Month: November 2023

 

 

By Flowerbudnews

Enugu:  Enugu State Government says it is targeting no fewer than 1.1 million infants between the ages of 0 and five years for polio and other routine immunisations in the state.

 

Flagging off the National Immunisation Days in Enugu State at Abakpa-Nike Health Centre, the Commissioner of Health, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, said that the state government was specially focusing on sound health and education development of every child.

 

Obi noted that this special focus was to realize the government vision of having well nurtured children for the solid economic and human capital development of the state in the near future.

He said that immunisation was meant to give children sound preventive immunity against life consuming and life threatening illnesses at no cost to the mother or family.

 

According to him, immunisation is free, effective and has no side-effects associated with it as well as being the most cost effective form of preventive or proactive healthcare approach.

 

He said: “I am using this opportunity to warn our vaccinators to stick to ensuring due diligence in carrying out the vaccination as being trained and instructed already.

“As a government, we will ensure strict supervision and accept nothing less than the 100 per cent and through administering the drops to our children under five.”

 

Earlier, Dr Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), said that vaccination teams had been trained appropriately and the exercise would last four day, commencing from Nov. 11 and ending Nov. 14.

 

Ani-Osheku said that the exercise would involve a drop of the vaccines on the mouth of the infant and marking the little left finger of the child that received the immunisation as well as building markings.

She noted that the exercise would be carried out house-to-house, in schools, playgrounds, worship places and other public places where children are found.

 

The executive secretary also said that the polio immunization, which also goes hand-in-hand with other routine immunisation, would be carried in fixed posts such as health centres and other health facilities within the state.

 

“Ensuring that our tomorrow is here and really assured; mothers and all caregivers should make it a priority that any given child in their custody gets fully vaccinated in all the spelt out routine and special vaccinations.

“Mothers and all caregivers should also ensure, irrespective of the previous polio status of any child, to present each child for an additional or supplementary polio immunisation to ensure effective protection,” she said.

 

The executive secretary appreciated Gov. Peter Mbah as well as the health development partners in the state for supporting the Agency in all its immunisation campaigns.

 

In a goodwill message, UNICF State Coordinator, Mrs Nkem Agbata, assured the state government of the organization’s continued support in its health activities and campaigns.

 

Agbata thanked Gov. Mbah for his commitment towards immunisation in the state and working with health development partners in improving the health indices of the state.

Speaking, Mr James Chukwunwedu, representative of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), lauded the state government on its sustained programmes towards polio eradication, adding that sustaining polio-free status of the country is possible if “we work together”.

 

Chukwunwedu urged all stakeholders in the campaign against polio and other vaccine preventable child killer diseases to sustain the fight against childhood diseases especially polio (Flowerbudnews)

 

Yenagoa: Sorting and counting of votes have commenced in many polling units in Bayelsa after voting in the governorship election ended at 2.30pm.

At PU 10, Agric Meeting Hall, Attissa 1, Yenagoa, the voting process ended at 2.30pm while sorting of ballot papers commenced at 2.35pm in the presence of party agents and security personnel.

It was also ongoing at PU 05 Government House Agric, Attissa 1 Ward as at 2.55pm, and PU 047, Afin-Aken Play Ground III, Onopa, Attissa 1 Ward as at 3.02 pm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sorting of votes commenced at 3.07 pm at PU 016 Fakulu Primary School (West), Epie lll Ward, while sorting was concluded at PU 035, Ekeki Central Motor Park, Epie lll Ward, where recording of the result was ongoing.

Also at Fankien l and ll/Corpers Lodge Road, Epie lll WaWard Yenagoa, the sorting and counting had been concluded, while result was been uploaded to INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) as at 3.21pm.

The PU Assistant Presiding Officer at the polling unit, Richmond Awipi, told NAN they had successfully uploaded the unit’s election results to the IReV. (NAN)(www.nannews)/ Flowerbudnews

The National Industrial Court (NIC) has restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as their affiliates from embarking on any form of strike or industrial action.

 

The two major labour unions were on Friday evening ordered to stop their nationwide strke action scheduled to commence on November 14, 2023.

 

President of the Court, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip issued the restraining order following an ex-parte application to that effect brought before the Court by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

Justice Kanyip invoked Sections 17 and 19 of the National Industrial Court Act to issue the restraining order against the labour unions.

 

The Federal Government and the AGF through their lawyer, Tijani Gazali (SAN) had, in the ex-parte application prayed the court to stop the planned strike action so as to stop untold hardship that would be inflicted on innocent law abiding citizens and their businesses.

 

Gazali, who is the Director of Civil Appeals in the Federal Ministry of Justice while arguing the ex-parte application, drew the attention of Justice Kanyip to series of hardships suffered by Nigerians on Thursday alone when the labour unions blocked entrances to the main airports in the country.

 

He pleaded that, unless the planned strike action is stopped, there may be likelihood of breach of peace and tranquility in the country.

The judge, who was persuaded by the Federal Government’s arguments, in a short ruling said, it is within the power of the court to intervene by way of a restraining order to ensure peace and tranquility.

 

He proceeded to grant all the requests of the Federal Government as contained in the motion paper.

 

Besides, Justice Kanyip directed that the restraining order be pasted on the wall of the Labour House, being the last known address of the two defendants to draw their attention to the court’s position.

 

The judge also directed that the order, along with the originating and other processes be served on the defendants by publication in two major national dailies.

 

Meanwhile, the case file has been transferred to Justice Olufunke Yemi Anuwe who was said to be handling similar labour dispute related matters between the two parties.

 

Justice Anuwe, the President of the Court said, would issue a hearing notice to the parties at the appropriate time.

 

Meanwhile, the NLC and the TUC on Friday declared that they would commence a nationwide industrial action starting from midnight of Tuesday, 14 November, 2023 in protest against the brutal attack on Comrade Joe Ajaero in Imo State.

 

Members of all the affiliate unions of the two labour centres across the nation will withdraw their service until a contrary directive is given to them.

NLC General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, reiterated this in Abuja at a press conference where the Congress president, Joe Ajaero, addressed the press on his ordeal in the hands of his adductors in Owerri.

 

“We will not accept the torture, humiliation, brutalization of a citizen, a citizen that has global stature. There have been calls from all over the world to clarify what transpired and the state of Joe Ajaero. So, if people from across the world are calling, and your own country is not speaking, it means that there is something they know that we do not know.

 

“So, from Tuesday, the Nigerian workers under NLC and TUC will be withdrawing their services. President of NLC and his team were used as the point of contact, hundreds of workers were actually brutalized. Their phones, money and wallets taken. He is just the figurehead of what transpired. And as we speak nothing has been done. So, we cannot continue like this as a nation.”

 

Ajaero explained that the labour action in Owerri had already been planned as part of the congress’s action-plan to protest in some states where workers’ rights were being trampled upon as NLC’s national headquarters did in PortHarcour, Rivers State and Kaduna, Kaduna State in defence of their members in the recent past.

 

In reaction to a question on the timing of the protest, he said NLC wisely decided to take action now than wait for a new government to emerge in Imo. “People would have still asked what we were waiting for all the years if we had waited for a new government to emerge in Imo State. Our mission in Imo was purely for the interest of workers. How can a state governor not have money to pay workers but has enough to settle certain elders of the state monthly?”

 

Furthermore, he narrated: “We heard that the workers who had arrived at the protest venue as early as 7am were beaten and chased away. So, I arrived there by 9am with about 20 security personnel and was about to address journalists on the situation of things when the police and other people in mufti came in and withdrew all the security there. They arrested me and handed me over to thugs who dragged me on the ground, hit me with all manners of things and blind folded me.

 

“They started asking me why I was challenging Governor Hope Uzodinma and that I should say my last prayers that they were going to throw me into Njaba River. They said I am playing local politics. But I do not know which one is local politics. I am not a card carrying member of any political party in Nigeria. And as a governor he should be privileged to some classified information to say which political party I belong. But I thank God that I am a alive today. Whoever that has diverted the workers money, has diverted blood money and has attracted a generational curse.

 

“For those who said I was in Imo to aid election of my family members, I am not sure that any body from my village is contesting for even counselorship election, not to talk of me family. Anybody that is supporting the non-payment of workers salaries, him and his family, if they work, they will not it. That is the mission. It is a devine mission.

 

“I do not have any family members or whatever running for election but they are free to run if they are interested. If I want to run for any office tomorrow I will pick the form of any party. There is no law that forbids a civil servant from contesting elections. The appeal court has also made it clear that you do. It need permission for a protest or rally. You only inform the security.

 

“There were some media organizations that their staff were humiliated on that day. Two TVC staff were handcuffed. Were they also playing politics? And the TVC has kept criminal silence about it. Why has the NUJ not said a word about the humiliation of journalists? Not even my death could have stopped the struggle for the payment of those workers. If I had died in the process, the people that would take over, would be more daring.

 

“Any of the deputies here that would take over, would have been more decisive. So no body is backing out, it is a question of allowing justice to prevail and the people you are owing you pay them.”

 

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked social media reports to the effect that passwords for result uploads have been withdrawn from LGA supervisors for use by APO1s in Imo State.

Chief Press Secretary to the former Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi disclosed this in a statement on Friday night.

 

He said, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission has been drawn to a story attributed to unknown “concerned workers” of the Commission that passwords for result upload have been withdrawn from LGA Supervisors for use by APO1s in Imo State. This is untrue.

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, Presiding Officers (POs), and not APO1s, are responsible for the result upload to the IReV.

 

“All the passwords have been securely released for use by designated officials in line with the Commission’s procedure.

 

“The public should expect more of such insinuations before, during, and after the elections and continue to discountenance them.”

 

By Ige Adekunle

Sango-Ota (Ogun):  The National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control(NAFDAC) on Thursday reiterated commitment to ensure the standards and quality of its regulated products.

Mrs Roseline Ajayi, Director, South-West Zone, NAFDAC, stated this during the zone’s stakeholders’ meeting in Ota, Ogun.

Ajayi noted that the business environment is experiencing some challenges including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate, infrastructure, among others threatening business sustainability.

She said that the producers of NAFDAC regulated products must understand that safety, standards and quality are not negotiable, despite all the challenges confronting them.

Ajayi said the meeting was to engage NAFDAC stakeholders operating in Ogun 11 axis for the purpose of enlightenment.

“We are determined to achieve NAFDAC mandate and not compromise safety, standards and quality in the phase of protecting business operators.

“It is a call on all stakeholders operating in the regulatory space to embrace and confront the dynamic nature of the business environment with a view to exploring the opportunities inherent in the challenges,” she said

Ajayi said that NAFDAC under the leadership of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye was concerned with the challenges posed by the factors listed above and had introduced some intervention measures to ease the burden of the stakeholders.

The director said that the creation of Ogun 11 office was to enhance efficiency in operations, reduce burdens on others offices and enforce regulations in various sectors.

Ajayi said that commissioning of NAFDAC Office complex in Abeokuta would create conducive environment for staff and stakeholders.

The director added that full migration of NAFDAC processes to the digital platform on the NAPAMS portal and the Single Trade Window.

Ajayi said that the agency has streamlining registration requirement for MSME operators.

She however advised them to take advantage of these opportunities to relay our concerns from our experiences and seek for clarifications on issues relating to peculiar sectors of NAFDAC stakeholders.

Ajayi stressed the need to for stakeholders to make commitment to work together to fulfil the mandate of safeguarding the health of the nation.

In his opening remark, Mr Philip Benu, State Coordinator, Ogun 11 Office, Ota, said that the office, which was established on June 19, would bring regulatory closer to areas such as Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, Imefo, Ipokia, Yewa North and Yewa South.

Benu said that the establishment of the Ota Office would also bridge the gap between the regulator and the stakeholders, and lessen the challenges faced by business environment.

Dr Charles Nwachukwu, Director, NAFDAC, Food and Chemical Laboratory, Oshodi, urged the stakeholders to register and renew their licences through NAFDAC Automated Products Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS).

Nwachukwu urged them to build standard and quality into their products, adding that they should think about the health of the public.

Mrs Juliana Abayomi, Director, NAFDAC, Food Registration and Regulatory Affairs, appealed to stakeholders to always renew their licences before the expiry date to avoid sealing their office.

“Don’t wait for your licence to expire before renewing them because the cost of doing the right thing is cheaper than the cost of doing the wrong way,” she said.

Abayomi said that the agency was working on its NAPAMS system to be users friendly to reduce the registration challenges, especially for stakeholders.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/ Flowerbudnews

By Aluta News

Nov. 11, 2023

Chief Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, and Tein Jack-Rich, a humanitarian and politician, both sons of Rivers, have called for peace in the midst of the current political turmoil in the state.

The two Niger Delta strongmen, who made the call on Friday when Jack-Rich paid Dokubo a courtesy visit at his home in Obuama, Degema Local Government Area (LGA), of Rivers, also called for support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Dokubo, who noted with concern the political impasse in the state, said though it was normal to have disagreements, the leaders should not continue on the “path of bearing grudges against each other’’.

He said Rivers people could not also afford to be left behind at the federal level, and so must take advantage of Tinubu’s inclusive government, and give the president all the support he required to succeed.

The Niger Delta warlord, who further dispelled rumours of a rift between him and the president said though he was not happy about certain things, he however, had put all that behind him and would continue to support Tinubu in his quest to restore the dignity of Nigeria.

“I am not a regular politician; I am just a friend of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I am not looking for appointment, but those seeking appointment made sacrifices and are looking up to me to ensure that their sacrifices are not in vain.

Dokubo, who recalled that his friendship with Tinubu dated back to the early 90s, said he had complete faith in the president’s capacity, leadership qualities and his passion for equity and justice.

“I will not do anything that will cause the president pain, and so those around me can be rest assured that I am indeed a great supporter of the president,’’ he said.

He further explained that though he also had some disagreements with Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, they had managed to resolve their differences and had agreed to work together in the best interest of Rivers.

Dokubo therefore, called on Fubara and the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to settle amicably whatever differences they had, and work together to ensure that Rivers people enjoyed the dividends of democracy, both at the federal and state levels.

“And as our brother (Jack-Rich) said, we must always move forward and work for the good of Rivers,’’ he appealed.

Speaking earlier, Jack-Rich lauded Tinubu for his timely intervention in the political crisis in the state.

He said the president’s intervention had doused further tensions in the state, and restored confidence of hope for the people and also investors.

“When it comes to the issue of Rivers, we are stakeholders and our interest is for the peace, economic survival, political and economic inclusion of Rivers.

“Sometimes friends fight, parents and children might have disagreements, and they express such in their own ways; I am appealing to the FCT minister and our governor to work out their differences.

“Crisis will drive away investors, and if there are no private investments, capital investments, there cannot be economic growth and our youths won’t be employed.’’

Jack-Rich therefore, called for calm and understanding from both parties, for the sake of Rivers and the people.

He pledged to join forces with Dokubu to achieve lasting peace between Wike and Fubara for the sustainable development of the state so opportunities could be harnessed by the people at all levels.