Kebbi Council Engages Volunteers To Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding

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August 3, 2022

The Kalgo Local Government Area of Kebbi has engaged community volunteers to sensitize pregnant women and nursing mothers on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.

Alhaji Shamsuddeen Faruk-Kalgo, Chairman of the council made this known while launching a sensitisation campaign on the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) held at the Kalgo Primary Healthcare Centre in Kalgo town.

The campaign is with the theme: ”Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.“

He said that the female volunteers have been trained to work as “change agents” in the community

While commending the organisers of the event, Faruk-Kalgo, advised husbands to help their wives to ensure children are exclusively breastfed.

”Exclusive Breastfeeding is well-known as an affordable and feasible intervention that improves newborn survival.

”It fulfills the nutritional requirements of infants and protects them from childhood infections including diarrhea and pneumonia,” he said.

Also speaking, the Programme Officer of Breakthrough Action, Kebbi Field Office, Malama Samira Ya’u said the event was organised to sensitise women on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.

On his part, the Social Mobilisation Officer, Breakthrough Action, an NGO, Mu’azu Suleiman urged women to take advantage of the campaign to rid the society of malnourished children.

Ex-al-Shabab leader appointed Somali cabinet minister

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Henry Williams

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August 3, 2022

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A former deputy leader and spokesperson of Somali militant group al-Shabab has been appointed as a government minister.

Mukhtar Robow has been chosen as the religious affairs minister in Somalia’s new cabinet.

He had been under house arrest for four years after being detained during the term of the previous president for organising a militia group. He was also accused of not abandoning extremism.

More than 20 people were killed when violence erupted after his arrest.

He had split from al-Shabab in 2015 citing ideological differences and formed his own militant group.

At one time, the US had his name on its list of people wanted for acts of terror. It offered $5m (£4m) for his capture, but that was dropped in 2017.

His appointment as religious affairs minister could mean a declaration of an ideological war against al-Shabab.

But others see it as a way to cover up crimes committed while he was part of the al-Qaida affiliated group.

Al-Shabab, which is opposed to the internationally backed federal government, carries out frequent attacks in Somalia. It has also targeted neighbouring countries.

Congo Expels U.N. Peacekeeping Mission Spokesman After Protests

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Koko Lawrence

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August 3, 2022

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FILE PHOTO: United Nations peacekeeping troops patrol the streets on election day in Kinshasa — United Nations peacekeeping troops patrol the streets in armoured personnel carriers on election day in Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa July 30, 2006. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly/File Photo

Democratic Republic of Congo has asked the spokesman of the U.N. peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, to leave the country, blaming him for stoking tensions that led to deadly protests last week.

Thirty-six people, including four U.N. peacekeepers, were killed last week as hundreds of protesters vandalised and set fire to U.N. buildings in several cities in Congo’s east.

Civilians accuse the mission, which has been active for more than a decade, of failing to protect them from militia violence that has long plagued the region.

The government said that the spokesman, Mathias Gillmann, had made “indelicate and inappropriate” statements which contributed to the tensions between the population and MONUSCO.

“The Congolese government considers that the presence of this official on the national territory is not likely to promote a climate of mutual trust and calm between Congolese institutions and MONUSCO,” said the statement from the foreign affairs ministry dated July 28.

Gillmann and MONUSCO’s deputy spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Congolese government also said this week that it would reassess the mission’s withdrawal plan in light of the protests, a decision which MONUSCO said it supported.

The mission is due to withdraw by 2024 according to a plan drawn up last year, but the government aims to speed up its departure, said foreign affairs minister Christophe Lutundula.

CVR Extension: INEC Turns Down 70 CSOs Request

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Koko Lawrence

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August 3, 2022

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, turned down the request of 70 Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, to restart and extend the suspended Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, exercise, by two months.

The electoral umpire, which ended the exercise on Sunday, after extending it from June 30 to July 31, said it could no longer entertain further extension to avoid harming preparations for the 2023 general polls.

Meanwhile, the commission disclosed, yesterday, that over seven million Nigerians, who did their voter pre-registration online did not complete the process at physical centres.

Consequently, a coalition of over 70 CSOs, requested for an extension of the exercise for another two months.

The INEC had in June 2021, begun the CVR exercise and launched a portal, where Nigerians could register by filing in their biodata and required documents, after which they would visit INEC designated centres to complete the process physically. Going to a physical centre for biometric capturing was a prerequisite to complete the voter registration process.

According to data released by the commission, 10,487,972 Nigerians carried out their pre-registration online. Of this number, only 3,444,378 Nigerians, representing 32.8 per cent, completed the process at a physical centres.

This means 7,043,594 persons, representing over 67 per cent of those who began their registration process online, are not eligible to receive a Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, before the 2023 general elections and will, therefore, not be eligible to vote.

Although, the INEC said 12,298,944 Nigerians completed their voter registration, it added that 8,854,566 of the number were individuals who did their registration entirely at a physical centres.

INEC had fixed June 30 as the deadline for the CVR ahead of the 2023 elections, but extended it till July 31 after a Federal High Court in Abuja stopped it from ending the exercise, and following several pleas by Nigerians and CSOs.

However, a coalition of over 70 CSOs, again, yesterday requested for an extension of the voters registration exercise for another two months to avoid disenfranchising the people next year.

The coalition, which is under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said the exercise should be extended to accommodate more prospective voters, insisting that “there is still a window for extension in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2022.”

The Situation Room said it received reports of a tedious registration process in the just concluded CVR exercise, despite INEC’s assurances of a seamless process.

“Situation Room further notes that the CVR which ended on 31st July 2022 will leave many willing Nigerians disenfranchised from the 2023 polls even when the Commission can stretch itself a bit more to continue registering voters,” the CSOs said.

In a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, the CSOs, further asked the Federal Government to activate steps to address the current economic challenges, alarming unemployment, plummeting exchange rate and financial hardship on the citizens.

It maintained that FG must desist from increasing or introducing new taxes, especially the proposed five per cent inclusive of excise duty on telecommunications services in Nigeria that will raise the tax to 12.5 per cent.

While expressing its disappointment over the state of the nation the Situation Room said there was need for President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately rejig the entire security architecture of the country.

“The state of insecurity in the country has deteriorated so much that most parts of the country are now being threatened by non-state armed men with various nomenclature like Bandits, Boko Haram, Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), Kidnappers and Unknown Gunmen.

“According to reports, ISWAP and Boko Haram insurgents having occupied some territories in the North East of the country are now encroaching into Abuja and the rest of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Bandits continuous raid on villages fuelled with kidnapping of helpless villagers in the North West States of Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi, have continued unchallenged.

“The abduction of road users on the Abuja – Kaduna highway has been a major concern, bearing in mind that some of the March 2022 passengers of the Abuja – Kaduna bound train are still in captivity.

“Recently, Kuje Medium Security Correctional Facility in Abuja was raided by the insurgents leading to the release of high-profile terrorists from the prison without strong resistance from security personnel, despite 45 security reports and warnings of the imminent attack,” they said.

We can no longer extend CVR deadline, INEC insists

Decline requests to extend voters registration, the INEC said that the electoral timetable cannot entertain any further stretching.

“The Commission will not extend the CVR deadline because of the various activities it needs to carry out before the 2023 General Election”, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi said on Tuesday.

Specifically, he said the Commission is required to “clean-up the voter register to remove multiple registrants using the Automated Biometric Identification System ABIS.”

Oyekanmi, however, added that “the CVR will resume after the 2023 General Election and all those who could not register this time will have the opportunity to do so”.

He listed other schedule of activities that INEC would have to undertake before the election, which makes any deadline extension not feasible.

Some of the activities he listed include: “Consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display same on Polling Unit basis for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) across the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide for public scrutiny. This lasts for a period of one week. If, for instance, we eventually harvest an estimated 95 million voters, on the basis of 10 voters per page, the Commission has to print 9,500,000 pages for the display;

“Print millions of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for all fresh registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs;

“Ensure that there is ample time for voters to collect their PVCs ahead of the 2023 General Election;

“Print the final register of voters in triplicate for the 2023 General Election involving a projected 28,500,000 pages for accreditation and display at 176,846 polling units for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) on 25th February 2023 and State elections (Governorship and State Assembly) on 11th March 2023; and

“Make copies of the updated national register of voters available to political parties not later than 30 days to the date fixed for the General Election”.

A coalition of Civil Society Organizations CSOs under the aegis of “Situation Room” had on Tuesday asked the commission to consider extending the CVR deadline to allow more Nigerians register to vote.

Statistics released by the commission at the end of the CVR showed that over seven million Nigerians either failed to complete their online registration processes or to appear at registration centres for their biometrics.

Although the CVR started since June 2021, many eligible Nigerians refused to take advantage of the exercise until it was nearing its earlier advertised June 30 deadline.

Based on several considerations including a judicial action, the electoral umpire had to grant a two-week extension and just before that deadline, extended the exercise again by another two weeks which lapsed on July 31.

However, nearly half of those who registered between June and December 2021 were double registrants whose second registration has already been struck out.

Pelosi leaves Taipei to sound of Chinese fury

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Henry Williams

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August 3, 2022

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US Speaker Nancy Pelosi has left Taiwan after a brief but controversial visit.

Ms Pelosi – the most senior US politician to visit in 25 years – departed on Wednesday after meeting leaders in the capital Taipei.

But her visit, as part of a wider Asian tour, sparked fury in Beijing after she ignored its warnings not to travel to the island.

Taiwan is self-ruled – but China sees it as a breakaway province that will eventually unite with it.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said “those who play with fire will not come to a good end, and those who offend China will be punished”.

“The United States is violating China’s sovereignty under the guise of so-called democracy,” he added.

The US walks a diplomatic tightrope with its Taiwan policy.

Russia Backs Myanmar Junta’s Efforts To Stabilise Country, Hold Elections

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Koko Lawrence

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August 3, 2022

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Russia backs the Myanmar junta’s efforts to “stabilise” the crisis-wracked country and hold elections next year, its foreign minister said in talks with top generals on Wednesday, according to Russian state media.

The Southeast Asian nation has been in turmoil since the putsch last year, with the junta accused by rights groups of committing war crimes as it struggles to crush resistance to its rule.

Isolated internationally and with Western governments imposing sanctions, the military government has sought to deepen ties with major ally and arms supplier Russia — whose invasion of Ukraine it has said was “justified”.

“We are in solidarity with the efforts [by the junta] aimed at stabilising the situation in the country,” Sergei Lavrov said during talks in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw, according to the TASS news agency.

“Next year, you will hold legislative elections and we wish you success,” Lavrov added, referring to proposed August 2023 elections that opponents of the coup have said will be neither free nor fair.

On Monday junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing — who travelled to Moscow last month — said polls could only take place when the conflict-wracked country was “stable and peaceful”.

The putsch has sparked renewed fighting with established ethnic rebel groups in border areas, while dozens of civilian “People’s Defence Force” militias have also sprung up to battle the military.

Russia — along with ally China — has been accused by rights groups and a UN expert of arming the military with weapons used to attack civilians.

Lavrov and junta chief Min Aung Hlaing also discussed opening new consulates “to promote an increase in travel” between their two countries, TASS said.

The junta has yet to comment on Lavrov’s visit.

Lavrov is scheduled to travel on to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ meeting in Cambodia from which the junta’s top diplomat has been excluded.

The bloc joined a chorus of international outrage last week after the junta announced it had executed four prisoners, including a former lawmaker and a democracy activist, in the country’s first use of capital punishment in decades.

WBW: Culture Advocate Highlights Need For Breastfeeding

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 3, 2022

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The Chief Executive Officer of Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI) and culture advocate, Ms May Ikokwu has said breastfeeding is culturally and medically beneficial to both mother and baby.

Ikokwu said this in an interview with the Newsmen in Abuja on the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week which spans from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 yearly.

She said that breastfeeding is culturally acceptable because it promotes stronger immune systems for mother and baby.

The culture advocate who described breastfeeding as key to healthy living, advised mothers to always breastfeed their babies, which she said is paramount in giving the child life and personality.

The SOHI boss emphasised the benefits of breastfeeding which according to her promotes faster weight loss after birth, burning about 500 extra calories a day to build and maintain a milk supply for the mother.

She explained that it also helps to stimulate the uterus to contract and return to normal size.

Ms Ikokwu said that breastfeeding was part of the practices in the African culture that helped Africans to live healthy lives in the past.

She said that big establishments are encouraged to have a small nursery where nursing mothers may leave their babies for easy accessibility to breastfeed.

Ikokwu urged some nursing mothers who go back to work after their maternity, where possible, to leave express milk that is refrigerated at home and warmed when needed to feed the baby.

According to her, another option available for working mothers is to get a wet nurse to breastfeed the baby since human milk is still better for the baby than cow or goat milk.

World Breastfeeding Week begins each year on Aug. 1 and runs right through until the Aug. 7.

Breastfeeding week aims at raising awareness of the health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding and the importance of supporting mothers to breastfeed for as long as they wish.

Appointment of Recs: CSO tasks FG on gender policy

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 3, 2022

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The Electoral Hub, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has urged the Federal Government to comply with the Constitution, National Gender Policy and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) Act in appointment of Independence National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

Ms Princess Hamman-Obels, Initiative for Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD),the Electoral Hub, made the call in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Hamman-Obels said that compliance with the Constitution, National Gender Policy, and PWD Act would ensure that appointments in all facets of governance in Nigeria would abide by the principles of inclusivity, equity, fairness, and justice.

She said that the Electoral Hub commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his quick appointment of 19 new RECs, noting that the National Gender Policy provides for at least 35 per cent representation for women.

She recalled that the Abuja Federal High Judgement of 6 April 2022 also affirmed that the dismal figure were discriminatory against women.

She added that it was a violation of Sections 14(3), 42, and 147 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Articles 2, 13, and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Articles II and IX of the Maputo Protocol.

She said that the appointments were right on time to fill the vacancies occasioned by the end of tenure for over 20 RECs whose tenures end on July 6 and Aug. 15.

She said, “These timely appointments are good for the certainty and stability of the electoral process. It is also critical for effective preparation for the 2023 general election.

“However , the Electoral Hub raised concerns over the poor representation of women and PWD in President Buhari Appointment of 19 New RECs for INEC.

“We are dismayed at the poor representation of women and People with Disabilities (PWD) in these appointments.

“The president failed to use this opportunity to right the poor gender representation in his administration with only three women appointees out of the nineteen new appointees. ‘’

Hamman-Obels said that out of the new appointees, it was unfortunate to note that only 15.8 per cent were women which called extremely poor representation with no PWDs representation.

According to her, this trend is also replicated at the National level with only two women National Commissioners (15.4 per cent) out of 13 members Commission and no PWD.

She said that the poor state of inclusion at the Commission was deplorable.

She said, “As the primary electoral management body (EMB) responsible for presidential, governorship, and legislative elections across the country, INEC has the power to promote gender inclusion in the electoral process.

“However, its ability to do this will be limited if it is not gender-inclusive internally.

“Given the poor state of women’s representation in decision-making processes in Nigeria, it is imperative to have an all-inclusive EMB (gender and PWD inclusive EMB) that can further drive the inclusion of women and other marginalised groups. ‘’

Hamman-Obels, therefore, called on the government to implement the National Gender Policy, which called for at least 35 per cent affirmative action for women in elective and appointive offices.

She also called for the implementation of Sections 29 and 30 of the PWDs (Prohibition) Act 2018 which mandate the government to ensure that PWDs fully participate in the conduct of public affairs without discrimination with at least five per cent inclusion.

She said that future appointments should take this principle seriously, otherwise, the nation risked completely marginalising women and other vulnerable groups from meaningful participation in public life.

Hamman-Obels expressed hope that subsequent nominations into INEC and other public institutions would be more inclusive and equitable.

Food Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility- Stakeholders

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 3, 2022

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Stakeholders say food safety is a collaborative effort by all and should be everyone’s responsibility.

A cross section of stakeholders spoke with the Newsmen on the sidelines of the 2022 National Food Safety programme in Abuja.

The event which held at the Ministry of Environment, was powered by RCL City Centre in collaboration with the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Others are the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Lagos State Safety Commission.

The stakeholders said that food safety must not be left in the hands of the industry’s regulatory bodies alone, adding that it was the responsibility and business of everyone.

Mr Joe Oduah, the Chief Executive Officer, RCL Industrial Safety Centre said that everyone who produced, processed, sold or prepared food, had a role in keeping it safe.

He said that the importance of the programme could not be overemphasised, noting that producers usually found it difficult to export due to the poor quality of food produced in the country.

Nimatullah Braimah, a Senior Scientific Officer in the Quality Assurance and Development department of FCCPC, said the primary mandate of the commission was to protect consumers against unwholesome and unsafe foods.

She said that food safety was a collaborative effort by all stakeholders, adding that everyone had a responsibility and part to play right from the farmer, the regulatory bodies to the consumer.

Anne Iweka of the Food and Drug Services Department, Federal Ministry of Health said the objective of the programme was to chart the way forward for all stakeholders in the industry.

“We are here at the food safety programme to chart the way forward to engender food hygiene and sensitise farmers, food handlers, processors, manufacturers on the issue of food safety in the country.

“The government has been involving the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to come together and chart the way forward in the issue of better food safety in the country.

“This is by carrying out sensitisation awareness to food handlers across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

“We the regulators all come together to constitute the National Food Safety and Management Committee which is being domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Health.

“Our objective is basically to chart the way forward in ensuring a high level of food safety in the country,” she said.

Lebanon: Food Crisis Deepens As Protesters Storm Bakeries

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 3, 2022

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Angry citizens recently stormed bakeries and pastry shops in Lebanon as the country’s food crisis deepened.

Long queues formed outside many stores with residents waiting impatiently in searing heat for subsidized bundles of bread. As stocks and tempers ran short, many people opted to buy other bakery products, some priced at 40,000 Lebanese pounds ($1.5) for 10 thin loaves.

Others vented their frustrations by taking to social media platforms, blaming politicians and bakeries for the problem while slamming mafia organizations for selling subsidized flour on the black market and smuggling it to Syria.

In some places, soldiers were forced to intervene, removing protesters from shops, and defusing heated arguments between queueing customers.

Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam said: “Around 49,000 tons of wheat are expected to arrive in Lebanon by the end of this week. Hopefully the ships will arrive faster. The crisis is the result of flour being stolen from our country.

Lebanon’s inability to secure US dollars to continue subsidizing medicines, wheat, and fuel, on Wednesday resulted in petrol prices rising by 14,000 Lebanese pounds to reach 617,000 pounds per 20 liters.

Georges Brax, a member of the gas station owners’ syndicate, said: “The central bank used to secure 100 percent of the US dollars needed to import fuel, according to its Sayrafa platform rate. Now it provides only 85 percent. The remaining 15 percent needs to be secured based on the black-market rate.”

At its Wednesday meeting, a ministerial committee set up to address the repercussions of the financial crisis on public facilities and headed by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, reiterated its previous recommendations to meet the demands of public sector employees, who have been on strike for more than a month, pending the approval of the 2022 budget and avoiding any burden on the state treasury.

The committee approved granting additional financial assistance equivalent to the value of a full salary and a daily transportation allowance of 95,000 pounds, provided that employees attended work for a minimum number of days a week.

Those failing to turn up for work, without justification, for a period of 15 days, were warned that they would be “considered resigned.”

Caretaker Minister of Finance Youssef Khalil said: “The proposal provides for a daily lump-sum productivity allowance for employees and workers in the public administration, ranging between 150,000 Lebanese pounds and 350,000 pounds per day, provided that the beneficiary is present at least three days a week, every week during official working hours.”