At least, eight countries have qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, round of 16.
Senegal, Guinea, Morocco and Gabon became the latest countries to book their place in the 2021 AFCON last-16 on Tuesday.
Senegal played a 0-0 draw with Malawi to top Group B with five points, while Guinea finished in the second position with four points after losing 2-1 against Zimbabwe.
Morocco finished on top of Group C with seven points, while Gabon finished in the second position with five points.
The other four countries that have since booked their place in the AFCON round of 16 are Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
Cameroon was the first country to qualify for the AFCON round of 16 after wins over Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
Morocco was the second nation to qualify for the last-16 after two victories over Ghana and Comoros.
Nigeria, on the other hand, qualified for the AFCON last-16 at the weekend after beating Sudan 3-1.
The Super Eagles had defeated Egypt 1-0 last Tuesday.
The Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has assured that it would continue to engage the various teacher unions and other stakeholders to address all concerns raised about the new school calendar.
According to the Service, the Ministerial Committee on school’s calendar engaged representatives of the various unions and school heads before coming out with the calendar.
The management said they will continue to engage representatives of unions and other stakeholders if they have noted additional concerns since the release of the calendar.
A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday and signed by the head of the Public Relations Unit of the Service, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, said management had invited the unions to a meeting on Thursday, to discuss the additional issues raised.
It used the opportunity to welcome back to school all basic school teachers, learners and particularly, ‘My first day at school’ learners.
The statement reads in part, “We wish to assure parents, students, teachers and the general public that GES will work closely with the unions and other stakeholders to ensure that the 2022 academic calendar is not disrupted.
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, says that poor management of funds has remain a major operational constraint in the country’s Education sector.
Adamu said this during the inauguration of the governing council of eight federal polytechnics and six colleges of Education in Abuja.
The Minister called on the Councils of the institutions to think outside the box to generate more revenues and enlist the support of philanthropic organisations.
According to him, “Poor management of funds remains major operational constraint in the sector. It is expected that the limited funds allocated by government should be judiciously utilised“.
He also stated that the limited funds allocated by government should be judiciously utilised as it was evident that government cannot provide all the funds required to run the Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
Adamu further stated that it was imperative that the governing councils know the limits of their powers and how best to avoid situations of conflict in discharging their duties.
The minister said it was however important for the Chief Executive to brief the Governing Councils regularly on all procurement, as it was done on all financial and other matters.
According to him, all Chairmen and members of the Governing Councils need to take due cognisance of this, as it had, in the past, led to unnecessary frictions between the Councils and Managements of some Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that only 3 out of 36 states did not report suspected cases of cholera in 2021.
The NCDC disclosed this in its situation report for the 52nd epidemiological and last report for 2021.
“Thirty-three states and the FCT reported suspected cholera cases in 2021″ it stated.
Following the centre’s analysis, only Anambra, Edo and Imo did not report cholera cases last year.
It also stated that the country reported no fewer than 3,604 deaths and 111,062 cases of cholera in 2021. The NCDC explained, “Of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, the age group five-14 years is the most affected age group for male and female. Of all suspected cases, 50 per cent are males and 50 per cent are females.
In terms of challenges it encountered in 2021, the NCDC listed them thus, “Difficulty in accessing some communities due to security concerns; open defecation in affected communities; lack of potable drinking water in some rural areas and urban slums; inadequate vaccines to cover all LGAs, wards and settlements with cholera outbreaks; inadequate health facility infrastructure and cholera commodities for management of patients (Ringer’s lactate and ORS); inadequate trained personnel in states for case management; and poor and inconsistent reporting from states.”
For its next steps, the centre promised to “develop state-level preparedness and response plans, and maintain communication with and support to states for data reporting and response.
“Develop and submit cholera vaccination request to the International Coordinating Group and the Global Task Force for Cholera Control for reactive and preventive cholera campaign with the NPHCDA; continue advocacy to state governments to increase funding in WASH infrastructure; and pre-position response commodities across states.
“Build capacity for sample collection, transportation and laboratory diagnosis; planned after action review; planned review of the National Strategic Plan of Action on Cholera Control; and scale-up risk communications.”
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has called on Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education (COEs) to proritise academic programmes’ that will bring about innovations that would position the country on the path of rapid development.
The Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, who decried drop in low and medium skilled jobs in Nigeria, said it was regrettable that most of the medium skilled jobs were being handled by people from Francophone countries.
Speaking while declaring open a Two-Day capacity building workshop for heads of selected institutions and staff of TETFund Centres of Excellence in Abuja, Bogoro called on COEs and the polytechnics to focus on development, entrepreneurship and start-ups.
Stressing the need to improve on their capacity, TETFund boss explained that it is only by initiating new innovations that the country will be on the path of rapid development.
He said the two-day event was organised to ensure proper understanding of the concept of the centers by those that will be in charge of them.
Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof Suleiman Bogoro
Prof Bogoro added said that the Centres of Excellence in the colleges of education will focus on relevant pedagogical development, adding that beneficiary centre will get about $2million.
Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, commended Bogoro for his passion for institutionilisation of Research and Development.
The NBTE boss also expressed serious concerns that most major infrastructure projects in the country are being dominated by skilled personnel from other countries.
Recall that TETFund recently established Centres of Excellence in six polytechnics and six colleges of education.
The beneficiary institutions selected from each of the six geo-political zones in the country are; Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, Nasarawa State; Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State (North Central), Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Federal College Education, Yola, Adamawa State (North East), Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State (North-West).
The South-East has Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State and the Alvan Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State. The South-South’s beneficiaries include Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State and Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers State while Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and Adeyemi College Education, Ondo State made it from the South-West.
As a creative artist engaged in traditional and contemporary art forms, Wanger Ayu explores multicultural themes to project African cultural values to the world.
Also doubling as a fashion designer, Ayu is currently interrogating the Tiv’s A’nger fabric, using the patterns to enhance her paintings, printmaking and collage.
Although every artwork has a story behind it, the artist revealed that the diverse cultures and people she has come across in the course of her travels informed her genre of art.
According to her: “I had never been connected to who I am as a person before now. My father is Tiv from Benue and my mother is from Esan, Edo State, while I am born in Jos, Plateau State, but lives in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria.”
Connecting her journeys, perhaps, subconsciously to the rest of the world, Ayu, who had part of her education in England, and lived in Dubai, UAE, for a while before returning to Nigeria to do the compulsory one year National Youth Service in Enugu State, disclosed that her exposure to different people and cultures other than her native Tiv culture only is making her dwell on the multi-culture art form for expression
The artist, who now lives in Lagos, held her debut show titled, Weaving Identity. The two-man show, which was held from December 17 to 23, 2021 at DICA Art, Lagos, showcased some of Ayu’s cultural exploits on the canvass.
Appearing in mixed media, the works were set on native fabric and cultural motifs.
As a debutant in an art exhibition, she said: “The exhibition sold out.”
Apart from celebrating her native Tiv’s A’nger fabric, Ayu’s paintings showed her versatility on figurative works.
Her works, she noted are emerging in phases and will soon dominate the art space. She said: “The works are phased with ‘multiplicity’ being the first part. I am ultimately focused on disruptions: breaks, ruptures, and disruptive events and their effects on the individual, the family and the society.”
Pieces like Kura (keep watch or guard), acrylic on A’nger cloth; Kumakavwen (it is time to understand), white charcoal pencil, acrylic on A’nger cloth mounted on canvas; Bundesaan (no longer lost), acrylic canvas and Avadoo (it shall be good), white charcoal pencil and acrylic are among works that celebrate the beauty of finding expression in mix media of traditional and contemporary art forms.
The Paediatrics Association of Nigeria (PAN), has condemned the high rate of child Abuse menace in the country despite the existing Child Rights Act which was passed into Law in 2003.
The President of PAN, Dr. Edward Alikor stated this and noted that it is estimated that six out of ten children across the country have suffered one form of abuse or the other.
Alikor spoke Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital while briefing newsmen on the activities slated in the state from January 18th to 22nd, 2022 with the theme, ‘Child Abuse: An escalating menace in Nigeria’.
He explained that their findings of escalation of the menace followed a number of research work carried out to measure the prevalence of child abuse in states across the nation. In his words, he stated “Nigeria is notorious in Child Abuse. It is estimated that six (6) out of every ten (10) Children in this country have suffered one form of abuse or the other. For boys 10percent and for girls 35per cent.”
Speaking on the Child Rights Act of 2003, Dr. Edward said the states are supposed to domesticate the Law. “It is unfortunate that as large as we are, about eleven (11) out of 36 states of the country have not domesticated the Law. I am not even talking about seeing that it is properly executed” he said.
Alikor appealed to the media to assist the association in sensitization of the public on the issue especially on the need for all the states to domesticate the Rights Law and also ensure it is properly executed.
He said the association on its part uses different methodology such as training of healthcare workers, awareness of the public to achieve its fundamental objective of advocating for children in the country, adding that they also use PAN Journal to educate themselves and have discussions and disseminate scientific information.
Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most amazing and best preserved medieval walled cities in the world. Recently it became even more popular as the filming location of “Game of Thrones” King’s Landing.
Founded in the 7th century, a free state between the 14th and 19th centuries, Dubrovnik became an important Mediterranean Sea power and rivaled Venice as a trading port.
The Old City of Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town, for its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains.
EARLY HISTORY OF DUBROVNIK
The main history of Dubrovnik usually starts with a small settlement on the town’s site in pre-historic times.
This settlement, in fact, was on an island called Laus which was, at that time, separated from the mainland by a marsh.
There was also a larger Greek settlement nearby in what was called Epidauros (present-day Cavtat).
An invasion by Slavs in the 7th century destroyed Epidauros and other communities in the area, causing inhabitants to flee to Laus. Laus eventually changed to Raus which in turn became Ragusa – which is the historic name for Dubrovnik.
Around this time, Dubrovnik itself was founded by Croats. The name stems from dub which means oak and dubrava which means wood. (Unsurprisingly, the settlement was by an oak forest.)
Ragusa and Dubrovnik eventually merged when the marshland between them was filled in.
Another theory about Dubrovnik’s history which is gaining weight is that there was a large Greek settlement where Dubrovnik is situated today and that the city in fact has Greek origins.
THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF RAGUSA
Dubrovnik expanded considerably from the 9th century onwards and as part of the Byzantine Empire.
By the 12th century it was even considered somewhat of a threat to Venice and its Republic. It came under attack from Venice, and from 1205 to 1358 fell under its rule.
The old town was completed in the 13th century and remains virtually unchanged to the present day.
Tall ramparts surround it and there are only two entrances to the old town which lead to Stradun, the city’s promenade.
In 1358 the Treaty of Zadar saw Dubrovnik cease being under Venice’s rule and instead become Croat-Hungarian, although it had a great deal of independence.
From the 13th century onwards, Dubrovnik experienced a number of important developments which increased its prominence. The Statutes of 1272 laid the groundwork for political and legal life in the city.
From the 14th century trade with the local region flourished and the city also prospered industrially and culturally. Dubrovnik had a number of advanced establishments for that time. A pharmacy was opened in 1317 and an orphanage in 1432.
FALL OF THE REPUBLIC
Dubrovnik was hit by an earthquake on 6 April 1667. About 5,000 inhabitants died and much of the city was destroyed, although the city walls remained standing.
The city was weakened, and when in 1806 Napoleon entered Dubrovnik there was little resistance. The Republic of Ragusa was officially dissolved in 1808. However, after Napoleon’s fall, Dubrovnik became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1815.
HISTORY OF DUBROVNIK IN YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA
After World War I, Dubrovnik became part of Croatia which was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. This became Yugoslavia after World War II.
Dubrovnik was subjected to considerable shelling by the Serbs during the war in 1991/2, in a siege that lasted seven months. The Old Town suffered considered damage, but was quickly restored to its former beauty.
The Association of Resident Doctors has urged the government at all levels to establish more psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary, Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr. Michael Osingun, made the call in an interview with Newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
He also decried “the poor state of the few existing psychiatric hospitals in the country”, saying that most states in the country did not have a functional psychiatric hospital.
He said the establishment of more psychiatric hospitals was necessary due to the increasing cases of mental illness which seemed to overwhelm available mental health facilities.
The psychiatrist attributed the rising cases of mental illness to drug abuse, stress, economic downturn, unemployment, inadequate finances, depression and effects of the so called COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, mental health services are barely accessible outside the state capitals, adding that there is also an urgent need to establish mental healthcare facilities at the grassroots level.
He noted that most mental health cases happened in rural communities where there are no mental healthcare facilities/psychiatric hospitals.
Osingun said there are only about 10 psychiatric hospitals across the country adding that more should be established while existing facilities should be equipped with adequate human and material resources.
“Mental health needs to be given the seriousness it deserves by government, individuals and non-governmental organisations.
“Let the government subsidize the treatment of mental illness, establish more psychiatric hospitals to enable more mental patients to access treatment.
“This will go a long way to increase access to mental healthcare and prevent mental cases from degenerating and making them difficult to treat or manage,” he stated.
“Mental health is as important as physical health. Mental health is the base of all health. For one to have health, he/she must be mentally stable. So, there’s no health without mental health.
He also alleged that although Nigeria had a mental health policy but the policy is not being implemented adding that such a policy should be reviewed and implemented
“For too long, mental disorders have been largely overlooked even though they are found in all countries.
“Mental disorders are found in women and men, at all stages of life, among the rich and the poor and in both rural and urban settings.
“If people with mental disorders fail to receive the treatment and care they require, they risk becoming marginalized by society and many descend into poverty and homelessness,” Osingun said.
Nigeria will receive no fewer than 1,030 Benin artefacts from Germany in 2022, the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Abba Tijani, has said.
Tijani, a professor, told newsmen in Ibadan on Tuesday that many artefacts had been received from Germany but the commission would receive at least an additional 1, 030 in 2022.
The objects were taken from the country during the punitive expedition of Benin in 1897.
According to him, when the artefacts are received, it will give the commission the opportunity to build new museums and attract more tourists across the world.
Tijani said this would also give them opportunities to view the cultural objects from the Nigerian context.
“It will make the foreigners to understand the significance of the artefacts better and give them an added advantage which they might not get when they visit museums in Europe,’’ he said.
Tijani said the commission had called for the expansion of the National Museum in Abuja and that of Benin so that the objects could be displayed.
He said the commission had partnered with corporate organisations to fund museum activities, adding it had renovated many museums across the country.
“The Federal Government is ready to take possession of many of these Benin bronzes being repatriated to the country.
“Nigerians should also support us by appreciating these heritages being cherished globally. We should respect them and visit museums to understand them better.
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