Category: General News

Mr. Eigege Ejegbolo, a Psychologist with Mind-Set Integrated Services, said on Monday that sleeping for less than eight hours daily could lead to a weak immune system and mental health challenges.

Ejegbolo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that sleeping for less than eight hours daily was considered a poor sleeping habit.

“Sleeping for less than eight hours daily is a poor sleeping habit which is linked to physical problems like a weak immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.”

According to him, adequate sleep is as important to the health as eating, drinking and breathing, adding that it enabled the body to repair itself and the brain to consolidate memories and process information.

“Proper sleep is a key contributor to our health and well-being which enhances the body’s ability to perform optimally.

“When we sleep, the brain and the body do not shut down; rather they perform important tasks that promote both mental and physical health by producing hormones that help repair cells and fight off illness,’’ he said.

Ejegbolo counselled people who could not sleep for eight hours at a stretch to observe their siesta to make up for the hours skipped. (NAN)

The Federal Government has directed “full action” against unscrupulous driving school operators and other saboteurs of the nation’s driver licensing system.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, announced this in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mustapha spoke at the 4th National Workshop for Driving School Operators in the North-Central, organised by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the series of workshops are part of efforts by the FRSC to sanitise the process of drivers’ training and licensing in the country.

The move, according to the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, follows a recent media report that the process has been “grossly compromised by driving school operators” and other actors.

Mustapha said the government was aware that some operators were deliberately sabotaging its Driving School Standardisation Programme (DSSP), implemented by the FRSC.

The operators, according to him, do this mostly by “breaching the DSSP portal” to help their clients to bypass the due  process of acquiring driver’s licence.

Represented by Mr Adekunle Olusegun, the Permanent Secretary, General Services department of his office, Mustapha said the FRSC had been mandated to punish those already identified to deter potential offenders.

“Government is closely watching the execution of the DSSP and would appreciate its expansion to ensure that only those who are qualified to drive on Nigerian roads do so.

“Let me emphasise here that those who make use of the roads must continually be properly trained and certified in order not to lose focus and be guilty of gross negligence in crucial areas of national development,” he said.

Mustapha, whose office supervises the FRSC, said the workshop could not have come at a better time than now that the government was concerned about driver education, training and certification.

The SGF noted that government was appreciative of “diligent and law-abiding” operators, and would continue to support all policies and programmes aimed at making the nation’s roads safer.

He urged operators to join forces to acquire driving ranges, a key requirement for the licensing of driving schools by the FRSC.

Mustapha amplified the call by the FRSC on state governments to set up model driving schools to guide the private sector players, and also to support the Corps.

In a keynote address, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, expressed concern over the current quality of driver training in the country.

Fashola based his worry on “the observed level of insanity displayed by drivers on our highways nowadays, in spite of the DSSP”.

“There is no doubt that there is a wide gap between FRSC efforts and the return the nation is getting to it in respect of driving school activities.

“For instance, some driving schools have been found to have developed the habit of using the highways as driving ranges even when the requirements and procedure for driver training are explicitly provided for by the FRSC,” he said.

The minister said his ministry was collaborating with the FRSC to rid the nation’s highways of all plagues, including unlawful access by driving school operators.

He lauded the Corps for organising the workshop to ensure proper regulation of the driving schools, urging other stakeholders to do their part.

Chairman of the FRSC Governing Board, Malam Bukhari Bello, said the board was aware of the recent challenges bedevilling the DSSP.

Bello said he was happy that the Corps was already taking steps, including organisation of the workshops, to address the challenges.

He assured the Corps of the board’s support to ensure that the programme was effectively implemented, in addition to other inititiatives, for an enduring road safety in the nation.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC said the workshop was organised to re-evaluate the performance of the DSSP and chart the way forward.

Oyeyemi said the DSSP, which came into force in 2006, was facing a number of challenges including “relentless hacking into the DSSP portal to gain unmerited advantage for driving school clients”.

He said operators were also not adhering to the rules of engagement, and outright deceit by state committees of driving school registration leading to “rogue approval of non-existent/sub-standard driving schools”.

Another setback, he said, is the general non-cooperative attitude of driving school operators to be properly organised for better operation and regulation in order to ensure the maintenance of best practice.

He said the FRSC had so far suspended the licences of 124 driving schools in the country due to compliance breaches.

“The workshop will take a holistic approach to the DSSP value network and proffer comprehensive and enduring strategy to rejuvenate it roward ensuring effective functioning of the programme.

“This will enhance road safety and also continue to offer assistance and guidance to driving school operators to channel them toward innovation and efficient investments.

“It equally seeks to continually offer the highest safety and security standards and build a strong safety culture crucial to driving school operations,” the FRSC boss said.(NAN)

Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, the Director-General, National Youth Corps (NYSC), has warned corps members against night parties and organising social events without the knowledge of the appropriate authority.

Kazaure, while addressing corps members in Ikare Akoko on Tuesday, directed that all social events must not hold without approvals.

He said the scheme was devastated over the sad occurrence in Taraba State where nine corps members got drowned.

Kazaure said serving one’s fatherland was all about devotion, urging them to learn the necessary skills while in camp.

“I am sure you are aware we lost nine corps members in Taraba; they were 2018 Batch ‘A’ corps members.

“Whenever you are going to embark on any social outings, you must seek clearance from NYSC officials, either the local government inspectors or the state coordinator; that’s my directive.”

He urged them to respect the culture of their host communities and behave like graduates that they are.

Kazaure later reiterated the commitment of the scheme to security and welfare of corps members nationwide.

Later, Mrs Grace Akpabio, the State Coordinator, said she was happy with the visit of the director-general, being the first time she would host an NYSC boss.

Akpabio said Kazaure was happy and impressed with what she had done so far at the orientation camp, in terms of infrastructural development.(NAN)

Mr Mustapha Maihajja, the Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Tuesday urged members of staff to accept the change that would promote the agency to global standard.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the spokesman for the agency, said that Maihajja gave the advice while addressing participants at the ongoing Pre-Promotion Training at the Public Service Institute in Abuja.

Farinloye quoted the director-general as saying that the Federal Government had acknowledged the need for institutional framework that would enhance welfare of the workers.

He said that the federal government had also approved the conditions of service that would boost the workers’ morale to be more dedicated and put in their best in the service of the nation.

Maihajja also called for positive change in service delivery to the nation.

The director-general said that the training template of the worker would involve the nation’s security architecture and other specialised training.

Maihajja said that the briefing he got while being appointed as the director-general was to ensure that the agency should be restructured to be able to tackle the contemporary challenges in accordance with the global standards. (NAN)

The Niger government is to source N675m loan for Community Social Services Projects across the 27 constituencies in the state.

Alhaji Abubakar Zakari, the state’s Commissioner for Finance made this known during a  news briefing in Minna on Monday.

Zakari said that the different development projects vary from one community to another depending on their need but did not name them.

“The Ministry of Finance presented a memo of N675 million for the execution of community social services project and it was approved by the State Executive Council,’’ he said.

He explained that the loan which would be sourced from Zenith bank would attract 18 per cent interest rate per annum.

“The loan will be repaid over 18 months and due process, which was followed in applying for it will also be followed in executing the projects,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Mundi Mohammed, the state’s Commissioner for Commerce, Investment, Industry and Corporative, also told newsmen that government has sold the uncompleted Niger State Development Company shopping mall at the cost of N110million to JAIS bank.

Mohammed said that the shopping complex measuring 4, 300 square meters was built by the immediate past government of the state led by Dr Babangida Aliyu.

He said that the company decided to sell the shopping mall because members of the public were not interested doing business there.

“Instead of the complex to be depreciating we decided to sell it because the more you leave it the more the value depreciates,’’ he said.

The Commissioner said that part of the agreement with Jais bank was that it would complete the edifice, take over the complex and employ 80 per cent of indigenes of the state before starting operations. (NAN)