Folarin Kehinde

Following weeks of peaceful protest by the Esan Liberation Movement, the Federal Government has begun Rehabilitation of Benin -Ekpoma- Auchi Federal Roads

Recall that the protest which started and lasted for some weeks yielded the expected result judging from the interest shown by the relevant stakeholders in fixing the road, Esan Liberation Movement led by Hon. Prosper Iyere stated.

“We appreciate other groups and concerned stakeholders who are making moves and taking after the bold step of Esan Liberation Movement in support to our quest in fixing the bad roads. 2pac once said “I am not saying I can change the world, but I can spark the brains that will change the world”.

It is important to inform the public that after due consultation with the Edo state ministry of roads and bridges, Federal Ministry of works and critical stakeholders in Edo Central, the state government is in collaboration with the FG to expedite actions in fixing the road, massive surface gutter line will be constructed to move the water from the road.

Our people have a role to play as regards to areas that may be affected by channeling the gutter. Onojie of ekpoma is working with the HOLGA) in achieving this.

Therefore, Esan Liberation Movement have decided to RELAX the protest and give way to the contractor to do the needful.

However, we are monitoring to ensure that they keep to their promises and also working behind the scenes in the best way we can to put pressure on them not to fail in their promises.

The palliative measures will be sustained to ease vehicular movement for now.

There is power in togetherness and with this we shall achieve more. Our Land will be great Again.

Nigeria on Friday confirmed the outbreak of a new infection of the nose and throat, otherwise known as Diphtheria.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in a public health advisory issued Friday morning, confirmed that not less than 25 people have reportedly died from the disease in Kano State, North-West Nigeria.

The disease control centre, however, noted that it has responded to “reports of diphtheria cases in Lagos and Kano States and is monitoring the situation in Osun and Yobe States where cases are now being picked up”.

While the NCDC is yet to give data on the number of infections and deaths recorded in the country, the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Aminu Tsanyawa, had on Thursday confirmed that the outbreak of Diphtheria has killed no fewer than 25 persons in the state.

However, NCDC said it’s now working with state health ministries and partners to enhance surveillance and response to the outbreak.

The NCDC explained that diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat and sometimes, the skin of an individual.

It noted that people most at risk of contracting diphtheria are children and adults who have not received any or a single dose of the pentavalent vaccine (a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine), people who live in a crowded environment, in areas with poor sanitation and healthcare workers who are exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of diphtheria.

On transmission, NCDC added that the disease spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or sneezing and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

The symptoms of diphtheria include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis) and neck swelling. In severe cases, NCDC said that a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty breathing.

As regards the prevention of the disease, the NCDC urged parents to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated against diphtheria with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine as recommended in the childhood immunisation schedule.

It added that healthcare workers should be vigilant and look out for symptoms of diphtheria, and individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheria should isolate themselves and notify the local government area, state disease surveillance officer or the NCDC through its toll-free line (6232).

The Federal Executive Council approved the sum of ₦75 billion for the reconstruction of the dualized Lokoja-Benin Road, specifically extending from Obajana Junction in Kogi State to Benin, the capital of Edo State and ₦64 billion for the Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway.

The Lokoja-Benin Road which was included in the Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme Phase 2 is a critical asset that links the entire South-south zone to the Northern part of the country.

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, stated that the approval covers section 2 of the road from Okene-Auchi, section three from Auchi – Ehor and section four from Ehor – Benin at the cost of N25 billion each, and to the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, for his contribution towards securing both presidential and FEC approvals.

Ahead of the 2023 General Elections, the Labour Party has achieved 85% registration of its polling unit agents round the nation with Nigeria’s Election umpire, INEC.

The Senior Special Assistant on media to the Chairman of the Party, Ndi Kato disclosed this in a press statement on Thursday.

According to Kato, the party having achieved 85% for the electoral process at the polling unit stated that the party is ready and full steam ahead for the elections conduct.

The leadership of the party calls on all Nigerians to vote Peter Obi as the Presidential Candidate and all other Labour Party Aspirants to achieve a better Nigeria.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Unified ATM Card is a card issued by the CBN that enables users to access their bank accounts through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and other electronic banking channels.

The card can be used to withdraw cash, transfer funds, and make payments for goods and services. The CBN introduced the card to promote inter-operability among banks in Nigeria and make banking more convenient for customers.

The card is accepted at ATMs belonging to any bank that is a member of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
It’s expected To Commence On Monday 16th January, 2023

As part of its growing desire to integrate technology into Nigeria’s electoral process, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, might, in the foreseeable future, adopt the use of body odour for voter verification.

Some years ago, voters were verified by simply looking at their paper cards and checking the voter register.

In 2012, however, INEC introduced the Smart Card Readers, SCR, to verify the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, which contained the facials of voters.

As politicians developed ways of subverting the procedure, the electoral umpire went a step further to introduce the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, which verifies both the facials and the fingerprints.

This development also entails INEC using the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS.

However, speaking on Tuesday at the Chatham House in London, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, hailed the commission’s in-house engineers for the design of the BVAS and for always coming up with innovative ideas and designs to enhance the electoral process.

According to him, an engineer at the commission had proposed using body odour to verify voters, but that he had to ask them to tarry awhile.

It was the period that INEC also used the Automated Facial Identification System, AFIS, to clean up the voter register.

This development also entails INEC using the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS.

Yakubu said: “The clean up of the register was painstakingly conducted by the commission because of the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS.

“Before now, the commission used the AFIS, the fingerprint identification system.

“But this time around, we used the ABIS, meaning both fingerprint and facial, and that is what we are also using to accredit voters on election day.

“All these innovations were all the work of INEC’s own in-house engineers in the commission.

Irate youths of Kaffin-Koro, Paikoro local government area have allegedly burnt down the Police station in protest to the gruesome murder of a Catholic Priest, Rev Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church by armed bandits, along Daza road, in the area.

It was gathered the youths were angered by the slow response of the police to the cries for help from the people when the gunmen attacked his residence on Sunday morning at about 3am.

Investigations revealed that during the protest, cars and houses including the police outpost were burnt even as some persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

Recall that Rev Achi’s house was set ablaze when the bandits failed to gain entrance into his house, the priest also died in the inferno.

Confirming the development in the area, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Services, Emmanuel Bagna Umar said though, the state government is pained by the incident, nobody has the right to take laws into his or her for whatever reason.

The commissioner stated that the state government will not allow any obstruction to law and order as it is doing its best to ensure the security of the lives and property of citizens of the state.

According to him,” since the incident happened on Sunday, you have seen the commitment of government that is why we are calling on communities to support the government in riding the state of bandits and not to take side by vandalizing government property”

He insisted, “violence has no place in our communities, we understand the times and trend we are leaving in. No man on this land is permitted to take laws into his or her hands. The same way we go after bandits is the same way we will go after whoever takes laws into his or her hands because we have the responsibility to protect the lives of everyone”.

Umar also added that a security team has already been dispatched to Kaffin-Koro to do an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, especially the remote cause of the violence outbreak by the youths.

Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the burning down of the police station in the area by angry youths, saying it was because of the poor response in rescuing the Catholic Priest.

They are angry that the police could come on time to rescue the Rev Father and this is because his house is about one kilometre from the police station. Before they could mobilize and get to his place to engage the assailants, they had already run away from the scene, when they saw the police coming”.

He added, “another problem was that there was no water close by to quickly put out the fire when the police got there to save the Priest”.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has expressed fear that if the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi is elected president in 2023, his administration will be characterized by disaster.

The former lawmaker, who spoke in an interview with Arise TV on Monday, said the Labour Party has no candidates to fill up the parliamentary seats, which according to him may not go well if the party wins the presidential poll.

Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, said if Obi is elected President without having the majority in the National Assembly, the relationship between the two arms of government may affect good governance.

He said, “Don’t forget that in Nigeria, we run a presidential system of government. When you go to the ballot box on the day of elections, you are voting for a party.

“A party where from day 1, you don’t have candidates for the parliamentary seats, already there is a recipe for disaster because you know that the executive and the legislature are not going to have the majority”.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has given a fresh update on the deadline to phase out old naira notes.

CBN disclosed this on Monday in a bulk message to Nigerians.

Nigeria’s apex bank urged Nigerians not to wait until January 31, 2023, the deadline, before depositing their old naira N200, N500, N1,000 at the bank.

Don’t wait till January 31, 2023, to deposit your old N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes with your bank or agent”, the SMS reads.

Earlier, the CBN ordered all commercial banks to load their ATMs with the new naira notes.

The Director of Currency Operations, Mr Ahmed Umar, made this disclosure.

“We, CBN management, have ordered banks to stop putting old notes in their ATMs. They should only put the new notes,” he said.

Checks revealed that Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Utako, Kubwa, and Gwarimpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory are yet to comply fully.