The current cost of living crisis and the resulting agitations have highlighted the need to scale up the agriculture budget. Policy analysts argue that the N362.9 billion allocated to the agriculture sector in the 2024 budget falls short of the 2014 Malabo Declaration, which calls for African countries to allocate at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture. Stakeholders in the agriculture sector are now taking proactive measures to increase the agriculture budget for 2025 to bolster food production. These stakeholders recently convened in Lagos under the aegis of the National Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the 2025 agriculture…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
World-leading health organizations sound alarm on endemic cases of the virus in DRC; Contipharma’s rapid in vitro LAMP Mpox test provides critical results within 20 minutes Contipharma, a pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and marketing of targeted medical solutions, today announces the launch of a LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification) test for Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox). Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orhopoxvirus with two clades (clade I and clade II). It is endemic in Central and West Africa. The disease can be transmitted through physical contact with an infected person, animal…
ASHENEWS reports that a tragic boat mishap has claimed the lives of four people in the Dundaye community of Wamakko Local Government Area, Sokoto State. The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening, has left the community in mourning as rescue operations continue. Aliyu Kafindangi, the Head of the Sokoto Field Operation Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the mishap to newsmen on Tuesday in Sokoto. He detailed the collaborative efforts of various agencies in the search and rescue operations, including NEMA, the Nigerian Red Cross, the Sokoto State Fire Services, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and…
President Bola Tinubu will preside over his first Council of State meeting today, Tuesday, marking a significant moment in his administration. The meeting, set to take place at noon in the executive council chamber of the presidential villa, will bring together key figures in Nigerian governance to discuss the nation’s most pressing issues. The Council of State is a crucial advisory body in the Nigerian federal government, tasked with guiding policymaking to the executive branch. The council is chaired by the sitting president, with the vice president serving as the deputy chair. Its members include former presidents or heads of…
Mrs. Favour Igiebor, the woman who recently tore her husband’s passport, has shared her side of the story. She explained that her actions were driven by a long-standing frustration in her marriage, and she felt compelled to act for herself. Mrs. Igiebor emphasized that her years of sacrifice in the marriage should not be dismissed, suggesting that her decision was a form of standing up for herself. She urged those who have seen the video and judged her based on the short clip to avoid making snap judgments without understanding the full context of her actions. “I have been dealing…
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NABRDA), asserts that Nigeria’s biodiversity, dynamic population, and growing technological capabilities are crucial for leveraging biotechnology to achieve transformative growth. Speaking in Abuja, Mustapha, a Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, described biotechnology as a vehicle for economic growth and highlighted its role in shaping a country’s future. He emphasized that biotechnology, in its various forms, revolutionizes industries worldwide and offers innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. “From agriculture to healthcare, environmental management, and industrial processes, biotechnology holds the key to unlocking sustainable development and economic prosperity,” Mustapha said. ALSO…
Nigeria’s healthcare sector comprises several subsectors, including healthcare manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and laboratories. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics reveals that Nigeria’s healthcare sector, classified under Human Health and Social Services, grew by 2.12% in the first quarter of 2024. This follows a 2.78% growth recorded in 2023. Notably, the healthcare sector has achieved GDP growth in every quarter since 2020, marking 17 consecutive quarters of growth. In nominal terms, the healthcare sector’s GDP stands at N322 billion, contributing approximately 0.72% to the overall GDP. The nominal GDP of the healthcare sector closely aligns with the combined market capitalization…
ASHENEWS reports that seven members of the same family in Runjin Barmo village, Kajiji District, Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto state, have died after consuming a cassava dish suspected to be contaminated. The Village Head, Muhammadu Modi, narrated the incident to the Commissioner for Health, Asabe Balarabe, who led a delegation to the area. According to him, the victims—Abubakar, his wife A’ishatu, and their five children—consumed the cassava meal during dinner. The incident occurred last Wednesday, and the exact cause of death has yet to be confirmed. Interestingly, the same cassava was used in four other households in the…
The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame was sworn in Sunday for a fourth term, saying regional peace was a “priority” in the face of ongoing conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Kagame swept to victory in elections last month with a staggering 99.18 percent of the vote, giving him another five years in office. Several dozen heads of state and other dignitaries from African nations joined the inauguration ceremony at a packed 45,000-seat stadium in Kigali, where many were dressed in the green, yellow and blue colours of the Rwandan national flag. The outcome of the July 15…
Research shows that many of our contemporary problems, such as the rising prevalence of mental health issues, are emerging from rapid technological advancement and modernisation. A theory that can help explain why we respond poorly to modern conditions, despite the choices, safety and other benefits they bring, is an evolutionary mismatch. Mismatch happens when an evolved physical or psychological adaptation becomes misaligned with the environment. Take moths and some species of nocturnal flies, for example. Because they have to navigate in the dark, they evolved to use the moon for direction. However, due to the invention of artificial lighting, many moths and flies are drawn to…