Category: News

ABDUL SAMAD RABIU’S ASR AFRICA DONATES 2.5BILLION NAIRA TO EDO GOVT TO EQUIP STELLA OBASANJO SPECIALIST HOSPITAL

 

The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) – brainchild of Industrialist, philanthropist and founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has provided a grant of 2.5billion Naira to the Edo State Government towards the equipping of the New Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City currently being reconfigured, upgraded, and expanded to a 250-bed specialist hospital.

This donation makes Edo State the fourth state after Sokoto, Ogun and Kwara states to receive a 2.5billion Naira grant from ASR Africa’s 10bn Naira Tertiary Healthcare Systems Support Grants Scheme for 2021 drawn from the Annual ASR Africa $100million Fund for Social Development and Renewal.

Presenting the grants award letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo State, Ubon Udoh, Managing Director, ASR Africa Initiative said the 2.5billion Naira Healthcare grant to Edo State, was in fulfilment of the pledge made by the founder of ASR Africa, Alh. Abdul Samad Rabiu, in June 2021 when he specifically set aside 10billion Naira for tertiary healthcare interventions in 4 states in Nigeria. He further added that the 2.5billion grant, which will be put towards equipping the new Stella Obasanjo Hospital, will go a long way in raising the standard of care accessible in the region. He also commended Governor Godwin Obaseki, for his commitment to healthcare development at all levels within the State.


Governor Obaseki, whilst thanking the ASR Africa Initiative for the grant, stated that his government decided to improve healthcare delivery in the state by renovating, improving, and upgrading the Stella Obasanjo Hospital to a 250-bed hospital. He also added that new buildings and services are being added to complement and support the existing complex.

According to Governor Obaseki, “I am immensely grateful to Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu for this grant through his ASR Africa Initiative. Beyond improving healthcare delivery in Edo State, this partnership with ASR Africa is very important for us in creating a template for the implementation of future development partnerships.”
The brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was established in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting Health, Education and Social Development within Africa

Ganduje mourns as death toll in Kano boat mishap hits 36

 

Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday expressed deep pains and grief over the death of 36 persons in a boat mishap in the State.

The incident occurred on Tuesday in Badau village of Bagwai local government area.

Seven of the victims are in an intensive care centre of Bagwai hospital.

Eyewitnesses said some other persons on board the ill-fated boat were still missing as at press time even as rescue teams continued tirelessly with their search operations.

According to a police report on Wednesday, 36 bodies have been recovered with 29 confirmed clinically dead by medical doctors.

Among the dead are 21 females and 8 males, the police said.

A statement by police spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), explained: “36 bodies have been recovered. 29 are confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

“Seven rescued are receiving treatment at Bagwai Hospital. Of those rescued (alive), are four females and three males. Rescue mission in progress, please.”

Ganduje described the incident as a “state tragedy.”

His condolences were contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Abba Anwar.

He lamented that the same spot had swallowed many persons in a similar boat mishap some years ago.

It was gathered that the boat was sailing from Hayin Badau to Bagwai with 50 passengers, most of them Islamiyyah students, when it capsized due to “overloading.”

Ganduje said: “We learnt the boat started from Hayin Badau to Bagwai with passengers who were on their way to attend Maulud celebration.

“The boat was ferrying about 50 people with some loads. It capsized because of overload. And most of them were Islamiyyah students.

“So far, based on the information we received, as at this morning of Wednesday, there were 20 deaths, 7 in hospital and another 8 people were found this morning and the rescue operation is still going on.

“While we pray to Allah to forgive and bless the souls of those who died and pray for a quick recovery of those who are in the hospital receiving medical attention, I urge boats operators to always take the issue of loading very seriously.

“They (boat operators) should know that they can still get profit without overloading their boats.”

While saluting the courage and patriot posture of the rescue teams,” Ganduje warned: “People should know that the lives of all fellow human beings are too important to be risked deliberately.”

 

Lagos Attorney-General Refutes Lai Mohammed, Keyamo’s Claim On #EndSARS Panel

 

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, has refuted some claims made by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Festus Keyamo, regarding the judicial panel constituted by the state to investigate the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.

Mohammed had dismissed the report which indicted the Nigerian army and Lagos government as one riddled with “errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence”.

The information minister had claimed that members of the panel concentrated on the protesters and allegedly failed to mention cases of police personnel who were “brutally murdered” during the protest, saying “Does this mean that the panel didn’t consider policemen and women as human beings?”

But Onigbanjo exonerated the panel in that regard when he appeared on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Wednesday to speak on the white paper released by the state government on the #EndSARS report. The state government had described the panel’s findings as “totally unreliable” and “unacceptable” in the white paper.

The attorney-general said that the panel submitted a two-part report to the Lagos Government, noting that the part which leaked to the media “dealt with the issues from the Lekki Toll Gate”.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the other part of the report contains cases of EndSARS-related violence in other parts of the state, including petitions submitted by police officers and their families.

“On the issue of the allegation that the panel made no reference to the policeman or didn’t take them into consideration. To their credit, they did,” said Onigbanjo.

“They issued two reports. The report which leaked only dealt with the issues from the Lekki toll gate, there’s another report which they issued which was not leaked. That report deals with all the #EndSARS petitions, about 253 in number. Out of that 253, policemen also brought their own petitions. And in that report, they (the panel) awarded the sum of maybe N36.2 million to policemen who were affected one way or the other by the protests.

“So, to be fair to them. They did consider the plight of policemen too. And look at most of their recommendations…. for better welfare for the police, better equipment, more training, psychological evaluation, so they took them into consideration. Most certainly they did.”

The Lagos Attorney-General further deflated the claim by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Keyamo, who had faulted the constitutionality of the judicial panel.

Keyamo had claimed that state governments have no powers whatsoever to inquire into affairs affecting the Nigerian army or the police or any federal institution.

Onigbanjo, however, said: “…as to the legality of the panel, I do not agree with him (Keyamo) with all due respect, because firstly, it was the National Economic Council that directed states to go and set up the judicial panels of inquiry.

“Under the law, the tribunal of inquiry law of Lagos state, the state government is vested with the power to set up an inquiry into anything of public concern in the state.

“Now, what are we talking about here? Largely abuse of human rights. As far as I know, abuse of human rights is a matter on the residual list, which means it’s only the states that can handle such matters, and in fact, there are a couple of Supreme Court cases which say categorically that the federal government cannot set up tribunals of inquiry for the Federation. So, on so many fronts, that statement by the Honorable Minister, Mr. keyamo, is incorrect, that’s not the position of the law.”

 

Lagos 2022 Budget Scales Second Reading As Committees Begin Work

Lagos 2022 Budget Scales Second Reading As Committees Begin Work

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday committed the 2022 Appropriation Bill of the State to a joint committee on Finance and Economic Planning and Budget after deliberations by members.

Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, last Wednesday presented to the Assembly a budget size of ₦1,388,285,459,990.51 for the year 2022.

As the lawmakers read the bill for a second time, many of them commended the Governor for allocating 59 percent of the proposed appropriation to capital expenditure with some saying it would further bring the dividends of democracy to the residents of the State.

Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said the allocation to capital expenditure proposes that more hands would be engaged within the year as the government develops more infrastructure.

“If this budget is well funded and monitored properly, democratic dividends would be felt more,” he said.

In his contribution, Hon. Temitope Adewale urged that the revenue generation net of the state should be widened with lesser emphasis on borrowing.

On his part, Hon. Fatai Mojeed, urged that while considering the bill, there should be consideration for the microeconomic indices of the State like its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He commended the Governor for allocating 23 percent of the budget to education but raised concerns over what he called an overbloated personnel cost in the Ministry of Establishment.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, noted that some of the MDAs performed woefully in 2021 adding that there was need for some of the revenue-generating institutions of the government to be rejigged.

He also suggested that the government create more vocational centres for the youth while advising against excessive borrowing.

Speaking on the budget, the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, suggested that the House approves only what is feasible and that if the state needs more, it could make a recourse to the Assembly.

Others who spoke included Hon. Setonji David, who wants the fiscal instruments of the budget to be spelt out properly at the committee stages of defence, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, who advocated for a realistic budget, Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, and Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay, who urged the government to consider vulnerable women and children.

Meanwhile, the House, at the sitting, passed the bills to amend the Lagos State pension reforms law and that which amends the public office holders (payment of pensions) law.

BREAKING: Again, Fani-Kayode arrested by EFCC

 

A former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Femi Fani-Kayode, was on Tuesday re-arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arrested at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, who was in court over his forgery trial, was exiting the courtroom after the matter was adjourned till January 24, 2021, when he was approached by an EFCC investigator.

He was subsequently arrested and moved to a nearby EFCC custody — a week after his earlier arrest.

It is understood that he is still being quizzed over false documents.

More to follow…

 

Grand Winners Emerge in the Shalina Young Talents Awards Season 3

 

Photo caption: At The Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) National Grand Finale at Radisson Hotel, Lagos .
L-R: Mr Folorunsho Alaran, Marketing Manager (West Africa), Shalina Healthcare; Ms Okafor Cynthia Chidera, University of Ibadan, 2nd Runner Up; Ms Zakariya Farida, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Winner, Shalina Young Talents Award, SYTA Season 3, (Best Pharmaceutical Student in Nigeria); Oyenyi Adedoyin Emmanuel, University of Lagos, 1st Runner Up; and Mr Arun Raj, Vice President/ Head, Shalina West Africa at the National Grand finale of SYTA 2021 held in Lagos, Tuesday November 23, 2021.

 

 

National grand winners have emerged in this year’s Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) organized by Shalina Healthcare, a leading pharmaceutical company in Nigeria.

 

They emerged after a keenly contested competition amongst the final year pharmacy students in universities across Nigeria.

 

The grand event took place in Lagos recently at the Radisson Hotel, where Ms Zakariya Farida of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Oyenyi Adedoyin Emmanuel of University of Lagos, Idi- Araba, Lagos State and Ms Okafor Cynthia Chidera of University of Ibadan, Oyo State emerged the Grand Winner, 1st Runner up and 2nd Runner Up respectively.

 

According to the Vice President & Head – West Africa Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj, the Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) “is a Value-Added Initiative designed to bring the best out of pharmacy students in Nigeria”.

 

“This pharmacy contest tagged ‘The Quest for the Best Pharmacy Brains in Nigeria’ began in August with Zonal Championship Contests. The zonal winners who emerged from the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria competed for the coveted crown at the grand final where the national winners emerged. In this process, we had put in place, the right resources and appropriate structure to ensure that the best brains in the Nigerian universities emerged in the exercise”, Arun said.

 

Speaking in the same regard, Folorunso Alaran, the Head of Corporate Marketing said, “the contest had indeed lived up to its aim and objectives”.

 

He stated, “this is the 3rd edition of the academic contest and had been an improvement from the past editions. From zonal levels where great numbers of students participated to the grand final where the zonal champions slugged it out among themselves, it had been a battle of wits, excellence, and ideas. Eventually the national winner had emerged, endorsed by our respected panel of judges made up of Deans of the Faculties of Pharmacy, thus by many standards is the current best pharmacy student in Nigeria”.

 

Speaking about her experience in the competition, the grand winner, who was visibly elated at the event, Ms Zakariya Farida of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria said the contest had given her the opportunity to study more and had also spurred her to double her efforts to ensure that she remained focus.

 

Thanking the organizers of the academic contest, Farida said “Shalina Healthcare must be well acknowledged for their contribution to the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria and most especially in creating competitive platform for pharmacy students to drive best standards in pharmacy study through the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA)”.

 

The event witnessed a roll call of top Pharmacy professionals and personalities led by the Special Guest of Honour and the #1 Pharmacist and President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof Cyril Odianose Usifo, and the National Secretary – Pharm Gbenga Falabi. The rollcall also includes Pharm Ken Onuegbu, National Chairman of the NAIP; Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu, National Chairman of the ACPN; Pharm. Olabode Ajayi Ogunjemiyo, National Chairman of the AHAPN; Dr Ezekiel Olugbenga Akinkunmi, National Chairman of the NAPA; Pharm Folasade Lawal, the MD/CEO Victory Drugs representing the National Chairman of CPAN; Pharm (Chief) Yetunde Moroundiya, Vice Chairman Board of Fellows representing the National Chairman of the ALPS.

In attendance were also Pharm Gbolagade Iyiola, Chairman of Lagos State PSN, and his Vice Pharm Babayemi Oyekunle; Pharm Shakirat Adeosun, DPS Primary Healthcare Board Lagos State; Pharm Paul Owolabi, Vice Chairman ACPN Lagos; Dr Arinola Joda, Chairman NAPA Lagos; Pharm Hafusat Adesina, Chairman ALPS Lagos. Pharm Layi Ogidan, representing the Registrar of the PCN; Pharm Mrs Olufunke Awopegba, MD/CEO Funket Pharmacy Ltd; Pharm Mrs Olaide Soetan, MD/CEO NHC Pharmacy Ltd; Pharm Tunde Oyeniran, President of SocPharmSMN, and many more who had graced the occasion with their presence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FTnLEXxWEE

 

 

BREAKING: Twitter’s Jack Dorsey ‘Emotional’ As He Resigns After 16yrs As CEO

 

In a tweet on Tuesday, Dorsey said he was leaving after 16 years of co-founding the company and occupying the positions of CEO, chairman, executive chairman and interim-CEO.

The 45-year-old billionaire said he had come to realize that it was “severely limiting” for a company to continue to be founder-led, describing it as “a single point of failure.”

While noting that his primary wish was for Twitter Inc to be “the most transparent company in the world,” Dorsey gave the following as the 3 main reasons he was stepping down as the company’s CEO.

“The first is Parag becoming our CEO. The board ran a rigorous process considering all options and unanimously appointed Parag. He’s been my choice for some time given how deeply he understands the company and its needs. Parag has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware, and humble. He leads with heart and soul, and is someone I learn from daily. My trust in him as our CEO is bone deep.

“The second is Bret Taylor agreeing to become our board chair. I asked Bret to join our board when I became CEO, and he’s been excellent in every way. He understands entrepreneurship, taking risks, companies at massive scale, technology, product, and he’s an engineer. All of the things the board and the company deserve right now. Having Bret in this leadership role gives me a lot of confidence in the strength of our board going forward. You have no idea how happy this makes me!

“The third is all of you. We have a lot of ambition and potential on this team. Consider this: Parag start. here as an engineer who cared deeply about our work and now he’s our CEO (I also had a similar path…he did it better!). This alone makes me proud. I know that Parag will be able to channel this energy best because he’s lived it and knows what it takes. All of you have the potential to change the course of this company for the better. I believe this with all my heart!”

He added that, “Parag is CEO starting today. I’m going to serve on the board through my term (May-ish) to help Parag and Bret with the transition. And after that…I’ll leave the board. Why not stay or become chair? I believe it’s really important to give Parag the space he needs to lead. And back to my previous point, I believe it’s critical a company can stand on its own, free of its founder’s influence. or direction.

“I want you all to know that this was my decision and I own it. It was a tough one for me, of course. I love this service and company…and all of you so much. I’m really sad…yet really happy. There aren’t many companies that get to this level. And there aren’t many founders that choose their company over their own ego. I know we’ll prove this was the right move.

“We’ll have an all-hands meeting tomorrow at 9:05 AM Pacific to discuss it all. Until then, thank you all for the trust you’ve placed in me, and for the openness to build that trust in Parag and yourselves. I love you all.”

 

JUST IN: Orji Kalu visits Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, reveals discussion

 

The Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday visited the embattled leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu is in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), facing terrorism-related charges before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kalu said he encouraged Kanu to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances “for the sake of Igbo people”.

He pointed out that his ideology and Kanu’s “are totally different”.

 

“This afternoon, I visited my brother, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, Abuja. I met him in good health and care and we discussed as ‘Umunne’. In 2001 when I was Governor, I made his father Eze Israel Okwu Kanu traditional ruler of Akwara Ukwu and since then the family has been very close to me .

“I understand that Nnamdi has an insane amount of people rooting for his back home and I encouraged him to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances for the sake of the same people.

“Even though, my ideology and his ideology are totally different, God has made us brothers and we can’t run away from each other. I owe him and Nigerians good counseling…Whether he and his family listens to me or not, I will continue counseling him as I have always done in the past. What we need most is a peaceful and secured society,” Kalu said via his verified Facebook page.

 

Hajj-Bound Businesswoman Excretes 80 Pellets Of Cocaine At Abuja Airport

 

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a businesswoman, Mrs Olayinka Adisa, a Saudi Arabia-bound passenger who ingested 80 pellets of cocaine.

She was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while ostensibly on her way to perform Umrah (Lesser Hajj).

NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Monday in Abuja that Adisa, 46, lives in Ibafo, Ogun State and hails from Ilorin.

“She was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at the boarding screening area of the airport during an outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight 1418.

“She was subsequently taken into custody where she excreted 80 pellets of the illicit drug between Wednesday and Saturday.

“She claimed during interrogation that she saved N2.5million over a period of one year to buy the drugs in bits from six different people at Akala, Mushin area of Lagos,’’ the statement said

Babafemi added that the suspect said she was trading in clothes but had to borrow N1 million from three persons to make up the money used to buy the drugs.

My Mother’s Eye Problem Pushed Me Into Drug Trafficking, Says Man Arrested With N2.7bn Cocaine

“She spent another N1 million to renew her passport, obtain visa and buy return flight tickets.

“She said she was encouraged to traffic the drugs by a woman she met during her last Umrah trip to Saudi Arabia in 2019.

“She said she needed to raise N7 million for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment due to pressure from people because she’s been married for 28 years without a child due to fertility challenges,’’ Babafemi added.

Meanwhile, another trafficker, Inusa Abdulrazaki, was arrested with 101 wraps of heroin weighing 1.3 kilograms on Friday, November 19.

Abdulrazaki was arrested at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Italy via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines.

“The drugs were concealed inside cassava flour popularly called `Gari’.

“On Nov. 20, NDLEA operatives at the airport intercepted an abandoned consignment of khat 17.90kg,’’ Babafemi also stated.

 

We Gave Twitter ‘A Lot Of Conditions’ To Fulfil Before Ban Is Lifted – Keyamo

 

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, said the Federal Government gave Twitter “a lot of conditions” to meet before the ban placed on is microblogging app in Nigeria is lifted.

According Keyamo, the company agreed to fulfill all the conditions to have the suspension lifted.

The minister disclosed this while featuring on Channels TV’s ‘Sunday Politics Today’ on Sunday.

Keyamo, who is a member of the committee set up to engage Twitter over its suspension, said the company “agreed to all the conditions” levied against it.

“The reason why the president took that step is to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter and not to drive them away from our country.

“That recalibration, we have started it and the president graciously added me to the committee,” he said.

He said the committee then came up with conditions for the tech giant to fulfill, and that it was Twitter who first reached out to the government to find out what they could do to have the suspension lifted.

“We also set up a technical committee to interface with Twitter and come up with a lot of conditions for them to fulfil for us to lift the suspension.

“It was Twitter that reached out to the federal government to say they want to know what and what they can do to straighten up the relationship with the federal government and so, we have gone far but I may not, at this forum, let out a lot but we gave them a lot of conditions and they have agreed to all the conditions,” he said.

The social media giant was banned in Nigeria in June after a tweet made by President Buhari was removed from the platform for going against its rules.

The government, however, maintained that the ban was not because the president’s tweet was deleted.

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