All Posts in "Day: April 14, 2021"

Health Sector Underutilizing Media-FG

The Federal Government says the nation’s public sector is underutilizing the media in Nigeria.
Dr Osagie Ehanire,   the Minister of Health, disclosed this   at the 2021 Media Parley with CEOs of Media Institutions and Dissemination of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N)Coordination Platform in Abuja
He expressed dismay over the underutilisation of media by the public health sector despite its enormous potential to disseminate, educate and enlighten the masses on well being in the country.
He emphasized the need to strengthen engagement with media institutions and improve strategic communication tools, working with various media platforms to drive social and behaviour change communication and influence attitudes towards Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N).
Speaking at the 2021 Media Parley with CEOs of Media Institutions and Dissemination of RMNCAEH+N Coordination Platform on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said public engagement of the media by the Federal Ministry of Health happens on a case-by-case basis.
Ehanire further pointed out that there is no blueprint to define the process, resulting in missed opportunities to achieve national goals and targets relating to public enlightenment of individuals, service providers, decision-makers and influencers, with regard to health and wellbeing.
Ehanire, however, disclosed that going forward and building on the success of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, Health plus Nutrition Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Coordination Platform, the Ministry of Health has begun activating the Coordination Platform Annual Operation Plan 2021.
This he said, sustainable mechanisms have been instituted for improved collaboration with the media in reconstructing societal views on health issues affecting women, children, adolescents, and the elderly.
“Such mechanisms are finalizing revision of the Integrated National Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition Social and Behaviour Change Strategy.”
Ehanire stressed that the roll-out of a revised strategy using existing government, private and traditional media structures of television, radio, print, social, and local media platforms will empower the people with information on household practices to make informed choices and take timely actions to ensure their health and wellbeing.
“Developed the maiden Media Engagement Strategy for Health Promotion, aiming to set out mechanisms, arrangements and prescribe ways to harness available tools for publicity, information sharing, and public engagement, in order to empower Nigerians to make informed choices for healthier living.
“Developed the draft Health-in-Media Coalition Charter, an ancillary document of the Media Engagement Strategy for Health Promotion.
“The Charter articulates arrangements that guide partnership between Federal Ministry of Health, Media Outlets and Regulatory Agencies to improve health and wellbeing of Nigerians with focus on the vulnerable population.
“It outlines roles and responsibilities of each arm of the coalition which is a management and coordination structure including an itemisation of steps for grievance resolution and periodic reviews,” Ehanire added.
He  noted that the current COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the media literacy of adults and young people.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Media 0
NAPTIP  Reunites  Trafficked Children With Parents

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,NAPTIP, has reunited five children rescued from a child trafficker with their parents.
The children who are between the age bracket said to be between the age bracket of five to seven,were abducted  by 2 year-old Musa Abdulrahman and sold to unsuspecting women in different parts of the country in the guise of adoption.
Imaam Sulaiman, the agency’s Drector-General,who released  the children to their parents at the organization’s headquarters,in Abuja implored parents to ensure adequate protection of their children to avoid incidences of kidnapping, abduction, trafficking and other crimes against children
She warned  the parents on the need to watch their children closely and not to expose them to risk of being easily accessible to traffickers and other criminal minds,” the statement said.
Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim further stated that luck ran out on him when through a sting operation by the operatives of the agency he was caught red handed while helping some ‘clients’ fill their adoption application forms and other papers.
He confessed to have kidnapped and sold six children under the guise of adoption.
He further confessed that he started the kidnapping business in 2016 and that all his victims were from Niger State. “He also confessed to have forged some adoption documents which he issued to the people he sold the kidnapped children to. He further confessed that he collected the sum of 100,000 for each of the children.
“All the six children have been rescued by the Agency while parents of five have been traced. “Operatives are still making efforts to locate the parents of the last child. The suspect has also been arraigned in Court in accordance with the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act (TIPPEA), 2015. “While promising diligent prosecution of the suspects, the  NAPTIP Boss called on the general public to continue to assist the Agency with useful information that will lead to the arrest of child traffickers in the country. “.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in News 0
FG Decries Corruption In Varsities

The milestones of Malam Adamu Adamu and unfinished business in education - Vanguard News
The Federal Government has described as unacceptable, the report by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) of unwholesome practices in some Federal Universities in Nigeria .
Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu, who expressed dismay over the alleged report, on Tuesday, in Abuja during the inauguration of visitation panels for 38 Federal universities and four inter-university centres,tasked members of visitation panels to the Institutions to do a thorough job.
He said Government was by the inauguration laying a solid foundation for the restoration of the highest ideals of the University system in Nigeria, which would be marked by the uninterrupted academic calendar, quality teaching and learning infrastructure and enrolment of foreign students among others.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the constitution of the visitation panels following agitation by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and staff unions about governance deficit in the institutions’ coupled by the ICPC report of high-level unwholesome practices in some Universities.
Adamu ,who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the inauguration of the panels, was part of efforts by the Federal Government to reposition the university system in the country.
He noted that the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guiding the establishment of federal universities and inter-university centres in the country require that from time to time, stock taking on the activities of those institutions be carried out by panels of knowledgeable individuals for the purposes of improving their efficiency and effectiveness.
According to him, the main objective of the visitations, therefore, is to appraise the performance of the institutions, in terms of the leadership qualities of the Vice-Chancellors, Principal Officers and the Governing Councils to ascertain the extent to which they have fulfilled their mandate for public good during the period under review.
“This explains why the exercise also looks closely into financial management, administration and the overall conditions for teaching, learning and research in the affected institutions.
“As provided for in the laws setting up all public universities in the country, visitations are conducted every five years. The last of such exercises was carried out in early 2011, covering the period 2004-2010.
“In effect, the current exercise will cover a 10 year period and all panels to be inaugurated shortly are expected to present two separate five-year reports; 2011-2015 and 2016-2020,” he said.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in News 0
Enyo Retail and Supply  Launches New Fuel Station

L-R: Trade Partner, Enyo Retail and Supply Limited, Are Olusegun Adebayo; His spouse, Mrs. Taiwo Adebayo and Chief Executive Officer, Enyo Retail and Supply Limited, Abayomi Awobokun at the official unveiling of the 95th Enyo Retail station in Badore, Lagos recently.
Enyo Retail and Supply Limited has  launched a new retail station to provide more access to customers for fuel purchase.
The new station located in Badore is the company’s 40th retail station in Lagos and the 95th in the country.
According to the company,the automated facility has an in-built Enyo Vehicon with well-trained Engineers and Technicians to fix customers’ cars to the highest possible standards. It also sells fibre-made gas cylinders for home cooking and other domestic uses.
‘‘At Enyo, we understand the importance of being responsive to the need of our customers and the unveiling of our new outlet is a proof of that. Being consistent is key to what we stand for and we continue to show this through our selfless customer service. We also ensure that with every new outlet, our facilities meet up to standard in providing the effective service that we are known for. We appreciate our partners for their support and the residents of Badore for making this a success’’ said Abayomi Awobokun, CEO, Enyo Retail and Supply Limited.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Oil&Gas 0
Sahara Tanzania Boosts  Petroleum Product Storage Capacity To 72m litres  

Sahara unveils 36m litre petroleum storage facility
Sahara Tanzania Limited, a Sahara Group company, has expanded its storage capacity for petroleum products to 72 million litres.
The company said the gesture was  in line with its commitment to promoting availability and reliability of top-quality products in Tanzania and other neighbouring African countries.
“Since our Tanzania operations commenced in 2015, Sahara has expanded its infrastructure from 10 loading arms and 4 storage tanks with a combined storage capacity of 36million litres to 20 loading arms with 8 storage tanks, with a combined capacity of 72million litres, spurring economic development in Tanzania through availability of petroleum products,” said Olumuyiwa Aladejana, Country Manager, Sahara Tanzania Limited. The company has an ongoing expansion project aimed at increasing its storage capacity further to store more Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and JET A1. The project is expected to make Sahara Tanzania one of the largest storage terminals, providing an avenue for increasing employment opportunities and economic growth in Tanzania.
“It is also important to note that our terminal is automated, and we have since committed to the construction of 2 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanks which gives a total capacity of 6,000cbm as part of Sahara’s drive for technological innovation and enhancing access to clean energy in Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi and Congo,” he added.
Aladejana, who was addressing media analysts on Sahara Tanzania’s performance, said the company was delighted at the opportunity to support the nation’s Vision 2025 as a leading player in the oil and gas sector, which contributes significantly to economic growth and development in Tanzania.
Vision 2025 represents Tanzania’s broad vision of its development goals as a middle-income country in 2025, characterized by high-quality livelihoods; peace, stability, and unity; good governance; a well-educated and learning society; and a competitive economy capable of sustainable growth and shared benefits. “Sahara Tanzania is committed to contributing to the achievement of this noble target through our operations in the energy sector and interventions by way of sustainable development projects in Tanzania. We commend the government’s robust policies and firmly believe Tanzania is on course to achieving the target and Sahara will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders in this regard,” he added.
Aladejana said it was heartening to see energy conglomerate, Sahara Group and other leading Africa energy companies ramp up their competitiveness in the global energy market. She however, noted that African countries need to harmonize their product specifications to boost intra-Africa transactions. “We see the world leaning towards cleaner fuel with lower carbon and Sulphur content. Standardized specifications will facilitate easy flow of products across African regions, ultimately making Africa more competitive, “ he said.
Also speaking, Mwajabu Mrutu, Business Development Executive at Sahara Tanzania Limited said Sahara Tanzania’s commitment to bringing benevolence to the nation is enshrined in its corporate citizenship programmes. Mrutu said Sahara Tanzania’s interventions include upgrading the Library at Pugu Secondary School that serves over 1000 students and the provision of toilets and washrooms at Salma Kikwete Secondary School to promote the Sustainable Development Goal that speaks to good hygiene and sanitation.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Oil&Gas 0
Amotekun  Corps Arrest Kidnappers In Ekiti Forest

Amotekun arrests three suspected kidnappers in Ekiti - Punch Newspapers
Three suspected kidnappers have been arrested in a forest in the Igbara-Odo area, Ekiti South West local government area of Ekiti State by men of the state Amotekun corps.
The suspects were said to have been arrested after they attacked a woman and disposed her, of her money along Erinjiyan-Igbara-Odo road, on Monday night.
The corps commander of Ekiti Amotekun, Brig. Gen. Joe Komolafe(retd), said the  criminals were arrested following a tip-off by members of the public and manhunt by the operatives.
The suspects are :Abubakar Musa (25) , Yusuff Lawal(20) and Babaginda Usman (30)
He said, “The suspects attacked the woman in the farm with machetes and inflicted wounds on her head. They escaped when they sighted other people entering the bush. The woman has been taken to the hospital where she is receiving medical attention.
“When apprehended and interrogated, they could not state their mission in the area and as well could not provide information on where they stayed. We will hand them over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.”
Speaking further, Komolafe said, “This arrest was as a result of a timely tip-off. A woman was attacked on her farm yesterday and taken to hospital. But this morning, we directed the boys to go and search the bush and mount roadblocks to make sure that the attackers did not escape.
“When the suspects learned that Amotekun operatives were on the road, they decided to escape through the bush, it was then our men got hint again on the particular route they were passing. So, the other Amotekun detachment went to lay ambush for them and they were arrested.”
He advised residents to support the corps with relevant information on activities of criminal elements in their communities, saying  the success of the Amotekun corps would be largely determined by the cooperation from the people.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
Nigerians Consumed 1.44bn Liters Of Fuel In January-NNPC

NNPC Supplies 1.44bn Litres Of Petrol In January
 Nigerians consumed 1.44billion liters of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), translating to 46.30million liters/day,in the month of  January,2021,the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC)has said.
 It also  announced a 37.21 % decrease in cases of pipeline vandalism across the country during the period under review,the corporation’s  report
The corporation’s January 2021 edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR), according to a press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru,indicates that a total of 27 pipeline points was vandalized in January 2021 down from the 43 points recorded in December 2020.
The Mosimi Area accounted for 74% of the vandalized points while Kaduna Area and Port Harcourt accounted for the remaining 22% and 4% respectively.
A total of 223.55Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) of natural gas was produced in the month of January 2021, translating to an average daily production of 7,220.22 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (mmscfd).
According to the report,Tmthe 223.55BCF gas production figure also represents a 4.79% increase over output in December 2020.
Besides, the daily average natural gas supply to gas power plants increased by 2.38% to 836mmscfd, equivalent to power generation of 3,415MW.
For the period of January 2020 to January 2021, a total of 2,973.01BCF of gas was produced representing an average daily production of 7,585.78 mmscfd during the period.
Period-to-date Production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) contributed about 65.20%, 19.97% and 14.83% respectively to the total national gas production.
Of the total gas output in January 2021, a total of 149.24BCF of gas was commercialized consisting of 44.29BCF and 104.95BCF for the domestic and export markets respectively.
This translates to a total supply of 1,428.65mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,385.57mmscfd to the export market in the month under review.
This indicates that 67.15% of the daily gas output was commercialized while the balance of 32.85% was re-injected, used as upstream fuel, or flared.
Gas flare rate was 7.73% for the month under review (i.e. 554.01mmscfd) compared with average gas flare rate of 7.19% (i.e. 539.69mmscfd) for the period of January 2020 to January 2021.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Oil&Gas 0
Group Urges Police To Mop Up  Illegal Arms In Ebonyi

AESID to Police, DSS: Mop up illegal arms in circulation in Ebonyi
The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID)has urged the  Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to  deploy the police to Ebonyi State and mop up illegal weapons in the custody of unauthorized persons in Ebonyi State.
The group’s  advice was sequel to  intelligence report that some top politicians have shared illegal weapons for some political thugs to cause mayhem in the state.
Paschal Oluchukwu, the president of the group
urged the security agencies to step their game in protecting innocent citizens and opposition elements in Ebonyi state.
 “We urged  the new IGP to kindly investigate these allegations and not only recover such arms from such unauthorized citizens but also adequately protect the lives and businesses of opposition leaders and members and indeed, all those opposition political parties in Ebonyi from the planned onslaught against them.,he said”
He  condemned the recent view expressed on a national Television by the state Commissioner for Border and Internal Security, Stanley Okoro, where he blamed the worsening insecurity in the state on the opposition leaders.
He further condemned what it described as the state government’s posture “that has only given Ebonyians the pains and agonies of blood-letting attacks since it claimed to have connected the state to the centre.”
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
Ebubeagu Security Outfit Created To Spy Us-IPOB

IPOB Condemns 'Ebube Agu' Security Outfit, Vows To Kill Anyone Who Spies On ESN | Kanyi Daily News
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged  that Ebubeagu, the security outfit formed by South East governors was set up to fulfill all righteousness or to spy on its own security network, the Eastern Security Network (ESN)
It advised youths from the Eastern part of the country should shun it or  be prepared to join his ancestors.
It restated that EBUBEAGU security outfit was ostensibly formed to sabotage IPOB and ESN because it was an abstract security outfit, a mockery formed without anything on the ground.
Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, said: “It has come to the attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that South East Governors have shamefully and belatedly announced the formation of an abstract security outfit called Ebubeagu to secure the zone from Fulani terrorists herdsmen they allotted our ancestral lands to.
“What a mockery the puppets have made of themselves in their usual quest to please their slavemasters! How can you launch a security outfit without first assembling the personnel and equipping them? When Amotekun was formed it was not abstract, the personnel and their equipment were handy. When our leader floated the gallant Eastern Security Network, ESN, the men were on ground. How then did South East traitors called Governors announce a security outfit without any personnel or were they under any pressure to hurriedly make the announcement after years of foot-draging and deceit?
“However, whether or not they were under any influence, we want to remind these bunch of caliphate slaves that there is no need for them to form another security outfit in our land since we have our formidable ESN. They woke up from their slumber rather too late. We have gone beyond that stage unless they are on a mission to sabotage ESN”.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Ndigbo 0
 Police  Turn Down N500,000 Bribe

Police operatives attached to Area E Command, Festac in Lagos State, have arrested five persons for attempting to bribe them with N500,000  following  their arrest for allegedly stealing construction materials.
The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, i said that the arrest was effected  on Sunday at about 3.00 a.m., when the suspects were accosted between Volks Bus Stop and Iyana-Iba, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.                                                                                                                                                                                                          The suspects,he said,were driving in a Ford Bus with Reg. No. FST 679 XZ, transporting some 25mm iron rods,adding that the property belongs to the China Construction Engineering Company, CCEC.
“The suspects, when arrested by the police, were alleged to have offered a bribe of N500,000, which was rejected and they were arrested with the stolen materials.
“The items recovered from them are: some pieces of 25mm iron rods, one Nozzle, one gas cylinder and a Ford Bus with Reg. No. FST 697 XZ.
“The management of CCEC has been contacted by the police and identified the stolen items to be their property,” he said
Mr Adejobi also said that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, had ordered a thorough investigation into the case with a view to charging  the suspects to court as soon as possible.
Besides, the police operatives attached to the Sagamu Road Division of Ikorodu, had also arrested two suspected traffic robbers using dummy guns to operate on a motorcycle at Sabo Area of Ikorodu.
The spokesman said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were using the dummy gun to scare their victims anytime they were on robbery operations, particularly in the traffic.
Online Editor by — April 14, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0