The United Kingdom on Monday injected additional £10 million (about N6 billion) into the funding of off-grid low-carbon energy projects aimed at reducing carbon emission and improving access to cleaner energy in the country.
The UK’s Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, announced the donation of the amount at a formal ceremony at the residence of the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Power, Mr. Jeddy Agba, in Abuja.
The amount, according to Ford, will also help to scale up solar-mini-grid and home systems, clean cooking infrastructure and cold storage infrastructure in Nigeria.
The UK minister, who is visiting Nigeria for the first time, said that UK was keen to improve energy access in Nigeria and help the country to keep up her COP26 commitments.
“The UK is committed to increasing both renewable energy and energy access in Nigeria, driving clean, sustainable and resilient growth,” Ford said.
“As the world looks to clean growth, we are witnessing an era-defining opportunity for the private sector. This transition is particularly exciting as it brings together UK government support with the institutional capital, which is essential to grow the sector at scale,” the minister added.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Power, Jeddy Agba, who received the money on behalf of his country, thanked the UK government for its active support towards Nigeria’s effort in achieving its carbon neutrality target in 2060.
Mr. Agba disclosed that Nigeria is currently implementing its clean energy transition scheme with a number of projects in Lagos, Borno and Kano states and has gone ahead to develop investor-grade data for project development and a $550 million facility from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, thus emerging with the largest clean energy access programme across the continent of Africa.
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has said the federal government hopes to generate over N5 billion through the fisheries coastal terminal concession project currently being finalised.
The project is expected to further create jobs and boost foreign exchange earnings among other benefits to the economy.
The commission, in a statement by the acting Head, Media and Publicity, Manji Yarling, said the project aims to boost fish exports, and ensure the rehabilitation and upgrade of the terminal and operation of fishing trawlers.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) last week approved the rehabilitation of the Federal Fishery Coastal Terminal in Ebughu Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The project was proposed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and domiciled therein.
The brownfield project is to be carried out using the Finance, Rehabilitate, Operate, and Maintain PPP Model with Messrs Alfin Fisheries Limited as the concessionaire, the statement added.
The move is part of the efforts by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards economic diversification, food security, and foreign exchange earnings among other benefits.
The commission explained that the project is part of moves by the federal government to reform the fisheries industry into an engine of economic growth as it is expected to create more jobs around the value chain and empower the youths within the host community.
The ICRC noted that primary objective of the concession is to develop and upgrade the fishery terminal facilities to a world class standard through private sector financing and operation.
The concession will span an 11-year period, with the upgrade and rehabilitation work expected to have been completed in the first year while the facility will be operated by the concessionaire for the next 10 years.
The terminal provides onshore services to fishing vessels, underwater vessels and offers repair and maintenance facilities.
It is also equipped for vessel handling, dry dock fishing/landing, processing and storage, among others.
As part of efforts to boost power supply in the country, the Federal government says Nigeria will join other countries of the world to exploit atomic materials for more energy supply.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu made this known on Monday at the Validation workshop of the Draft revised National Energy Policy and its related Master Plan in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Dr Onu said Nigeria is watching with keen interest, the ongoing research in many countries on nuclear fusion technology for energy use and would venture into it to boost energy generation in the country.
“The progress made in this research may appear small, but it is very significant and important in energy generation. The countries involved in this research in nuclear fusion, are planning to achieve energy sufficiency in the future”
According to the minister, a national energy policy and master plan are imperative to guide energy development in a coordinated manner.
He added that the policy is important as it is actively sought after by investors, development partners and scholars who intend to use it for the development of this sector.
At the end of the workshop, professionals from the energy sector and stakeholders who made a thorough review of the document submitted their recommendations before the final adoption of the document by the participants for onward approval by the Federal Executive Council.
Cambridge University Botanic Garden has lost its “Newton’s apple tree” to Storm Eunice.
Garden curator Dr Samuel Brockington said the tree was planted in 1954 and had stood at the Brookside entrance of the botanic garden for 68 years.
He said the tree was cloned from the one that led Sir Isaac Newton to discover the laws of gravity.
The botanic garden said it had a clone of the tree that would be planted elsewhere in the garden soon.
The original tree from which an apple fell, leading Newton to devise his theory of gravity, is at Woolsthorpe Manor in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Even though it was blown over in a gale in the 19th Century, the tree survived and over the years has been propagated by grafting, which involves binding one of the shoots on to another sapling.
Mali’s rubber stamp lawmakers on Monday approved a plan allowing the military junta to rule for up to five years, despite ECOWAS sanctions imposed on the country over delayed elections.
After staging a coup in the impoverished Sahel state in August 2020, the country’s military rulers initially promised to stage a vote in February 2022.
But in December last year, the junta proposed staying in power for between six months and five years, citing security concerns.
In response, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last month imposed a trade embargo and closed its borders with Mali. The bloc has called the potential length of the transition unacceptable.
On Monday, 120 members of Mali’s 121-seat interim parliament voted to allow the junta to govern for up to five years, in line with the earlier junta proposal.
According to AFP, no lawmakers in the army-dominated legislature voted against the bill or abstained.
The bill does not mention on what date a future election might be held.
Mali’s Junta Leader, Colonel Assimi Goita has pledged to restore civilian rule, but he has refused to commit to a date.
Tensions with the junta contributed to France’s announcement last week that it was withdrawing its troops from Mali which are deployed under the anti-jihadist Barkhane force in the Sahel.
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, has condemned the craze of converting polytechnics to universities, saying such a step is usually taken in ignorance of what the real trend in technical and vocational education is.
Bugaje therefore likens such an action as taking a step forward and taking many steps backward.
He stated this during a workshop titled ‘Improving skills development in Nigerian Polytechnics for economic growth, entrepreneurship and social inclusion” organised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, in Lagos.
“While countries like China and Germany are giving priority to technical and vocational education and with China even converting universities to polytechnics because they know that is the future, we are now in the craze of turning our polytechnics to universities here. We are having a dearth of technicians while we are heading for a glut of university graduates.
“There should be paradigm shift. What we need to be able to compete well at global level is to produce manpower that is skilled. We may not need a situation where you will be asking for five credits at General Certificate in Education level or somebody who scores 300 in the UTME.
“If you have people who have the skills, get them in, brush up their talents and you may award them Skill Qualification Certificate. The Indians and Chinese doing welding jobs here, who says they have five credits in GCE?
“From 2023, the NBTE will not accredit any course in any polytechnic if there is no skill training programme on ground. We will not tolerate the running of programmes that are devoid of skills acquisition. Skills are now the currency of labour globally. If you are training somebody on Building Technology, take him to a live construction site to see what is happening,” he added.
Bugaje also said the NBTE would soon come out with its ranking of Polytechnics in the country and charged participants to think outside the box and make great impact on the lives of their students and the nation as a whole.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Elias Bogoro, said the focus of polytechnics should be on producing skilled manpower for the country.
“Lecturers must also acquire new skills as you cannot give what you don’t have. Without the relevant teaching skills, our polytechnics would be nothing. Industrial training must be done well and properly monitored,”he said.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TETFund, Kashim Ibrahim Imam, represented by Senator Ganiyu Solomon, said despite the global cash crunch, the fund is still able to discharge its duties and is changing the narrative in the tertiary education sector in Nigeria.
The Confederation of African Football on Monday informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the Super Eagles will now take on Ghana’s Black Stars on new dates.
Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, disclosed in a statement that the 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off round fixture between Nigeria and Ghana would not hold on the earlier announced dates.
The two matches were earlier scheduled for March 24 and March 27.
“The opening leg of the fixture at the Cape Coast Stadium will now take place on March 25, starting from 7:30 p.m Ghana time, which will be 8:30 p.m in Nigeria.
“The return leg match will now hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on March 29, starting from 6 p.m Nigeria time,” Olajire stated.
The winners over the two legs will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup billed for Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18.
Potassium is a vital mineral and electrolyte that your body needs to maintain normal blood pressure, transport nutrients into your cells, and support healthy nerve and muscle function.
It’s considered an essential nutrient because your body can’t produce it. Therefore, you must get potassium from foods to meet your recommended daily needs, also known as the Daily Value.
However, most people don’t get enough potassium through their diets. It’s estimated that less than 0.015% of American adults meet their daily potassium needs.
Since a medium banana contains around 9% of the DV for this mineral, most people consider it the go-to food to increase their potassium intake. However, bananas are not the only good source of potassium.
Avocados
Avocados
Avocados are packed with healthy fats, vitamin K, and folate.
Half an avocado without the skin and seed (68 grams) contains 345 mg of potassium, or 7% of the DV. If you eat a whole avocado, you’ll get almost 15% of the DV at once.
What’s more, avocados may benefit people with high blood pressure, who often need to increase their potassium and reduce their sodium intake. Like most other fruits, avocados are low in sodium, with half an avocado providing just 0.2% of the DV
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are often used as an alternative to white potatoes.
They’re an exceptionally nutritious way to support your potassium intake. A 1-cup (328-gram) serving of mashed sweet potato boasts 16% of the DV.
What’s more, sweet potatoes are low in fat, offer a small amount of protein, and are a good source of complex carbs and fiber.
They’re also an excellent source of vitamin A, which is critical for vision. The same serving of sweet potatoes provides more than 200% of the DV of vitamin A.
For a balanced and filling meal, you can pair these delicious root vegetables with a protein source such as beans or meat, some dark greens or colorful vegetables, and a little fat.
Watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a large, delicious fruit with high water content.
Just 2 wedges (about 1/8 of a melon, or 572 grams) provides just under 14% of the DV for potassium.
The same serving also contains 44 grams of carbs, 3.5 grams of protein, 0.8 grams of fat, and 2.2 grams of fiber. What’s more, this lush, red melon is a great source of magnesium and vitamins A and C
Coconut water
Coconut water is a particularly hydrating drink.
It’s an excellent natural alternative to sports drinks, as it contains key electrolytes that help draw water into your cells. Its natural sugars also provide energy during exercise and help replenish lost glycogen stores afterward.
Just 1 cup (240 mL) of coconut water contains 13% of the DV for potassium. Plus, it’s a good source of magnesium, sodium, and manganese.
Coconut water is very refreshing when served chilled with ice after a sweaty workout. Just make sure to avoid varieties with added sugar.
Fish
Fish
Certain lean and fatty fish offer potassium.
For example, just half a fillet (154 grams) of cooked cod provides 12% of the DV, and a whole fillet (150 grams) of haddock offers 11%.
Similarly, half a fillet (154 grams) of cooked salmon has a whopping 21% of the DV, and the same serving of tuna boasts 17% of the DV.
In addition, fatty fish such as salmon and tuna are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which may further reduce your risk of heart disease.
How much potassium do you need?
Like other vitamins and minerals, potassium is a micronutrient, meaning that you need to consume it only in small amounts.
As previously mentioned, vitamin and mineral needs are measured according to their Daily Values (DV), the recommended amounts to consume per day.
The DV for potassium for healthy individuals is 4,700 mg. You can consume this amount by following a wholesome, varied diet.
Although Western diets are often low in potassium and high in sodium — two factors that can increase your risk of heart disease — eating foods from the list above may help you easily increase your potassium intake.
The bottom line
Although bananas are a good source of potassium, many other nutritious foods, including sweet potatoes, legumes, and beets, offer more potassium per serving. Swiss chard, yams, and white beans even have twice as much potassium per cup as a medium banana.
The key to getting enough potassium is to eat a range of plant foods each day. Certain fish, such as salmon, tuna, and cod, are good animal-based sources of this mineral too.
Banned Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare has reacted to the career-ending 10 year ban slammed on her.
Reacting on Saturday, the day after her ban, she stated on her facebook page that she was studying the ban and her lawyers will react accordingly.
An appeal looks most likely. She wrote, “My attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the AIU regarding its disciplinary panel decision. My lawyers are currently studying it for our next line of action which we will inform you soon.”
Her trouble started at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics which held last year. Okagbare was expelled at the games having reached the semi-finals of the women’s 100m.
The suspension from the games was hinged on testing positive for human growth hormone at an out-of-competition test in Slovakia on July 19.
“The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years,” read an AIU statement.
A copy of the judgement read in part, “For the reasons set out, The Tribunal:
“Finds the ADRVs contrary to Rules 2.1 and 2.2 ADR proved;
“Imposes a period of Ineligibility of five years concurrently on each of the Rule 2.1 and Rule 2.2 ADRVs;
“Finds that the Athlete failed to comply with the Demand and cooperate with the AIU investigation in breach of Rules 5.7.3 and 5.7.7 ADRV and imposes a consecutive period of Ineligibility of five years; and
“Therefore, imposes a total period of Ineligibility of ten years which commences on 31 July 2021.
“The Tribunal also orders that the Athlete’s results from and including 20 June 2021 are disqualified with all resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, titles, ranking points, and prize and appearance money.
“There is no order for costs.”
It was also claimed that the Nigerian athlete was also charged with failing to cooperate with the investigation after she disobeyed an order to produce “documents, records and electronic storage devices” in relation to the other charges.
Former Black Star captain, Asamoah Gyan has urged the team to stay focused as they get ready to face sworn rivals Nigeria.
According to Gyan, the match could go either way but Ghana will have to stay focused and do what is needed to be done on the field to secure qualification.
Ghana are struggling to return to the World Cup after missing out at the Russia 2018 edition which Nigeria qualified for.
According to Ghana’s newspaper, GhanaGuardian, Nigeria appeared the most in form team at the African Cup of Nations but unfortunately they were just champions of the group stages where they won all three matches but the trophy was not given at that stage as they crashed out against Tunisia who qualified to the round of 16 as one of the best third place teams with just three points.
Ghana on the other hand exited the tournament after finishing bottom of their group that comprised Comoros, Gabon and Morocco.
“Ghana and Nigeria is a rivalry, you cannot predict,” Gyan told TV3
“Anyone can win, so we just have to stay focused and do what they have to do on the field. That it is.” he reportedly said.
Nigeria will face the Black Stars of Ghana in Cape Coast on March 24 before playing each other once again at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on March 27.
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