French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, has called for a recount of the presidential election results in the Central African nation of Gabon, which saw President Ali Bongo extend his family’s 49-year rule.
He said on Tuesday in Paris that the European observers on the ground have expressed their criticism on the basis of objective facts.
The prime minister said that as a result of that France is demanding a recount of the results.
“France, the EU as well as the US already called last week on the electoral commission to publish detailed results of all polling stations.
Bongo, 57, won re-election by a narrow margin, with 49.80 per cent of votes, followed by his main rival Jean Ping with 48.23 per cent.
Valls also expressed his concern for the safety of 15,000 French citizens currently in the former French colony.
“About 15 French citizens are currently missing in Gabon, many of whom carry dual citizenship.
Violence broke out in oil-rich but poverty-stricken Gabon hours after the electoral commission released the results of the August 27 polls.
The opposition activists have accused the government of fraud and attacked the area around the parliament in Libreville.
They noted that the security forces responded by attacking the opposition’s headquarters, killing two people and injuring several others.
Bongo was elected for a first term in disputed 2009 polls following the death of his father Omar Bongo Ondimba, who had ruled Gabon since 1967.
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Nigeria’s Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said that government in collaboration with the Nutrition Society and Partners is committed to curbing food and nutrition insecurity in Nigeria.
The Minister made this known on Monday while briefing newsmen in Abuja as part of activities lined up to mark the 2016 Nutrition week in Nigeria.
According to her, Nigeria has the highest burden of malnutrition with over 11 million stunted children which is the highest in Africa and the second in the world.
A statement by the Ministry’s assistant director of press, Salisu B. Haiba noted that, the minister said government has approved the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) which was formulated by the National Committee on Food and Nutrition to deal with the multi-faceted problem of food and nutrition by using a multi-sector disciplinary program approach.
She explained that the NPFN, is a 10 year blueprint for eradicating malnutrition for sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria. She said, “The vision of the policy is to have a country where the people are equitably secured in food and nutrition with high quality of life and socio- economic development, contributing to human capital development objectives of NV20:2020, while the goal is to attain optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, women, elderly and groups with special nutritional need.”
The minister also disclosed that the revised national policy on food and nutrition launched by wife of the president Aisha Buhari, will reduce the proportion of people who suffer hunger and nutrition by 50% in 2025, increase exclusive breastfeeding rate from 17 % in 2013 to 65% by 2025; as well as increase the percentage of children age six and above who receive appropriate complementary feeding from 10% in 2013 to 40% by 2025.
In his remarks, the minister of Information and Culture Lai Muhammed, said the fight against malnutrition in Nigeria should not be left for the federal government alone but by all stakeholders including the private sector.
Kaduna (Nigeria) – A new report released by the United Nations has pointed out that Nigeria is deeply divided along ethnic, religious and regional line – contributory factors to woes face by the country.
According to the report, most of the development and social indices in the country were below acceptable standards.
The report read in part: “Nigeria, with a population of over 75 million, is the most populous nation in Africa and the seventh most populous in the world. Her population will be approximately 200 million by 2019 and over 400 million by 2050, becoming one of the top five populous countries in the world.
“Nigeria is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in the world, with over 80 million or 64% of her population living below poverty line. The situation has not changed over the decades, but is increasing. Poverty and hunger have remained high in rural areas, remote communities and among female –headed households and these cut across the six geo-political zones, with prevalence ranging from approximately 46.9 percent in the South West to 74.3 percent in North West and North East.
“In Nigeria, 37% of children under five years old were stunted, 18 percent wasted, 29% underweight and overall, only 10% of children aged 6-23 months are fed appropriately based on recommended infant and young children feeding practices. “Youth unemployment which is 42% in 2016 is very high, creating poverty, helplessness, despair and easy target for crime and terrorism.
Over 10 million children of school age are out of schools with no knowledge and skills.
“Nigeria’s economy is currently in a recession and it is estimated that government revenues have fallen by as much as 33 percent, which has further resulted in the contraction of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 0.36 percent in the first three months of 2016.
“The vulnerable macroeconomic environment in Nigeria is affecting investors’ confidence in the domestic economy.”
When contacted last night to react to the report, federal government officials said they were not aware of it and couldn’t, therefore, react.
“Despite the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to a number of protocols on sustainable and renewable environment, the country had, over the decades, failed to protect the environment, ecosystem and natural resources. Over-exploitation of natural resources and pollution of the environment, desertification is exposing the population to vulnerability and risks caused by climate change, among others.
“Nigeria is well-endowed with forest resources, accounting for 2.5% of GDP. But Nigeria has one of the highest rates of forest loss in the world. Between 1990 and 2000, Nigeria lost an average of 409,700 hectares of forest per year on average deforestation rate of 3.5% per annum.
“Increase in population, human activities like farming, construction and cutting of trees, use of wood and effect of climate change lead to environmental destruction across Nigeria.” This in turn leads to unpredictable weather, drought and floods. The implication of destruction of the environment includes reduced agricultural productivity, destruction of property and loss of lives.
“Nigeria faces humanitarian and emergency crises of considerable proportions fueled by a combination of factors including climate change, inter-communal conflicts and violence, insurgency, recurring floods, heavy handed tactics of security forces in combating crime and insurgency. The overall consequence is the situation of systematic and chronic internal displacement that has given rise to different humanitarian crises that include the most egregious and dehumanizing human rights abuses.
“Over 80 million Nigerians live in poverty and are affected in one way or the other by the current humanitarian crisis. Available reports indicate that there are over 3.3 million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, which is Africa’s largest, ranking behind Syria and Columbia on a global scale.
“The major challenges Nigeria is currently facing that constrain her economic growth and social development are lack of good governance, general increased insecurity across geo-political zones in North East, Niger Delta and Lake Chad region in particular.
The situation is exacerbated by the existence of systematic accountability challenges, limited capacities of independent institutions/ commissions and limited accountability at the federal, states and local government levels.
“Nigeria is a deeply divided society considering the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that define her political existence. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has struggled to build and sustain national integration. For decades, different segments of Nigeria’s population had, at different times, expressed feelings of marginalization, of being short-changed, dominated, oppressed, threatened, or even targeted for elimination.”
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Members of the National Assembly (NASS) comprising the Senators and Members of House of Representatives have received a total sum of N6.78 billion as their official salaries and allowances in one year, investigation by Economic Confidential has revealed.
The report obtained by Economic intelligence magazine showed the ‘legitimate’ remuneration of the federal legislators in compliance to the statutory approval of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). The remuneration packages include: annual salaries, accommodation, vehicle maintenance and fuel, Personal Assistants, House maintenance, domestic staff, entertainment and utilities allowances. Others allowances are; Constituency allowance, Annual Leave, Hardship allowance, wardrobe, newspapers and responsibility allowances.
A careful scrutiny of the report shows that each Senator has annual salary of N2.02m while a member of House of Representative receives N1.98mn as annual basic salary. The basic salary of the Senate President is N2.48mn while that of the Speaker of House of Rep is N2.47mn. The Deputy Senate President has N2.30mn as annual basic salary while his counterpart, Deputy Speaker earns N2.28mn annually.
In addition to the annual basic salary, each member of the National Assembly receives 200 percent of the annual salary for accommodation, 75 percent for vehicle maintenance, 25 percent for Personal Assistants, 5 percent for house maintenance, 75 percent for domestic staff, 30 percent for both entertainment and utilities. Others are, 25 percent for wardrobe, 15 percent for newspapers and responsibility allowance of between 10, 7, and 5 percent respectively as the case may be on the position of the legislator.
While each senator receives a whopping 250 percent for constituency allowance, member of House of Representative gets 100% for the same annually.
In all the senate alone numbering 109 senators gulped the sum of N1.85billion in the last one year, while the 360 members of the House of Representatives got N4.93 billion.
According to estimates from the report, there are Non-Regular allowances federal legislators are entitled to. They include furniture and severance gratuity which are due only once in four years. Other non-regular allowances include Estacode allowances which is paid in US Dollars for foreign trips and Duty Tour allowance which is paid in Naira for local trips within Nigeria.
Further analysis by Economic Confidential reveals that an average Nigerian worker with a minimum wage of N18, 000 a month will have to work for four years before earning the utility allowance of one legislator. Unless the remuneration package is reviewed downward or upward by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the legislators will continue to enjoy the current official salaries and allowances.
Table of remuneration packages of the legislators’ can be viewed here
Kaduna (Nigeria) – African Media Development Foundation (AMDF) has charged Kaduna based journalists to embrace modern trend of Journalism that is more of online-based.
The group which gave the charge during a training session for some Kaduna based Journalists also underscored the need for them to be abreast of the changing face of media reporting commonly referred to as new media.
According to AMDF Coordinator, Sekyen Dadik, the training has become imperative in order to expose journalists to the skills and techniques of online reporting, especially with the evolution of new technology and innovations globally.
She said building capacity is a key step to enable journalists blend into the modern trend of new media.
While making her presentation on ‘Online Journalism’, the coordinator explained that journalism is fast evolving, bringing about a paradigm shift from the traditional media – newspaper and broadcasting to new media, hence the need to keep abreast with current trends.
She said, “Hitherto news dissemination was mainly through newspapers, radio and television but the emergence of the internet has widened the scope of news gathering and dissemination.
“Online journalism involves more than just the traditional skills of gathering information, interviewing people and writing a story. It allows reporters to use multiple media – literally, “multimedia” – to create story packages that can appeal to different audiences and engage readers in exciting and effective ways,” she noted.
In his presentation, the Trainer, Silas Auta stressed the need for developing personal website as it exposes one to so many opportunities around the world.
AMDF is a media development organization that strengthens media system and provides professional support to journalists.
Makkah (Saudi Arabia) — To avert reoccurrence of stampede and prevent other unforeseen circumstances during the 2016 hajj exercise, Nigerian pilgrims have been called upon to abide by new arrangement of stone throw at Satan in the Jamrat.
Makkah Coordinator of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Dr. Aliyu Tanko made the call yesterday while sensitizing pilgrims from Adamawa State on the new arrangements.
Dr. Tanko said, currently the Ministry of Hajj of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is working on the stipulated time each country will be expected to do the stoning of Satan.
He said, upon release of the timing, pilgrims will be grouped in batches of 250 and attached with a leader or guide, who would lead them to do the stoning.
He appealed to the pilgrims particularly the women, to abide by the timing and give them maximum support and cooperation to ensure the arrangement succeed.
According to him, “In the past what is obtainable is when pilgrims arrive at Muzdalifah, short stay or long stay, from Muzdalifah they pick their pebbles and head straight to Jamrat where they throw stones.
“But because of what happened last year, the authority took proactive measures in order to protect the lives and properties of the pilgrims. They decide to redirect that instead of everybody (pilgrims from the whole world) in Muzdalifah to be heading towards the Jamrat, they will return back to their tents in Mina.
“And then there is schedule for every country to go and throw the stone. Again, there is a guide assigned to every state that will be carrying the pilgrims in 250 batches. This guide who knows the terrain and root would lead these pilgrims from their tent to go and throw the Jamrat and bring them back.
“And by this arrangement, the issue of pilgrims missing their road which use to be very common and endanger many pilgrims is now over. So we are now soliciting for the cooperation of the pilgrims to obey their leadership so that everything will go smooth and they return back to Nigeria safely.
“So adequate arrangements have been made on these to ensure that within no time or in any case even if it will take longer time, the safety of the pilgrims is paramount.
“Again, right now the Ministry of Hajj, Saudi Arabia is working on the schedule for the whole world. And we hope by tomorrow (Tuesday) the schedule will be out. And when it is out, Nigeria will take it own and so it will relate to all the states in the federation. So that every state will know the exact time they are expected to move on the first, second and third day,” he said.
The Makkah Coordinator is however expected to take the sensitization lecture to the Team of Armed Forces and other pilgrims from Nigeria in Makkah.
A stampede had occurred during the 2015 hajj, claiming the lives of over 2000 pilgrims.
Saudi authorities have earlier announced a 12-hour ban on grouping of regular pilgrims from their tents in Mina to the Jamarat area, to throw pebbles at the pillars symbolizing Satan during the three days of the ritual from Dhul Hijjah 10-12 (Sept. 11-13).
The ministry said the procedure was taken to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and prevent overcrowding.
An announcement by the authorities on Wednesday said during the first day of the ritual, there will be no grouping of pilgrims to the Jamarat from 6 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
It said on the second day, the ban will be from 2 p.m to 6 p.m., and on the third and final day it will be from 10.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saudi authorities said they reached an agreement on the procedure with Tawafa establishments and the Haj companies who handle pilgrims from all countries.
Makkah (Saudi Arabia) — In the face of Nigeria’s current security challenges in the North-East dreaded Boko Haram region, and Niger-Delta avengers in South-South region, pilgrims from the Nigerian Armed Forces in the Holy land of Saudi Arabia have gone spiritual to combat the challenges.
Leader of the team, Colonel Shehu Garba Mustapha on Sunday, while speaking with newsmen in Makkah said, they were praying for the country to overcome its security challenges.
Col. Mustapha called on other pilgrims to do same by praying for their leaders at local, state and national levels.
He described the stone throw timing arrangements by the Saudi Arabia authority to control overcrowding as a welcome development.
He said the new arrangement will cushion the difficulties faced by the pilgrims while throwing the stone at Satan.
According to him, “The new arrangement is a welcome development because it doesn’t violate sharia. It is in accordance with islamic injunction that whenever there is difficulties, you are allow to do things that you are not allowed to do under normal circumstance.
“Prophet was reported to have said that al-hajj arafat and this changes come after arafat. So, it doesn’t affect hajj rite,” he said.
On the state of the nation, he said “We don’t have any other country to call our own other than Nigeria. The present government need our prayers to succeed and we must pray for Mr President and his team. I use this opportunity to call on all Nigerian pilgrims to pray for our country, Mr president and the leaders and those who loss their life may Allah forgive them.
“Both the security and other challenges that we facing in our nation, we should make request to Allah to remove and uproot them from Nigeria. Anytime we to go pray, we should pray for Nigeria and Mr President,” Col. Mustapha stated.
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Nigeria’s Kaduna State Government, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have announced a new four year strategic and sustainable partnership on health and governance geared towards strengthening primary health care services in rural communities of Kaduna state, North-west Nigeria.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will advance the implementation and transformation of the primary health care system in Kaduna State, and builds upon ongoing support by BMGF and DFID for polio eradication, routine immunization, family planning, and maternal/child health services.
This was made known in a joint press statement issued by the Kaduna state government, BMGF and DFID.
The new Partnership will support the Kaduna state government’s agenda of improving primary health care delivery by working to address the root causes of poor performance in PHCs. This includes strengthening governance, accountability, the distribution of health care workers, financing and management processes, data systems, accessibility to essential medicines, as well as primary health care delivery.
According to the Africa Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Ayo Ajayi, the gaps in primary health care service delivery are a serious challenge for Nigeria as demonstrated in the recent polio transmissions in rural areas of northern Nigeria; as such, addressing these issues requires tackling the underlying system that delivers PHC – including and beyond the health center level.
He added that, “The Kaduna State Government is prepared to do so and is paving the way for other States. Our Foundation applauds this effort which will enable the poor and vulnerable to access needed health services. We look forward to working in partnership with Kaduna State and the UK’s Department for International Development.”
In his remarks, UK International Development Minister Wharton, said, the UK government is committed to helping Nigeria, and as part of a wider multi-sector support at Federal and State level, the UK-DFID has invested extensively in health care in Nigeria and Kaduna State, with a particular focus on primary health care, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria and nutrition.
Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in his remarks said: “I am grateful to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK Department for International Development (DFID) for their support, and look forward to a productive partnership as we work together in implementing this MOU to strengthen and transform the primary health care system in the state.
“Health is one of the priority sectors for this government, and primary health care is critical to achieving our goal to deliver for Kaduna State citizens better health and ensure longer life expectancy.”
“Our programs are structured to ensure that a pregnant woman does not die due to her inability to access quality services during pregnancy and childbirth, child not lost from preventable diseases, communities not overburdened with endemic diseases, while community linkages are harnessed and promoted,” he noted.
It is worthy of note that, despite significant health investments, Nigeria continues to face high infant, child and maternal mortality rates. Statistics from a 2013 Demographic and Health Survey highlight that only 32% of women in Nigeria give birth in a primary health care facility, only 44% of children in the country are fully immunized, and almost 60% are underweight.
