FCT Minister Catches COVID19

December 31, 2021

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has tested positive for COVID19 virus.
In a statement today, December 31, posted on Facebook, the Minister said: “I have tested positive for COVID-19.”
He said that after a hide and seek period spanning 21 months (one year and nine months), between COVID-19 and him, the virus finally caught up with him during the dying days of 2021.
“After feeling unwell from 28th December, I decided to do a COVID-19 test yesterday morning. The result came out positive this morning.

“Currently doing fine, with some sore throat, feverish feeling and mild running nose. “Undertaking treatment and isolation at home.
“I salute and wish all the medical personnel in the FCT and beyond who have been in the front line fighting this pandemic a happy and prosperous new year 2022. I pray for the quick recovery of all of us currently afflicted with COVID-19.
“I have been informed by the experts that my case is mild because I took two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine. I appeal to all those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 to do so.
Thanks and Happy New year to all.
MM BELLO.”

2023 Presidency: Abia Gov Insists Igbos Won’t Get It On Platter Of Gold

Editorial staff

December 31, 2021

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has reminded Igbos of the Southeast Nigeria that becoming the President of the country in the 2023 election would not be on a platter of gold.

The governor said that Nigeria’s presidency in 2023 is a national question that requires negotiation, discussion and conversation with all parts of the country.

Answering reporters’ questions yesterday, December 30 at the Presidential villa, Abuja, governor Ikpeazu stressed that an Igbo presidency in 2023 cannot and should not be a “matter of right but something that should be achieved through negotiations and conversations.

“The question of Nigeria’s president of southeast extraction is a national question that require negotiation, discussion and conversation with all parts of this country and I am least qualified to determine what happened in 2023.

“I also want to spend my time supporting the incumbent president to do his time and do his best while we wait for what happens to begin to unfold. So, these are my views about the presidency.”

The governor, who believed however that Igbos deserved to be considered for the presidency, said that political parties must consider the yearnings and aspirations of the Southeast in selecting their presidential candidate.

This was even as he dismissed the rumour about his presidential ambition, saying:”I’m not interested in the presidency. I’m very busy as governor and thinking about what I will become now will amount to shortchanging my people who gave me a mandate for an initial four years and renewed it for another four years and it will terminate around May 2023.

“We are yet in 2021 and it will be self-serving for me to begin to think about what I will become instead of concentrating on serving my people for time they elected me.

“May be after 2023, I will begin to think about what next I will do. Having said that, I think that the south easterners have a right to take a shot at the presidency of Nigeria and I dare say that our qualification starts from the fact that we understand and know Nigeria better than the other states of Nigeria.”

COVID-19 Will End In 2022, WHO Boss Assures

Greenbarge Reporters

December 30, 2021

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has expressed optimism that COVID-19 pandemic will end in 2022.
Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing yesterday, December 29, that it is two years ago, as people gathered for New Year’s Eve celebrations, that a new global threat emerged.
Since then, 1.8 million deaths were recorded in 2020 and 3.5 million in 2021, but the actual number is much higher. There are also millions of people dealing with long-term consequences from the virus.
Right now, Delta and Omicron are driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalisation and deaths.
Ghebreyesus said that he was “highly concerned” that the more transmissible Omicron, circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to “a tsunami of cases.”
Earlier in 2020, during meetings of the world’s biggest economies – the G7 and G20 – WHO challenged leaders to vaccinate 40 per cent of their populations by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by the middle of 2022.
With only a couple of days left in the year, 92 out of 194 Member States missed the target.
He attributed this to low-income countries receiving a limited supply for most of the year and then subsequent vaccines arriving close to expiry, without key parts, like syringes.
“Forty per cent was doable. It’s not only a moral shame, it cost lives and provided the virus with opportunities to circulate unchecked and mutate,” he said.
WHO chief warned that boosters in rich countries could cause low-income countries to again fall short and called on leaders of wealthy countries and manufacturers to work together to reach the 70 per cent goal by July.
“This is the time to rise above short-term nationalism and protect populations and economies against future variants by ending global vaccine inequity.
“We have 185 days to the finish line of achieving 70 per cent by the start of July 2022. And the clock starts now,” he said.
The Director-General had earlier acknowledged that beating the new health threat would require science, solutions, and solidarity.
While elaborating on some successes, such as the development of new vaccines, which he said “represent a scientific masterclass”, the WHO official lamented that politics too often triumphed over solidarity.
“Populism, narrow nationalism and hoarding of health tools, including masks, therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, by a small number of countries undermined equity, and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of new variants.”
He said that misinformation and disinformation has also been “a constant distraction, undermining science and trust in lifesaving health tools.”
He pointed out a case where information went round that huge waves of infections have swept Europe and many other countries causing the unvaccinated to die disproportionally.
The unvaccinated are many times more at risk of dying from either variant.
As the pandemic drags on, new variants could become fully resistant to current vaccines or past infection, necessitating vaccine adaptations.
For Ghebreyesus, as any new vaccine update could mean a new supply shortage, it is important to build up local manufacturing supply.
One way to increase production of life-saving tools, he said, is to pool technology, as in the new WHO Bio Hub System, a mechanism to voluntarily share novel biological materials.
He also pointed to the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, based in Berlin, Germany.
The WHO chief called for the development of a new accord between nations, saying it would be “a key pillar” of a world better prepared to deal with the next disease.
“I hope to see negotiations move swiftly and leaders to act with ambition,” he said.
Source: NAN.

Research Body Floods Nigeria With 300,000 Hybrid Cocoa Seedlings, 500,000 More Coming

Editorial staff

December 29, 2021

The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, has flooded Nigeria with 300,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings which it had distributed to farmers across the country this year.

According to the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Patrick Adebola, plans have been completed to also raise more than 500,000 high yielding and disease resistant cocoa seedlings in 2022.

He said that the seedlings are being used for gapping up and new cocoa production, adding that they will lead to increased cocoa hectarage in Nigeria, increased cocoa productivity and income of farmers when the transplanted cocoa seedlings start fruiting.

“This will also boost the contribution of cocoa to Gross Domestic Product – GDP.

“Plans have also been put in place to raise more than 500,000 high yielding and disease resistant cocoa seedlings in 2022, in order to meet the increasing demand for hybrid cocoa seedlings by farmers.” Adebola said that the institute had also created awareness on its developed cocoa TC series.

The executive director explained that the TC series were hybrid cocoa with more yield, more resistance to pest and diseases and early fruiting – about 18 months after transplanting.

He said the institute had organised trainings for cocoa farmers on the appropriate ways of carrying out nursery establishment.

“This programme was co-organised with PIND – Foundation for the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, at the Owena Substation of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria.

“We also had training of Extension Officers on Managing Soils for Increased Productivity and Decreased Deforestation in Cocoa.

“It was a collaborative programme between CRIN and Cocoa Soils project.

“We had training of IFAD incubatees on cocoa nursery, cocoa production and cocoa marketing under IFAD/FGN empowerment programme.”

Adebola added that there is also distribution of hybrid cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers in cocoa producing agro-ecological zones in Nigeria.

“We successfully carried out research work on CRIN mandate crops (Cocoa, Kola, Cashew, Coffee and Tea) in the area of production, processing and marketing.

“The country has been able to witness more cocoa output thereby increasing more cocoa export, CRIN has successfully trained farmers on the most economical ways of combining cocoa as an arable crop.

“The main objective is to increase the overall income of the farmers and more importantly to increase food security status of the farming households,’’ Adebola said.

He said that one of the challenges of the institute was inadequate fund to carry out research activities as and when due.

“There is challenge of inadequate project vehicles, this is really disrupting the effective carrying out of research work occasionally.

“Also, the advent of COVID-19 which necessitated ‘stay at home’ for a substantial part of the year was a challenge to some operations in the institute during the year.’’

Source: NAN.

Centre For Democracy, 50 Other Groups To Observe FCT Council Election Feb. 12

Editorial staff

December 29, 2021

File photo: Electoral commission officers and voters discuss while votes are counted at Shagari Primary School polling station in Yola, Adamawa State on February 23, 2019 | PHOTO: AFP

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accredited 51 observer groups for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, scheduled for February 12, 2022.

The commission, in its daily bulletin today, December 29, said that the approved list comprised 50 domestic organisations and one international organisation.

According to the bulletin, accredited local organisations include Advocacy for Quality Leadership and Health Awareness Foundation, Africa for Millenium Change Initiative, and Centre for Democracy and Development.

Nigeria Bar Association, and Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre) are also accredited while the foreign accredited organisation as International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

The commission advised the approved organisations to fill and complete necessary documentation online (http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org/) between December 29 and January 13, 2022.

The commission also stressed the need for observers to fully comply with the INEC COVID–19 Policy on Election and Accreditation of Observers.

This, according to INEC, includes signing of the indemnity form and provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all field observers.

It warned that “failure to comply will lead to immediate withdrawal of accreditation.”

INEC said the distribution of domestic observer kits (including ID cards to individual observers) will be done in FCT- ABUJA INEC office between February 3 and 11, 2021.

Source: NAN.

Super Eagles Get Jose Peseiro As New Foreign Head Coach

Editorial staff

December 29, 2021

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) named Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles. His appointment was announced in a statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications.

According to the statement, the NFF Executive Committee endorsed the proposal for the appointment of Peseiro at a virtual meeting held today to deliberate on important issues in Nigerian football.

Olajire said that the appointment of Peseiro would take effect after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

“After careful consideration of a memo presented by Chairman of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee, the Executive Committee endorsed a proposal for the appointment of Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles following the end to the relationship with Gernot Rohr.

“However, the Committee resolved that Augustine Eguavoen, named the interim Head Coach, will lead the Super Eagles to the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon with Peseiro only playing the role of Observer.

“It was unanimously agreed that the AFCON is a good avenue for Peseiro to launch a working relationship with Eguavoen, who will revert to his role as Technical Director and Peseiro’s immediate boss after the AFCON,” Olajire said.

He also said the Executive Committee mandated the Technical and Development Committee to organise a friendly match for the Super Eagles when the team arrives in Garoua for AFCON 2021.

This is to be done in conjunction with the NFF Secretariat.

The technical and development committee was also mandated to arrange matches for the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons in upcoming FIFA windows for international friendlies.

Olajire, in the statement, also said the Executive Committee approved the Federation’s Financial Statement for year 2021, as well as the proposed budget of the sum of N13.1 billion for year 2022.

The meeting was attended by Amaju Pinnick (President), Seyi Akinwunmi (First Vice-President), Shehu Dikko (Second Vice-President), Ibrahim Gusau (Member), Yusuf Ahmed (Member), Felix Anyansi-Agwu (Member) and Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande (Member).

The rest are Babagana Kalli (Member), Sharif Rabiu Inuwa (Member), Ganiyu Majekodunmi (Member), Aisha Falode (Member), Mohammed Alkali (Member) and Mohammed Sanusi (Secretary).

Source: NAN.

Nigerian Stock Market Records Loss Of N238 Billion In Profit Taking

Editorial staff

December 29, 2021

The Nigerian stock market has recorded a loss of N238 billion due to profit taking. The market capitalisation which opened at N22.060 trillion lost N238 billion or 1.08 per cent to close at N21.822 trillion today, December 29.

Also, the All-Share Index inched lower by 455.75 points or 1.08 per cent to close at 41,807.10 against 42,262.85 achieved on Friday.

Accordingly, month-to-date loss increased to 3.3 per cent, while the year-to-date gain moderated to 3.8 per cent.

The market resumed trading activities after the public holidays on December 27 and 28 declared by the federal government to mark Christmas and Boxing Day celebration.

The market’s negative performance was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks which are: BUA Cement, MTN Nigeria Communications (MTNN), PZ Cussons, May & Baker and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated.

Market sentiment was slightly positive with 17 gainers relative to 16 losers.

BUA Cement led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent to close at N67.05 per share.

May & Baker followed with a decline of 9.98 per cent to close at N4.06, while PZ Cussons lost 8.96 per cent to close at N6.10 per share.

Jaiz Bank declined 8.06 per cent to close at 57k, while UPDC Real Estate Investment Trust shed 6.25 per cent to close at N3.75 per share.

Conversely, Union Bank of Nigeria drove the gainers’ chart in percentage terms by 9.91 per cent to close at N6.10 per share.

Royal Exchange followed with 9.09 per cent to close at 84k, while Sovereign Trust Insurance rose by 7.69 per cent to close at 28k per share.

Livestock Feeds was up by 6.86 per cent to close at N2.18, while Caverton Offshore Support Group appreciated by 2.99 per cent to close at N1.72 per share.

However, the total volume traded increased by 61.10 per cent with an exchange of 180.182 million units valued at N1.48 billion exchanged in 3,828 deals.

This was in contrast with 111.84 million shares worth N911.92 million traded in 2,072 deals on Friday.

Transactions in the shares of Jaiz Bank topped the activity chart with 17.65 million shares valued at N10.53 million.

Union Bank followed with 16.80 million shares worth N101.83 million, while UACN traded 12.88 million shares valued at N123.52 million.

Transcorp sold 11.39 million shares worth N11.25 million, while Sovereign Trust Insurance transacted 9.99 million shares valued at N2.78 million.

Source: NAN.

Why Over 1 Million COVID19 Vaccines Expired And Were Destroyed Recently – NAFDAC Boss

Editorial staff

December 29, 2021

Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has explained why over one million doses of COVID19 vaccines expired and were recently destroyed by the agency.

It was reported that the 1,066,214 doses of expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines were destroyed at the Gosa Dumping site in Abuja in November and were supervised by both the NAFDAC and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency.

Professor Adeyeye, who spoke today, December 29 in Lagos, said that the expired vaccines had very short expiration which made it impossible to be administered in time due to logistics reasons.

“When developed countries started using vaccine for many months, we didn’t have access to them until we started receiving donations, not just through COVAX alone but from some countries also.

“The expiration date was shorter than what it was supposed to be and between the time we tested and start using it, there was no enough time and that was the only reason not because we were careless.

“But going forward, we are working with international partners to ensure the expiration date of any vaccine we will be receiving are up to five or six months.”

On the new Omnicron variant of COVID-19, the Director General of NAFDAC said that studies on the variants is still ongoing globally.

She advised Nigerians to continue to adhere to the safety measures given by the various health authorities to further curb the spread of the virus.

“A lot is still not known about Omicron because studies are still going on globally about the variant.

“The only way to keep safe is to continue with the usage of mask, maintain social distancing, wash our hands regularly and avoid crowded areas to stay safe.”

Lagos Farmers Begin Canned Catfish Production Next Year

Editorial staff

December 28, 2021

Fish farmers in Lagos State will start to produce locally canned catfish and Tilapia fish in 2022.

The project will be promoted by the productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support, a

World Bank-assisted Agro-Processing organization.

The Project Coordinator, Mrs. Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on today, December 28 in Lagos, said that the canned fish would be produced using locally-fabricated equipment.

She said that the focus is on the use of locally-fabricated equipment to create jobs for Nigerians.

“We trained some fabricators who looked at the foreign-made machines, studied and fabricate them locally.

“The fabricators have looked at the different equipment and they have been able to fabricate quite a number of them making them affordable by our farmers.

“We are trusting God that by early next year, a number of our investors, will be able to adopt them on their own.”

Sagoe-Oviebo said that about 80 farmers have been trained in basic techniques of preparation, packaging and marketing of canned fish.

She said that the training is conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research covering temperature for boiling fish, tomato sauce preparation, temperature for canning the fish and pasteurisation.

She added that the canned fish would be affordable to Nigerians, and could boost exports.

“We have identified some investors already amongst those that have been trained and some people are interested in setting-up their mini factories.

“The process is basic for any fish you desire to can, but for this project, we are using catfish and tilapia.”

Minister Commends Abuja Residents For Salvaging Goods From Burning Next Supermarket

Editorial staff

December 28, 2021

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commended Abuja residents for rushing to salvage some goods from the burning Next Cash and Carry Supermarket.

The Supermarket was engulfed in flames on Boxing Day, December26

The Minister, accompanied by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu and senior officials of the Administration, paid an inspection visit to the scene of incidence today, December 28.

Muhammad Musa Bello said that the fire incident brought out the best in the residents of the city as they rallied round the business establishment and helped in salvaging goods which would otherwise have been lost to the fire.

He also commended the supermarket for having a functional fire hydrant system which assisted the Departments of fire services in controlling the blaze and prevent its further spread.

The Minister thanked God that no life was lost, even as he sympathized with the management of the supermarket on the loss.

He recalled that Next cash and Carry supported the FCT at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, donated palliatives to the needy, saying, “I really sympathize with NEXT.

“I feel so particularly because I recall during the peak of the COVID-19, NEXT, was among the companies that provided us palliative items which we distributed to vulnerable members of the community.

“Unfortunately, today they are also very vulnerable…so it is our duty in the city to rally round them, protect this important investment and generator of many jobs, and also give them all the needed support so that they bounce back stronger than what they were before.”

The Minister said that although the inferno hit the city hard due to the loss of jobs, but that the incidences such as this affords city managers and other relevant agencies the opportunity to review what happened and make amends to prevent future occurrence and minimize damages.

The Minister was received on site by the General Manger of the Supermarket Neil Pape and the Director of the FCT Fire Service, Engr. Sanni Saidu.

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