₦airaland Forum

Looking at it globally and in African countries ,Nigeria still has higher number and qualified medical personnel but my advice to Nigeria government is to provide adequate facilities and equipment for our health care workers for effective assignment

NIGERIA HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A LEADER IN HEALTHCARE, SAYS OSINBAJO

*VP adds: There are world class experts here, we must build local capacity

*Health sector reforms committee an important vehicle of transformation

Nigeria must take its own destiny in its hands, build local capacities that will ensure health access to the people, and take advantage of the opportunity to become a leading nation in healthcare.

This is the submission of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who is of the firm belief that there are already clear indications that "we are well on the way," to getting the job done.

Speaking today in Abuja at the International Conference on Health Access beyond COVID-19, Prof. Osinbajo highlighted the country’s strengths in the areas of healthcare while emphasising major steps the country needs to take in order to improve its heath system.

According to him, one of the eye openers from the COVID-19 pandemic "is that despite infrastructural weaknesses we have an experienced and robust public health system, peopled by some of the best personnel in the world, but more importantly (is) the huge opportunities for becoming a leading nation in healthcare.”

Buttressing his point on building local capacity, the VP noted that the pandemic revealed further that *“every nation is on her own in a global pandemic, and how vaccine-rich nations at some point even banned exports in order to meet local needs, it is clear that we must take our destiny in our own hands. And there is great potential.

“Last December, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) launched a new set of COVID-19 test kits that can produce results in 57 minutes. The new kit was designed by Joseph Shaibu, a molecular virologist at NIMR.”

The VP declared that “the healthcare system of our dreams is ahead of us, we know what we want and what is possible. We have the men and women with the required expertise; what we need is more diligent and focused management.

“Only recently the President established the Healthcare Reform committee which I have the privilege of chairing. That may well be at least one of the vehicles for ensuring that we are able to get some of our dreams comes true."

Establishing the health sector reform committee is one of the ways the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration is making concerted efforts towards transforming the country’s health sector.

According to the VP, other ongoing measures include funding for healthcare research and developing solutions in pharmaceuticals and medical consumables; and the health sector component of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP).

“It is evident that the way forward is more funding for health care research and for innovators to develop solutions in pharmaceuticals and medical consumables, the VP disclosed.

He continued: "Our administration established the Healthcare Sector Intervention Fund Facility which has disbursed N76.98 billion to finance the acquisition and installation of critical medical equipment as well as the expansion of production lines in various pharmaceutical companies across the country.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is also supporting a number of research and development initiatives in the health sector. In all, a total of N233 billion in grants has been disbursed.”

“In our Economic Sustainability Plan, designed to mitigate and take advantage of the consequences of the pandemic. One of the cross-cutting issues identified for action was the development of Nigeria’s capacity to become Africa’s hub for the manufacture of generic drugs.”

Prof. Osinbajo further emphasized government’s commitment in supporting pharmaceutical and research agencies to develop and manufacture vaccines locally, and so enhance Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical capacity.

“In his Independence Day speech, the President also noted that the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund for this initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19," the Vice President restated.

He further explained that Nigeria‘s existing public health infrastructure was crucial in helping the country respond effectively to the global pandemic.

“The Ebola outbreak of 2014 and our ongoing battle with Lassa fever and our successes with polio eradication helped us to tighten our epidemic contingency plans, strengthen our emergency coordination and surveillance capacities, and also to invest in public health laboratories," he asserted.

Also, he recalled that during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, between 2014 to 2016, "the first case in Nigeria was confirmed and sequenced at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), The Center was also instrumental to containing the epidemic in the sub-region by the development of a 15-minute Rapid Diagnostics. This method was approved by the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration, FDA of the US government.

“One of the key lessons we learned from our response to the Ebola outbreak was the need to build systems in ‘peace time’ that can be used during outbreaks. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which was founded in 2011 was made an independent government agency in 2018 as we prioritised the strengthening of our public health infrastructure… it is evident that the NCDC is one of the best prepared and resourced, at least in Africa.”

He also acknowledged the impressive work of the ACEGID, at Redeemers University in Ede, Osun State Nigeria. The ACEGID team led by Prof. Christian Happi analysed the sample of the first COVID-19 case in Nigeria, and sub-Saharan Africa.

In recognition of the work of Nigerian scientists by international bodies, Prof. Osinbajo added that, “Professor Happi and his team have also produced a ground breaking rapid test, certified by the Food and Drug Administration, FDA of the US government. It costs around $3, much less than Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. In addition, the test does not require highly equipped laboratories that tend to be too expensive. But more remarkably they are developing a Nigerian anti-Covid vaccine.

The VP also noted the work of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB) led by Professor Y.K Ibrahim, which he said has been performing mass testing.
“In collaboration with the Kaduna State Government and its University Teaching Hospital, they established a facility where COVID-19 samples are analysed. The facility is part of the Nigeria CDC national testing centers,” he added.

According to the Vice President, “we were able to scale up on testing and case management capacity, quickly activating 120 laboratories nationwide - from 5 just before the pandemic – most of them public laboratories.

"Also, we expanded the footprint of our sovereign public health response capabilities especially at the subnational levels and in areas where previously such capabilities did not exist.”

Prof. Osinbajo also noted the widely acclaimed work of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in coordinating the national response, commending the effort led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha.

“The task force swiftly issued and enforced COVID-19 protocols for travel and general movement. When the first doses of vaccines came, the task force developed the protocols and the public health system already used to mass vaccination campaigns, deployed across the country in every nook and cranny of Nigeria so that the first eligible vaccine candidates received their vaccinations seamlessly,” he said.

Furthermore, Prof. Osinbajo commended the work of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), which hosted the conference for developing a standardized hand-sanitizer and made the formula publicly accessible for mass production.

Going forward, the VP stated that African countries must take proactive approach in responding to the slow pace of getting access to COVID-19 vaccines.

“Although we have received some help from friendly nations and the COVAX alliance, less than 4% of our eligible population will have been vaccinated by the end of the year. There is no question that we cannot afford not to have our own vaccine production facilities,” he stated.

The VP also called for a private sector-led initiative to make the country self-sufficient in basic drugs and in being a net exporter to Africa, noting, again, that Nigeria has the human capital to build a more efficient health care system.

For instance, he disclosed that "Nigeria is in talks with the World Bank’s private lending arm and other lenders to raise about $30 million to help finance a vaccine plant, Biovaccines Nigeria Ltd. Chaired by Prof. Oyewale Tomori; 49% of the company owned by the Nigerian government, with the balance held by May & Baker Nigeria Plc. There are plans to begin construction of the plant in the first quarter of next year."

Earlier in his speech, the VP listed other lessons learnt from the global pandemic such as the unpreparedness of more developed countries to the pandemic and the public health crises that followed; the need to persuade both the educated and non-educated citizen on taking precautions to prevent infection; false information and the danger of conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccine; and the reason why individual countries need to take responsibility in locally tackling a global health crisis.

As the VP noted, “these eye-openers should be a guide as to navigating the pathway to assuring health access and socio-economic development beyond Covid 19.”

The conference themed “Health Access and Social-Economic Development Beyond COVID-19: The First Multisectoral Approach to Solution Finding” is a two-day event that has several Nigerian scientists and Vice Chancellors in attendance. Emeritus Professor of Virology, Prof. Oyewale Tomori was also present.

Other speakers at the ceremony where the VP declared the conference opened included the Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe; NAFDAC Director- General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye and the keynote speaker, Prof. Joseph Fortunak of the Howard University, who titled his lecture: Assuring Health Access and Socio-economic Development Beyond COVID-19.

'Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
18th October, 2021

The work has started already may God help Osinbajo

In 1981, one could get less than N6.1 million in exchange for $10 million. Then, a dollar was equivalent to 61 kobo. But four decades later, the naira has lost 99.8 per cent of its value against the greenback, going by how N4.1 billion now exchanges for $10 million. This is perhaps the steepest fall any currency has witnessed.


In the intervening years, the naira has witnessed dozens of devaluations, most of which were implemented with the hope of achieving fair value for the naira, which interestingly has suffered a fate common to commodity currencies across the globe. In March last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) adjusted the official rate from N307/$ to N360/$. Subsequently, in the same year, the exchange rate was lowered to N380/$. That rate subsisted till this year when the CBN’s official rate was replaced with the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I & E) Window rate – a creation of the currency crisis itself.

Managing a commodity currency anywhere in the world, comes with the challenge of a terminal ailment. Just when one thinks there is a breather, it breaks down. From the 1980s till date, the apex bank has experimented with all known currency management approaches while the naira wobbled against its peers even within the African sub-region. Each newly-adopted promise makes so much but delivers little or nothing.


The apex bank under the leadership of Prof. Charles Soludo, contemplated revaluation – a proposal that was meant to simply strike out two zeroes from a denomination to return the currency to its heydays. A 500 bill was to be revalued as N5, for instance. But like other policies, the proposal did not survive the many political intrigues that trailed its implementation. Probably, the Soludo solution is one of the few ideas Nigerians do not have the hindsight of.

Many Nigerians have traced the historical trouble of the naira to the infamous Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP). Indeed, naira jumped from 89 kobo to a dollar in 1985 to N4/$ in the latter days of the SAP, which many experts have dismissed as ill-conceived.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as typical of them, demanded certain conditions among which was the adjustment of the exchange rate, to approve facilities for Nigeria. Since then, that currency has been on a roller coaster with several major liquidity crises in-between. In each crisis, a devaluation is put forward with an argument that a fair value would encourage the inflow of foreign capital, which an overvalued naira tends to scare away.

The argument has taken a firmer root in the foreign exchange debate in recent years than at any other time. When naira was adjusted to N193/$ in 2015, the decision was taken on the strength of expected massive capital importation. A year later, a similar thought was advanced in defence of another devaluation.

Last year’s devaluation decisions were also taken to attract the capital inflow required to shore up liquidity. Yet, the naira is considered overpriced, an argument that has been publicly echoed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Certainly, the strength of a currency is determined by interrelationship among certain factors including the demand and supply, the volume of exports in relation to imports and performance and competitiveness of the domestic economy.


As often noted by a former governor of the Central Bank, Kingsley Moghalu, a stronger currency does not produce a stronger economy. On the other hand, a stronger economy will eventually produce a stronger currency. Following this logic, at some point, China was accused of deliberately undervaluing its currency to gain a competitive edge in the global market.

It follows, thus, that a weaker currency is better for an economy that wants to be competitive in the international market. But if the naira has lost over 99 per cent of its value against the dollar in 40 years and it is still considered overvalued, at what price is its fair value going to emerge?

As much as Nigeria could also leverage the opportunity in expanding the foreign demand for its goods to create more jobs and increase local capacity, there is no debate about the fact that there are other entrenched challenges a weaker naira cannot address. If a dollar is exchanged for N5,000 tomorrow and other Africans flood Nigerian markets to grab the extremely cheap made-in-Nigeria products, the manufacturers can only sell the volume the many constraints permit them to produce.

This suggests that a much weaker naira may not address the endemic insecurity challenge that has scared the farmers away. It will not address the poor local input sourcing. A suddenly weaker naira will probably not address the historical logistics challenges. It costs more to transport some raw materials from, maybe north, to Lagos than to bring the same from Asia or Europe. A weaker naira will only make the cost of importation of such materials less affordable and the local industries relying on them less competitive than their counterparts in different parts of Africa.

Nigeria aspires for regional economic dominance – a position South Africa and Egypt are also jostling for. By the sheer size of its gross domestic product (GDP), and not by any qualitative measures, the country leads the continental economies, followed by South Africa and Egypt. But, interestingly, naira is among the weakest currencies on the continent. Among the top 10 economies, naira is only ahead of Angolan kwanza and Tanzanian Shilling in par value. An Egyptian Pound exchanges for N26 while the rand is even stronger at N28/R. Kenyan Shilling, Ghanaian Cedi. Ethiopian Birr, Moroccan Dirham and Algerian Dinar are also stronger than the naira.
But it was not so from the beginning; naira once commanded perception of strength and stability, which means it has consistently lost its value against its peers. While an economy earns an advantage in the marketplace when its currency is perceived cheap, the dollar is not allowed to swing, neither is news of a weaker dollar received with cheers. Even China has realised that it cannot lay claim to a regional leader with a weak currency.

https://guardian.ng/business-services/osinbajos-prescription-and-painful-history-of-naira-devaluation/

A lot of activities and success recorded last week and hope to see more in this new week

11th October
VP Osinbajo attended Day 1 of the Mid-Term Ministerial Performance Review held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

12th October
Vice President Osinbajo gave remarks at the EnterpriseNGR event.

• Together with the President, VP Osinbajo participated in Day 2 of the Mid-Term Ministerial Performance Review Retreat in the State House, Abuja.

14th October
Vice President Osinbajo attended the Unveiling and dedication of the Dorian Home Orphanage in Akure, Ondo State.

• VP Osinbajo attended the Ekiti State Economic Development and Investment Summit & the Third Anniversary Celebration of the government of Ekiti State

15th October
Vice President Osinbajo presided over the National Economic Council Meeting in the State House, Abuja.

• VP Osinbajo received in audience Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director-Africa at the State House, Abuja.

16th October
VP Osinbajo on behalf of President Buhari welcomed the Queen's Baton for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at the Statehouse, Abuja.

congratulations to our teachers

Osinbajo will soon represent Nigeria tournament

It is very possible and we praying to make it happen as promised

The only patriotic ,hardworking, loyal to vote as a president come 2023 is Prof Yemi Osinbajo

By Kehinde Adeoye

In the build up to the 2023 presidential elections, campaign posters seeking support for the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the coming general elections were on Friday displayed at strategic locations in Ibadan, the the the city of Oyo State.

The campaign posters which a socio-political organisation, Osinbanjo For All Volunteer Group, has claimed responsibility for, did not specify the position Osinbajo would be vying for, but displayed only with the inscription: “Osinbajo for all 2023.”

However, in a statement jointly signed by OVG national coordinator, Peter Ogundeji, a.ka. Apata, and Oyo State coordinator, Emoruwa John Oluwadamilare, with the title: “Support Group Reaffirms Commitment to Osinbajo Vying for Presidency,” the group said, it is reaffirming its commitment to Osinbajo vying for Presidency.

Only recently, sometime last month, the same group claimed responsibility for the flooding Osogbo with different posters of Osinbajo.
This time round, the posters were seen at Dugbe Liabrary, Dugbe Jaiz Bank, Mokola under bridge, The Polytechnic of Ibadan gate area, First Bank, UI/Bodija Junction, Agodi Gate Area (Water Building), Iwo Road, beside Tantalizer, Old Ife Road Bridge, Challenge Junction, and Ring Road, after First Roundabout.

The group maintained that its wish is for Osinbajo to take the mantle of office come 2023.

In its statement, OVG said: “Irrespective of whether Prof Yemi Osinbajo has shown interest to run for 2023 presidency or not , “Osinbanjo For All Volunteer Group” remains firmly committed to its stance that Osinbajo has all that it takes to take our country it place in destiny comes 2023 and beyonds.”

The group said their campaign is not motivated by anyone as they are just a volunteer group.

“Our group which has membership across various geo-political zones both young and old, re-established that the Vice President or any of his relations nor his staff members have no hand in how the organization was formed or being run as we wholly a volunteer group.

“Let it be on record that Prof Yemi Osinbajo didn’t mandate us to do this. He didn’t authorize us to mobilise for him. We are young and old men and women who strongly believes in his capacity . It is in him we think we can entrust our future.So not withstanding his stand for now, in respect to 2023, we shall continue to promote him, we shall continue to let the world know those qualities we have seen in him that has attracted many of us to him.

“Considering our reach and spread we therefore call on our coordinators and members on the field across the country to continue to promote the ideas and ideals that our principal Vice President Osinbajo stands for.

“As a group which mostly comprises of youths we requires and demand a role model and that we have found in him as we cannot afford to fold our arms and allow just ordinary person who lacks the required capacity shattered the Nigeria of our dream.”

https://thedailyleaks.com/2023-group-mobilises-for-osinbajo-presidency-floods-ibadan-city-with-posters/

The best thing is for him to take chopper so that he can cover many places before moving Abuja

Work don start be that

expertman:
So una just wake up abi

Then you are dreaming

DUNDEEMASTER:
2023 will really show weda we Nigerians have learnt our lesson...Or we will fill up in the queue to collect 3k to still vote for anoda 4 yrsbof suffering

Nobody is ready to collect money from any politicians come 2023 and that's why I want everyone to gather round Prof Yemi Osinbajo for president come 2023 by God grace

SONYCITY:
u as why cant u talk to dt ur friend buharia

See the way you are talking to the whole head of state, your mumu parents refused to train you

Nukilia:
Another incompetent money sharing professor
Failed government

since I have known you I have seen you with a reasonable comments ,I quessed you are frustrated

No one prays to be orphan,widow, or widower but most of this is a result of insecurity of our land and it is a responsility of all to rise and assist those in that situation

This is a nice one and congratulations to the good people of Ekiti State

A state with huge GDP will have infrastrural to cater for people

Osinbajo's approach to all issues has made him a worthy of emulation and someone who sees to the future of our dear nation

The Governor of Ekiti state and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has a “huge bridge builder, ” and a leader worthy of emulation.
According to him, “we have for a VP someone who is a huge bridge builder,” noting Prof. Osinbajo’s ability to bring governors representing States and the FG together on the major issues.

Fayemi added that the VP is “someone who is able…he’s got shock absorbers to withstand the pressures from the States.”
He spoke today in Ado-Ekiti where the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo was a special guest of honour at the Ekiti State Economic Development and Investment Summit.
The VP delivered the keynote address at the summit and also joined a panel discussion involving the Ekiti Governor and other governors from Lagos, Edo and Kaduna.

Governor Fayemi who had spoken earlier to welcome participants to the summit also spoke right after the VP delivered his speech, commending the leadership of the VP as chair of the National Economic Council.

“At this point I would specially acknowledge the role of our keynote speaker, His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo in implementing the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) which played a significant role in restoring the economy back.”
He praised the leadership role of the Vice President in ensuring the states of the Nigerian federation survived the pandemic.

Governor Fayemi said the Vice President has used his office and leadership capabilities to develop a bipartisan approach to administration and implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan which led the nation out of the pandemic induced recession.

Governor Fayemi said the Vice President has used his office and leadership capabilities to develop a bipartisan approach to administration and implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan which led the nation out of the pandemic- induced recession. He added that “with sincerity of purpose and partnership between the federal and state governments, we can achieve results.”
The Ekiti State Economic Development and Investment Summit also called Fountain Summit is aimed at boosting economic development and increasing Investment in the State.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/you-are-a-huge-bridge-builder-fayemi-to-vp-osinbajo/

Osinbajo is calling for realistic exchange rate and not naira devaluation

Osinbajo has everything to become a president 2023 by God grace

Oh how I wish I could use my mother tongue to explain to those guys so that they can allow the sleep dog lies

You are just talking in rubbish, south East ko South south ni

Great2017:
Is Osibanjo not part of the problem?

Which problem are you talking about?

Among those mentioned my best candidate is OSINBAJO, tested,trusted, hardworking and loyal

Who else can be loyal and represent his boss as that of Osinbajo? it is very rare to get someone like Osinbajo again

The best that can be done is for the CBN to bridge gap between the official rate and the black market