege laid on the Sunday Igboho’s residence on July 31, this year, the manner of the invasion which was not known to law, no court order of any criminal offences, or warrant of arrest which was never denied by the defendants amounted to violation of Sunday Igboho’s fundamental rights.

Condemning the action of the respondents, Justice Akintola frowned at the trauma inflicted on Sunday Igboho, residents and neighbours with the invasion of his house in the wee hours of the night, as there was no evidence that Nigeria was at war which warranted such action.

Justice Akintola described the invasion of Sunday Igboho’s residence as highly condemnable, crude display of law, unprofessional, overzealous and reckless.

Resolving all the issues in the suit in favour of Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, Justice Akintola ruled that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Director General DSS and the DSS Director in Oyo state should pay 20 billion naira as exceptional and aggravated cost for the illegal invasion and wanton destruction of his property.

Funmilola Obagbayegun

Politics

Abiodun Seeks FG’s Support Over Tongeji Island

By Web News 1062

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has called on the Federal Government to join hands with his adminstration towards giving the residents of oil-rich Tongeji Island a sense of belonging and make life more comfortable for them.

Governor Abiodun made the call in Abeokuta at the opening of a two-day interactive session of National Boundary Commission with the Boundary committee of the states in the South West Zone.

The governor who pointed out that his administration was aware of likely deposits of petroleum reserves on the island, said provision of basic infrastructure for the people of the island became imperative.

While urging all stakeholders to continue to adopt peaceful means of resolving boundary issues, he said Lagos and Ogun State governments had reached an advanced stage in the matter of establishing Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission.

Earlier, the Director General, National Boundary Commission Mr Adamu Adaji said the interactive session was organized to sensitize stakeholders on the activities of the boundary managers across the country.

Mr Adaji expressed optimism that at the end of the interactive session, all stakeholders would come up with better and more practical recommendations on boundary issues.

Bolanle Adesida

Crime

83 Person Rescued In 3 Years – NAPTIP DG

By Web News 681

Eighty-three persons have been rescued from trafficking in Ondo State in the last three years while three suspected traffickers are currently being prosecuted at various courts in the state.

The Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli made this known when she paid a visit to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in Akure.

Mrs Okah-Donli who is in Akure for the training of members of the NAPTIP taskforces against human trafficking in Ondo and Ekiti States said Ondo State was strategic in the fight against trafficking hence the plan by NAPTIP to establish a state command in Akure.

The NAPTIP Director General said the taskforces had been set up in fourteen states of the federation with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Responding, Governor Akeredolu emphasized the need to re-orientate the youths in the country on the value of human dignity and pride.

The governor commended NAPTIP for its achievements so far, urging it to do more in rescuing youths from traffickers.

Leke Adegbite

Economy

Oyo Govt Signs MoU on 5 Billion naira Real Estate Investments

By Web News 1643

Oyo State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four private investors in Nigeria towards the development of real estate in the state through concessional agreement.

Five billion naira is to be injected into the real estate sector of the state’s economy aimed at ameliorating the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, among other steps evolved by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.

The projects include the design, construction, commissioning and management of Bodija Recreation Center by Refcon Ltd and construction of about 360 units of medium and low-cost housing estate by Remax Realtors.

Others are the development of eleven units of premium 5-bedroom units by Wood et al Ltd and the development of forty-five units of premium 5-bedroom townhouse by Project Scope Ltd.

Speaking at the signing held in Ibadan, the Director-General, Oyo State Investment and Public-Private Partnership, Mr Segun Ogunwuyi said the concessional agreement on the injection of 5 billion naira into the state’s economy would be felt in youths’ employment and improved commercial atmosphere.

Mr Ogunwuyi said the present administration in Oyo State, under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde was doing everything possible to turn around the fortune of the state for the better.

The projects include construction of 360 units of medium and low-cost housing units on 13 hectares at Ajoda New Town and development of eleven units of premium 5 bedroom terrace house with all necessary infrastructures on a vacant land at Oba Awosika Street at Bodija.

Iyabo Adebisi

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state with DG NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye when she led the NAFDAC team on a courtesy call to the Governor in Ibadan
Health

Illicit Drugs: NAFDAC Boss Seeks Governors’ Support

By Web News 1068

The Director General, National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye wants state governors to partner the agency on drugs and food security and the task of curbing illicit drugs in the country.

Professor Adeyeye stated this when she paid a courtesy call on the governor of Oyo state, Engineer Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

While stressing the need to ensure food security, she said NAFDAC could not do the task alone unless it partners with relevant stakeholders to put an end into the influx of substandard and illicit drugs in Nigeria.

Professor Adeyeye urged state governors to join hands with Federal Taskforce in their respective states to prevent fake and adulterated drugs in the journey towards having a healthy nation.

The NAFDAC boss however advocated inclusion of NAFDAC in the National Security Council, NSC, so as to contribute meaningfully on enhancing food security of the country.

While highlighting challenges confronting the agency to include mismanagement of funds, herbal medicine, substandard drugs and narcotics.

Professor Adeyeye maintained that the agency was strengthening its internal mechanism to end the menace.

Commenting, Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde who noted that qualitative healthcare delivery was one of the pillars his administration rested on, said the state would support NAFDAC in its mandate of getting rid of illicit drugs in Nigeria.

Governor Makinde maintained that NAFDAC if functional would make positive impact on drug and food security in the society.

Iyabo Adebisi