Day: March 31, 2023

Lions Clubs International, Multiple District 404, Nigeria, has launched an appeal fund for the construction of eye care hospital, diabetes and cancer research centre, worth N3,500,000 in Abuja.

The Project Director, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, in a statement, said the project would address the gap in health care system and complement existing public health infrastructure in the country.

Adebayo added that reports shew that an estimated 1.13 million Nigerians were currently blind, while 4.25 million adult were partially blind, with prevalence rate in the northern states.

According to him, cataract and glaucoma, which are preventable, were the major causes of blindness.

“Eye care service in relation to Nigeria’s population is grossly inadequate, and this is the reason for the intervention of the Lions Clubs International to support this aspect of the health sector,” he said.

He explained that the centre will be a world-class facility that will carter for both the poor and rich, adding that it would feature a health extension service, especially to accommodate the rural poor.

“The hospital will feature the first Eye Bank in Nigeria, while reducing incidences of avoidable childhood and old age related blindness.

“It would also establish a global standard research centre on diabetes and childhood cancer in Nigeria,” he said.

Adebayo added that the club would be appointing project champions to assist in raising the projected sum.

He said the champions will be conferred with award of Melvon Jones Fellowship, Knight of the Blind, a place of mention in the Donors Hall of Fame in the Hospital, as well as the Lions Clubs Eye Care Ambassadors.

Lions Clubs International, founded in 1917, is the world’s largest service club organisation with about 1.35 million members in more 206 Countries.

The club is recognised in its fight against blindness, and recently included care for the environment, feed the hungry and aiding the seniors and the disabled.

The Nigerian chapter, introduced in 1963, has continued to function effectively as part of global service network while helping local communities. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Army Veterans have called for a review of the retirement age of serving personnel with a view to maximize the potential of specialists.

The veterans made the call on Friday in a communique issued at the end of the First Quarter Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Seminar/Workshop held in Calabar.

The communique was read by Col. Victor Ibeh, Deputy Director, Veterans Affairs Directorate, Army Headquarters, Abuja.

The workshop was organised for retired Army personnel and those that are about to retirement.

Ibeh said the participants encouraged the Nigerian Army veterans to build good relationship with their families as part of the pre-retirement plans.

He said they also urged the serving personnel to cultivate savings culture for a successful retirement plans.

Ibeh added that the veterans were tasked to engage in community services and respect community influencers to earn respect in their respective localities.

He noted that the veterans were urged to form

cooperative societies to facilitate access

to soft loans.

“Participant of the workshop agreed

to the review of retirement age of service to maximize the potential of specialists.

“The Nigerian Army should sustain employment of veterans in overall training and other specialize services as a way of tapping from their wealth of experience in support of Nigerian Army training and operations.

“There is the need for the Federal Government to capture veterans’ activities and programmes in its annual budget.

“Serving personnel were advised to relate well with Nigerian Army veterans for mutual collaboration and support military operations,” he said.

Speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, said that the call for a review of the retirement age of serving personnel would be deliberated upon by the Army hierarchy.

The Chief of Army Staff was represented by Maj. Gen. Abubakar Bello, Director, Veterans Affairs Division, Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He said that the workshop was held with a view to see how the Armed Forces can use the veterans to assist them in operations and other capacity building.

“The call for a review of retirement age is a policy issue that would be considered on its merit; it could be, or could not be considered.

“These are issues that are far beyond and a decision cannot be taken at this moment. There is a need for veterans and others to interact that is why we hold this seminar regularly to bridge the gap between serving and retired personnel.

“We are sure that the communique will get the desired attention at the highest level based on its own merit.

“Other considerations will have to come into play like terms and condition of service of personnel and others.

“At this stage, it is immature to come out with any figure for the proposed retirement age,” he said. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mrs Tokunbo Chiedu, the Chief Executive Officer, Compass Global, says women entrepreneurs need to maximise their profitability and competitiveness to unlock the $22 billion opportunity in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Chiedu said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

She said that a central consideration for empowering women entrepreneurs was to leverage the AfCFTA to improve regional integration frameworks from a gender perspective.

Chiedu noted that the United Nations emphasised the importance of identifying opportunities for women entrepreneurs within the context of the AfCFTA.

“Finding ways of integrating gender concerns into value chain development projects and programmes could yield positive outcomes and also help to position women in international trade.

“African governments need to establish infrastructural connectivity as a priority.

“Addressing existing logistical challenges, as well as working toward a common currency that will ease trading across regions is essential,” she said.

Chiedu said that Compass Global recently held a West Meets East Trade Mission and Business Development Tour, as part of the Global Female Leaders, and Entrepreneurs Conference (FLEC), in Kenya.

FLEC is a convergence that initiates conversations with female leaders, around gender development and the pivotal role gender balance, and diversity has to play in Africa’s transformation agenda.

She said that the programme was held with the support of the ECOWAS Commission and AfreximBank.

“The goal of the West Meets East meeting is to instigate a coalition for regional business linkage, and partnerships toward improving intra Africa trade, and against the backdrop of the AfCFTA.

“This endeavour, therefore, connected Counterparts from West to players across East Africa via a series of private sector led engagements.

“It also created a platform to explore and develop opportunities and foster partnerships between players across the regions toward unlocking the $22 billion Intra- Africa Trade opportunity,” she said.

Chiedu commended the support from all strategic partners; especially with regards to the mobilisation of key associations, women business networks and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across both West and East Africa to be part of the engagements.

She said that 40 West Africa delegates were mobilised to include Presidents of Women Business Networks and Associations and SMEs from across key sectors of agribusiness, manufacturing and services.

Chiedu said the delegates were from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Benin Republic, Liberia, Cape Verde and Cameroun.

She added that 50 exhibitors made up of businesses or SMEs of West and East Africa showcased at the exhibition.

Some of the participants from Nigeria’s Organised Private Sector in attendance were: Deputy National Coordinator- Association of Nigeria Women Business Network, Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan, President Commonwealth Women’s Business Council Africa, Mrs Ngozi Oyewole, and President Akoko Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines & Agriculture, Dr Funmilola Williams Daudu. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A Group, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, FCT Chapter, on Friday celebrated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu’s 71st birthday with orphanage and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.

Barr Rilwan Okpanachi, Director-General of the group, led other members to visit the orphanage, Halal Children Home and the IDPs camp, all in Abuja.

He said it was the desire of the President-elect that his 71st birthday should be celebrated with the less privileged, adding that the group also came to cut the birthday cake with the orphanage.

He said though the President-elect was not at the orphanage, the group had his instruction and permission to celebrate with the vulnerable.

According to him, the information the President-elect passed to us in celebration of his birthday was that everybody should pray for Nigeria and take care of the less privileged.

“We have come to identify with them and give goodwill message that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is with them, he belongs to everybody and that is the message we have brought here.”

He said that Tinubu, once sworn-in as the President, would ensure free education for the children and everybody, irrespective of strata would benefit from the gesture.

He assured the children that Tinubu would not abandon them, adding that the President-elect regarded them as priority and would do everything needed to ensure they got the best from the country.

Hajia Ramat Abubakar, President, Halal Home, said the orphanage started as a response to the IDPs crisis in the country, adding that so many children had been left vulnerable.

According to her, the orphanage started eigth years ago as a response to the IDP crisis.

“We realised there were so many children who were vulnerable, we started with a small house and from there we continue to increase.

“We have two branches in Abuja, one in Lagos and Kaduna. Our moto is: “every child deserves a brighter future.”

“We pray that the president-elect will get the needed wisdom to lead us alright.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items distributed included 100 cartoons of indomie, 100 cartoons of spaghetti, 15 bags of 50 kg rice, flour, sugar, beverages, dustbin, vegetable oil water, among others.

NAN also reports that the group visited the IDP camp at Kuchingoro, along airport road, Abuja, where food and water were shared to the people to break their fast. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for breaking the broadcasting law in a programme with Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate.

This is contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27.

The letter was exclusively obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

The letter, with the title: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.

It read in part:” The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okibaloye, on Wednesday, March 22.

“Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities,” Ilelah said in the letter.

He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code.

This, according to him, includes the section that said no broadcast shall encourage, or incite, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.

Ilelah added that according to the broadcasting code, broadcasters shall ensure that no programme contained anything which amounted to subversion of constituted authority.

He recalled that the NBC had engaged Channels Television severally to consider public interest before any programme is broadcast.

This, he said, was to ensure that the country was not plunged into anarchy.

“Consequently, on the following infractions, Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5,000,000 (five million naira) only in the first instance,” he said.

He added that any further infraction by the television station would attract higher sanctions.

“You are advised to pay within two weeks from the day of receipt of this letter or the penalty will be graduated,” the NBC Director-General said (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria