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Blame your failure to implement UN decision for poor electricity supply – SERAP to FG

Posted on Tuesday 26 May 2015 No comments

Tuesday 26 May 2015






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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that “the government of President Goodluck Jonathan should blame its failure to acknowledge let alone implement decisions of the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and Special Rapporteur on adequate housing sent to the government in November 2013 for the poor electricity supply in the country.”


This followed disclosure this week by the Federal Government that the nation has recorded a loss of over 2,000 megawatts in the national grid due to shortage of gas supply to the thermal plants.


In a statement today by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization said that, ““To date, the government has not responded to the eight crucial questions raised by the UN on the unfair and discriminatory electricity tariff and the pervasive level of corruption in the electricity sector. The unfortunate result is that Nigerians are made to pay for ‘electricity’ they never enjoy.”


“The investment of over $30 billion in the electricity sector in the past 15 years has brought nothing but darkness to millions of Nigerians. The President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari should as a matter of priority probe where the $30 billion has gone and work with the UN mechanisms to ensure the full and effective implementation of their recommendations,” the organisation said.


It would be recalled that Ms. Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and Ms. Raquel Rolnik Special Rapporteur on adequate housing United Nations published Joint Letter of Concern sent to the government of President Goodluck Jonathan in which they expressed concerns that “access to electricity (and regularity of supply) is a significant problem in Nigeria,” and raised eight questions for the government to answer within 60 days.


The rapporteurs also said that, “Less than 50 per cent of registered electricity customers have access to electricity meters, and ongoing inaccuracies in measuring electricity usage will continue to hinder fair electricity access and exchange.”


They wanted answers to the alleged “mismanagement throughout the privatization process, and around 3.5 billion USD that has been mismanaged annually over the last ten years, and a total of 16 billion USD released to improve electricity supply in the country that has not been properly accounted for. The Business Units which have taken over from the PHCN participate in large-scale corruption such as graft from exorbitant consumer bills, rejection of payment to independent third parties such as banks to keep management of funds secret, unprecedented disconnection of consumers’ power lines, general bribery and fraud amongst staff, adding up to over NGN 1 billion extra charged to consumers annually.”


The letter with reference No NGA 5/2013 is dated 26 November 2013, and signed by two special rapporteurs expressed concerns that “at the end of 2012, Nigeria with a population of about 160 million people only generated about 4,000 megawatts of electricity, which is ten times less than some other countries in the region with less population.”


According to the rapporteurs, “all beneficiaries of the right to adequate housing should have sustainable access to energy for cooking, heating and lighting. The failure of States to provide basic services such as electricity is a violation of the right to health. Electricity must be provided without discrimination towards people living in poverty and that no one should be denied access to essential services because of an inability to pay”.


The rapporteurs sent the letter following a petition by a coalition of human rights activists, labour, journalists and lawyers led by SERAP. The petition alleged that the implementation of the Multi-Year Tariff Order II (MYTO II) by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is “having detrimental impact on the human rights of those living in poverty in the country.”


According to them, “The increases in electricity tariffs, problems with measuring electricity usage, lack of improvement in the quality of the service and lack of transparency in the use of funds, reportedly disproportionately impact on those with little disposable income, as well as exacerbate the scarcity of energy supply for those who already cannot afford electricity even if connected to the grid.”


They pointed to Nigeria’s international obligations “under various international human rights instruments and in particular: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, acceded to by Nigeria in 1993), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, ratified by Nigeria in 1993), the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, ratified by Nigeria in 1985) and the African (Banjul) Charter on Human Rights and People’s rights (ratified by Nigeria in 1983).”


“The human rights framework does not dictate a particular form of service delivery and leaves it to States to determine the best ways to implement their human rights obligations. However, the State cannot exempt itself from its human rights obligations when involving non-State actors in service provision. On the contrary, when non-State actors are involved in service provision, there is a shift to an even stronger focus on the obligation of the State to protect,” the special rapporteurs added.


They further argued that, “As part of its obligation to protect, the State must safeguard all persons within their jurisdiction from infringements of their rights by third parties. Involving non-State actors in service provision requires, inter alia, clearly defining the scope of functions delegated to them, overseeing their activities through setting regulatory standards, and monitoring compliance.”


“Given the fact that in Nigeria electricity provision has been outsourced to the private sector, the obligation remains for the Nigerian government to ensure that private sector actions do not result in violations of the right to an adequate standard of living,” the special rapporteurs argued.


(THE SUN)


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Malaysia Exhumes Suspected Migrant Remains From Graves

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Malaysia has begun exhuming bodies suspected to be migrants buried in mass grave sites found by the Thai border. Authorities believe migrants were held for ransom in jungle camps, and those who died were buried in 139 graves. BBC was there:


Thousands of migrants have left Myanmar and Bangladesh in recent weeks on boats and overland through Thailand and Malaysia. Some have ended up in the hands of human traffickers. Thailand has meanwhile offered a “floating naval base” to help migrants.


Officials believe the camps were only abandoned recently, following a crackdown by Thailand on human traffickers after similar mass graves were found in its southern Songkhla province. Some migrants were apparently held at the camps in “human cages” made of wood and barbed wire.


Malaysia’s national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said there were signs that torture had been used, but he did not elaborate. “We were shocked by the cruelty,” said Mr Khalid. Referring to the “cages”, he told reporters: “We think the migrants were imprisoned in these wooden pens…They were not allowed to move freely and traffickers kept watch at sentry posts.”


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Last minute looting: Federal High court stops liquidator from disposing NITEL/MTEL obsolete items

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antenna-mast-mobile-aerial-signal-3g-4g-777x437

(BAUCHI)


A federal High Court sitting in Bauchi presided over by Justice Muhammed Garba Umar granted an injunction to stop the auctioning of scrapped and obsolete items belonging to NITEL and MTEL valued at about N300 billion nationwide.


The order came following the court process initiated by the Nigeria Association of Pensioners through their counsel Barrister Ahmed Accanny for Baushe Chambers Bauchi.


The Association led by its National President Alhaji Kiliya Babagana and the Bauchi State chairman Abdullahi Abubakar Uba had dragged the Bureau of Public Procurement and six others to court following loopholes observations that breached the Procurement Act in an advertisement placed in the Daily Trust newspaper notifying the public of the auctioning of NITEL and MTEL.


Speaking through their counsel Barrister Accany the association said that the laid down rules which stipulated that before such items are placed for public auction six weeks’ notice had not been followed by the liquidator appointed to the scrapped and obsolete items belonging the NITEL And MTEL nationwide.


When the case came up for hearing in the court, Counsel to the defendant Barrister Tokumbo jayi Agoro argued that said in response to the motion for interim injunction served his clients have decided not to proceed with the auctioning adding that an advertisement was placed in the same paper to that effect.


The Judge justice Umar said it would be better to be cautious and give more time to the applicants who sought for it and both parties agreed to appear in court over the matter again on June 8, 2015 and asked both parties to stay execution and stopped the liquidator from auctioning the obsolete and scrappeda items of NITEL and MTEL.


Meanwhile, the National Association of Auctioneers through their council have written to the Inspector General of Police to enforce the injunction of the court restraining the liquidator from disposing the said items pending further hearing.


Worried that it has received reports that some had already been disposed in Lagos and some parts of the country, the National Chairman Alhaji Kiliya Babagana in a circular said: “This is to inform all registered members of the National Association of Auctioneers that anybody who participates in the disposing of NITEL items will punished and will lead to serious dismissal from the association.


“Remember the court order has been served to the relevant authorities for the stoppage in disposing the said items . NAA has been directed to go round and ensure strict compliance.”


Daily Sun learnt that the last minute disposal were parts of efforts by officials and their collaborators to grap items belonging to public institutions before the coming of the new government on May 29, 2015.


(Paul Orude, THE SUN)


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Oshoala is BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

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Liverpool FC and Nigeria international forward Asisat Oshoala has won the inaugural BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award.


The 20-year-old beat Germany’s Nadine Kessler, Scot Kim Little, Brazilian Marta and Spain’s Veronica Boquete to the prize, as voted for by football fans around the world.


“I would like to say thank you to the BBC, to my fans around the world and to everyone who voted,” she told the BBC.


Oshoala claimed the Most Valuable Player and the adidas golden boot at the 2014 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup after scoring the highest numbers (5) of goals in the tournament as Nigeria narrowly lost to eventual champions Germany in Canada.


That former Rivers Angels forward was also a member of the Super Falcons squad that claimed a record extending seventh African Women Championship in Namibia earlier in the year.


She was also named African Women’s Footballer of the Year at a gala ceremony organised in Lagos by Caf and Globacom Nigeria Limited in January.

Asisat Oshoala is BBC Women's Footballer of the Year. Image: BBC.

Asisat Oshoala is BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year. Image: BBC.


Nigeria thus earned the right to participate in this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup which begins on 6 June, also in Canada.


“It’s a really good thing for us as a team because we now know that we have something great and now we want to go at the trophy,” she said. “We can do it, we did it in 2014 we can also do it this year as well.


“There is going to be a lot of motivation for women’s football in Nigeria now because of this award because there are a lot of fans out there.

Play media


“Support for women’s football in Nigeria is now growing very high.


“I know my Liverpool Ladies coach is going to be happy right now. Before I left the UK he called me and said to me ‘don’t worry I hope you win the award and we’re going to celebrate it when you come back’.”


Oshoala is the first African to feature in the Women’s Super League following his transfer to Liverpool Ladies in January.


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Reps Speakership: Tambuwal Strongly In Support Of My Bid, Says Gbajabiamila

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Femi GbajabiamilaMinority Leader of the House of Representatives and one of the leading contenders for the position of Speaker in the incoming 8th National Assembly, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that the outgoing Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is supporting his bid.


In a statement by chairman of the Gbajabiamila campaign organization, James Abiodun Faleke (APC, Lagos) yesterday, the Minority Leader said a recent statement credited to one of his supporters to the effect that Tambuwal was in support of another aspirant, Yakubu Dogara, could not be true.


An APC Rep member from Kaduna State, Rufai Madaki, had in a statement on Sunday said the purported support by Mr. Tambuwal for Mr. Dogara is suspicious and rooted in “selfish interest”.


However, Faleke in his statement said: “The attention of Femi Gbajabiamila Speakership Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a statement purportedly made by one of our honourable members to the effect that the incumbent Speaker, Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal, is supporting another candidate other than Femi Gbajabiamila.


“We hereby state categorically that in a democracy every member is entitled to their own opinion, however, as a secretariat we are of the strong opinion that Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal is purely interested in bequeathing a strong legacy in the House of Representatives, which our candidate, Femi Gbajabiamila represents.


“I can therefore confirm that Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal is strongly in support of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives”.


Meanwhile, the Gbajabiamila Campaign Organisation has said that 179 out of the 213 APC Reps-elect from across the six geopolitical zones for the 8th Assembly have so far signed an endorsement register supporting the Minority Leader’s candidature.


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Last minute looting: Federal High court stops luquidator from disposing NITEL/MTEL obsolete items

Posted on No comments





antenna-mast-mobile-aerial-signal-3g-4g-777x437

(BAUCHI)


A federal High Court sitting in Bauchi presided over by Justice Muhammed Garba Umar granted an injunction to stop the auctioning of scrapped and obsolete items belonging to NITEL and MTEL valued at about N300 billion nationwide.


The order came following the court process initiated by the Nigeria Association of Pensioners through their counsel Barrister Ahmed Accanny for Baushe Chambers Bauchi.


The Association led by its National President Alhaji Kiliya Babagana and the Bauchi State chairman Abdullahi Abubakar Uba had dragged the Bureau of Public Procurement and six others to court following loopholes observations that breached the Procurement Act in an advertisement placed in the Daily Trust newspaper notifying the public of the auctioning of NITEL and MTEL.


Speaking through their counsel Barrister Accany the association said that the laid down rules which stipulated that before such items are placed for public auction six weeks’ notice had not been followed by the liquidator appointed to the scrapped and obsolete items belonging the NITEL And MTEL nationwide.


When the case came up for hearing in the court, Counsel to the defendant Barrister Tokumbo jayi Agoro argued that said in response to the motion for interim injunction served his clients have decided not to proceed with the auctioning adding that an advertisement was placed in the same paper to that effect.


The Judge justice Umar said it would be better to be cautious and give more time to the applicants who sought for it and both parties agreed to appear in court over the matter again on June 8, 2015 and asked both parties to stay execution and stopped the liquidator from auctioning the obsolete and scrappeda items of NITEL and MTEL.


Meanwhile, the National Association of Auctioneers through their council have written to the Inspector General of Police to enforce the injunction of the court restraining the liquidator from disposing the said items pending further hearing.


Worried that it has received reports that some had already been disposed in Lagos and some parts of the country, the National Chairman Alhaji Kiliya Babagana in a circular said: “This is to inform all registered members of the National Association of Auctioneers that anybody who participates in the disposing of NITEL items will punished and will lead to serious dismissal from the association.


“Remember the court order has been served to the relevant authorities for the stoppage in disposing the said items . NAA has been directed to go round and ensure strict compliance.”


Daily Sun learnt that the last minute disposal were parts of efforts by officials and their collaborators to grap items belonging to public institutions before the coming of the new government on May 29, 2015.


(Paul Orude, THE SUN)


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Military Operation Begins To Liberate Iraq’s Anbar Province From Islamic State

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Members of the Iraqi army and Shi'ite fighters launch a mortar toward Islamic State militants outskirt the city of Falluja, Iraq May 19, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

Members of the Iraqi army and Shi’ite fighters launch a mortar toward Islamic State militants outskirt the city of Falluja, Iraq May 19, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer


Iraq formally announced on Tuesday the start of a military operation to liberate the western province of Anbar from Islamic State insurgents.


According to a report by Reuters, Ahmed al-Assadi, a spokesman for the Shi’ite paramilitaries known as Hashid Shaabi, which are taking part, said in a news conference broadcast on the state TV channel that the operation had been named “Labeyk Ya Hussein”.


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Anti-Party Activities: Imo PDP Expels Ararume, 19 Others

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Ifeanyi ArarumeThe Imo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party has expelled Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and 19 others from the party.


Among those expelled are Jerry Chukwueke and Humphrey Anumudu, who were governorship aspirants of the party.


Others were Gibson Achonwa, C. Y Amako, Charles Amadi, Kingsley Onunuju, Ethelbert Okere, Jones Uzoka, Nkem Nwankwo, Independence Ogunewe, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Bethel Nzimako, Celestine Uwakwe, J.C.N. Harcourt, Sunny Heart Ibe, Aznubuike Ekwegh, Jeph Ojinaka, J. I. J. Njoku and Stan Nzekwe.


A statement issued in Owerri, the state capital yesterday, said that after an executive committee meeting of the party on May 4, 2015, attended by the chairman of the party in the state, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, deputy chairman, Gen. S. Nlemchukwu Chikwe, and 49 others, the aforementioned were expelled from the party for alleged gross anti-party activities during the recent governorship election in Imo State.


The statement said that the 20 expelled leaders worked against the interest of the party in the just concluded general elections, a situation that confirmed their involvement in gross anti-party activities.


It would be recalled that immediately the party lost the March 28 presidential election, some PDP stalwarts defected to the APC.


Araraume, who also contested the Imo PDP governorship ticket but lost to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, joined the APC and worked to ensure the re-election of Governor Rochas Okorocha in the poll, despite his filing of a court case against Ihedioha.


In reaction to his expulsion, Ararume, through his chief adviser, Dr. James Okoroma, said that PDP has embarked on another wild goose chase.


He said the PDP in Imo State can never stop practicing evil, adding that his principal has, however, taught them a lesson in the state.


He asked: “How can they suspend people who have left them?”


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Oil Surveillance Contracts: Ijaw Group Wants Urhobo Ex-Militants Incorporated

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(WARRI)


An Ijaw group, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, has called on the federal government to immediately approve the demand for inclusion of oil surveillance contracts by Urhobo ex-miltants as same was currently enjoyed by their counterparts in the Niger Delta region.


In a news briefing comrade Austin Ozobo who is the president of the group said that the demand for the oil surveillance contracts by Urhobo ex-miltants was in order, saying that it was unfair to marginalized Urhobo nation in the award of the oil surveillance contracts and that the struggle was a collectively fought and that the contracts should not be monopolized to certain individuals alone.


The activist stressed ”there is nothing wrong in considering Urhobo nation in the oil Surveillance contracts” the Urhobos are also major oil PRODUCERS,”they should be included so as to give them a sense of belonging”.


Though” I caution Urhobo ex-militants against pipe line vandalization as a means to fight on their course ”But I fully support the award of the surveillance contracts to Urhobo ex-miliants, ”it is their right to have it and let’s not pretend about it”give them their right”


”It is sometimes annoying when your rights are denied unlawfully and that is what is happening to our Urhobo Brothers”


Imagine, I called one ethnic bigot who is unduly enjoying surveillance contracts as I was pressured by some of my supporters who wants an employment, But this deranged bigot told me that surveillance jobs are meanly for oil producing communities, ”we were disappointed. ”this was a struggle that was collectively fought for. ”You can see how some persons are taken undue advantage of the struggle for the detriment of others.”The deep involvement of some good spirited individuals , groups and non oil impacted communities in the Niger struggle are forgotten. ”This is sheer wickedness , it is Callous and barbaric”.


I urged president Jonathan to expedite action to incorporate Urhobo ex-militants in the award of the oil surveillance contracts before his finally exit from power on may 29 to avoid further damages on the nations economy.


(Emmanuel Ogoigbe, THE SUN)


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Around 25 Kenyan Police Killed In Al Shabaab Attacks

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Al Shabaab gunmen killed around 25 Kenyan police on Monday, ambushing some officers in a village in the east of the country after others died when their vehicle hit a landmine planted by the militants, their military spokesman said. The Islamist group also burnt five vehicles in the two incidents, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said. Reuters reports:


“We took all their weapons. There were some Kenyan forces that escaped in the course of the ambush fighting,” he said. Some 20 police died in the ambush, which occurred in Monday evening in Yumbis village, 70 km (45 miles) north of the town of Garissa, the Standard and Daily Nation newspapers said.


Last week, al Shabaab attacked Yumbis and hoisted their flag on a mosque where they held prayers before heading to another nearby village.


Police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi confirmed there had been an attack in Yumbis. Other government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.


Al Shabaab, which has carried out several attacks in Kenya in recent years to try to force Nairobi to withdraw its troops from Somalia, attacked a university in the same area last month and killed 148 people.


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Read About The Water Wives Of India Who Live Only To Fetch Water For Their Families

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Men in drought-stricken Indian villages often take a second or even a third wife whose sole purpose is only to bring water to the family. They make several long trips to distant water sources every single day, carrying large vats of water on their heads. Oddity Central has more:


Life is hard in dry villages, like Denganmal, 150 km from Mumbai. Husbands are busy farming and tending to the animals, while the women do house chores and raise the children. However, someone still needs to bring water from sources often several kilometers away, for about 8 months out of a year, when there is no rainfall in the area. That’s why having two or even three wives is not at all uncommon in these parts. The men only have children with their first wives, while the other’s sole purpose is to provide water for the family, in exchange for a roof over their heads and the social status of wife. They are paaniwaali bais, water wives.



On any given day, a water wife in Denganmal will fetch over 100 liters of water from a source located 3 kilometers away, making several trips during the day and when it’s too hot, at night. It’s not uncommon to see a number of women walking for miles in temperatures of above 40 degrees Celsius, with huge pots of aluminium perched on their heads. However, doing this every day, regardless of weather conditions is bound to take its toll on anybody.


Locals report that water wives eventually start to go bald, become stunned and unable to bear children. Young water wives are more productive, so many men often take a third wife, after they notice the first water wife isn’t fetching as much water as she used to.



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DIABETES, COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

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olubiyi Adesina

On various Television stations, Radio stations and other media across the country, Nigerians are being inundated with advertorials by self styled ‘Doctors’ promoting the efficacy of certain remedies that act as a ‘cure all’. Some of the remedies are touted to improve libido, cure diabetes, cure an enlarged prostate, cancers, warts, help you to lose weight in an almost magical manner and achieve overall good health. Such advertorials also include the ‘testimony’ and other anecdotal reports from individuals who have used such remedies. These ‘testimonies’ serve as very effective tools to convince the unwary that he or she, irrespective of educational status, needs to use such a remedy. The scientific community needs much more proof than what is currently made available in order to know the truth about the safety and efficacy of such remedies.


The presence of such alternative therapies have quite complicated the diabetes treatment landscape, not only by the unproven but highly touted ‘efficacy’ of such therapies but also by the avidity with which numerous individuals with diabetes in and out of Nigeria cling to such therapies. One of the downsides of the use of alternative therapies in Nigeria and elsewhere is the increasing incidence of kidney and liver failure following the use of such alternative therapies. Most times, the practitioners of this form of therapy are very secretive about their products and do not make them available for scientific scrutiny.


Complementary therapy refers to therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines outside conventional medical practice which are used alongside conventional medicine while alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine. These two forms of therapy, though around for decades, have gained further ground in Nigeria in the last two decades through widespread and unregulated advertisement.


Individuals with diabetes must be educated about which of such therapies may be of some benefit and those with absolutely no proven value. As evidence becomes available to the scientific community about the efficacy of some of these complementary therapies, they can then be absorbed in into the main diabetes treatment armamentarium.


A whole wide range of complementary therapies are currently available in Nigeria which are expensive, of unproven efficacy, unknown safety profile which are being used by people with diabetes instead of their orthodox/conventional therapy.


It is strongly advised by healthcare practitioners worldwide that instead of individuals with diabetes buying expensive dietary supplements that contain vitamins and other micronutrients, they should invest in eating a very balanced diet and their conventional anti-diabetic agents. Individuals with diabetes who wish to use remedies aside from that prescribed by their healthcare workers are advised to discuss such use with their Doctors.


Majority of the proponents of alternative therapies do not possess strong clinical credentials and often misapply information from scientific literature. A strong case in point is the over celebration of staphylococcus in Nigeria by the combination of outright falsehood and half truths.


It is an incontrovertible fact that a lot of conventional drugs used nowadays to treat diabetes and other diseases are derived from herbs. A vivid example is Metformin which is the most used anti-diabetic drug worldwide which was derived from French lilac plant, a traditional remedy for the disease. The onus is thus on herbal practitioners in Nigeria and elsewhere to make their products available for scientific proof. Before the efficacy and safety of currently used herbal remedies are proven scientifically, one can only advise that such remedies are taken with a pinch of salt.


Orthodox medical practitioners must make it a point of duty to ask individuals with diabetes that they attend to whether they use any form of complementary or alternative therapy, especially in those whose blood sugar level control is poor. At the risk of sounding repetitive, one must again say that the safety of these alternative therapies is a serious cause for concern.


For now, it is still good to keep an open mind about these therapies as they may be proven in the future to be effective and safe, but until then, one will strongly advice that individuals with diabetes stick with  their orthodox medications. The burden of scientific proof rests with the practitioners of these therapies.


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Policeman shoots 34 year old man over N2,000

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A mobile policeman in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, allegedly shot a 34-year-old Adamu Mohammed, over an argument of N2,000 unpaid fees for a menial job.


According to Mohammed’s family, the victim was shot last Tuesday by the mobile policeman after an argument with a woman who hired him to clear a portion of land close to her home at Erepa Road and dumped at the Federal Medical Centre.

Residents who claimed to have witnessed the incident, said the shooting took place after an argument ensued with the woman over the amount to pay for the job and Mohammed’s squabble with a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, officer.


They said the policeman shot him in the thigh to demobilise him.


Mohammed, who refused to file a formal complaint against the policeman for fear of retaliation accused the woman who awarded him the menial job of cheating.


Mohammed said: “We agreed on N3,000. But after I finished the work, she said she will pay N1,000. I got angry and she called in some policemen guarding the home of a senior police officer on Erepa Road.


“The first person that came was a Civil Defence man and he claimed I stabbed him, and the mobile policeman, without asking questions, shot me in the thigh.”


The policemen on guard duty at the residence of the unidentified senior officer, pleaded with Mohammed’s family to give them time to raise money for his treatment and leave out formal complaint against them.


Mohammed, according to the family, has since been taken to Bauchi for traditional treatment.


When the spokesman of the state Police Command, Asimi Butswat, was contacted for comments, he said though he was not aware of any formal complaint by the purported victim, the action of the victim was suspicious and has the semblance of an armed robbery suspect.


Vanguard.


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B.B. King was poisoned by his Manager, say his daughters

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The reason they said she killed him was because she refused to let them see their Dad when he was gravely sick and then prevented them from taking photos of him when they eventually saw his body.


Williams and Patty King – along with sisters Rita Washington and Barbara King Winfree, and brother Willie King – first raised suspicions last week during a viewing of King’s body.



A week before King’s death, a judge in Las Vegas dismissed a request from Williams to take over as King’s guardian.

An April 29 petition alleged that Toney had blocked King’s friends from visiting him and had put her family members on King’s payroll. It also alleged that large sums of money had disappeared from King’s bank accounts.



On Thursday they said that they didn’t think their father looked like himself. Their father reportedly died from several stroked caused by his diabetes.


Williams and Patty King accused Toney of keeping them from seeing their father for a week after he died May 14 at home at age 89 and of preventing them from taking photos of him in his casket.


‘A picture paints 1,000 words,’ Patty King said as she showed cellphone images of the same family group with their father at his birthday in September. ‘He loved his children.’ The five family members refer to themselves as a family board.


Three doctors determined that King was appropriately cared-for, and King received 24-hour care and monitoring by medical professionals “up until the time that he peacefully passed away in his sleep,” Toney’s attorney Brent Bryson said on Monday.


“He did not want invasive medical procedures,” he said. “He made the decision to return home for hospice care instead of staying in a hospital. These unfounded allegations have caused Mr. King to undergo an autopsy, which is exactly what he didn’t want.”


B.B. King is survived by 11 of his 15 children.


Toney said she’s doing what B.B. King said he wanted.


‘They want to do what they want to do, which is take over, I guess, but that wasn’t Mr. King’s wishes. Mr. King would be appalled.’


B.B. King’s will, dated Jan. 18, 2007, and filed Wednesday under his birth name, Riley B. King, appoints Toney as sole executor of his affairs. Another daughter, Riletta Williams, was second in line, but she died last September.



Toney is banning the media and photographs of any kind during the public viewing from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Palm Mortuary on South Jones Boulevard.


Funeral director Matt Phillips said viewers will be able to file past the open casket and security officials will prevent photos. The media won’t be allowed inside.


Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said on Monday that an autopsy was performed on King’s embalmed body on Sunday, and that the test results will take up to eight weeks.

B.B. King will be buried on May 30 at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola.



AP.


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How to fight and conquer malaria

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Malaria

•Experts counsel on how to avoid disease, as medicine dealers celebrate World Malaria Day



BY GILBERT EKEZIE


Recently, members of the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association (LSMDA) and other stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry converged on Lagos for this year’s edition of the World Malaria Day.


The event did not only give the medicine dealers the opportunity to meet one on one with the suppliers and manufacturers of the products they were selling, it was also an opportunity for them to buy some drugs at cheaper rates. The manufacturers also smiled home with huge cash from immediate sales.


Among the pharmaceutical companies that attended the event with their products were Jawa pharmaceuticals, EMZOR, Philips, GSK, and Seagreen Pharmaceuticals. Agencies and experts were invited to create awareness through paper presentations on how to prevent malaria.


In his remarks, President of Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association (LSMDA), Chief Kevinson Chukwuemeka Okpara said LSMDA was a corporate entity whose area of operation included providing quality, genuine and affordable drugs to the society. He explained that the celebration became necessary as his association could not continue to lag behind at the yearly World Malaria day celebration, especially as malaria constituted immediate danger to the society.


He noted that members of his association could not fold their arms and watch malaria claim more lives of Nigerians. “Our interest in joining the fight against malaria is because it is a dangerous disease to all,” he stated.


Okpara noted that his members were strategically located in the rural areas as well as in the various communities and towns in Lagos. He said since they rendered great services to the people, he implored donor agencies and pharmaceutical companies to partner with LSMDA in terms of training, provision of affordable and subsidized anti-malaria drugs and other relevant tools needed to fight and win the war against malaria.


Okpara promised that LSMDA would organise the World Malaria Day more elaborately with community outreach, rallies, conferences at schools and workshops in the years ahead.


He therefore advised the people to maintain a clean environment in order to be safe from malaria attacks.


General Secretary of LSMDA, Comrade Olua Uwandu described the World Malaria Day as a time to reflect on the dangers and cure of malaria, pointing out that the disease had caused so many deaths all over the world.


He said LSMDA members had always been attending series of programmes organised by other organisations on World Malaria Day, but decided to embark on their own this year.


“We decided to mark the programme for the first time this year, and it is a good beginning, Henceforth, we hope to make it an annual event,” he stated.


Uwandu advised the people to shun self-medication and that they should not pick malaria drugs at any shop lacking a rapid diagnosis test machine.


“It is now a policy that before you pick any malaria drug from a shop, ensure that you have malaria, because it is not all fever that is malaria. We have a challenge of resistance of malaria which the medical experts are fighting through the resistance test machine which is found in almost every recognised medicine shop,” he said.


Uwandu further explained that for resistance to be overcome, people should take the recommended drugs as at when due.


In a paper titled; Malaria Case Management: Increasing Malaria Rapid-Diagnostic Test (MRDT) in the Private Sector, Mr Leslie Emegbuonye of ClintonHealth Access Initiative explained that Malaria is an infectious disease caused by at least five protozoan parasites which are transmitted by female anopheles mosquitoes. He told the crowd that Nigeria bears over a quarter of the world’s malaria burden, with malaria prevalence of 42 per cent and an estimated 120 million cases per year, while approximately 208,000 people die through malaria annually.


He also stated that malaria is the third leading cause of Under-five years of age deaths, after pneumonia and diarrhoea diseases. He added: “Malaria accounts for 11 per cent of maternal mortality and 14 per cent of mortality in children Under-five years of age.”


According to Emegbuonye, signs and symptoms of malaria commonly presented patients with a combination of fever, chills, sweat, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, general malaise and loss of appetite.


Emegbuonye also explained that malaria signs and symptoms were similar to those of other viral and bacterial infections, noting that it was important to undergo tests before treatment.


“The purpose of National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP) 2014-2020 is to reduce malaria burden to pre-elimination levels and bring malaria-related mortality to zero. In 2010, WHO recommended that all malaria suspected cases should be tested before a malaria treatment is administered. Different diagnostic tests available for malaria are microscopy, antigen detection, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), molecular diagnosis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology – indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA).


“Fever is a common symptom of many diseases, including malaria, but sometimes patients with fever do not have malaria. Testing a fever patient with RDTs lets you know if the fever is caused by malaria or by other ailments, so that the patient can be treated correctly. Testing before treating malaria also prevents wastage due to the use of anti-malaria drugs in non-malaria cases. Testing also prevents the development of resistance to anti-malaria drug. Testing also provides differential diagnosis for other diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea,” he explained.


Mr. Darlington Dike, National President of Save Green Life Volunteered Initiative, said the dangers of malaria in the society could not be ignored, hence the widespread awareness campaign against it.


Dike explained that his organisation identified with LSMDA because of their role in caring for the community in the area of provision of drugs and promised that he would continue to do more to ensure a malaria-free society.


Gloria Odia of Jawa Pharmaceuticals also described malaria as a dangerous disease and advised Nigerians to maintain a cleaner environment and personal hygiene. “Health is wealth and your life is your wealth. The community should shun taking some things for granted to avoid exposing themselves to malaria. They should also place themselves on balanced diets that could protect their bodies from being affected by infections,” he said.



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Nigeria Losing $2bn To Fuel Subsidy – Saraki

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Senator representing Kwara Central, Bukola Saraki says Nigeria was losing a total of $2 billion to fuel subsidy.


Saraki, a senate presidency hopeful in the 8th National Assembly regretted that the alleged fraud in the scheme was being allowed to fester by the Federal Government. He therefore urged the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari to completely remove the fuel subsidy and restore normalcy to the petroleum sector.


“No matter what is happening now, if you go back to look at it, the major issue that dwindled us was the subsidy management. We are talking of about minimum of over $32 billion wasted on it over the last five to six years,” Saraki told newsmen in Abuja.


“That is the difference between where we are now and that time. It has impacted on our exchange rate, it is going to impact on our infrastructure, there is no money for capital budget.”


Commenting on his ambition to become the next Senate President, Saraki maintained that he had the capacity, competence and the will power to lead the 8th Senate towards rapid socio-economic development of the country.


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Understanding your kid’s learning difficulties, by Dr. P.J. Fakudze, a child psychologist

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fakudze

BY CHIKA ABANOBI


Dr. Primrose J. Fakudze, from the Kingdom of Swaziland, is an international expert on child psychology in education. She was invited to Nigeria by one of the top  agencies in education to come and consult on some issues relating to child development. And, since she arrived she’s been doing something for a good number of Nigerian schools and hopes to be around till sometime in August.


But last week, Education Review ran into her at a Safe School Best Practices Training Workshop held at Redeemer TEAP International School (RTIS), Abuja, where she was invited by Exam Ethics Marshals International, organisers of the workshop (watch out for a detailed special report on it), to address the teachers and parents on how to deal with child-learning difficulties. A short address it was but it ended up stirring up something deep in the audience as to make many of the members come flocking to her after she left the stage to either learn more or collect her contact telephone number, home or email address.


In a chat with Education Review, she revealed why special attention should be paid to kids with learning difficulties.  “I am a child psychologist, a PHD holder in Child Psychology, from University of Pretoria, South Africa. When it comes to a child I have to specialize on children because I was once a child. And, everyone of us has been a child, not so? In Nigeria, they say abi? I have been working with kids because I understand what kids are going through.


“When I was nine-years-old, my mother was told that her child cannot write. I am from a poor polygamous family. They say ‘look’, I would say ‘look’, but when it comes to writing, I could not spell it. And that is called learning disability. My mother didn’t know anything. They kept on pushing me because my mother was the headmistress of our school. This one, pass; that one, pass.  But when I reached Form 1 (JSS 1) it became a problem. I repeated the grade three times. I was in a boarding school.


“For me, I am very good in telecommunications technology, in computers and all that. But when it comes to reading, it takes me more time. Other people spent about seven years doing Clinical Psychology but for me I spent 10 years. Knowing your child’s IQ makes you to give an allowance on your child’s learning capabilities. If your child has 62 per cent learning difficulties, it shows that your child will take 62 per cent additional time than it is normal to catch up, so accommodate your child. Not every child will be a professor. There will be chefs, musicians, IT gurus, actors and actresses. A child can be intelligent but there are related difficulties that contribute to their learning difficulties. Kids are not like us that when we have some difficulties we go and tell a friend, we go and seek for an advice. Kids are always struggling with what we call unanswered questions: Why is my mother suffering? Why is my mother not going to work?


The first step is, knowing who your child is, knowing your child’s 1Q. It really helps. When I talk of learning difficulties I am talking of a normal child with high IQ but when it comes to reading it is becomes a challenge. They are struggling in English; they cannot read poems or engage in spellings; others are struggling in Mathematics but we are not going to use assumptions when it comes to that. We need to come out with diagnosis before we can know what you are talking about.


“Cases I have encountered in Nigeria are HADD, Hyperactive Attention Deficit Disorder which goes together with learning difficulties because when a child is hyperactive, academically the child may not be able to concentrate in class, but I don’t want to say how many percentage are out there until I come back and partner with stakeholders or rather concerned organizations. As a parent, you need to know who your child is because you will never be able to deal with something that you don’t know. I wish all parents can come out and understand their kids better. As a matter of fact, we hardly know our kids. We wake up early in the morning and we are off to work or business.


“So what I am doing in Nigeria is identifying children with learning disabilities. To me, it is passion because I know what it is for a child not to know how to write. And parents at home don’t know that their kids have learning disabilities. They go to school, whether they are doing well or not doing well, they shift the blame on the teacher. But it is high time we make it our concern.


“During our time, our parents would open up our exercise books and check what we did at school and take us through the home assignments. If I ask you today: when last did you open your child’s schoolbag? So, there are a lot of gaps; it is not only in Nigeria. Where I come from, we tend to be very busy too. Of the eight hours that you have in a day, give your child at least an hour. That will be the best gift you can give to your child.


“A wise mother knows that part of the need of a child is to see her mother preparing her food. A child comes to you, ‘Mummy, I am hungry.’ You say: ‘Go and tell your auntie’ (meaning your house help). She comes back again to you another day, ‘Mummy I am hungry,’ ‘Go and tell your auntie.’ That child will never come back to you for anything even for sexual abuse. She will not tell you because to her, everything is, ‘go and tell your auntie.’ Kids learn by touch. That’s the best way to teach a child. You wake up in the morning, you go to where he is sleeping and you brush that child, ‘my son, I am going to work. Go to school and represent me.’ That is love.”


But Fakudze is not totally impressed with the knowledge-level of our educational/child psychologists. She thinks they are more theoretical than practical. “Nigerian people are intelligent, almost everyone of them is learned,” she confessed. “But I have met one or two education psychologists, and when I asked them if they can help to run a test with a diagnosis on a child I was suspecting might be dyslexic and all that, they could not. They told me that they were not taught up to that level. It was a challenge to me. Well, they can still catch up at their own time and at their own pace.”



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Lagos Governorship Election Tribunal Commences Hearing

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The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will today commence hearing in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in the last governorship election in Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje. Agbaje is challenging the victory of the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode.


The registrar of the Tribunal presided by Justice Muhammad Sirajo said that the date was fixed after notices of hearing were sent to all parties involved.


Agbaje had contested the victory of Ambode as the winner of the April 11, gubernatorial election. He had prayed the Tribunal to grant him access to inspect materials used for the election.


He alleged that the conduct of the poll was marred with some irregularities, which contravened the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) approved guidelines and statutes.


Joined as respondents in the petition are INEC, APC and the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State.


The tribunal granted Agbaje permission to inspect all polling documents and devices used in the conduct of the election and granted an order directing INEC to provide Certified True Copies of all polling documents, including printed data in each polling unit, from the card reader machines. However, it rejected the request to inspect the polling documents and devices used in the conduct of the March 28 Presidential Election in Lagos State.


Vanguard reports that the tribunal also rejected Agbaje’s Freedom of Information, (FOI) request asking the tribunal to order INEC to produce all polling documents and card reader machines used for the governorship election.


The panel notes that the petitioner can request for materials and documents he deems necessary to his case, by way of subpoena, when the tribunal has fully commenced proceedings.


Ambode won the April 11 governorship election in Lagos State, but the PDP said it was marred by irregularities, hence Agbaje’s decision to challenge the election.


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COUNTDOWN to the inauguration…

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Education

WHAT SCHOOLKIDS WANT FROM BUHARI’S GOVT:


Popcorn, ice cream, lunchpack, pencil, water colour, ‘Ben 10’, ‘Rio’ ‘Power Ranger’, ‘Tom and Jerry’, ‘Over the Head’, etc   


By JET STANLEY MADU and VERA WISDOM-BASSEY


Before you read the cover story of this edition of Education Review, promise us that you are not going to laugh at our kids in nursery and primary schools for expressing their views on what they want from the soon-to-be-sworn-in Muhammadu Buhari-led government.


We know what you adults want from him. Help us pay arrears of our workers’ salaries because we are broke, say the governors. Don’t forget us now that your kingdom has come, say friends, schoolmates and associates. Make sure you deal decisively with those Boko Haram insurgents exploding bombs here and there like firecrackers and maiming lives, urge the rest of adult Nigerians. In fact, take the fight right into their den and give them the fight of their lives.


“They shouldn’t expect miracles to happen a couple of months after we’ve taken over because the destruction took so many years – 16 years of the ruling party’s rule of this country,” Buhari was quoted to have said in an interview with BBC. “For five, six years, the Nigerian enforcement law agencies, including the military, couldn’t secure 14 local governments. How can I promise miracles when I come?”


“He must do miracle oo whether he likes it or not,” one cheeky fellow posted on a social media, in reaction to the President-elect’s outburst. “What does he mean by we shouldn’t expect miracle?”, another fellow asked. “He has been preparing for over 16 years now, so he must hit the ground running.”


That’s one problem with adults’ request. They put you in a fix. They bit off for you more than your small mouth can chew. They expect too much, not minding whether you can do it or not. But not so with kiddies’ requests! As you will soon discover from your reading of this story, they make their demands on things you can easily afford. Don’t expect miracles o! We don’t think the President-elect, due to be sworn in, in three days time will ever have cause to use such expression after reading these little demands of schoolkids. What’smore, tomorrow is the Children’s Day. There’s no better way, perhaps, to celebrate this year’s event! Please, enjoy.


Interesting! Although three-year-old Caleb Iheagwam, in Nursery 1, at Clitterhouse Infant and Junior School, Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, Rivers State does not know Buhari personally (“I don’t know him,” he emphatically told Education Review, “I only know Jonathan on the television”), all the same he would want him, on being sworn in, to give his mother “plenty of money” to buy popcorn, ice cream, Tom and Jerry, Rio  for him while Daniel, his five-year-old brother would want him to pay his mother so that she too can buy for him ‘Tom and Jerry’, ‘Over the Head’, pencil and water colour.


Please, meet five-year-old Farida Salaudeen, a Nursery 2 pupil of Edana Montessori School, Lagos. Any gift from Buhari will just do. But get ready for surprises as you talk with five-year-old Joy Amarachi Emmanuel, of Leads Nursery and Primary School, Ijegun, Egba, Lagos. She does not want anything from Buhari..Now, that is surprising, isn’t it? But not so, Justus, her seven-year-old brother. He is fully armed with his wish list and he would want Buhari to buy “Ben 10” and “Power Ranger” for him. Your surprise is raised to the second power as you run into six-year-old Onyemaeze Chukwudifu, Primary 1 pupil of Prime Montessori Schools, Satellite Town, Lagos. Like Amarachi, she does not want anything from Buhari government. Reason? “My daddy and mummy have been giving me everything I need and I am sure they will continue to give me.” But his nine-year-old elder sister, Florence, a Primary 4 pupil, of the same school would want Buhari to provide her with “light” (electricity) to read her books.


While seven-year-old George Kenneth, a Primary 3 pupil of Sacred Heart School, Iba Housing Estate, Lagos, would want Buhari to buy books and pencil for him, four-year-old Kanyima Okere, of Kings Foundation Primary School Agboju, Lagos, told Education Review that he would prefer to be given children’s game videos.  Not so for 11-year-old Fawaz Frazza, a Primary 6 pupil of Prime Montessori School Satellite Town, Lagos. His request is anything but selfish. He would rather that Buhari government ensureed that Primary 5 pupils do not leave primary school for secondary school, as some are doing at the moment, without first finishing their primary six education while his twin-brother, Audu, would want his government to stop Boko Haram attacks, to give jobs to the jobless and to stop corruption.


Seven-year-old Kamsi Onyeka of Cuddly Kids School, Ago Palace Way, Lagos would like to see Buahri’s government “kill all the armed robbers who have been disturbing us” while six-year-old Uzoeto Stephanie, a Primary 2 pupil of the same school would like to see him repair all the roads leading to Goodness Estate which he said are in very bad shape.


Poor Amarachi Akueme. Like Stephanie, the six-year-old, Primary 2 Pupil of Cuddly Kids School would not only want to see Buhari government repair all the bad roads in Nigeria, she would also want to have enlarge the size of her parents’ shop which she said is not wide enough. Seven-year-old Divine Anyausi, a Primary 2 of the same school, would want to see his administration provide  lunchpack for every school kid in Nigeria while Akone Ahmed, also a Primary 2 would prefer to see him “give my parents money and to repair all the houses that are broken down. I want him to give my daddy and mummy a job.”


Enomie Osofie, a Primary 6 pupil of Life Moulders Primary and Nursery School, Ishashi, Iba, Lagos, would want his administration to “stop armed robbery and bribery and corruption in this country” while Nwoke Malachy wants him to build good schools, “and to stop all the killings in our schools, to give us electric power and to make Nigeria better for us.”


Nine-year-old Ezene Morrison of Crestgate School, Ishashi, Lagos, wants him “to stop Boko Haram, build power supply, build more private schools, give us agriculture and bring back Chibok girls” while 10-year-old Desmond Anani of the same school wants him “to give us constant power supply, and security and stop the bombings.” Nine-year-old Joseph Ogungbenro, a J.S.S. 1 pupil wants him to provide good roads and good teachers while 10-year-old Obi Caleb wants him to provide his school with good equipment.


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Power Situation Worsens As Nigeria Loses 2,000MW To Gas Shortage

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The Federal Government, yesterday said Nigeria has lost more than 2,000 mega watts in the national grid due to shortage of gas supply to the thermal plants.


A statement signed by the Chairman of the National electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr. Sam Amadi said that only five out of 23 power plants are currently generating electricity.


“In the last couple of months, electricity supply has been generally poor on account of increase in vandalism in the run up to the April 2015 elections. But this bad supply condition has worsened in the last few days,” Amadi said.


“At present, 18 out of the 23 power plants in the country are unable to generate electricity due shortage of gas supply to the thermal plants with one of the hydro stations faced with water management issue. This has led to loss of over 2,000 megawatts in the national grid.


“This situation is further compounded by the recent industrial actions embarked upon by workers in the oil and gas industry, a development which is taking toll on other sectors of the economy. Gas supplies to the thermal plants have been further constrained by the industrial actions of workers in the oil and gas industry.


“The Commission had proactively engaged the gas supply companies and its licensees when two weeks ago discussion was held on how to firm up gas supply in order to increase power supply.


“Unfortunately, not much progress was made through this meeting as NNPC and its subsidiary Nigeria Gas Company, disclosed high incidence of vandalism in some areas that were relatively peaceful along its pipeline networks.


“That meeting was told of the damage done to Trans-Forcados pipeline in the western axis and elps gas pipeline in the eastern axis. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had explained at the meeting that repair works are being intensified even as it expressed worry on the integrity of the pipelines on account of incessant damage it has sustained.


“In essence, what has brought about this development is the increased incidence of vandalism which is beyond the control of the regulator and the industry operators. This situation is further compounded by the industry actions declared by the oil and gas workres.


“However, we have continued to engage with relevant authorities on how fast we can address shortage of gas supply to the thermal plants. We are also engaging with the industry operators on how to improve electricity supply.


“The Commission regrets the hardships which Nigerians are being subjected to on account of this development as we intensify efforts to bring the situation under control in the shortest possible time.”


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Funke Akindele Goes To Church On Bicycle [PHOTOS]

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funke


Nigerians have been forced to find alternate source of transportation since the fuel hike.


Even celebrities have been see boarding Kekes and Okadas


Comic Nollywood star, Funke Akindele claims she rode a bicycle to church yesterday, May 24, 2015 due to fuel scarcity.


See her church outfit below: –


funkii2


 



 


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Patience Jonathan can lead Nigeria

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Egwu

– Mrs Egwu, former Ebonyi First Lady



By CHUKS EZE


Since leaving office as First Lady of Ebonyi State in 2007, Mrs. Eunice Egwu has been taking care of widows in the state, under her pet-project, called Widowcare Foundation. She also organises annual party for them where all participants are entitled to cash and several gift items.


In this interview, she speaks about the foundation and Nigerian women in politics, and concludes that the outgoing First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has all it takes to lead Nigeria comfortably and effectively as president.


 


It is evident that your husband still enjoys large followership since leaving office as governor. Now that he is joining the Senate, what backing will you give him to enable him represent his people well?


Actually, he already enjoys immense love and backing of our people. So, I will only join mine with them to make the backing more formidable. He is assured of my total backing, spiritual and otherwise, as always. We were so humbled during the campaigns because whenever his name was mentioned at the rallies, jubilation enveloped the entire arena. But the challenge is that many people who come to me think that he is going to function as governor again, and they expect him to start doing those things that he did for them as governor.


Nigerian women have been nursing the ambition to become president of Nigeria, but their ambition hit the rocks again during the 2015 general elections. Do you think that female presidency can offer the country better governance?


First of all, female presidency is possible in this country. But that can only be when our people begin to realise that our women really have the capacity and optimum ability to think good for the country and take Nigeria to the next level.


Looking at the past First Ladies and female public office holders in the country, do you think that we have had any woman that has all it takes to lead Nigeria as president?


You know that governance is all about the people. I believe that even as we speak, we have several women that can lead Nigeria very comfortably and perfectly. But we are still transforming. I am certain that, gradually, we shall get there. The late Dora Akunyili proved that she could handle graciously the mantle of leadership and carry people along. The late Mariam Babangida also exhibited all needed charisma and capacity to lead a country like Nigeria. And even though, some people might have reservations about the current First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, she can lead this country comfortably well.


You mean that Mrs Jonathan can lead Nigeria well as president?


Yes, she can. She might have her shortcomings but the truth is that no human being is without shortcomings. Those who do not know her well may say all sorts of things about her, but if you go close to her, you would realise that she has all the qualities of a good leader. She is a very intelligent woman, an organiser, an innovative leader and someone who cannot be swallowed up by rumours or castigation. She has given the Nigerian woman political voice and relevance. A good leader is supposed to be always courageous, resolute, a goal-getter and motivator. That is the First Lady for you. She knows how to carry people along, and she appreciates the importance of motivation. She never abandons her friend or subordinates at difficult times. We all witnessed what she did during the presidential campaigns – adding immense colour to the entire exercise. The thing is that it is when you give people opportunity that you know their abilities. She is not the only one. There are more Nigerian women, who can make wonderful presidents – who are so human and diligent and always think about the welfare of the people, especially the common and the less-privileged ones.


What about you? With the strong followership that you enjoy, would you wait till your husband retires before you join politics formally?


(Laughter) What bothers me now is how to sustain my business and be able to take care of the widows and less-privileged. For me, that is more than I can chew. As ordinary person, I hardly find time to rest. Where then do you expect me to get the chance to play politics?


How would you rate the success of the 2015 Widowcare party?


I would say that it was a nice outing as usual. What we did was just to encourage them; not that we have the capacity to solve their problems. It is only God that can solve human problems. The basic aim of the annual special get-together is to make them feel happy and unwind, and for them to know that some people care for them. It is also designed to take care of them spiritually by counselling them, praying with them and making them to realise that somebody is praying for them. So, we basically celebrate the widows at the annual party so they can enjoy themselves and forget their sorrows, at least, for 24 hours. That way, they will not feel that all hope is lost because their husbands are dead. No, life continues. One thing about life is that no matter the situation, life continues. And our goal is to ensure that their tomorrow turns much better than their yesterday and present.


It was noticed that the number of participants has continued to rise every year, yet you keep stepping up the tempo of the event. Do you now have strong sponsors?


Honestly, it would have been a nice thing if we have partners or sponsors like you noted. But we do not have yet, apart from items that some individuals used to contribute to support our annual parties. And I am so appreciative of all the support that we got this year and during previous editions. For instance, somebody brought fifty pieces of wrappers and another person brought thirty. We are praying and wishing for sponsors and strong supporters, but I don’t want to keep waiting for sponsors eternally. I will continue to do my best within my capacity. Even if I have to do it with the last money in my hands, I would still invest in it, knowing that the God I serve will always provide for me.


How did you come about the idea of starting Widowcare Foundation, which is today being copied by many First Ladies?


I started the foundation before I became the First Lady. I can’t really tell how it exactly started because I started taking care of widows as a kid. As a young girl, I was always drawn to widows. I worked with them, I took care of them, fetched water or firewood for some and all that. I always desired to do one thing or another for them. As a kid, I used to tell my mother that when I grow up and get money, I would buy slippers for all the widows that go on barefoot and she would just be laughing at me. You know, due to poverty and depressive experiences that widows go through, especially in the villages, some of them go barefooted due to abject poverty. It started like that and now, I would have to do special saving from January to December to be able to cope with the financial demand and other logistics needed to organise party for the widows and take care of them.


How have you been coping with the ever-rising number of widows that attend your annual Widows’ party?


Honestly, it has not been easy, but God has been seeing us through. When we started the annual party, we had only about 150 to 200 participants. But the number kept rising astronomically such that we had to start vetting them to trim the number to our capacity. During the last party, we accommodated over 600 of them. But we are working hard and praying for support to ensure that we can accommodate as many as are available in the coming years. When I was the First Lady, I took in everybody no matter the number, even gate-crashers. But I no longer have such capacity now. For instance, if you are budgeting for 500 women, only their transport allowance of N2, 000.00 will take N1 million. Then you talk about extra cash to cover their wrappers, food, drinks and other gift items plus the special guests that usually come from far and wide to honour our invitation.


In other climes, this kind of project usually attracts enormous support, partnership and sponsorship but it is almost the opposite here. How do you feel about that?


Like I mentioned earlier, it would be a big relief and morale-boosting for us to enjoy major partnership, either locally and internationally. But we cannot fold our arms and keep waiting for uncertain help when many widows are virtually feeding on suffering and abject poverty. Some of them have no shelter and have nobody to turn to for assistance. Some of them have no money to feed while others have sundry other problems. So, we will continue to do our best within the limits of our resources and hoping that someday, more spirited individuals and organisations will notice our little efforts and be encouraged to key into it.


Why do you usually insist that the annual party features praise, worship and deliverance segments?


That is non-negotiable because it is actually the core substance of the programme. I have never done it without ensuring that the women get enriched spiritually. We usually invite high-profile clerics from across the country to minister to us at the event, which has been paying off. Every participant usually goes home renewed. As you know, we have had several lames walk, the blind see and the deaf hear, just as many widows have witnessed liberations and economic transformation after attending the programme. So, the party is not only an avenue to entertain the women and offer them cash and gift items, but an avenue to also offer them spiritual liberation and enrichment for themselves and their families. And I always feel great when I see the women encounter Jesus in special ways at our parties. That is my ultimate fulfilment.



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Oge Okoye Flaunts Her Piaget Watch Worth N700, 000 [PHOTOS]

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oge


Veteran Nollywood actress Oge Okoye flaunted her new watch on social media.


The Hotel Majestic actress shared a picture of her rocking a N700, 000 18-carat gold and diamond Piaget wristwatch today, May 25 on her Instagram account.


She was also wearing a lovely pink dress and rocking a Gucci bag.


Tb beautiful Sunday!!stars shinning so bright…when good is talked about;good is drawn…We break through the dismal skies,and behold up above the clouds the sun is shinning and the sky is bright blue. The air is crystal clear..#Giftoflife#A beautifulgiftmetme#gratefulheartbunny#glam#piaget#lovegift” she wrote in the caption of the picture.


The watch is rumoured to be a gift from Oge Okoye’s new lover.


The mother of two was formerly married to Stanley Duru.


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My problem with UNIZIK VC

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Noble

– Eyisi, SUG President



BY EMEKA ONWUDINJO


Students’ Union President, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Comrade Noble Chibueze Eyisi, stirred the hornets’ nest when he questioned the outrageous levies imposed on students in a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku. The heat generated by the letter forced key executive officers of the union to hurriedly commence an impeachment process against him, an action that was seen by other students as the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau. In this exclusive interview, Eyisi explained the unsavoury relationship with the management, the regime of terror and how students’ activism in the varsity is threatened by the rage of an emperor. 


You accused the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of imposing exorbitant fees on the students in a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor. How did the management react to this development?


The letter was first addressed to the Vice Chancellor in confidence and he called me and demanded for a meeting. In the meeting he asked me if I was the one who authored the letter or someone else wrote and gave me to sign. So I answered him, I wrote and signed and sent to you sir, through the Dean, Students Affairs, which was the required protocol. He got the information he needed from me so I left the office, only to be called upon the next day to Council Chambers in a meeting where all key members of the staff was present (Deans, DVC Academics, Admin, CSO, OC Inteliigence, Director, Anti-Cult, etc). They had a swell time drilling me, including all manner of insults, questions and statements. I was intimidated, scolded and almost slapped by the DVC Academics as he stepped out of his seat, approaching me in fierce anger and they were holding him back, that was the height of it. The next day I copied the letter to all students. After the circulation, members of the Anti-Cult began harassing students, seizing the documents from their hands. That was how the crisis started.


 


Your Vice President alleged that you wrote the letter to delay the impeachment process against you?


You can check the date of the impeachment notice, the VP is just a tool in the hands of the management.


Did you write the letter with the consent of other union executives?


Every Unizik Students is a “union member.” I was elected by them, according to the constitution, I speak for them. They’ve already given me all the consent I need to do my job.


 


What do the union and the management seek your impeachment?


My sin is that immediately I was elected, I slashed transport fare around the campus to N20, and also championed a decrease in the price of food as sold by food vendors on campus. I am supposed to be getting N20,000 daily from drivers in the school, but I forfeited that just to ensure that the fare is reduced. But when we slashed the price of a plate of food on campus from N200 to N150, the management resisted, just because there is an amount of money which the food vendors pay to them. We have told them that the people who buy the food are students and not management staff, and we know how we are suffering but they refused to listen. That was how they started fighting me. My impeachment is being sponsored by the Vice Chancellor, having met with the Speaker of the SRC. The SRC only sits on Fridays, but as you can see in the letter it’s Monday, the SRC only seats in that manner when there’s an emergency. So tell me the emergency here?


When did your  relationship with the VC turned sour and what can you say is the problem?


My relationship with the VC took a dive to the rocks when I began implementing the N150 food price; members of my task force were rounded up and detained. I went to his home to complain, only for him to scold me for 1 hour, 30 minutes. When he was done, he asked if I needed a drink, I told him, no. Then I left.


What is your advice to fellow students?


Zikites should be rest assured that I am not giving up on them. Our tomorrow will be better than today!  But we need to fight for that tomorrow. I want it to be on record that, I’ve been intimidated times without number. The bus given to the union by Governor Peter Obi has been seized by the university management. My aides have been living in fear as they are being trailed and monitored on campus. The anti-cult group has been clamping down on all of them, to the extent that they had to shut down the entire male block of Elmada Hostel just to get my PA. Phones belonging to my aides, including my own, have been seized and bugged. They’ve been threatened not to post anything on Facebook, all these are the handwork of Makutus, the Personal Assistant to the Vice Chancellor. He has been playing to the gallery, trying to prove to his boss that he can contain the situation.



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May D’s New Swedish Girlfriend Gives Him A Shout-out On Instagram

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may


The love is blossoming between May D and his new Swedish girlfriend.


She went on Instagram to praise her boyfriend.


She wrote on Instagram, “It’s not Monday, but I wanna shout out my # 1. The man who makes me work harder. Who makes me wanna do better in everything. You’ve taught me a lot, and I’m proud of you and your hustle. Sleriously. DT baby, Älskling tinz, Älskar dig!!! #WeLookGoodAsAUnit #MCE #Flaunting”


May D’s ex and baby mama accused the singer of domestic violence but that didn’t stop the ‘Ibadi’ crooner from finding another boo.


 


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Amanda Smith

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Chris Brown And Tyson Beckford Fight Over Karrueche + Death Threats Involved

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karr


Chris Brown seems to have developed a habit of losing his women to other men.


The superstar R&b star felt jealous about Karrueche hanging out with Tyson Beckford and took to social media to let his feelings (and threats) be known.


How its all started…


Beckford and Karrueche shared a photo(above) together while they were both down at the Palms Casino Resort partying in Las Vegas.


The caption seemed innocent right? “Saturday with @Karrueche #vegas #palms #blasian,”Beckford wrote.


Apparently, the picture rubbed Brown the wrong way and one of his friends, Kid Red, posted on Instagram a very threatening message directed towards Beckford.


“MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND aka the ni**as will be out .. We just came to party tho, unless a ni**a wanna try us,” he wrote in the now deleted post.


“And that includes u model ni**as *Cough Cough #TysonBeckFord we see everthing LiL ni**a” #DontPlayYaSelf #CedarBlocka #FruitTownPiru #OHB #FillmoeNi**asDoItAll @tysoncbeckford”


Brown also chimed in with “U know how we get down!” but that tweet was deleted too.


Then in a more violent tweet (now deleted as well), he took subliminal shots at Beckford.


Then a few hours later, in an apparent response, Tyson, 44, shared a video on his Instagram account of himself shooting an AR15 (a high powered assault rifle) with the caption, ‘Just in case you forgot!’


Then, as if goading Chris, wrote on twitter: ‘@officialchrisbrown it’s all about fun in vegas. Come thru papa.’


Not done there he then took to Facebook, posting a video denying he was afraid.


The model said: ‘You n***s are on my man-hood right now, you think I’m scared of y’all, really?’


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Nigerians’ll show APC the door in 2019 –Uduaghan

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Governor-Emmanuel-Uduaghan4

By OLA KEHINDE-BALOGUN


Outgoing governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has pledged his readiness to be a viable watchdog, even as his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains in opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the incoming political dispensation.


He promised to poke about, raise and draw attention to issues that the APC might not want to listen to.


He made the declaration in Lagos at the weekend during the presentation of Sam Omatseye’s book entitled: ‘Delta Beyond Oil: A Legacy of Sustainable Development’, organised by the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.


Uduaghan, who said he had his doubts over APC for not taking certain right steps, agreed that it might be too early to judge the incoming administration, which would assume power on May 29.


His words: “To create prosperity, APC must work hard to double the national growth rate and hence double the size of Nigeria’s economy at a shorter time. Otherwise, Nigerians are going to show the party the door in 2019


“So far, I do not think they are taking the right steps. They have jettisoned zoning. They are sounding unsure of themselves about how to manage the economy. APC is obviously worried about weight of public expectations it raised from the propaganda it fed Nigerians. The party is obviously trying to distance itself from the promises it made, which under current situation is impossible to fulfil.”


The governor identified some of the current hard situations to include how about 30 states and the Federal Government were not able to fund recurrent expenditure, such as payment of salaries, saying some of them had to borrow money to pay for such expenses.


Describing the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product of $522.64 billion, which represented 0.84 per cent of global economy as quite small, Uduaghan urged the incoming government to double the size of Nigerian economy.


He stated that it would take about 11 years to accomplish going by the current growth rate of 6.08 per cent.


“My point is that a combination of low wage economy, low growth rate, high unemployment, high population growth rate, is a recipe for disaster. This is the problem the APC will have to contend with. The situation is not helped by the falling prices of crude oil. Between June 2014 and March 2015, prices of crude oil declined by about 40 per cent.”


The governor acknowledged that the PDP made some mistakes that would be corrected very soon, and re-affirmed the party’s readiness to constitute a conscience of the nation in the next administration, by being a viable opposition.



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