LASEMA rescues stucked woman from mud @Iyana-Oworo

NaijaAgroNet:

The Response Team of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has rescued a middle-aged woman stucked in the mud under the 3rd Mainland Bridge, inward Berger Iyana Oworo in the early hours of Wednesday, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This incident, NaijaAgroNet gathered, came barely two weeks after a similar incident occurred with a middle-aged man was rescued alive by the LASEMA Response Team and other emergency agencies at the opposite end of the  same environment.

General Manager LASEMA Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, disclosed that the middle aged woman whose details could not be ascertained as at press time, was found trapped in the mud under the intersection wing of  the 3rd mainland bridge outward Iyana Oworo.

The victim, he said, was walking through the muddy soil and eventually got trapped in the mud.

According to him, the timely intervention of the LASEMA Response Team, the Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency responders culminated into the rescuing alive of the victim. The victim was rescued  with the aid of the LRU heavy duty equipment (Crane) assisted by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service .Upon rescue the victim was administered first aid treatment and later moved to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital for proper medical treatment.

Tiamiyu who supervised the rescue operation said it is difficult to ascertain why and how the incident occurred as the lady was said to be presently traumatized and requires medical attention for stabilization. He however advised that Lagosians should be very careful when moving around muddy area. 

He enjoined residents to report any emergency in their surroundings in time through the emergency toll free number 112/767.

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Group urges IGP to disarm Hausa-Fulani in Benue

NaijaAgroNet

The Tiv community in Lagos State, under the auspices of Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim K.Idris, to  urgently disarm the irate Hausa -Fulani youths in Benue State, especially Makurdi, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This call was made through MUT President General, Prince Aondowase Ikyernum Kajo, following Saturday and Sunday night attacks on their host community in Wadata area of Makurdi where some Tiv residents were killed, others sustained varying degrees of injuries and their houses burnt by the rampaging youths.

They alleged that intelligence information at their disposal indicated that there is a huge stockpile of dangerous arms and ammunitions in mosques, homes, shops and many other unidentified places by the Hausa -Fulani residents in the state.

With the kind of arms these rampaging youths were brandishing, and recklessly attacking Makurdi residents, it means they are well prepared to do the worst, hence, the urgent need to clampdown on the aforementioned places and confiscate those weapons.

It would amount to double standards by the Nigerian security agencies (soldiers) who hastily arrested the Benue State livestock guards who were on a legitimate duty protecting their communities against marauding Fulani herdsmen terrorists but looked the other way when other tribes are causing severe harm to the lives and property of our people with more highly sophisticated weapons.

Remember that during the state government Amnesty program, only  Benue indigenes submitted over 700 arms to the state. It is not logical for people who are armless to be living in the midst of their dangerously armed visitors that are daily inflicting pains on them unchallenged.

We also warn that those sponsoring these irate youths recently drafted to Benue with no viable source of living to cause chaos paving the way for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue should have a rethink as such diabolical agenda would not succeed in our state.

We thank the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for standing firm with his people in these trying times. We also thank the Benue Traditional Council, led by HRM Prof. James Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, heads of all the socio-cultural organizations in the state and religious leaders for their efforts to see that these unprovoked attacks on our people stop.

We equally thank other critical stakeholders in this struggle to save our lives especially media professionals, social media activist, civil society organizations, the good people of Benue and well meaning Nigerians for standing with us.

We deeply sympathize with the families who lost their loved ones and  also wish the injured speedy recovery.

This is as we call on President Buhari who is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces to end this pogroms against Benue people by Fulani herdsmen terrorists.

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Lagos arrests 30 cart pushers over illegal refuse dumping

NaijaAgroNet:

Lagos State Government on Monday arrested 30 cart pushers for dumping refuse indiscriminately on road medians in some areas of the State in the middle of the night, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Chairman of the State’s Task Force on Environmental and Other Special Offences (Enforcement Unit), SP Olayinka Egbeyemi who made rhis know to  NaijaAgroNet, said the arrest was in line with the recent ban on the activities of cart pushers and wheel barrow operators by the State Government.

Egbeyemi, who affirmed that the activities of cart pushers in the State are illegal, said investigations found them culpable in dumping refuse on the road side especially at night thereby sabotaging efforts by the Government to keep the State clean. 

He said the Government is poised to go all out to prosecute any persons found to be working against the new waste management policy encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), saying the programme is designed to revolutionalise waste administration in line with global best practices when fully operational.

“There are reports that refuse are littering the Lekki, Victoria Island, Ajah and other parts of the State and investigations reveal that it is the handiwork of unscrupulous elements within Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and their outside sponsors who are not comfortable with the new arrangement for the management of waste in the State and are hell bent on sabotaging government effort and frustrating them from carrying it out.

“The State Government has vowed to go all out against the saboteurs and after their sponsors and punish them in line with the laws of the State.

“We also need to let Lagosians know that it is illegal to use cart pushers to evacuate refuse and they should stop encouraging it. There are PSP vehicles that come around to pack refuse and they are the ones they should patronise and not these cart pushers.

“We want to notify all these cart pushers that their activities are illegal in Lagos. Lagos is a mega city and we have all it takes to collect refuse. So, the issue of going to the streets and collecting refuse and then dump same on the road is an act of sabotage to the government,” he said.

Egbeyemi said the suspects arrested would soon be charged to court for prosecution, just as he assured that Government would leave no stone unturned in keeping the State safe and clean.

Besides, the Task Force Chairman said that the enforcement would continue across the State until the activities of cart pushers and other unscrupulous elements found to be frustrating government’s efforts are completely brought to a halt.

“For the past two to three weeks, we have been noticing refuse on the roads and investigations have revealed that part of those carrying out such act and sabotaging government efforts are these cart pushers and probably there might be some people behind them,” Egbeyemi said.

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Pix: cart pushers, courtesy The Punch

FG calls for media self-control in Benue herdsmen attack

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government (FG) has appealed to the media and public commentators to exercise utmost restraint in their coverage of the fallouts of the what it described as recent farmers and herders clash in Benue State in order not to further inflame passion and worsen the situation, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a press statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, and made available to NaijaAgroNet, the Minister of Informationand Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said while the Federal Government is working hard to address the situation with a view to preventing a recurrence, not just in Benue State but everywhere across the country, it is incumbent on the media and public commentators not to engage in actions that can aggravate the crisis.

''Lest we are misunderstood, we are neither saying the media should not cover the crisis nor asking public commentators to desist from commenting on it. All we are saying is that both must be circumspect.

''The current poisoned atmosphere of incendiary comments, unrestrained use of pictures and footages that offend human sensibilities as well as fingerpointing can only exacerbate the situation and complicate ongoing efforts to end the crisis,'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government is absolutely saddened by the loss of lives and the destruction of property resulting from the crisis, and recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in commiserating with the Benue Governor, unreservedly condemned the killings and also assured of the necessary security measures to prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to book.

He said the Federal Government has also mapped out short and long-term solutions to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders, including a planned conference of stakeholders, and assured of the government's strong determination to find a lasting solution to the farmers/herders' clashes.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Insert Braille signs in currency notes - Abacha Adebesin

NaijaAgroNet:

The Monitoring Officer, Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Mr. Abiodun Abacha Adebesin, has called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to lead agitations for the insertion of Braille signs on currency notes, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Braille, NaijaAgroNet gathered, is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired and is traditionally written with embossed paper.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered Braille users could read computer screens and other electronic supports thanks to refreshable braille displays available nowadays.

Making this call, Mr. Adebesin, noted that its high time global financial institutions consider adding Braille signs on our paper currencies in fulfillment of the one of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of not leaving any one behind.

As said by Adebesin, the blinds have been cheated on so many occasions because they rely on people to determine the denominations of the money they are holding and this is really saddening.

“If this done by all financial institutions in the world with the support of IMF and world bank, this will be in line with agenda 2030 'Leave no one behind'.

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Herdsmen killing in Benue, invitation to civil war – Yaro

NaijaAgroNet:

The Benue State chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Comrade Abba Yaro has described the massive killing of over 50 Benue people by the Fulani herdsmen as an invitation for civil war, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet in Abuja, Yaro decried the recent killings as an attempt to spark second civil war in Nigeria, insisting that, it is clear case of ethnic cleansing around the Benue Valley which must be stopped immediately.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call the Fulani  to order and as well direct security agents to fetch out the killers, he also called on all Benue Sons and daughters, irrespective of Party affiliation to rise in defense of Benue Community.

"This is above Party politics, it is human lives, how can you kill a pregnant woman and removed the unborn child yet slaughtered it? It is barbaric, unspeakable and generally unpalatable".

Yaro says the Anti Open Grazing Law in Benue is not targeted at any section of the people but for the general security of Benue State, a measure against cattle rustling and a solution to herders/farmers clash.

"The implementation is ongoing and we are in support of our governor, we are not deterred, the Anti Open Grazing Law has come to stay.

"Nigerians should not see the killings as a Benue problem but National crisis, the absence of peace in Benue is an absence of peace in Nigeria.

"We must treat it as a national ethnic cleansing by the Fulanis and collectively pressurize Mr President to put an end to it. If Boko Haram can be defeated, IPOB stopped, Fulani killings can be stopped", he observed. 

He further call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Buratai, the Interior Minister Lt Gen Danbazau, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris to protect Benue community or "we rise in self defence, which will amount to the second civil war."

Yaro emphasized that, "if the Fulanis are not called to order by the relevant authorities to stop the ethnic cleansing, like the lawless Fulanis are doing, Benue people shall take laws into their hands in selfdefense".

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Canada responds to multiple food crises in sub-Saharan Africa with $19.8m

NaijaAgroNet:

The Canadian government has responded to multiple food crises in the sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, with the sum of $19.8 million, about N70,967,741,935.48 billion, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This, Canada said, would assist in addressing the critical needs of millions of vulnerable people across sub-Saharan Africa, including women and children suffering from a lack of access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their daily needs —the result of severe drought and conflict.

Proclaiming this via the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, the $19.8 million is additional funding to address extreme levels of food insecurity in Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan and Uganda.

In these seven countries and neighbouring regions, Canada’s funding of experienced and trusted Canadian and international partners will respond to critical humanitarian needs. This includes the provision of basic necessities, such as emergency food, potable water, adequate sanitation, health care, shelter and protection services.

“Canada is pleased to provide critical humanitarian assistance to address the effects of drought and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa and to ensure those requiring emergency assistance are reached. Today’s announcement will help save lives, alleviate suffering and bring relief to people who need urgent help,” Marc-André Blanchard said.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that in March 2017, Canada voted close to $120 million in humanitarian funding in response to severe food crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

Also, between March 17 and June 30, 2017, Canadians generously donated over $21.3 million to registered Canadian charities in response to humanitarian crises, including an unprecedented famine, food insecurity and conflict-induced displacements affecting over 55 million people across Africa.

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Over 20,000 babies born on New Year’s Day in Nigeria - UNICEF

NaijaAgroNet:

About 20,210 babies were born in Nigeria on the New Year’s Day, so says the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Also, UNICEF challenges nations around the world to make sure more newborns survive their first days of life, stressing that Kiribati’s Christmas Island, a small island in the Pacific, will most likely welcome 2018’s first baby; the United States, its last.

Globally, over half of these births are estimated to take place in nine countries including Nigeria -20,210; India - 69,070, China — 44,760, Pakistan — 14,910, Indonesia — 13,370, United States of America — 11,280, Democratic Republic of Congo — 9,400, Ethiopia — 9,020 and Bangladesh — 8,370.

While many babies will survive, some will not make it past their first day. In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died every day of the year, on the day they were born. For almost 2 million newborns, their first week was also their last. In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month. Among those children, more than 80 per cent of all newborn deaths are due to preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

 “This New Year, UNICEF’s global resolution is to help give every child more than an hour, more than a day, more than a month - more than survival,” said Terry Durnnian, Acting Representative of UNICEF Nigeria. “We call on the government and partners to join the fight to save the lives of millions children by providing proven, low-cost solutions.”

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016. But despite these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month account for 46 per cent of all deaths among children under five.

Next month, UNICEF will launch Every Child Alive, a global campaign to demand and deliver affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn. These include a steady supply of clean water and electricity at health facilities, the presence of a skilled health attendant during birth, disinfecting the umbilical cord, breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, and skin-to-skin contact between the mother and child.

 “We are now entering the era when the entire world’s newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd Century. Unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely won’t. A child born in Sweden in January 2018 is most likely to live to 2100, while a child from Nigeria would be unlikely to live beyond year 2072,” Durnnian said.

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No safe place left for Nigerian children – UNICEF laments

NaijaAgroNet:

With the unleashing of over 135 child-suicide bombers on Nigeria northeast, and increase across the world, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has lamented there is no more safe places left for children, reports NaijaAgroNet.

UNICEF in its latest submission on the state of suffering by Children made available to NaijaAgroNet, UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes, Manuel Fontaine, said that in northeast Nigeria and Cameroon, Boko Haram has forced at least 135 children to act as suicide bombers, almost five times the number in 2016.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that millions more children are paying an indirect price for these conflicts, suffering from malnutrition, disease and trauma as basic services – including access to food, water, sanitation and health; as they were denied, damaged or destroyed in the fighting.

Also in the Central African Republic, UNICEF said that after months of renewed fighting, a dramatic increase in violence saw children being killed, raped, abducted and recruited by armed groups.

Over 2017 in the Afghanistan, almost 700 children were killed in the first 9 months of the year, while in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, violence has driven 850,000 children from their homes, while more than 200 health centres and 400 schools were attacked. An estimated 350,000 children have suffered from severe acute malnutrition. 

In Iraq and Syria, UNICEF said, children have reportedly been used as human shields, trapped under siege, targeted by snipers and lived through intense bombardment and violence.

Children in Myanmar, Rohingya region, UNICEF said, suffered and witnessed shocking and widespread violence as they were attacked and driven from their homes in Rakhine state; while children in remote border areas of Kachin, Shan, and Kayin states continued to suffer the consequences of ongoing tensions between the Myanmar Armed Forces and various ethnic armed groups.  

For the South Sudan, NaijaAgroNet reports that conflict has seen to a collapsing economy which led to a famine declaration in parts of the country, more than 19,000 children have been recruited into armed forces and armed groups, and over 2,300 children have been killed or injured since the conflict first erupted in December 2013.

Whereas in Somalia, estimated 1,740 cases of child recruitment were reported in the first 10 months of 2017.

Just as in Yemen, nearly 1,000 days of fighting left at least 5,000 children dead or injured, according to verified data, with actual numbers expected to be much higher. More than 11 million children need humanitarian assistance. Out of 1.8 million children suffering from malnutrition, 385,000 are severely malnourished and at risk of death if not urgently treated.

UNICEF calls on all parties to conflict to abide by their obligations under international law to immediately end violations against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. UNICEF also calls on States with influence over parties to conflict to use that influence to protect children.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that across all these countries, UNICEF works with partners to provide the most vulnerable children with health, nutrition, education and child protection services.

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Rivers, Shell sign MoU on gas supply

NaijaAgroNet:

The Rivers State Government and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the distribution of gas to industries in the Greater Port Harcourt area and its environs, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The MoU, NaijaAgroNet gathered, sets out broad terms and conditions to guide co-operation between the two parties in the development of new gas distribution opportunities in the Greater Port Harcourt area and its environs in addition to its existing gas distribution network in the State.

"The agreement is key in the efforts of the government to boost industrialization in Rivers State," said Richard Hart, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, who signed for the government. "We believe that the agreed terms in the MoU will lead to the signing of the "Build-Operate-Own-and Transfer" (BOOT) agreement early next year so businesses can begin to reap the benefits of a steady source of energy."

SNG Managing Director, Ed Ubong who signed for the company said the partnership was an opportunity to further promote gas as a more reliable, cleaner and cost-effective alternative to liquid fuels in the Niger Delta.

"Gas is the key to boosting industrialization. It is no coincidence that states that currently do well on internal revenue generation have also encouraged the use of gas to boost industrial output, which in turn provides employment and improved livelihood. SNG is grateful to the Rivers State Government for the foresight and co-operation in the signing of the MoU, and will reciprocate the gesture by taking every step to fulfill its obligations in the agreement," he said.

Also commenting on the significance of the MoU, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor reiterated the leadership role of Shell in the domestic gas market.

"For more than 50 years, Shell has been in the forefront of the campaign to develop and monetize Nigeria's huge resources and it is good to see SNG continuing in the tradition to grow the domestic gas market and also help to improve lives and earnings in Rivers State," Okunbor said.

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