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JUST IN: Tinubu meets Wike, El-Rufai at Aso Villa

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Former governors of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai and his counterpart from Rivers State Nyesom Wike are currently in a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Separately, the ex-governors made their way to the State House.

El-Rufai arrived at Aso Rock at around 2 p.m., whereas Wike entered the presidential wing at around 1:40 p.m.

The Senate has scrutinized both of these ministerial nominees.

While El-Rufai has yet to receive Senate approval, Wike has been confirmed. This is because El-Rufai’s confirmation was put on hold due to an alleged security report.

Later on, more information…

A backlash follows Akpabio’s remarks about senators receiving a “holiday allowance.”

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Following the revelation made by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, that senators have been given money to enable them to enjoy their vacation, Nigerians have taken to social media in order to criticize Akpabio.

In the video that went viral on Wednesday morning, Akpabio can be heard saying that the National Assembly Clerk has distributed funds to all senators so that they can enjoy their break.

“A token has been sent to each of our various accounts by the clerk of the national assembly in order to make it possible for all of us to take pleasure in our vacations,” you might say.

A short time after Akpabio made this statement, and after deliberating with some of his colleagues, Akpabio withdrew his statement, saying instead that “prayers have been sent to the mailboxes of respective senators.”

That is a statement that I am retracting. Prayers have been delivered to each of your mailboxes by the President of the Senate so that you can relax and enjoy the holiday. May God bless your travels and bring you home safely.

Since then, citizens of Nigeria have taken to social media to criticize Senator Akpabio and the leadership of the country.

In response, a member of the online community by the name of Uyi Samuel tweeted, “They keep sharing money while Nigerians are suffering; this is an act of wickedness.”

“We do not have leaders; rather, we have politicians,” said Bashiru Akanbi. The sooner we admit that these individuals are nothing more than leeches and parasites on this privileged nation, the greater the likelihood that we will be able to make progress.

Ernest Rutherford also posted the following on Twitter: “The most annoying part is that these bunch of thieves just sit down in the hall doing nothing, year in and year out, and still share tax payer’s money at every given opportunity.”

Kassandra Ugochukwu tweeted, “The era of ‘Ghana Must Go bags’ are over, the APC era is for tokens in their bank accounts or emails… [T]he APC era is for tokens in their bank accounts or emails… It should come as no surprise that they no longer fight on the floor of the house, and none of them brings in thugs or steals the mace and takes it to his village…It’s all been done with paper or rubber stamps.”

In a piece that he penned, Rotimi Ebenezer said, “Nigerian politicians and corruption were just 5 and 6. When he realized he was still being broadcast on national television, he decided to change it. May God continue to bless Nigeria.

IAmGtland also reacted, tweeting that the behavior in the Senate house was “disgraceful,” describing it as “rowdy and unorganized.”

Taymee also posted the following on her Twitter account: “No worries, we deserve all the despair and suffering until we get sense by force..the electorate is more than the elected yet the elected eat better than the electorate… “Nigeria is beyond belief!”

An additional user of Twitter who simply goes by the name Peace on the social networking app tweeted the following: “Just look at this shameless Nigerian senators. People are so strapped for cash that they can’t even afford to turn on a generator from seven to ten at night. It’s a shame.

In another tweet, the smiling judge said, “Absurd, it’s a pity we’re in such a dilemma.”

NAFDAC warns South-East residents against using carbide to ripen fruits

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned the public that eating fruits that have been ripened with calcium carbide and purchasing drugs from street vendors carry a significant risk of death.

This was said by Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, in her keynote address on Tuesday at the media sensitization workshop on “Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide” that was held in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.

Adeyeye claimed that the chemicals in calcium carbide were dangerous for unborn babies and young children and would cause headaches, vertigo, mood swings, mental confusion, memory loss, excessive fluid swelling in the brain, sleepiness, seizures, and other symptoms.

NAFDAC organized the program for the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists, South-East Zone, with the goal of educating locals about the risks and dangers associated with such acts.

Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, the Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research at the NAFDAC, who was Adeyeye’s representative at the event, read her speech.

According to her, eating fruits that have been ripened with calcium carbide may increase the risk of developing cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure.

“In general, calcium carbide contained impurities like arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, and others that present a number of serious health risks.

Fruits ripened with calcium carbide have been linked to frequent thirst, mouth and nose irritation, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcers.

“These artificially ripened fruits can be distinguished if you observe that the fruits are all yellow while the stem is dark; this is true particularly for banana and plantain. Additionally, naturally ripened fruits typically have brown or black spots, whereas those that have been artificially ripened tend to have powdery residue and peel off more quickly.

The DG noted that the agency had taken some decisive actions since 2019, including educating the public through various media outlets, enforcing laws through intelligence, and conducting raids in fruit markets that resulted in the seizure and destruction of illegal goods.

The agency, she continued, had commissioned a scientific investigation into the most effective strategy for reducing the health risks associated with the carbide-induced ripening of fruits.

“The artificial ripening of fruits quality would result in the significant loss of characteristics like color, taste, and feel, and such a practice does not give the fruits the natural aroma and flavor,

She continued, “These fruits do not have a uniform color, are less juicy than when ripened naturally, and have a relatively short shelf life.

She went on to say that the acetylene produced by calcium carbide would have an impact on the nervous system, reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain, and further cause prolonged hypoxia.

The participants learned about organic approaches to fruit ripening.

Inflation: Nigeria is doing better than other African nations — CBN

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Inflation in Nigeria is lower than in most other African countries, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This was stated on Tuesday at the 2023 Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar by the CBN’s acting governor, Folashodun Shonubi.

According to Shonubi, who was represented by Kingsley Obiorah, Deputy Governor for Economic Policy at the CBN, there are a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in global inflation.

In order to shed light on the topic of “Nigerian Non-Oil Export Industry,” Obiorah. The Present, The Future,” a conference held in Victoria Island, Lagos, bemoaned the low growth rate in the ratio of non-oil exports to GDP.

Obiorah stated that Nigeria’s inflation rate was 22.8% and that the IMF anticipated a growth moderation of 3.2% in 2023 for the nation.

“Now, when you get to Africa and the neighboring country of Ghana, you’ll see that the inflation rate there is currently 42.5%. In Ethiopia and Egypt, it is 31% and 36% respectively.

“So, we are at 22.8% in our beloved nation. These numbers show that we’re not doing as badly, but the economic growth process itself has also been impacted by all of this. The IMF today reduced growth estimates from 3.5 percent to three percent for this year and three percent for the following year.

He continued, “They expect growth in Sub-Saharan Africa to slow from 4.1% last year to 3.5% this year, but to pick back up to just over 4% next year. They anticipate that we will achieve 3.2% this year in Nigeria.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine and a shift in the emphasis from goods to services were also mentioned by Obiorah as important factors.

We are aware that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is having a significant impact because both nations are significant exporters of commodities. 30% of global sunflower exports are accounted for by the two of them. Therefore, you are aware of what will happen to food prices globally when such a region is at war.

We are also aware of the shift in demand from goods to services, which are typically more expensive. As well as the disruption caused by China’s zero COVID policy and frequent power outages, he added that the switch from coal to more renewable sources of energy had decreased the value of power.

According to the economic policy expert, China’s high rate of investment in real estate services has also caused supply chain disruptions.

In China, the real estate market is currently experiencing some correction. Many Chinese people don’t have the same types of investment vehicles that, say, the average American does.

They invested a lot of their savings in real estate. But as a result, there is currently an oversupply of real estate in China. China has 65 million unoccupied apartments.

The remainder of France’s population could be taken, he continued. So, there are disruptions in the supply chain as a result of that correction.

In the ten years between 2001 and 2011, Nigeria’s non-oil exports to GDP ratio was 0.8%, he said. You can probably guess that from 2012 to 2022, we remained at 1.2%, indicating an increase of 0.4% over that period of time.

“We must expand much more rapidly. Smaller nations are doing much better than us, he urged.

Using the ratio of their non-oil exports to GDP, Obiorah also contrasted the land area of some nations with that of Nigeria.

He stated, “The Netherlands has 34,000 square kilometers of land.

“Therefore, if you include water, you reach 42,000. It may interest you to know that 29% of the Netherlands’ GDP is derived from non-oil exports. They export goods other than oil worth $108 billion on average.

The Netherlands is actually the same size as Niger State, so keep that in mind. I’ll use another illustration. Ireland, a nation of just 70,000 square kilometers, regularly exports non-oil goods worth $170 billion, which helps us do better.

Government of Anambra destroys shanties, criminal hideouts in markets

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At the Building Materials International Market, Ogidi in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, members of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra Brigade have destroyed shanties and illegal constructions.

On Wednesday, they descended upon the market in great numbers and started demolishing.

According to Mr. Celestine Anere, managing director of the OCHA Brigade, the operation was intended to clear out any illegal buildings that local lawbreakers and hoodlums were thought to use as hideouts.

Anere claimed that the criminal elements have been terrorizing the market’s customers and vendors, and occasionally kidnapping and hurting innocent people.

The Special Enforcement Team of the Brigade, he claimed, had carried out the operation to drive out all criminals operating in the Ogidi and Ogbunike axis.

In order to restore sanity to the state, he said, “The Special Enforcement Team launched ‘Operation Clean Anambra’ on Tuesday. These unpermitted buildings have turned into safehouses for criminals who are terrorizing the state.

“These criminals are terrorizing the neighborhood, maiming people and committing heinous crimes of all kinds against innocent bystanders and business owners who use the road.

There have been numerous instances of crimes like kidnapping and carjacking at that intersection. They now serve as launching pads for local organized crime informants.

“The neighborhood has remained a nightmare for owners of businesses who occasionally become victims of armed robbery, kidnapping, and theft.

The removal of these shanties and illegal constructions will also help the water to flow freely through the canals because they were built on waterways, which have impeded the drainage system.

Along with the previously mentioned benefits, it will help clear up the area and lessen traffic to allow for easy vehicle movement.

As part of the state government’s agenda to create a green, clean, healthy, livable, and prosperous homeland, he continued, adding that the operatives would keep the state safe and conducive to that goal. He advised the public to contact one of the customer service lines at 07069680112, 08122554530, 08069695398, or 08120356133 with any complaints, questions, or submissions.

Edwin Ochai Emerges President General Of Idoma Association USA

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The Idoma Association, USA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of the Idoma people in the United States, has announced the election of its new executive committee, with Prince Edwin Ochai being elected as the President General of the association.

The association aims to foster unity, welfare, and socio-cultural development among Idoma community members residing in the USA.

With a strong commitment to serving his community and a wealth of leadership experience, Prince Edwin Ochai is poised to lead the association towards promoting unity, growth, and prosperity for all Idoma people residing in the USA.

The newly elected executive committee, comprising motivated and dedicated individuals, will work together to implement projects that uplift the Idoma community and contribute to the overall well-being of its members. Their collective expertise and vision will be instrumental in fostering socio-cultural development and integration among the Idoma diaspora.

As the President General, Prince Edwin Ochai will be responsible for overseeing the activities and initiatives of the Idoma Association, USA.

He aims to build bridges within the Idoma community, foster collaboration with other ethnic associations, and create opportunities for socio-cultural development and integration among members.

“I am deeply honored to have been elected as the President General of the Idoma Association, USA. It is my utmost priority to represent the interests and aspirations of our vibrant community residing in the United States,” said Prince Edwin Ochai, who is the president and founder of Idoma International Carninival.

“Together, we will work towards preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Idoma people, fostering unity, and making a positive impact in the lives of our members.”

The Idoma Association, USA extends its gratitude to the outgoing executive committee for their dedication and service to the community. Their contributions have laid a solid foundation upon which the new executive will build.

The Idoma community in the United States is encouraged to offer their support and cooperation to the new executive committee. Together, under the leadership of Prince Edwin Ochai, they will work towards a stronger, more vibrant Idoma community in the USA.

Police detain 10-year-old girl for having hard drugs

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A 10-year-old girl was taken into custody by the Lagos State Police Command for having hard drugs in her possession.

The teenager who was apprehended in Lagos’ Agege neighborhood claimed that since June 2023, Taiwo Abass, her aunt, had used her as a drug courier.

Before moving in with her aunt who lives in Oko Oba, she lived in Ilorin, Kwara State, with her mother.

She reportedly regularly transports the drugs to the Agege point of sale.

She described how she typically transports the drug every day from her house to the shop, as well as how she was eventually caught.

“I was stopped on the road when I left my house and taken to the police station, and when I went to take a bath, they saw the drugs on me. When questioned about how the drug got into her body, she responded, “The mummy I live with put it there.

“Once I get out of bed and take a bath, she will put it in my body so I can carry it to the store, where she will then collect it from me and sell it. She claimed that the police can’t search me, so that’s why she always puts it in my body.

The accused Abass begged for pardon and attributed her actions to the nation’s economic woes.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokeswoman for the Lagos State Command, urged the public to exercise caution and to continue working with the police to combat drugs and other crimes in the community.

He also stated that the girl would be returned to her family once they had established contact and that the aunt would face legal action.

Continuing battle between Diri and Sylva for soul of Bayelsa

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To give their candidates a solid foundation on which to win the November 11 governorship election, Bayelsa State’s major political players have intensified their campaigns. While it may seem that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the front-runners, other political parties are shrewdly positioning themselves to have an impact at the polls. Political pundits describe this scheme as a brand-new way to buy votes as political parties have already resumed funding distribution and sharing of political appointments. However, based on the results of the most recent general election, party leaders are cautiously optimistic. State governors chosen on the platform of the nation’s largest opposition party were included in the PDP’s announcement of the makeup of a national campaign organization just on Monday.

While a former governor and the most recent Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, is the standard-bearer for the APC, the incumbent governor, Senator Douye Diri, is running for reelection under the PDP platform. Other candidates include Waibodei Subiri of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Udengs Eradiri, a former president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), both of the Labour Party.
No one challenged the PDP’s candidate for governor, making it the first time since the state’s founding that the party had produced an unopposed candidate. Because they feel he merits a second term based on his performance over the previous three years, party members in the state granted him a right of first refusal.

Efforts are being made by Sylva of the APC, who won the primary after defeating five other candidates, including the party’s 2019 governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon, to reach out to the other candidates who disapproved of the primary’s results. Six candidates competed in a tense race for the party’s nomination, and he prevailed. Sylva, the party’s leader in the state, is rumored to have control of more than 80% of the APC’s state apparatus. She has a chance to unite the party and make the PDP fiercely competitive for the top government-housing seat in Creek Haven.

As Diri and Sylva run for reelection in hopes of serving a second term each, the conflict between the supporters of the two major parties, the PDP and APC, has grown beyond simple sentiments pertaining to fairness, equity, and justice. This time, the conflicting issue is any governor’s ability to run for a second term. Both Diri and Sylva have served one term in office and are running for re-election. In contrast to Sylva, who was governor from 2007 to 2011, Diri is in office from 2020 to 2024. As a result, Sylva has the constitutional right to run for re-election to Creek Haven for another four years, just as Diri deserves to continue serving in that capacity.

After the parties finished their primaries and candidates started to emerge, the conversation shifted away from which party had been in power in the state since 1999 and toward whether it would be morally and legally acceptable for the other candidates to support Diri’s eight-year tenure.

On the one hand, Diri’s supporters feel that the governor has accomplished a lot in the three years since he took office and that he merits another term to finish projects spread across the three senatorial districts roads that have made transportation of people, goods, and services between the state capital and remote coastal communities possible.

The argument, incidentally, is consistent with the opinions of some observers who support the principle of continuity in governance. They base their argument on the conceivable reasoning of the authors of section 182 (subsection 1b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), who believed that a second term in office would guarantee the completion of long-term projects, which would then translate to sustainable development.

The question of continuity, however, does not concern Sylva’s supporters in this election because their hero was unable to finish his massive projects while serving as governor. They believe that denying Sylva the right to a second term in office was appropriate, and that denying Diri the same right will be appropriate as well.

In a recent press conference, Sylva was quoted as saying that Bayelsans should give him another chance because his time serving as the APC’s state leader from 2015 to the present and as the state’s minister of state for petroleum resources has given him the knowledge and insight he needs to govern the state much better than he did 16 years ago.

Tinubu is aware Nigerians are enduring hardship, says Okonjo-Iweala

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President Bola Tinubu is aware of the hardship being felt by Nigerians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies, according to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On Tuesday, after meeting with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja with former Minister of State for Health and Minister-designate, Dr. Mohammed Pate, Okonjo-Iweala gave a press conference in which she made this statement.

She claimed that the purpose of her visit to Tinubu was to discuss ways to lessen poverty in Nigeria.

That is what is required right now, according to Okonjo-Iweala, helping Nigerians to improve their precarious circumstances.

Read Also: NCDC reports 137 fatalities, 1,534 cases of diphtheria

“Our discussion with the president focused on developing strategies to promote women’s empowerment, encourage job creation, and support digital trade within Nigeria’s economy.

Although this wasn’t really a WTO mission, we were able to speak with the president about the potential programs that could be implemented to ensure the welfare of Nigerians.

“We talked about trying to look at community and grassroots programs that can be put in place to create jobs for young people trying to support women and children who are bearing the brunt of some of the suffering in the country.

Okonjo-Iweala added that they had the chance to discuss longer-term investments in a variety of other Nigerian industries, including the pharmaceutical sector, during their visit.

We also discussed the potential benefits of the World Trade Organization, she continued.

“We are already assisting Nigerian women in particular who run small and medium-sized businesses to improve the caliber of their goods in the agricultural, textile, and other sectors so they can sell more internationally.

“We’re attempting to assist them with online trade. Digital trade is the way of the future. How then can we empower Nigerian women and small and medium-sized businesses nationwide to grow the economy and add to the number of jobs?

“That is what Nigeria needs right now to improve the difficult circumstances that the people there are facing.

“So, that is what we talked about with Mr. President, and as the Director General of the World Trade Organization, we will try to do everything in our power to support Nigerians at this particular time,” the statement continued.

Tinubu is actively working to alleviate the suffering and pains of the populace, according to Pate, a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GAVI, the global vaccine alliance.

NCDC reports 137 fatalities, 1,534 cases of diphtheria

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 1,534 diphtheria cases in the country.

The NCDC recorded a total of 4,160 suspected cases from 27 states and 139 Local Government Areas across the country.

This was stated by the NCDC in its diphtheria situation report from May 2022 to July 2023, which was published on its website.

Kano (1,207), Yobe (252), Bauchi (41), Katsina (nine), Lagos (eight), FCT (six), and Kaduna (five) have confirmed instances.

 

Niger has two, Gombe has two, Osun has one, Jigawa has one, and Cross River has one.

Kano (3,233), Yobe (477), Katsina (132), Kaduna (101), Bauchi (54), FCT (41) and Lagos (30) account for 97.8 percent of the suspected cases, according to the report.

“Of the 4,160 suspected cases recorded, 1,534 (36.9%) were confirmed (87 lab-confirmed; 158 epid linked; 1,289 clinically compatible), 1,700 (40.9%) were rejected, 639 (15.4%) are pending classification, and 287 (6.9%) are unknown,” according to the report.

“The confirmed cases were spread throughout 56 local government areas (LGAs) in ten states.” The majority of confirmed cases [1,018 (66.4%)] occurred in youngsters aged one to fourteen years.

“Among all confirmed cases, 137 people died (CFR: 8.9%).” 1 257 (81.9%) of the 1,534 confirmed cases were not adequately immunized against diphtheria.”

Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is covered by one of the vaccines usually administered through Nigeria’s pediatric immunization program.