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Federal Govt. Decimating Lecturers With Forced Hunger — ASUU Laments

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Branch, Friday alleged that the Federal government was hell bent on decimating public university lecturers in their employ with forced hunger, as was the case during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.

The branch Chairperson, Dr Ogugua Egwu stated this while reacting to the irksome and provocative outbursts of the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, on their “take it or leave it” offer of peanuts to university lecturers, as alternative to the principles of collective bargaining.

In a statement titled “FG: Weaponizing hunger on our dependents,” Comrade Egwu wondered why all the Ministers involved in resolving the FG-ASUU face-off were being economical with the truth, adding that “they come to the public domain every day to misinform Nigerians.”

According to him, before 2015 when this administration was still fighting to unseat the Jonathan administration, Adamu Adamu was solidly behind ASUU when the Union was on strike.

“Back then when Adamu Adamu still had common sense and shared some sympathies for ASUU, he openly declared to the whole world that: “This nation owes a debt of gratitude to ASUU and the strike should not be called off until the government accepts to do and does what is required. So, instead of hectoring ASUU to call off its strike, the nation should be praying for more of its kind in other sectors of the economy”.

“Having freely made such a statement not too long ago, many observers and social historians wonder whether Adamu was inebriated when he unleashed those lifesaving thoughts to the public domain through a popular newspaper column or not.

“Again, while reacting to the threat by Adamu that striking public university lecturers will not be paid their six months’ withheld salaries, the branch Chairperson stated that Adamu’s statements were a confirmation of the pristine loathing the current government has had for ASUU since coming into power.”

He stated further that: “FG’s hatred of our Union is congenitally historical and unmistakeably aimed at annihilating our members and their many dependants. In what better ways do you explain the monthly and uninterrupted payment of salaries to striking workers in Nigeria’s Research Institute for many months running, whereas ASUU is being punished?

“How does one explain the fact that ASUU members’ salaries were abruptly stopped in February 2022 immediately this strike action commenced, whereas the same government continued paying non-teaching staff in the same public universities who are even with larger wage bills and populations than ASUU?

“How do you justify the payment of idle refineries workers salaries running into over 136 billion naira by this same government, according to reports while ASUU members and their families are being starved to death for their patriotism?

“And as though these well-hatched insults to ASUU are not enough, the same Buhari government that is using the “No work, no pay” stratagem against ASUU, has just woken up late in the evening to pay the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and other Allied hospital workers their April and May salaries of 2018 which this same government withheld because they embarked on a properly and legitimately convened strike action, just like we did in February this year.

“Rhetorically, the branch Chairperson questioned: “Where is the justice, or is this another modern Nigerian way of replicating the injustices of powerful men against innocent, patriotic and hardworking Nigerian lecturers as was demonstrated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm?

“That this government is planning to kill and bury public universities in Nigeria the same way they have done to public primary and secondary education, is indeed very worrisome. And more worrisome is the fact that nearly the entire assemblage of the current Buhari cabinet members schooled through the benevolence of government incentives like decent infrastructure and even scholarships!

“One again wonders why their entire ilk, including some of their unpatriotic diasporan collaborators, like Farooq Kperogi, will shamelessly come to the public space to blame ASUU for the current woes of students in public universities in Nigeria. And that’s what happens when the likes of Kperogi, Ngige, Keyamo and Adamu get compromised by selfish pecuniary benefits, instead of honourably admitting their failures or the mistakes of government like Isa Pantami has already done by exposing the ills of fraudulent IPPIS, GIFMIS and TSA, even though belatedly.”

Germany Promotes Baltic Sea’s Energy Potential

By
Elizabeth Williams
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Germany’s foreign minister said Friday that estimates show the Baltic Sea can produce “more than twice the installed capacity of all German coal-fired power stations” as the country works to meet climate change targets and to wean itself off of Russia-supplied energy.
In a video message ahead of a meeting in Denmark’s capital, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Germany wants to hasten the expansion of wind power produced in the Baltic Sea.
The countries around the Baltic Sea “need to set the sails, work together and set course towards making our region more sustainable, more resilient and more secure,” Baerbock said.


German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz has said Germany remains committed to ending its greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, the earliest of any major industrialized nation. To meet the goal, his government has said it would close coal-fired power plants that were reactivated during the war in Ukraine, end imports of Russian oil and coal this year and aim to stop using Russian gas within the next two years.
The potential for the Baltic Sea “is enormous,” Baerbock said. “The European Commission estimates that the Baltic Sea could potentially produce more than 90 gigawatts in wind energy. That is more than twice the installed capacity of all German coal-fired power stations.”
On July 1, Germany assumed took over the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States for one year. The intergovernmental forum for regional cooperation consists of the European Union and 10 member nations: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden.
Following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the council suspended Russia from its activities. Moscow later said it had decided to withdraw from the council, saying the organization was turning into “an anti-Russian tool.”

German Government Reconsiders Gas Surcharge After Backlash

By
Elizabeth Williams
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The German government is considering backtracking on plans for consumers to pay a surcharge on natural gas amid mounting criticism that the money could flow to highly profitable energy companies, officials said Friday.
The surcharge of 2.4 euro cents per kilowatt hour was announced two weeks ago and could cost the average household several hundred euros a year. The measure is due to take effect in October and is aimed at rescuing importers slammed by Russian cutbacks tied to the war in Ukraine.


Energy companies that previously relied on Russian gas are now scrambling to find alternative supplies, often having to pay considerably more due to sharply increased global prices while not being able to pass on all the difference to their customers due to fixed-price contracts. Others, though, have made higher profits from the higher prices.
The government has said that the surcharge distributes the cost fairly among all gas users and helps prevent a collapse of major energy companies that could trigger a domino effect across the market.

Britain To See 80% Spike In Energy Bills

By
Elizabeth Williams
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Britain’s energy regulator announced Friday it will raise its main cap on consumer energy bills to an average £3,549 pounds from £1,971 a year, as campaign groups, think tanks and politicians call on the government to tackle a cost-of-living crisis.
The price cap limits the standard charge energy suppliers can bill domestic customers for their combined electricity and gas bill in England, Scotland and Wales, but is recalculated by OFGEM throughout the year to reflect wholesale market prices and other industry costs.
It covers around 24 million households. the 4.5 million households on prepayment plans face an increase from £2,017 to £3,608.


The cap does not apply in Northern Ireland, where suppliers can increase prices at any point after getting approval from a different regulator.
Gas prices have soared to record levels over the last year as higher global demand has been intensified in Europe by low gas storage levels and a drop in pipeline imports from Russia
The latest price cap — the maximum amount that gas suppliers can charge customers per unit of energy — will take effect Oct. 1, just as the cold months set in. And bills are expected to rise again in January to 4,000 pounds.
Jennifer Jones keeps feeding money into her energy meter, but it never seems to be enough. And when she can’t pay, she feels the impact immediately.
The power in her London home has gone off suddenly three times recently, once when her partner was cooking an egg.
Like millions of people, Jones, 54, is struggling to cope as energy and food prices skyrocket during Britain’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The former school supervisor has health problems and relies on government benefits to get by, but her welfare payments are nowhere near enough to cover her sharply rising bills.

How Long Different Foods Take to Digest, and Why It’s Important to Know

By
Olasunbo Okoromi
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The impact of digestion on weight loss is very significant. As we were told many times, we are what we eat. Of course, the exact digestion time depends on an individual’s physical health, metabolism, age, and even gender, but, generally speaking, some foods will go through you in no time, while others will wander in your system for a while.

This article will help you stick to a balanced diet and give you some tips to improve your digestion. There is also a bonus at the end just for you.

If we simplify the term, digestion time is a procedure when food that you eat breaks down into tiny particles that get transferred through your intestinal system into the bloodstream. It is important to understand digestion time to lose weight or to maintain what you have already achieved.

Fast-Digesting Food

If you have lots of fast-digesting foods, you may find that you are eating way more than you should because very soon after you eat it, it’s all gone and you feel hungry again. This type of food gives you a rapid boost of energy — in other words, a glucose level jump. While a boost of energy sounds good, if your body is flooded with glucose and doesn’t use it, the rest turns into fat.

Slow-Digesting Food

Slow-digesting food raises your blood sugar levels much more slowly, giving more steady and balanced energy. But if you eat only very slow-digesting food, you make your digestive system work to the max all the time and it can be quite tough on your body.

Specialists suggest not mixing fast and slow digesting types of food each time you eat and avoid consuming fast food too soon after slow ones since digestion hasn’t finished yet, and so you don’t overload your stomach.

The best time for processing food that has components with different digestion times is at lunch when your digestive system is the most active. The meals for breakfast and dinner should be simpler and preferably with products that are quickly digested so you get an energy boost soon after breakfast and let your stomach rest at night.

Below is a list of foods and there digesting time:

1. Water: Enters into the intestines immediately.

2. Fruit or vegetable juice: Takes 15-20 minutes

3. Raw vegetables: Takes 30-40 minutes

4. Cooked vegetables: Takes 40 minutes

5. Fish: Takes 45-60 minutes

6. Salad with oil: Takes 1 hour

7. Starch vegetables: Takes 1.5-2 hours

8. Grains (rice, buckwheat, quinoa): Takes 2 hours

9. Dairy: Takes 2 hours

10. Nuts: Takes 3 hours

11. Chicken: Takes 1.5-2 hours

12. Beef: Takes 3 hours

13. Lamb: Takes 4 hours

14. Pork: Takes 5 hours

Tips to Improve your Digestion

Drink water regularly and stay hydrated. There is some evidence that shows a correlation between constipation and a low intake of water. Drinking water and other non-caffeinated beverages can help your body to keep your foods moving through the digestive system.

There are other ways in which you can meet your daily fluid intake, like eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in water.

Chew your foods thoroughly. The process of digestion starts in our mouth, and some experts advise that we chew our foods properly. Otherwise, our body might have less nutrient absorption, which can cause other health problems.

The more we chew, the more saliva our body produces. Saliva helps our body by breaking down the foods in our mouth so they can digest more easily.

Exercise regularly. For some of us, it might be difficult to keep our bodies moving since we probably have a lot to do in our everyday lives. Nevertheless, exercising can be very beneficial to our overall health and, believe it or not, it can also help us to digest foods better.

Try to schedule a long walk after eating your meals, and you’ll see an improvement in your digestive health. According to a study performed on men and women between the ages of 22 and 41 years old, the time their foods moved through their bodies was dramatically accelerated after some moderate exercise.

Quit bad habits, like eating late at night. You probably already know the things that harm your health since our parents likely warned us about what could happen if we gave into them. According to some surveys, 2 of the most common health-harming habits seem to be risk factors for reflux.

By now, you might be wondering what’s wrong with having a late-night snack. Believe it or not, your food also relies on gravity to keep things moving. By lying down, you might be slowing down the digestion process, causing what’s in your stomach to rise up and result in heartburn.

Follow a healthy, balanced diet. As we stated before, there are foods that can help us meet our recommended daily water intake. Vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, melons, strawberries, cucumbers, etc. can also help you increase feelings of fullness thanks to the amount of fiber they contain.

There are studies that show how some components in processed foods can damage our health. For example, artificial sweeteners can alter the gut bacteria that is in your body. The rise in said bacteria can lead to health problems, like Crohn’s disease. That is why it can be better for our health to eat whole foods. Turns out our moms were right all along.

Bonus: It’s true, the body can’t digest gum.

All of our parents told us that gum stays in the stomach for years if swallowed, and as kids, we probably believed them. But that can’t be farther from the truth; although chewing gum is meant to be chewed and not swallowed, if you happen to eat a piece of gum, it’s very likely that it will stay intact through your body, as our bodies can’t break it apart.

If you accidentally swallow a small piece of gum, there’s probably nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, swallowing big pieces of gum can cause a blockage in your intestines and send you directly to surgery. This can also happen to small children, which is why it’s better not to give them chewing gum, as most of them don’t understand that they shouldn’t swallow it.

Lagos State Government Collects Levies For Cars Parked Outside Perimeter Fence

By
Angel Gimalo
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The Lagos state government has commenced the collection of levies for cars parked outside the perimeter fence of companies.

A setback is a minimum distance from a property line to which a building must be set back from a street or road, among others.

In a letter dated August 15 and sent by Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) to Nellies, a food and snack company, the agency charged N290,000 for parking lots on setbacks.

According to the letter, the agency charged N80,000 per annum on three parking slots for off-street with N50,000 as nonrefundable administrative processing fee.

“The Lagos State Parking Authority, established under the law to consolidate all that relating to parking and its connected purposes with powers and functions, clearly states that the Authority shall, among others, be responsible for all forms of managed parking in the State,” the letter reads.

“In view of the above, and in line with the administration’s policy in moving Lagos state towards a 21st-century economy to align with the first pillar of THEME’S Agenda of which transportation is key, your organisation is hereby served this demand notice for the setback parking (Off-Street) in front of your premises before the commencement of enforcement action.

“Based on the inspection, we identified three (3) parking slots on your setback at the rate of N80,000 per slot per annum totalling N240,000.00(Two Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira) only.

“Also, a non-refundable Administrative/Processing fee of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) only applies based on your location totalling N290,000.00 (Two Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) only payable for the year 2022 to be paid into Lagos State Parking Authority account within a period of seven (7) days of receiving this letter.”

In a social media post, Nelly Agbogu, founder, Nellies, kicked against the payment of parking “inside her office premises”.

“We now pay to park in our compound in our office? I swear my tired is tired! If not for the grace of God! I want to sincerely japa! Nigeria has a way of crushing your dreams,” she wrote.

“I wasn’t in the office, however, after a phone call, we realized that the person who brought the letter told my staff “within the premises” and to our understanding “within” includes the compound and our pavement after the fence. However, outside as the letter stated belongs to the Government (which made me to post “inside” and we apologize for that).

“Now from what they explained, after the perimeter fence (between the fence and the gutter) belongs to the government and that is where we are to pay or any car seen there will be towed. I have informed them that we will tell our customers to park inside. Thank you everyone for helping us get this sorted.”

Fake News: Governor Soludo Debunks Gold Discovery In Anambra State

By
Angel Gimalo
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South-east Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has debunked recent news of the discovery of a large deposit of gold in a part of the state.

A recent publication alleged that a gold reserve estimated to be over 20 million tonnes and worth over $900 trillion had been discovered in Ehamufu, Anambra State.

But reacting to the claim, the governor, in a press release signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, described the news as fake.

The story had beyond stating that gold was discovered at Ehamufu also added that Soludo, who was described as the chairman of South East Governor’s Forum, briefed journalists on the discovery.

Setting the record straight, Soludo said: “First, Ehamufu is not in Anambra State.

“Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is not the Chairman of South East Governors’ forum, neither did he brief newsmen of any meeting held by the Forum or phantom discovery of Gold reserves in Ehamufu, Anambra State, as allegedly claimed by the writer(s).”

He described the entire news story, including every statement attributed to Soludo, as falsehood, while calling on the public to disregard the information.

Polish Gardener Grows World’s Longest Cucumber

By
Olasunbo Okoromi
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Amateur gardener Sebastian Suski is the proud new owner of the world’s longest cucumber, a specimen of Cucumis sativus that until this week was growing in a polytunnel at his allotment.

Despite the blisteringly hot summer in the UK, Sebastian was able to tend to his impressive patch of cucumbers and produce a whopper measuring 113.4 cm (3 ft 8.6 in), beating the previous record by 6.4 cm (2.5 in).

Sebastian has been growing big fruit and veg with the help of his wife Renata for seven years.

He volunteers for the European Giant Vegetable Growers Association (EGVGA) – a support group for fans of garden giants – and now is an international officer for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC).

He has even set a few national records in his time as a grower, but that elusive world record had been denied to him… until now!

“I’d grown big cucumbers but never quite long enough to beat the existing Guinness World Records title holder,” said Sebastian.

“Growing super-long cucumbers is a risky business,” he continues. “If you cut too soon, you’re not going to have a record-breaker, but if you leave it too long, you get into the danger zone. You risk your cucumber rotting as it grows – you don’t want it exploding on you!” he stated.

Sebastian cut his king-sized cucumber at just the right time, and although it’s starting to turn yellow, it’s still intact, and will be for about 10 to 12 days more.

He almost lost out on the chance to be a record holder, however, when he was hospitalized at a crucial point in his cucumber’s growth.

Sebastian is a passionate gardener in his spare time, when he’s not packing and shipping contact lenses for a living. Intriguingly, he’s also curious about the pedigree of his seeds, and traced the history of the seed that bore his record-breaking cucumber.

“I’ve tracked the seed back 15 years to record-breaking specimens from the UK to Germany to Poland and back to the UK again,” he explains.

“These seeds have come to me from Piotr Holewa – the top grower in Poland, whose cucumbers can reach up to 99 cm long – via David Thomas, Peter Glazebrook and the original source, the famous Alf Cobb.”

These last three gardeners have at some point held records for their grows. Cobb is a former holder of the longest cucumber record, and also the heaviest cucumber, which is currently held by Thomas.

Glazebrook, meanwhile, has also held both records in the past and was recently celebrated for growing the heaviest eggplant/aubergine.

Germany Signs Deal To Give Ownership Of Benin Bronzes To Nigeria

By
Koko Lawrence
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A German arts and history foundation on Thursday signed an agreement to transfer ownership of the Benin Bronzes from the Ethnological Museum in Berlin back to Nigeria.

The deal between the Foundation of Prussian Cultural Heritage (SPK) and Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) covers 512 objects in the museum’s collection.

“This represents the future concerning the artifacts issue, a future of collaboration among museums, a future of according respect and dignity to the legitimate requests of other nations and traditional institutions,” NCMM’s Abba Isa Tijani said.

He urged museums outside of Germany to emulate the agreement. French art historians have estimated that some 90% of Africa’s cultural heritage is believed to be in Europe.

The pieces are intricate plaques and sculptures made of bronze, an important type of artwork from the region since at least the 13th century.

The works in question were stolen from the Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now southwestern Nigeria, by British soldiers in 1897 and ended up in museums all over Europe.

Germany already began repatriating other artifacts to Nigeria earlier this year. Under the deal signed Thursday, several pieces will stay on loan to Berlin for several years.

Pilot, Aisha Al Mansoori Becomes UAE’s First Female Captain

By
Angel Gimalo
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There is no limit for Emirati women, says Aisha Al Mansoori who has risen through the ranks from a cadet pilot at Etihad Airways to become captain. She is the first Emirati woman to achieve the feat.

At the airline’s crew briefing centre, Al Mansoori received four stripes on her uniform, confirming her new rank.

“I feel very happy and proud,” said the pilot aged 33, who has almost 6,000 flight hours under her wings since joining the UAE’s national airline more than 15 years ago.

“It is an achievement that I’ve been looking forward to and working hard for since I was a cadet pilot,” she told newsmen.

She took inspiration from her sister, Major Mariam Al Mansouri, the UAE’s first female fighter pilot.

“Growing up, becoming a pilot was not really an option for Emirati women. But I was lucky that my sister started flying when I was still in high school. I went with her to the air show,” she says.

“When I saw the aircraft and pilots, I just fell in love. I knew that is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

She joined Etihad’s cadet programme in 2007 where she trained with a Cessna 172, a four-seat, single-engine aircraft, and Diamond DA42, a four-seat, twin-engine aircraft.

After graduating, Al Mansoori joined Etihad Airways as a cadet pilot on Airbus A320. She progressed to flying Airbus A330s and became the first female UAE national to fly an A380 superjumbo, the world’s largest passenger jet.

Now she is back to flying Airbus A320s as a captain. Over the years, she was promoted to the ranks of second officer, first officer and senior first officer, and has now taken on the rank of captain, marking a first for her country.

It has been a long and rewarding journey, and she still remembers the first time she took to the skies.

“The first time I flew an aircraft, it felt very isolated in the cockpit because we have to keep the doors closed. I had come after training in a simulator which is also a closed box environment. So, I was very focused on my mission,” she says.

“That’s when a training captain told me I should step outside and say goodbye to the passengers. And only then it hit me that those are the people who trust me with their lives. I realised what a great responsibility and a great honour it is to be a pilot.”

The job is also full of challenges, says Al Mansoori.

“If you’re not passionate, it’s hard to survive because of [the] long and irregular working hours. Sometimes you have to work through the night. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and control your rest to be able to function. But at the same time, the joy and fulfilment of the job are definitely worth it.”

The sky seems to be the limit for this high-flying Emirati who would one day like to train and inspire future pilots. “I think we have a lot of promising talents in the company that will do great in the future,” she said.

But for now, she’s excited that her milestone shatters another glass ceiling for Emirati women.

“We are both privileged and lucky to be born in the UAE as opportunities are open. All you need to do is seek it and take it.”

“Etihad is extremely proud of Captain Aisha’s achievement and the trailblazing role she is playing for women in aviation in the UAE. She will no doubt be the first of many, and Etihad looks forward to welcoming more female pilots to the rank of Captain in the future,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, chief operating officer at Etihad Aviation Group.

Al Mansoori will commence regular flying duties as a captain at Etihad on August 28, a day that also marks Emirati Women’s Day.

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