Upstream Commission Boss Assures Of Increased Investments In Oil Sector

October 28, 2021

(NURC) Engineer Gbenga Komolafe | Abel News

The Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC) Engineer Gbenga Komolafe has pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to shore up the nation’s oil production quota and boost investments in the upstream segment of the oil and gas industry.

The new commission is charged with the regulating the technical and commercial activities of the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector.

In a podcast address to staff of the NURC from Abuja, Komolafe called on the stakeholders to join hands with the board and executive management of the new agency to build a strong organization that has the capacity to positively change the narrative in the upstream sector of the economy.

Komolafe said that the establishment of the NURC in itself, would translate to landmark transformations in the industry that is expected to usher in massive investment in the industry for enhanced revenue to fund Nigeria’s social budget given the critical roles upstream plays in the Nigerian economy”.

According to him, the oil and gas sector of the economy is at a critical and significant moment in the life of the industry whereby energy transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy is competing “with the need for us to raise the bar of our crude oil and gas production from the current level of 1.4 mbbls/d to 2.4 mbbls/d.

“We are not unmindful that the expectations are high, but we are quite determined to surmount the task ahead and hit the ground running. Aside, our confidence is elevated by the team spirit and the capability of you all to deliver on the assigned mandate.”

Komolafe said that the executive management team planned to get the buy-in of all the staff in achieving the expected results , stressing: “We do not ascribe to ourselves the wisdom of Solomon and nobody is a repository of knowledge.

“Our leadership approach will be anchored on inclusive management.”

He said that with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) “we are at a significant era in the industry where the local and international community are eagerly awaiting our performance, saying:

“We are determined under our leadership to deliver a 21st century upstream petroleum regulator anchored on principles of effective and efficient services, transparency, professionalism and cost consciousness.”

While applauding President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly for the passage and accent to the PIA, the Upstream boss said that the team is “committed to laying a solid regulatory foundation that the future generations will build upon, especially that the clarity provided by the PIA has clearly defined the boundaries of our job.”

He maintained that with the foundation now laid in the oil and gas sector with the PIA: “what is left is for all of us as a team to roll our sleeves as we set to deliver on our variously assigned tasks.

“As we settle down to work, we shall unveil the outlook of the new commission, the regulation and the blueprint of our strategic plan in the coming weeks.

“Our focus is to build a completely brand-new organization with a new vision, mission, culture, ethos in line with international best practices and this will entail our handshake across the border and frontier of Nigeria with similar international regulatory agencies.”

Armed Forces To Conduct Joint Operations Plan On Contemporary Security Challenges In Nigeri

Editorial staff

October 28, 2021

The Defence Headquarters Abuja has scheduled to conduct a Joint Operations Planning Exercise (JOPEX) for the participants of the Army War College Nigeria, Naval War College Nigeria (NWCN) and Air Force War College Nigeria from November 1 to 7 at the Army War College in Abuja, Nigeria.

According to Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko in a statement today, October 28, the exercise, nicknamed Exercise SKY LOCK, will enable participants effectively respond to contemporary security challenges bedeviling Nigeria using a joint and multi-agency approach.

He said that the exercise involves the aspects of national security, interagency coordination, logistics planning, counter terrorism and counter insurgency and stabilization operations.

“It would also provide forum for the participants who are being trained as operational commanders and staff to practice planning, preparation and conduct of these aspects under different scenarios.

“The one- week exercise will draw umpires, observers and visitors from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Paramilitary, and international military assistance partners, among others.

“The Chief of Defence Staff would be the Special Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of the exercise on Monday, 1 November, 2021 by 0900 hours.”

The spokesman said that the exercise, which is the maiden edition is being organized at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

NCC, Other Regulators Move To Combat e-Fraud, Standardise Regional Roaming Tariffs

Greenbarge Reporters

October 28, 2021

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other telecoms regulators under the auspices of West African Telecoms Regulators Assembly (WATRA) are set to develop technical and regulatory modalities aimed at combating rising wave of electronic frauds, and standardising regional roaming tariffs in the sub-region.
This was the crux of a two-day meeting organised by WATRA in collaboration with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), which started on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at Rockview Hotel in Abuja.
The meeting, which was attended by representatives of telecoms regulators from countries across West Africa, provided a platform for key participants and stakeholders to deliberate on building a unified market in telecommunications services in West Africa, to combat roaming and cyber-related frauds, and achieve the standardisation of roaming tariffs among ECOWAS member-states.
Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, who is also the Chairman of WATRA, underscored the centrality of the meeting by emphasising that, as businesses move online, the fraudsters are also going digital.
Danbatta, who was represented by NCC’s Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Bako Wakil, said, based on this fact and in order to give West African citizens and businesses the confidence to fully take advantage of the enormous benefits of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), there was a need for regulators to tame and outpace the fraudsters.
“About 75 per cent of trade within ECOWAS is informal, and thus poorly recorded. Therefore, digitising this trade through employing many forms of electronic payments is a significant step towards formalising, governing and boosting intra-ECOWAS trade activities. Our ambitions are to formalise informal trade, including agricultural commodities as well as boosting intra-regional trade and this requires us to improve collaboration on combating electronic fraud,” Danbatta said.
Danbatta informed the delegates to the forum that electronic fraud is not just an African or a West African issue but a global phenomenon. He cited studies that revealed 54 per cent of consumers in the European Union said they are most likely to come across misleading/deceptive or fraudulent advertisements or offers on the Internet.
On the regional roaming service, the WATRA Chairman said the Assembly has the vision of a ‘Digital ECOWAS’ where improved sub-regional roaming regulation can help to facilitate an economic integration in the region.
“Our citizens, traders and companies will trade better when they can use their telephones to call contacts in other ECOWAS countries and when they can use their data subscriptions at no extra cost while travelling or doing business within the region. So, reducing and eventually eliminating the cost of roaming will also be a very significant contribution towards boosting trade within the region.”
The EVC expressed satisfaction at the level of collaboration among national regulatory authorities in the sub-region on the one hand; and between WATRA and ECOWAS, to achieve a common goal, on the other hand, describing such synergy as a great indicator of progress and internalisation of best global practices.
“I am very pleased to see the excellent collaboration and the sharing of workload between the telecommunications body and personnel within ECOWAS and WATRA. Their roles have become complementary and mutually reinforcing-policies legislative frameworks that have been designed at the ECOWAS level, while WATRA does the follow-up work of information-sharing, dialogue and learning dispersal amongst regulatory authorities. It is indeed becoming a well-articulated symphony,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of WATRA, Aliyu Aboki, emphasised the value of a trusted digital economy to any nation. He cited a study by Accenture, which concludes that “a trusted digital economy would stimulate 2.8 per cent additional growth for major firms, with the new transactions generated totaling $5.2 trillion of value creation in the economy,” hence, the establishment and operationalisation of national and regional anti-fraud committee.
Aboki commended ECOWAS for “allowing this regional sharing of the enormous task of building Digital ECOWAS to work very well through WATRA, which is a regional manifestation of this collaborative structure”. The WATRA Chief restated that WATRA, as a mechanism for regional regulatory collaboration, will work in unison and ensure its vision is speedily executed by making sure that no nation in the region is left behind.
Speaking at the forum, the Acting Director, Digital Economy and Post, ECOWAS, Dr. Raphael Koffi, noted that while e-fraud in the provision of communication services has always been an issue being collectively tackled, variance in termination rates agreed in commercial roaming agreements has also constituted an obstacle to harmonization of roaming tariffs which, he said, collaboration between WATRA and ECOWAS is set to achieve.
Participants at the event were updated on the status of the implementation of the Removal of Surcharges on International Traffic (SIIT) on ECOWAS countries; establishment of a uniform tariff cap for roaming call termination in the ECOWAS region, among others.

Lagos Holds Food Festival December 12, To Attract Local And Foreign Investors

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

The Lagos state government has announced that it would hold its rebranded Lagos Food Festival 2021 on December 12, to stimulate local and foreign investor interest in the food business.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, who spoke to newsmen today, October 27 said that will have as its theme ‘A Taste of Lagos.”

Olusanya said that the 2021 Lagos Food Festival would hold at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, with over 3,000 guests projected to attend and total sales of over N15 million expected by participating farmers, fishermen and processed seafoods.

She said that the rebranded food festival would project the various food offerings of the diverse socio-cultural groupings in the state, to local and international markets.

According to the commissioner, the Lagos food festival is an offshoot of the erstwhile annual Seafood festival at which the state celebrated its varieties of seafoods, spiced up with other exciting activities.

“We have taken into cognisance other value chains where the state has comparative and competitive advantage.

“The Lagos food festival will help to stimulate investor interest in the food business, create direct and indirect jobs for value chain actors and artisans, while developing networks and linkages amongst stakeholders.

Olusanya noted that the festival is expected to create 150 direct and indirect jobs as a result of increased marketing opportunities, setting up and dismantling of equipment for the festival, technicians operating equipment, and other hands engaged to provide support services.

She said that another 500 induced business links are expected to be established following the festival, to supply fresh and processed seafoods.

The commissioner noted that the festival would feature a wide array of fresh products, organic groceries, dry food, confectionery, pastries, ready-to-eat consumables and drinks, in addition to seafood, meat and poultry.

“The forthcoming Lagos food festival is a follow-up on the success story achieved by the implementation of five editions of the erstwhile Lagos Seafood Festival, held between 2012 and 2020.

“A total of 5,130 visitors participated in previous editions, with over 1,320 fish farmers and fishermen, which consisted of 900 fish processors and 64 seafood vendors at the events.

“A total of N32,984,000 was realised as volume of transactions during the five editions.

“Although, Lagos is a major player in the fisheries value chain, cognisance is being taken of the other agricultural value chains where the state has strong comparative and competitive advantage.

“Hence, the rebranding of the Lagos seafood festival to the Lagos food festival.

“The objectives of the festival are to showcase Lagos food potentials to local and international markets; to stimulate investors’ interest in the food business; and also to develop a network and linkages among stakeholders.

“It is to exchange information on products and services available in the global market as well as create direct and indirect jobs for the value chain actors and artisans engaged to set up activities at the festival.

“The festival will also facilitate the linkage of various agricultural supply chains to a market of Lagos food enthusiasts.

“It is, therefore, envisaged that synergistic relationships for the overall development of the food subsector will be initiated with fishermen, farmers and vendors for the regular supply of fish and fisheries products during and after the festival.”

Olusanya said that apart from the wide array and exhibition of food products, there would also be culinary experiences such as food tastings, cooking master classes with renowned chefs, outdoor grills and thrilling entertainment.

The commissioner assured that the food festival would be exciting, entertaining and enlightening and that it would leave a long-lasting impression in the minds of visitors and participants.

She said the event is open to the general public and families to attend with their children, to enjoy entertainment, the biggest fish auction, musical performances, games corner, seafood pavilion, culinary competitions with celebrity chefs, as well as family cooking competitions among others.

Source: NAN.

CBN Takes Campaign For Digital Financial Inclusion For Women, Youth To States

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its stakeholders are billed to take the campaign for digital financial inclusion for women and youth to selected States in the country.

A statement from the apex bank said that the campaign is aimed at facilitating the economic empowerment and inclusion of the women and youth.

The statement said that the programme will aim also at implementing the CBN’s framework for advancing women’s financial inclusion in Nigeria and improve access to financial products and services amongst vulnerable segments of the Nigerian society.

It said that the digital financial inclusion drive has been scheduled to commence from Gombe State on November 1st through to November 5th, adding that it is the first of six engagements expected to cut across states with high numbers of financially excluded women and youth.

The statement identified Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Niger and Oyo as the other States with high populations of vulnerable financially excluded women and youths, adding that those who fall into these groups are expected to benefit from the drive throughout the rest of the year.

According to the CBN, the drive is expected to, among other things, improve financial literacy and build awareness on the benefits of the use of digital financial services and contribute to increased access to Payments, Savings and credit enhancement opportunities for rural women and youth across the country leveraging digital platforms.

It is also expected to promote the uptake of other financial products and services amongst women and youth including insurance, pension and capital market products through agents.

The statement explained that the DFI drive for women and youth in Gombe State will hold across Biliri, Kaltungo, Akko, Yemaltu Deba and Dukku Local Government Areas aimed at creating awareness on the Central Bank Digital Currency and its benefits, credit enhancement schemes of the Government and other financial products and services.

The statement said that the target for the drive is to reach at least 25,000 women and youth across the State.

Meanwhile, a recent report published by McKinsey Global Institute highlighted the critical importance of women’s financial inclusion to global GDP growth and notes that if countries in Africa can focus on closing gender gaps in their respective jurisdictions, the continent could add $316 billion or 10 percent to GDP in the period to 2025.

Nigeria currently has a National Financial Inclusion rate of 64.9%, and a financial inclusion gender gap of 8% and proposes to achieve 93% overall financial inclusion and close the gender gap in access to finance by 2024.

According to the 2020 A2F survey by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Nigeria (EFInA), only 26% of adult women and 27% of youths in Gombe State have access to one form of financial product or service.

In addition to reducing the high statistics on women’s exclusion, the CBN’s digital financial drive is also expected to help curb restiveness amongst the youth population by exposing them to economically viable ways of improving their livelihoods and ensure that they understand the need for safety of their funds protected within formal financial institutions.

Abuja Court Freezes All Accounts Of Benue State Government Over N333 Million Debt

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

A Federal High Court in Abuja has made an interim order, freezing all bank accounts of Benue State Government maintained in some banks in the country following its inability to pay back N333 million loan borrowed in 2008.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who gave the order following an ex-parte motion brought by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), also directed that the bank accounts of HPPS Multilink Services Ltd be frozen pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while AMCON is the claimant, the company and the state government are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

The affected bank accounts for the two respondents are domiciled with Access Bank Plc; Citibank Nigeria Limited; Eco Bank Nigeria Plc; Fidelity Bank Plc; First Bank Nigeria Plc; First City Monument Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Pic.

Others include those in Heritage Bank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited; Polaris Bank Limited; Stanbic IBTC Plc; Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited; Sterling Bank Plc; Suntrust Bank Nigeria Limited; Union Bank of Nigeria Plc; United Bank for Africa Plc; Unity Bank Nigeria Plc; Wema Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc.

The ex-parte motion, with suit number: FHC/ABJ/AMC/74/2021 dated and filed on Sept. 30, was moved by Counsel to AMCON, Darlington Ozurumba.

The motion prayed for five reliefs.

The court also made an interim order “freezing and attaching the JAAC Bank Accounts (Joint Accounts Allocation committee), Internal Generated Revenue Accounts, all bank accounts both current, savings, fixed deposits and/or investments accounts of the 2nd respondent (Benue Government) maintained with all the banks mentioned above the pending hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An interim order is hereby made restraining all banks and/or other financial institutions above mentioned in Nigeria forthwith from releasing or dealing in any manner howsoever with monies held in any account to which the respondents are signatories pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit .

“An order is hereby made directing all banks and/or other financial institutions in Nigeria to, within seven (7) days of the date of service of this order, file and serve an affidavit of compliance statement disclosing with on each account howsoever designated, held and/or maintained by the respondents and ail accounts to which the respondents are signatories for a period of sic months prior to the date of service of this order till date.”

Meanwhile, in the affidavit supporting the motion deposed to by Abubakar Isa, a staff of AMCON, the corporation described the loan as a toxic loan of eligible bank assets transferred to it by law to recover.

AMCON told the court that the 1st respondent (the firm), which has its office in Kaduna State, had collected a N333 million loan facility from Bank PHB PLC (now Keystone Bank Ltd) on January 31, 2008 “for the purpose of purchasing 5,000 pieces of motorcycles to the 2nd defendant and its workers through the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of its state, vide an irrevocable payment order (IPO}).

“That the 2nd respondent is the state government of the loan beneficiaries who equally gave ISPO guarantee for the repayment of the through deduction from the salaries of its workers and make payment to the bank but failed to do so.

“That the l oan was for the agreed period of 24 months at the interest of 19 per cent per annum .

“That the loan granted to the respondents has crystalized to the sum of seven hundred and eighty four million, three h undred and forty thousand, five h undred and t wenty eight naira, three kobo (N784, 340, 428.03) as at 2014 from the sum of N 333,000,000 (Three hundred and thirty three million n aira) granted to the 1st defendant in 2008 and guaranteed by the 2nd defendant as contained in the letter of August 15, 2014 which represents the interest and the principal sum as at Aug. 15, 2014 and same has remained unpaid till date.”

Justice Ekwo then adjourned the matter to November 2 for mention

NNPC To Reconstruct 21 Federal Roads At N621.23 Billion – Minister

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has announced the approval by the Federal Government for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) to embark on the reconstruction of 21 roads covering a total distance of 1,804.6 kilometres across the six geo-political zones.

NNPC is expected, according to the Minister, who briefed newsmen today, October 27, shortly after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential villa, Abuja, will execute the project, through the deployment of its own tax liabilities.

It would be recalled that FEC, in July, also approved the award of a contract to Dangote Industries for the construction of five roads totalling 274.9 kilometres at the cost of N309.9 billion, advanced by the company as tax credit.

“Earlier this year, there were five other roads – the Kaduna Western bypass, the Lekki Port road, the road from Shagamu through Papalanto, and a couple of others, and there is one road in Maiduguri. That was about N320 billion,” Fashola said.

“So today (Wednesday), we have another player. We have all the interested players who are still showing interest, but we haven’t concluded. We have another player who has shown interest and commitment to deploy taxes. It’s the government corporation known as NNPC.

“So, NNPC has identified 21 roads that it wants to deploy. Now, the instructive thing about this is that this initiative helps the government to achieve many things, including ministerial mandates three and four, which we discussed at the last retreat. ministerial mandates three and four, if you recall, was energy sufficiency, electric power and petroleum energy distribution across the country.

“Of course, petroleum energy distribution is being impacted positively and negatively, as the case may be the transport infrastructure which is the ministerial mandate four. NNPC has sought and the council has approved today that NNPC deploys tax resources to 21 roads, covering a total distance of 1,804.6 kilometres across the six geopolitical zones.

“Out of those 21 roads, nine are in North Central, particularly Niger state. The reason is that Niger State is a major storage centre for NNPC. NNPC is doing this to facilitate the total distribution across the country.”

Fashola gave an assurance that in the South-West, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Agabara junction, Ibadan to Ilorin (Oyo-Ogbomoso section) will be fixed.

Three other roads are located in the North-East, two in the North-West, and two others in the South-East.

The Odukpani-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road, the minister said, has now been fully covered to resolve the problem of financing regarding the execution of the road projects.

Speaking about the South-East, he stated, “You have Aba-Ikot Ekpene in Abia and Akwa Ibom States. So that’s a major link, then you have Umuahia to Ikwuamo, to Ikot Ekpene road and so on and so forth.

“In the North-West, it is Gada Zaima-Zuru-Gamji road, and also Zaria-Funtau-Gusau-Sokoto road. In the North-East, it is Cham, Bali Serti and Gombe-Biu road.”

There will be no more financing problems regarding the execution of roads, said Fashola. Source: Channels TV.

Scammers Hijacked eNaira Platform, Launch Fake Version – CBN Raises Alarm

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised alarm over fake social media handles of eNaira, the digital currency that was launched on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The CBN, in a statement, said that impostors are already defrauding Nigerians, saying: “following the formal launch of the eNaira on Monday, October 25, 2021, the attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to criminal and illegal activities of some individuals and a fraudulent Twitter handle, @enaira_cbdc purported to belong to the Bank.

“The impostor handle and fraudulent persons have been posting messages related to the eNaira with the intent of wooing unsuspecting Nigerians with claims that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), among other falsities, is disbursing the sum of 50 Billion eNaira currency. These impostors are bent on defrauding innocent and unsuspecting members of the public through the links attached to their messages for application to obtain eNaira wallets and become beneficiaries of the said 50 billion eNaira currency.“In effect, the Bank is not disbursing eNaira currency to citizens. To this end, members of the public are hereby warned to be wary of fraudsters who have resolved to take advantage of unsuspecting Nigerians.

“Members of the public should always endeavour to seek clarifications on information about the eNaira either by visiting the eNaira website: www.enaira.gov.ng or calling the eNaira contact centre on 080069362472 or visiting any CBN Branch nearest to them. For clarity, the current official social media handles of the eNaira are: www.facebook.com/myenaira; www.instagram.com/myenaira and www.youtube.com/myenaira Any suspicious activity by members of the public should be reported to the CBN using helpdesk@enaira.gov.ng or to relevant law enforcement agencies.”Any suspicious activity by members of the public should be reported to the CBN using helpdesk@enaira.gov.ng or to relevant law enforcement agencies.”

Why Livestock Sub Sector’s Contribution To Nigeria’s GDP Is Minimal – Minister

Editorial staff

October 27, 2021

The Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, has attributed various diseases afflicting animals to the minimal contribution of the livestock sub-sector of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

At present, contribution of livestock sub-sector to the nation’s GDP five per cent

The Minister, who spoke today, October 26 in Benin, capital of Edo State, at the 57th Annual Congress of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), stressed that the sector is confronted with limiting factors among which is the burden of diseases, such as Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP).

The Minister, who was represented by Dr. Maimuna Habib, listed other diseases afflicting the animals as

Peste Des Petits Ruminant (PPR), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever, among others.

“I am aware that veterinarians both in public and private sectors are contributing their quota to guarantee optimal health of animals for improved production and productivity.

“To realise sufficiency in the contribution of livestock sub-sector to the Nigerian economy, we need to institutionalise effectively the control of major animal diseases in the country.

“The Federal Executive Council has graciously approved an intervention fund to address the existing gaps in the animal health care service delivery in the country.

“Very soon, the ministry is going to roll out activities in the control of transboundary diseases in the country.”

In his address of welcome, the NVMA President, Dr. Ibrahim Shehu, challenged veterinarians to deploy their professional skills to put an end to the importation of livestock and milk into the country.

Shehu, who bemoaned the huge amount the nation spent in the importation of the produce, noted that thousands of Nigerians had been denied job opportunities as a result.

He said that it was paradoxical that despite the country’s tremendous potentials in livestock, especially cattle, Nigeria still imported over two metric tonnes of milk worth billions of dollars annually.

He said that of the two metric tonnes of fish required in Nigeria annually, over one metric tonnes was imported, despite Nigeria’s large rivers, vast territorial ocean waters and diverse aquacultural practices.

“These are challenges, but they also provide opportunities for veterinarians to deploy their professional skills to ameliorate them for the socio-economic development of the country

“Nigeria and Nigerians beckon on us to ensure, among others, that there is sufficient meat, milk, eggs, and sea foods that are free of pathogens or antibiotics residues.

“There are job opportunities in producing livestock, livestock-based products, poultry and fish, both for domestic consumption and export.

“We have the capacity and sense of duty to face these challenges effectively,”he stated.

Meanwhile, Gov. Godwin Obaseki has promised to implement the resolutions that would be reached at the 57th annual congress of the NVMA.

Represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, the governor said implementing the resolutions entailed strengthening the veterinary department of the state’s health sector.

He said that the state was making efforts to provide more jobs opportunities for the people, especially the youths, by proffering solution to the challenges of electricity.

“With the issue of power solved, the youths, with the ideas they have, will grow themselves,” he said.

Speaking on the theme, “The Veterinarian and Global Health Security” Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor, the Guest Speaker, said research had shown that 75 per cent of zoonotic diseases were from animals.

He further said that 65 per cent of diseases in humans were from animals.

“This is a pointer to the fact that the veterinarians are expected to participate in global health initiative to advance global health security,” he said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Chief David Eqdebiri, called on the Federal and State Governments to pay special attention to the veterinary doctors.

He also called on the professionals to make their presence felt in society, adding that their job was too important to be suppressed or relegated to the background.

“Their job to the society is not less important to that of the other medical professions.”

(NAN)

Inspector General Deploys Deputy, 99 Strategic Commanders To Anambra For Nov 6 Election

Editorial staff

October 26, 2021

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba, has deployed a Deputy Inspector General and 99 other strategic commanders to Anambra State ahead of the November 6 gubernatorial election in the state.

The deployment, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, was aimed at overhauling the security landscape in the state ahead of the polls.

The commanders would be led by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Joseph Egbunike and the Acting DIG in-charge of operations, Zaki Ahmed.

They have a mandate to ensure effective supervision of security personnel and operations during the election.

The statement reads in part: “DIG Egbunike is saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the Operation Order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment, to ensure a peaceful environment devoid of violence and conducive enough to guarantee that law abiding citizens freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.

“Other Strategic Commanders deployed to Anambra State include five (5) Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), fourteen (14) Commissioners of Police (CPs), thirty-one (31) Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and forty-eight (48) Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs)”.

The senior officers are also to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three Senatorial Districts, 21 Local Government Areas and the 5720 polling units in Anambra State.

The IGP reassured Nigerians that the Force is adequately prepared for the November 6 gubernatorial election and will collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other key players in the state.

The statement added, “The IGP calls on citizens in Anambra State to come out en masse and exercise their franchise as adequate security has been emplaced to protect them before, during and after the elections.”

Recall that the police on October 14, deployed 34,587 personnel and three helicopters, technical capabilities of the Police Airwing, the Force Marine, Force Animal Branch and other operational assets for the election.

Anambra has in the last 52 days recorded no fewer than 37 deaths, out of which 10 were security operatives.

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