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  • Nigeria guns for another $500m Abacha loot

    In addition to the $322 million recovered from Switzerland, Nigeria will soon repatriate another $500 million which late Sani Abacha looted and locked up in other countries.

    The monies are expected to be repatriated from the UK, US, France and other countries, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, said on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

    “Nigeria has engaged other countries, including the UK, US, France and others, in further negotiations relating to repatriation.

    “ I am happy to report that we are almost concluding the processes relating to the repatriation of additional $500 million,”Malami said.

    According to the Nation, Malami said this is in addition to the $322 million released by Switzerkand after negotiations.

    “You will recall that in December 2017, the federal government participated in a global forum on asset recovery in Washington DC during which Nigeria and Switzerland signed an agreement that paved the way for the repatriation of $322 million.”

    “What transpired was only reported back to the council today. The report today was not only about the signing of the agreement but the report of the eventual repatriation of the amount of money that was signed and agreed to be repatriated during the forum”.

    FEC presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, approved N185.2billion for the rehabilitation, repairs and reconstruction of 14 roads across the country.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, also said alongside Ministers of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole and his Industry, Trade and Investment counterpart Mr Okechukwu Enelamah.

    He said the road projects were located in Yobe, Adamawa, Benue, Kwara, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Enugu, Borno, Anambra and Sokoto states.

    He listed the road projects to include Gwoza – Damboa – Goniri – Ngamdu Road in Yobe/Borno States at the cost of N34.608 billion; Mayo Belwa – Jada – Ganye – Torngo Road in Adamawa at the rate of N22.699billion and Ado – Ifaki – Otun – Kwara State border in Ekiti State at the rate of N6 billion.

    He said that Makurdi bridge in Benue would be repaired at the cost of N4.617 billion; Ihugi – Korinya -Wuse -Ankor in Benue at N15.641 billion and Gbagi – Apa – Owode in Badagry Lagos State at N4.366 billion.

    Others are the construction of Ijebu Igbo – Ita Egba Owonowen in Ogun and Oyo States which would cost N9.833 billion while N7.506billion would be spent on dualisation of Jattu – Fugar – Agenebode in Edo Phase II by Mothercat.

    He said the Makurdi – Gboko – Wannune – Yander Section 1 in Benue would be reconstructed at the cost of N18.669 billion; Old – Enugu – Port Harcourt Road at Agbogugu – Abia border Spur would cost N13.933 billion.

    Adesina said that N6.249billion would be spent on rehabilitation of Umulungbe – Umoka road; Amokwu – Ikedimkpe – Egede – Opeyi Awhum Road in Enugu State at N21.729 billion and rehabilitation of Nkwu Inyi – Akpugoeze in Anambra at N2.595 billion.

    He revealed that N4.354billion would be expended on reconstruction of Sabon Birnin – Tsululu – Kuya – Maradi Junction road in Sokoto state.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Adewole, on h is part disclosed that the Council approved the Draft on Food Safety and Quality Bill as well as the Food Safety Institutional Reform Working Document.

    Source: Nation with additional Agency

  • High sexual activities hit refugee camps

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has discovered high level of survival sex in Cameroonian refugees’ camps in Cross Rivers state.

    UNFPA stated that the women involved in the communities were not protected with condoms.

    It has, therefore, set up non-traditional condom outlets in the refugees’ settlements.

    The intervention is to increase access to condoms in communities hosting refugees, who fled from crisis hit Anglophone Southern Cameroon.

    UNFPA said that after carrying out a joint needs assessment, it was discovered that there was high level of transactional sex without access to condoms in the communities.

    ” We have done this before but we are improving on it; it is like a stop gap response.

    “We discovered there was high level survival sex in these communities and the women are not protected,’’ it said on Friday.

    The condom outlets target Ikom, Obanliku, Boki, Akamkpa and Etung Local Government Areas of the Cross River.

    The Project Coordinator for UNFPA, Dr Idowu Araoyinbo, said on Friday that the global body did a mapping to identify the health care providers close to the benefiting communities.

    Araoyinbo said that volunteers, including refugees, were engaged as focal persons to distribute and enlighten people in their wards on the benefits and proper usage of condoms.

    “ We organised town hall meetings which served as information dissemination points to the communities on the availability of condoms in strategic locations and how they could utilise them effectively,’’ he said.

    Araoyinbo said the body also carried out capacity building which served as a platform to link the volunteers to the patent medicine vendors, the hot spots and the health care facilities where the condoms would be picked up.

    He said a similar project had been carried out in the past which was not sustainable.

    He said the volunteers picked up the condoms from the health care centres, took them to the communities where they were given to the patent medicine vendors that already had dispensers available.

    The dispensers, he said, were for control and were placed conspicuously in patent medicine stores so that the condoms were made available free of charge to communities.

    “ The major challenge now is how the patent medicine dealers would be able to allow access because they don’t work 24 hours, but we hope to check this through the hot spots,’’ he said.

    Araoyinbo stated that he foresaw a future where patent medicine dealers would imbibe the culture of providing free condoms to their communities.

    ” We told them that this would make them popular as there was nowhere in the world where people don’t love business men who go beyond business to provide free humanitarian services,’’ he said.

    He, however, said that though the project was aimed at sensitising people on condom usage, the best form of prevention still remains abstinence.

    Araonyinbo also noted that statistics had shown that the sexual debut of Nigerian youths had dropped to about 17 years for girls and 21 for the boys, adding that efforts must be made to protect them

    ” Our youths initiate sex early these days most of which are done without protection increasing the rate of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in our society.

    “Because most new HIV cases are found among the youths, the need to preach the use of condoms could not be over emphasised,’’ he said.

    The project is being carried out in partnership with the Nigeria Red Cross, Cross River Primary Health Care Agency, State Ministry of Health as well as patent medicine dealers in Benue and Cross Riv

  • Goodwill messages galore as Muslims mark Eid-el-Fitr

    Messages of goodwill and felicitations have poured for Muslims who will troop out today to mark Eid-el-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan.

    President Muhammadu Buhari in his message of goodwill urged Muslims  to embody the virtues of Ramadan  beyond the fasting season and become good ambassadors of the Islamic religion at all times. He urged them to shun greed and stop glorifying the thieves in the country.

    The U.S., in a message by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, extended best wishes to Muslim friends and partners celebrating Eid-el-Fitr.

    “This holiday marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, charity, compassion, and reflection.

    “Eid-el-Fitr reminds all of us in the United States and abroad, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to maintain the spirit and lessons of Ramadan throughout the year: to promote peace, to be of service to those who are suffering and displaced, to respect diversity, and to empathise with everyone around us.

    “The United States is proud of the strong relationships we have built with Muslim nations and communities around the world.

    “We are also proud of the contributions of the 3.4 million American Muslims who deeply enrich our social fabric on a daily basis,” the message read in part.
    According to the statement, these contributions reflect the United States’ bedrock principles of religious pluralism and public service.

    “As you mark this special holiday with loved ones, I wish you peace and prosperity in the coming year. Eid Mubarak,” it added

    In Lagos, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu  urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of the nation.

    In an Eid-el-Fitr goodwill message to Muslims, in Lagos, the senator said:”Having had the period for reflection, re-commitment and prayer for our wellbeing as a people, it is my hope that beyond this period, we will continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of our nation.”

    She congratulated Muslims on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

    ”I congratulate all the Muslim faithful of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan.

    ”It is my prayer that our acts will be accepted.

    Tinubu said there was the need for unity and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria to achieve successful 2019 General Elections.

    According to her, Nigerians should be watchful and refuse to be polarised along ethnic or religious line.

    She said that the citizens should resist being used for violence.

    ”We must focus on ensuring the progress of Nigeria and her budding democracy by ensuring that only those who have our collective interests are given the privilege of leadership.

    ”Let me also use the opportunity to remind us to register for and pick up our Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    ”Once again, I felicitate with you all and wish you Happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration,”she said.

    Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, urged Muslims to remain steadfast, committed to the worship of Allah and continue to pray for the development of the country.

    Adebule urged Muslims to continue doing good after Ramadan.

    She noted that Ramadan was a period of prayer, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training and self-examination, and urged Muslims to avoid acts forbidden by Islam after Ramadan.

    ”We thank the Almighty that we are alive to see the end of the month of Holy Ramadan – a serious spiritual exercise to strengthen our Islamic faith.

    ”It is also an opportunity to collectively pray for the prosperity and development of ourselves, families, our state and the country at large.

    ”We need to be steadfast to the teaching of Islam beyond Ramadan period by shunning sinful behaviour; that is the way to attract Allah’s blessings of prosperity and development in all aspects of our lives and in our country,” she said.

    Adebule urged Lagos residents to respect and tolerate one another irrespective of religion, culture and tribe to promote peace.

    According to her, Nigeria stands no to benefit more as a united nation.

    ”Let us unite together and build a very strong nation that our children will be proud of.

    ”I am appealing to residents of Lagos State to continue to support and pray for the success of the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode led- administration to further enhance the delivery of democratic dividends,’’ Adebule said.

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State urged muslims  to make the lessons learnt as “their life habit’’.

    “Having gone through the fasting period in devotion, obedience, charity, perseverance and respect for others, these traits should be a life time habit that should outlive the limited period which the Ramadan fasting was observed,’’ he said.

    Masari also urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another and pray for the nation and its leaders.

    “The governor praised non-Muslims who became their brother’s keeper by joining in feeding less privileged Muslims in many parts of the country.

    “This is exactly the attitude that we should strive to imbibe to make our country great and shame the enemies of Nigeria’s progress,’’ he said.

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in his Eid-el-Fitri message on Thursday urged Nigerians to imbibe the tenets of tolerance and unity for one another irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.

    According to him, this is a critical  pathway needed to building a strong and united nation.

    He said it was only by embracing peace, unity and fairness that Nigerians could begin a rebirth.

    He advised that the tenets of love, tolerance, forgiveness and brotherhood which the holy month exemplified be imbibed by all.

    “With brotherly love and harmonious co-existence among its citizens above all other things, Nigeria can overcome the numerous challenges confronting it.

    “As we celebrate this auspicious occasion of the end of the holy month of Ramadan, therefore, let us renew our faith in our nation.

    “Let us  implore the Almighty God to restore to us those values that place high premium on human life, love for our country, love for our neighbours and sharing,” he said.

    Ambode said that the spirit of Eid-el-Fitri resonated around the virtues of love and respect, not just for God but also for fellow humans.

  • Luck harvest as Super Eagles stay in the Russian city of Eagle

    Essentuki is Nigeria’s  Super Eagles home in Russia and this town is in the region, where the eagle is one of their symbols. Is this a good sign for Nigeria’s Super Eagles?

    For Nigerian Coach Gernot Rohr, that may  be a sign of luck as the Nigerian team get ready for the  crunch clash against Croatia Saturday night in Kaliningrad.

    When he was told that at a press briefing, the Franco-German coach remarked: “I didn’t know. It’s one more (good) sign (before the Croatia match).

    “So many signs – the team have a real relationship with Russia (Ahmed Musa and Brian Idowu play here and Mikel Obi is married to a Russian lady); Kaliningrad is a former German city and so I have relationship with this country and I worked at Nice and Eintracht Frankfurt and both have an eagle as their symbol.”

    Francis Uzoho: counts himself lucky to make Eagles squad

    Meanwhile, Nigeria’s young goalkeeper Francis Uzoho has admitted that it was a big surprise to make the World Cup squad.

    Uzoho, at 19, is the youngest player in the Super Eagles pool and was called up after only a handful of La Liga appearances for Deportivo La Coruna.

    “I never saw this coming this early,” said Uzoho, who made his full international debut in a friendly against Argentina in November in Krasnoder.

    “It has been an incredible year for me in football. After five games (for the Eagles), it has given me a lot of confidence.”

    *Reported by Samm Audu

  • APC Chairmanship: Oshiomhole brags of governors support

    Igbaugba Ehigimetor

    Former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said his national chairmanship of All Progressives Congress (APC) chances had been boosted by support of leaders of the party and governors.

    Oshiomhole stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin on Friday.

    The National Convention of APC will hold on June 23, with no fewer than 6,800 delegates expected to participate.

    Oshiomhole said, “I am enjoying the support of APC governors and other party leaders across the nation ahead the June 23 National Convention of the party.

    “The reason for this is because they understand my person and because, by the Special Grace of God, if I will emerge through a consensus leadership, my loyalty will be to the party and no more.”

    He said if elected, he would deploy his persuasive powers and negotiation skills in resolving the crisis in the party.

    “If I have prominent people from the North, prominent people from the South, East, West and the center, no one will say `if not for my support you would not have been there.’

    “If you are a product of one section, then you might remain detained by that section.

    “But, when you have the privilege of a broad support from many leaders, then no one leader will say I put you there and you must listen to me.

    “Let me also say that what is also qualitatively different about this support is that there is no question about what is influencing it.

    “This is so, because in our political environment, we hear that those who have the deepest pockets tend to buy the support.

    “But, this support is being offered from people who cannot be procured, which tells you that it is flowing from the knowledge of my person, because I have been fortunate to work with all the governors, including past governors.

    “Those I did not meet in office, I met them when I was President of the NLC. We had engaged on one-on-one; they know what I stand for.

    “So, they offered this support based on their understanding of my person, and not inducement and that makes a difference,” he stated.

    Oshiomhole said that he was never a dictator as being alleged in some quarters.

    He said certain things he learnt in the labour union were negotiations and never dictatorial.

    According to him, even though I was the president of NLC, I cannot even control my deputy because he was voted the same manner I was elected.

    “In the NLC, you must listen to everybody, unlike in government where as an executive, you can dictate decisions.

    “So, what my background prepared me for is to be able to listen, and that is why I kept saying contestation and disputes are not dysfunctional, if you have the skills that I have to manage divergences.

    “I have never exercised dictatorial powers. I have always exercised persuasive powers and negotiating skills, and those are my skills.

    “And, when I negotiate with you and persuade and you accept, you will feel obliged to do what you have to do.

    “But, if I dictate to you, when I am not watching, you will do your heart. So, I am not capable of being a dictator by the very nature of my background,” the former governor said.

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  • Putin says Russian women can have sex with visiting World Cup tourists

    Putin says Russian women can have sex with visiting World Cup tourists

    By Newsdesk

    Published: June 15, 2018

    Vladimir Putin has dismissed calls for Russian women to refrain from sleeping with World Cup tourists according to Daily Mail.

    Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: ‘As for Russian women, they can, perhaps, decide it on their own. They are the best women in whole world.’

    He was responding to a sex ban call by Tamara Pletnyova, 70, who said she hoped women would not date visiting fans and get pregnant.

    But as controversy raged over the Communist MP’s remarks, the deputy prime minister in Kaliningrad – where England play Belgium on 28 June – has suggested local women should be open to sleeping with foreigners.

    Russian women should avoid sex with foreign men during World Cup: lawmaker

    Siberian-born Pletnyova, head of the Russian parliamentary family committee, said young women should ‘get something clear in their heads regarding foreigners’.

    She warned that Russian women could end up raising mixed-race children on their own, before referring to the ‘Children of the Olympics’ after the 1980 Moscow games.

    The term was used during the Soviet era to describe non-white children conceived at international events after relationships between Russian women and men from Africa, Latin America, or Asia. Many of the children faced discrimination.

    Traffickers plot to sell Nigerians for sex at Russia’s World Cup

    Pletnyova warned Western men could ‘snatch’ babies from them and she urged Russian women have relationships with men from their own country.

    But Alexander Rolbinov, 53, deputy premier in Kaliningrad, accused Pletnyova of turning the clock back to Soviet times.

    ‘It reminded me of a phrase during a televised conference between the USSR and America,’ he said.

    ‘When asked about sex, (a Russian woman) said that we do not have sex in the Soviet Union.

    ‘But the heart wants what it wants. Love will surely come. And as for international marriages, in such families appear very beautiful children.’

    This story appeared originally in the Daily Mail

  •  Nigerians connect to internet daily,  say foundation, Google

    15m
    Nigerians connect to internet daily,  say foundation, Google

    Connectivity

    Mimshach Obioha, Programme  Director, Ventures Capital

    Foundation (VPF) says an average of 15 million people use
    social media in Nigeria but laments that many don’t go beyond
    sending messaging and making calls.

    Obioha said this on Sunday during an interview with the News
    Agency of Nigeria(NAN) Abuja.

    NAN reports that VPF in collaboration with Google West
    Africa and OC&C Consult recently launehed a report
    titled    ‘Tech Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Research
    –Nigeria’ to help develop technological sector of the
    economy.

    ‘ “In the process of gathering data on challenges and
    prospects of Nigerian technology sector, it was discovered
    that about 15 million Nigerians go on internet daily.

    “We also discovered that most online users in the country
    use the basic messenger and phone eall services, while there
    are other benefits of internet like banking, learning
    shopping, trading,  healthy living, etc.

    “The next gold after oil is human minds which means that
    countries with large population has large  resources .

    “It also means that every person has potential of becoming
    a complete refinery all by oneself.

    With computer programming and literacy, one person can
    actually build an empire,” he said.

    Obioha said Examples the nation had potential of producing
    many “Bill Gates, Mark Zukerberg “ if there was adequate
    focus  to harness human resources in such area.

    “It is really important that our country, as a matter of
    policy figures out ways to improve and encourage this
    development,” he said.

    On the significance of the report, Obioha mentioned key
    critical components that it provided adequate data on their
    prospects and challenges with recommendations on development
    to global height.

    “That can be done through incentifying investment in
    startups; creating regulatory frameworks that make it easier
    to build companies in the country,” he said.

    “ There is need to improve Digital skills components in
    order to catalyse the market, it helps to create more people
    that can be creators of technology.

    “There is a market activation component. This is important
    for a nation of over 180million people but not all of them
    are ready markets for digital products.

    “There is also need to ensure that more people have access
    to internet through affordable means and provision of
    infrastructures especially, power,” he said.

    Similarly,  Mrs. Titi Akinsanmi,Head,Public Policy and
    Government Relations,Google (West Africa, said the nation
    was a potential technology giant if it could fill identified
    gaps.

    “Nigeria has capacity to become giant in technology
    development because of its huge human capacity, all that is
    required is to fill existing gaps in its technology
    development components”

    NAN reports that the report was launched in Abuja on
    Wednesday with the representatives of Federal Ministries of
    Science and Technology; Trade and Investment in
    attendant.(NAN)

  • Storytelling inspires young innovators on entrepreneurship says foundation

    Storytelling inspires young innovators on entrepreneurship says foundation

    Inspiration

    By Abolade Ogundimu

    Abuja, June 13,2018(NAN) Mr Mimshach Obioha, the Programme Director, Ventures Platform Foundation(VPF) says the foundation is inspiring entrepreneurs and undergraduate innovators to apply for 100,000 dollars ( N361,000,000) Anzisha Prize for young innovators to be self-employed through storytelling sessions.

    Obioha said this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja.

    According to him, the storytelling sessions will be held at campuses to give students first-hand account of opportunities such as Anzisha Prize and work toward being entrepreneurs upon graduating.

    “The Anzisha Prize gives very young African Entrepreneurs seed funding as well as comprehensive business and individual support to help them grow their businesses.

    “The programme will ensure that 15 finalists from across Africa win a spot in a lifelong fellowship that will help to accelerate their path to entrepreneurship success.

    “The first step in this journey is all-expenses paid trip to a 10-day long entrepreneurship workshop and conference at the African Leadership Academy campus in the outskirt of Johannesburg, South Africa.

    “The grand prize winners, selected from these finalists, will share prizes worth 100,000 dollars (approximately N36 million),” he said.

    According to the director, the lead storyteller is Bakang Tonje, an Anzisha fellow and one of the mentors in the organisation.

    “He is reaching out to say he is the brand ambassador for the Anzisha Prize which gives equity-free funding to really young entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 22.

    “ We invited him to come to Nigeria, to universities and interact with the young people who believe at building the future,” he said.

    In a separate interview, Tonje urged students and young innovators to be passionate to solve problems affecting their immediate communities with globally acceptable solutions.

    “The Anzisha Prize gives very young African Entrepreneurs seed funding as well as comprehensive business and individual support to help them grow their businesses.

    “The students need to emphasise on building businesses of their own, create job for others and ultimately, solve problems peculiar to their immediate communities in order to qualify for Anzisha Prize.

    “I am a living witness and I am here to let them know they too can do it if I could do it then,” he said.

    However, Tonje, the Chief Executive Officer of Afrostream Company said innovators within labour market could negotiate with their employer on how to commercialise their ideas and hold equity in the business.

    Also another storyteller, Chris Kwekowe, 2015 Anzisha Prize winner of 25,000 dollars (N9. 1 million) and Co Founder, Slatecube, a digital talent accelerator, urged students to prioritise entrepreneurship.

    “Entrepreneurs need scalable team that will actually help them move from point zero to point one.

    “For them to achieve that, they may have to work with other entrepreneurs with knowledge on how to actually run a business.

    “There is need to develop talents that can help industries build their businesses, entrepreneurs should dig deep and remain steadfast with their ideas to fill such gap,” he said.

    NAN reports that millions of graduates are produced yearly from tertiary institutions across the African continent but with huge shortage of job opportunities.

    The foundation started storytelling session at Bingham University, Karu on Monday, while another session was held at the University of Lagos on June 12, while others will soon be held.

    Some undergraduates who attended the session in Karu commended the idea.

    Patrick Obi, a 400 level student at BHU, Karu said, “the programme is really interesting. I believe that entrepreneurship is the gateway for Africa to move forward.

    “I believe working for people or organisation after graduation doesn’t give enough progress to the society,” he concluded.

    Fikayo Odugbemi, another 400 level student of BHU, Karu, said “the session reignited my belief that entrepreneurship helps a nation develop.

    “It looks scary but it worth going into. I look forward to becoming an entrepreneur in the educational sector,” she said. (NAN)

  • Blood donation lowers calories, boosts fitness

    Regular blood donation blood helps save millions of lives every year, lowers calories and improves body fitness, the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has said.

    Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, the Blood Safety Programme Manager of the Institute, made explanation at a blood donation drive in Abuja to mark World Blood Donor Day.

    The expert explained that donating one pint of blood (450 ml) removes 650 calories from the donor’s body.

    Abubakar, who spoke on“Blood Donation as an action of Solidarity” for the celebration of the day, tagged ”Be there for someone else” as the slogan for the donation drive.

    IHVN Field Officer

    He said that transfusion of blood helps in saving millions of lives every year and put a natural smile on the face of blood receiver.

    According to him, blood donation can help patients suffering from life-threatening health conditions to live longer with higher quality of life.

    He also said that blood donation had an essential life-saving role in maternal and child care and during emergency response to man-made and natural disasters.

    Abubakar said that blood donation enhances the production of new blood cells, adding: “When blood is withdrawn, the donor’s body immediately begins to replenish the lost blood within 24 hours of donation.

    “All of the red blood cells the donor loses during donation are completely replaced within one month to two months.”

    He added that the best way to ensure adequate safe blood supply for an effective health system was through regular donations by voluntary and unpaid blood donors.

    Mr. Fawehinmi Akindele, Safety and Security Officer, IHVN, said that there was no pain in donating blood rather there was more gain.

    “I have been donating blood for 22 years now and I don’t regret it, I donate every three months and am glad my blood has been saving lives.

    “I used to suffer high blood pressure but I realised that each time I donate blood, my blood pressure reduces to normal, so donating blood reduces my blood pressure tremendously,” he said.

    Akindele called on Nigerians to use this opportunity to donate blood as no one knew whose life the blood would save.

    A donor, Mr. Ezeibe Ikechukwu, said that he had peace each time he donated blood.

    Ikechukwu said that blood was sacred and using it to safe life was priceless.

    “I will do this over and over again because the purpose is to help someone who is dying,” he said.

    Ms Jane Akubuiro, Donor Care Manager, National Blood Transfusion Service, urged Nigerians with no health challenge to come out and donate blood to save lives. (NAN)