The Presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the botched 3rd Republic in 1993 Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, is dead.
Kano born erudite politician had slugged it out with the presumed winner of that epic political battle, Chief Mashood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola before the military authority under General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida annulled what pundits described as “pan Nigerian mandate”
Family sources told our correspondent that the erudite politician died in the in the early hours of Monday after a brief at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
Tofa was born on June 20th, 1947 was an brilliant politician with vast in interest on major business concerns locally and internationally.
It would be recalled that the news of his demise had last Friday went viral in the social media before the family members debunked it .
The Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) through its Satellite Town Development Department (STDD) has initiated a large clean-up exercise in the six area councils of the nation’s capital in an effort to maintain the satellite towns clean.
Mr Obinna Francis Ogwuegbu, the STDD Coordinator, hinted that the FCT administration, led by Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, and the Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, are committed to making FCT a safer and more sanitary place for all residents.
The Coordinator stated that the work would be ongoing and advised citizens, particularly those in the suburbs, to avoid dropping garbage into drains and along roadsides.
The Coordinator stated that , “I will be going round the 6 Area Councils to make sure that all contractors are complying with the matching order, added that all hands must be on decks in making sure that all the Satellite towns are kept clean with or without public holiday”.
He stated that, following the order, the six area Councils contractors on waste management have since swung into action at their various sites, the exercises of desisting of drains, dump sites and evacuating around the potions interchanges and roads leading into and out of the satellite towns are ongoing are in Gwagalada, kwali, kubwa, kuje, Abaji, and karshi.
He, however, frowned at the situation on waste Management is getting bad because of some people attitude, lifestyle, character and behaviour towards the Environment, he called on the residents to stop dumping and littering of refuse around the roads side, there by blocking and menacing around the while areas knowing very well that the deity is not good for our health.
Ogwuegbu hinted that, while stressing that, it is the duty of the area Councils chairmen in cleaning and Managing wastes in all the satellite towns, since they are been paid to do it, hinted that the satellite towns department is only meant to do intervention when necessary but that is not happening.
He further explained that one of his mission is to maintain and retain the dignity of the satellite towns in terms of cleanliness and road usages, as the construction of roads are also ongoing in some of the satellite towns.
He promised to do his best in repositioning the satellite town before the end his tenure to make sure that there is a change, by making the citizen partner with the Government in building and making the satellite towns clean and digitalise.
He also revealed that more resources will be deployed in areas of waste Management even though It will cost Government more money.
The FCT Administration has described the level of compliance with established non-pharmaceutical measures, particularly the mandatory 50 percent seat capacity of worship centers in the Territory, as average, following observations of Christian faithful performing crossover services under the cloud of the rising Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FCTA discovered this during a routine inspection of crossing and candle night services, which are held every year to usher in the New Year.
Various heads of important agencies were escorted to the First Baptist Church in Area 11, Garki-Abuja, COZA in Guzape, ECWA Goodnews in Maitama District, and Methodist Cathedral of Unity in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, according to our source.
A quick tour of the city revealed rather quiet New Year’s celebrations, with only a few fireworks recorded in the nation’s capital.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Attah Ikharo, attributed the development to growing consciousness among the FCT populace, against the pandemic.
Attah also appreciated the role of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), that sensitised and charged church leaders and followers on the need to be conscious and join the fight against the pandemic.
His words , “For us at the FCTA , the compliance level is average; it is so , in the sense that when you go round the churches , some of them , you will see people fully on masks and sensitised , with their temperature checked, and social distancing maintained.
“While in some other places, where you have overflow of crowd- no physical distancing. But in all, there is this consciousness that the FCT has that I think other states can learn from.
“People around the FCT still put on facemasks, there are areas you get to , you find it very difficult. By and large, there is this consciousness that has been created within the FCT that the government and people of the Territory are fighting the COVID-19.
“Our greatest thanks goes to the Christian body, CAN, that has been charging its members to be conscious and join the fight against the pandemic”.
He continued: “We are telling people that you need to safe yourselves, and above all, like the FCT Minister, Mallam Musa Muhammad Bello said today, we should try as much as possible to take our COVID-19 vaccines.
“Let’s go and take our jabs , as they are safe and good for us. By taking it, we will up our immune system, so that we can actually fight the pandemic, irrespective of its variant now or in the future.
“We should all go for our vaccines as well as obey the COVID-19 health protocols”, he stated .
At the First Baptist Church, Area 11, Garki-Abuja, Senior Pastor of the Church, Rev. Tom Takpatore, said in line with the established safety guidelines, effectively made arrangements, which officials followed religiously during the crossover night.
Similarly, receiving the team at the ECWA Goodnews, in Maitama District, Rev. Dr. Samson Jonah, noted that the leadership of the church ensured that all the necessary precautionary measures were put in place, to realise a hitch-free exercise.
Jonah, who is the Chairman of FCT CAN, said prior to the crossover night the leaders of churches in the FCT had been fully sensitised and charged to ensure strict adherence to the established non-pharmaceutical guidelines for such places.
He however reiterated the commitment of churches in FCT and Nigeria at large to boost the fight against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
In order to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in and around the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have concluded plans to sanction owners of 435 abandoned/uncompleted structures in and around the Abuja.
The FCT Director of Land Administration, Malam Adamu Jibrin Hussaini, made this at the end-of-year briefing to update the FCT Press Corps on the Department’s activities, revealing that the consequence might include title revocation.
The Director recommended the owners of such abandoned / unfinished structures in the city to act quickly to complete them, claiming that such structures have become a cause of security breach in the city.
Hussaini reiterated that this security breach is of great concern to the government and that it will not fold its arms to watch danger in the waiting to explode; stressing, “this development has been a cause of worry for the FCT Administration”.
His words , “These abandoned /uncompleted buildings have become shelter for unintended occupants as well as other persons with criminal disposition, who use these uncompleted structures as hideout to perpetuate their nefarious activities against the residents.
” The same fate may befall owners of about 600 undeveloped plots in the Federal Capital City; emphasizing that such undeveloped plots have remained an eyesore in Abuja, despite huge amount of money spent to provide these basic infrastructures in the districts”.
Hussaini, however, recalled that the owners of these undeveloped plots scattered around the Abuja metropolis have been warned severally in the past, yet some remains recalcitrant.
The Director further revealed that though there exists thousands of uncollected Certificates of Occupancy in the vaults, the Department has conveyed 495 Certificates of Occupancy to bonafide owners from January to December 2021.
He, however, implores other allottees to come over and pick their Certificates as such act would help lubricate economic activities of the Territory.
Speaking on the issuance of Rights of Occupancy within the year under review, Hussainini explained that the Land Administration Department released a total number of 1,319 titles to the beneficiaries.
While also disclosing that there are quite a huge number of uncollected Rights of Occupancy in the vaults, the Director advised those who have applied for land in the FCT to endevour to come forward and check the status of their applications.
Speaking further, Hussaini said the Department has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of fresh applications for land in the Federal Capital Territory during the year under review; noting that a total number of 8,010 applied for land between January to December 2021.
The Director stated that the Department undertook and released a total number of 546 Certified True Copy to various allottees in the year under review.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reiterated its decision to limit all religious and social gatherings activities to 50 percent of the hall capacity.
While advising worship centers planning an elaborate New Year’s Eve religious rite, popularly known as “crossover night,” to obey established authorities and follow all suggested preventive measures and health guidelines.
tyhe Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said the rise in new COVID-19 cases was worrying, and the administration would not sit back and watch.
He added that the ban on nightclubs and other social gatherings where physical distancing and non pharmaceutical protocols can’t be achieved, remains in force.
Attah disclosed that,” On 26th December alone the city recorded an alarmingly disturbing 806 New cases, while on the 27th the new cases were 57.
“The report on Tuesday 28th December, that 80 new cases were recorded in the nation’s capital, was not a cheering news, and that there must be government and all stakeholders’ effective collaboration to tackle the pandemic.
“FCT Ministers had at different occasions met with religious leaders and other stakeholders, creating synergy against the deadly pandemic, and also reiterating their commitments to keeping Abuja safe and secured”, he said.
Attah, however, appealed to religious leaders and residents to ensure complete compliance with all the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Health and Human Services Secretariat last week, he noted that enforcement team would be mobilized to track down violators who will be made to face the laws of the land.
He added that the administration will continue to everything necessary to have a healthy and prosperous capital city that is free from diseases and all manner of anti human elements in the new year.
A combined team from key agencies of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday ahead of the crossover night visited some mega churches in nation’s capital city.
The team went on a sensitization campaign with the fear that uncontrolled crowds during New Year’s Eve will add to the already rising number of COVID-19 cases in Abuja.
Given the nature of the Omicron strain of COVID-19, which is already wreaking havoc in the FCT, and the known overflowing history of worship centers during the crossover, the Administration said it was imperative to urged religious groups to follow the suggested health rules.
Comrade Ikharo Attah, the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, said the decision to visit Mega Churches with large congregations and overcrowding tendencies was made to avoid a situation that could jeopardize stakeholders’ investments and efforts to contain the pandemic.
During the crossover night worship, Attah urged church leaders to implement procedures that will promote total compliance with both non-pharmaceutical intervention and other health regimens.
He also cautioned that the FCT Administration would hold church and religious leaders accountable if there was a breach that resulted in a health emergency in their jurisdictions.
Dr. Abduralman Sadiq, Director of FCTA’s Public Health Department, said the awareness visit was necessary due to the rising incidence of COVID-19 cases in Abuja.
Sadiq bemoaned the fact that, despite the precautions taken, the pandemic was still wreaking havoc on the country.
He said COVID-19 Isolation centres in Abuja, which had previously been empty, were becoming overcrowded as a result of the rise, he revealed that one fatality was documented on Thursday in one of the treatment centers.
Meanwhile the Chairman, FCT Chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria,( CAN) Rev. Samson Jonah, who was physically present when the team visited the First Baptist Church, Area 11, Garki, said the Association had directed all Churches to limit gathering in their worship centres to half its capacity.
Jonah also hinted that the Christian Community in Abuja will continue to support government’s efforts, and will also intensify prayers for the elimination of the diseases.
The Churches visited include, The First Baptist Church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 10 Headquarters, Wuse 2, and the Glory Dome of Dunamis International Gospel.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Enforcement team has stated that it will not allow persons to violate the appropriate health measures as citizens of Abuja defy the rising number of active COVID-19 cases by thronging in large groups to every available leisure park in the city.
On Sunday, Comrade Ikharo Attah, the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, inspected the leisure areas and praised the level of compliance, but condemned the lack of physical separation.
Attah, who stated that the parks’ safety protocols were outstanding, but the masses of pleasure seekers were overwhelming, had a difficult time monitoring both car and enormous human traffic at Magic Land Amusement Park, Millennium Park, and Central Park.
He noted that while he was satisfied with the total compliance with the no face masks, no entry orders, he would want the Park owners to upscale efforts to getting compliance for all the protocols.
According to him, both Ministers of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu have given enough backings for the Enforcement to ensure that residents of the nation’s capital were safe through out the festive periods and beyond.
He added that all relevant agencies in FCTA were working assiduously to control the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 pandemic, and ensure that the figure plummets.
His words , ” From what we are seeing here today, there is enough compliance, but where we have problems is the issue of physical distancing. There are face mask everywhere, people are seen wearing them and also washing there hands.
“The strong message from FCTA is that people should own the processes and it should show by the way we comply with the necessary measure. The Ministers want the surge of this pandemic to come as much as possible”.
Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu. Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria.
… Sympathizes With Management Of Next Cash N Carry
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has stated that the FCT Administration will ensure that all standard retail malls will have a fire truck ready in the event of an emergency.
Others were instructed to take precautions in securing their valuables.
Aliyu also sympathizes with to the managers and employees of Next Cash N Carry Supermarket following the fire that destroyed a portion of the retail complex on Boxing Day.
The minister, who was on the scene of the fire, praised key stakeholders for their quick response, emphasizing that the spirit of sportsmanship displayed demonstrates how much can be accomplished when people work together.
She also praised the territory’s citizens for supporting the company in salvaging some of the merchandise, noting that in most cases unscrupulous elements could have seized the opportunity to cart away other people’s belongings.
According to her, “sadly, this is another unfortunate inferno in a festive period being December 26, 2021. From the report so far, the fire might have occurred much earlier before it was reported.
“But as soon as it was reported, we must commend the active and quick response of Federal Fire Service, the Navy, Airforce, Army, FEMA, NNPC, NSCDC and other agencies that came to put off the fire. It is unfortunate it got to this extent.
“But again, we must commend the residents and indigenes of the territory for their collective support. Let us keep this good spirit of oneness. There is no goods that was looted here as being speculated.
“People used their own cars to secure whatever they can secure and you can see some of the items there. It is not in our character to loot other people’s items, and I call on residents to keep the good spirit”.
She further said; “every mall of this standard should have a fire truck available by the side. They should make room for emergency because of situations like this. Even though, our fire men did everything possible to salvage the situation, but it was beyond their control”.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against using aphrodisiacs, or performance-enhancing medications, to impress their female companions, citing the risk of stroke or sudden death.
The Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, issued the warning in her Christmas and New Year goodwill letter to Nigerians, in which she decried the predominance of performance-enhancing drugs, or “Manpower” in local parlance, in the Nigerian market.
According to Prof. Adeyeye, the bulk of performance-enhancing drugs are not registered with NAFDAC.
“They are brought into the country illegally; if they were registered, producers and peddlers would not be doing what they are doing in supermarkets, social media platforms, and on the streets.”
Prof. Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, said this in a statement in Lagos on Sunday, Prof. Adeyeye lamented that many men have died using performance enhancing drugs and their relatives would blame their death on some imaginary witches in the village.
The statement read in bits; “NAFDAC boss also described as false the claim by the producers of the products that they have no side effects, insisting that majority of the products did not go through the approval process of the Agency. She however, warned that the Agency would not relent in running after the peddlers of such dangerous drugs until they are brought to book for violating the regulations.
“Just like the need to have food and water, intimacy is also a primary requirement in life. Most human beings have the need for intimacy for a healthy sexual life which determines their overall wellbeing. If there are physical or psychological problems to a person’s sexuality it can hamper their self-confidence.
“Many people today have been caught in the web of such circumstances leading them to seek a way out of the wood. In recent times, the use of aphrodisiacs has become the range.
‘’Many people are ignorant of the possible damage that misuse of aphrodisiacs or use of unregistered drugs could cause’’, said Prof Adeyeye, adding that there are manufacturing and quality guidelines, and mandated regulations that control the production, importation, exportation, advertisement, and the use of such products.
According to her, unbridled use of aphrodisiacs has a lot of implications in the entire body system, noting that the use of the products could potentially affect the blood pressure of the body. She stressed that ‘’when you have a disproportionate flow of blood to a particular part of the body and lasting longer than normal, they tend to disrupt the normal flow of the circulatory system’’.
Prof Adeyeye further warned that aphrodisiacs could also interact with other drugs in the system, explaining that the liver is responsible for breakdown of drugs while the byproduct of all waste goes down through the kidneys. ‘’When these things are used especially with some herbal medicines that don’t have dosage and professional prescription, it can lead to internal organ damage. It can hurt the liver and the kidneys, leading to untimely death’’ she warned.
The way the body system works, she explained: ‘’everything should function the way God designed it. When they begin to disrupt those functions overtime it affects the imbalance and the ecosystem of how the body physiology works and can lead to unintended consequences.’’.
‘’For those who have certain health risks, like people that are hypertensive, or people that have heart disease, there is more of anxiety that the drug could stimulate into the system, and with anxiety, that can lead to changes in the physiology of the body and can lead to stroke or sudden stoppage of the heart. These happen in cases when men suddenly slump during sexual intercourse as reported in Rivers and Cross Rivers States recently’’, she said in a tone laden with grief.
‘’There are a lot of side effects. Every drug is a potential poison. Every drug has one side effect or the other. These are chemical products with side effects. In some cases there are associated Adverse Drug Reactions, which means it could lead to death or more serious organ damage depending on usage’’, she said. She insisted that ‘’it’s not all cases of sudden death that are caused by witches and wizards in the village; but in most cases they are caused by what we eat or drink carelessly’’
In the spirit of Christmas and New Year festivities, she urged Nigerians to eat right and drink right to avoid health complications after the annual events.
Prof Adeyeye recalled that over N3b worth of falsified and banned drugs and unwholesome food products were seized by the Agency recently at the Lagos Trade fair complex where no fewer than 20 trailer loads of such banned and unwholesome products were carted away by officers of the Agency’s Investigation and enforcement directorate led by Barrister Kingsley Ejiofor.
She disclosed that some of the drugs impounded at the trade fair complex were performance enhancing drugs. ‘’Worse still they are counterfeited. When something is counterfeited, the manufacturers don’t care about quality. They add what they are not supposed to add or add more than what they are supposed to add. Invariably, the user is the loser’’, she said.
Prof Adeyeye however, disclosed that the Agency has ordered 40 units of a detecting device, TRU SCAN, worth 70,000 dollar each for use on the field to spot check the medicines. She explained: ‘’The device will show you whether a drug is 5mg or 50mg. Before, it would only show you that it’s X-drug, it will not show you the level. This device is both qualitative and quantitative!
According to the DG, NAFDAC is the first Agency in the world to use the Tru Scan which does quantitative spot check on the chemical content in the medicines. It will show the chemical level of the drug.
‘’This is part of the multifaceted approach we are adopting in fighting the preponderance of banned and falsified drugs in the country’’, she said, blaming the menace on people that want to make quick money at the expense of the health and lives of undiscerning consumers.
‘’We will ensure we minimize falsification of drugs to the level that will give a lot of confidence to the consumers.”
The wife of Minister of Transportation, Dame Judith Amaechi in commemoration of her 51th birthday has put a smile on the faces of vulnerable children with donations to two different children’s home.
An act she described as passion because of the joy derived in putting smiles on the face of children.
Speaking to journalists at the end of her visit to Mother Theresa Children’s Home and Victorine Home for Children in Abuja on Thursday, Amaechi explained that apart from having a passion for giving, her visit and donations to the two homes is nothing but a sign of appreciation to God for the opportunity of life.
” I want to thank God for giving me opportunity to see a new day and I want to also thank God for the family, I come from the family of praise, love and sharing, so I think to share with others is the most beautiful thing.
” What else can I say to God, other than to come to a place like this. It is like a ritual to be in the midst of people like this so also is my husband and children. I don’t know what to say but this is what I like doing, this is my passion and so that is why I am here and I feel that it is good to give back to God.
Amaechi noted that the act of giving portrays the practice of her faith- Christianity, and to be Christ-like, one must emulate his styles of actions such as giving cheerfully.
” I also feel that it is a time to show love to those who may not have the kind of privilege that we have. What am I doing? I am practicing the faith that I believe in and that is simply what I am doing here today.
“I thank God because many people have cared for me in my own life too. For instance, I lost my mum at a very tender age and I was given opportunity, if I didn’t what would I have been?
Stating some reasons why the society should recognise the importance of vulnerable children, Amaechi averred that the kids makes up tomorrow and if neglected that form the bane of the society.
” So I am trying to give back as well to the society. How important for the society to recognise vulnerable children? Well to be honest it is a personal thing, it is very important to recognise the fact that the kids make tomorrow, today they are young tomorrow they form the bane of the society, there is nothing any one can do about it.
” Once I was a child, today I am an adult, whatever I was impacted upon, I was going to give back, what I don’t have i can’t give back.
” So the life we show to them today would shapen their future and it would affect the impact in their lives and also affect the impact they will make in the society.
She appreciated the staff and management of the homes for taking good care of the children and encouraged them not to relent their oars in their activities.
The MD of Mother Theresa Children’s Home Catherine Emeagwali and the care givers at Victorine Home for Children thanked the Minister’s wife for her charitable spirit and pray for God to grant her more fruitful years.
