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 Health › Re: Experts Fear Epidemic As Homeless Persons Take Over Public Spaces, Turn Highways by ogododo(op): 8:43am On Nov 05, 2023 |
He called for sensitisation of residents on the dangers of open defecation and engagement of stakeholders such as park managers, and construction workers, among others in areas prone to open defecation. Mebawonu said, “Without public toilets, it would be difficult to ensure compliance against open defecation. I also charge non-governmental organisations to get involved. One of the key challenges is that the structure of the public toilets we have appears to be a bit cumbersome. But we can design easy means of constructing these toilets and more importantly, where we don’t have water, water should be provided to ensure the toilets are cleaned properly. “It is not out of place for LGs to budget funds to ensure that that open defecation will go away from us because, at the end of the day, it would help the society to get rid of communicable diseases.” A Professor of Community Medicine and Public Health at the University of Port Harcourt, Best Ordinioha, said the menace of open defecation is caused by the lack of toilets in public and residential areas. According to him, the discontinuation of house-to-house inspections created a vacuum and made house owners build without adequate functional toilets. The don noted that residents and passersby in an environment with faecal wastes stand the risk of coming down with diseases. “Faeces can contaminate water bodies and persons who drink such can come down with diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera and even polio. “Also, there are diseases called soil-transmitted worms such as ascariasis, caused by roundworms. Hookworm is caused by penetration. For example, those who pass through the median could step on the lava of the hookworm and get infected with the disease which is associated with abdominal pains, malnutrition and it sucks blood,” the don said. The professor added that stench from places with open defecation can cause allergic reactions, including asthmatic attacks. “The faeces can support the spread of fungi and when fungi produce their spores, which are the way they multiply, it goes into the air and produces what is caused allergens, and when people breathe them in, they react, leading to asthmatic attacks for those with asthma. “But the main effects of indiscriminate defecation are the excretal related diseases, faecal oral infections can occur when faeces get into the mouth. They get into the mouth through five different methods, flies, fingers, food, fluids and fruits,” the public health researcher explained. Emphasising the importance of building toilets in public places, he said, “Building a public toilet should be a service and it should be free and money devoted to maintaining it. People should be encouraged to use the public toilets and not forced to pay a fee. Though the fee is used for cleaning the toilets, it should not be used as a means of income generation because the health of people is the primary responsibility of the government.” Ordinioha further said access to toilet facilities must be made mandatory in every house and public place. “The government can make it easier by looking out for appropriate technologies such as the VIP pit latrine that has installed a small vent that would not make them smell or be infested by flies. For water-flush toilets, you have to consider the water needs, especially in communities where there are issues with water supply. You can use what is called a sports toilet where only a small quantity of water would be needed to flush the toilets,” he added. No environmental enforcement officers An Environmental Health expert and the President of a non-governmental organisation, Africa Environmental Health Organisation, Adeolu Afolabi, said the presence of illegal motor parks, and the large influx of people, amid inadequate toilets fuels open defecation in the area. “Poor sanitary practices contribute mostly to children dying of diarrhoea and cholera. The lack of inadequate shelter is also an issue in the area,” he added. He called for the provision of adequate public toilets and enforcement of environmental regulations to end indiscriminate defecation. “Our culture and environment also make it easy for people to urinate or defecate anywhere and that needs to be stopped. There is a need for awareness campaigns to stop open defecation and indiscriminate urination, which is causing a nuisance. The dirty nature of the environment would deter people from visiting the area, and this would affect the economic output,” Afolabi said. The president called for community cooperation and appropriate policies on sanitation at the local government level. ‘Ogun to begin enforcement’ The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, when contacted, said the solution to the menace was the enforcement of the alternatives to open defecation. He added that the provision of alternatives, as regards the building of public toilets, was the moral obligation of the government. “We are still building more toilets and the onus is on the people to use the toilets. What we have to do is to carry out enforcement and I think we are already gathering our enforcement team to move out in mass. “Before now, open defecation was prevalent around the Mowe-Ibafo area but we were able to stop that and what we are doing now is to take the same step towards addressing that of the Kara-OPIC area,” Oresanya said. He added that the menace was due to the displacement of some northerners who now took refuge under the bridge. The Commissioner revealed that two new public toilets would be constructed in the Kara area to complement the one operated by individuals Oresanya said, “This underscores the need for the urban renewal of the entire area and we are working with the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning to make sure that while not displacing some of our people there, we would be able to do something that would be befitting to the state. “In a matter of days, we would carry out enforcement of the two-week ultimatum for roadside traders to leave the premises. We are not saying people from other tribes should not settle in the area but they have to follow the rule of engagement. There must be rules that guide how one operates and transacts in a community and we need to set the rule that guides that standard. On plans to clean up the area after the enforcement team had been deployed, the commissioner added, “We are bringing in steam washers to clean up the area. It is disgraceful for humans to be so debased to the level where they would defecate right in the middle of a newly constructed road. It is not acceptable in any normal human settlement.” Meanwhile, efforts made to speak with the Lagos State Commissioner of Environment, Tokunbo Wahab and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Gbenga Omotosho, proved abortive as they did not respond to calls and text messages. |
| Health › Experts Fear Epidemic As Homeless Persons Take Over Public Spaces, Turn Highways by ogododo(op): 8:43am On Nov 05, 2023 |
Nigeria’s odorous reputation for widespread open defecation seems to have come to stay. This sordid act is perpetrated with impunity along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, from Kara to the New Garage bus stop end. The Highway medians and roadsides are splattered with foul-smelling, congealed human waste, which leaves pedestrians and road users at the mercy of intolerable stench and environmental pollution. Janet Ogundepo writes Amid the misty dawn of that Wednesday morning, a driving instructor, Samuel Bewaji, left home for his workplace at the Isheri area of the Lagos/Ogun State border. Full of hopes and expectations for the day, he made to cross the three-lane carriageway at the New Garage Bus stop, at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. As soon as he got to the road median demarcating the carriageway, his sight was assailed by splotches and litters of faecal waste and he was forced to cover his nose due to the poignant stench that hung thickly in the air. Ibadan Family Where Dad, Mum, Two Children Are Vulcanisers | Punch All that Bewaji, who now had a scowl on his face, could do was shake his head, release some spittle and hurry away. The ugly sight increased the pace he began with before crossing the expressway. After crossing the remaining part of the three-carriage way to the New Garage end, close to his office, he seemed to regain his composure. Speaking with our correspondent, he said having to pass through the polluted median, coupled with safety concerns of crossing the busy road was a challenge he faced daily. “While crossing, if you don’t watch your steps, you’ll step into the faeces. The stench of the place is terrible. Most of the people hanging around this area are homeless and they come to the middle road late at night to mess up everywhere,” he lamented. Still pissed at the sigh he had beheld and shaking his head intermittently as he spoke to our correspondent, Bewaji blurted, “In fact, I couldn’t swallow what I was eating again. At Kara, the situation is worse such that open defecation is practised in broad daylight as against here, where it is done mostly at night.” The driving instructor called on the Ogun State government to clear the excreta and construct a pedestrian bridge to ensure the safe crossing of pedestrians. A thriving open-defecation colony A few metres away from where Bewaji encountered the messy median, a middle-aged man stopped abruptly, zipped down and openly urinated. Blatantly ignoring the angry stare from pedestrians trying to cross the road and also turning his back on motorists caught in the gridlock which had become synonymous with axis, a dispatch rider, identified as Friday, parked his motorbike and openly urinated by the roadside. Seeming relieved and glad to have done the act before continuing his Lagos-bound trip, Friday claimed that he had to carry out the act there because “there was nowhere else to pee.” When asked why he did not request to use the toilet inside a petrol station which was close to where he carried out the act and had earlier refilled his fuel tank, he claimed to always avoid “public toilets for fear of contracting infection. According to him, whenever he goes on his all-day trip around Lagos making deliveries, he answers the call of nature in the bushes around. Like a thief in the night Based on observation and interaction with many people, including traders, who live in the area, open defecation is mainly perpetrated in the night or before dawn. It has also been said that people who do it are mostly homeless persons, traders, pedestrians and others. It is said to be worse in arears with no public toilet. Though our correspondent got to the area before 6am, no one was seen defecating in the median, however, the sight and smell of fresh faeces hung thickly in the air, confirming that the act was done in the dead of the night. However, as this correspondent went from the Berger axis of the median to the New Garage, Kara and OPIC axis, pockets of faeces littered the stretch amid dirt and pools of stagnant water. Interestingly, around that time, some homeless persons residing on and under the pedestrian bridge at Berger bus stop and under the bridge at Magboro could be seen discreetly having their baths while evading the light beams from the motorist’s headlights A revenue collector at New Garage, Ganiyu Shonubi, said that those who conduct ‘legitimate’ activities around the area are complicit in defacing and polluting the environment with faeces. Although claimed to only work for a few days at the park, he and other colleagues make use of the public toilet at the back of a nearby pharmacy. True to his words, a pharmacy was located close to the roundabout where most of them were seated, but a sign indicating the presence of a public toilet was missing. Still bent on ensuring that those who conduct their businesses at the garage are not implicated in open defecation, Shonubi alleged that passersby were those responsible for the faeces dotting the median. A few meters away from where Shonubi was seated stood an uncompleted public toilet with a yellow roof. A tour of the facility showed that it had been abandoned and not in use. However, the back was filled with dirt and stagnant water; evidence that early morning baths were being taken there. “They mess that place up and this continues because we don’t have enforcement officers to arrest them. These people would come very early in the morning and late at night to defecate around here,” were the responses of Ajeet Yerima, a security guard at Sparklight Estate, when asked about the faeces that littered the median, which was a few meters away from his duty post. “As an African man, I have learnt to endure the smell and all,” he said with a shrug. He insisted that only enforcement by government agencies can dissuade those who perpetrate the sordid act. He explained that louts and homeless persons are responsible for open defecation in the axis, adding that they carry out the act under the cover of darkness. He, however, said the distance of public toilets at Kara to the road and their filthy state deter passersby from using the facilities. The purpose of a median According to a civil engineering website, Allaboutcivil.org, a median, which could be made of concrete or asphalt, depending on the design and function of the road, was important in ensuring traffic safety by providing a physical barrier between opposing traffic and reducing the risk of head-on-collisions. In simple terms, road medians are barriers between opposing movement of vehicles to prevent accidents. But the function of the road median seems to have been defeated along this stretch as the facility now serves as an open defecation hub. Fighting the malady According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, in 2015, 892 million people worldwide still practised open defecation, while only 2.9 billion used a safely managed sanitation service. UNICEF’s 2021 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene report, stated that 48 million Nigerians, that is 23 per cent of the population, practice open defecation. The report further indicated that despite efforts of the government and partners at ending open defecation, the rapidly growing population is dwarfing the gains made so far. Based on the report, access to WASH services in institutions and public places, especially in schools, health facilities, markets and motor parks was 11, 6 and 4 per cent, respectively. It further revealed that the North Central accounted for 47 per cent of open defecation in the country, while the South West – 24 per cent; South-South, 23 per cent; South East, 22 per cent; North East, 17 per cent and Northwest 11 per cent. “This suggests a huge neglect of WASH programming in Nigerian institutions, thereby impacting educational attainment, health costs, livelihoods, and ultimately, the country’s economic development,” the report stated in part. It went on to note that people in rural areas, which make up 31 per cent, were four times more likely to practice open defecation than those living in urban areas. “Despite the increase in the number of people with access to basic sanitation services, the proportion of people practising open defecation has barely changed since 2019, with the number increasing from 46 million in 2019 to 48 million in 2021,” it added. Interestingly, open defecation by the Gender of Head of Household, showed that women, 24 per cent, practised more open defecation than men, who stood at 23 per cent. But while Ebonyi State recorded the highest – 73 per cent, Zamfara recorded the lowest, 1 per cent; Lagos, 3 per cent; Ogun, 14 per cent and the Federal Capital Territory, 30 per cent. These data further presented Nigeria as the number one country in Africa, and the top two globally, with the largest number of people still practicing open defecation. According to the World Health Organisation/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme on Water Supply, OD is the practice of relieving oneself in fields, bushes, bodies of water and other spaces. Target 6.2 of the UN-SDGs mandates countries to end open defecation and provide access to sufficient and even-handed sanitation and hygiene, especially to women and girls prone to socioeconomic and cultural risks. The WHO/UNICEF JMP identifies Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest prevalence of OD practices in the world, where 25 per cent to 50 per cent of its citizens engage in it. Its economic links are revealed in World Bank data showing a higher prevalence in low-income, least developed, highly indebted, fragile, or war-torn countries. UNICEF’s intervention In February this year, the UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Nigeria, Jane Bevan, called for the introduction of subsidies to encourage vulnerable persons to build and use their toilets. She stated that this move was towards meeting the National Open Defecation Free Roadmap in the country by 2025, as well as ending the consequent outbreaks of cholera and other contaminable diseases. Bevan said, “Children suffer mostly during an outbreak of disease. This is the reason we must stop open defecation. “We are thinking about introducing subsidies to encourage vulnerable people to build their toilets, we are working to do this through the introduction of loans in Bauchi and Oyo states.” Ogun cholera outbreaks triggered by open defecation Last month, Punch Healthwise reported the increasing cholera outbreaks sweeping through communities in Ogun State. The latest reported death toll was 12 with over 200 confirmed cases. Findings revealed that open defecation and indiscriminate waste disposal in water bodies were plausible causes for the outbreak. The state government had on September 17, 2023, alerted residents to the outbreak of Cholera in the Ijebu North Local Government Area, disclosing that three deaths had been recorded. The disease later spread to Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South LGs in the state capital. Findings made by the PUNCH revealed that cholera outbreaks had been a yearly occurrence since 2020 in the state, before the current outbreak due to the absence of toilet facilities in most homes, especially in the capital, Abeokuta. According to UNICEF, the negative impact of open defecation on health is far-reaching as it contaminates the environment. It further noted that this has a ripple effect on the development of the child, especially child mortality, morbidity, under-nutrition, stunting, and poor cognitive development. UNICEF noted that Nigeria needs to build 20 million household toilets, and 43,000 toilets in schools, health centres, and public places to become a clean and healthy country and become OD-free by 2025. Related News W’Bank advises govt on public spending Minister vows to get accurate housing deficit data FG shortlists bidders for 12 highways in Lagos, Kano, others Houses without toilets A source, who is a temporary resident in the Kara area, told our correspondent that some houses that are close to the Ogun River, which flows underneath the Kara Bridge, lacked toilets. It was gathered that some residents resorted to disposing of their faecal waste in the water bodies or by the road median Some residents who spoke to our correspondent said the stench from the human excreta was worse in the Kara-OPIC area, noting faeces not only litter the median but also roadsides, the bank of the Ogun River and the cattle market. They also said that the public toilet at Kara was not easily accessible to passersby in need of it. As part of measures to restore environmental sanity to the road and end open defecation, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on October 23, gave a 21-day ultimatum to street traders on road setbacks along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The PUNCH had reported that the order concerned those operating at Kara, Isheri, and Warewa areas of the road more. “So, my government will not wait and allow a small group of individuals in the name of trading, which is outside approved markets, put the safety and health of our decent people at risk,” the governor said. All eyes are on the Ogun gov on what actions will be taken after the 21-day ultimatum expires this week. The dearth of environmental health officials A source from the government environmental health department, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said environmental health practice was meant to be regulated by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria. The source stated that in the past, each local government council had an environmental health officer, and said the absence of such created room for open defecation to thrive. According to the WHO, for every 8,000 population, there must be an environmental health officer, who would work alongside other environmental health technicians and assistants to take care of the population. “The major obligation of the environmental health officer is community service and preventive healthcare. This comprises sanitary inspection of premises, detection of nuisance in the premises, giving necessary advice and serving of default notice. If the occupants of the premises refuse to comply, they will take the matter to court or carry out enforcement of the nuisance they have detected. “With the present population of Nigeria today, compared to the number of environmental health workers, who are not up to 15,000 distributed in the local state and federal governments, what we have now is the percentage of one HO to 58,000 population,” the source revealed. The environmental office decried the low ratio of environmental health officers to the required population and the lack of regard given to the HO popularly called, Wole wole, in the South-Western part of the country. The source also stated that the HOs were no longer respected whenever they went on inspection and enforcement in communities. “People are no longer enlightened about the activities of the EHO, such that when we go on inspection, we won’t be listened to and what is being said would not be complied with. There is the need for more engagement, education and enlightenment of the EHO and increase their numbers in the public health education sector,” the source said. An act emboldened by strangers Some traders in makeshift stalls at the entrance of an estate by at Kara bus stop told our correspondent that the influx of strangers and homeless persons into the community was responsible for the increase in open defecation. One of them, Saheed Rauf said, “There are lots of visitors coming into this area and when they are directed to the fee-paying public toilet by the bridge and the animal market, they would refuse to go there. So many of them, under the cover of the night and at dawn, defecate in the median and there is no one to arrest them. “The government is the one that can enforce monitoring and prevention of open defecation. Individuals who are left with their feeding fee would not want to part away with such for them to ease themselves, they would rather seek a freer alternative,” he said. Rauf confirmed that some houses in the area have no toilets and bathrooms and see the bank of the Ogun River as a convenient toilet. ‘A nuisance to public health’ A Public Health Consultant, Dr Tuyi Mebawonu, said open defecation has become a nuisance that causes trouble for the entire population. According to him, this malady pollutes the air, land and water bodies, spreading diseases and disease-carrying vectors. “If open defecation occurs on land, it attracts a lot of flies. Flies cause a lot of vector-borne diseases, including dengue fever, wetland virus, and malaria. Flies that touch these faeces would then pollute food and transfer bacteria from the faecal matter to water and food sources, especially fruits that are displayed openly by the roadside. Bacteria responsible for diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera are transferred from the faecal matter into the food and then we have oral faecal diseases. “Quite a lot of the eggs of various parasites are transferred to individuals. The contamination of the water source also contaminates the fish and then people can contract diseases,” he said. Mebawonu added that the long-term effects of stench from the polluted environment are heart disease, respiratory distress and certain types of cancers. “Unfortunately, Nigeria is a leading country in open defecation. We overtook India some years ago because we were not building toilets and ensuring that homelessness is reduced. People that are exposed to open defecation tend to have poor nutrition and the issue of child mortality is higher among them,” he added. Mebawonu urged Local Government Chairmen to build public toilets in wards, especially where there are lots of human activities and to put in place security teams to monitor and ensure cleanliness. “When you charge people to use these toilets, it pushes them further into extreme acts. There must be something that the local government can provide in this regard. After the toilets are built, they must be monitored and compliance must be ensured. “Another thing is that the toilet must be clean enough. If it is not clean, people would run away from it to urinate and defecate openly,” the public health physician pointed out. https://punchng.com/experts-fear-epidemic-as-homeless-persons-take-over-public-spaces-turn-highways-to-toilets/ |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Tottenham Hotspur Vs Chelsea (1 - 4) On 6th November 2023 by ogododo(op): 8:53pm On Nov 04, 2023 |
Tottenham are under pressure. They are top of the league and there is some expectation building now. For once, and this hasn't happened for a long time in games between Chelsea and Tottenham Spurs are expected to win this match. |
| Celebrities › Re: Happie Boys Chilling With Friends In Nigeria After Their Deportation From Cyprus by ogododo: 9:59am On Nov 04, 2023 |
TMSMedia:Poverty go wire dem head. 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Poverty Not A Shameful Thing But It's Just Not Acceptable – President Tinubu by ogododo(op): 9:58am On Nov 04, 2023 |
madridguy:Longy time ooo. Dem don de come out. |
| Politics › Poverty Not A Shameful Thing But It's Just Not Acceptable – President Tinubu by ogododo(op): 9:56am On Nov 04, 2023 |
President Bola Tinubu has stated that poverty is not shameful but “unacceptable” while speaking against the background of the rising inflation, increasing cost of living, acute hunger, and rising level of poverty and hardship in Nigeria. Tinubu who said this at the closing ceremony of a three-day cabinet retreat which took place in the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, said that a check of everyone’s history would show that there is a trace of poverty in it. The President therefore tasked members of his cabinet and other top management staff of the civil service to work together, change the narrative of Nigeria, and bring economic prosperity to the country. ChannelsTV quoted Tinubu as saying, “Since we are one family and one nation, and we are in this vehicle together, to change the narrative and bring about economic prosperity of our country; are we ready? “Poverty is not a shameful thing but it’s not just acceptable. If you check your history, there’s a trace of poverty in it but we should find a way to dig ourselves out of it. “So, it is left for you and me to navigate his ship out of poverty. We have a lot of work ahead of us.” His cabinet members therefore promised President Tinubu that they would work for Nigerians and work as a team to achieve the best for the country. https://saharareporters.com/2023/11/04/poverty-not-shameful-thing-its-just-not-acceptable-president-tinubu-tells-nigerians-amid 1 Like |
| Politics › N5bn Yacht: Navy Confirms Delivery, Faces Payment Crisis Over N’assembly Opposit by ogododo(op): 3:51am On Nov 04, 2023 |
Amid the raging debate on the N5bn presidential yacht to be procured by the Federal Government, as captured in the 2023 supplementary budget submitted to the National Assembly, the Nigerian Navy on Friday affirmed that it had taken delivery of the yacht. The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, stated that the yacht had been in the country since June, 2023. He explained that the service made a “long overdue request” for the replacement of the defunct presidential yacht during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He stressed that the yacht was for training. Meanwhile, indications have emerged that the payment for the yacht may suffer delay, given the opposition by the two chambers of the National Assembly, in which case the federal lawmakers refused to approve the payment for the yacht. Thus, while the yacht has been delivered to the country, how the government would raise money for it remains to be seen in the coming days and months. Earlier on Friday, the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, clarified during an interview on Arise TV that the presidential yacht had been signed and delivered before the public outcry, even though it had not been paid for. “The deal for the yacht has been agreed, signed, and delivered but not paid for,” he noted. Breaking Barriers: Trailblazing Female Mechanic Ayotunde Shares Her Story | Punch Ndume noted that the Senate queried the amount budgeted for the yacht, but that it was signed for a dollar rate, and that the new rate was no longer favourable. He pointed out that the budget was predicated on N435, but that the rate was now over N800/dollar. He said the navy also clarified that it was not a new budget, and that even the House of Representatives moved the budgeted sum to the Student Loan. Ndume explained that the N5bn earmarked for the yacht was included in the supplementary budget because it had yet to be paid for. “When we saw that amount, we queried it. When we asked those questions, the navy explained that this was not a new item. I know the President is not a luxurious person, he won’t go for that.” Navy justifies purchase As many Nigerians hoped that the procurement would be halted on account of widespread criticism, owing to the current economic situation, the revelation on Friday that it had been delivered to the country introduced a new twist to the issue. About N5bn had been allocated to the yacht in the N2.1trn supplementary budget transmitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday. But speaking on the issue in the interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the naval spokesperson said, “It was delivered in June 2023. We have not used it yet.” When asked if the inability to pay for the yacht was responsible for the delay in using it, he stated, “Correct. It’s tied to the non-payment.” This implies that until the payment is made, the navy may not be able to use it for its operational activities. Amid heavy criticisms that had greeted the procurement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had said the yacht was not for Tinubu’s personal use. He had stated, “What was named as Presidential Yacht in the budget is an operational naval boat with specialised security gadgets suitable for high-profile operational inspection and not for the use of the President.” The navy during an interview with our correspondent on Thursday also confirmed the statement by the presidency, stressing that the navy, and not Tinubu requested for the yacht. He had said, “Under the immediate past administration, a long overdue request was made for a Presidential yacht to replace MV AMARIA, the defunct Presidential yacht. It was also to be used for the Presidential Fleet Review 2023 that was held in May this year.” Senate clarifies position Meanwhile, there are fresh concerns that payment for the yacht may suffer delay given the opposition to the payment by the two chambers of the National Assembly. By constitutional provisions, the procurement of items by the government is subject to legislative approval. Therefore, as the federal lawmakers have expunged the payment for the yacht from the supplementary budget, it might create a crisis for the payment of the yacht and when it can be put to use. Against widespread reports that the Senate approved the payment while the House of Representatives on the other hand expunged the item and added it to the money budgeted for the student loan, indications emerged on Friday that the Senate also did not approve the payment. The Senate said it aligned with the House of Representatives on the reallocation of the N5.095bn appropriated for the presidential yacht to be added to the student loan. The National Assembly had on Thursday approved the supplementary budget. While the Senate was silent on the N5bn proposed for the yacht in the budget, the House of Representatives cancelled the allocation and added it to the student loan. Clarifying the position of the Red Chamber, the Senate Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, noted that the report was co-signed by both the chairmen of appropriation for both Senate and House of Representatives. He noted that both the Chairman, Senate committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola, and the chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, had agreed on moving the yacht allocation to the students’ loan laid before the lawmakers. Adaramodu stated, “It was an agreement that was signed by both chambers. The fact that the Senate didn’t expressly mention it doesn’t mean that we were not on the same page. “One chamber cannot singlehandedly sign a supplementary budget, the paper presented at the Senate was the same presented at the House. Both chairmen consolidated their reports and presented it at the plenary. “As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, I can tell you that we didn’t approve any money for the presidential yacht.” https://punchng.com/n5bn-yacht-navy-confirms-delivery-faces-payment-crisis-over-nassembly-opposition/? |
| Business › Naira Depreciates To N1,180/$ In Parallel Market by ogododo(op): 7:55am On Nov 03, 2023 |
The naira yesterday depreciated to N1,180 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,170 per dollar on Wednesday.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/11/naira-depreciates-to-n1180-in-parallel-market/ 2 Likes 1 Share
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| Business › Re: Crude Shortage Delays Dangote Refinery, Five Others’ Take-off by ogododo: 9:05am On Nov 02, 2023 |
Ikaeniyan0:Dem dey join anoda song. After de reggie, play de blue, dangote no get anything for una. |
| Health › Re: High Mobile Phone Use May Impact Sperm Count, Study Says by ogododo(op): 9:04am On Nov 02, 2023 |
Nlfpmod, no put phone for blokos oo. 2 Likes |
| Health › High Mobile Phone Use May Impact Sperm Count, Study Says by ogododo(op): 8:28am On Nov 02, 2023 |
Male sperm count has fallen by more than 50% globally in the last 50 years, leaving researchers scrambling to understand why. Could it be pollution, PFAS and other potential toxins in our food and water, an increase in obesity and chronic disease, or even the ever-present mobile phone?https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/01/health/mobile-phone-sperm-count-wellness/index.html 1 Like
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| Politics › Re: FG Budgets N5 Billion For Presidential Yacht, N5.5 Billion For Student Loan by ogododo(op): 3:39pm On Nov 01, 2023 |
TemplarLandry:Renewed shege bansa. |
| Politics › Re: FG Budgets N5 Billion For Presidential Yacht, N5.5 Billion For Student Loan by ogododo(op): 3:33pm On Nov 01, 2023 |
Yacht dey important dan student education, just dey play. We dey on his mandate. |
| Politics › FG Budgets N5 Billion For Presidential Yacht, N5.5 Billion For Student Loan by ogododo(op): 3:25pm On Nov 01, 2023 |
The federal government has proposed to appropriate the sum of N5.095 billion for the purchase of a Presidential yacht under the capital expenditure Nigeria Navy and N5.5 billion for education loan fund in the 2023 supplementary budget. This is contained in the 2023 supplementary appropriation details of MDA spending obtained by Nairametrics. According to the document, the Nigerian Navy proposed a capital expenditure of 42.3 billion and a recurrent expenditure of N20.42 billion making a budget of around N62.8 billion. Other items in the budget proposal from the Nigerian Navy include; the purchase of vehicles, construction of the naval base in Lekki and Epe, provision of critical equipment, and purchase of ammunition. The student loan program The Federal government under the capital supplementation for the 2023 supplementary budget proposed the sum of N5.5 billion as an education loan fund to fund the student loan. The total capital supplementation for the 2023 supplementary budget totalled N210.5 billion. The Access to Education Act also called Student Loan Act was sponsored by Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila passed by the ninth NASS but signed into law by President Tinubu in June. The law seeks to provide interest-free loans to students of higher institutions across the country and bring an end to incessant industrial actions plaguing higher institutions of learning in the country. President Bola Tinubu during a recent address at the Nigeria Economic Summit noted that the student loan program “must begin in January 2024” after initial delays. News continues after this ad Industrial Actions in Nigerian Universities Nigerian higher institutions have been plagued by recurring industrial actions from staff unions, ASUU, ASUP, etc. Major reasons for the actions range from lack of funding and autonomy of tertiary institutions. In 2022, around 8months of learning in Nigerian Universities was lost due to industrial action from the Academic Staff Union of Universities. In 2020, the University staff union also embarked on a 9-month strike to press home their demands from the government. https://nairametrics.com/2023/11/01/fg-budgets-n5-billion-for-presidential-yacht-n5-5-billion-for-student-loan/ |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Bournemouth Vs Liverpool EFL Cup (1 - 2) On 1st November 2023 by ogododo(op): 8:49am On Nov 01, 2023 |
Liverpool will be away to Bournemouth this Wednesday in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. This is the third time the two teams are meeting in the competition. Bournemouth earned their first Premier League win of the season last time out at home. A 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Burnley moved them out of the relegation zone and also ended a three-match losing run. Andoni Iraola’s men will now seek to ride off the high of the win and upset their in-form visitors. Bournemouth, who haven’t lost at home in the League Cup in 10 outings, defeated Stoke 2-0 at home in the last round. The win allowed them to advance to this round for the second successive season. It is highly likely that the team that started against Burnley will see a raft of changes made to it here. Liverpool are also expected to make changes to their squad for this match. Jurgen Klopp’s men play their next three matches away from home and resting some first-team players is imperative here. The Reds have been in excellent form so far this season and have lost only once in 14 matches across all competitions. Seven of those victories have come in the league where they sit just three points off the pace. Liverpool defeated Nottingham Forest 3-0 at home last time out. The win extended their current unbeaten run to five matches and was their fourth victory in this spell. Wednesday’s visitors have won eight of the last 10 meetings with the Cherries. |
| Health › Re: Depreciating Naira Value Pushes Medical Care Beyond Nigerians by ogododo(op): 10:57am On Oct 31, 2023 |
To buy common drug no dey easy again under APC. 13 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Kogi Central: Appeal Court Sacks Apc's Ohere, Affirms Pdp's Natasha Akpoti by ogododo: 10:54am On Oct 31, 2023 |
[quote author=fergie001 post=126713761][/quote]Kongatulations. |
| Health › Depreciating Naira Value Pushes Medical Care Beyond Nigerians by ogododo(op): 8:21am On Oct 31, 2023 |
•N1, 170 to US$1 monumental tragedy — PSN Presidenthttps://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/depreciating-naira-value-pushes-medical-care-beyond-nigerians/amp/ 4 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics › Re: Rivers Assembly: Faction Elects Ehie Edison, Fubara Congratulates New 'Speaker' by ogododo: 3:24pm On Oct 30, 2023*. Modified: 5:18pm On Oct 30, 2023 |
fergie001:Make I sing Wike lead song, I he dey sweet us, he dey pain dem. 4 Likes |
| Politics › Re: UK Court Adjourns Hearing On Diezani Alison-Madueke's Case To 2025 by ogododo(op): 3:23pm On Oct 30, 2023 |
Nlfpmod, Diezani don chop go be dat. 7 Likes |
| Politics › Re: UK Court Adjourns Hearing On Diezani Alison-Madueke's Case To 2025 by ogododo(op): 3:11pm On Oct 30, 2023 |
Pat081:No be same UK court rule on P&ID case? 10 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › UK Court Adjourns Hearing On Diezani Alison-Madueke's Case To 2025 by ogododo(op): 2:57pm On Oct 30, 2023 |
The Southwark Crown Court in the UK has adjourned hearing on the suit involving Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, to November 2025.https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-uk-court-adjourns-hearing-on-diezanis-case-to-2025/amp 6 Likes
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| Politics › Re: Kidnappers Murder Washima Erukaa, Bury Him While Negotiating Ransom by ogododo(op): 5:19pm On Oct 29, 2023 |
Nlfpmod. |
| Politics › Re: President Tinubu’s Loyalists Accuse Chief Of Staff Gbajabiamila Of Selling Appoi by ogododo(op): 4:54pm On Oct 29, 2023 |
. |
| Politics › Kidnappers Murder Washima Erukaa, Bury Him While Negotiating Ransom by ogododo(op): 4:54pm On Oct 29, 2023 |
Kidnappers have murdered a former chairman of Katsina Ala and Ukum local government areas of Benue State, Elder Washima Erukaa.https://dailypost.ng/2023/10/29/kidnappers-murder-former-benue-lg-chairman-bury-him-while-negotiating-ransom-with-family/ 3 Likes
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| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: Liverpool Vs Nottingham Forest (3 - 0) On 29th October 2023 by ogododo(op): 4:50pm On Oct 29, 2023 |
3-0 Liverpool. |
| Politics › President Tinubu’s Loyalists Accuse Chief Of Staff Gbajabiamila Of Selling Appoi by ogododo(op): 12:07pm On Oct 29, 2023 |
This report noted that this has caused outrage among members of the public who are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter and demanding the immediate suspension of Gbajabiamila for allegedly profiting from government appointments. Some loyalists of President Bola Tinubu have accused the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila of selling appointments to the highest bidders, Daily Post reports. This report noted that this has caused outrage among members of the public who are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter and demanding the immediate suspension of Gbajabiamila for allegedly profiting from government appointments. Last week, the President appointed 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, sources told the newspaper that since the beginning of President Tinubu's administration, Gbajabiamila has been replacing some of the names of individuals approved by the President for appointments with his own choices. One of the examples cited is the replacement of the name of Ekiti REC with the name of a former commissioner under the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi. The source was quoted by Daily Post saying: “The REC from Ekiti that he (Gbajabiamila) put there, the man was Fayemi’s former commissioner, that was not the person Asiwaju signed off on. The person Asiwaju signed off on was one Toyin (Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola), the former Legal Adviser of INEC. “But when the announcement was made, two members of the President’s cabinet met with him too complain that the person they nominated had been changed with another person. “The President was infuriated, he said he checked the name of the woman before he signed the list. “He summoned his CoS, but when he arrived, he was stuttering. The President asked him to bring the list he signed. “The President said so, what he has been hearing is true that whenever he signs something, it will be changed. The President gave three instances, that he signed for something and was changed. He felt bad and gave him the last warning. He directed that the woman’s name must be on the list.” The source added that following Gbajabiamila’s alleged actions, a plan was in place to ease him out of the Villa by giving him an ambassadorial appointment. “This is like the 5th time the CoS is embarrassing the President. There is a plan to ease him out of Villa by giving him an ambassadorial position,” the source said. Another source noted that the President’s Private Principal Secretary, PPS, Akeem Okunola, was already doing some of Gbajabiamila’s work pending the resolution of the issue. Besides, it was gathered that the President was already putting up a team that would help the CoS. The source continued: “The National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) issue too, that wasn’t the person Asiwaju recommended for the position. Halima Sheu was the one recommended by Asiwaju. https://saharareporters.com/2023/10/29/president-tinubus-loyalists-accuse-chief-staff-gbajabiamila-selling-appointments-highest |
| Politics › Supreme Court Has Only 10 Justices, Lowest Ever In Nigerian History — CJN by ogododo(op): 3:52pm On Oct 27, 2023 |
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has disclosed that the Supreme Court presently has the fewest Justices in Nigerian history.https://saharareporters.com/2023/10/27/supreme-court-has-only-10-justices-lowest-ever-nigerian-history-chief-justice-ariwoola 3 Likes 4 Shares
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| Politics › Presidential Polls: PDP Expresses Disappointment Over Supreme Court Decision by ogododo(op): 2:55pm On Oct 26, 2023 |
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed disappointment with the judgement of the Supreme Court which threw out its petition against the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the disputed February 25th, 2023 presidential election. The party said it was appalled by the judgment of the Court in the petition which it filed alongside the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as winners of the polls as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Thursday. He said, “The PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court which the PDP believes is against the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, the Guideline and Regulation issued by INEC under which the election was conducted. “The PDP asserts that it is indeed a sad commentary for our democracy that the Supreme Court failed to uphold the provisions of the law. “Instead, it trashed the expectation of the majority of Nigerians who looked up to it as a Temple of Impartiality to deliver substantial justice in the matter having regards to the laws and facts of the case. “Nigerians earnestly expected the Supreme Court to uphold and defend the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution in terms of qualification and minimum requirement for a winner to be declared in a Presidential election in Nigeria, especially with regards to the required statutory 25 per cent of votes in the FCT as well as issues of violation of electoral Rules and Guidelines, brazen manipulations and alterations of election results by the APC. “Nigerians are still at a loss as to how the Supreme Court condoned the serious issues of forgery, falsehood and perjury on the altar of technicalities. “The general gloom, melancholy and sense of despondency across the country upon the delivery of the judgment is an ominous sign of eerie situation which portend grave consequences because of the disappointment embedded in the judgment. British TikToker jailed in Peru for smuggling cocaine “This judgment by the Supreme Court has shaken the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court as the last hope of the common man. “The PDP remains undeterred and charges Nigerians not to be discouraged or allow the judgment to detract from their collective quest for the entrenchment of a credible electoral system that can guarantee a government that truly derives its legitimacy from the people.” https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/presidential-polls-pdp-expresses-disappointment-over-supreme-court-decision/ |
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