Andrew Mailafia

President Bola Tinubu has approved the provision of more than five million pairs of eyeglasses for Nigerians with sight impairments.

Tinubu made the announcement in Abuja on Friday, September 1 during a courtesy visit by Andrew Bastawrous, CEO of the foundation and co-founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund.

The products will be delivered in partnership between the federal ministry of health’s national eye health programme and the Peek Vision Foundation.

Noting that he was motivated to support the initiative because of his personal experience with eye health, Tinubu narrated how his mother was able to see clearly again after receiving a pair of glasses but had asked him how others in her condition would manage without any support.

“My first experience was with my mother of blessed memory. She was ill and she could not recognise me. When I intervened, she was treated and given a pair of glasses,” the president was quoted as saying in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, his spokesperson.

“The next question she asked me was: I have you, and you are able to do this for me. What about those other women and their children who may not have somebody like you to intervene for them?

“So I made a promise to her that I will pursue the mass provision of eye care vigorously and that I would provide free eye screenings and surgeries to people because of that question my mother asked me and because of her passion to see others healed.

“We eventually impacted the eye health of millions of people in Lagos, and you could see their joy over the immediate sight enhancements when they were given a pair of glasses.

“I am in support of this initiative, and I will encourage the mobilisation of further commitment to see this through and to reach vulnerable people all across our country. Some parents may not pay attention to this, but I will, because I am touched.”

Reacting to the development, Bastawrous shared his personal story of how he was able to achieve his academic and professional goals because of vision care.

He said eye care is still “chronically under-resourced” in many countries, adding that the estimates in Nigeria show that 0.0002 percent of the health budget is spent on eye health.

The Akwa Ibom State Government has approved a sum of N2 billion in financial support for government workers and pensioners to mitigate the economic hardship caused by the federal government’s removal of fuel subsidy.

At the state’s Executive Council meeting, chaired by Governor Umo Eno, on Thursday, August 31 in Uyo, the governor approved the sum to cushion the economic difficulty approved by citizens of the state

According to a statement from the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, the financial support is to last for three months.

The Akwa Ibom State Government said it received N2 billion and 7,200 bags of rice from the federal government.

Ememobong noted that “A total of 100,000 bags of rice will be distributed statewide. Forty bags per village to the 2,272 gazetted villages and other strategic groups.”

Apart from the proposed financial support to workers and pensioners, the Akwa Ibom government said it had already paid N2 billion as a gratuity to both state and local government retirees.

The government, in addition, said, “Fridays will become a ticket-free day for transport operators and traders in markets in all the local government areas up till December, 2023.”

It also approved the payment of N10,000 bursary to undergraduate students of Akwa Ibom origin in all public tertiary institutions in Nigeria as well as the distribution of free exercise books to primary and secondary schools in the state.

“Discussions on transportation means like CNG buses and electric taxis are ongoing, to ensure an effective, efficient and sustainable rollout,” the commissioner said.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a 2-day warning strike over the impact of petrol subsidy removal on the masses.

The strike is set to commence on Tuesday, September 5.

Speaking during a press conference at the Labour House in Abuja, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the declaration on Friday, September 1 while revealing the resolutions by the NLC National Executive Committee (NEC).

Accusing the Federal Government of abandoning negotiations and failure to implement some of the resolutions from previous meetings with the government, he said that the labour association would go a two day mobilisation action.

On August 2, organised labour protested what it described as the anti-people policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions demonstrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike, says his administration is yet to decide on how to expend the N5bn palliative fund expected from the Federal Government.

He stressed that his administration might consider transportation and food support to revive urban mass transportation to the FCT and mitigate the residents’ suffering in terms of transportation .

Speaking to journalists on Monday in Abuja, after meeting with contractors, Wike said “We are yet to decide on what to do with the N5bn palliative. We have not chosen any area yet. Are we going to concentrate on food? But we are thinking that the issue of transportation is very important, particularly the urban mass transit.

“People would like to have easy transportation to go to where they want to go, and if you give them rice and they eat the rice today, what about transportation tomorrow?

“So, we have not come up with what actually we are going to use the money for, but I believe food support and transportation is very key,” Wike said.

The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government had on August 17 announced a N5bn palliative for each state of the federation, including the FCT, to cushion the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy

Some state governments have confirmed receiving N2bn from the amount while awaiting the N3bn balance.

Meanwhile, Wike noted that the FCT was not earlier included in the disbursement of the N5bn palliative funds until he wrote a memo informing President Bola Tinubu of the development.

He, however, added that President Tinubu had approved the amount, noting that other states had received N2bn already while expressing confidence that the FCTA will equally soon receive its own.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has urges well-wishers to refrain from placing congratulatory billboards in his honour.

In a statement signed on Sunday, August 27 by the Director of Press, Office of the Minister, Mr Anthony Ogunleye said that the minister acknowledged the congratulations and wishes.

Noting that the attention of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has been drawn to lamp post billboards, full-scale billboards, and other adverts congratulating him on his appointment as minister, the minister strongly urged that such billboards and advertisements be discontinued forthwith.

According to the”The minister acknowledges the overwhelming goodwill from the residents of the FCT and beyond understands the sentiment behind these congratulatory displays and is genuinely touched by the show of support.

“However, in the spirit of public service and commitment to his responsibilities, the minister wishes to focus his full attention on assisting President Bola Tinubu in realising his vision and renewed hope agenda for Nigeria,” he said.

Ogunleye further said that Wike’s foremost duty lies in contributing to the development and growth of the FCT and the well-being of residents and the nation as a whole.

He added that the minister held in high regard, the aspirations and expectations of the FCT residents, and he remained dedicated to fulfilling his role with utmost sincerity and dedication.

Stating that this can be achieved by concentrating all efforts on the task at hand, he called for a joint efforts with public servants to serve the country to the best of their abilities.

“Wike sincerely hopes that the public will understand his perspective and continue to extend their support and cooperation.“

He looks forward to working hand in hand with all stakeholders to build a stronger, more prosperous, and united FCT and Nigeria,” the director said.

The Ogun State Police Command said it had apprehended a self-acclaimed native doctor, Babatunde Kolawole after he was found with a fresh male corpse in the Ado-Odo Ota area of the state.

In a statement released on Sunday, August 27 by the command spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, said the suspect, who was apprehended by the Amotekun Corps, claimed he was trying to revive the deceased.

According to the statement, “The Divisional Police Officer of Ota Police Station, CSP Saleh Dahiru, has received a report and taken into custody one Babatunde Kolawole, who was caught by members of the Amotekun Corps in Ado-Odo Ota with a fresh male human corpse.

“Preliminary investigations have commenced, and although the suspect did not deny the incident, he claims to be a native doctor who was attempting to revive the deceased.

However, it remains unclear how the suspect obtained the fresh corpse during the late hours of the night.

“So far, no one has come forward to claim the body, and the suspect has not revealed any information about the origin of the corpse. In order to gather more information and solve the case, the corpse was transported to the Ifo General Hospital for an autopsy.

“The Sango Ota Divisional Police Officer is urging members of the community to provide any useful information related to the incident by volunteering information.

“The community members can assist the police in their investigation and help shed light on this disturbing occurrence.”

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has vowed that required funding would be provided to ensure the speedy completion of the Abuja metro rail systems.

Wike made this disclosure while taking a tour of the rail transport systems in Abuja with the FCT minister of state Mariya Mahmood and staff of the FCTA on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

Wike stressed that the rehabilitation of the rail transport system is a short-term goal of his administration.

“Transport is one of those things that we can do in order to reduce the level of traffic within the city, and we know that we have this metro station here, and it’s not working. Why is it not working? Can we fix it within the short term so that people will say yes, this is now working.

“So, our position is that whatever it is, the company that it has been awarded, we will sit down to say for how long do you think you can complete this and then ask ourselves, do we have the resources to make sure that we don’t come back to explain to members of the public, this is why it was not finished,” he said.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital, has ruled that Julius Abure to stop parading himself as the substantial National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The court also commanded Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish the names of all the governorship candidates produced by the Apapa-led National Working Committee in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states.

In it a ruling on Thursday, the court affirmed Lamidi Apapa as the substantial Chair of the party at the national level.

The court struck also out the governorship candidature of Senator Athan Achonu of Imo State, and others belonging to the Abure-led LP faction.

Leadingreporters earlier reported that Apapa said that his suspension as a member of the party was invalid, noting that he remained the ‘legitimate acting chairman.’

As the party faced a leadership crisis, a Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State capital, affirmed Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, as was disclosed in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh.

In May, Apapa was reinstated by the court as the acting chairman of the party.Prior to that, a State High Court sitting in Edo dismissed the notice of suspension issued against Abure by some party members at the ward level.