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20/08/2015

Nigeria: Katsina To Demolish Houses Built On Water Ways, If… Says Governor Masari

By Muhammad Bello
Katsina (Nigeria) – Governor of Katsina State, northwest Nigeria, Aminu Bello Masari has asked Nigerians to desist from building houses on water ways to avoid the risk of flooding.

The Governor gave the advice in Malumfashi Local Government Area of his state, which was recently hit by a flood following a heavy rainfall – the flood killed animals, destroyed farm lands with crops and rendered hundreds of people homeless.

Eyewitnesses say, the flood also destroyed part of the bridge leading to Malumfashi, which compel motorists to take the second lane.

They say the flood was so strong to carry a trailer loaded with goods, from one side of the road into a nearby river, destroying the trailer and the goods it carried.

A resident of Malumfashi, Mallam Husaini Nasiru explained that rain water from neighbouring towns flowed to Malumfashi, which lies on a lowland with many river valleys.

Governor Masari however associated the major cause of the flood to the reckless way in which people dump refuse and build houses on waterways, which eventually leads to flooding.

Masari said “we are going to fix the problem, but the lasting solution to this problem is for those who build houses on water ways to demolish the houses and also Stop dumping refuse on water ways, because floods will always force their way through water ways.”

But he also warned that “if people continue to build houses on water ways, government will be forced to demolished the houses.”

He further called on traditional leaders to sensitize their people on dangers of blocking waterways and pledged that government will assist those affected by the flood.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also visited the affected areas and assessed the level of damage for onward relief to victims.

Boko Haram Did Not Kill 150 In Yobe – Nigerian Military

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19/08/2015

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Boko Haram Did Not Kill 150 In Yobe – Nigerian Military

Nigerian Military has debunked a media story suggesting that over 150 citizens were killed by Boko Haram in Yobe state, northeastern part of the country.
A statement by its spokesman Rabe Abubakar the military described the story as “not true, utterly scurrilous and very misleading.”

It asked the media to always confirm their stories before going to press.
The Press Statement Reads;

Attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the media reports which claim that over 150 people from Kukuwa-Gari village were shot dead by Boko Haram gunmen in Yobe State while many others fleeing from the gunmen drowned in Yobe River in the mid-afternoon yesterday. The military wishes to state that the story is not true, utterly scurrilous and very misleading.

However, the truth of the matter is the military got an intelligence report concerning a planned attack by Boko Haram on Kukuwa-Gari village in Yobe State. Following the tip-off, troops and civilian JTF laid ambush between Kukuwatashi and Kukuwa-Gari villages. The insurgents ran into them and a gun-battle ensued in which four Boko Haram members and one civilian JTF lost their lives. At the end of the encounter, 2 x AK 47 rifles and 2 x motorcycles used by the Boko Haram terrorists were recovered from them.

The Armed Forces therefore implore the media to always seek clarification of stories before going to press as most of these unsubstantiated reports tend to embolden or encourage the terrorists to believe they are invincible, thus instilling perpetual fear in the minds of the citizens, especially, those in the contested areas of the North East.

The military is doing all within its power to protect lives and property of Nigerians in any part of the country and thus, solicits cooperation and understanding of the media to be partners in progress in this noble task.

Colonel Rabe Abubkar
Acting Director Defence Information

Productivity key to Nation’s Self Reliance

Development

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19/08/2015

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Productivity key to Nation’s Self Reliance

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy has been identified as one of the key factor for a nation to be self reliant and competitive in the international market in all sectors of the economy.

The Permanent Secretary, Nigeria’s Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Clement Illoh said this at a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the forth coming 15th edition of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) which is to be conferred on eleven deserving Nigerians and two corporate organizations by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday.

He said Nigeria is committed to change as it is working towards improving the living standard of its citizens.

Illoh said, “The Government is conscious of critical role of productivity in the realization of the change agenda, as no nation can be self-reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy. Indeed no nation enjoys a standard of living higher than its level of productivity”.

“The conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit is one positive step by government to stimulate the psyche of Nigerians towards redirecting their efforts to the growth and the development of our economy”.

Illoh, pointed out that merit award is a thoughtful incentive scheme designed to positively affect productivity and it has been creating the desired awareness and competitive spirit among government officials at the Federal, State and Local government levels including the private sector.

He further explained that the development of the National Policy of Productivity has created conditions for rapid and sustained productivity growth in all sectors, as it provides a systematic and comprehensive roadmap for development; noting that, a key point in this policy document is the declaration of a day to be celebrated as National Productivity Day (NPD) across the federation.

“The major component of the NPD is the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award which is an award of honor, excellence and dignity conferred on the most productive individuals and organizations in Nigeria. Since inception of the National Productivity Day, milestones have been recorded; this include institutionalizing productivity consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organizations in both public and private sectors which encourages hard work, high performance, efficiency, discipline, dedication, humility and patriotism, he added.

The Permanent Secretary revealed that, an independent 11 man Committee made up of eminent Nigerians from diverse background and two organizations drawn from all sectors of the economy after a thorough screening are selected for conferment of National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award at this year’s National Productivity Day.

They include: Mrs. Uwemedimo Edet Asomugha, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, Mr. Ajibola Olasehinde, CP Marcus Danladi, Mr. Ijomah Azubuike, Mr. Danladi Yahaya Isah, Comrade Lateef Idowu Oyelekan, Boboye Olayemi Oyeyemi, Mr. Anthony Chinwuba Ani, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Dr. John Alfa, Lubcon Limited and Artee Group respectively.

Living With Haemophilia For 24 Years Has Not Been Easy, Says Victor Ugochukwu

Health

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19/08/2015

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Living With Haemophilia For 24 Years Has Not Been Easy, Says Victor Ugochukwu

By Iliya Kure

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Growing up with bleeding disorder can be challenging, especially in a family that has no knowledge of the existence of the disorder – other than attributing such conditions to witchcraft and the likes.

That was the case of 24 year old Victor Ugochukwu, a student of Federal University of Technology Minna, North Central Nigeria.

Ugochukwu, a haemophiliac and his family had no knowledge of why he had been bleeding since childhood, until in 2012 when the family came across Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria, an NGO that supports haemophiliacs in Nigeria.

According to Ugochukwu, “for 20 years I have been experiencing swollen joints without having proper medication.”

He said, “my mother uses hot water to massage the joints not knowing that it was against the rule which used to be very painful;” adding that anytime he had that experience, and used hot water to massage his joints, it took upto two weeks to get relieve.

“It was in 2012 that I got to know about the disorder very well and started getting Factor – a medication that relieves the pains. After much orientation, we were given a fomular called RICE meaning, Rest the joint, Ice it, Compress it using bandage and Elevating it, using a pillow or something high a little. With this formula, I gained relief within four days,” he said

Haemophillia is an inherited bleeding disorder where a person lacks the ability to form a clot after an injury, be it internal or external. The person keeps bleeding until they are infused with factor, or blood containing the missing factor.

Haemophilia is generally passed on to a child through a mother’s X gene. It could however be caused (in few cases) by a mutation in the person’s own gene.

According to the Executive Director, Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria, Megan Adediran, about 1 in 10,000 persons are born with haemophilia and such people do not bleed faster than others, but longer, saying that they lack clotting factors (certain protein component) in the blood that helps control bleeding.

Adediran pointed out that the most common type is Haemophilia A (Classical) caused by low level of factor VIII in a person; and Haemophilia B (Christmas disease) caused by low level of factor IX which affect 1 in 30,000 persons.

She said symptoms include bleeding for long resulting from a cut; removing a tooth; circumcision; after surgery; big bruises; and sudden bleeding inside the body for no clear reason; bleeding into muscles and joints especially knees, elbows and ankles.

She however explained that haemophilia cannot be cured but can be managed for the people with the disorder to live a near normal life. She added that in its treatment, the missing clotting factor is injected into the blood stream to stop the bleeding.

“We have had about 213 cases in Nigeria and we have been aiding them with free drugs and we also hope to get our diagnosis pafarometer to conduct free testing to many.”

The NGO is however calling on Nigerian government to employ more Haemophilogist in public hospitals so as to detect early signs, stressing that there is need for proper communications between bigger hospitals and where a carrier is diagnosed to his community health care facility which he frequents.

“I am calling on those who want to partner with Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria to come and render assistance, especially with the drugs, which cost about N250,000” she said.

Reports Say Crashed Indonesian Plane Totally Destroyed

International

Africaprimenews

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18/08/2015

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Reports Say Crashed Indonesian Plane Totally Destroyed

Officials of the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency have announced that the crashed Trigana Airline plane is totally destroyed with all its occupants burnt beyond recognition.

The Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, Henry Bambang Soelistyo was quoted by local media saying there was no chance that anyone survived, adding that so far, 38 bodies had been recovered.

“The plane was totally destroyed and all the bodies were burned and difficult to identify”. He said

On Sunday, an Indonesian plane, with 54 people on board went missing in Papua New Guinea.

After a report of some villagers that they saw the plane crashed into a mountain side, efforts by rescuers to reach the crash site was frustrated and suspended on Monday due to a bad weather.

However rescuers have managed to reach the crash site and are reporting that the plane is completely destroyed with all its occupants burnt beyond recognition.

The plane was also reported to be carrying about the equivalent $470,000 in the local currency which was meant to be distributed to poor families in the eastern province of the country.

Nigeria Commends South Sudan Peace Progress

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18/08/2015

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Nigeria Commends South Sudan Peace Progress

Abuja (Nigeria) – Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed hope that the conflict in South Sudan may come to an end soon.

Osinbajo made the statement after signing as witness to a peace deal between South Sudan warring factions in Addis Ababa IGAD-PLUS summit.

“I am excited that this might be the end of the mystery that has engulfed South Sudan thus far,” Osinbajo said

Osinbanjo represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the summit and spoke after a long drawn, last ditch diplomatic effort that produced an agreement initialed by the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit and fully signed by the leader of the warring faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM), former South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar.

Also, one of the key leaders of the ruling Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum, signed the peace agreement, representing former political detainees in the South Sudanese conflict. While the South Sudan President is yet to fully sign the agreement, he has promised to conclude consultations on the power-sharing aspect of the agreement and then return to append his full signature very soon, expectedly within weeks.

Other aspects of the agreement fully endorsed include providing access for humanitarian assistance and the cessation of hostilities.

Nigeria’s Vice President was involved in the diplomatic talks that lasted at least two sessions in the Ethiopian capital under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development, IGAD with the addition of a number of other key African countries like Nigeria and international agencies including the African Union, the United Nations and the European Union.

According to Osinbanjo, while addressing the press in Addis Ababa, Nigeria and other stakeholders “should be justifiably proud of today’s achievement.”

He recalled Nigeria’s long standing commitment and involvement regarding Sudan, including the role the country played in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Darfur Peace Agreement and the eventual independence of South Sudan in 2011.

He explained that as a regional representative from West Africa and as a member of the African Union, Nigeria is an important member of the IGAD-Plus peace process that drew up the draft agreement.

Expressing the country’s concern alongside others in the IGAD-PLUS, Osinbajo said Nigeria is keen on finding a way to stop the killings, losses and sufferings of the people of South Sudan. He recalled that Nigeria knows how painful such an internal conflict as the one in South Sudan can be having passed through a similar traumatic experience, when the country was plunged into a civil war which lasted three gruesome years.

According to the Osinbanjo, the Addis Ababa suumit has indeed recorded “great progress, “with the fact that the rebel group, has signed the agreement and, the Government of South Sudan has also initialed the document, with the promise to return in fifteen days after consultation, to finalize its agreement.

The summit was hosted by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn, who is the chairperson of IGAD-PLUS, and attended by African leaders, including presidents from Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. The United Nations was also represented by the deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, among other international agencies and Africa’s development partners.

Speaking about the agreement at the signing in Addis Ababa, African Union Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma noted that while the final endorsement of the South Sudanese government was still being awaited, “we expect restoration of peace to begin now.” She stated that the guns should be silenced and expressed the hope that “we will no longer hear of th death of innocent people of South Sudan anymore.

Kaduna Demolition Exercise: El-Rufai Reverses Decision, Says We’ll Pay Those With Genuine Papers

News

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17/08/2015

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Kaduna Demolition Exercise: El-Rufai Reverses Decision, Says We’ll Pay Those With Genuine Papers

By Mohammad Ibrahim and Bello Adisa

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria, has made a u-turn on his earlier stance not to compensate land owners [whose property he demolished] on public schools and hospitals in his ‘government land recovery’ exercise.

The state government had already demolished about 93 houses in Alhudahuda College Zaria – the action that attracted widespread criticism. [read the story here]

Already some groups have taken the state government to court for the demolition exercise and the decision of the government not to compensate them.

El-Rufai announced the reversal while addressing a group, comprising members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Market Association and Students, who visited him in solidarity with the demolition exercise.

He addressed the group in hausa, “Those who built their houses close to students classrooms or hospitals, no matter how much it will cost us, we will compensate them to get back our lands,” he said.

The statement is a sharp turn from his earlier position that his administration will not compensate land owners on public institutions.

The Governor said, he began the land recovery from Alhudahuda college Zaria because most of the land owners there do not have certificate of occupancy.

“We are only recovering public schools, hospitals land for the benefit of our children and grand children in the state.

“Our public schools and hospitals were built to benefit the less privileged, therefore, we will not allow some selfish individuals to take over these lands.

“Why we commenced demolition exercise from Alhudahuda college was because majority of those who built houses within the college premises did not have papers and so their houses were demolished,” He said.

Members of the visiting group were wearing T-shirt with inscriptions in hausa meaning “Demolish and Develop” others carry placards that reads “Kaduna State Market Association support public land reclaims.

The land titles in question were sold to citizens by previous administrations in the state under a government programme called ‘carve-out’ policy.

Vigilantes Prevent Suicide Bomber’s attack on Market

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17/08/2015

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Vigilantes Prevent Suicide Bomber’s attack on Market

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Vigilante group in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, have over the weekend succeeded in foiling an attempt by a suicide bomber to attack Rumirgo Market in Askira Uba Local Government Area of the State.

A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations Officer, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman states that, the suspected suicide bomber was confronted by the vigilante while on his way to the market. He added that, “In the process of interrogation, the suspected terrorist blew himself off and died on the spot.”

He said some of the vigilante members sustained injuries and are being treated at the hospital; and further called on residents to be more vigilant as they go about their normal businesses.

“The Nigerian Troops have been placed on maximum alert to forestall further attacks. We want to seize this opportunity to call on the public to continue to be more vigilant and security conscious.”

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