After a near-halt of COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Africa, delivers have ramped up in recent months, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday. According to the UN health agency, nearly four million doses of coronavirus vaccines from the UN-partnered COVAX initiative arrived in Africa last week, compared with just 245,000 for all of June. He reminded that the continent was still “in the throes of the pandemic’s third wave.” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti told a virtual news conference with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, “we are not out of the woods yet”. WHO said…
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The Nigerian Communications Commission has set up an annual operating regulatory levy to ensure that all licencees are properly and equitably assessed to meet statutory and regulatory expectations. This was disclosed by Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, during the Public Inquiry on two regulatory instruments draft held on Thursday in Abuja. Danbatta explained that the two key regulatory instruments were tailored to meet the challenges and to further strengthen the market structure of the industry. The instruments are: Annual Operating Regulations and the Frequency Spectrum Regulations, which fees and pricing fall under. “The first instrument…
By Abujah Racheal Nigeria on Thursday recorded 558 new COVID-19 infections in 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), figures on Friday morning also showed that two new deaths from COVID-19-related complications were reported. The centre said that Lagos state led the daily infection chart with 376. The NCDC said that Lagos is followed by Oyo with 33, Akwa Ibom-26, the FCT-22, Imo-15, Bayelsa and Ekiti reported 13 each. The centre also said that Kano reported 12 cases while Ogun recorded 11, Plateau-11, Delta-nine, Jigawa-six, Rivers-four, Zamfara-four, Edo-two, and Ebonyi-one. ”Today’s report includes…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has recovered N5.4 billion for the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS. Its executive secretary, Professor Muhammad Sambo disclosed this on Thursday when he led the management of the agency on a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the EFCC, Jabi, Abuja. “In total, the EFCC has been able to recover about N5.4 billion for us out of the N12.085b that has been trapped; this is a monumental achievement and that is why we will ensure that we remain good partners to the EFCC,” he said. Prof Sambo commended the EFCC for the recoveries…
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has won the Prestigious Lateef Lawal Award for Airport Manager of the Year. FAAN won the award at the just concluded League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) 25th Conference with theme: Aviation in Nigeria: Management, Policy and Regulation. Lateef Lawal, who died in 2020, was an Aviation Correspondent and founding member of the League whose exploits span over 40 years. The spokesperson of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu in a statement made available to ASHENEWS on Thursday, said the award was received by the Managing Director, who was represented by the Director of Airport…
Following a Special Report, General Saleh Bala and I had written for the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), entitled “Civilian-led Governance and Security in the Lake Chad Basin”, we held a follow up round table meeting with the Lake Chad basin Commission led by its Executive Secretary, Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, to consider recent developments in the sub-region concerning the subject matter. The meeting was hosted by the USIP Country Director, Ambassador Abdu Zango and Dr. Chris Kwaja. Since 2009, the devastating conflict in north-eastern Nigeria has directly resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 people as a direct consequence…
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba has ordered an internal review of the bribery allegation brought against Mr Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). The Force spokesperson, Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. Kayari was accused of being paid bribe by a serial internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to arrest one of his friends in a $1.1million deal. Mba said the IGP order was sequel to the receipt of the allegations and indictment processes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He pledged the commitment of the Nigeria Police…
People being plunged into poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the killing of people with albinism, the outgoing UN appointed independent expert, Ms Ikponwosa Ero, said on Thursday. Ero stated that people had been turning to witchcraft “because of the mistaken belief that using their body parts in potions can bring good luck and wealth,” adding that “the majority of victims have been children”. The Human Rights Council passed a ground-breaking resolution earlier this month condemning human rights violations committed through witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks and called for international consultation and recommendations on the…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, released the final list of 478 candidates nominated for the FCT Area Council election. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the commission met on Thursday and deliberated on a number of issues. Okoye said the issues included the conduct of the area council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) scheduled for Feb. 12, 2022. Okoye said eight out of the 14 activities listed for the election had been carried out, including the conduct of primaries and nomination of…
The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) on Thursday said the country produced over 100,000 metric tonnes of seeds in 2020 for local use and West African countries. The Director-General, NASC, Dr Phillip Ojo made this known at the unveiling of the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) ACT 2021 and Plans for Implementation on Thursday in Lagos. The PVP Act 2021 was unveiled to stakeholders, who called for complete process for the full implementation of the law to increase the country’s international seed trade. He said the seeds were produced by 300 seed companies and the number would double or triple with…