Author: tdpel

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, says the Federal Government and regulatory authorities are making efforts to address fuel scarcity by ensuring that supply disruption is overcome.

The minister made this known to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja after a meeting with some key leaders in the petroleum industry.

Sylva spoke shortly after meeting with Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, NNPC Ltd. and Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), among others.

“This kind of supply disruptions are like accidents, they are not desirable, we do not expect them to happen but they happened once in a while.

“This administration has done well as far as fuel supply is concern. I am quite happy to hear from the NNPC GMD and CEO of NMDPRA on all they have been doing to ensure the scarcity is controlled.

“From what they have told me, in few days there will normalcy, everybody is putting efforts to ensure that supply disruption is overcome.

“On my part as Minister of State, I share their commitment to ensure that this problem is totally overcome.

“From all the figures shown to me the supply is there, so why are they hoarding it, in the next few days we will be able to overcome those unscrupulous elements and make sure products get to Nigerians,” he said.

On black marketers, he said it was caused by unscrupulous elements, who chose to take advantage of the situation, thereby calling on them to sell rightly.

According to Kyari, as of this evening, NNPC has up to 1.79 billion litres of Motor Spirit (PMS) on ground and is still continuing 24 hours loading at the depots and selling.

“We are working with the Premium e regulatory authorities, particularly the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure normalcy,” he assured. (NAN)

By Lizzy Okoji

Some stranded Nigerians who fled Ukraine to Poland have appreciated the Federal Government for its efforts in ensuring their safe and successful evacuation to Nigeria.

The evacuees made this known in separate interviews with journalists on Friday,  before departing the Warsaw International Airport in Poland.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) repots that as at 8. 15 a.m, the Air Peace Air craft conveying the 180 evacuees had boarded the Air Peace Aircraft to full capacity.

The evacuees who narrated their terrible ordeal while trying to flee Ukraine, appreciated the Federal Government and its mission in Poland for all the arrangements.

Ms Eniola Badejo, a student from Ukraine appreciated the government’s efforts, but appealed for more information and better coordination as the exercise continued.

“We thank the Federal Government of Nigeria because it has been really tiring, we went through a lot of stress, many of us travelled all the way and we have barely slept.

“We want them to give us more information because we were not given enough information. .

“I am just happy to be going back to my family, I feel happy and grateful that I am going back to my parents,” Badejo said.

Mr Joseph Chikwado, another student who left Ukraine, said what was  most important to him was his successful crossing from Ukraine into Poland amidst all the challenges as he looked forward to returning to Nigeria.

“It was a very bad experience trying to get across the borders from Ukraine into Poland because of the weather.

“It was very bad and very cold, very long distance, no vehicle to convey us to the borders, we got there pretty late, we had to find a way to warm ourselves.

“We are happy we are safe now and getting back to our country, I feel relieved,” Chikwado said.

Ms Kella Wengwu, a Student of Dnipro Medical Institute, Ukraine,  said she was lucky to be on the flight, explaining that the cancelled flight of March 3, gave her the opportunity to make the trip.

Wengu explained that she would have missed the flight as she did not register with the Nigerian Embassy in Poland upon arrival.

“Leaving Ukraine was very tough. I had left my city over two weeks to the capital because there were warnings on the invasion from Russia on social media.

“Coming here, I do not know how I got here, I was going to miss this flight because I did not go to the Embassy to write my name, I got here and was told the plane was filled up, I waited to see if any opportunity arises.

“It is mixed feelings for me, I am not quite happy I am leaving school, Ukraine is my home now because since I arrived it has been great.

“But at the same time, I am safe, I a going home to my loved ones, thank you for the opportunity.”

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Poland, Christian Ugwu appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his swift intervention and release of funds to get all stranded Nigerians in Ukraine back home.

Ugwu said the embassy in Poland was on top of the situation and had  successfully coordinated the first batch who were being evacuated already.

The ambassador, however,  urged all Nigerians who had made it to Poland to ensure they got ready to be evacuated home rather than remain in Poland.

“We have been trying our best to convince the Nigerian students that there is no need to remain here in Poland to constitute nuisance and that the Federal Government is trying their possible best to make them comfortable.

“And that is why they have made provisions for them to be comfortable in hotels and provided aircraft to convey them back home.

“For those who refused to go, they will be remaining at their own risk.

“We advise parent to try as much as possible to counsel their wards and children that they should come back, when the crises in Ukraine subsides they can return.

“Remaining in Poland will be a difficult thing for them.

“It is  kudos to Nigeria that the  President has granted an urgent flight evacuation to these students, he has sent funds and things are moving accordingly.

“And the Nigerian students from Ukraine are happy that they are being treated well and being taken care of,” Ugwu said.

Amb. Bolaji Akinremi, leader of the evacuation exercise from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the March 3 flight was cancelled due to delay in getting all the intending evacuees together from their respective hotels.

Akinremi explained that as at when they were ready, the International law did not allow for the crew members to continue with the journey as they had overshot their duty time. (NAN) (www.nanews.ng)

By Bukola Adewumi

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called for the inclusion of women traders in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, FAO, made the call in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Haile-Gabriel said women were crucial to Africa’s agricultural development as they had continued to play crucial role in agriculture in the region.

He stated that women had contributed significantly to food production, processing and marketing, food security and nutrition, natural resources management and conservation of biodiversity even in the face of climate change.

He stressed that in recognition of women’s roles, the 2022 International Women’s Day theme would focus on the importance of gender equality for sustainability.

He added that women in Africa had operated agric-food value chains and were producers, traders and agriculture entrepreneurs who should benefit greatly from the new opportunities presented by the AfCFTA.

Haile-Gabriel stated also that some of the benefits women could reap by trading under the AfCFTA included moving up the value chain and leveraging on networks of women’s associations.

Others include upgrading their businesses, tapping into new markets and exploiting investment opportunities, he added.

The FAO official stated that 85 per cent of economic activities in the informal sector in Africa were currently carried out by women who accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the labour force.

“At least 30 per cent to 40 per cent of total intra-regional trade in the region is composed of informal cross-border trade.

“The overwhelming majority of about 60 per cent to 70 per cent is accounted for by women who are owners of mainly micro, small and medium enterprises,’’ he stated.

He noted that FAO had championed gender equality and women’s empowerment for a sustainable tomorrow, stressing that FAO would work with all partners to ensure the ambition was embodied in the rollout of the AfCFTA.

Haile-Gabriel assured that the gender team at FAO’s Regional Office for Africa was undertaking studies, collaborations and field activities to understand and share the gender dimension of Africa’s trade environment.

These, he stated, would to support gender integration in the rollout of the AfCFTA. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Vivian Emoni

The Federal Government has expressed worry over loss of 13 billion hectares of Africa’s land to agriculture every year.

Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, spoke at an inaugural meeting of African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), in Abuja.

The government said this had led to loss of biodiversity and climate change, while calling on relevant stakeholders to support an holistic approach.

Ikeazor, who was represented by Mr Saghir el Mohammed, Director of Press at the ministry, said that the meeting was a National Stakeholders` Platform on Degraded Forest and Landscape Restoration.

She said that the inauguration would enhance coordination among the stakeholders on land restoration.

According to Ikeazor, each year 13 billion hectares of forest are lost to land conversion for agricultural uses such as pastures and cropland.

“The loss of land has detrimental effects on regional water available, soil fertility. More than 70 per cent of all natural ecosystems have been transformed to produce food and animal feeds.

“Illegal logging is threatening forests worldwide, home to several indigenous people, communities, and wildlife.

“Desertification, land degradation induced by deforestation, overgrazing, bush burning and mining activities among others are increasing at an alarming rate in African countries,’’ she said.

Ikeazor said about 35 per cent of Nigeria’s land which included the dry land zones lying between latitude 10 degrees north and 14 degrees north was threatened by desertification.

She said that the AFR100 was a country – led effort to restore 100 million hectares of forest and degraded landscape across Africa by 2030.

Ikeazor said that 32 countries had pledged to restore 128 million hectares thus surpassing the commitment goal.

The minister said that Nigeria had also made a commitment to the AFR100 initiative, to restore four million hectares of degraded landscape.

She said that AFR100 would help to accelerate achievement of food security, restore degraded land, increase climate change resilience and mitigation as well as combat poverty.

“This will not only contribute to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration but will also deliver on the objectives of the three global Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

“The agreements are UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD).

“So, let us work together to accelerate forest landscape restoration to fulfill the commitment made to the AFR100 initiative and the Bonn challenge.

“Let us harmonise and integrate the various interventions that are underway on forest landscape restoration to exploit synergies and avoid duplication of efforts,’’ Ikeazor said.

Mr Hassan Musa, Permanent Secretary of the ministry said that AFR 100 was established to reverse degradation in the forest and landscape.

Musa, represented by Mr Charles Ikea, Director, Erosion and Pollution Control in the ministry said that the initiative would create awareness and promote sustainable practices in the country

He said that the AFR 100 would present an opportunity for public and private sectors to demonstrate large scale transformative action to restore degraded land.

Mr Lealen Barhanu, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Country Representative said that the UNDP would continue to support the government to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment.

Barhanu, who praised the ministry on its commitment to ensure that the AFR100 initiative was inaugurated, said that the effort would help to restore and conserve the environment.

He said that the determination would as well serve as a framework for exchange of ideas as such would help to enhance in the restoration of landscape in the country. (NAN)

By Adeyemi Adeleye and Adekunle Williams
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday says it may likely suspend the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in July.
Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the ongoing two-day Editorial Capacity Building Workshop for INEC Public Affairs Officers, held in Lagos.
Oyekanmi noted that the suspension might be attributed to the fact that most Nigerians are still waiting for the last minute rush before presenting themselves for the registration.
He, however, said that the commission was impressed by those who had completed their registration both online pre-registration and the physical capturing of biometrics.
“My advice to Nigerians, especially those who are qualified but have never registered before is to do so because we are likely to round off the exercise about six to seven months before the 2023 General Elections.
“The commission has not decided yet but normally, from what we know, we will suspend the CVR between six to seven months before the general elections to enable us clean up the voter register and print the PVCs of those who have registered so far.
“So, it is extremely important that Nigerians should not wait until June or July before they register,” Oyekanmi said.
On the training, he said INEC had media platforms like online newspapers, social media and public affairs officers in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He added that staff in the Voter Education and Publicity Department must be equipped for information dissemination.
Oyekanmi said the commission would enrich its information dissemination and also improve the capability of its public affairs officers, so that when they go out to represent the commission, they would speak with one voice.
According to him, at the end of the training the PAOs capabilities will have been enhanced as the nation moves towards the general elections.
Oyekanmi urged the staff of the commission to read widely, engage with the media and have good relationship with journalists to get good reportage of activities as INEC moves close to the elections.
He advised the PAOs not to allow purveyors of fake news to determine the narratives for the commission.
The INEC official cautioned the social media influencers to desist from any attempt that could constitute a threat to national peace and security.
“We don’t have another country than Nigeria. If trouble starts and it threatens the unity of this country, we don’t have any country to call ours. If crisis starts, God forbids, where are we going?.
“Social media users and influencers should display a high sense of responsibility in the kind of information they push out about INEC activities because Nigerians are very emotional about elections and want to see what INEC is doing.
“We are open and transparent, if there is anything anyone is not clear about, they should ask us, we are open. They should contact us through any of our social media platforms or call any of our public affairs officers,” he added.
According to him, the commission will be happy to provide everyone with whatever information they need.
He said INEC was consulting with political parties, Civil Society Organisations, media, youth organisations and those representing persons living with disability and others to ensure inclusiveness.
The workshop was held in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) and was targeted at equipping INEC Public Affairs Officers with on techniques to hand fake news, misinformation and propaganda. (NAN)

By Diana Omueza

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has inaugurated a “One Health” team at its College of Health Sciences to boost research, particularly on emerging infectious diseases originating at the human-animal-environment.

Provost of the College of Health Sciences, OAU, Prof. Babatope Kolawole, made this known in a statement by Prof. A Onipede, the Media Chair.

Kolawole said that the health team was a collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach aimed at working at local, national and global levels.

According to him, the team is to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes, by recognising the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

“It can also be viewed as an approach towards designing, signing, and implementing programmes, policies, legislations, and research in a systematic and integrative manner for optimal health outcomes.

“Globally, the threat of infectious diseases, particularly emerging infectious diseases, originating at the human-animal-environment interface has caught health systems off guard.

“The emergence and re-emergence of diseases such as Lassa fever, Avian influenza, Ebola and Corona virus diseases, which threatened socio-economic disruption, have heightened the need for inter-sectoral coordination/collaboration,” he said.

He said there was also the need to support national and local multi-sectoral emergency preparedness against such disease that leads to an endemic.

The Provost also said that health team initiative was for the first time, promoting interactions among researchers in the college of health sciences, as well as in the faculties of agriculture, pharmacy and science.

He said this would help to foster integrative and systems’ thinking in the global team research and development agenda for the benefits of humanity, animals, environment and the ecosystem as a whole.

“The primary aim of the team is to provide research-based evidence to drive the implementation of the 2019-2023 National One Health Strategic Plan.

“Also another major aim is to connect with global stakeholders and institutions driving the one health agenda.

“Already, links have been established with the Institute for Translational and Emerging Research in Advanced Comparative Therapy (INTERACT), Oklahoma State University, U.S., as well as the Humanimal Trust, United Kingdom.

“The efforts in this direction is to work with the Oklahoma State University to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” he said.

According to him, the MoU promises to strengthen capacities for the course integration of the different disciplines and cadre of manpower development engaged in all the interfaces of health at the university.

Kolawole added that the impact of the MoU would also enhance the capacity of the health team to lead cutting edge research on pathogen genomics and molecular diagnostics.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

A suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan has killed at least 56 people, police and hospital officials said.

“We are in a state of emergency and the injured are being shifted to the hospital,” police officer Mohammad Sajjad Khan said.

One witness Ali Asghar claimed they saw the attacker enter the mosque before Friday prayers and open ” fire with a pistol” – picking out the worshippers “one-by-one”.

Senior police official Ijaz Khan confirmed many had been killed and that it was a suicide bombing.

He told Reuters that two armed men arrived near the mosque on a motorcycle and were stopped for a search by police on duty outside.

The death toll in the northwestern city of Peshawar is expected to rise substantially as many of the injured are in critical condition.

The authorities have not said who is behind the deadly and harrowing attack.

Heartbreaking images show bodies covered up outside the mosque minutes after the blast.

Three children killed as Russians shell small village, Ukraine claims

Russia has killed 47 people in airstrikes using cluster bombs on the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, local authorities claim.

Shocking pictures showed extensive damage to an apartment block after the city was shelled on Thursday.

Russia also risked a ‘nuclear apocalypse’ by attacking the Zaporizhzhia power station, Ukraine said.

A fire broke out near radioactive material after Russian tanks were seen firing at the plant in south-east Ukraine.

BY Ebere Agozie

Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, SAN, has applauded the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 16 (SDGs).

Particularly SDG 16, which aims at “promoting peaceful inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice institutions at all levels”.
Malami spoke on Friday, at the launch of the UNODC Strategic Vision For Nigeria 2030.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Benjamin Okolo, Malami commended the UNODC on the ongoing areas of collaboration in strengthening and promoting justice and the rule of Law in Nigeria.

The partnership, Malami noted, includes but not limited to the following: “Anti-corruption (Asset Recovery and International Cooperation);
Counter-Terrortsm (Complex Case Group) and Maritime Crime.

Others, he said, are Transnational organized crimes;
Deployment of liaison magistrate to Europe to help develop human rights-based response to smuggling of migrants (with support from UNOOC); and Presidential Committee on correctional service reforms and decongestion.

The Attorney-General of Federation, said Nigeria also welcomes the thematic five priority areas of the Strategic Vision which has been identified to enhance the criminal justice system.

This, he said, is with a view to: uphold the rule of law, ensure access to justice and protect victims of crime; safequarding people, institutions and economies from corruption, illicit financial flows and money laundering; securethe safety of people from terrorism and violent extremism.

“Permit me to call on all relevant stakeholders to give the UNODC the required cooperation, collaboration and support to achieve the successful implementation of the Strategic Vision for Nigeria 2030,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Ghada Waly, Executive Director, UNODC.

Mr Oliver Stople, represented Mr Ghada Waly, said the strategic vision is targeted at to providing more safety to Nigeria, its government and institutions from drugs, crime, corruption, terrorism and illicit financial flows.

Represented by Mr Stople, Head, UNODC Nigeria, Waly said:”our Vision 2030 seeks to strengthen crime prevention, enhance justice.

”It also seeks to address organised crimes, ensure a balanced response to drugs, improve the rule of law and bolster resilience”.

Other participants at the occasion are Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Prof Bolaji Owasanoye Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC.

Mothers are rtd Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), Director General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Ms Ladidi Mohammed, Head, Asset Recovery and Management Unit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNODC, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, launched the Strategic Vision for Africa aims to provide innovative ways to support the Member States and stakeholders over the next 10 years to strengthen crime prevention.

It also aims to enhance the effectiveness of criminal justice systems, counter organized crime and corruption, promote balanced drug control and improve the rule of law.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Ibrahim Kado

No fewer than 1,073 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Adamawa are to benefit from the World Bank intervention programmes through the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES).

Hajiya Aishatu Bello, Project Manager, who disclosed this at the news conference on Friday in Yola, added that those to benefit are those already in the business and affected as the result of COVID-19 challenges.

She said the programme would be handled by the Agency for Community and Social Development for Lively Support, FADAMA for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) for MSMEs as results area one, two and three respectively.

“For the MSMEs under PAWECA, the programme intends to impact on 1,073 MSMEs, as a government agency, we consider micro businesses are more vulnerable and they are of wider range .

“Then we decided that 70 per cent of the grant is going to micro businesses and 30 per cent will going to small business,” she said.

Bello said that some of the conditions included that the business most be viable, vulnerable, verifiable and with formal registration with Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Therefore this is a World Bank supported programme of government and there must be rules and regulations for the beneficiaries.

“We have free application forms and for transparency, we are going to have application portal for the applicants to register online,” she said.

According to her, the programme will last for two years and she urged support of all stakeholders for the success of the programme in the state (NAN)