NiMet predicts thundery, rainy activities Wednesday to Friday

 The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has predicted thundery and rainy activities from Wednesday to Friday.

NiMet`s weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja predicted cloudy skies over Borno, Adamawa and Taraba on Wednesday, with chances of thunderstorms over parts of Kano, Kebbi, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi States in the morning.

According to it, there are prospects of thunderstorms over the northern region to affect parts of Maiduguri, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto States in the afternoon and evening hours.

”The north central cities are expected to be cloudy in the morning with chances of rains over parts of Plateau, Kwara, Abuja and Niger axis.

”Progressing into the day, there are prospects of moderate rains over Plateau, Kogi, Kwara and Benue States.

”Cloudy morning is expected over the inland and coastal cities of the south with prospects of light rains over places like Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Cross River and Osun States.

”During the afternoon and evening periods, there will be cloudy atmosphere over most parts of the region with light rains expected over Enugu, Abia, Edo and Rivers States,” it said..

According to the release, there are prospects of thunderstorms over Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna States on Thursday with cloudy skies over the north-eastern region in the morning.

NiMet predicted isolated thunderstorms over Adamawa, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina and Gombe States during the afternoon and evening.

The agency envisaged cloudy morning over the north central region with chances of rains over Abuja, Kwara and Nassarawa States.

Police seek support to meet operational, infrastructural needs

 

The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has called on well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to support the Nigeria Police to meets its operational and infrastructural needs.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the I-G made the call when he received three operational vehicles donated by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited.

 

WHO congratulates Nigeria on ending wild poliovirus

 The World Health Organisation (WHO)  and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have congratulated Nigeria on being declared free of the Wild Polio Virus (WPV).

WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, disclosed this in a statement posted on its website.

The independent Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) for Polio Eradication on Tuesday, officially declared WHO African Region is free of wild poliovirus.

The statement stated that while the UN agencies congratulated Nigeria on the status, they emphasised that achieving the milestone was not the end of the job – all children under five years must continue to be vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases.

This is critical to significantly reduce avoidable mortality in Nigerian children under five years old, keep polio permanently out of Nigeria and ensure better health and well being for future generations.

The UN agencies also congratulated fellow Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners in Nigeria who helped reach this achievement: Rotary International; the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

They also congratulated Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as well as Nigerian traditional and religious leaders and volunteer community mobilisers as the foot soldiers who fought to free Nigerian children from the wild poliovirus.

The statement quoted Dr Walter Mulumbo, WHO Nigeria Country Representative, as saying: “WHO rejoices with the people and government of Nigeria and acknowledges that wild polio-free certification is undoubtedly the greatest public health.

“It acknowledges that the certification is the greatest triumph in the annals of Nigeria and indeed Africa that will bequeath to posterity lessons learnt and best practices for addressing future public health interventions.

“Both UN agencies expressed strong appreciation for the role played by all stakeholders, especially the commitment and support of the Nigerian government at all levels, development partners, donors, traditional and community leaders, health workers and caregivers.

“This milestone is a clarion call to urgently rededicate resources to stopping the transmission of all types of poliovirus, strengthening routine immunisation to sustain the gains achieved – especially in high risk areas and traditional polio sanctuaries – and maintaining high quality surveillance.’’

Similarly, the statement quoted UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, as saying: “It is a momentous achievement that calls for celebration.

“This historic achievement not only signifies the end of the wild poliovirus across the entire African continent, but is also a significant springboard towards attaining global polio eradication.

“UNICEF joins Nigeria in celebrating this milestone – and congratulating Nigeria’s children, especially – but we must remember that the job is not over,” said Hawkins.

“All caregivers must continue to vaccinate their children against vaccine-preventable childhood diseases, including polio.

“Religious and community leaders, as champions of wild poliovirus eradication, should continue to mobilise caregivers to vaccinate their children for all preventable diseases. Children need their help now more than ever,’’ Hawkins added.

Hawkins further said not only was polio vaccination still crucial, all routine vaccinations were critical to children’s survival.

“We must all work together to strengthen routine immunisation services and ensure that all children under five receive all vaccines, including the polio vaccine.

“This is not the time for Nigeria to take its foot off the accelerator. This is the time for Nigeria to strengthen its primary health care system, and give routine immunisation a vital boost.”

UNICEF and WHO pledge to  continue to support Nigeria to strengthen its primary healthcare system under the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUR) policy initiated by the Federal Government, including the goal to have at least one functional primary healthcare centre (PHC) in every ward in Nigeria.

Nigeria attained wild polio-free status after meeting all the criteria for certification, which include three years of non-detection of any wild poliovirus case in the country.

Before the certification, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the only wild polio endemic countries globally

His Agenda Is SIMPLE, His Promises Are Realistic By Stanley Chiamaka

  

It is trite to say job creation is crucial for a healthy economy to fire growth and improve the lives of the citizenry. And since the importance of creating jobs is to ensure a stable and progressive society, the electorate and the general public are always keen to know what an intending public office holder/seeker has in stock for them in terms of jobs/employment creation. Therefore, as September 19 approaches, Edo State is also not left out of that consideration. 

Edo Assembly Invasion: APC demands arrest and prosecution of Adjoto, Iyoha, for mobilization and illegal arming of thugs

 The Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately arrest and prosecute Mr. Kabiru Adjoto and Osaigbovo Iyoha, both of whom are senior aides of Governor Godwin Obaseki, over their alleged involvement in the hiring of armed thugs in the invasion of the Edo Assembly complex earlier this month.

Edo’s September 19: Obaseki Can’t Change Anything Elizabeth Tejumola

As the appointed day for the Edo people to choose their preferred governor for the next four years approaches, politicians from various camps and parties are bracing up, leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory for their candidates, apprehensions are rife and political anxiety are shored up among residents and observers alike. 

Edo 2020: It’s Time for a Debate By Francis Ugwuanyi

Were debates a constitutional requirement of every election in Nigeria, it would have been interesting to watch Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) square up to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), his main rival in the September 19th governorship election in Edo State. As governor for the past three years, such a debate would have availed Obaseki, particularly, a veritable opportunity to let the world into his achievements and sell himself to the people for re-election. But, as yet, there is no such plan.  This election is pivotal on so many fronts. It is not just about the direction that the state would take after the end of Obaseki’s current administration; it is more about its future and essence; how it would rally from the doldrums and compare on all fronts with other big states in Nigeria. It is a contest between light and darkness, literally; between a rudderless incumbent and a major opposition figure that had long prepared for the seat; and most importantly, a contest that determines whether the people are genuinely committed to making a complete break from a dreary past and destructive party that had underdeveloped them in the past; or reinvesting their hope in the party that had come to their rescue since 2008.  Will the people allow the prodigal Obaseki to take them back to that ugly past?  This is why there should be a debate to know the mindset and mission of the standard-bearers of the two leading parties, not just lap up their ringing sophistry and colourful manifesto that cannot be critically questioned or dissected. Edo people cannot afford a gamble any more. But, even if there were a debate, would Obaseki have shown up?  His absence would not be for want of eloquence. Far from it! Obaseki is luckily blessed with a luxuriant, accented drawl that would be a draw in the boardroom. The well-founded assumption that he would not attend is predicated on his sudden imperious predilection, which would see him wanting to control the ground rules, determining the moderator and being confident that he can avoid probing questions about his alleged maladministration in Edo State.  If he were perceptive enough, however, he should have, by now, reconciled with himself that there is a distinctly palpable and pervasive lack of enthusiasm for and confidence in his ability to discharge his duties very well as governor.  And, given his unconstitutional handling of the Edo House of Assembly’s inauguration, there is a belief that Obaseki might resort to yet, another round of filibustering to avoid a debate knowing that he would be in grave peril of getting called out for not answering questions appropriately; being fact-checked real-time and finding no place to hide, when asked about his serial failures that have become even more obvious as the local economy has gone into a tailspin.  Interestingly, the buoyancy of the Edo economy was the strength on which he was piggybacked into the Governor’s Office in 2016. Upon his inauguration in 2008, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had embarked on and implemented an ambitious, highly successful statewide programme of road construction and repairs in Edo with a view to re-jigging the economy.  True to his vision, within eight years of his stewardship, over 25 major companies had set up in Edo State with the concomitant provision of jobs and reinvigoration of the local economy. There is notably the $1billion Azura power plant, a Chinese steel and ceramic industries, and the Okpella Cement Company by the Dangote Group also valued at over $1billion among others. Though blithely Nigerian, the nation’s foremost industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, would probably not have considered Edo State to site such a monumental project, he however did, because, according to him, “It is a friendly state to invest.” Dangote said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the cement company in 2016, that this was attributed to the economic reforms of Oshiomhole especially, in the area of tax, innovations in rural finance and investment in infrastructure as factors that necessitated an enabling environment that has further provided a platform for future growth.  While attributing the influx of investors to the favourable business environment and government policies among others, Oshiomole had noted then that more indigenous and international investors have indicated interest to invest in the state. This stance explained his plunging headlong into the Obaseki for Governor Project in 2016.  Desirous to make Edo even more economically viable, Oshiomhole swore by Obaseki as his successor, vowing that he (Obaseki) would consolidate on his achievements and do even better and the people believed him, because he under-promised during his electioneering and over-delivered.  Who’s better to take the state economy to Nirvana if not Obaseki? Rather, after being entrusted with power, he plunged the entire state into the Nadir. Now, his story is insipid and tedious and deserving of a better ending than this self-induced ugly turn.  For the records, there was no encumbrance on his ascension to the governorship and the people, who made it so did not expect any during his administration. But Obaseki threw every sense of purpose, of governance and logic to the birds as he embarked on a purely anti-people government – fighting every phantom foe rather than working; commanding rather than consulting, and unearthing the worst impulses of the people and wrecking the fabrics of the local economy.   Yet, Obaseki’s story was once beautiful. With a background in investment banking, he was appointed the Chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategy Team inaugurated by Oshiomole in March 2009. He served well and to the best of his ability and was an integral part of some of the economic reforms initiated and implemented by the Oshiomhole administration. He was unassuming, yet, very efficient and loyal. Indeed, a part of the Oshiomhole success story. So, during a potential debate, the economy will prove decisive, specifically, how large-scale unemployment and underdevelopment were inflicted on the state as a result of his seeming incompetence and directionless administration? Where is the Edo economy now and from where did Obaseki take it? What has he done with the allocations coming into the state in the last three and a half years? These are questions he might not be able to answer. Unfortunately, his MEGA (Make Edo Greater Again) Agenda, which teed-off to a false start, because the name itself was stolen from President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential slogan, Make America Great Again, does not elucidate how he hopes to revive the economy he asphyxiated.  Also, ironic is that the MEGA Agenda claims that, it is focused on a modern and progressive Edo State, where every citizen is empowered with the opportunity to live life in its fullness while his mission is to achieve economic prosperity for Edo State. This particular point rankles. Why does Obaseki need another four years to achieve this? What did he do with the first four years of his administration?  He would also describe the MEGA Agenda as a mass movement of campaign for popular participation of the Edo people for development, yet, his few rallies have been boycotted outright or sparsely attended if not defined by violence; and if you did a headcount, attendees are only members of the party, who had come to feast on their common patrimony.  Shall we have the debate now, please? *Ugwuanyi wrote from Eleme, Rivers State.