NYSC Bags Most Innovative Service Provider Award

By

-

April 30, 2022

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in Nigeria has won the award of the most “Innovative Service Provider” award of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NIRA.

The State Coordinator, NYSC Lagos, Mrs Yetunde Baderinwa received the award on behalf of the Director- General of the NYSC.

At the 5th edition of the .Ng Award which was held in Lagos state south west Nigeria, the President of Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NIRA, Mr Muhammad Rudman commended the various organisations that have proudly projected their businesses using the .ng brand over the years.

The President enjoined every Nigerian to register an .ng domain name and spread the word about Nigerian content. The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) is a self-regulating body that manages the .ng country code top level domain (ccTLD).

This category recognises excellence in business Innovation, Online user experience, and commitment to the Nigerian internet community while embracing sound business practices based on the level of local and original content promoted with the domain name.

Present at the event was the Director General Nigeria Mining Cadasre Obadiah Simon Nkom, the chairperson Nigerian Internet Governance Mrs Mary Uduma Forum Board of trustees and directors of NIRA and other dignitaries.

Other nominees in this category were: Sea Concept, Life Bank Nigeria, Hotel Booking limited and Landwey.

Other winners at the 2022 .ng awards are Best E-payment Website/Portal Alat by Wema Bank. Best Print Media website Guardian Nigeria, Best local hosting company Smartweb limited, Best E-commerce Website Jumia Nigeria, Digital Innovation in federal government Nigeria Mining Cadastre office, Digital Innovation in State Government Akwa Ibom Govt and the host of others.

The NIRA president appreciated the winners and also nominees of the award.

Nigeria To Commence Disaster Risk Awareness Campaign

By

Olasunbo Okoromi

-

April 30, 2022

0

The Nigerian government says it will start a disaster risk information awareness to inform the public on the consequences of illegal oil bunkering.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq said this when she visited Imo state to commiserate with the government on the explosion which occurred at Abaezi forest, on Saturday, 23rd April 2022.

The Minister who was represented by the Director, Reliefs and Rehabilitation in the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Alhassan Nuhu said that government will implement risk strategies to create awareness on the consequences of illegal crude oil refining amongst the locals.

Umar Farouq further urged traditional rulers, religious Heads and community leaders to advocate against illicit bunkering of oil in the communities.

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Rabbi Ibrahim commended the Federal government for sending a delegation to visit the explosion site which claimed scores of lives.

“Most of the people who lost their lives in the explosion were farmers and hunters who were going about their normal businesses. It will be wrong to assume that all who died were illegal oil miners. However, NEMA has done their assessment of the incident and the visit by the Federal government delegation gives the people of Imo state a sense of belonging”.

Others members of the Federal government’s delegation include the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Edward Kolawole Adedokun, the Deputy Director Humanitarian Affairs in the Ministry Dr Abubakar Suleiman, officials of NEMA and the Ministry.

World Safety Day: ILO Estimates 2.9m Deaths From Occupational Accidents Yearly

By

Olasunbo Okoromi

-

April 30, 2022

0

As the world commemorates the 2022 World Day for Safety and Heath, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, estimates that around 2.9 million workers die every year due to occupational accidents and diseases while about 402 million people suffer from non-fatal occupational injuries.

The ILO Office in Nigeria, represented by Dr Runo Onosode gave the figure in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital during activities to mark the World Day for Safety and Health.

According to the ILO, “examining 41 pairs of specific risk factors and health outcomes, the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates indicate that work-related diseases were responsible for 81 per cent of all work-related deaths, with deaths due to occupational injuries accounting for the remaining 19 per cent of work-related deaths.

“The occupational risk factor with the largest number of attributable deaths with exposure to long working hours (resulting in 745,000 related deaths), followed by exposure to particulate matter, gases and fumes – resulting in 450,000 deaths”.

It stressed that not only do occupational injuries and illness cause immeasurable human suffering to victims and their families, they also entail major economic losses for enterprises and economies as a whole which it said may be measured in terms of health care costs, compensation costs, production losses, reduced work capacity and lower workforce participation.

“Occupational accidents and diseases are estimated to contribute to 5.4 per cent of annual global gross domestic product (GDP) lost”, the ILO said.

The Nigerian government said that the participation and cooperation of all relevant stakeholders in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is crucial in protecting work environments and promoting the safety and health of workers in the country.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, Said that such meaningful participation by relevant parties would promote a strong OSH system, which is crucial in protecting the work environment and ultimately safeguarding the safety and health of workers.

Represented by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr John Magbadelo, Keyamo stated that the continued collaboration and cooperation of all stakeholders, across all sectors, would lead to achieving the highest level of safety, health and wellbeing of all workers in the country.

He noted that the theme for this year’s commemoration, “Act together to build a positive Safety and Health culture”, emphasised the importance of collective action by all stakeholders to guard the health and safety of workers.

Keyamo stated that the federal government remains committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for workers, in line with the ILO agenda for decent work.

He commended the International Labour Organisation in driving the improvement of Occupational Safety, Health, and Welfare of the Nigerian workers, as well as its commitment to building a positive safety and health culture.

Activities for the commemoration of the Day included road show/rally, medical outreach, distribution of posters, flyers and other Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials, all aimed at promoting a healthy culture at work.

Present at the symposium were representatives of International Labour Organisation (ILO), Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), World Safety Organisation, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Federal Fire Service among others.

Kansas tornado inflicts heavy damage and leaves thousands without power

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

A tornado has been filmed tearing through part of the US state of Kansas, with pictures showing cars crumpled into buildings and homes without roofs.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Midwest states including Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

In the city of Wichita, the mayor said 50 to 100 structures had been damaged, especially in the suburb of Andover.

However there are so far no reports of serious injuries.

At a press conference Saturday morning, local officials said there had been no deaths, despite the extent of the damage to buildings and cars.

“Good news is, we’ve found no more injuries than we talked about last night,” Fire Chief Chad Russell told local news. “We have no reports of fatalities…we have no rescues outstanding, so we have no one that we know of that is trapped in a building right now that’s waiting for us to rescue them.”

South Africa’s Jacob Zuma would do anything for the Guptas – Zondo report

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

The commission investigating allegations of widespread corruption in South Africa during Zuma’s nine years in power, known as “State Capture”, says the former president placed the interests of corrupt associates ahead of those of his country.

Further, it says that the Guptas identified Zuma as someone whose character could be used against the people of South Africa to advance their own business interests.

These scathing conclusions were revealed over more than 1,000 pages of this fourth part of the commission’s report – released on Friday – which is led by South Africa’s Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Central to the commission’s investigations has been the claim that one family bought their way into the most influential organs of the state via Zuma.

Both Zuma, who served as president from 2009 until 2018, and the Gupta family, who came to live in South Africa in 1993 just as white-minority rule was ending, deny any wrongdoing.

Because this commission is an inquiry it has no power to prosecute, however an amended regulation passed by President Cyril Ramaphosa last year allows law enforcement agencies to access information gained at the commission.

Zuma supporters say the probe on the former president is a witch hunt ochestrated by pro-white South Africa to punish him for his pro-people policies that had threatened to shift power to South Africans.

LASAMBUS Officials Safely Deliver Baby At Law School Bus stop

By

faith Jegede

-

April 30, 2022

0

A pregnant woman, who fell into labour along Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, while in transit on a public bus from Awoyaya in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government to Orile, was delivered of a baby boy by Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) officials.

27-year-old Shukarat Isa, whose unscheduled delivery trended on social media was then moved to the Ikate Health Centre with her newborn for further care and management.

Speaking after receiving a report of the successful medical emergency response by the LASAMBUS team, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, explained that the service, “LASAMBUS received the distress call of a pregnant woman in labour at 8.02am and promptly dispatched its closest response team to the venue of the incident. The team arrived at the scene, the Law School Bus Stop, at 8:16 am and quickly set parameters for the emergency response, helping the woman to deliver both the baby and the placenta”.

Prof. Abayomi noted that the team observed basic medical emergency procedures on the spot before conveying the mother and child to the Ikate Health Centre for further management.

The Commissioner said: “This is a typical case of an obstetric emergency which may arise at any time during pregnancy, labour and birth. The Lagos State Government realising the pivotal role of prompt emergency response, including transport of pregnant women during critical obstetric emergencies, in preventing maternal and child deaths, has continued to expand its ambulance services to offer prompt emergency service to residents”.

Expressing delight about the feat performed by the LASAMBUS team, Abayomi spoke further saying “We are happy that our investment and effort in overhauling the Lagos State Ambulance Service is yielding the desired results. News such as this is cheering and heart-warming as it adds up to improve our health indices and showcase our resolve to provide efficient and equitable service delivery to Lagosians”.

Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, disclosed that the State Government is currently reviewing the performance of the ambulance service and implementing a strategic plan to significantly improve service delivery, response time and the quality of care delivered by the service to reduce morbidity and mortality from emergencies.

“With over 200 staff, 25 ambulance points and a fleet of ambulances strategically located across the State, the Lagos State Ambulance Service is poised to provide prompt pre-hospital and emergency healthcare to Lagosians. Ours is a 24-hour medical emergency response service including weekends and public holidays”, Dr. Ogboye said.

Giving an account of the incident, the rescued woman, Shukarat Isa said “I was on a bus to Orile from Awoyaya, I fell into labour in the course of the journey and a man sitting beside me called the emergency number and requested help. The vehicle had a stop at the Law School Bus Stop for some passengers to disembark and this was where the LASAMBUS officials caught up with the vehicle and assisted with the delivery, which was already in process.

“The team also assisted in cleaning me and my baby up before transporting us to Ikate Health Centre at Elegushi. At Ikate Health Centre, the nurses stayed with us and assisted with my admission and baby immunisation before leaving. I have since been discharged and my baby and I are doing quite well. I would like to appreciate the medical team for their response and care, it means a lot to me and my family.”

The LASAMBUS team that was involved in the life-saving emergency service included Oyekanmi Inumidun Ayomibo, an Assistant Chief Community Health Technician; Uthman Nofisat Afolashade, Higher Community Health Technician and Yusuf Olanrewaju Rahmon, the Ambulance pilot.

Eurobond fails to lift reserves as more borrowing underway

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

The $1.25bn Eurobond Nigeria issued in March this year failed to shore up the country’s external reserves, which dropped by 2.15 percent year-to-date, even as the federal government plans more external borrowing, BusinessDay findings show.

External reserves dropped to $39.64 billion on April 27, 2022 from $40.15 billion on January 4, 2022, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Lower oil production despite high crude oil prices led to limited foreign currency inflows needed to boost the reserves.

Rising import bill continued to exert pressure on external reserves and this is expected to continue into the year, said FSDH Research.

Foreign exchange reserves, according to the CBN, are assets held on reserve by a monetary authority in foreign currencies. These reserves are used to back liabilities and influence monetary policy. They include foreign banknotes, deposits, bonds, treasury bills and other foreign government securities.

Nigeria is considering a bond sale targeted at its citizens overseas to raise funds to help Africa’s biggest economy narrow its budget deficit, according to a Bloomberg report.

Patience Oniha, director-general of the Debt Management Office, said the Federal Government might sell the debt after it repays $300 million of diaspora bonds maturing in June.

Nigerians forgo staple food items as inflation bites

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

The recent hike in food prices has caused many Nigerians to rethink their food consumption pattern. Some have adjusted it according to their budget realities while others have overhauled their diet completely to fit their income.

Food items such as turkey, fish, beef, sausage, milk and other animal protein sources are fast becoming exempted from families’ diets due to the surge in their prices.

Quoting the NBS reports on selected food prices, FBN Quest capital, an investment firm, noted that all 43 food items surveyed increased by about 28.8% year on year average. On a month on month basis, the average price increase was 2.5%.

The popular food franchise Chicken Republic recently added a new combo “Egg star” to its menu. This new combo contains rice or spaghetti, with stew and boiled egg and it is priced at N500. This was a surprise to Nigerians as the franchise is known to be a strictly chicken menu.

People now cope with the rise in food inflation by either foregoing a particular food item for a cheaper one or skipping a meal a day all to meet their budget.

One of the causes of the increase in food prices as indicated in the report by FBNQuest is the increase in insecurity in northern Nigerian states where many agricultural produce comes from.

The report revealed that another major factor is the pass-through effect from imported food prices due to the Russian-Ukraine war which is being felt globally by way of increasing fuel and soft commodity prices. This is likely to be felt more in the coming months if the war persists. Imported food inflation increased by about 8bps to 17.56%.

Oil Bunkering: Nigeria To Commence Disaster Risk Awareness Campaign

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

The Nigerian government says it will start a disaster risk information awareness to inform the public on the consequences of illegal oil bunkering.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq said this when she visited Imo state to commiserate with the government on the explosion which occurred at Abaezi forest, on Saturday, 23rd April 2022. Pictured below:

The Minister who was represented by the Director, Reliefs and Rehabilitation in the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Alhassan Nuhu said that government will implement risk strategies to create awareness on the consequences of illegal crude oil refining amongst the locals.

Umar Farouq further urged traditional rulers, religious Heads and community leaders to advocate against illicit bunkering of oil in the communities.

SIM/NIN Linkage Policy: NCC Denies Access To Terrorists, Bandits

By

Henry Williams

-

April 30, 2022

0

The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), says terrorists and bandits have been denied access to Subscribers Identity Module (SIM) cards with the ongoing implementation of the National Identity Number (NIM) SIM linkage policy.

The Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement NCC, Mr Ephraim Nwokonanya, disclosed this at the One-day Capacity Building for members of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), Abuja Chapter at the Commission Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

According to him, there is appreciable progress in the NIN-SIM linkage policy which is meant to curb insurgency, kidnapping and banditry in the country.

He explained that NIN-SIM implementation has been a vital tool in addressing the nation’s insecurity challenges.