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TETFund Commits N450M Naira To Developing COVID-19 Candidate Vaccine In 18 Months

By
Toyin Adebayo
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The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has committed 450 million Naira to the development of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine in the next 18 months.

Each year, however, more than $500 million is necessary for concrete economic research.

Prof. Poopola Mustapha, Nigerian Project Manager of the COVID-19 Research Coalition (NCRC), said at a colloquium organized by the coalition yesterday in Abuja that about $500 million was needed for research and development in the health sector, and that the African Union (AU) proposal “is that countries should set aside one percent of their GDP as a contribution for research and development” (R&D).

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has pledged 450 million Naira to the cause of developing a COVID-19 candidate vaccine within the next 18 months.

However, over $500 million is required each year for concrete economic research.

Nigerian Project Manager Prof. Poopola Mustapha, of the COVID-19 Research Coalition (NCRC), stated this at a colloquium organized by the coalition yesterday in Abuja, hinted that about $500 million was required for research and development in the health sector, and that the African Union (AU) proposal “is that countries should set aside one percent of their GDP as a contribution for research and development” (R&D).

According to him: “Our National GDP is $500 billion and one per cent of this is $5 billion. Presently, the highest grant portfolio for research is around $20 million. The health sector is in the requirement of nothing less than $500 million yearly to have concrete research that could be of impact on the economy.

“For the first time in the country, TETFund is capitalising on research and development that has an interface between the government, private sector and the academia, and we are actually focusing on the people.

“TETFund used to concentrate on funding for research and development only in the tertiary education sector, but for the first time, it brought together five institutions that are having real-time business in terms of the development of vaccines in the country, using the COVID-19 model.

“The institutions involved include the National Veterinary Research Institute (NDRI), Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto; the University of Jos and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), as “we are looking at the reagents component of what is needed so that it can be produced locally”, he explained.

Speaking also at the event, the Coordinator of NCRC, Dr. Chinwe Ochu, while advocating for domestic funding for the pandemic and other health research in the country said that her organisation was set up to conduct COVID-19 research, but regretted the absence of dedicated funding.

FCTA To Spend $272M To Build 5.76-kilometer Rail Track

By
Toyin Adebayo
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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to commence construction of a 5.76-kilometer rail track in the territory through its Transportation Secretariat.

The overall cost of beginning on the building of 5.76 kilometers of rail track, as permitted, is 272 million dollars, according to the report.

The bill for the construction of the 5.76 kilometers rail track was before the FCTA Permanent Secretary on it way to the FCT Minister’s table.

The Mandate Secretary, Alhaji Zakari Dobi, inspected the vandalized Abuja Light Rail Track, Station, and Idu Training Centre on Monday in Abuja.

He stated that the secretariat is working tirelessly to return to the construction site for the 5.76-kilometer and fixing of the vandalize areas of the track.

He expressed optimism that the minister who has so much concern about the Abuja Light Rail would quickly return the file.

According to him, ” Two things informed this outing. Firstly, to be able to again evaluate and asses the level of vandalisation on the track.

” Secondly, to also look at the Training Centre at Idu Rail Station with a view to be able to relocate some Departments of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Transportation Secretariat due to challenges of office spaces in Area 11.

” What we saw was quite bad even though when I assumed office I have been briefed about the issue of vandalisation.

” We have intention to go back to site for the construction of 5.76 kilometers rail track in Abuja. The cost of the construction of also contain fixing of the vandalized areas.

” We have seen some of the fresh areas that were vandalize and I want to believe that the projection made earlier on fixing the vandalize area will still accommodate what we saw.”

He said that the vandalisation occured as a result of lack of operation, adding that if operation was on constantly it would reduce the level of vandalisation.

He, however, assured that the FCTA would fix all the vandalize area to ensure proper utilisation of the already completed areas with the four Diesel Multiple Units on ground to put an end to vandalisation.

” We are going to look at issues to see if we can come up with possible ways on how to stop the vandalisation completely but I do know that the first thing to do is to resume operation.”

Traffic Offenders To Undergo Compulsory Training In Abuja, DRTS Boss

By
Toyin Adebayo
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… Impounds 151 Vehicles, 326 Bikes, 15 Tricycles, 22 Dispatch Bikes  

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that violators of traffic laws will now be subjected to a three-day mandatory training.

Dr. Abdulateef Bello, the Director of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), revealed on Monday that violators will be punished by a Mobile Court before getting the automobiles.

Within two weeks of offensive operations, 152 automobiles, 326 motorbikes, and 15 tricycles were detained at various sites, according to Bello.

According to DRTS boss, ” The operations have been about getting rickety vehicles out of town and also ensuring that Okadas are kept out of restricted areas.

” So far we have taken off the streets about 152 motor vehicles, 326 Motorcycles,  15 Tricycles and about 22 dispatch. 

” They are going to be made to face the law as quickly as possible, before they face the mobile court, three days training compulsorily to acquaint themselves with the rules and regulations in using our roads.  They have to pay for the training and also pay their fines . They have to understand the road culture “, he added.

Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Conrade Ikharo Attah who led the enforcement team,  said work of sanitising the city has become very taxing that all relevant agencies need to forge a collaborative partnership.

He further stated that the on going onslaught against traffic offenders and other criminalities in Abuja , was a resolve of FCT Minister,  Malam Muhammad Bello to maintain the standards required of a model City.

He stated that the Enforcement through Area 1, Apo Bridge, Lugbe-Airport and Gishiri Junction, was an energized exercise that will be sustained. 

His words, ” The Central focus of the work today is largely traffic.  We went round to purge the City of rickety vehicles and illegal motor parks. 

” The City has reached a point where work as separate component.  All the relevant agencies are here collaborating to get the job done”.

NIN-SIM Linkage: FG Orders Telcos To Bar Outgoing Calls On Unlinked Lines From Today

By
Ola Akinola
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With effect from today, April 4th, 2022, the Federal Government has ordered all telcommunications companies to prohibit outgoing calls on unlinked lines.

Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), said in a joint statement on Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the policy’s implementation with effect from April 4, 2022.

The statement reads: “Consequently, the Federal Government has directed all Telcos to strictly enforce the Policy on all SIMs issued (existing and new) in Nigeria.

“Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage Policy from the 4th of April, 2022.

“Subscribers of such lines are hereby advised to link their SIMs to their NINs before the Telcos can lift the restriction on their lines.

“Affected individuals are hereby advised to register for their NINs at designated centers and thereafter link the NINs to their SIMs through the channels provided by NIMC and the Telcos, including the NIMC mobile App,” according to the statement.

The statement further commended Nigerians and Legal Residents for their support during the exercise to link the National Identification Number (NIN) to the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM).

“On behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has commended Nigerians and Legal Residents for their support during the exercise to link the National Identification Number (NIN) to the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM).

“As of date, over 125 Million SIMs have had their NINs submitted for immediate linkage, verification and authentication. Similarly, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued over 78 Million unique NINs till date.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, gave the directive for the implementation and commencement of the exercise in December 2020, as part of the administration’s security and social policies.

The deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage has been extended on multiple occasions to allow Nigerians to freely comply with the Policy.

The statement explained that the Federal Government also took into consideration the passionate appeals by several bodies- Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Civil Societies, Professional Bodies and a host of others – for the extension of the deadlines in the past.

“Accordingly, Mr. President graciously approved the many requests to extend deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage.

“At this point however, Government has determined that the NIN-SIM Policy implementation can proceed, as machinery has already been put in place to ensure compliance by citizens and legal residents.

“The implementation impacts on Government’s strategic planning, particularly in the areas of security and socio-economic projections.

“Professor Pantami specially appreciates President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his tremendous support.

“He also commends the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Abubakar Aziz along with their Management and Staff, as well as other notable bodies whose efforts have seen to the monumental success of the exercise.

“The Minister also extends his thanks to the telecommunication operators for their support towards the success recorded.

“The Minister also emphasized that enrolment for the NIN is a continuous exercise and NIN is a precondition for service in Telcos, banks, Nigerian Immigration Service, and for several other government services,” the statement explained.

The statement therefore, urged Nigerians and legal residents to visit NIN registration centres for the enrollment and issuance of valid NINs.

FCT Taskforce Team Dismantles Criminal’ Camp In Nyanya

By
Toyin Adebayo
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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Taskforce Team on City Sanitation destroyed a miscreants and scavengers’ camp at Nyanya, on the outskirts of Abuja.

The tents were dismantled due to several insecurity issues in the area, according to Kaka Bello, the Head, Monitoring and Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, who led the demolition squad on Thursday.

He added that the experiment was driven by the need to maintain sanity in the federal capital territory, particularly in the suburbs.

The scavengers were warned to vacate the area a few weeks ago, but they disobeyed the orders, he claims.

Bello, who described the area as a scavenger colony, noted that despite the FCT’s best efforts, the situation has not improved as hoodlums still muster courage to stay.

He, however, regretted the continued illegal activities of the scavengers in most of the suburbs and warned them to steer clear of areas that are not allocated to them.

Bello, therefore, called on some of the residents liaising with scavengers to desist from it, as the situation will give them more courage.

“The exercise is about city cleaning and sanitation, this is a colony of scavengers which we have removed several times, but they still return.

“Weeks ago we came here to tell them the need to vacate this area, or else we will come and carry out an enforcement, and unfortunately while some of them comply others refused to comply, but we won’t be discouraged by the miscreants and scavengers refusal to heed to the taskforce team orders” Bello said.

We Will Not Jeopardize Health Of Nigerians,DG NAFDAC

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…Acquires 73 New Vehicles To Improve Operations

Nigerians’ health, according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is sacred and cannot be traded for a bowl of porridge.

While adding that,”Previously, if we wanted to go for an inspection, the company we were inspecting would bring us vehicles, which may endanger the inspection report.”

Adeyeye made the remark during the official introduction of 73 operational cars in Abuja on Thursday, with the goal of improving efficiency and effectiveness.

According to her, ” We don’t want to compromise the health of the citizenry that is why we put money together to procure 73 vehicles. Since my assumption of office , we have been able to procure 143 vehicles to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of our staff.

“We are here to launch one of the tools that earn us Maturity Level Three Regulatory Agency by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We cannot overemphasized the tools that a regulatory agency needs. You cannot take Okada to go and inspect a place. Before now, we have several seaports in Lagos. Sometimes, our staff will need to go to another port in Tin Can and they take Okada to go there quickly aside from the traffic. We need tools to also ensure safety of our staff. If we are going to shut a company down and you went there with a rickety vehicle and unfortunately, it’s breaks down on the road , if they are mad at us they will over power us.

“We need very dependable tools and vehicles is one of them .
73 vehicles, 40 Hilux, 20 Camry , 6 Hiace and 4 Coaster buses.”, She explained.

Meanwhile, the Chairman , NAFDAC Governing Board, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman said , “Ours is a regulatory agency and the staff needs to be taken care of so that they won’t compromise.

Represented at the occasion by Mr Mufutau Bolaji Yahaya said they have commence the construction of seven new state offices, four is ready for commissioning .

According to him, ” The job the staff does is dangerous, they may have to lock up companies and shops , it is not healthy for them to join public transport because they can easily be identified, hense the need for the vehicles.”

Again, Fire Razes Abuja Market

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…FEMA Says There Aren’t Any Causalities

On Thursday, a popular market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) known as Karimo was destroyed by a fire that broke out early in the morning.

According to our source, the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

One of the traders, who did not want to be identified, informed our correspondent that the fire started in one shop and spread to the others.

According to reports, this is the fourth time the Karimo market has been destroyed by fire.

According to him, “Traders have started counting their losses and salvaging what was left of their goods”.

He said goods worth millions of naira were destroyed by the fire.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at about 12.28am, today, received a distress call from the National Emergency Call Centre ,112 notifying the Agency of a fire outbreak at Karimo Market located in a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the FCT.

According to a statement by FEMA PRO, Nkechi Isa, the Director General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss stated that the Agency immediately activated the FCT Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and NEMA to join it’s response team.

On noticing that the fire was spreading, FEMA requested additional fire stations from the Mutual Fire Service institutions. With the support of military, the Nigeria Police Force DSS, FRSC and other Security Agency’s
combined efforts, the fire was brought under control at about 4.41am.

Idriss commended the search and rescue team of FEMA,shop owners , security agencies, community leaders and the people of Karimo for efforts to salvage some goods and properties from the inferno.
The DG informed that there were no casaulities during the incident, but goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.

According to Idriss, the loss and accesors team of FEMA ,NEMA,Traders Associations ,Area Council Local Emergency Management Committee as well as security agencies are on the field to get an estimated value of losses incurred by the traders
He further stated that FEMA was working with all relevant agencies to ascetain the proximate cause of the fire and would forward a full report to the administration after the investigations.

He commiserated with traders affected by the inferno on behalf of the Hon Minister of the FCT and his counterpart, the minister of State.

The FEMA boss reiterates the call for the segmentation of markets in the FCT, while also appealing to traders not to reside in markets. The traders are also caution not to cook in the market and where there is electricity, all appliances should be put off to avoid a repeat of such inferno.

FCT- IRS Partners CITN On Taxpayer Enlightenment Campaign In Abuja

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…To Enforce Rental Income Tax, Other Streams

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) collaborated with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) on a taxpayer education/enlightenment program to keep residents informed about current tax trends in Abuja.

The goal of the campaign was to improve public awareness of taxation and recent changes in tax administration, as well as to properly communicate the FCT-IRS tax processes and focus to FCT residents.

In his welcome address, Mr. Haruna Abdullahi, Acting Executive Chairman, FCT-IRS, said that as a new tax body, the Service is always open to greater collaboration with stakeholders from the Federal Inland Revenue Service CITN, as well as other critical tax professionals and practitioners, in order to broaden the campaign.

Abdullahi said the programme will be rewarding, and FCT and indeed Nigeria would be better for it, given the calibre of the resource persons that handed critical issues, that would contribute positively to the development of taxation system.

He added that in terms of tax operations and compliance, its focus has been on the personal income aspects of the employee under Pays-As-You-Earn (PAYE) scheme at about 75%, self-employed under direct assessment 10% and others 15% respectively.

His words, in order to surpass its revenue target of 202 billion Naira for the year 2022, the Service is re-strategizing and refocusing on three streams of tax- namely tax on rental income, capital gains tax, and business premises registration fee before the end of the year.

He, however, reiterated that resolve of the Service to sustain aggressive public enlightenment and sensitisation campaign to mobilise prospective taxpayers, with a view to boosting the revenue base of the FCT Administration.

In his keynote address, CITN 15th President, Chief Adesina Adebayo, who was represented by Samuel Agbeluyi, CITN’s Vice President, said the programme is highly commendable, as it’s tended to provide enlightenment on taxation of partnership business in Nigeria and recent changes in tax legislation.

Also speaking at the event, the Vice Chairman,
Senate Committee on FCT
Senator Tolu Odebiyi, hinted that the FCT-IRS as one of the key revenue generators for the FCT have done well, especially in putting together needed institutional frameworks.

He described the event as apt, as it will enable the Service to further set up structures required to widen its revenue base and efficiency in the system

He, therefore, assured that the Senate is doing anything possible to work with the FCT-IRS to not only widens its revenue base, but ensure efficiency and accountability in the system.

Similarly, Member, House Committee on FCT, and Deputy Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, said it was a very laudable and deliberate collaborative effort towards improving the tax system in the FCT .

According to him, “Taxes area at the core of the relationship between the govt and citizens as a civic duty, which enables the provision of critical infrastructure and services to the citizens

“We stand ready and committed to amending or enacting laws to enhance a robust tax system in the FCT”, he stressed.

WHO Approves NAFDAC As Maturity Level Three (3) Regulatory Agencies

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…Can Now Produce Vaccine

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been recognised as a maturity three regulatory agency by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nigeria is the third African country to achieve this rank, and one of the few in the world.

The NAFDAC Director General, Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday. With this, we will be able to manufacture our own vaccines, and the process has already begun with the construction of a vaccine laboratory in Oshodi, Lagos.

She stated that none of this would have been possible without President Muhammadu Buhari’s outstanding support, who generously donated 736 million to equip our laboratories.

Her words,” When I came on board, 70 to 80 per cent of our laboratories equipment were not working and President Buhari intervened and gave us seven hundred and thirty six million (736 million) to equip our laboratories.

” President Buhari also gave us four billion to buy more equipments and build vaccine laboratory which is almost completed. it is the tools that earn us this, and I thanks president Muhammadu Buhari for his kind gestures.

“We are already working on Maturity Level four which will enable any products we approved as a regulatory agency to be traded globally.
Since we don’t produce, the pharmacistical companies that produce will have a larger market

” There is no fear on our side getting certification for maturity four because we have our template and we have have been recertified by WHO since 2019, once we get recertified by November this year, we start self auditing, which is going to keep us on our toes. This has to be sustained because they will be coming every three years”, she said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman , NAFDAC Governing Board, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman said this feat cannot be possible without the support of the government and the hard work of the DG and staff of NAFDAC.

According to him, “The certification to Maturity level 3 by WHO is an indication that NAFDAC is well functioning and global agency.

“We gave ourself target, to cross the last huddle , I made a commitment that the DG see us through maturity level four , once we get to this level, everything we approved will get global acceptability”, he hinted.

Abuja-Kaduna Attack: Amaechi Visits Blast Scene, Decries Delay in Approving Security Apparatus

By
Ekaette Ibuot
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The Minister of Transportation, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi has decried the continuous delay of procurement process in acquiring the necessary security apparatus that would ensure adequate security within the railway lines across the country.
The Minister bore his mind, during an inspection tour to the scene of the Monday night terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train.
Amaechi who was obviously devastated over the sad incident said that his ministry has taken the necessary measures to make train services across the country a safe heaven, but lamented that the procurement process that will lead to the purchase of security equipment is taking so long.
He added that the cameras in the train is not capable of picking what is outside the train. He said the security gadget needed, is the type that can detect security bridge 100 meters away.

The Minister confirmed that eight persons lost their lives, while twenty five who sustained various degree of injuries during the attack were in the hospitals receiving treatment.

The Minister admitted that proper account on the figures of missing persons, kidnapped and those injured could not be ascertain at the moment, as
some of the victims who are either staff of NRC or cleaning agencies, were not captured on the manifest.
He said the total number of passengers on the train were three Hundred and ninety eight.

“We have not been able to install the security sensors because the procurement process is a bit difficult.
To shorten the process and save lives like this but because the process is tedious, the approval is also tedious, we have not been able to get that approval that will lead to purchase those items.
If those items were here, drones alone will tell you that there are people around the rail tracks because there are drones, there are equipment pick sensors if you touch the track but unfortunately the process has not been able to get us that approval for us to import those items”.

“The cameras in the train cannot pick what is happening outside. What you need is a camera that shows 100 metres away from the train, there are unknown things carrying gun. Then, we can take precaution but we have done all we need to do in the ministry of transport and we have forward to them for approval but we have not gotten approval.

The patrol vehicles are available but they cannot reach everywhere. For the areas the patrol can patrol, it will forestall.
We are thinking about the possibility of employing natives until we get those equipment. We also need helicopters, beyond the drones, we need helicopters”, he said.

“What we need is technology that will lets you know that there are human activities or foreign activities on the track, that way, you can secure the locomotive and secure lives and i had warned earlier that it is important they get us this approval because human lives would be involved. Since that warning till today, we have had two incidences”.

“Even if they get us approval, it will take some months to acquire them from overseas to install them. We need to do that to enable us see from Kaduna-Abuja, Itakpe-Warri and from Lagos-Ibadan what is going on so that we don’t continue to lose lives because lives are important. If we don’t do that, more persons will die. The cost was about N3billion and the damage here is more than N3billion. So, if we had gotten the approval, we would have saved the N3billion and saved lives”, he added.

The Minister was in company of the Minister of State Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari, MD Railway Engr. Fidet Okhiria and Chairman NRC Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan.

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