Flowerbud News

Category: General News

  • NAFDAC DG, Prof Adeyeye, Advocates Optimal Breastfeeding to Enhance Babies’ Health and Natural Immunity 

    NAFDAC DG, Prof Adeyeye, Advocates Optimal Breastfeeding to Enhance Babies’ Health and Natural Immunity 

    Flowerbudnews

     

     

    By Biola Lawal
    Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has advocated optimal breastfeeding by nursing mothers to strengthen the health and natural immune system of babies.

    Prof  Adeyeye, who was Speaking during the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week celebration, disclosed that breastfed babies had stronger immunity, and a reduced risk of suffering many childhood illnesses and infections.

    A NAFDAC statement by Sayo Akintola, Resident Media Consultant also quoted the NAFDAC Boss as saying that breastfeeding of children also helped to  lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers in women.

    Flowerbudnews reports that the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week celebration, had the theme; Enabling breastfeeding, making a difference for working parents,

    Prof Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had created an Office of Women’s Health, a multi-disciplinary center where issues that concern maternal and child health will be continuously addressed.

    She stressed that the women Health Office was part of the Agency’s efforts to underscore the importance of creating an enabling environment for child health.

    Prof. Adeyeye was represented at the event by the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards.

    The NAFDAC DG added that breastfeeding was also associated with longer-term health benefits including reduced risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.

    She explained that breastfeeding also provided health benefits to mothers, by helping to prevent postpartum bleeding, support child spacing, lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and earlier return to pre-pregnancy body weight.

    According to the NAFDAC boss, this years theme was apt as it was aimed at strengthening the collaboration of actors across different levels of society to support and promote breastfeeding for working parents so that women can combine breastfeeding and work.

    She added that this is important because workplace challenges remain one of the most common reasons for women to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended.

    Prof Adeyeye further explained that a workplace needed adequate breastfeeding facilities to become a breastfeeding-friendly workplace, adding that lack of conducive breastfeeding environment especially for working mothers hinders breastfeeding of infants.

    With provision of appropriate lactation rooms in workplaces, she maintains that employers stand to benefit as it leads to happier, more dependable, and productive employees.

    ‘’It also leads to reduced absenteeism because breastfeeding employees babies get sick less often and less severely’’, she said.

    Prof. however, maintained that there is still a lot of work to be done in creating an enabling breastfeeding environment to promote the best nutrition, health, and environmental outcomes.

    One contributory strategy to achieving this, she said, is enforcing compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes established to protect and promote breastfeeding and protect mothers from inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes by industry.

    She pointed out that the Agency is resolute in her commitment to promoting and protecting breastfeeding and recognizes the threats that aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) poses to optimal breastfeeding practice.

    She stressed that the revised Marketing of Infant and Young Children Food and other Designated Products (Registration, Sales etc.) Regulations has incorporated subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions and recommendations on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

    Amongst other provisions, she said, it prohibits unethical marketing practices by infant food manufacturers.

    ‘’This is in recognition of the fact that aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes is among the factors that contribute to undermining breastfeeding and is associated with decreases in breastfeeding rates.’’

    ”While we will continue to strengthen the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and our national regulations, she implored everyone to join hands with NAFDAC as breastfeeding is a cost-effective investment in the nations health, economy, and future workforce.”

    The DG stated that this years theme was intended to enhance support for breastfeeding at work and galvanize action on improving working conditions and relevant support for breastfeeding. She added that it would address a strategic opportunity to advocate for essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding and workplace space for breastfeeding.

    She further explained that evidence shows that optimal breastfeeding is vital to the lifelong good health and wellbeing of women and children, stressing that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, feeding the child only breast milk for the first 6 months (exclusive breastfeeding), and continuing to breastfeed for up to 24 months or beyond, with introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months.

    The stance of the Agency on breastfeeding aligns very well with the creation of NAFDAC Office of Women’s Health (NOWH).

    Speaking in the same vein, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) Lagos Chapter emphasized that nutrition is essential for a healthy breastfeeding journey. The Programme Team Lead of NSN, Lagos Chapter, Mrs. Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, admonished mothers to also maintain a balanced diet and stay hydrated to provide the best for their little one.

    ‘’Your diet influences the quality of your breastmilk and, in turn, affects your baby’s health. Embrace foods that boost lactation and enhance your baby’s well-being’’, she said. (Flowerbudnews)

  • NAFDAC Sensitises Hotels, Eateries on Good Hygiene Practice to Safeguard public Health

    NAFDAC Sensitises Hotels, Eateries on Good Hygiene Practice to Safeguard public Health

    Flowerbudnews

    By Biola Lawal

    Lagos (Flowerbudnews): NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye has began direct engagement with operators of hotels and eateries to enlighten and sensitise them on the  importance of Good Hygiene Practice to protect public health.

    Prof Adeyeye kick-started the hotels and eateries sensitisation campaign with a stakeholder’s engagement with operators of hotels and Quick Service Restaurants, popularly called Eateries in Lagos on Friday.

    Speaking at the function which had the theme;  ‘’Safety and Quality of Food In Hotels and Eateries’’, Prof Adeyeye said that Good Hygiene Practice (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) were crucial for food safety in any food operation and food facility, a statement by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC Resident Consultant disclosed.

    CAPTION
    L-R: Director, Lagos State Office (LSO), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards, Director General, NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General, Hotels Owners and Managers Association of Lagos, HOMAL, Mr. Adeniyi Ologun, Director, Food Registration and Regulation, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abayomi Bolaji Julian mni, and Director, Laboratory Services (Food), NAFDAC, Dr. Charles Nwanchukwu, at the Stakeholders Engagement Forum with Operators of Hotels and Quick Service Restaurants (Eateries) in Lagos. on Friday.

    She said that GHP and GMP, when adequately implemented, would ensure that food prepared for customers is free of harmful micro-organisms that can cause harm and serious health issues if they contaminate the food.

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Boss expressed grave concerns about health risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated with the consumption of foods high in salt, free sugars, saturated fats, and trans fatty acids.

    She stated:  ‘’also of concern is the misuse of food additives for enhancing the appearance of food, the colour, texture, taste, and shelf life.’’

    Prof Adeyeye noted with dismay that ‘’proliferation of many NCDs is related to the foods we eat including other poor health conditions, such as impaired growth and development, micronutrient deficiencies, non-communicable/ communicable diseases, and even mental illness’’.

    According to the DG, adhering to the provisions of GHP and GMP ensures that food prepared is safe to eat and enables businesses to protect their reputation.

    She advised operators to diligently comply with the Agencys Regulations and Guidelines concerning their operations as this is of immense benefit to their operations.

    ‘’This interaction could not have come at a better time considering the strategic role of your sector in the hospitality and food industries, added to the huge patronage you receive and the need to be constantly vigilant and mindful of the safety and quality of the food you prepare to ensure the health of the public’’, she said.

    She expressed her earnest expectation that at the end of the forum, the sector would be better equipped with the technical know-how to ensure the safety and quality of food served in hotels and eateries.

    NAFDAC by her enabling Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 is saddled with the responsibility to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food and other regulated products.

    This translates to the fact that we assure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of food that is offered to the public and one of the ways by which this can be achieved is through constant engagement with key players in this sector and that is why we are gathered today.

    Nigeria has launched her first “National Multi-Sectoral Action Plan (NMSAP) for the Prevention and Non-communicable Disease 2019-2025. This policy document advocates for a multi-sectoral approach to reduce salt/sodium in food by 30 percent by the year 2025.

    Research has shown that excessive salt/sodium in the diet has been implicated in high blood pressure, heart diseases and stroke. It is also an established fact that too much of unhealthy fats in the diet can raise cholesterol levels which increases the risk of heart disease.

    She noted that this precipitated the launch of the revised and recently gazetted Fats, Oils and Foods containing Fats and Oils Regulations 2022 by the Agency on Monday, August 7, 2023, where limits of 2g per 100g of total fats have been placed for fats, oils and foods containing fats and oils.

    She explained that this means that any of such products containing more than this permitted level of trans fats is prohibited from the date of implementation of the regulations which will be jointly decided by NAFDAC and industry to make for a smooth transition.

    Prof Adeyeye stressed that the revised regulation was a protective measure to safeguard the health of Nigerians, ‘’and your sector, where foods are prepared for consumption is very critical to success’’.

    The NAFDAC DG further stated that Food safety involves preventive strategies at all levels of food related operations such as receiving, storing, processing, handling, and distribution of food, adding that as stakeholders along the food chain, ‘’it is critical that you are well informed and guided on food related operations to address food hazards and deliver safe, good quality food to consumers’’.

    She further stated that access to safe and wholesome food is essential for the health and well-being of people, noting that ‘’It is only when food is safe that we can benefit from its nutritional value and the social benefits of sharing good meals’’.

    ‘’As a Regulatory Agency, we believe that targeted communication, education, and awareness raising will contribute to ensuring voluntary compliance to regulatory requirements with resultant positive health outcomes for our teeming population’’.

    She however, urged the operators to key into the Agencys slogan of Safeguarding Public Health by abiding with the Regulations and Guidelines of NAFDAC in their food preparation processes. (Flowerbudnews)

  • NAFDAC Boss Reads Riot Act to Big Food Coys, Says No Post-Marketing Unit, no Product Renewal Henceforth

    NAFDAC Boss Reads Riot Act to Big Food Coys, Says No Post-Marketing Unit, no Product Renewal Henceforth

    Flowerbudnews

    … No Post Marketing Surveillance Unit, No Product Renewal

    By Biola Lawal
    Lagos (Flowerbudnews): The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye,  has warned food manufacturing companies to set up post marketing Surveillance units or be denied product renewal.

    Prof Adeyeye gave the warning at a NAFDAC engagement function with bigger food companies over poorly incinerated cereals that still sneak into the market as unbranded products posing dangers to consumers.

    The function was organised by NAFDAC’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators, Sayo Akintola, the Agency’s Resident Media Consultant disclosed in a statement.

    The NAFDAC Boss stated that Company Post Marketing Surveillance units would enhance realisation of desired conformance to safety practices in processing, production, packaging, distribution, and storage of pre-packaged foods to further safeguard public health.

    L-R: Chairman, Technical Committee of the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) Nigeria, Mr. Fred Chiazor, Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), NAFDAC, Mrs Eva Edwards, Director, Investigation and Enforcement (I&E), NAFDAC, Mr. Ononiwu Francis Ezeribe at the Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators in Lagos …Friday

    L-R: Director, Food Registration and Regulation, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abayomi Bolaji Julian mni,m

    She urged manufacturers of food products to always be more concerned about their products in the market by establishing Post Market Surveillance unit in their companies.

    She recalled that years ago, the Agency had made Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) mandatory for companies, but compliance has been poor.

    She warned that ”henceforth, if a company doesn’t have Post Marketing Surveillance or Post Marketing Pharmacovigilance (for drug manufacturing Companies) department, the product will not be renewed.”

    ‘’We have asked companies to establish PMS dept where they send people out to the market to see what is happening to their products out there.

    Once you get an inkling of somebody adulterating your product you call us because you don’t have power to go with the police. We have the power to go and raid.

    ”That’s why we need collaboration because we must change our industrial practice. That’s how to get the best out of your trade. Once you tell us, I assure you we will be there in hours in terms of mopping it up and getting the suspect arrested and prosecuted.” She said.

    L-R: Director, Food Registration and Regulation, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abayomi Bolaji Julian mni, Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), NAFDAC, Mrs. Eva Edwards at the Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators in Lagos . Friday.

    Prof  Adeyeye called for more food safety consciousness and compliance for continuous improvement in imbibing a food safety culture amongst industry players and consumers.

    This, she said, ”will make for the desired conformance to safety practices in processing, production, packaging, distribution, and storage of pre-packaged foods.”

    Prof Adeyeye declared that NAFDAC would no longer accept poorly destroyed expired or stolen products sneaking into the market through scavengers at waste dump site.

    These practices, she noted, was endangering lives of innocent consumers, particularly, children.

    She also insisted that ‘’if a product doesnt have NAFDAC number we cant guarantee the safety’’.

    Unequivocally condemning the habit of patronizing unbranded cereals in the open market, Prof. Adeyeye warned that when a product is not certified by NAFDAC it is not advised that anybody should consume it.

    She added that the unbranded products in the market, do not have NAFDAC registration/marketing authorization number.

    Prof Adeyeye emphasized that all the products that have gone through the regulatory processes are packaged with NAFDAC registration number on them.

    ‘’We cannot speak to the safety of unbranded food in the open market. We do not know where they have come from. We don’t know anything about the expiry date. We cannot trace’. she said.

    In 2021 and 2022, she recalled that the Agency carried out a lot of investigation and enforcement activities on unbranded cereals leading to the arrest of some people that were selling online in Onitsha and brought them to Lagos.

    Delving into the psychology of the consumption pattern of the risky products, the DG disclosed that in the cause of investigation it was discovered that the people would prefer to buy the unbranded ones despite the inherent dangers associated with it.

    ‘’We considered the circumstances and the packaging, and we couldnt really understand whether it is cheaper’’, she said,

    Prof Adeyeye added :  ‘’we found out that even some smaller packages, the smallest packages of cereals were also removed from the packaging materials and also sold in bulk. They add them together and sell online.

    On the issue of the source of the cereals, the NAFDAC boss argued that some industries are also complicit in this. She said ‘’we found out that some of the cereals were picked up from dump sites in Agbara.

    She said that investigations by the Agency revealed that the products were disposed through Ogun State Waste Management Authority, adding that the disposal methods of companies are also an issue.

    ‘’If you want to dispose of some bad or expired products, you are supposed to destroy it by NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, not by company directly through waste disposal authorities.

    It will always get to scavengers who will sell it back to the market.

    According to her, further investigations revealed that most of the products were stolen from company warehouses ‘’because we found out that not all the products had expired.

    “Some of them were in company’s packaging materials when diverted to sell in retail prices online and in the marketplaces.’’

    Last year the Agency uncovered two warehouses at Trade Fair Complex, Lagos loaded with N3 billion worth of counterfeit drugs and childrens cereals picked from dump sites.

    ‘’We also must sensitize the industry because if there are compromises in the industry it could lead to serious dangers to our health’’, she said, stressing that ‘’If the SOP in the industry says go and dump it in a dump site, the industry is at fault also’’.

    She noted with a voice laden with grief that ‘’If the person that got it stolen from the factory is going to sell it less than the packaged material from the company, people will want to buy even if it has later been contaminated.

    She however, called for the investigation and prosecution of those who took the products from the dump site for sale, adding that ‘’our climate is not very helpful when it comes to food preservation.

    ‘If it is in the open air, it’s going to start getting degraded. Thats why we should avoid exposure of food to the elements.

    The DG who noted that she put a lot of premiums on food, added that ‘’the food we eat may make us ill and to be more dependent on medicine. If we make sure that people eat quality food, they will take less medicine.’’

    ‘’NAFDAC will continue to advocate for the support of her partners and stakeholders in the quest for better, safer, healthier, more nutritious food. We all stand to benefit from this as we are all consumers’’, Prof Adeyeye assured.

    Nestle Nigeria Plc, Quaker Oat, Flour Mills, Coca Cola, Guinness, Oriental Foods, OK Foods, Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, Cadbury Nigeria Ltd, CHI Ltd, UAC and NB Plc are some of the over 50 food manufacturing companies at the forum. (Flowerbudnews)

     

  • Policy document: NBTE lauds Tinubu on TVET as 4th pillar

    Policy document: NBTE lauds Tinubu on TVET as 4th pillar

    By Funmilayo Adeyemi

    Prof. Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has commended President Bola Tinubu for making Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) as the fourth pillar in the policy document of his administration.
    He said that this was a reflection of Tinubu’s commitment to transform technical education for national development.
    Bugaje, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said that this gesture would also grow the number of technical colleges in the country.
    According to him, almost 60 per cent of the population is youthful and one of the highest in the world.
    According to the executive secretary, there is the need for the country to reposition TVET so that the youths can be empowered.
    Bugaje said: “We commend President Bola Tinubu for efforts to transform Nigeria.
    “He has made TVET training his fourth pillar and this the the first time TVET is featuring as a pillar in the policy document of any government.
    “So, we are very hopeful that he is going to reposition technical education because we must grow the number of technical colleges in Nigeria from the present number of 126 out of over 15,000 senior secondary schools.
    “Our technical colleges are the ones to feed the polytechnics. It is the absence of products from technical colleges that leads to the low number of technicians.”
    While also appealing to the president to adequately fund technical education, Bugaje said that infrastructure in technical education were already dilapidating, hence the need to revive the sector.
    “When you enter the hall they do practicals in technical schools, it is either the roof is leaking, the machines there are obsolete or the materials used for practicals are not available.
    “The principal in such a school is a graduate of sociology, the instructors have no experience and so they are not delivering.
    “There is need for a marshall plan for technical education in Nigeria. We have to declare not only state of emergency which is easy to do.
    ” But let us also have marshall plan for technical education so that we can reinvent the colleges, retrain the teachers and instructors and bring new equipment.
    “Buy state-of-art equipment in welding- underwater welding and train the people and give them proper certification so that can have jobs across industries. So funding is fundamental,” he said.
    The executive secretary stressed the need to bring the informal skills sector into TVET training programme so as to discourage the importation of skilled manpower.
    Bugaje said: “If we don’t produce the skills ourselves, we loose a lot from other countries.
    “We need to reposition our polytechnics and to do this, we must bring in the informal skills sector into our training programmes.
    ” Look at Apo mechanic village in Abuja, the Ariaria market in Aba, Computer Village in Lagos, Panteka in Kaduna and see the wonderful things they are doing there.
    “In Panteka, there are about 38,000 enterprises, they don’t have any certification and there is no quality assurance.”
    According to him, the board is now asking polytechnics to engage them to give them skills qualification training and certificate for the skills they have.
    Bugaje added:”So, that if the private sector is looking for skills qualification they will go there and recruit certified welders and fabricators and certified pipe fitters.
    “So, that is why we need to mobilise resources so that TVET can lead to the real industrialisation of Nigeria.”
    He said that if the government concentrated on the informal skills sector, train the technicians and craftsmen, Nigeria would be able to feed not only her industries but also industries from other countries of the world.
    Bugaje, while calling for the creation of more polytechnics to deliver the skills needed for the overall development of the country, also suggested the conversation of some universities that were not performing into polytechnics.
    “Some states have two to three federal universities but in reality, for every university graduates of HND from the polytechnic, so we are doing the reverse.
    “At the moment, Nigeria imports skilled manpower to deliver the dangote refinery and if we don’t produce the skills ourselves, we lose a lot from other countries.
    “We need to reposition our polytechnics and there is the need to also bring in the informal skills sector into our training programmes,” he said.
    NAN
  • Flood: NEMA distributes relief materials to 8,757 households in Kaduna

    Flood: NEMA distributes relief materials to 8,757 households in Kaduna

    By Ezra Musa

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Saturday, commenced the distribution of relief materials to 8,757 households affected by the 2022 flood disaster in Kaduna State.

    The Director-General of the agency, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, said during the distribution in Kaduna that the gesture was under the Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI).

    Ahmed, who was represented by Ms Ngozi Echeazu, State Team supervisor, SNELEI, said that the distribution was aimed at bringing succour to the affected households in the state.

    He identified the items as food and non-food items, such as rice, beans, sorghum, blankets, mats, mosquito nets and detergents.

    Other non-food items include sewing machines, grinding machines, water pumps for dry-season farmers, sprayers, fertilizers, herbicides and seedlings.

    He explained that the agricultural inputs were given to take farmers back to the farms, stimulate crop production and safeguard national food security in the middle of economic downturn.

    The DG added that the livelihood support was to help artisans to improve their businesses and grow the economy.

    He called on the  beneficiaries to avoid selling the items and destroy the good intention of the Federal Government.

    In her remarks, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, commended the Federal Government for the gesture.

    Balarabe, who was represented by Mr James Kanyip, Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Uba Sani, Office of the Deputy Governor, said that the items would assist the beneficiaries in rebuilding their lives.

    She also advised the beneficiaries against selling the items, which she said was to alleviate poverty and empower them economically.

    The deputy governor also called on the distributors of the relief materials to ensure that only the targeted persons and the vulnerable were given the items.

    Also, Mr Usman Mazabu, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, thanked the Federal Government for approving the relief assistance to the victims.

    Muazu assured that the relief materials would be transparently and jointly distributed to the affected persons by officials of NEMA, SEMA and representatives of the community and other relevant stakeholders.

    NAN

  • CAC boss bags chartered secretaries and administrators award

    CAC boss bags chartered secretaries and administrators award

    By Lucy Ogalue

    The Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Alhaji Garba Abubakar, has been awarded as Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).
    Abubakar, in a statement thanked ICSAN for the award and pledged to rededicate himself to greater service.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abubakar was among the six distinguished Nigerians conferred with Honorary Fellowship Awards by the institute at its 47th Annual Conference and Dinner.
    The event was themed “Sound Governance as a Cursor to a Thriving Economy: A Case for Inclusiveness”.
    Conferring the award on them, the ICSAN President/Chairman of Council, Mrs Funmi Ekundayo, described their performances in governance as superlative and worthy of emulation.
    Ekundayo, who stressed that ICSAN places great emphasis on ethics and uprightness, congratulated the awardees on their professional accomplishments.
    She said that the feat represented the zenith of professional membership and charged them not to view the achievement as the destination.
     Ekundayo said that the award signified the beginning of a new chapter in their career, providing them the opportunity to learn, relearn, and unlearn through capacity-building programmes, amongst others.
     In his remarks, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, congratulated the awardees on the achievements recorded in their respective fields of endeavour to enable them to haul the awards.
    Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu -hundeyin, congratulated Ekundayo for becoming the first female president of ICSAN since its inception 47 years ago.
    The former Minister of Communications, Omobola Johnson, stressed the need for more inclusiveness for women in accordance with the conference theme.
     In his remarks, Sen. Ishaku Abbo (APC-Adamawa North) congratulated the awardees with special reference to the Registrar-General, whom he described as a good friend.
    Abo stated the resolve of the National Assembly to support the programmes and policies of the present administration to ensure a better and more prosperous Nigeria.
     Responding on behalf of the award recipients, Sen. Margery Okadigbo thanked ICSAN for finding them worthy of the honours and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them.
    NAN recalls that the CAC boss had accomplished the full digitisation of all CAC services, thereby becoming the only government agency with a full-pledged self-service portal.
     The newest on the array of successes recorded by Abubakar was the launch of the Beneficial Ownership Register (BOR).
    The BOR made history for becoming the first in Africa and is in line with global data standards.
    NAN also reports that the other recipients of ICSAN honorary fellowships were: Amb. Shuaibu Ahmed, Executive Secretary Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria, and Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
    Others included Mr Etido Inyang and Mrs Ekerebong Umoh.
    NAN
  • Five fake soldiers nabbed in Lagos

    Five fake soldiers nabbed in Lagos

    Five persons who have been masquerading as soldiers have been arrested by 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

    The suspects who were handed over to the Police for further investigation and prosecution, yesterday, were reportedly apprehended on separate occasions at Ojodu Berger, Ikorodu, Ogba, and Ikeja areas of Lagos.

    The suspects, identified as Johnson Ayemoba, Salami Olamilekan, Mumammed Bilyaminu, Abijo Taofeek, and Adewale Quadri, according to the Director of Public Relations for the 9 Brigade, Major Augustine Kolawole, were captured during a routine patrol conducted by the Brigade.

     

    One of the impersonators, 32-year-old Johnson Ayemoba, was found dressed in full military camouflage, with a photograph of himself wearing the military uniform.

     

    During interrogation, Ayemoba claimed that a friend gave him the uniform.

     

    He said, “I work as a bouncer and provide security at event places like Ikeja, Lekki, and Victoria Island. I obtained the uniform from my friend, Tiger. My arrest occurred in Ikeja while I was not wearing the uniform but in civilian attire. I took this picture during my birthday.”

     

    For Olamilekan, he explained that he wore it to escort vehicles within and outside Lagos, adding that he acquired the uniform from a man he gave his name simply as Tiger, who was introduced to him by the first suspect.

     

    While briefing journalists on the arrest, Major Kolawole, said “These impostors had been presenting themselves as soldiers of the Nigerian Army, causing disturbances, engaging in theft through deception, and at times, resorting to violence while using military uniforms and equipment. These actions, along with those of other impostors still at large, have severely tarnished the reputation of the Nigerian Army among law-abiding citizens.

     

    “For the record, Headquarters 9 Brigade Nigerian Army under the command of Brigadier General Adegoke Adetuyi will continue to ensure that troops deployed on Internal Security duties operate professionally within the purview of the law. This Headquarters will continue to uphold the Nigerian Army Code of Conduct, ethics, core values, and soldiers’ creed, hence, it will never encourage or tolerate the engagement of troops in any act that will hurt law-abiding citizens they are meant to protect.

     

    We, therefore, appeal to law-abiding citizens to be wary of such impostors parading themselves as soldiers and mounting illegal roadblocks in some parts of Lagos state.

    We also request Lagosians to report any suspicious act by unauthorized men in military uniforms to the appropriate authority in order not to fall victim to their dastardly acts”.

     

    Major Kolawole expressed optimism that the police investigation and subsequent prosecution would send a strong warning to other criminals within the 9 Brigade’s Area of Responsibility and the nation as a whole.

     

    He further warned members of the public to desist from the use of Army stickers, placement of camouflage jungle hats on vehicle dashboards, and the display of other military insignia or accouterments on private vehicles, “as well as wearing military uniforms for fashion purposes. They are illegal. Anyone caught engaging in these violations may face prosecution for impersonation.”

     

    Recall that the Lagos State Police Command recently arrested and paraded impostors in military uniforms who confessed to being responsible for the murder of an aide to Senator Adela Yayi representing Ogun State, Adeniji Sanni, last month

  • AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria backs Tinubu’s food systems goals at UNGA

    AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria backs Tinubu’s food systems goals at UNGA

     

    By Cecilia Ologunagba

    New York: Chief  Executive Officer (CEO), African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, Gloria Akobundu, says the AU agency is backing the food systems priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    Akobundu said this on the sidelines of High Level Meeting on “Attracting investments in Land Restoration, Food Systems, and Rural Transformation in Africa” organised by AUDA-NEPAD on margins of the 78th session of UN General Assembly in New York.

    The UN correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria Secretariat in collaboration with its continental counterpart (AUDA-NEPAD) Contiental.

    “President Tinubu has set his target and his goals and we are so grateful that food systems and education are priorities to his goals and his great vision for Nigeria and Africa.

    “For us in Africa Union Development Agency, our mandate centres on driving the vision of the heads of state and government, ensuring its implementation and reporting back.

    “So, we’re so grateful to him as our leader and our president. We’re grateful for his passion, for his commitment and dedication in realising a peaceful and vibrant economy in Nigeria, of which there will be an overflow to other African countries.

    “So, coming here today on Global Financing for food systems, is very welcoming to development for the country and it’s in line with Tinubu’s vision on realising food security, and also in line with African Union agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she said.

    Akobundu, also the National Coordinator of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, said the agency was grateful for the commitment and support of the Nigerian government.

    “Education and food become priorities and the bedrock for development and there’s no doubt if achieved will curb insecurity, create jobs, ensure exports, grow our GDP and add a lot to the economy of our country.

    “So, it’s a welcome development, and you can see we have development partners. We have been working with them, they’re very much interested. They’re very happy with the Nigerian government,” she said.

    According to her, the partners are happy with the set goals, the policies as President Tinubu promised to remove every bottleneck to ensure that these priorities succeed.

    “We are collaborating with the Continental Secretariat to mobilise development partners, to market, educate and inform the global community on the priority of the Nigerian government and Africa at large.

    “Also, to woo investors and ensure that in every sector of the economy, investors come into partnership with Nigeria, following the vision of our leader, President Bola Tinubu,” said Akobundu.

    Earlier in her speech, she informed the participants of  the smallholder farmers’ project in Nigeria, targeted at building the capacity of local farmers in order to increase their contribution to the nation’s food production and improved nutrition.

    “The project was initiated by AUDA-NEPAD as a response to the ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “More than 20,000 smallholder farmers spread across 22 states of Nigeria have been enrolled into the scheme and have been grouped into cooperatives in order to facilitate assess to financing,” she said.

    According to her, the project is in line with Zero hunger Policy of AU Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want” and also Goal 2 of the UN SDGs.

    “It aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, and ensure that all people–especially children–have sufficient and nutritious food all year.

    “The smallholder farmers’ project also serves as a vehicle for the restoration of one million hectares of degraded land in Nigeria,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng) /Flowerbudnews

  • Breaking: Police Arrests Wanted Lady – Ms. Peace Ekom Robert, Says Investigation Continues

    Breaking: Police Arrests Wanted Lady – Ms. Peace Ekom Robert, Says Investigation Continues

     

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja (Flowerbudnews) The Nigeria Police has announced the arrest of Ms. Peace Ekom Robert, recently declared wanted for alleged serial fraudulent activities,.

    A statement by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi,
    Force Public Relations Officeronnthe Police official Twitter handle,  said that the suspect’s activities affected numerous individuals, including the petitioner.

    Adejobi said; ”Force wish to provide clarity on the ongoing investigation involving Ms. Peace Ekom Robert, who is suspected of engaging in serial fraudulent activities,.

    Police said that ”despite mualtiple requests for her cooperation and the presence of substantial evidentiary material, Ms. Robert consistently declined to engage with the Police, and was subsequently declared a person of interest”.

    The Force Spokesman stated further:

    ”It is essential to correct any misconceptions regarding allegations of police misconduct. The assertion that the police surrounded and threatened Ms. Robert’s life is categorically false.

    Police Operatives acted upon credible intelligence on her whereabouts received from a concerned member of the public, enabling them to locate and apprehend Ms. Robert.

    At present, Ms. Robert is in custody, and the investigative process will continue with the utmost diligence and impartiality.

    Ms. Robert will be given the opportunity to present her perspective during the course of this investigation, ensuring a fair and comprehensive assessment of her involvement or lack thereof in the alleged fraudulent activities.

    Meanwhile, the Police urged members of the public who have been defrauded or have any pending case with the suspect to show up and relate with the police operatives investigating her alleged serial fraud, impersonation, and cyberstalking cases, at the Police Special Fraud Unit, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, for diligent disposition of the case accordingly.

    Upon conclusion of Police investigations into more available credible evidence, Ms Peace will be charged to court. (Flowerbudnews)