Day: June 24, 2024

The Kungaboku rural community in the Bwari Area Council, has appealed to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike for the construction of its access road and provision of potable water, other basic amenities. Residents of the predominantly farming community, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday. They urged the minister and other relevant bodies to safe them from being cut-off completely from the territory because of the bad state of the access road to the community. Zephaniah Moses, the community youth leader said the only road leading to the community has been washed off by the rains making it very difficult for people to come in and go out . 'When heavy rains fall, the river across the road will be filled up. We will have to wait for at least, five hours, for the water to go down, before anyone can go out or come into the community 'What we need, is a bridge across the river. The palliative measures we have done on the road, through communal efforts have been washed o ff with the coming of the rains,' he said. Moses also appealed for the provision of potable water, the rehabilitation of the only, LEA Primary School in the community, which he said the roofs of two of the blocks of classrooms, have been blown off by storm. 'Whenever it rains during school hours, the pupils will have to cramp in the few classrooms covered with roof for the rain to subside. 'The school also needs perimeter fencing to protect the pupils and their teachers from attack,' he said. Mr Rafiu Akintoye, a resident and farmer, who said he has lived in Kungaboku for 15 years described the community as peaceful and the indigenes, accommodating. On the poor state of the road, Akintoye recalled an incidence when the river across it washed away a car trying to go out of the community when it was raining. According to him, it took the intervention of able-bodied young men in the community to rescue the occupants of the vehicle down the river. He said before the community carried out the palliative ma intenance on the road, there were times they would have to remain in the community for two days whenever there was heavy downpour. Akintoye said that the primary healthcare centre in the community is also in dire need of rehabilitation, health workers and drugs. According to him, the health carecentre built by government and equipped by the Rotary Club many years back is in a sorry state at the moment. He said health workers are not readily available, especially in the night, putting sick residents at risk and there are no drugs to be dispensed for patients. A poultry farmer in the community, Mrs Anna Jonah narrated how the bad access road has affected her business negatively. 'Coming in and going out of this community is the major challenge, especially for farmers who are dominant here. 'You have to trek a long distance before you can get 'okada or keke' (commercial motorcycle or tricycle), many of them are not willing to come here. On Saturday, I paid N5,000 to a 'keke' man who brought in my chicken feeds, a distance of just 10 minutes. The fare will not have been up to that if the road is good. People that come in here, to buy the birds also complain about the bad road and use the opportunity to underprice our birds,' she said. She appealed to the Minister, the Bwari Area Council and other relevant bodies to come to their aid in fixing the road for ease of doing their business. Mr Omerigwe Bartholomew, who did his national youths service's programme in a farm in Kungaboku some years back, said he has remained in the village doing his own farming. He said some of the big farms in the village are being leased out by the owners because of poor infrastructure and unfavourable business environment. 'I am into poultry, livestock and crops production. Right now, I am coming from my cassava farm 'I choose to remain in this village, after my youth service, because the villagers are peaceful and accommodating. 'We have not recorded clashes between farmers and herders here because we all live peacefully and when there is misunderstanding, the community head resolve it amicably,' he said. Bartholomew appealed to the FCT administration to fix the infrastructure in Kungaboku village, particularly the access road, healthcare facility and potable water. He also urged agricultural agencies to visit the village for possible establishment of farm clusters. He assured that such development would boost agricultural production in the area and attract many youths to site more farm projects in the area. Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigerian and European business leaders, policy makers and institutional stakeholders will converge on Abuja on July 2, to identify and explore investment opportunities along specific value chains during the ninth European Union-Nigeria Business Forum. The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, made this known to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja. Isopi said the business forum will also facilitate trade, investment, and partnerships through networking, discussions, and policy shaping, to promote economic cooperation between the EU and Nigeria and stimulate sustainable growth for both parties. 'It is important to note that for the first time since its inception, the 2024 edition of the EU-Nigeria Business Forum will be held in Abuja. 'This will provide an opportunity for the EU, its Member States and the private sector from Europe and Nigeria to engage the new administration on their investment agendas in a transparent and inclusive manner, with a view to fostering confidence and commitment to a stron ger and sustainable partnership.' As part of the EU Global Gateway Strategy, she explained, EU-funded projects will complement private sector investment in areas, which bring about critical social, economic, and environmental sustainability. In the case of Nigeria, she said, particular attention is paid to the harnessing of local talent, particularly among youth and women, as well as economic, social, and environmental resilience. Against this backdrop, she also said that the forum will focus on current and prospective investment in the digital, health, and agricultural sectors. According to Isopi, the forum will discuss options and respective benefits towards establishing a bilateral legal framework between the EU and Nigeria, bringing certainty, stability, and sustainability to bilateral trade and investment relations. NAN reports that latest statistics have shown that Nigeria and European Union trade volume has grown to 45 billion Euro. The statistics showed that this was the case as at September 202 3, even as the United Nations COMTRADE database indicated that Nigeria remains EU largest trade partner, accounting for 20.9 per cent of Nigeria's global trade. The EU is made up of 28 European countries, though there are 50 countries considered European. Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday, arraigned Abubakar Sambo, Director of Finance and Account of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) over alleged N1.84 billion fraud. Sambo was arraigned before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of a Federal High Court, Abuja on three-count charge for allegedly diverting the funds to personal accounts. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts and ICPC's counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, prayed the court for a trial date. But Sambo's lawyer, Isiaka Dikko, SAN, informed the court of the defendant's bail application which had already been filed. Since Akponimisingha did not oppose the bail plea, Justice Olajuwon admitted Sambo to a N200 million bail with two sureties in the like sum. The judge held that the sureties must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court with original certificates of occupancy (CofO) which must be deposited with the deputy chief registrar of the court. She equally ordered that suret ies to provide affidavits of their tax clearance in the last three years with a passport photograph each. Justice Olajuwon adjourned the matter until Oct. 17 for trial commencement. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the anti-corruption commission had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/209/2024, sued Abubakar Abdullahi Sambo as sole defendant. In the charge dated May 8 but filed May 10 by Akponimisingha, an Assistant Chief Legal Officer in the commission, the ICPC alleged that Sambo sometime in March 2023 or thereabout while being the Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform of REA did finalise the payment of the totai sum of N1.84 billion (N1,835,000,000.00). It alleged that the funds were done in different tranches for the use of Henrrientta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abduilahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approval, ther eby contributing to the economic adversity of the REA. The commission said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 68 of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, CAP. P39, Laws of the Federation, 2004. In count two, Sambo was accused to have used his access password to access the REA's GIFMIS platform and finalised the payment of the sum of N1.84 billion in different tranches for the use of Okojie, Aminat, Kwakwa, Abdullahi, Titus and Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without authority. The offence was said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 6(4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015. In count three, Sambo was alleged to have conferred corrupt advantage on Okojie, Aminat, Kwakwa, Abdullahi, Titus and Karaye when he used his access password to access the REA's GIFMIS platform and finalised the payment of N1.84 billion in different tranches for their use for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approvals. The ICPC said the offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. NAN reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court had earlier ordered the remand of Karaye, Titus and Okojie after they were arraigned by the ICPC on separate four-count charge preferred against them. While Karaye and Titus were arraigned before Justice Nwite on June 13, Okojie was arraigned on June 14. However, the fourth official, Usman Ahmed Kwakwa, who was arraigned alongside on June 13, also on separate criminal charge before the judge, was granted N50 million bail on same day. Meanwhile, after the arraignment of Karaye, Titus and Okojie, Justice Nwite ordered for their remand and fixed today for the ruling on their bail applications. Upon resumed hearing on Monday, Justice Nwite equally admitted the trio to a N50 million bail with sureties in the like sum. The judge, who ordered that the first surety must be a landed property owner with original CofO within the juri sdiction of the court, directed that the documents should be deposited with the deputy chief registrar of the court. He held that the second surety must be a responsible citizen and must sworn to an affidavit of means. Nwite adjourned the matter until July 10 for trial. In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/203/24 filed against Okojie, she was alleged to have in count one, sometime in March 2023 or thereabout, with intent to defraud the REA, received the sum of N342 million in different tranches through her Access Bank Account: 0009022275 under the false pretence of project supervision. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government has urged states and local government councils to scale up environmental health surveillance in eateries and public places nationwide. These include markets, garages, schools, restaurants, stadia, religious and sporting events venues. Dr Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, gave the directive in a statement on Monday in Abuja. Salako said the measure would help avert further spread and transmission of cholera as well as aid in the prevention and control of the disease. He also urged Commissioners for Environment and the local councils' leadership to support environmental health officers across the country, to step up sanitation and hygiene activities through enhanced community-led total sanitation. According to him, it is also to strengthen collaboration with the health authorities and other stakeholders in line with the one health approach of the federal government. The minister said that arrangements had been made to support most affected states with chlorine solutio n or tablets, water and food testing resources to avert further transmission across the country. Salako noted that recent situation report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) indicated a total number of 1,159 suspected cases, 65 confirmed cases and 30 deaths across 30 States. He identified the most affected states contributing 90 per cent of the total cases to include Bayelsa, Lagos, Zamfara, Abia, Bauchi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Delta and Katsina. 'The ministry has been actively involved through the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) in activities to curtail further transmission of the deadly disease. 'The ministry has been involved through water and food testing to identified sources of infection, environmental sanitation campaigns and household water chlorination,' he said. The minister identified cholera as a poor sanitation and hygiene driven disease, and an acute diarrhoea infection caused by ingestion of unwholesome food or water contam inated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae. Salako said the disease remained a global threat to public health, affecting both children and adults and could lead to death if untreated promptly. He further identified it as an extremely virulent disease that takes the period of 12 hours and five days for its symptoms to manifest. 'The common early symptoms are frequent watery stool that is usually milky white in colour, nausea and vomiting. 'Cholera outbreak is a seasonal public health event in Nigeria, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and often in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene practices. 'Extreme climate events like flooding are also contributing in multiple ways to drive the outbreak of the disease. 'The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the global resurgence of cases of cholera classifying the current outbreak as 'grade three public health emergency', requiring maximal WHO system wide response. 'Nigeria is one of the 14 countries in Africa where the resurgence is be ing experienced,' he said. The minister urged the populace to be more vigilant and to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices at home and in their workplace. He further tasked all and sundry on preventive measures such as keeping their environment clean always and disposing of waste properly at designated places. 'Ensure the use of clean and safe water. Water from suspicious sources should be well boiled or treated by adding one pack of chlorine solution to 100 parts. 'Avoid locally prepared drinks like pap, porridge, fruits juice (kunu, zobo, fura da nono), among others except it is certain that the preparation was done in a hygienic and safe manner. 'Wash hands regularly with soap under running water, especially after using the toilet, cleaning a child who has gone to the toilet, before preparing food, before and after eating, and after playing with animals'. Source: News Agency of Nigeria