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NITDA Set To Train 1million Application Developers In 18 months

By
Toyin Adebayo
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In the next 18 months, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) plans to train one million developers in various fields of application development.

The deployment of digital technology is a vital basic tool in the execution of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to make the world a better and safer place, according to a statement released by NITDA on Wednesday.

NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa, this ambitious strategy would be carried out in conjunction with various stakeholders in the ecosystem with the goal of making Nigeria the hub of digital talent in Africa.

The Director General who stated this at the Global Digital Economy Summit organised by the Junior Chamber International Nigeria (JCIN) which was held at D’podium Event Centre, Lagos urged everyone to take advantage of the various opportunities provided by the government.

Inuwa, who was represented by the Acting Director of the Agency’s Corporate Planning and Strategy department, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, while expressing his delight at the theme of the event,”Digital
Transformation-Defining Our Success Pillars”, asserted that the purpose of the event clearly aligned with the agenda of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, in sustaining the digitisation of Nigeria.

“I am indeed delighted with the theme of this summit which aptly captures the main essence of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and resonates with the goal of our strategic road map and action plan 2021-2024”, he said.

Describing digital transformation as a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, Inuwa averred that adoption and use of digital technologies will provide unprecedented opportunities which the private and public sectors can leverage to increase their productivity and market access.

He noted that the Nigerian government’s commitment to the growth of the country’s digital system, the NITDA boss stated that several programmes and initiatives have been designed by the Federal Ministry of Communications & Digital Economy and NITDA to increase the level of digitisation and digitalisation in public and private institutions.

He further argued that the ongoing implementation of the NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2021-2024 which was developed to harness the vast opportunities and growth potentials of the digital tech sector has accelerated Nigeria’s digital transformation.

“As an Agency working towards the Digital transformation agenda of this present administration as contained in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), we have initiated the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme that will encourage more innovation-driven startup ventures to be formed, with an emphasis on indigenous technologies”, Inuwa disclosed.

He, however, emphasized on the Agency’s commitment in ensuring that citizens are empowered with Information Technologies, Inuwa disclosed that the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) was established to develop an army of IT proficient and globally competitive manpower as part of its contribution to the successful implementation of the Digital Transformation Policy.

“NCAIR represents government’s determination to create a suitable environment for technology innovation, transformation, incubation, and discovery while harnessing the abundant creative ideas of Nigeria’s teeming youth population for national development through the promotion of innovative technologies”, he said.

Motivating all youths to be innovative driven in order to benefit maximally from government initiatives, the NITDA boss stated that the Agency has engaged in various collaborations in securing grants to support startups to a tune of three hundred million naira and have also sponsored startups to various international fora which, according to him, will give young entrepreneurs global visibility.

Giving more insights into the Agency’s continued efforts at implementing Digital skills and literacy, a pillar of the SRAP, Inuwa stated that 500,000 people have been trained in various areas of digital skills, 1,650 students trained in IT essential across 30 institutions of higher learning while underserved communities, children, women and people living with disabilities are beneficiaries of digital inclusion programmes of the Agency.

He, therefore, urged everyone to take advantage of the various opportunities being provided by the government in facilitating the adaptation and adoption of digital technologies to create value for Nigerians.

He said, “Digital transformation is a journey, we have set of our strategic road map and action to proactively develop Nigeria into a sustainable digital economy, we therefore call on all stakeholders to join hands with us to co-create a digital future for our great nation”.

APC Picks Ganduje As Tinubu’s Running Mate

By
Ola Akinola
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to have chosen Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State, as the preferred running mate for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

This information was contained in a press statement issued by Ganduje’s Support Group Director General, Comrade Suleiman Magaji, and made available to journalists in Abuja.

According to the statement, the APC National Working Committee chose the incumbent Kano State Governor as Tinubu’s running mate based on his state’s allegiance, commitment, and infrastructure development.

The statement, however, acknowledges that the issue of religion played out eloquently during the selection process, but noted that Nigerians are more interested in developmental stride rather than religion affairs.  

While commending the National Working Committee of the party for the choice made thus far, the group called on all party faithfuls to support the duo to enable the party emerge victorious in the presidential elections.  

“It is time we close rank to ensure victory for all our candidates from the ward levels to the presidency,” the statement added.

FCT Minister Swears-in Newly Elected Chairmen, Vice

By
Toyin Adebayo
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muhammad-musa-bello
FCT Minister, Nigeria

***Urges them to Focus on PHC, Education, Security, Sanitation

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), swore in the newly elected Chairmen of the Six Area Council and their Vice Chairmen on Tuesday in Abuja, in accordance with a court ruling.

Bello advised the Chairmen to focus on effective administration in order to meet the people’s needs and ambitions while speaking to them.

The Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Hussaini Yusuf, who was represented by Justice Suleiman Belgore, administered the oath of office to the Chairmen and their vice-chairmen.

The minister also encouraged them to uphold the Oath of Office, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the FCT’s rules and regulations.

Bello said: ” The time of electioneering campaign is over. Now it is time to face and focus on good governance to ensure that electorate enjoy more dividends of democracy in the territory.

” You should accord priority attention to Primary Health Care (PHC) services; sanitation primary education and other basic social amenities,” Bello said.

Earlier, the Mandate Secretary for FCT Area Councils Services Secretariat, Alhaji Abubakar Dantsoho, also enjoined the chairmen to prioritize their area of concentration.

He said that: ” You were elected to perform and you are going to be judge by your performance. You can see about three of them were reelected if they have not perform well I’m sure they will not be elected by the electorate.

” So, it is a very big challenge, it is not a time for jamboree. It is time for governance and I urge them to do the best otherwise we will be out for them.

” At the FCT Area Council Services Secretariat we are very in charge of the area councils and we will be going after them, inspecting their programmes and whoever didn’t perform we will the law will take it cost.”

Meanwhile, the chairmen, while taking their Oath of Office pledged to defend the constitution of Nigeria and abide by the rules and regulations guiding the running of FCT without any fear or favour.

They also vowed to govern in fairness , devoid of discrimination to all residents, irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliations, even as they promised to discharge their duties in to the best of their abilities in honesty and integrity.

World Blood Donor Day: One Unit of Blood Can Save Lives of Three Patients -WHO

By
Toyin Adebayo
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Moeti
WHO Regional Director for Africa

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, has said that donating only one unit of blood could save the lives of up to three patients.

She made this known in her message to commemorate the 2022 World Blood Donor Day, which is observed on June 14th of every year.

According to her, the international community commemorates World Blood Donor Day to honor the gift of life given by unpaid blood donors all over the world. As the WHO Regional Office for Africa, we once again join the call for more people to become regular blood donors.

This year’s theme, ‘Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives’, highlights the critical role of voluntary blood donations in saving lives, and enhancing community solidarity and social cohesion.

According to her: “Compared to other Regions globally, the African Region sees a disproportionate number of conditions requiring donor blood, impacting as many as seven million patients every year. Examples include haemorrhage associated with pregnancy and childbirth, severe anaemia due to malaria and malnutrition, bone marrow and inherited blood disorders, trauma and accidents, as well as man-made and natural disasters.

“While the need for donor blood is universal, access for everyone who needs it is not. In the African Region, demand regularly outstrips supply, negatively impacting timely access for all patients who need safe and quality-assured blood to save their lives.

“As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, voluntary unpaid blood donations dropped significantly. Malawi, for example, registered a 46% decrease in donations.

“Countries across the African Region have worked hard to improve blood donation frequency, and the situation is showing signs of stabilizing. Blood transfusion services in many countries reached out to blood donors through public awareness campaigns, transporting donors from and to their homes, using digital platforms and establishing call centres”.

Moeti further stated that, “The situation remains challenging, and it is exacerbated by issues such as staff shortages and limited funding from governments and partners organizations for effective blood donor education, recruitment, and retention.

“As WHO in the African Region, we provide support to countries at various levels, including resource mobilization for the implementation of national blood transfusion plans, advocacy for integrating blood safety in these plans, and strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for blood safety.

“On World Blood Donor Day today, I urge African governments and political leaders to prioritize the provision of adequate human and financial resources to secure the future of national blood transfusion services. A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products, in sufficient quantities, is a key component of an effective health system.

‘Seeking out opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with media, the private sector, and faith-based and non-governmental organizations, will help increase the recruitment and retention of voluntary unpaid blood donors”.

She thanked Africa’s blood donors for their selfless contribution to national health systems, through this life-saving gift to patients who need transfusion therapy.

She also acknowledge the tireless efforts of blood services staff who are deeply committed to maintaining critical blood supplies, of the research and development professionals pursuing new technologies and uses for donated blood, as well as the medical teams who use blood rationally to save lives.

Donating blood is an act of solidarity. By becoming a blood donor, you will help ease the pressure on health systems still struggling under the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, she stated.

ExxonMobil Expends 15 Billion Naira to Combat Malaria in the last 20 Years In Nigeria

By
Toyin Adebayo
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Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, the Manager, Media and Communications of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (an ExxonMobil subsidiary), has hinted that the company’s foundation had invested 15 billion naira to combatting malaria in Nigeria over the last 20 years.

He clarified that this is solely for Nigeria, adding that they spend much more globally.

He made this known, on Thursday at the Launch Basketball clinic mentoring sessions of Boys and girls team scrimmages ,tagged: Power Forward 2022 Season held at Government Secondary School, Tundun Wada, in collaboration with NBA Africa and PanAfricare.

He did say, however, that they are utilizing basketball as a rallying point to reach out to the students who will inturn take the message to their parents at home.

According to him:” Nigeria recorded more than 2000 deaths from malaria in 2020, even COVID-19 has not killed up to that number since it inception and nobody seems to be interested in the fight against malaria.

” It is a lot of work to get people to understand that malaria is a killer disease, you hear people say, I just have malaria, you don’t just have malaria, you have a major disease and we will take all precautionary measures to stop the dreaded disease and ensure that people are aware of the dangers of malaria. This is the message we are hoping that the young ones will take home , telling their parents on the need to have mosquito nets, clean our environments.

” The foundation has been working in the area of advocacy and research. We have about 15 local scholars who are attending several universities across the world. Malaria vaccine, I will not announce it here but there is a lot of input that our scholars who are on scholarship made into the research. We are not just talking advocacy, we are talking research, how do we end this, how do we get vaccination to stop malaria. We are also talking about treatment, we have distributed a lot of nets, diagnostic kits and a lot of treatments. It’s a whole value change for us from prevention to treatment, advocacy to research all of that is what we are focused on.”

NBA Africa Vice President and Country Head, Gbemisola Abudu, also spoke at the occasion, stating that the goal of the program is to provide young boys and girls with the opportunity to learn about the fundamentals of basketball while also equipping them with life skills that can improve their lives.

She stated, “We want to make sure that the programme cuts across Nigeria.” They have reached over 150 thousand pupils in Abuja during the last nine years, she added.Also speaking at the event, NBA Africa Vice President & Country Head, Gbemisola Abudu said the objective of the programme is keep young boys and girls the opportunity to learn about the foundamental of basketball while also equiping them with life skills that can transform their lives.

She said, they have reached about 150 thousand students in the last nine years in Abuja, we want to make sure that the project cut across Nigeria.

She added that,” we use this programme for talent hunts and youth empowerment”.

Meanwhile, the Director/Secretary, FCT Secondary Education Board , Mrs Nanre Emeje said Power Forward started this project in five secondary schools and now they are in 21 schools . If there was no positive impact, we wouldn’t have given them approval for more schools.

According to her:” The students that are prefects today were part of this programme, I am glad to let you know that the boys team of basketball in one of our schools are champion. Right now, they won the league in Lagos under the Maltina championship and they will be representing FCT in Lagos at the end of the month. They are students that have been groomed through power forward project.

“We are not afraid to grant them more approval if they want to go into all our schools we are ready”, she said.

10,000 Traditional Medicinal Species: Potentials for Nigeria’s Developmental Goals, – Sen. Mamora

By
Rachael Abujah
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Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnibe Mamora
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnibe Mamora

The Minister of State for Health Sen. Adeleke Mamora, says Nigeria is endowed with over 10,000 species of Medicinal Plants, good arable land, good climatic conditions for harnessing the potentials of these plants for health, social, economic and national developmental goals.

Mamora said this on Saturday at the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) conference organised by his office in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja.

According to World Health Organization, Medicinal Plant refers to a whole or any part of the plant that contains bioactive substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes or serve as precursors for the synthesis of drugs.

Nigeria has also established a full-fledged TCAM Department in the Ministry to formulate review and implement policies and guidelines for research, development and regulation of herbal medicines in Nigeria.

The country Launched the Traditional Medicine Policy in 2007, one of the key objectives is to harness the potential and economic benefits of TCAM in Nigeria.

The country also has its first Publication Edition of Nigerian Herbal Pharmacopeia, NHP (2008), currently in review for 2nd Edition. The NHP is a compendium of medicinal plants used for the safe treatment and management of various diseases.

Its cooperation with the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Raw Materials Research and Development Agency, (NAFDAC), and NIPRD to develop, produce, regulate and commercialize herbal medicines, as well as documentation of Medicinal Plants in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

Its Collaboration with the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in the cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants with over 300 species in each State of the Country.

It has also strengthened collaboration with National and regional bodies such as the West African Health Organization (WAHO), WHO and other relevant Stakeholders, in areas of cultivation, preservation and conservation of Medicinal Plants.

TCAM organised training workshops for Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) on Good Agricultural Practices, with a focus on medicinal plant cultivation and conservation in Nigeria.

Its developed a curriculum for training Herbal Medical Practitioners in Medical Schools through the establishment of a Ministerial Committee on Herbal, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM).

TCAM has also established a standing Committee for screening of herbal medicines, developed by Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) in the management of COVID-19 in Nigeria

The Minister of State said that the key objective of the Conference was to promote the cultivation and utilization of Medicinal Plants as a potential source of raw materials for the Pharmaceutical, Food and Cosmetic industries.

He said this was to create a short, medium and long-term value chain and attract agricultural business loans and Bank of Industry (BOI) Manufacturing loans to boost economic development in the country.

Mamora said it was also important to note that Nigeria and other African Countries currently benefit minimally from the global herbal medicine market, projected at 7 trillion USD by 2050; and is currently dominated by China, India, US, Germany and Thailand.

“Significantly, the cultivation of medicinal plants and commercialization of herbal medicines will attract huge economic benefits to Nigeria, especially in the following areas: increase foreign exchange earnings and wealth creation, alleviate poverty through the creation of job opportunities in areas of cultivation and conservation of Medicinal Plants in Nigeria.

“ Assuredly, the FMoH is committed to developing and promoting Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Nigeria and is currently taking these pragmatic steps as follows;

“Initiated sensitization programmes and activities to promote cultivation, commercialization and use of indigenous Medicinal Plants in Nigeria;
Facilitated the passage of the TCAM Council Bill into Law, to effectively coordinate and regulate TCAM practice in the Country.

“Proposed a State-of-Art TCAM Hospital in Nigeria. Inaugurated an Expert Committee that is currently working out modalities for the take-off of TCAM Institute for the training of TCAM Practitioners in Nigeria,” he explained.

Prof. MacDonald Idu, a professor of Phytomedicine from the University of Benin, who gave the Keynote address at the conference, said if properly harnessed, the value of traditional medicinal plants in Nigeria would hit N1 trillion by 2025.
He put the current value at a conservative estimate of N200 billion, regretting that not much attention has been paid to harnessing the sector.

“We talked about $200 billion. It is conservative. I’m serious. Other forms of literature, that I have also read are going to hit about 1 trillion by 2025. I know what that means. That’s a lot of money,” he said.

“Nigeria I’m sorry, we don’t walk the talk. We talk a lot, but we don’t walk the talk. So my point of interest is to drag the hearts of our people to realise that we should diversify our economy.

“We don’t have any reason to be poor. That’s the real truth. We don’t have any reason to report everything that we need to survive. It’s already here. Why do you have them here?

“So, I believe that if we’re able to set up that platform again, and then we’re able to organize ourselves and organize the traditional medicine practitioners and producers, we should be able to raise enough money for this country to move forward. That’s my worry actually,” Prof. Idu added.

Earlier the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, regretted the low level of utilisation of the over 10,000 species of medicinal plants in the country despite its huge need for the production of drugs, cosmetics and other essential products.

Buhari expressed the present administration’s commitment to boosting the commercial cultivation of such plants for health, economic and social benefits as well as for wealth and job creation for the teeming youths of the country.

It would be recalled that the Conference is expected to bring Experts and all Stakeholders in various fields of TCAM to discuss, sensitize and advocate the importance of indigenous Nigerian Medicinal Plants and the role of TCAM as a system of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

The outcome of this Conference would boast commercial cultivation of Medicinal Plants as a source of raw materials and finished products for the Pharmaceutical, Food and Cosmetic industries.

Infertility, an Existential Problem of Human Race – Expert

By
Rachael Abujah
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A fertility herbal expert, Dr Ekinyi Ochete, says infertility is a global public health problem that deserves utmost attention to solve.

She made this known on Saturday in Abuja, on the sidelines of 2022, World Infertility Awareness Month.

The World Infertility Awareness Month is celebrated every June, to increase awareness regarding numerous infertility issues faced by couples across the globe. This includes problems related to females as well as male fertility.

During awareness, myths about infertility are debunked and a lot of options are brought forward to those who may want to conceive.

Ochete advised Nigerians to embrace alternative medicines and treatments to solve problems of infertility.

According to her: “Yes, some causes of infertility can be overcome. All you need is a good doctor, a supportive family, and an open mind.

“There is some evidence of benefit from acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and naturopathy in improving fertility outcomes for women with specific clinical infertility diagnoses.

“Acupuncture, yoga and art therapy may reduce infertility-related distress,” she said.

She said that Infertility was a term used for couples who cannot conceive, as well as women who were unable to stay pregnant and often suffer miscarriage.

“While infertility can be tough on those experiencing it in Nigeria, a solution cannot be provided until awareness regarding the cause is created.

“Infertility is so common that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised it as a public health issue for couples across the world,” she said.

Speaking on some of the common problems that cause infertility in women, the expert cited “polycystic ovary syndrome”, which, according to her, is found in a high percentage of women.

“The syndrome has several stages and is often curable through medication and treatment.

“Other issues faced by women include a diminished ovarian reserve, where the eggs in a woman reduce with each menstrual cycle.

“There is also endometriosis, a condition where the growth of the tissue inside the uterus is moved outside.

“It is due to these problems that you have a lot of women undergoing IVF treatments every year.

“Since fertility issues are not a rarity, it is recommended for women in Nigeria to embrace indigenous and original approaches in treatment,” she said.

She said infertility was now largely due to lifestyle and choices, especially unhealthy food, excessive consumption of alcohol, and lack of rest, among others.

She enjoined the government to set up a regulatory body to standardise herbal products and ensure adherence to quality for Nigerian men and women to benefit.

She said that the treatment of infertility in males and females were varying in their associated risks, intensity, and invasiveness which depend on the duration, cause, age, and personal preferences.

“The physical, financial, and time commitment are the required factors for infertility treatment.

“The treatments can range from medication therapy to induce ovulation, to invasive manipulation of eggs and sperm outside of the body,” she said.

She, however, added that infertility awareness was a critical part of normalising conversation about fertility problems, adding that it was the first step in erasing stigma.

FCTA Raids, Arrests 16 Suspected Criminals

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…Issues Final Quit Notice to Apo-Dutse Traders

…. Demolishes Shanties at Kado

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Tasksteam on City Sanitation on Wednesday raided and arrested 16 suspected criminals in Limito axis of Kado fish market, Abuja.

They also raided shanties at Dape area of Gwarinpa District and others in Limito axis of Kado fish market and seized illicit drugs from dealers.

The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Comrade Ikharo Attah made this known when they issued a final quit notice to Apo -Dutse traders to vacate the area before the bulldozer moves in.

Attah said, those arrested have been since handed over to the police for further investigation.

According to him:” the traders activities in the area was illegal and a security threat to the territory.

“The administration has been issuing demolition notices to the traders for a long time and would not give them another grace after the next 24 hours.

“The administration through the Taskforce squard had exhausted all the avenues for the demolition and would not accept further engagement with the traders.

“Another faction sent a letter to the Taskforce for quick action but another one said it should be extended to 3 weeks, since they were asked to leave the place.

” The FCT Authority is given them 24 hours to quit before the machine will roll in, this market is the biggest pantaker market in Abuja, we have given them a long period notice, prior to the last Ramadan and after the the holy month”, he said.

It would be recalled that the FCT Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation had prior to the last Ramadan issued a seven days notice but was extended due to the fasting in the holy month.

Insecurity: FCTA Demolishes over 1,800 Shanties in Apo Dutse Pantaker Market

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

….Over 4,000 to go

Over 1,800 shops and shanties in Apo-Dutse, Abuja, were demolished by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday.

Comrade Ikharo Attah, the Minister of FCT’s Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, has intimated that over 4,000 stores and shanties will be demolished in the coming days.

While dismantling shanties and the pantaker market in Apo-Dutse, Abuja, he dropped this suggestion.

According to Attah: “We have gotten intensive complaints of security challenges in the district here occasion by the very ever busy Apo-Dutse pantaker market and that has been very worrisome here.

“The Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, FCT Police Commander Sunday Babaji, and several others have raised concern over what is going on here. There are good people here and there are very bad and wrong people here. Because it is an illegal market infact the largest not only in Abuja but the whole of the central region.

“The FCT Minister gave the directive that we should clear the entire market so that those who are plot owners here will be able to take over their land and start development of mass housing, the market is illegal and very dangerous, the FCTA has marked it’s words with action.

“Everyone who lives around here is scared before now, we have gotten complaint through the Ministers, Royal father’s and other persons that what is happening here is very dangerous and it is eminical to the wellbeing of FCT, what is happening here is a dispersal of persons who have fertile breeding ground for crime. Many of them are going to do well in life in any other trade and many of them are going to move whatever they are moving out of here to new site where they can sell scrap there”.

He continued: “Pantaker is not a bad thing and has never been a bad thing but what some bad people do around pantaker market is what is painting the he pantaker in a very bad light here .
Having dislodge them here many will seek a better ground to do their business”.

“We cannot estimate how many shanties have been removed but in final analysis , we are expecting to see over 4,000 shops, shanties others removed. As at today alone we can estimate that about 1,800 barchers and in the next few days, we are sure we will be cleaning all together”.

The Chairman Association of Scrap Dealer, Apo-Dutse pantaker market, Anas Ismail, while fielding questions from newsmen said most of the youths that operate in the area depend on the scrap business for survival.

He, however, appealed to the FCT Administration to provide a place for the genuine scrap dealers to continue with their business.

Ismail explained that with the high level of insecurity in the country, the traders who are mostly youth should be given serious attention.

“We can’t fight government, but now that the market is demolished there should be another place for us to relocate else some may turn to criminals”

Meanwhile, the Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Shuaibu Umar, who came for inspection, told journalists, that, the size of the pantaker market is almost equivalent to a district of over 50 hectres of land.

“We have started the demolition process in Apo -Dutse Pantaker market almost three months ago, the size of this area is very big, people are living here illegally, they have no permission, the administration gave them adequate time.

“Getting rid of this type of development is for the good of the entire city, if you leave them to take over the place there won’t be sanity”.

He lamented that many developers have plots there but can’t access it because of the illegal acts but with the removal of the shanties they will take over their plots.

“The level of criminal activities here is higher than those doing their legitimate businesses.

“This place could be about 50 hectres of land or more than, it is the actual survey that will determines but is almost a district”, he said.

NCDC Confirms One Dead 21 Cases Of Minkeypox Virus in Nigeria

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

… Activates  National Multisectoral Emergency Operations Centre

Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed that 21 confirmed cases of monkeypox virus have been recorded from nine states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with one death.

The states are: Adamawa (5), Lagos (4), Bayelsa (2), Delta (2), Cross River (2), FCT (2), Kano (2), Imo (1), Rivers (1) are among the states (1). The fatality was recorded in a 40-year-old patient who was on immunosuppressive drugs and had underlying co-morbidity.

The NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory in Abuja is doing genomic surveillance, and all of the cases have been verified to be caused by the West African clade Monkeypox virus so far.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has launched a national multisectoral Monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre (MPX-EOC) at level 2 to strengthen and coordinate ongoing response activities in-country while contributing to the global response.

This was based on the report of a preliminary risk assessment done by a group of Subject Matter Experts from the NCDC, relevant government Ministries Departments and Agencies and partner agencies.

This year, as at 29th May 2022,
Among the 21 cases reported in 2022 so far, there has been no evidence of any new or unusual transmission of the virus, nor changes in its clinical manifestation documented (including symptoms, profile and virulence).

Prior to the activation of the MPX-EOC, a multi-agency Technical Working Group (TWG) coordinated at the NCDC led Nigeria’s efforts to improve the detection, prevention and control of Monkeypox. Nigeria’s national surveillance system, the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) was first deployed in response to the 2017 Monkeypox outbreak to improve the timeliness and completeness of case reporting, as well as facilitate the overall response (access relevant publication here – http://hdl.handle.net/10033/622144). In addition, this pilot project informed the nationwide scale-up of SORMAS to enable real-time reporting of surveillance data for prompt public health response to infectious disease outbreaks including COVID-19.

Following the detection of the index case on September 22, 2017 and the effective containment of the 2017 outbreak in Nigeria, the NCDC through the Monkeypox TWG worked on various interventions to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology of the virus to inform preparedness and response in-country (access NCDC-affiliated Monkeypox publications via https://ncdc.gov.ng/research).

The TWG coordinated the development of national Monkeypox guidelines, capacity building of healthcare workers and surveillance officers on case detection, sample collection, laboratory testing for confirmation and sequencing of the virus at NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory and intensified public awareness through risk communication. The national Monkeypox response guidelines can be accessed via – https://ncdc.gov.ng/themes/common/docs/protocols/96_1577798337.pdf.

Furthermore, a national One-health risk surveillance and information sharing (NOHRSIS) group has been inaugurated to facilitate timely information exchange on all prioritised zoonotic diseases. NOHRSIS will also strengthen the collaborative efforts of the One health/IHR Unit at the Point of Entry to intensify surveillance for the disease in animals as well as ensure minimal contact with suspected animals.

In addition, the One Health Animal Surveillance team including Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, National Veterinary Research Institute and partners commenced operational research on Monkeypox virus prevalence in small mammals at the human-animal interface since October 2018. This research has been completed in 7 states with a planned roll out in all other states to commence soon.

Although Nigeria’s risk of exposure to the Monkeypox virus is high based on the recent risk assessment conducted at NCDC, the current situation in-country and globally has shown no significant threat to life or the community that can result in severe disease or high case fatality rate. The EOC will continue to monitor the evolving situation to inform public health action accordingly.

Symptoms of monkeypox include sudden fever, headache, body pain, weakness, sore throat, enlargement of glands (lymph nodes) in the neck and under the jaw, followed by the appearance of a rash (often solid or fluid-filled at the onset) on the face, palms, soles of the feet, genitals and other parts of the body. The Monkeypox public health advisory can be accessed via – https://ncdc.gov.ng/news/367/public-health-advisory-on-monkeypox.

The NCDC emphasises that members of the public should remain aware of the risk of Monkeypox and adhere to public health safety measures – specifically, report to the nearest health facility if you notice the known signs and symptoms of the disease. Healthcare workers are to maintain a high index of suspicion for Monkeypox and report any suspected case to the relevant state Epidemiology Team for prompt public health intervention including sampling for confirmatory testing.


About the NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is the country’s national public health institute, with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. The Bill for an Act to establish NCDC was signed into law in November 2018, by President Muhammadu Buhari. The mission for the NCDC (2017-2021) is ‘To protect the health of Nigerians through evidence-based prevention, integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a One Health approach, guided by research and led by a skilled workforce’.


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