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Category: General News

  • NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

    NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

     

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja(Flowerbudnews) NAFDAC Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has reassured Nigerians that the Agency’s committed promotion of local drug production and its import discouraging policies, among other factors, would continue to cause decline in pharmaceutical imports in Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye gave the assurance in a press statement which she signed personally to explain detailed Federal Government objectives  and NAFDAC policies encouraging the reduction in medical products importation into Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye’s statement was in response to a media publication which disclosed that “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years” and majorly failed to acknowledge the impact of increased local production for this achievement.

    The NAFDAC Boss highlighted several regulatory policies and strategies evolved by the Agency to discourage importation and strengthen consistent domestication of pharmaceutical production.

    ”At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals.,” Prof Adeyeye stated.

    The Director General disclosed that one most impactful policy introduced to discourage imports and boost local pharmaceutical production was she called the -The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)

    ”The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import.

    ”By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing.

    ”The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.

    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country.

    Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency.

    ”This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers., Prof Adeyeye stated.

    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively.

    This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.

    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors.

    It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines.

    The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency.

    The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions.

    Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

    This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector.

    The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals. (Flowerbudnews)

    Full Statement Below:

    PRESS BRIEFING BY THE DG (NAFDAC) ON REPORTED DECLINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL IMPORTS INTO NIGERIA

    The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to publications in online tabloid, specifically the Business Day edition of 24th August 2023 titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years”. While the write up quoted this data from the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency, laid claim to the fact that difficulty in accessing Forex, devaluation of the Naira, attendant high inflation has reduced imports, and this was also corroborated by the immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. While this may be true, the full story was not captured.
    The publication provided largely accurate statistics related to reliance on finished drug importation (about 70% of drug consumption), importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (100%), huge jump in prices of locally manufactured and imported drugs. The report provided a mixed bag of marginal revenue loss and increase for stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical Sector. In the report, it was not asserted that decline in pharmaceutical imports is partly due to increase in local production even though a lot of boosts in local manufacturing is currently taking place as will be emphasized in the following segments.
    As a responsible regulatory agency, it is important that NAFDAC provides a rejoinder to the write up and bring up its perspective within the context of improving access to medicines by Nigerians, even though the Agency is not oblivious of the numerous challenges confronting the pharmaceutical sector in our country. At the recently concluded 74th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on the need to strengthen local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. (https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_ACONF1-en.pdf).
    The resolution by member countries emphasized that integration of local production into overall health systems strengthening can contribute to sustainable access to quality-assured, safe, effective, and affordable medicines and other health technologies, help to prevent or address medical product shortages, achieve universal health coverage, and the strengthening of national health emergency preparedness and response, as well as minimizing public health hazards.
    At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals. The Director General has emphasized this to promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. She explicitly delivered this message at the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists Annual Meeting held in Ilorin in 2018. All these led to the formulation of a number of policies which are beginning to yield the expected outcome. Some of these policies include:
    1) The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)
    The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import. By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing. The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.
    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country. Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency. This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers.
    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    3) The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively. This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.
    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors. It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    4) NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines. The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    5) International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency. The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions. Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector. The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals.

    Thank you.
    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye
    Director General (NAFDAC)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to publications in online tabloid, specifically the Business Day edition of 24th August 2023 titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years”

    While the write up quoted this data from the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency, laid claim to the fact that difficulty in accessing Forex, devaluation of the Naira, attendant high inflation has reduced imports, and this was also corroborated by the immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. While this may be true, the full story was not captured.

    The publication provided largely accurate statistics related to reliance on finished drug importation (about 70% of drug consumption), importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (100%), huge jump in prices of locally manufactured and imported drugs.

    The report provided a mixed bag of marginal revenue loss and increase for stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical Sector.

    In the report, it was not asserted that decline in pharmaceutical imports is partly due to increase in local production even though a lot of boosts in local manufacturing is currently taking place as will be emphasized in the following segments.

    As a responsible regulatory agency, it is important that NAFDAC provides a rejoinder to the write up and bring up its perspective within the context of improving access to medicines by Nigerians, even though the Agency is not oblivious of the numerous challenges confronting the pharmaceutical sector in our country.

    At the recently concluded 74th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on the need to strengthen local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. (https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_ACONF1-en.pdf).

    The resolution by member countries emphasized that integration of local production into overall health systems strengthening can contribute to sustainable access to quality-assured, safe, effective, and affordable medicines and other health technologies, help to prevent or address medical product shortages, achieve universal health coverage, and the strengthening of national health emergency preparedness and response, as well as minimizing public health hazards.

    At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals.

    The Director General has emphasized this to promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. She explicitly delivered this message at the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists Annual Meeting held in Ilorin in 2018.

    All these led to the formulation of a number of policies which are beginning to yield the expected outcome. Some of these policies include:    The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)

    The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import.

    By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing.

    The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.

    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country. Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency.

    This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers. Xxxx

    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively.

    This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.

    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors.

    It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines.

    The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency.

    The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions.

    Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

    This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in N

     

  • Archbishop wife urges journalists to balance report, says character assassination is actionable

    Archbishop wife urges journalists to balance report, says character assassination is actionable

     

     

    The Wife of the Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka, Mrs Martha Ibezim, has urged journalists to always balance their report as character assassination is actionable.

    Ibezim, who also is the Principal of Queens’ Convent Awka, said this on Friday in a statement she issued to newsmen in Enugu with the title: “Re: Gateman impregnates 3 Students at Queens’ Convent Awka, Anambra State”.

    She noted that journalists as partners in progress and societal development agents should strive to get the other sides of any report or story before rushing to the press.

     

     

    The archbishop wife noted that the online social media report with the title: “Gateman impregnates 3 students at Queens’ Convent Awka” is malicious and fabricated story that have no iota of truth in its entirety.

     

     

    Ibezim, who is a professionally trained school administrator and lecturer, said that “there was not and can never be such pedestrian story from the school I preside over”.

     

     

    “Our attention has been drawn to rumours making the rounds, which is maliciously and calculated to tarnish the image of our Convent, the best Girls Secondary School in Anambra State – Queens’ Convent, Awka, Anambra State.

     

     

    “Queens’ Convent students are on holidays and will resume next week. Before the closure for last term, there was nothing of such unless in the imaginations of such paid peddlers of the malicious, pedestrian and denigrating information against our school.

     

     

    “The school’s gatemen are four – two elderly and two young men – posted by their company, FEDA Securities and they have nothing to do with the students but their duty posts.

     

     

    “Our students are prohibited from going to the gate and being seen with the security men. They have nothing to do with where students reside.

     

     

    “Let’s reiterate that the school only hires the service of a professional security company which posts trained personnel to the school,” she said.

     

     

    According to her, the issue of committing suicide and jumping from a two-storey building never existed as the students are still in holiday as we speak.

     

     

    She said: “Those who are peddling the malicious propaganda to run the school’s image down should be ready to present the three pregnant girls at the appropriate time when called upon.

     

     

    “We are not interested in knowing those used to run negative commentary about our school, but the medium (media) should be able to present the three pregnant students when called upon.,” she said.

     

     

    “And let us reiterate that there are staff on duty 24 hours in Queens’ Convent, Awka, making it impossible for such thing to happen in the Convent.

     

     

    “Their matrons have their apartments in the hostels for close monitoring and no male staff has access to their hostels. Only the female staff monitors the students from morning to night and the male activities end in the classrooms and field.”

     

     

    Ibezim noted that no teacher of the school can malign or speak to the press on such foul language but enemies of the feats recorded by Queens’ Convent recently in state, national and international competitions and examinations where our students are breaking new records.

     

     

    The principal said that the students of the school are outstanding in WAEC, NECO, Anambra State Essay Competition (1st position); Children’s Day Match Past (1st position) and Provincial Mathematics Competition (1st position).

     

     

    She said: “The students from the Convent are champions in external competitions, hence the performance in JAMB, WAEC and NECO made the students to gain admissions straight to higher Institutions within and outside the country.

     

     

    “They participated in WHO IS WHO essay competition sponsored by Hon. Justice T.U Uzokwe for all the secondary schools in Anambra State and they came first and fourth respectively; just to mention a few exceptional performances of the students of the school.

     

     

    She said that recently, inspectors from the Federal Ministry of Education visited the school for overhaul assessment of the school on Quality Assurance.

    The principal said that he ministry officials assessed the school inside out, both the laboratories, library, staff, etc, and equally interacted with the students, school management and parents and their findings showed that the school is doing her best.

    “We thank God that the spiritual lives of the students are not neglected as there are numerous programmes to ensure that they grow daily in their relationship with Christ,” she added. (Flowerbudnews)

  • UNGA: Tinubu to deepen economic diplomacy – Aide

    UNGA: Tinubu to deepen economic diplomacy – Aide

    President Bola Tinubu will be using the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to exploit his administration’s economic diplomacy, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Chief Ajuri Ngelale.

     

    Ngelale disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Friday in Abuja.

     

    He said that the president would also meet with global business chief executives and world leaders on the sidelines of the annual 78th UNGA holding from Sept. 19 to Sept. 23

     

    The 78th Session of the UNGA will feature the High-Level General Debate under the theme, “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.

     

    The UN General Assembly delivers recommendations on many international issues and manages internal UN appointments and budget approval.

     

    Each UN member state gets one vote in the assembly.

     

    For years, the assembly has struggled to make its work more substantive and transparent, and experts say reform is needed.

     

    The 2023 debate will centre on climate change, the war in Ukraine and countries’ progress toward their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

     

    ‘’Aside from the engagements he is going to be having at the General Assembly, aside from the act of participation that the Nigerian delegation will be engaging in at the assembly, there are series of very important side activities that will have wide ranging ramifications on the Nigerian economy.

     

    ‘’Mr President will be meeting with major chief executives and leaders of multinational firms cutting across multiple sectors of the economy. The President will be meeting with the President of the Microsoft Company worldwide, Brad Smith, and Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta technologies.

    He will also meet with the global CEO of General Electric, the global CEO of Exxon Mobil Oil and Gas Company. We see this as a major opportunity to once again lay out in detail what Nigeria has to offer with respect to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, and the fiscal and tax incentives.

    Ngelale added that the president would also participate in the Africa Global Business Initiative to showcase Nigeria’s potential to high level chief executives from around the world.

     

    He said that Tinubu would also chair Nigeria’s Small and Medium Scale Business Summit where opportunities abound to launch the country’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises into the world market.

     

    ‘’This is really a very strategic one. The President is determined to ensure that we don’t just look at large industries but that we key in on opportunities that are being presented by MSMEs to make an impact in foreign markets.

     

    ‘’Yes, the President is focused on attracting foreign direct investment, attracting jobs, attracting new tax revenues into the shores of our country. But he’s also focused in on making sure that home-grown Nigerian companies have fair and equal access to foreign and international markets.

    In addition to that, the President will be speaking at the UN High Level reform of the global financial architecture. It will allow our president to lay out his vision for a fairer international financial system that does not any longer leave out developing countries from the decision making table.’’

     

    Besides, Ngelale said that Tinubu would have bilateral discussions with various presidents and heads of government including the Presidents of the USA, Comoros, South Africa, the European Union, Brazil, Algeria, Prime Ministers of Netherlands and Spain as well as the King of Jordan.

     

    ‘’There are some that will still be added, but it’s fair to say that within a very short few days in New York, the President will certainly be one of the most active and sought after with respect to his engagements in both bilateral and multilateral platforms,’’ he said

  • GBV: NYSC DG tasks corps members on grassroots sensitisation to rights protection

    GBV: NYSC DG tasks corps members on grassroots sensitisation to rights protection

    Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, Director General, NYSC, has urged corps members to embark on massive grassroots gender sensitisation and advocacy campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women.

     

    The DG gave the challenge in Lokoja on Friday during the commencement of the corps’ Phase one of Grassroots Gender Sensitisation and Advocacy Campaign against GBV in rural communities.

     

    Represented by the Kogi NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Mofoluwaso Williams, the DG expressed worry over the spate of gender inequality and gender violence against women and in some cases against men in most rural communities in the North.

     

    Ahmed said that the campaign was a well thought out initiative of the Reforms Unit of the NYSC, which would be implemented on the platform of the Corps Gender Vanguards, with the aim of exposing the ills of gender-based violence and gender inequality.

     

    “It’s unfortunate that gender issues are often misconstrued as affecting females alone, but in reality it’s a matter of interest to both sexes, including their rights and responsibilities.

     

    “It’s also important to remind all and sundry that gender based violence is not only physical and psychological but also constitutes abuse of the fundamental human right of the victims, ” he said.

     

    According to him, this misconception informs the choice of the theme: “Gender equality, respect all,” to tell the society the importance of it.

     

    He explained that in the past, some societies considered the female as weaker sex and tend to ascribe certain roles that relegated them to the background.

     

    The NYSC boss added: “It has since become clear that some societal roles are not necessarily determined by our biological make-up alone and therefore, can change with time and in different situations.”

     

    While declaring open the campaign, the DG appealed to all and sundry to support the NYSC gender vanguard through the provision of the enabling environment for greater impact of the campaign for a better society.

     

    Earlier In his welcome address, Mr Sunday Aroni, State NYSC Head Reforms Unit, thanked the DG for expressly granting approval for the event in spite of other competing demands for scarce resources.

     

     

     

    He noted that the programme could not have come at better time than now when the whole world was clamoring for protection of human rights.

     

    Aroni said, “NYSC has been in the fore front in the fight against gender inequality through the instrumentality of corps gender vanguards with the aim of exposing the ills of gender-based violence in our society.

     

    “The gender we all know is for both sexes, male and female, whose equal rights to education, protection against all forms of abuse and molestation remain sacrosanct.

     

    “Let us all, therefore, say no to all forms of abuse and molestation of our children who are the future leaders.”

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is taking place simultaneously in rural communities across the northern states. (NAN)(www.

  • Video: Obasanjo fumes, orders traditional rulers to stand, welcome him

    Video: Obasanjo fumes, orders traditional rulers to stand, welcome him

    There was mild drama on Friday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a trending video on social media, ordered some Yoruba monarchs to stand up and greet him.

     

    Obasanjo who was in Oyo state on the invitation of governor Seyi Makinde made the remarks during the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.

     

    He said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the president or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.

     

    “In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.

     

    “Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.

  • Anambra road accident claims 5 lives

    Anambra road accident claims 5 lives

    Five persons lost their lives in a road accident that occurred at the dilapidated Odumodu Junction by Nteje, along the Onitsha-Awka Expressway in Anambra.

    The junction is prone to accident because vehicles, especially the heavy duty trucks which usually find it difficult to maneuver.

     

    The crash involved two vehicles, a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus with registration number: XE245AWK and a commercial DAF Leyland truck with registration number: T-19094LA.

    It was gathered that the accident was caused when the container of the truck fell on the commercial bus at the bad spot as the driver was navigating through the failed portion of the road.

    An eyewitness said the two vehicles were moving in opposite directions when the accident happened.

    According to the eye witness, 10 people, comprising three male adults and seven female adults were involved in the crash.

    The eyewitness said: “Five persons, all female, were killed, while two male adults and two female adults sustained various degrees of injury, while one male adult was rescued unhurt.

    “The two vehicles got to the spot at the same time and due to the weight of the truck, the container fell on the bus and crashed as the two drivers were finding a safer spot to put their tyres”

    The acting Sector Public Education Officer of Federal Road Safety Corps, Margaret Onabe, who confirmed the accident said the probable cause of the fatal crash was attributed to the failed portion of the road.

     

  • Breaking: Tinubu nominates Cardoso as CBN governor

    Breaking: Tinubu nominates Cardoso as CBN governor

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso to serve as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

     

    According to a press statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Friday evening, Cardoso will serve for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.

    This directive is in conformity with Section 8 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which vests in the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the authority to appoint the Governor and Four (4) Deputy Governors for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

     

    Furthermore, President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending their confirmation by the Nigerian Senate,” he stated.

     

    The new Deputy Governors include Mrs. Emem Nnana Usoro, Mr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, and Dr. Bala M. Bello.

     

    “In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, the President expects the above listed nominees to successfully implement critical reforms at the Central Bank of Nigeria, which will enhance the confidence of Nigerians and international partners in the restructuring of the Nigerian economy toward sustainable growth and prosperity for all,” Ngelale stated

  • Comply with Adeleke’s sports policy or leave, Deputy Gov warns coaches, administrators

    Comply with Adeleke’s sports policy or leave, Deputy Gov warns coaches, administrators

    Osogbo

     

    OSOGBO – Osun State’s Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi has urged workers in the state sports council, as well as the Ministry of Sports to cooperate towards delivering Governor Ademola Adeleke’s development agenda for the sector or excuse themselves.

    He also stressed that stepping on toes would not be his problem in order to ensure sports development in the state, adding that measures are in place to establish a sports commission to deliver on the governor’s agenda.

    Speaking with newsmen at the Executive Council lounge of the Governor’s office at the weekend, the deputy governor, who is also the Sports Commissioner, said this administration will ensure that contract coaches, who have been serving the state are regularised as staff to get the best out of their talents.

     

    His words: “I will try as much as possible to caution myself now not to look like a dictator, but I will step on toes and hurt some people terribly when the time comes. I will not hesitate to do that because we need to call a spade a spade at times so that people will know that what they are doing is absolutely wrong.

     

    “We need to regularise the contract coaches, to ensure they are properly employed. I had to stop the idea that a person is singled out of about 30 or 40 for interview, it is wrong!

     

    “I do not fear death, I am not afraid of being killed over revitalization of the sports sector in Osun State.

     

    “We are looking at remuneration that is been paid in Oyo, Lagos, Delta, we might not be able to match them but we are trying to reach about 70 percent of that”.

     

    He added that the state government will before the end of the month inaugurate a committee on the establishment of Sports Commission with a view to ensuring that the state regain its lost glory.

     

    “A committee that will work for establishment of Sports Commission will be inaugurated before the end of the month, I have the names of all member already, they are respected members like Felix Owolabi, Ademola Adeshina among others. They will proffer solutions to challenges we are facing in sport across all the games.

     

    Everyone must sit tight as the state government would no longer condone corruption that has permeate sports in the state anymore”, he added

  • NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on Crusader Soap containing mercury, arrests syndicate

    NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on Crusader Soap containing mercury, arrests syndicate

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday said it has arrested a syndicate who specialises in importing banned crusader soaps containing mercury into the country.

     

    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos said that the syndicate used forged customs documents to import the product into the country.

     

    According to Adeyeye, the importation of the soap into the country was banned by NAFDAC years ago because it contains mercury.

     

    She said: “In the course of its regulatory activities, the investigation and enforcement (I&E) Directorate of NAFDAC has discovered a syndicate that specialises in importing banned crusader soaps containing mercury.

     

    “The syndicate used forged customs documents to import the product into the country and further investigation through the ports show that the banned crusader soap was imported seven times in 2021 alone.

     

    “Each consignment is not less than three containers with 4,500 cartons of the soap.

     

    “These products have found their way into various supermarkets and cosmetic shops with unsuspecting members of the public patronising them.

     

    “Acting on intelligence, our investigation and enforcement team in August 2023 busted a warehouse in Trade Fair Market, which was filled with the banned imported soaps.

     

    ” Three trailer-load of imported crusader medicated soap and mekako soap totaling 4,000 cartons by 12 packs by 12 tablet soap were evacuated from the warehouse, while some suspects were arrested in connection with the case.

     

    “The street value of the evacuated products is approximately one billion Naira.”

     

     

     

    She explained that the successful busting of the warehouse came after three failed attempts, as the cartel used their informants continuously to relocate the consignment of soaps to different locations in Lagos to prevent the discovery.

     

    According to her, one Chief Peter Obih, the prime suspect, during interrogation claimed to have bought the franchise of the product from a company and presented an expired NAFDAC certificate that was issued for local manufacture of the product after the ban in Nigeria.

     

    Adeyeye noted that not one bar of the soap had been manufactured in Nigeria since the purported registration in 2013.

     

    “The suspect claims to have just secured a contract manufacturing agreement with a local manufacturer but they are yet to commence production.

     

    ” The sample of the product was taken to our laboratory for analysis and were found to contain heavy metals identified as mercury.

     

    “The crusader soap is falsely labelled made in England to deceive Nigerians while actual source is India.

     

    “This is an outright violation of NAFDAC Acts and a contravention of the agency’s regulations, including the cosmetic products (prohibition of bleaching agents) regulations 2019.

     

    Adeyeye said that the presence of mercury in cosmetics was of global concern, because of the established and documented health hazards it poses to human health and to the environment.

     

    She said the arrested suspects would be charged to court while a manhunt is currently being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of this syndicate.

     

    The director-general, however, advised Nigerians not to patronise imported soaps and detergents, including mercury containing cosmetics, and to report all infractions to the nearest NAFDAC office. (NAN) (