₦airaland Forum

Popular comedian and skit maker, Sabinus, has bought a new house.

He shared photos of himself at the new house, which comes with a customised swimming pool.

Sabinus is already receiving congratulatory messages from his colleagues in the entertainment industry and fans over the new feat.



https://leadership.ng/comedian-sabinus-buys-a-new-house/

True talk

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria, not God, is responsible for current woes, saying the nation should blame itself for failing to use the resources given to it by God.

He, however, lamented that Nigeria has got away with a lot of “stupid things” because of the love of God.

Obasanjo stated this yesterday during the official launch of The Letterman, a book authored by the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed in Abuja.

The 492-page narrative non-fiction titled: The Letterman: Inside the ‘Secret’ Letters of former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, x-rayed the role of letter writing in leadership, governance, and politics.

It focused on the former president and his fondness for speaking bluntly to subordinates, superiors, associates, and foreign personalities – through letters – not minding the reactions the letters might generate.

At the event, Obasanjo said: “I believe that God is a Nigerian. Bishop Kukah may not agree with me. Because God loves us so much that we have done so many stupid things and he allowed us to get away with these stupid things.



“I sincerely hope that God’s patience has no limit of elasticity because if he does, there will soon be a day that God will say: ‘No, I have heard enough.’ And if God says he has heard enough it doesn’t matter, Musikilu can write 20 books on Lettermen and Letter women, but it won’t help us.

“I believe the right lessons must be learnt. We have all that we need to have. God has given us all that we need to have; that we are not doing what we should do. It is not God; we should blame ourselves.”

He lamented that the country had not lived up to expectations.

According to him, global leaders consulted with Nigeria before decisions were taken in Africa, wondering how the country fell from such a lofty height.

He said, “We probably don’t appreciate what we have as a country and I believe if we do appreciate it, make good use of it, we will do better than we are now.

“I have sent for an interview with the only remaining member of what they call the 12 disciples in the foreign service; that’s the 12 Nigerians who first joined the foreign service before our independence, Amb Adefuye is the only remaining one.

“In that interview, he said that when Nigeria became independent it was a giant in the sun. That was the expectation; not a giant even in Africa. A giant in the sun. That was the expectation of the world about Nigeria.

“Have we lived up to it? No. If we have not, why haven’t we? And it is not so far to seek.

“Somebody talked about Jimmy Carter visiting Nigeria; of course, he did visit Nigeria but before he visited Nigeria we were struggling with America, something they call constructive engagement with South Africa. What can be constructive with apartheid? We said no we don’t accept that. Kessinger said he was coming to Nigeria three times and three times I said I will not receive him. You may say that’s madness. Yes, there is a touch of madness but you have to do what is right.

“There was this election coming. It was Ford and Jimmy Carter. If Ford won the election I would have to do acrobatics. I would not be able to say America cannot come to Nigeria for four years. Before the election, we started looking for who was in the camp of Jimmy Carter and we found Andy Young before the election and when the election took place, Cater won.

“Within two weeks of him being sworn in, Ady Young came to us. We became very close with Andy Young to the extent that the Carter administration will not do anything in Africa without informing us. People ask me: how did we lose that? How did we lose it?”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said Obasanjo will be remembered for debt forgiveness, the creation of anti-corruption agencies, and international interventions across Africa.

Jonathan described the former president as a father-like figure.

Jonathan, who was represented by former minister of aviation, Osita Chidoka, said history will remember the former president for the great things he did, not the quarrels and the fights.

“Obasanjo is not as stupid as he looks,” Jonathan said.

He stated that there have been ample letters that have changed history.

He said Obasanjo’s letters created engagements within the political arena, diplomatic world and other sectors.

Jonathan commended the author for the work he has done in bringing the letters together in a single book.

The book reviewer, Bishop Matthew Kukah, said Obasanjo has made it hard for writers to write about him.

According to Kukah, Obasanjo developed an obsession with writing his own story.

He said the former president wrote everything about himself.

Kukah said it was hard to write about the former president because he has written about every part of his life.

The cleric said the former president elevated the act of letter writing to an art form.

He said the book covered 25 letters covering different issues.

According to him, most of the letters came from Obasanjo’s head, not his heart.

He cited a letter the former president wrote to Brigadier Eyo Ekpo during the Nigeria civil war, to stress the ability of the former president to write from his head and not his heart.

“There is evidence that Obasanjo was clear in his mind on what needs to be done during the war,” he said.

He added that Obasanjo’s ability to speak even as a mid-level officer showed in his ability to speak up through his letters.

“How did Obasanjo get away with the bravado even in the military?” Mr Kukah stated.

The book launch had former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Bayelsa State, Sen Seriake Dickson, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria and chairman of the Governing Council of Osun State University, Yusuf Ali.

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, was represented by Fani-Kayode; chairman of Premium Times, Nasir Abdullahi; Alexandra Gomez, the EU representative; Ukrainian Charge d’Affaires, former inspector-general of police Sunday Ehindero, Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation.



https://leadership.ng/nigerians-not-god-responsible-for-nations-woes-obasanjo/

Continuous voters registration will only give way to more underage voters in the INEC register.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has turned down the request to order the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to resume the continued voters’ registration (CVR).

The plea was part of the reliefs sought by four plaintiffs, namely: Anajat Salmat, Earnest Stanley, Charles Okafor and Samuel Oluwakemi, in a suit they filed against the INEC.

By the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1343/2022, the plaintiffs sought for three reliefs which include “a declaration that the defendant is expected pursuant to the provisions of Sections 76 (2), 77 (2), 116 (2), 117 (2), 132 (2) & (5) and 178 (2) & (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as Sections 9 (1), 9 (6), 10 (1) and 12 (1) of the Electoral Acts, 2022, to continue voters registration, update and revision of voters register till 90 days before the general election.

However, in a judgement on the suit yesterday, Justice Ekwo reasoned that going by the date of the verdict, INEC would have had “just a few days away from 90 days before the general elections.”

The trial judge, however, declared that INEC “is expected pursuant to the provisions of Sections 76 (2), 77 (2), 116 (2), 117 (2), 132 (2) & (5) and 178 (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as Sections 9 (1), 9 (6), 10 (1) and 12 (1) of the Electoral Acts, 2022, to continue voters registration, update and revision of voters register until 90 days before the General Election billed to take place on February 25, and March 11, 2023.


“It is the constitutional responsibility of the defendant (INEC) to make sure that every prospective Nigerian voter who have shown desire to register to vote are not deprived their civil right to register and participate in the forthcoming general elections scheduled to take place on 25th February, 2023 and 11th March, 2023.”

According to Justice Ekwo, “This court is unable to grant relief number 3 of the plaintiffs because going by the date of this judgement, the defendant will have just a few days away from 90 days before the general elections of 25th February, 2023 and 11th March, 2023.”

“The case of the plaintiffs therefore succeeds on the merit and I answer their sole question in the negative. I also answer the questions of the defendant as follows: “Question 1, partially in the positive, and Question 2, in the positive.”

Recall that the plaintiffs, by the suit, had also prayed for “A declaration that it is the constitutional responsibility of the defendant to make sure that every prospective Nigerian voter who have shown desire to register to vote are not deprived their civil right to register and participate in the forthcoming general elections.

Consequently, they asked the court for “An order directing the defendant to resume immediately the registration of new voters, updating and revision of the register of voters until at least 90 days to the general election slated to hold on 25th February, 2023 and 11th March 2023.

https://leadership.ng/court-rejects-request-to-order-continued-voter-registration/

What historical facts about PDP will help to improve the livelihoods of the Nigerian youths in Nigeria after 2023 general elections? Has PDP changed? The answer is no. History will always repeat itself. PDP is corrupt and will remain corrupt.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has expressed dismay that Nigerian youths have little information about the country’s past, despite the fact that they are the future of the nation.

He said the youths think about Nigeria from what they were seeing today which is basically about, insecurity, disunity, fight between Christians and Muslims, adding that that was what they grew to know which ought not to be so.

Okowa said, “They don’t know information about our past. We run into the kind of situation that we are in today that we must begin to rethink about all these and to make this country a much better place for all.”

The PDP presidential running mate who was speaking at a youth’s summit on “The Role of Youths, Religious leaders in the task of repositioning Nigeria” held in Bauchi, stressed the need for the youths to know the history of the nation for them to be carried along in governance.

Okowa said, “In today’s Nigeria history is no longer taught in schools. Many of our children don’t know the history of Nigeria.”

The Delta State governor said that he and the presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, want to serve the nation with all humility and are ready to make the country every citizen’s dream.



He said if they assumed the mantle of leadership, they would create a Nigeria in which all can work together, assuring that a lot of youths would definitely be engaged in governance.

“We need to learn together. Without experience it is difficult to cause the desired positive change that we need in our nation. We are so troubled that we need men with experience to be able to get us out of the deep hole.

“Atiku Abubakar and I as a running mate, we come in humility ready to serve and ready to see that we serve all Nigerians, ready to work with all realizing that we cannot do it all alone, realizing that working with the people would make a great impact,” he said.



In his remarks, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir said the importance of peace and unity in the country cannot be overemphasized because it is only in such a situation that democracy can thrive.

Bala represented by his deputy, Baba Tela stressed that he was highly impressed by the content of the conference considering that it has opened a new vista in the political scene of the country.

“This is the first time that I am witnessing a gathering where politics and religion are being discussed simultaneously in order to create a path of political stability and cohesion.

“Political processes when combined with the religious process produces a good system of government because like some people say initially that religion is a way of life, so when you put the two together, then you are going to have a good system of government,” he said.

He stressed that the collaboration of the two religions in the country is what is needed to move the country forward positively and it must be practicalised not just on paper.

The governor expressed confidence that if the youths will continue to work together irrespective of ethno-religious sentiments, the country will be better for it and the 2023 general election will be a peaceful experience.

The chief convener of the interfaith summit who is also the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Abok Nuhu Ayuba said that the summit became necessary in order to foster peace and unity among adherents of the two major religions in the country.



https://leadership.ng/okowa-expresses-dismay-over-young-peoples-poor-historical-knowledge/

APC is synonymous to PROMISE AND FAIL.

Once again, President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to hand over to his successor a country free of the current security challenging bedeviling it.

The president expressed confidence that with the gallantry and sacrifices exhibited by men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the campaign against insurgency and other internal security operations, the nation will be returned to normalcy as “we continue to battle, decisively, all the security challenges.”

The president spoke yesterday in Abuja where he disclosed that N134.7 billion had been approved for the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to all veterans.

The president also used the occasion to commend the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces in frontally confronting banditry, kidnappings, molestations and killing of innocent citizens, saying these ‘‘vices alien to our culture’’ are on the decline.

According to him, normalcy is gradually returning to some affected parts of the country due to the methodical approach and increasing military campaign to decimate subversive elements involved in destructive activities such as ‘‘in the insurgency in North East, militancy in the Niger Delta’’ as well as ethnic and religious tensions in some communities.

He assured Nigerians that his government would continue to reposition and strengthen all security agencies to enable them surmount the security challenges in the country.


He called on business enterprises to appreciate the sacrifice of servicemen and gallant troops by extending support to them in the form of discounts and rebates on purchases and services rendered, saying this would act as a morale booster to members of the Armed Forces and assist them in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.

The president commended state governors who are patrons of veterans in their respective states for their support of the Nigerian Legion.

He announced the donation of N10 million to the Nigerian Legion, on behalf of the federal government, at the launch of the 2023-Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem and Appeal fund.

Speaking at the occasion, which preceded the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Buhari, in a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, pledged the federal government’s commitment to the welfare of veterans by ensuring prompt payment of their pension and other entitlements, which had been demonstrated by his approval of the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to veterans with effect from 2017.

‘‘However, in order to capture all veterans hitherto excluded from the payment of the SDA, I have approved a review of the effective date of the Manual of Financial Administration for the Armed Forces of Nigeria (MAFA) 2017.

‘‘Accordingly, I have also approved the sum of one hundred and thirty-four billion, seven hundred and forty-nine million, nine hundred and fifty-three thousand, two hundred- and forty-three-naira, sixty-nine kobo (N134,749,953,243.69) only for that purpose,’’ he said.

As the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Legion, President Buhari urged government agencies at the Federal and State levels to continue to patronise the services of the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires in the provision of security and other administrative services.

The president recounted that the choice of 15th January as the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is symbolic because it marked the end of the Nigerian Civil War.

‘‘The occasion gives cause for reflection and reminds us of the sacrifice made by our Armed Forces in preserving the unity of the country and highlights the need for us to guard this unity of jealousy,’’ he said.

He, therefore, implored all citizens to refrain from detrimental actions and statements that threaten national unity and integration but rather engage in positive actions that unite the country.

‘‘The strength of our country lies in our diversity, an endowment we must do all within our means to preserve,’’ he said.

The Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who also promised financial donation on behalf of the National Assembly to the Nigerian Legion, commended the president for giving maximum support to the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, pledged that the Ministry would continue to ensure the prompt payment of the entitlements and death benefits of the deceased servicemen.



https://leadership.ng/my-successor-wont-inherit-security-challenges-buhari-vows/

What we are currently witnessing in the PDP is politics of bitterness and confusion. Is this how Mr Unifier want to run his government?

In what appeared to be a reprisal probably to make up of for the loss of five governors, popularly known as the G-5, presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is currently in talks with five governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Disclosing the development to LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday, the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organisation said the APC governors who are friends with Atiku have been consulting with the former vice president on how to support him.

According to the PDP campaign team, the five APC governors are willing to jump ship because they believe Atiku has a more believable manifesto and better experience to manage Nigeria.

One of the spokesmen of the PDP campaign team and former national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who gave the hint, told our correspondent that the move is ongoing just as the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, believes he can attempt to leverage on the situation within the PDP where five governors have distanced themselves from the party’s presidential campaign activities unless the PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu resigns, resigns and is replaced by a southerner.

But in a swift reaction, the APC dismissed the claim by the opposition party, describing it as wishful thinking that indicates the opposition party in the country lacks plans and clear-cut strategy for the forthcoming general election.

LEADERSHIP Friday recalls that five PDP governors, namely Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) had repeatedly declared they won’t support Atiku’s campaign.


So far, some of the G-5 governors seem to be tilting towards the APC, with Wike recently endorsing the APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

While the Rivers governor went further to donate money to APC women group in Lagos, his Oyo counterpart, Makinde, through his deputy, openly declared support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition when the APC presidential candidate met with Afenifere leaders in Pa Reuben Fasoranti’s residence in Akure, Ondo State.

Ologbondiyan however told this paper that talks with the Wike group is still ongoing, even as he revealed that APC governors are in talks with Atiku ahead of the 2023 polls.

He said, “As we speak there are no less than five governors of the APC, who are friends with our candidate, and who have been talking to our candidate with regards to the 2023 presidential election.

“They (APC governors) are convinced about Atiku’s relevant experience, not just any kind of experience as being bandied about by other candidates. They are also convinced about Atiku’s manifesto. They have looked at his manifesto and they are convinced about its believability and the capacity of Atiku to realise them.”

When asked to reveal the identities of the governors, Ologbondiyan noted that at the appropriate time, they will be revealed.

“At the right time Nigerians will know them. We don’t want to mention their names now. But I assure you at the appropriate time, Nigerians will see them.”

On the regions the governors are from, Ologbondiyan who refused to give specific details, added: “They are spread across the regions. Like I said at the appropriate time, Nigerians will know them.”



Your Wishful Thinking, Lack Of Plans – APC

But in a swift reaction, the APC described PDP’s claims as wishful thinking, saying it is a clear indication that the opposition party in the country lacks plans and clear-cut strategy for the forthcoming general election.

National publicity secretary of the governing party, Barr Felix Morka, told LEADERSHIP Friday that due to lack of agenda, the PDP had been grabbing on straws by springing up series of falsehood, from the law suit it filed recently against the APC to the current claim that five progressive governor are consulting to support Atiku for the 2023 presidential poll.

Morka said, “That’s wishful thinking; you can see clearly that they don’t have any plans for the next elections. They have no plans, they have no strategy. The other day they filed a law suit and now they are talking about five APC governors.

“So, clearly that is not an agenda for an election and it does not show a party that is serious about competing for power. They are just grabbing on straws, hoping that they can grab something that has a route but it’s just completely wishful. It’s not worth any reaction”.

Reiterating his earlier stance that the PDP is embarking on a voyage of “phantom and vain expedition” with the legal action and now claims of APC governor’s romancing Atiku, the APC spokesman restated his earlier stance that PDP is trapped in the abyss of internal contradictions

“Again, that’s the PDP setting itself on a phantom and vain expedition. It is obvious the PDP is rightly convinced of its failed 2023 engagement. Trapped in the abyss of its internal contradictions and intractable crisis, the PDP has resorted to grabbing straws and scratching the sand in hope of success.

“It betrays the extreme desperation and utter lack of competitive confidence to face 2023. To be clear, there shall be no political manna falling from the sky for the PDP. They should wake up from their inebriated slumber and smell the political coffee,” Morka reiterated.



Politics Of Religion Will Burn Down Nigeria, Wike Warns

Meanwhile, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged personnel of the various security agencies to stop taking sides with politicians who use all tactics, including religion to frustrate efforts at protecting life and property.

He insisted that Nigerian politicians must also stop the politics of religion in order not to burn the country down in the wake of campaigns towards the 2023 general elections.

Wike spoke yesterday when he hosted the new Rivers State commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, who led a team of senior police officers on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The governor said, “We believe we owe this country and we must also stop this politics of religion so that we don’t instigate crisis and violence. You must go and tell the people what you can do, what we can offer.”

Wike maintained that his administration has remained committed to the protection of life and property of all residents in the State.

He said, “This is because of its belief that the people for which any development projects are provided must feel safe and alive to use them.”

The governor noted that any government that is unable to do so has failed in its responsibility and has no business being in governance.

He continued: “For me, there cannot be any good governance without the protection of life and property. Nobody can talk about good governance when there is insecurity everywhere. If you cannot protect your citizens, you have no need to talk about governance.

“Because if you’re doing roads, people must be alive to use the road. If you’re building good school, people must be alive to go to school.

“So, it is key that you owe your citizens protection of their lives and property. And so, for us as a government, that is the sole aim of being in government.”

He assured that since the security agencies are the institutions saddled with such duties, his administration has always and will continue to provide requisite support to them so that they can discharge their security operations effectively.

Wike expressed the hope that the new Commissioner of Police will bring his vast experience in operations and crime fighting to bear in Rivers State.

Acknowledging the effort of the Inspector General of Police, Woke hinted that the state government will build a befitting police station along Ada George Road in Port Harcourt.

In his remarks, Effiong, the 43rd Commissioner of Police to Rivers State said he would operate a policy of zero tolerance to crime and criminality.



Tinubu’s Manifesto Not Copy And Paste, Campaign Council Insists

Meanwhile, the APC presidential campaign council has again dispelled claims in certain quarters that the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, plagiarized the Hope 93 manifesto of the late Chief M.K.O Abiola.

The director of Planning, Research and Strategy of the Directorate of Tinibu/Shettima campaign organisation, Dr Musa Babayo, insisted that Tinubu’s hope renewal manifesto is unique and not copy and paste as claimed by the opposition.

Speaking during the inauguration of the directorate in Abuja, Babayo noted that those peddling allegation of plagiarism were doing so to score cheap political gains.

According to him, unlike Abiola’s Hope 93 manifesto which has since been overtaken by events, Tinubu’s manifesto seeks to address contemporary challenges bedeviling Nigeria.

The director stated: “You know politicians have a way of distracting their audience from the message. Management is management. I am a professional manager and I know the basic principles of management are planning, coordination and control.

“It would continue to be in existence till the end of time. Nobody is going to reinvent the wheel. Issues keep on changing. This manifesto is not copy and paste. The manifesto is a brand new document that has incorporated some of the monumental challenges of the Nigerian state.

“There was no security challenge that was highlighted in the Hope 93 manifesto. There was no issue of the Maradi-Kano rail line in the 1993 hope manifesto. Nigeria of 1993 is different from Nigeria of today. Soon this administration would open the second Niger bridge.

“There was nothing like that in 1993. This is factual. So I want to dismiss in its entirety the comment made by the spokesperson of the other campaign organisation. They have the right to talk because we are already ahead in the competition.

“And when you are ahead of a competition, you should respect those behind you to try as much as possible to shrink your own share of the market share.”

Babayo further noted that the 2023 poll would be the most significant poll in the history of the country, adding however that Tinubu would emerge victorious at the 2023 poll,

He continued: “It is the most important election in this country for many reasons. This is a period in the world when the global economy is going through a drastic change. No nation in the world is isolated and isolated from the global phenomenon of economy, climate change and most importantly bringing the country together.

“This is a ticket that has been misconstrued, this is a ticket that would make the nation better than what it is today. This is a ticket that would end the political identity politics.”



https://leadership.ng/after-losing-pdp-g-5-atiku-in-talks-with-5-apc-governors/

I like this kind of news

Why won't people start smuggling the product into Nigeria when the Government and NNPC don't know how to ensure steady supply of petroleum to Nigerians?

Nice one

However, a dam needs to be constructed in Adamawa state to counter the excessive flooding effects that Lagdo dam causes in Nigeria. Nigerians saw hell this period due to floods.

Promise and fail APC government led by Buhari is at it again.

Buhari’s stabilisation of Nigerian's democracy may not be what Nigerians think.

Nigeria Police Force is unreliable and can't be trusted especially during general elections. This retreat is just an academic exercise that won't amount to improved security during any elections.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Nigeria Police Force, Independent National Electoral Commission, presidential candidates and other stakeholders are set for a strategic retreat to address all security issues.

The retreat, which is billed for the end of October will feature a theme, ‘The Imperative of a Nigeria Police Strategic Plan for Peaceful Elections.’

Force PRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said; “It is greatly believed that the conference and retreat will strengthen the resolve of the strategic police managers and members of other security agencies who shall be involved in the 2023 electioneering process to put their best foot forward to accomplish free, fair, credible and secure 2023 general elections that we may all leave a legacy on which basis posterity would adjudge us kindly.

“As a democratic nation, the security of lives and property is a fundamental duty of government and the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency in internal security, is unrelenting in ensuring that the people experience a friendly policing system that will perpetually be a threat to villains and other purveyors of crimes and criminality within our communities.”

He also said the participants expected to attend this high-level retreat and training include the inspector-general of police and other senior officers of the rank of deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) commissioner of police (CP) and heads of strategic formations of the Force.

Others are the minister of police affairs and other cabinet members, senators and members of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Federal Government, service chiefs and heads of security agencies, chairman of INEC, chairmen and presidential candidates of all political parties, media executives and members of the civil society.  He also listed President Muhammadu Buhari as keynote speaker among other stakeholders to attend the event.


https://leadership.ng/police-inec-presidential-candidates-set-for-security-retreat/

Polaris Bank is gone. We await a new bank with a new name and a new beginning. Banks are super rich.

If Nigeria Customs can generate this amount, our corrupt NNPC ought to generate 10 trillion.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) have formally announced the completion of a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) for the acquisition of 100 per cent of the equity in Polaris Bank  by Strategic Capital Investment Limited (‘SCIL’).

This is even as the House of Representatives on Wednesday okayed the sale of Polaris Bank, noting that the acquisition followed laid down procedure and the relevant presidential approval.

A statement issued by the director, corporate communications department at the CBN, Osita Nwanisobi, on behalf of the CBN and AMCON disclosed that SCIL had paid an upfront consideration of N50 billion to acquire 100 per cent of the equity of Polaris Bank and had also accepted the terms of the agreement which include the full repayment of the sum of N1.305 trillion, being the consideration bonds injected.

According to the statement, “the CBN thus received an immediate return for the value it has created in Polaris Bank during the stabilisation period, as well as ensuring that all funds originally provided to support the intervention are recovered.


https://leadership.ng/strategic-capital-investment-acquires-polaris-bank/

I remember that the minister of labour says we shouldn't worry about Nigerian doctors leaving to other countries at all. In fact it is a welcome development as these guys in diaspora will make returns to develop the Nigerian economy. Moreover he added that the country’s universities will continue to produce thousands of doctors on yearly basis that will meet our health care needs.

All these wicked civil servants that go about deceiving poor and unemployed Nigerians about a vacant position in the civil service. May ICPC continue to catch up with you.

FG should begin by giving network service providers tax waivers before giving these directions. This is necessary to ameliorate the stress these service providers go through in getting fuel and diesel to power their generators to keep their network going, giving the rising cost of petroleum products in Nigeria at present.

Air Peace is peacefully making waves and making life easier and peaceful for Nigerians. God bless Air Peace and enlarge their coast.

I remember that the minister of labour says we shouldn't worry about Nigerian doctors leaving to other countries at all. In fact it is a welcome development as these guys in diaspora will make returns to develop the Nigerian economy. Moreover he added that the country’s universities will continue to produce thousands of doctors on yearly basis that will meet our health care needs.

The long-running depletion of Nigeria’s health workforce has taken a turn for the worse with the doctor-to-patient ratio in the country now 1:10,000 as against the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of 1:1,000, according to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

At the moment, Nigeria has the third-largest number of foreign medical doctors working in the United Kingdom after India and Pakistan.

The director-general of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, disclosed this yesterday at a one-day symposium with the theme: Nigeria’s Recent Health Sector Brain Drain and Its Implications for Sustainable Child and Family Health Service Delivery.

The event was organised by the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) in collaboration with NIPSS, in Abuja, yesterday.

Ayo said, “Nigeria lost over 9,000 medical doctors to the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America between 2016 and 2018, adding that a total of 727 medical doctors trained in Nigeria relocated to the United Kingdom alone in six months, between December 2021 and May 2022.

“The data from the Register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of the UK shows that the number of Nigeria-trained nurses increased by 68.4 percent from 2,790 in March 2017 to 7,256 in March 2022.”

 

The NIPSS DG lamented that this trend of skill migration from the health sector is happening when the country’s population is expanding geometrically.

“It is estimated that by 2030, there will be 272.5 million Nigerians. This implies that there will be no medical doctors to meet the medical needs of the population,” he said.

This, the DG said, calls for an improved health workers’ supply to tackle the supply deficit in order to solve the disease burden and positively turn the tide of health indicators.

He also stressed the need for the country to meet the 15 per cent allocation of the total domestic budget to the health sector as pledged by the country and other African countries in 2001.

The president, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Ojinma Uche, called for the establishment of a Health Development Bank to facilitate development of the health care sector.

He said if agriculture and industries have Agric Bank and Bank of Industries ( BOI), then it is wrong to neglect the sector that provides the basis for the workforce to be strong and productive.

On poor funding of the health sector, Orjinma said since the mandate from the WHO and the Abuja Declaration, Nigeria’s budget allocation for health has remained consistently low between 2.0 and 6.0 per cent (5.75% for 2023 proposed budget).

“In the original 2020 budget of N10.59trillion, Health got N464billion which was approximately 5% (with approximately N52bn as capital expenditure while N412bn was for recurrent expenditure) while Security received N1.5trn which was approximately 14.2% (Defence N975bn, Police Affairs N410bn, Office of National Security Adviser N169bn and Police Service Commission N1.4bn).

“Out of the N464 billion allocated to the Health sector, only N59 billion was for capital expenditure. The news got worse after COVID-19 lockdown as the budget was revised downward and the Health budget was cut in half.

“Kindly tell me how all federal tertiary health institutions will rely on N26 billion to provide structures and cutting-edge equipment for training and services?

“This is why the work environment is depressing, while we can do nothing for many patients despite knowing what to do because of lack of equipment.

“In the 2023 proposed budget, Health is to get N1.17 trillion (5.75%) while Security and Defence will get N2.56trillion (12.5%),” he said.

 

 US Assists 1.9m Nigerians Living With HIV

Meanwhile, the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC) has increased its assistance to over 1.9 million Nigerians living with HIV with access to free treatments.

USCDC country director in Nigeria, Dr Mary Boyd, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day CDC Biannual Programme Performance Review Meeting and Symposium in Abuja yesterday with the theme: “Working Together to Bring Nigeria Closer to HIV Epidemic Control”.

In his speech, Boyd said, “Today 1.9 million people living with HIV have access to free treatments, and its treatment is going to save their lives and allow them to live healthy, productive lives.

“The other thing that I was reflecting on is Americans historically love the underdog, and we root for the underdog, we support the underdog in whatever way we can, and we as the US government have been so proud to be part of the success that Nigeria has had.

“And along the way, we’ve had champions, and those champions are sitting here and also in the audience. So, I want to just appreciate you all. I want to welcome the CEOs of our implementing partners; I call them the superheroes.”

The minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, in his keynote address, lauded the USCDC for its ceaseless efforts and achievements in tackling HIV in Nigeria.

Represented by the national coordinator for AID & STI Prevention, Dr. Akudo Ikpeazu, the minister said Nigeria had enjoyed the goodwill and generosity of the United States government through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

He added that the US had recorded remarkable progress with a reduction of the burden of HIV and contributing remarkably to the 1.9 million Nigerians who are receiving life-saving antiretroviral treatment.

“And, of course, these are the key elements of our response, to name a few, since 2018 which has made us move from a data poor to a data rich country as far as HIV is concerned.”

Brain Drain Hits Health Sector

According to the minister, Nigeria has recommitted itself to work with its partners to drive actions towards achievement of the 2025 global HIV targets and to keep Nigeria on track to ending AIDS by 2030.

He went on: “I take this opportunity to also recognise the partnerships with CDC through which led us to pandemic preparedness and emergency response system and structures have been strengthened in building on the rapid and general support to emergency response to COVID-19.

“I encourage the use of HIV response platforms and investments for continued strengthening of health systems and pandemic preparedness. As you know, in 2020, the government and its major treatment partners, PEPFAR and the US government and the Global Fund, embarked on a joint alignment to resources in support of the National HIV programme.’’

Ehanire further stated that Nigerians had seen the gains of this new implementation architecture and were looking towards the second phase which had been christened Alignment 2.0 as a means to strengthen coordination, leadership and governance of the response, especially at sub national level.

In his goodwill message, the representative of the director general of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Alex Ogundipe, maintained that Nigeria had come to a stable phase of the epidemic.

“All that we’re asking as Nigeria, the Nigerian government, in terms of the way we think about resources, is that it is time to normalise this. It is time to go back to the strategy of efficient ways to do things and fill in the capacity gaps or system deficiencies.

“Let’s build it so that we can return what needs to be returned to the society and let it grow efficiently and effectively. This, for us, is how we define what we mean by sustainability,” he said.

 

COVID-19: 56m Nigerians Vaccinated, Says NPHCDA

The federal government yesterday received 22 portable ultra-low temperature freezers donated by the United Parcel Service (UPS) Foundation to boost the country’s energy-efficient cold chain systems for vaccine storage.

The executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who spoke while receiving the donation in Abuja, disclosed that as of 13th October 2022, a total of 56,594,138 (representing 50.6%) of the 111,776,503 eligible population in the country had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to him, making this remarkable progress amidst persistent disinformation and low risk perception has been possible because of the significant support the country has received from its development partners, including UPS.

Shuaib said, “We cherish our partnership with UPS and will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria meets its target of vaccinating half of its overall population against COVID-19.

“Our country moves rapidly towards herd immunity. It is my firm belief that no country in the world is safe from COVID-19, and no business entity is safe from its adversities until all of us are safe.”

Shuaib reiterated that the SCALES 3.0 campaign strategy recently launched by the Agency offers a unique opportunity for childhood vaccination and other Primary Health Care (PHC) services for beneficiaries concurrently with COVID-19 vaccination.

He, therefore, urged parents to take their eligible children for vaccination against polio, yellow fever, measles and other vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the same locations where the adults also receive COVID-19 vaccines.


https://leadership.ng/brain-drain-in-health-sector-worsens-nigeria-now-has-one-doctor-to-10-000-patients-says-nipss/

When there are no employment opportunities in a country, some people will resort to these kind of crimes. Nigeria needs help to curb these crimes.