A seeming political rapprochement is currently developing between President Muhammadu Buhari and the combative Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on the messy Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Wike has unequivocally promised to support President Buhari’s effort to reposition the supposed development agency that is fast becoming a conduit pipe for corrupt officials, and an amphitheatre for a sex scandal. Rivers’ Information and Communications Commissioner, Paulinus Nsirim, in a statement, says: ‘’We wish to state categorically that the Rivers State Government will never support any action that will prevent or jeopardise the laudable intentions of President Buhari to positively reposition…
Author: Akanimo Sampson
The worrisome hunger situation in Africa is currently throwing into further doubt, the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger. Going by the current trends, by 2030, less than 10 years away, Africa will be home to more than half of the world chronically hungry. Just last year, nearly 690 million people went hungry. This is up by 10 million from 2018, and by almost 60 million in five years. The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published on Monday, has given out some disturbing estimates of the hunger virus threatening…
In lab tests, antibodies taken from llamas have been shown to neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus just as scientists in the US are bracing to begin final testing of their vaccine. Already, the first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the US is causing people to produce antibodies in the way scientists have hoped. The vaccine, made by US biotech firm Moderna, is due to enter the final stage of human trials for its COVID-19 vaccine on July 27, after promising early results were seen and published in a prominent journal. The US government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, says “no…
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has expressed support for new international measures to protect the rights of seafarers, stranded at sea because of the COVID-19 crisis.It welcomed a joint statement signed by more than a dozen countries that give seafarers enhanced rights as key workers. The new measures, also supported by other UN agencies and international organizations, enable seafarers to be repatriated and move more freely during the pandemic.ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, says “I welcome the coordinated efforts undertaken by social partners and the international community to respond to the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic in the maritime sector,…
Defection gale is hitting the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is battling to tag the ruling party as worse than it in corruption. The Magugate scandal in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the massive rip-off in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are currently opening the underbelly of the Buhari administration as far as its anti-graft fight is a concern. PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, says the monstrous sleaze being unearthed in NDDC is just a tip of the iceberg of the stinking corruption and criminal racketeering…
Strategies adopted by the Nigerian government, and those of low and middle-income countries to contain the spread of the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic have come under attack. An international team of researchers want governments to seriously recognize that preserving people’s health is as important as reviving the economy. According to them, strategies need to be based on the local epidemic growth rate at the time, social and economic costs, existing health systems capabilities and detailed plans to implement and sustain the strategy. But, in a seemingly desperate bid to halt the surging virus transmission, the Federal Government on Monday, imposed a…
Former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joi Nunieh, who claimed to have given the Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godswill Akpabio, a dazing slap for sexually harassing her, says no forensic audit is being carried out at the Commission. Nunieh said on Monday while speaking with Arise TV that she slapped the minister because she does not tolerate nonsense, pointing out, ‘’only verification exercise is taking place contrary to what Akpabio said.’’ President Muhammadu Buhari last October ordered a forensic audit of the operations of NDDC from 2001 to 2019. Buhari spoke while receiving governors of the states…
Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu (1999-2007), currently the Senate Whip is at the centre of the emerging unease in the state wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Some PDP chieftains in the state are not comfortable with the political romance between the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, and the senator. During a visit to Kalu, the young Orji, son of Theo A. Orji, a former governor of the state and a second-term senator, is alleged to have tagged Senator Kalu as the ‘’authentic leader’’ of the Eastern Nigeria state. Uncomfortable with that labelling,…
Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guy Ryder, has welcomed the commitment and determination of world leaders to build a better world of work as a core element of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking at the close of the Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work, he said, “I think it is difficult to overstate the level of common purpose, of determination, to overcome the crisis. To build forward to something better from this, everything else becomes possible.”Adding, he said, “we have some very important tools to deploy, as we seek to get the world of work…
The worrisome hunger situation in Africa is currently throwing into further doubt, the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger. Going by the current trends, by 2030, less than 10 years away, Africa will be home to more than half of the world chronically hungry. Just last year, nearly 690 million people went hungry. This is up by 10 million from 2018, and by almost 60 million in five years. The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published on Monday, has given out some disturbing estimates of the hunger virus threatening…
Tensions are rising in South Sudan, leaving women and girls vulnerable to violence as they attempt to isolate or escape from COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic outbreak in the country in April, more than 2,000 cases of illness have been recorded. A South Sudanese social worker at a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-supported women-friendly space, Poni Rose Modo, says “women suffer in the hands of their partners. Intimate partner violence is worse with the COVID-19 situation.” She works at a facility located inside a camp – known as a Protection of Civilians (POC) site – in Bentiu, which is home…
Health workers in many West African countries say it has been challenging to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while providing life-saving sexual and reproductive health services. This is even as the pandemic continues to spread. A midwife in Guinea, Eyamou Kadiatou, says “as midwives, we are constantly struggling to ensure that we protect ourselves and our patients who come for maternal care services. We need protective equipment. We just don’t have any. But we’re still here and still helping to save lives of women who are giving life.” This has been a concern in Benin, as well: “We are left…
The oil and gas sector has continued to play a significant role in the economy of Nigeria, and accounts for 65% of total revenue to the government. According to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the country has near 40 billion barrels of proven oil reserve. With a maximum crude oil production capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day, Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer of oil, and the 13th largest oil-producing country in the world. The country has faced significant challenges in managing the sector such as the unaccountable use of revenues and corruption. Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative…
A post-doctoral fellow working in the lab of Robyn Tanguay at Oregon State, US, Subham Dasgupta, says radiation from the fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology is not all that harmful. According to him, ‘’based on our study, we don’t think 5G radiation is that harmful. It’s predominately benign.” The 5G wireless technology which began being deployed worldwide in 2019 provides faster connectivity and more bandwidth, meaning higher download speeds. But because 5G technology is so new, little is known about the potential health effects from its radiofrequency radiation, which is higher than the current industry standard 4G. The Oregon State study…
Expectant mothers can transmit the raging COVID-19 in the womb, a new report says. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, the official journal of The European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases reports that a baby girl in Texas, US, born prematurely to a mother with the virus, is the strongest evidence that intrauterine (in the womb) transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can occur. This evidence is coming as acute ischemic strokes (AIS) associated with COVID-19 are said to be more severe, leading to worse functional outcomes and associated with higher mortality. So says new research published in…
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says gender-based violence is a pandemic within COVID-19 pandemic. Re-amplifying the position of the United Nations Secretary-General on the issue, UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanen, also said peace in the world begins with peace in the home. The UN system is calling for a global ‘ceasefire’ on gender-based violence since one woman in three experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. ‘’Now, with countries on lockdown and household tensions heightened, gender-based violence is on the rise, and sexual and reproductive health services are being sidelined by health systems struggling to cope with…
The full toll of COVID-19 catastrophe has been incalculably greater. But officially, the pandemic has sickened 12 million people and left more than half a million dead. Health systems have been overwhelmed. Economies have been shuttered. And women and girls have been disproportionately affected, with sexual and reproductive health services being curtailed and gender-based violence on the rise. On July 11, the World Population Day, there was a moment to raise awareness of the sexual and reproductive health needs of people around the world. This year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is calling attention to the needs and vulnerabilities…
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has launched the 2020 edition of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Pulse, warning that the COVID-19 crisis is pushing critical economic, social and environmental development targets beyond reach. The organisation’s online annual update tracking progress on a range of indicators of the UN’s SDGs shows that poverty, inequality, the climate crisis, unsustainable production and other pressing challenges require even more urgent action due to COVID-19. The world only has 10 years left to achieve the goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which more than 150 world leaders committed…
Within 24 hours, the surging COVID-19 infection in Nigeria has claimed the lives of 20 of its citizens. With this development, the death toll in the country now stands at 709. This is coming as the risk factors associated with the virus’ death, based on analyses of full pseudonymised health records of 17 million adults in England, have been reported in Nature. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the tally of infections in the country also rose to 31,323 with 575 newly confirmed cases coming from 18 states of the federation on Friday. ‘’On July 10, 575 new…
A lawyers’ group in Nigeria, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) is tackling the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police to scale-up action on the raging social vice of rape in the country. While strongly condemning the recent rape incidents in various parts of the country, LEDAP calls on the government, the Police and all the other relevant agencies to take urgent action to tackle the rising cases of sex crimes in Nigeria. LEDAP is, however, a non-governmental organisation of lawyers engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and good governance in Nigeria.…
Millions of refugees across Africa are being left without food because of rising food prices and loss of income due to COVID-19. Already, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) are warning that severe underfunding, conflict, disasters, and supply chain challenges are threatening to worsen the situation. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, says “millions of refugees throughout Africa are currently reliant on regular aid to meet their food needs. Around half are children, who may develop life-long difficulties if deprived of food at vital stages in their development.” Unless urgent action is…
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says it is continuously working to improve its digital delivery system for increased impact. In the last decade, ICTs have emerged as frontline tools for transforming agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The present COVID-19 pandemic has made it necessary for the government and non-governmental agencies in Africa to adopt digital technologies for the smooth delivery of knowledge and services to end-users. IITA is using over 50 ICT applications (apps), mostly developed in-house and with various partners for research and data management, agritech requirements, delivery, knowledge sharing, marketing, and other uses. The Institute had…
Farmers in Adamawa and Borno states are benefitting from a training programme mounted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). It is a USAID-funded Integrated Agriculture Activity project under Feed the Future Nigeria. As part of its mandate to facilitate improved agro-input and extension advisory services to serve vulnerable populations, IITA recently conducted a training of trainers for selected participants from the two Northern Nigeria states. The training focused on climate-smart and improved agricultural practices, with trainees drawn from Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs) Extension Agents, their supervisors and desk officers, and some agro-input dealers from both states. The training…
Gombe State Government is yet to release the N35 million it budgeted for women farmers in the state. The women are now calling on the government to release the funds allocated to the Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) in its 2020 budget. This is filtering into the open as SWOFON, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), and others are calling on the Kogi State Government to measure up its budget for agriculture to a minimum of 10% as recommended by the Maputo Declaration. The Maputo Declaration is a series of agreements signed by member countries of the African Union in…
Participants in a study conducted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration with Catholic Relief Services (CSR), supported by Sustainable Food Lab (SFL) have agreed to the need to explore new alliances for food security. The Sustainable Food Lab was, however, launched in 2004 as a non-profit organisation to create a sustainable food system by helping organisations turn ideas into action. All the participants contributed to the study, which explored effective approaches for resilient coffee and vanilla farming systems in Uganda. The study aimed at promoting intentional multi-commodity and food crop diversification of smallholder farmers. It covered existing coffee…
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has delivered donations to South Kivu administrative division in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. IITA says the initiative is part of its social responsibility activities. It was, however, in collaboration with the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB). The relief package is part of a short and long-term action plan to assist the provincial government of South Kivu during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This first batch of relief materials included mattresses for medical use to facilitate the extension and creation of a…
More than 1,000 women in Nepal have been provided implants in seven weeks. In this country, service providers often go to great lengths, scaling mountains and crossing rivers, to deliver contraceptives to women who need them. Outreach to quarantine centres began on May 16, starting with Baitadi, where a team of four visiting service providers, in safety gear, reached 14 different health centres. As of June 23, they had provided implants to intrauterine devices to 40 women, and family planning counselling to 720 people across 19 quarantine sites in Baitadi alone. Across 11 districts, in both quarantine centres and the…
Weighed down by the harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, most agribusiness operators in Nigeria say the rampaging virus is running them out of business. National President of the Catfish and Allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN), Rotimi Olibale Oloye, is calling on the government to address the problems that have arisen as a result of the pandemic. While pointing out that agribusinesses now depend on social events, Oloye added, “our product is mostly used for social events, thus the COVID-19 measures on large crowd has very serious negative effects on our business.” “It is essential for the government…
Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guy Ryder, says COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global health crisis only. ‘’It is also a major labour market and economic crisis that is having a huge impact on people”, the ILO big boss says. Adding, he said, “in 2008, the world presented a united front to address the consequences of the global financial crisis, and the worst was averted. We need that kind of leadership and resolve now.” In its COVID-19 and the world of work: Impacts and responses, ILO is calling for urgent, large-scale and coordinated measures across three pillars: protecting workers…
Relentless efforts by the Central Bank of Philippine have helped in pushing e-payments in the island country to over 10%. The country’s experience is one of eight e-commerce best practices showcased in a new report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), TrainForTrade case studies in South-East Asia. Deputy Director of Payment System Oversight for the nation’s central bank, Mary Rose Contreras, says “the central bank recognised that e-commerce activities could only flourish and hit the authorities’ targets if the country adopts and boosts the use of electronic payments, or e-payments.” The Philippine government set its sights on…
