NDLEA Intercepts 101 Parcels Of Cocaine In Lagos

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April 11, 2022

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Nigeria, have intercepted 101 parcels of Cocaine concealed in children’s duvet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The illicit drug was brought into the country by a 52-year-old Brazilian returnee, Akudirinwa Hilary Uchenna who hails from Imo state, South-East Nigeria.

A press statement by the Director Media and Advocacy NDLEA headquarters Abuja Mr. Femi Basfemi said: “The suspect was arrested on Saturday 9th April at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha aboard Qatar Airline flight, with the class A drug weighting13.2 kilogram.”

Also, in Lagos, “an early morning raid in the notorious Akala, Mushin area of the state on Saturday 9th April led to the seizure of 746.25 kilograms of cannabis.“

In a related development, big pellets of skunk concealed in detergent containers have been intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, Southern Nigeria.

“A 37-year-old South African returnee, Ezekwesili Afamefune brought in the consignment weighing 730grams aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,“ the statement read.

In Edo state, “a 24-year-old drug dealer Christian John was arrested by NDLEA operatives in Egbeta, Ovia North East LGA for selling assorted illicit drugs which include sachets of drugged Milo beverage, cannabis sativa, swinol and tramadol tablets, while in Zamfara state, Northern Nigeria, one 30 years old Chibuzor Uba, was arrested on Friday 8th April with 1,955 ampules of pentazocine at Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara state.”

Also, “a 21 years old cross-border drug trafficker, Stanley Chibuzor, was on Friday 8th April arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA stationed at Oron beach, Oron, Akwa Ibom state with 11,190 tablets of Tramadol during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to Cameroon.”

Similarly, “In Ondo state, a 25 years old drug dealer who produces and sells skuchies, Oluwaseun Agboola, was arrested on Thursday 7th April, at his Igoba, Second Gate, Akure residence where 73 bottles of skuchies weighing 77kg stocked in his kitchen were recovered.”

While commending officers and men of the MMIA, AIIA, Edo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Ondo state Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, the Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to remain focused and abstain from acts capable of compromising or jeopardizing the collective goal of ridding Nigeria of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

IMF Warns Failure To Compensate White Farmers Will Result in Zimbabwe Debt Ballooning

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Elizabeth Williams

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April 11, 2022

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned, Zimbabwe’s failure to compensate white former farmers as per agreement will result in the country’s public debt bulging.
The Bretton woods institution also warned the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s failure to fully compensate for losses incurred when the country embarked on currency reforms will exacerbate the situation.
In the 2022 national budget statement, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube stated that the country had an external debt burden of US$13,7 billion.
In July 2020, government signed a deal with white former farmers to pay them US$3,5 billion in compensation for improvements on farms taken over for resettlement under its often-violent land reform exercise.
The latest comprehensive 2022 Article IV Consultation report said the country’s consolidated debt was now projected at US$19,03 billion, which would further constrain its ability to access development funding.
“The external debt burden is excessive and the country is incurring external arrears,” the IMF said in a report.
“While the real value of domestic debt has fallen significantly given the high inflation, plans to settle unfunded liabilities related to blocked funds and a compensation agreement for displaced farmers aggravate the debt situation.”
Government’s agreement with white former farmers envisaged a 50% down payment within 12 months and full payment over a period of 48 months thereafter.
Government has so far paid US$250 million towards the compensation by providing shares in Kuvimba Mining Company to the displaced farmers.
The remainder of the compensation, about US$3,25 billion, is yet to be funded.
“Securing financing for the compensation is constrained by Zimbabwe’s lack of market access. In April 2021, the government appointed a financial advisory firm to identify possible financing instruments and funding options and expects a report on financing options by mid-2022,” the IMF noted.
“In the absence of financing, the unfunded US$-denominated liabilities from the farmers’ compensation agreement have been incorporated under external arrears as of end 2020 for the purpose of the DSA [Debt Sustainability Analysis].”
The Bretton Woods institution said in the absence of an agreed repayment schedule and financing, the US$2,5 billion of central government obligations stemming from blocked funds is treated as external arrears for the purposes of the DSA as of end of 2021.

NITDA Boss Urges Universities To Produce Job Creators

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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April 11, 2022

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The Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has urged Universities in the country to devote greater attention to entrepreneurship training in order to produce graduates that will create job opportunities, not job seekers.

Inuwa stated this while receiving the management of Federal University of Agriculture Zuru, Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria, led by its Vice Chancellor, Professor Musa Isyaku Ahmed.

The NITDA boss described University’s role in finding lasting solution to Nigeria’s unemployment as critical, in view of the large number of young people graduating annually.

Inuwa noted that most graduates coming out from the universities are becoming liability to the country, waiting for white collar jobs, hence the need for the university system to produce jobs owners instead of job seeks.

“Universities can be used as mentoring, training and coaching grounds to the students, encouraging them to start their own business while in school,” he insisted.

Commenting on NITDA’s National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) programme, Inuwa stated that it was an initiative of the Agency designed to support the Nigerian young farmers that are very passionate about making a career in farming.

The Director General explained that the Agency has concluded arrangements to engage Universities’ research works practically on the farms with a view to achieving the set goal.

The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture Zuru, Professor Musa Isyaku Ahmed, said they were at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters on a familiarisation visit to further avail themselves with what they have been seeing and hearing about NITDA’s impact on so many sectors, particularly the tertiary institutions.

While soliciting for the collaborative support of NITDA in its intervention programmes, the Prof also called for paradigm shift in the nation’s education system.

Foundation Gifts 100 Artificial Limbs To Children

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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April 11, 2022

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A Non-governmental organization in Nigeria, the Irede Foundation is giving out 100 free artificial limbs to children living without limbs.

The Executive Director of the Foundation, Mrs. Crystal Chigbu, speaking ahead of the global Out-On-A-Limb Awareness Walk, said for 10 years, they have continued to fulfill their mission of inspiring action that would ensure that children living with limb loss and their families live an independent and limitless life.

“We have given over 250 limbs to children across Nigeria and also launched the Inclusive Education Project which ensures children living with disabilities are able to thrive whilst bringing their whole selves to the academic environment,” she said.

She further explained that the awareness walk was aimed at promoting inclusion, raise critical funds and spotlight the challenges peculiar to children and limb loss while celebrating their uniqueness, strength and their ability to thrive against all odds.

The Programme Director, Ms. Wuraola Kayode said that in the past two years, they have launched an inclusive magazine for children which highlights disabilities in children, promotes inclusion, and discourages discrimination and bullying,

“Since the inception of this initiative, the foundation has led conversations across 40 locations globally with a direct reach of 15,000 people and an indirect reach of 10 million people globally, which has enabled the foundation the opportunity to raise awareness about Limb loss & Limb Difference, increase top of mind awareness about the work the foundation does and the support available for target stakeholders, and raise funds to continue to empower child amputees.

“In years past, the family-friendly walk has had in attendance notable individuals such as Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and many more influential personalities.

NAFDAC Warns Against Contaminated Buttermilk Pancake, Waffle Mix

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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April 11, 2022

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians that Continental Mills is recalling Great Value Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix due to potential foreign material contamination.

The NAFDAC director-general Moji Adeyeye, signed the alert with number 021/2022 and stated on Sunday that the product was distributed nationwide in the U.S., where consumers purchased the product from retail Walmart stores.

She also disclosed that fragments from a cable used to clear the processing line were discovered in a limited amount of the product. According to her, no contaminated product has been reported by consumers to date, and no injuries have been reported.

She urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare providers, and consumers to exercise caution in importing, distributing, selling, and using the recalled product.

NAFDAC called on the public possessing the recalled product to discontinue sale or use and hand over stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Bank Of Israel Raises Interest Rate For First Time Since 2018 to Limit Inflation

By

Elizabeth Williams

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April 11, 2022

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The Bank of Israel’s monetary policy committee said Monday it was raising the benchmark interest rate to 0.35% from the current 0.1%, as it has signaled it would, in order to limit rising inflation and housing prices in Israel.
The announcement marks the first time the central bank has decided to raise the interest rate since November 2018.

The central bank indicated it would start gradually increasing the interest rate in February, citing at the time strong economic performance alongside the COVID-19 pandemic and indications pointing to “continued strong activity.”
The bank also cited the inflation rate, which had risen above its target range since the last policy meeting in early January, as well as rising consumer and housing prices.
The inflation rate in Israel reached 3.5% in February, slightly above the bank’s upper range of 3%, and is expected to reach 3.6% during 2022, while dropping to 2% in 2023, the bank said, estimating that the interest rate would go down to 1.5% in about a year.
Still, despite “inflation in Israel rising in the past few months, it is still significantly lower than inflation rates in most countries in the world,” the bank said in a statement.

Buhari Has No Plan for Another Medical Trip to London – Presidency

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Henry Williams

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April 11, 2022

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The Presidency has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari has no immediate plan to embark on another medical trip to London, the United Kingdom.

The social media was flooded with the news of yet another trip to London by President Buhari, just a month after he visited the country for a two-week medical session with his doctors.

But in a Tweet yesterday, the Personal Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, debunked the rumour, saying President Buhari was in Abuja and not planning any trip to London.

“The news going round that President Muhammadu Buhari has embarked on a 20-day vacation trip to London is FAKE. The President is in Abuja and he is not planning to embark on any trip to London,” Ahmad explained.

EU to Deploy Election Observation Mission To Lebanon Ahead of May Vote

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Elizabeth Williams

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April 11, 2022

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A delegation from the European Union election observers on Monday wrapped up a six-day visit to Lebanon during which they discussed the deployment of observers ahead of the upcoming May 15 parliamentary elections in the crisis-hit country.
The observer mission said it will start deploying 30 observers throughout Lebanon later this week, with their numbers reaching more than 150 from 27 EU member states, Switzerland and Norway on the day of the vote.
Head of the mission, Gyorgy Holvenyi, During the visit, discussed its work with top Lebanese officials, politicians and religious leaders.

The May 15 elections will be the first in Lebanon since the country’s economic meltdown began in October 2019.
A massive Aug. 4, 2020, explosion in Beirut’s port that killed more than 200 people, injured over 6,000 and caused wide damage in the Lebanese capital, precipitated the country’s crisis.
The Hezbollah terror group and its allies control the majority of seats in the current parliament. Their opponents are hoping to deprive them of this majority in the next month’s vote.
A total of 103 lists with 1,044 candidates are vying for the 128-seat legislature that is equally divided between Christians and Muslims. Parliamentary elections are held once every four years in Lebanon.
Holvenyi, a Hungarian politician currently serving as a member of the European Parliament, highlighted that the EU Election Observation Mission is impartial and independent, adding that it does not judge the electoral outcome or validate the results.
He said it will evaluate the electoral process and its compliance with regional and international commitments on political participation and democratic elections.
“We are not here to interfere in the process. We are not investigators,” Holvenyi said.

Lagos State Begins Polio Immunisation Campaign

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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April 11, 2022

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Lagos State has kicked off it’s 2022 1st and 2nd rounds Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) Immunisation campaign.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibrahim A. Mustafa, disclosed this in a statement, noting that although Nigeria was certified free from the Wild Polio Virus, (WPV) on 25 August 2020, after three consecutive years of zero reported cases.

According to him, there has been an increase in transmission of the new variant of poliovirus in some states of the country due to low routine immunisation coverage occasioned by security challenges and poor access to health care.

“In order to curb this, the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. NPHCD, with support from partners (WHO , UNICEF, CHAI, Rotary Polio plus. etc) recommend that children 0-5 years receive two drops of the OPV for two rounds irrespective of their previous immunisation status.

“The vaccination teams will be visiting all households, hospitals, schools, churches, mosques, recreational grounds, estates, markets, shopping plazas and other places,” Mustafa said.

The first round of the exercise holds from 9-12 April 2022, while the second round holds from 7-10 May 2022 at 7.00 am daily.

He urged parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated during the campaign.

JAMB releases UTME mock results

By

Henry Williams

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April 11, 2022

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of the 2022 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted on April 9.

JAMB made this known in its Weekly Bulletin of the Office of the Registrar, on Monday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that no less than 175, 000 candidates sat for the examination at JAMB’s 757 centres nationwide.

The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who spoke to NAN after the Saturday exercise, had expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the exercise nationwide.

Oloyede said that the 175,000 candidates, who wrote the mock examination, were limited to only one session which started from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

He also assured that the board and all the Computer Based Tests centres were ready for the conduct of the 2022 main examination coming up from May 6 to May 16.