A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
The Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that what has happened in the state where the security operatives were allegedly engaged in electoral fraud and intimidation of the people of the state in the Saturday’s re-run election will not happen again in 2019.
Governor Wike who said this after leading a victory march across the state following INEC’s announcement that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had won both the Rivers East and West senatorial districts seats, also said that since the security agencies whom he pays have decided to collect their allowances from the state and still turn against them, he has equally decided to stop paying them, directing them to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for their subsequent payments.
This was made available in a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu on Monday.
Gov. Wike
“What has happened today will not happen in 2019. Now they have told us, they will see that we will also be prepared. This will not happen again."
“I have told the security agencies, you come and collect security money from me and use it against Rivers people. Enough is enough. They will now be depending on NDDC for their funding. Let me see where it will take them to”.
The governor added: “Rivers people must work as brothers and sisters and defend our interests. We don’t have Police, we don't have army, but we have God. And so, we must put our house in order and be our own police, be our own Army."
“We have no confidence in the Army, we have no confidence in the polic , we have no confidence in the SSS. They have shown that there is no democracy in Nigeria.”
The governor added that politicians like the Minister of Transportation who are not on ground will never win elections in Rivers State.
He noted that those who attempted to re-colonise Rivers State by donating monies from their state governments have been shamed by the vigilance of the people.
He said: “Wherever they are, shame unto them. Whether they are in Abuja, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue or Kano, shame unto them. Shame to the Governor of Plateau, Shame to the Governor of Bauchi , Shame to the Governor of Benue. They should bury their heads in shame.”
By Monsuru Olowoopejo A mother and her one-year-old baby (both name withheld), were detained by the Nigerian Police for stealing plantain from Agbowa market in Ikorodu Local Government, Lagos state.
It was learned that the mother and her child were detained recently at the Agbowa Police station, Ikorodu, after they were apprehended at the market by traders for stealing their goods.
The Mother and child
On interrogation, the woman disclosed that she resolve to stealing after efforts to seek her daily bread proved abortive; an action eyewitness blame on the current recession in the country.
After several days in detention, heaven smiled on her and the child when the state Commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni, paid an unscheduled visit to the station to ascertain their law enforcement procedures.
While inspecting the suspects detained at the station cell yesterday, the commissioner was briefed of the woman and her child’s offence.
Worried by the impact of the cell on the child, Owoseni ordered that the woman should be released immediately.
Confirming the release, Police Public Relation (PPRO) Dolapo Badmos, added that the commissioner, who wasn’t satisfy with her health and offence, gave the lady N10, 000.
Badmos noted that the Owoseni directed the lady to sign an undertaken, promising that she would not engage in such any again.
Also, sources added that Owoseni further inspected the Itoikin Bridge that had been reported to be access route for kidnappers terrorising the area.
The Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike has led a victory march across the state after the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, declared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, winner of the Rivers East and West Senatorial Districts in the state's re-run elections conducted Saturday, December 10; 2016.
Declaring the result for Rivers East Senatorial District , Returning Officer , Prof Onu Ekumankama announced that PDP’s Senator, George Sekibo polled 98, 098 votes to defeat Mr Andrew Uchendu of the APC who polled 34, 193 votes.
For Rivers West Senatorial District , Returning Officer for the District , Prof Raphael Ndubuisi Echebiri declared that PDP'S Osinakachukwu Ideozu polled 107, 166 votes to defeat APC’S Otelemaba Amachree who scored 46, 898 votes.
The declaration of the two results won by the PDP led to widespread celebration by Rivers residents across the state.
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike led thousands of Rivers people on a victory March across the streets of Port Harcourt, which terminated at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu on Monday,he said Governor Wike, while addressing Rivers people at the Government House on Monday, commended Rivers people for standing up in defence of democracy and the interest of Rivers State.
He praised Rivers people for their courage in what he described as "in the face of invading murderous security agencies who killed, maimed and stole ballot boxes in their bid to subvert the will of the people."
Governor Wike said that "the ultimate sacrifice made by the Rivers people brutally murdered by the Nigerian Army and SARS personnel was for the defence of the collective interest of the state, because they refused to be conquered by the invaders."
Spanish sport daily Marca was one of several media to publish a photo on Monday that appears to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo as the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Marca published a shot of the cover of next edition of the French magazine that hands out the award, with Ronaldo on the front cover holding the award underneath the headline “Cristiano Ronaldo crowned”.
An interview with Atletico Madrid and France striker Antoine Griezmann, saying he finished “behind two monsters”, suggesting he has come third with Lionel Messi second, is also advertised on the cover.
The identity of the winner will be officially announced later on Monday.Ronaldo
Ronaldo has won the award three times before — in 2008, 2013 and 2014 — and has won the Champions League with Real Madrid as well as Euro 2016 with Portugal this year.
Ronaldo is currently in Japan with the Madrid squad ahead of their Club World Cup semi-final against Club America of Mexico in Yokohama on Thursday.
Algerian international Riyad Mahrez’ dynamic performances in Leicester’s remarkable Premier League title win last season garnered him the prestigious BBC African player of the year award on Monday.
The 25-year-old France-born forward — who earlier this year became the first African to win the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year award on the back of his 17 goals and 11 assists for Leicester — beat fellow nominees Yaya Toure, Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Andre Ayew.
The winner was chosen by fans from across the world.Riyad Mahrez
“It means a lot, it’s something big for African players so I am very happy and very proud,” he told the BBC.
“It’s always good to receive awards and for Africans this is a huge honour,” added Mahrez, whose father is Algerian and mother of Moroccan/Algerian descent.
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was in the audience and expressed his delight.
“He is improving every day,” the Italian told the BBC.
“I don’t speak about his quality. I speak about his sacrifice, he has fought for the team because it is very important for us to be together.”
Mahrez, who cost the Foxes — then managed by Nigel Pearson — just £400,000 when they bought him from French outfit Le Havre in 2014, joins legends such as Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba and Liberian George Weah who have won the award.
By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri The Chairman Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh Monday said that lack of humility has remained a very big obstacle among young Igbo people.
He made this statement during a youth entrepreneurship workshop held at the Imo state University, IMSU, auditorium.
According to him, “There is a reason why you see young people in Igbo land do not grow. One is lack of humility. You see a boy who has 20,000 and he wants a professor to stand up for him. Let me tell you, if you are humble, God will promote you. You have to delete some things that are not relevant to your life and move forward.”
“You cannot be negative and be successful.You must be positive to get something positive. This is the problem of an Igbo man. He added that, ” Most of the Igbo men are technically not rich.”
He, however, said that the current recession did not affect him because he was prepared, adding that, “I am not afraid of the recession and I am not affected. I do not have God father, what I did was to use my knowledge to to succeed.”
While advising young people doing business, he said, ” I must tell you, as a young who is doing business, have it at the back of your mind that when you are doing business you must loose money to make money, adding that,” They must build the fundamentals to succeed in their business.”
Leicester City and Algeria international, Riyad Mahrez has won the BBC African footballer for the year 2016.
He achieved this by defeating Liverpool and Senegal player, Sadio Mane in a final shortlist of two players. Other contestants before the final shortlist had the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Manchester City and newly retired Cote d’ivoire midfielder Yaya Toure and Dede Ayew of West Ham and Ghana vying for the yearly award.
The elated midfielder said “It means a lot, obviously I'm African, it's big for an African player and I'm very pleased to win it.
“It's always good to receive an award and as an African player it's a huge honour.”
On why he won: “Maybe because I won the league and we had a very good season.
“I think Algerians are proud of me, I'm from Africa and they are very proud of me and I want to thank them and all my family.
“All the fans, thank you very much, I'm very pleased to receive this.”
His happy club coach, Claudio Ranieri said “It is fantastic, he had a fantastic season and I'm sure he'll want to continue and have another fantastic season.
“I want him to continue, he's a fantastic player for us and the team and he's improving everyday. I speak about his sacrifice for the team as we have to work together.”
The Rivers state Government has said that through the gallantry and patriotism of the people of the state, personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, who have invaded the state during the Saturday’s re-run poll to cart away electoral materials and cause violence were prevented from taking “stealing the mandate”of the people.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media. Simeon Nwakaudu.
According to him, the SARS operatives who beat up many Independent Electoral Commission, INEC’s officers as well as some voters and carted away some electoral materials however ran out of luck with the materials they took as the original result were safely left in a police van out of their knowledge.
He also said the SARS personnel sped off as soon as they saw the convoy of the state’s Governor, Nyesom Wike approaching.
"But for the intervention of thousands of Rivers people, police personnel from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) would have stolen the mandate of the people of Rivers East Senatorial District."
"News filtered into the town that the Police SARs Personnel led by the notorious SARs Commander, Akin Fakorede had stormed the Collation Centre at the Port Harcourt City Council. Akin Fakorede and his men beat up the Collation Officer for Emohua Local Government Area, Chukwudi Odekpa, breaking his head."
"The SARs Personnel also manhandled the Emohua Local Government Electoral Officer, Mary Tonkoyo."
"They were however unlucky as they did not know that the results were still left in the INEC Toyota Hilux van in the premises."
"In the course of the altercation, the SARS Personnel smashed Channels Television live broadcast equipment, beat up the Old GRA Divisional Police Officer and also manhandled the Female Commandant of Civil Defence providing security for the election."
"The SARs Personnel also abducted the PDP Agent, Mr Chinyere Igwe."
"Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike joined the Rivers people outside the Collation Office. Upon sighting the convoy of Governor Wike, the SARs personnel shot sporadically into the air, before fleeing the area."
"Thereafter, the regular policemen backed by a detachment of the Nigerian Army provided security for the collation to conclude successfully."
"Declaring the result for Rivers East Senatorial District , Returning Officer , Prof Onu Ekumankama announced that PDP’s Senator George Sekibo polled 98, 098 votes to defeat Mr Andrew Uchendu of the APC who polled 34, 193 votes."
President Muhammadu Buhari and other West African leaders will travel to The Gambia tomorrow in a bid to end the political crisis in the tiny West African nation, following authoritarian ruler Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to accept defeat at the hands of former estate agent Adama Barrow, said a senior government official who spoke to BBC on the condition of anonymity.
President Buhari
The official said: “I understand that the leaders will meet Mr Jammeh to try to convince him to honour his initial pledge to give up power.
“They will also meet Mr Barrow who has said he is concerned about his safety and has called on the international community to put pressure on Mr Jammeh to step down immediately.
According to the electoral commission’s latest count, as a result of the vote on 1 December:
Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.3%)
Mr Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%)
A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%).
Abuja – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says restructuring the country is in the interest of the North in particular and the country in general.
Atiku said this at the launch of a book titled: "The Nigerian Federalism; Continuing the Quest for Stability and Nation Building'' in Abuja on Monday.
The book, which was written by some federalism scholars in the African Policy Research Institute was edited by Mr Okechukwu Ibeanu and Alhaji Mohammad Kuna.
The former Vice President described the book as an important intervention, adding that it would contribute to the ongoing debate on the country`s federalism and possibly settle the issues.
He noted that the structure and practice of Nigerian federalism had been a key topic of discussion and debates since the amalgamation of the North and South Protectorates in 1914.
He said that this was with varying levels of intensity, adding that opinions of different section of the country on the topic were all legitimate.
Atiku, however, said that what he found odd and somewhat unhelpful was the argument of those who said that the country`s unity could not be renegotiated.Buhari and Atiku
He said that those with such arguments usually proceeded to equate every demand for restructuring the country as an attempt to break the country.
He stressed that every form of human relationships was negotiable while every political relationship was open for negotiations without pre-set outcomes.
"As a democrat and businessman I do not fear negotiations. That is what reasonable human beings do. This is even more important if a stubborn resistance against negotiations can lead to unsavoury outcomes.
"I have spoken a number of times on the need to restructure our federation in order to devolve more power and resources to the federating units.
"Recently in Kaduna, I told an audience of mostly my compatriots from the North, where most of the resistance against restructuring seems to come from that restructuring is in the interest of the North and Nigeria,'' he said.
Ayiku maintained that federalisms across the world were works in progress, adding that there was no ideal federal system or true federalism as claimed.
He added that each nation had to work out the best federal system that suited it.
He said that Nigerians must acknowledge that it was disingenuous if not outright dishonest to say that the system was not the problem.
"If the problem is just the operators; how come we have failed for 50 years to produce the right people?,'' the former Vice President queried.
Atiku said that national unity did not mean the absence of disagreement or agitations.
According to him, disagreements and peaceful agitations indicate vibrant and living relationships, while the key to making national progress is to manage those disagreements in peaceful and mature ways.
He said that political and civic leaders from across the country must come together, discuss, negotiate and make the necessary compromises and sacrifices needed to restructure the federation.
He said that this would make the people stronger, more united, and productive and make the country more competitive.
The former Vice President later lunched the book with the sum of N5 million.
Mr Chris Uche, the Chairman of the occasion, described the book as the most comprehensive and authoritative on Nigerian federalism, adding that it was a critical assessment and real definition of the subject matter.
Amb. Sunday Dogonyaro, the Executive Director of African Policy Research Institute, said that the institute took the initiative to write the book three years ago.
He said that the book was not a personal view neither was it a political book but one that would help to explain the Nigerian federalism and why certain policies were taken.
The occasion was attended by former ambassadors and representatives of some government agencies.
By Daud Olatunji ABEOKUTA – Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerians especially well- to-do individuals to support Police in tackling crimes, saying , the police are facing a difficult task.
The former president said this on Monday during the maiden meeting of the Ogun State chapter of the Eminent Peoples’ Forum, and the launching of Police Complaint Rapid Response Unit and Change Begins with Me campaign, held in Abeokuta .
According to Obasanjo for Nigeria Police to turn a new leaf and make the ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign successful, the general public must join the Police in making sure that they give them timely information to nip crime in the bud, and report misdemeanour of its personnel to the dedicated telephone numbers for the campaign.
Obasanjo who described EPF as a good initiative from the current Inspector-General of the Police, Ibrahim Idris, said policing was a collective responsibility of everyone in the society.Obasanjo
He said, “This initiative is a very good one. The work of policing our community, local government, state and country is not the work of the police alone, it is for all of us.
“Let us all engage in helping the police to police our communities. Police have a very difficult task.
“If you want to go and get married and need security, you call the police, if your house is broken into, you call the police, if you have a quarrel with your wife, you call the police.”
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, said the EPF comprised critical stakeholders such as community leaders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, elder statesmen, retired senior security officers, captains of industries as well as politicians.
He also said EPF “is the brain child of the Inspector- General of Police, arguing that “the orthodox concepts which regards security as the exclusive preserve of the police and security agencies has become obsolete and moribund.”
The Commissioner of Police said they would assist the police in proffering solutions to security challenges through mediation and social control in their communities.
The state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa called on the police authorities in the state to continue to tackle the nagging issues of kidnapping and land grabbing by ‘omo onile.’
Amosun said his administration had reduced crime and criminality in the state by providing equipment to the police, however admitting that ‘there are still issues.’
There is now a significant progress in the implementation of the Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari Presidency with the commencement of the N-Power Volunteers Corps, NPVC, and the Homegrown School Feeding Programme in the last few weeks.
Making this assertion on Monday in Abuja is the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande.
"Right now verification exercises are going on very well across the states of the federation, regarding the 200,000 first batch of the half a million unemployed graduates being engaged to serve in their communities teaching, supporting the healthcare systems and educating farmers," he disclosed while giving an update on the social investment programmes.
Equally, Akande explained that the Homegrown School Feeding has taken off successfully in Anambra last week, meaning there are now three states implementing the feeding programme, including Osun and Kaduna, where the state governments had kicked off the programme much earlier.
Akande also spoke about the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT and the micro-credit schemes.
On the CCT, he disclosed that data of the beneficiaries for 9 states are now ready, adding that payment processes for those states are at top gear. Under the CCT one million vulnerable and poorest Nigerians would receive N5000 monthly.
Also on the micro-credit scheme where well over a million Nigerians would get small loans at very low rates through the Bank of Industry, the SSA said close to 10,000 market associations and cooperatives have been registered and undergoing a vetting process for that purpose.
The loans ranging from N20,000, N50,000 to N100,000 would be granted with the active collaboration of such associations and cooperatives across the country. The Pilot scheme would take off soon, he added in 8 states and the FCT.
As is the case in all the social investment spending of the FG, payments of the loans would go directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries.
"Clearly we can see that despite the considerable constraints government have faced this year in revenue projections, the Buhari presidency has remained faithful to its promises on the Social Investment plans, with the full assurance that these programmes would seamlessly dovetail into the next budget cycle."
In the past recent weeks, Focal Persons, appointed by each state governments to coordinate with the Federal Government on the Social Investment Programmes have been conducting verification exercises in their states and reporting back on progress and challenges to the Presidency, Akande noted.
"We are in touch with the Focal Persons and top officials here in the Presidency are working round the clock with them to address issues developing from the states as they verify the 200,000 unemployed graduates," he added.
"Let me assure all the beneficiaries of the N-Power Volunteer Corps across the country that all their concerns would be fully addressed, and that we are taking note of the progress and the challenges identified in the states."
We are very much hopeful that all those graduates who are verified in their states and duly deployed to their primary places of assignment would get paid their N30,000 stipends this month. According to Akande "provision has been made for that."
Reiterating the process of selection of the 200,000 graduates, Akande said "every unemployed Nigerian graduates below the ages of 35 had an equal opportunity under the N-Power, and we have seen and heard several stories of young Nigerians who have testified that they got selected without knowing anyone anywhere, but by simply applying online."
On the Homegrown School Feeding programme, Akande disclosed that while Osun and Kaduna stated have gone ahead in the implementation, Anambra state has now joined based on FG funding, and under the current cycle over 3.4m primary school pupils would benefit across the country.
"We have plans to scale-up the Homegrown School Feeding Programme very soon so that we can increase as soon as possible, the number of states implementing the feeding to at least 11 of the 18 states designed for this cycle."
The 11 states are are Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Enugu, Sokoto, Kaduna, Borno, Zamfara, Ogun, Oyo, and Osun.
Also the Federal Government has successfully conducted food safety and hygiene training for over 25,000 cooks in 9 of those states already.
On reports that there are instances where beneficiaries of the Social Investment Programmes are being asked to pay fees to benefit, the SSA restated that "no one should have to pay any fees to benefit in the N-Power or the Homegrown School Feeding programmes, and any such imposition or request for fees is uncalled for and illegal.
He added that reports of such acts of extortion where beneficiaries are being asked to pay a 'fee for registration' have reached the Presidency, and firm instructions have been given that such acts should stop.
Akande assured beneficiaries of the CCT and the micro-credit to be a little more patient, as their programmes would commence soon, and also urged unemployed graduates who did not make the first 200,000 to await further developments, especially in the forthcoming new year.
The Lagos State Government has commenced rehabilitation of the Oko Oba Abattoir and Lairage Complex, Agege in fulfillment of its promise to develop the red meat value chain and restructure the complex for improved operations.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau who led a team of the Ministry of Agriculture officials on a tour of the complex to inspect the level of work done said the rehabilitation work include perimeter fencing of the complex; removal of slums, shanties and market in and around the complex and removal of heap of solid waste.
According to him, the rehabilitation work will also involve reconditioning and management of mechanized slaughter line at the complex; installation of facilities for waste conversion known as bio gas plant; construction of transit camp; provision of general cleaning services; construction of stripe processing facility and rehabilitation and maintenance of waste recycling plant.
Suarau stated that reconditioning and management of mechanized slaughter line at complex will rehabilitate the two 1,800 animals per day mechanized slaughter lines in order to ensure that products from the line meet the global quality, safety and compliance requirements.
He added that installation of facilities for waste conversion known as bio gas plant will help convert large volume of waste generated at the Abattoir into biogas to reduce the adverse effects of waste.
"The rehabilitation work will also involve construction of transit camp; a housing facilities comprising of 100 units of self-contained rooms to accommodate cattle merchants on transit and construction of head, hide and stripe processing facility to curb unhygienic processing of meat products", the Commissioner said.
Suarau noted that there will also be rehabilitation and maintenance of waste recycling plant to provide the best and sustainable solution for the removal of the blood and gut content of the wastewater generated from the open slaughter slab and the mechanized slaughtering house.
He added that after the rehabilitation works, a general cleaning service unit will be established which will be responsible for general and day to day removal of all kinds of waste generated in the whole Abattoir complex, this according to him will help solve the problem of accumulated wastes resulting into heaps.
The Commissioner added also that the State Government will continue to train butchers, dislodge illegal abattoirs, seize stray animals and monitor how meat are transported to and from the complex and other abattoirs and slaughter slabs in the State.
"Currently, the State government and stakeholders in the abattoir are putting heads together to fully harness the Eko Large Ruminant Animal Project to enhance the integration of cognate sub project such as feed milling operation to ensure timely availability of quality compound animal feeds in the desired quantity, animal slaughtering and processing, and distribution and marketing of processed beef", Suarau said.
Re-affirming the commitment of the State government to bring development into the red meat value chain, the Commissioner said that there is a growing recognition that the planned reforms is desirable to meet the State's mega city status where the best practices of meat handling, environmental and facility hygiene is adopted to meet the international acceptable standard.
"This will not only ensure that will move from the traditional way of animal slaughtering to a mechanized system but will ensure full utilization of the abattoir in an efficient, effective and healthy way. This reform is focusing on food security, facility and environmental hygiene and processing protection", he said.
At its 79th Council regular meeting held recently in Lagos, Mr. Allwell C. Achumba, a Fellow of the Nigerian Computer Society, NCS, was appointed as the new Registrar/Secretary to Council of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria, CPN.
Achumba, who has officially resumed at the CPN Secretariat succeeded Mr. Idowu Olusile, who was the Acting Registrar.
The Council is primarily charged with responsibility for building-up local Information Technology (IT) capacity as well as the regulation of IT practice in Nigeria.
Allwell Achumba
As a consummate and prominent Information Technology practitioner in Nigeria as well as a chartered member of CPN, Achumba will take the Council to the next level with his strong managerial background, senior level local and international experience and cross sector exposure.
He is endowed with good strategic appreciation and vision, able to build and implement sophisticated plans with a proven track record explicitly supporting business needs.
Achumba who has been in the vanguard for the development of the Nigerian IT profession is a charismatic and pragmatic leader with proven ability to identify new business opportunities.
As a seasoned IT expert, he has the capability to maintain close relationships with external bodies, IT stakeholders, suppliers and clients.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday said the numerous world class sporting events taking place in Lagos has clearly showcased the State as the next destination for sports in Africa.
Speaking to reporters at the opening ceremony of the 6th Edition of Copa Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament held at Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, Lagos, Governor Ambode said being a sports lover himself, the State Government would continue to use sports and entertainment to promote tourism and showcase the excellence which the State is known for.
While alluding to the African Nation’s Cup Beach Soccer Tournament holding in Lagos from the 13th of December, GovernorAmbode said his administration would continue to support sports to positively engage the youths.
He said: “I must say I am very excited to be here to attend the 6th edition of the Copa Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament. Sports is very important in Lagos and sports, entertainment and all that can also promote tourism in Lagos and that was why we decided to support this.
“In another few days, Lagos will be hosting the Nation’s Cup Beach Soccer Tournament and I think Lagos is just the next destination for Sports in Africa. I love sports and Lagos has to love sports. That’s the way it’s going to go,” he said.
At the opening ceremony, there were matches between Enyimba FC and Pespi Academy which ended 6-5 in favour of Enyimba; and celebrity match between Team D Banj and Team Ikpeba.
Stakeholders in health sector on Monday urged all tiers of government to allocate 15 per cent of annual budget to health sector to ensure Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
The stakeholders made the call in Abuja at a road walk to commemorate the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day marked globally on Dec. 12 with the theme: "Act with ambition''.
Dr Ben Anyene, the Chairman, National Immunization Financing Task Team described the allocation of 4.5 per cent of annual national budget to health sector as grossly inadequate to cater for the health needs of the populace
Anyene, who was the former Chairman Board of Trustee Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), described the UHC initiative as health for all.
He however urged the government to give priority to its implementation through the existing legal framework like the National Health Act, among others
Anyene , who described making policy without it implementation as baseless, said that giving full health to Nigerians would amount to preventing health challenges.
He said that the masses who were faced with diverse health challenge could not survive with such meagre allocation neither could the health of Nigerians.
Anyene noted that Nigeria in conjunction with other African Heads of State made the commitment 15 years ago.
According to him, the commitment to allocate 15 per cent of their annual budget to health has not been implemented by the Nigerian government till date,
He said that the implementation required government's resolve, commitment and change of orientation.
He said that the implementation of the National Health Act would help in strengthening the health system and further curtail the menace of medical tourism.
"What we are saying is do the necessary things, these things are not undoable, if Rwanda among others can give UHC to their people, I do not see why Nigeria cannot give such to its people.
"You cannot fund the health of Nigerians with about 4.3 or 4.5% of National Health budget, it is not possible.
"If you realise that preventive health is better than cure and promotional health is even more interesting but these things have to be done because there is no point making these policies and putting them on the shelves,'' Anyene said.
Dr Henry Ewunonu, the Representative of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) also urged the government to do everything possible to capture all provisions of National Health Act in next year's budget.
Ewunonu emphasised that the Act stipulated that no Nigerian should suffer financial hardship just because of ill-health or wanting to access healthcare services.
He, however, attributed the health challenges faced by the populace on certain inactions or errors of omission and commission of those in power.
"Universal Health Coverage is about not incurring serious financial hardship by the sick, we want to get better; it is not our fault that people get sick instead it is because of certain inactions or errors of omission and commission of those in power.
"People have accident and become crippled for life because our roads are not good, people contact TB because our housing is poor, people suffer malnutrition because they cannot buy food.
"And the moment they now fall sick, they are sentenced to death, so we appeal to government to implement the legal instrument like the National Health Act in the 2017 budget.
"It provides that at least one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund be allocated to basic healthcare provision fund in the 2017 budget,'' he said. (NAN)
Mr. Mohammed Alkali, a Police officer killed on Saturday in Rivers State, while on election duty, was buried in Bosso, Niger State, on Monday.
Alkali was killed along with some of his colleagues in the violence that characterised the rerun elections to fill vacant legislative seats.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the corpse, which arrived Minna at about 1.30 a.m., was received by the deceased's father, Alhaji Yakubu Alkali, a retired Commissioner of Police, family members and many sympathizers.
The funeral rites were witnessed by top government officials that included Alhaji Zubairu Muazu, Commissioner of Police in Niger.
The deceased is survived by his parents, one wife and three children. (NAN)
A technical problem on Monday delayed the planned launch for at least 24 hours of a series of NASA satellites designed to study hurricanes, the US space agency said.
Orbital ATK’s Stargazer L-1011 airplane took off as planned from Cape Canaveral with a rocket attached to its underside, but the in-air launch was foiled by a problem with the hydraulic system that appeared after takeoff.
“The hydraulic system in question was not for the L-1011 aircraft itself, but for the system that allows the Pegasus XL rocket to release from the aircraft,” NASA said in a statement.
“That system was not meeting its prescribed pressures, indicating a problem with the hydraulic pump.”
The Stargazer aircraft climbs to a height of 39,000 feet — 10,000 feet higher than Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth — before dropping the rocket, which then ignites its engines in mid-air and deploys the satellites.
After the problem was discovered, the aircraft returned to the Florida launchpad and engineers worked to resolve it in time for a repeat attempt, possibly as early as Tuesday morning.
“A new launch date will be determined once the crews evaluate the system,” said a statement from Orbital ATK.
The Pegasus rocket is supposed to launch eight micro-satellites for NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System mission, or CYGNSS.
The satellites “will probe the inner core of hurricanes to learn about their rapid intensification,” NASA said.
Current remote sensing technology is unable to peer past heavy rain in the inner core of a hurricane.
