Day: September 29, 2024

The Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) has called on Churches to promote youth talent discovery and creativity to address the high rate of unemployment in the country.

Mr Aderinkomi John, the Chairman, FCT Chapter of the society made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He spoke on the sidelines of the sixth edition of the Creo Art Exhibition, organised by the Family Worship Centre in partnership with FCT SNA, aimed at promoting creative arts in the country

John emphasised the need for more worship places to emulate the Family Worship Centre’s initiative in complementing the government’s efforts on youth empowerment through promotion of creative arts in the country.

According to him, the initiative had over the years helped in taking many unemployed youths out of the street as well as making children and young people aspire to become artists.

‘I want to thank the Family Worship Centre for always giving creative artists the opportunity to showcase their talent
s because in some other churches, they don’t do that.

‘This church deemed it fit to allow us to showcase our talents so that people in the church and outside the church can see the artworks that we produce.

‘By doing this, opportunities are given to exhibitors to showcase their artworks, sell them and encourage young ones to become artists.

‘So, we are making money from it and we are expressing ourselves through it. We are letting the world know what we can do through this. So, the society is impacted too, through the work of art.’

The SNA boss, who described artwork as a means of communication, said the work of artists communicate the truth, theological injunctions to the society.

‘As you can see, most of these artworks have their themes. This is the language that we speak, just like what the preachers preach on the Pulpit. It is what we are doing through our artworks.

‘Artwork is a true evangelism and means of communication and sometime, it is meant for decorative purpose.

‘For me, I can say that the
exhibition has impacted more younger people coming to me, and I have like eight of them learning under me.

‘Some of them came from universities to do their industrial attachment in my studio. Some of them are doing entrepreneurship directly from me,’ he said.

John added: ‘it is through exhibition like this that their parents got impressed and send their children for training and I take them without collecting any money.

‘Some of them have grown up to become good artists too and some of them are exhibiting their works here today.

‘That is the way we can help government to eradicate poverty and joblessness in the society.’

John urged government at all level to embark on advocacy by educating the youth to undergo apprenticeship and have vacation which would help them in future

Mr Chike Emembo, Co Curator and Immediate Past Chairman, SNA FCT chapter, also described the art exhibition as laudable initiative, saying that the idea was to bring young people together to promote the visual art.

‘We have recorded
2,000 participants and above during the exhibition. So, the Family Worship Centre gives a big platform to artists.

‘Incidentally, the church has all kinds of creative artistes right from actors to videographers, photographers, visual artists and musicians, they are all gathered here.

‘In fact, we have non Christians that have come here to make purchases as well.

‘Beyond the church community, people come from outside to buy as well. I must commend the Family Worship Centre on the way it supports this project.

Emembo thanked the facilitators of the initiative, particularly the Senior Pastor, of the Church, Pastor Sarah Emakwu and the Assistant Pastor in charge of Worship and Arts, Ekong Ikiddeh.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government has handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The handover of the buses took place on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

Mr Wale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, led the government delegation to the handover ceremony.

The delegation included Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Mr Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development.

Edun said when deployed for commuter service, the buses would significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, bringing hope for a more affordable and efficient public transport system.

He described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola
Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi).

He emphasised that this initiative aimed to alleviate the burden on the poor and vulnerable and support macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

The Minister further explained that the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marked the beginning of a broader national rollout.

He said the Federal Government planned to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first instance.

See also Tinubu’s economic policies achieving desired results – Presidential aides

He added that the CNG initiative aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.

‘Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. The empha
sis is on mass transit,’ said the minister.

He said the Federal Government placed emphasis on intervening on the side of workers to ensure cheaper transport to enable them cope with rising prices.

He also highlighted the CNG initiative impacted on inflation, saying: ‘We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down.

‘Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.’

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy noted that the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles was about one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles.

According to him, motorists can now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.

‘Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides.

‘This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again,’
he said.

Comrade Nuhu Toro, the Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC; Comrade Lucky Emonefe, NANS president, and Comrade Uche Ekwe, the Head of International Desk, NLC, commended Tinubu for the gesture.

They called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.

See also Press Council mourns ex-Lagos governor, Jakande

Toro thanked the President for implementing the N70,000 new national minimum wage.

‘This move is a significant step in alleviating the economic burden of Nigerian workers,’ he said.

Emonefe praised the government for its commitment to education and student welfare, citing the provision of a student loan scheme for higher education.

‘Nigerian students are happy to be celebrating the 64th anniversary of independence.

‘We are not only happy with the CNG buses; we believe that the current President loves the welfare of students and has shown his commitment to this,’ said Emonefe.

The NLC representative noted that the benefits of the CNG buses would become more apparent once m
ore buses were deployed across the country.

‘If we get more buses, the effect will translate immediately to Nigerians. If people start entering these buses, they will publicise it in the public and their neighbourhood,’ he said.

Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGi, said that since its establishment one year ago, over 125 conversion centres had been established, compared to the initial seven.

He said investment in the sector had exceeded 175 million dollars, with 12 new mother stations commissioned and 75 more under construction.

‘Technician training is being ramped up, with 40 new technicians trained weekly. Over 34,000 conversion kits have been ordered, with more than half already distributed,’ he said.

He added that vehicle conversions were taking place at 53 centres in eight states, and that the centres would be expanded to all the 36 states and the FCT.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is over 194 per cent increase this 2024 in Mpox outbreak compared to the same time in 2023.

Since January 2024 till September, a total of 32,407 cases of Mpox , of which 6,441 were confirmed and 840 deaths, have been reported.

Of these, Central Africa Region accounts for 90 per cent of all cases reported.

The Africa CDC notes that the cases of Mpox are steadily increasing across all affected countries, with gaps and challenges in surveillance, contact tracing and follow-up; and data quality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Mpox as an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy.

Previously known as monkeypox, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.

There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).

A global
outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to this day.

There are also rising outbreaks of clades Ia and Ib affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa, and as of August 2024, clade Ib has also been detected beyond Africa.

At present, Mpox continues to be a threat with an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries caused by clades Ia and Ib, thereby, raising concern.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Dr Bannet Ndyanabangi, Vice President of Global Programmes at VillageReach, highlighted some of the steps that African nations could take to boost resilience in their health systems.

See also ALGON president urges youth to shun alcoholism, kidnapping

In the face of the current Mpox outbreak, he said it was important to have in place, health systems that respond to the needs and preferences of underreached communities.

According to him, strong, resilient health systems can adapt to shocks, emergencies and reach h
ard-to-reach communities.

He said that community engagement to contain the outbreak was necessary to ensure no one was left behind, particularly those at risk.

This, he said, should prioritise access to testing, fair and equitable access to vaccines, and establishing agreements with manufacturers to ensure timely delivery during emergencies.

NAN reports that VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive.

It develops solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care with the work increasing access to quality health care for 70 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Mpox is another wake-up call.

‘The pandemic has highlighted the need for equitable distribution of vaccines; we need to look at future responses, prioritising fair access and ensuring it is not sidelined in global health strategies.

‘ We need to increase vaccine uptake where available.

‘ We need to do contact tracing and then care for those affected,” h
e said.

Ndyanabangi highlighted the importance of digital supply chain management as well as training healthcare workers and supply chain managers to improve incident management.

According to him, there is need for Africa to initiate its own local manufacturing.

He mentioned that to reduce dependency on international supply chains, African countries like Nigeria could spearhead local manufacturing of vaccines and essential items, based on the country’s vast capacity and resources.

See also AYGF urges improved access to healthcare in vulnerable communities

‘We need to initiate and support local manufacturing of vaccines, Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), and other medical supplies to reduce dependency on international supply chains.

‘Let us start with looking at really ensuring that countries can produce the PPEs, the vaccines and their testing kits.

‘So, local production is what we need to look at in the medium term, that is, local manufacturing of these critical supplies.

‘Before you talk of the
supply chain, you need to know where to get the supplies. So, we need to accelerate local manufacturing.

‘Countries like Nigeria can do this. They have the capacity and the resources. This will reduce dependency on international supply chains, reduce challenges that we observe and thereby setup sufficiency.”

Ndyanabangi also recommended public-private partnerships to optimise the distribution of essential goods and vaccines, and foster collaborations between government and private sector.

‘This usually facilitates bigger response during health emergencies.”

He told NAN, that it was also important to adopt digital supply chain management, as utilising technology would enhance supply chain efficiency.

He said that training and capacity building are also critical.

He also noted that surveillance as well as research and development are important in containing the Mpox outbreak.

‘Finally, surveillance. You need a good surveillance system to track and understand the spread of the outbreak, so that the resp
onse is better targeted.

‘Research, we need Africa investing in research and development, and support for our researchers,” he said.

NAN reports that WHO and all entities are collaborating to stem Mpox outbreak, which Africa CDC declared as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on Aug. 13.

See also LUTH commemorates World Patient Safety Day, harps on patient safety

Dr Abdou Gueye, Regional Emergency Director, World Health Organisation Africa Region (WHO AFRO), had earlier shared with NAN, WHO’s field efforts since the declaration of the mpox outbreak.

According to him, the WHO has been working effectively and collaborating with all entities to stem the public health emergency.

He also emphasised the importance of early detection, robust health systems, and community engagement.

Gueye told NAN that some of WHO’s efforts included supporting diagnostic capabilities, treatment guidelines, and community engagement across African countries.

He said that WHO was also working to make sure that al
l manufacturers that could produce vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic were being put in touch with those who could fund it.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is over 194 per cent increase this 2024 in Mpox outbreak compared to the same time in 2023.

Since January 2024 till September, a total of 32,407 cases of Mpox , of which 6,441 were confirmed and 840 deaths, have been reported.

Of these, Central Africa Region accounts for 90 per cent of all cases reported.

The Africa CDC notes that the cases of Mpox are steadily increasing across all affected countries, with gaps and challenges in surveillance, contact tracing and follow-up; and data quality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Mpox as an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy.

Previously known as monkeypox, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.

There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).

A global
outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to this day.

There are also rising outbreaks of clades Ia and Ib affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa, and as of August 2024, clade Ib has also been detected beyond Africa.

At present, Mpox continues to be a threat with an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries caused by clades Ia and Ib, thereby, raising concern.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Dr Bannet Ndyanabangi, Vice President of Global Programmes at VillageReach, highlighted some of the steps that African nations could take to boost resilience in their health systems.

See also ALGON president urges youth to shun alcoholism, kidnapping

In the face of the current Mpox outbreak, he said it was important to have in place, health systems that respond to the needs and preferences of underreached communities.

According to him, strong, resilient health systems can adapt to shocks, emergencies and reach h
ard-to-reach communities.

He said that community engagement to contain the outbreak was necessary to ensure no one was left behind, particularly those at risk.

This, he said, should prioritise access to testing, fair and equitable access to vaccines, and establishing agreements with manufacturers to ensure timely delivery during emergencies.

NAN reports that VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive.

It develops solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care with the work increasing access to quality health care for 70 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Mpox is another wake-up call.

‘The pandemic has highlighted the need for equitable distribution of vaccines; we need to look at future responses, prioritising fair access and ensuring it is not sidelined in global health strategies.

‘ We need to increase vaccine uptake where available.

‘ We need to do contact tracing and then care for those affected,” h
e said.

Ndyanabangi highlighted the importance of digital supply chain management as well as training healthcare workers and supply chain managers to improve incident management.

According to him, there is need for Africa to initiate its own local manufacturing.

He mentioned that to reduce dependency on international supply chains, African countries like Nigeria could spearhead local manufacturing of vaccines and essential items, based on the country’s vast capacity and resources.

See also AYGF urges improved access to healthcare in vulnerable communities

‘We need to initiate and support local manufacturing of vaccines, Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), and other medical supplies to reduce dependency on international supply chains.

‘Let us start with looking at really ensuring that countries can produce the PPEs, the vaccines and their testing kits.

‘So, local production is what we need to look at in the medium term, that is, local manufacturing of these critical supplies.

‘Before you talk of the
supply chain, you need to know where to get the supplies. So, we need to accelerate local manufacturing.

‘Countries like Nigeria can do this. They have the capacity and the resources. This will reduce dependency on international supply chains, reduce challenges that we observe and thereby setup sufficiency.”

Ndyanabangi also recommended public-private partnerships to optimise the distribution of essential goods and vaccines, and foster collaborations between government and private sector.

‘This usually facilitates bigger response during health emergencies.”

He told NAN, that it was also important to adopt digital supply chain management, as utilising technology would enhance supply chain efficiency.

He said that training and capacity building are also critical.

He also noted that surveillance as well as research and development are important in containing the Mpox outbreak.

‘Finally, surveillance. You need a good surveillance system to track and understand the spread of the outbreak, so that the resp
onse is better targeted.

‘Research, we need Africa investing in research and development, and support for our researchers,” he said.

NAN reports that WHO and all entities are collaborating to stem Mpox outbreak, which Africa CDC declared as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on Aug. 13.

See also LUTH commemorates World Patient Safety Day, harps on patient safety

Dr Abdou Gueye, Regional Emergency Director, World Health Organisation Africa Region (WHO AFRO), had earlier shared with NAN, WHO’s field efforts since the declaration of the mpox outbreak.

According to him, the WHO has been working effectively and collaborating with all entities to stem the public health emergency.

He also emphasised the importance of early detection, robust health systems, and community engagement.

Gueye told NAN that some of WHO’s efforts included supporting diagnostic capabilities, treatment guidelines, and community engagement across African countries.

He said that WHO was also working to make sure that al
l manufacturers that could produce vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic were being put in touch with those who could fund it.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, and some other key figures in the Nigerian corporate space will be addressing the increasing issue of sexual crimes in the workplace at a session slated for Oct. 25 in Lagos.

Joseph Edgar, Chairman of The Duke’s Masterclass and the convener of the session, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Edgar said the event, with theme, ‘Sexual Relations in the Workplace’, would hold at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island.

He noted that Justice Alogba had approved the attendance of Justice A. Akinlade, a senior judge of the Lagos High Court, who will present a paper on ‘The Menace of Sexual Harassment, Rape, and Other Violent Crimes in the Workplace’.

He also said that the session would feature distinguished speakers like: Chief Bimbo Ashiru, Chairman, Odua Group, Olumide Aju SAN; Adekunle Oyinloye, Chairman, Gbose Group and Dr Austen Ebose, Managing Director, Anchor Insurance.

Others are: Tokunbo George-Taylor, Expert PR Consultant; Omokunb
i Adeoti of Leadway Group; Dr Olayinka Jibunoh and CSP Lasisi Nurudeen.

Edgar emphasised that the issue of sexual relations in the workplace had rapidly escalated into a significant threat to corporate existence.

He said unfortunately, many business leaders often failed to recognise its severity until it became too late, by which time the organisation’s structure might have been damaged, sometimes beyond repair.

Edgar further explained that, although some aspects of workplace relationships might seem positive, the overwhelming negative impacts, if not properly managed, pose threats in four key areas.

See also Yiaga Africa tasks Tinubu on electoral reform

He said those areas were: legal, human capital, brand reputation, and structural integrity.

He noted that these effects could weaken an organisation, making it incapable of achieving its corporate goals.

‘This session is expected to attract Chief Executive Officers, business owners, corporate leaders, brand and reputation management experts, and HR pro
fessionals.

‘The goal is to not only discuss the various facets of this issue but also to develop practical solutions and preventive measures that can be embedded into corporate culture to eliminate this harmful trend.

‘The Duke’s masterclass is a uniquely designed platform aimed at empowering corporate leaders through targeted engagements that strengthen corporate institutions and promote sustainable growth.

‘Previous masterclass speakers include notable figures such as General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), Emir Mohammed Sanusi II, Kola Adesina, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, among others,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, and some other key figures in the Nigerian corporate space will be addressing the increasing issue of sexual crimes in the workplace at a session slated for Oct. 25 in Lagos.

Joseph Edgar, Chairman of The Duke’s Masterclass and the convener of the session, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Edgar said the event, with theme, ‘Sexual Relations in the Workplace’, would hold at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island.

He noted that Justice Alogba had approved the attendance of Justice A. Akinlade, a senior judge of the Lagos High Court, who will present a paper on ‘The Menace of Sexual Harassment, Rape, and Other Violent Crimes in the Workplace’.

He also said that the session would feature distinguished speakers like: Chief Bimbo Ashiru, Chairman, Odua Group, Olumide Aju SAN; Adekunle Oyinloye, Chairman, Gbose Group and Dr Austen Ebose, Managing Director, Anchor Insurance.

Others are: Tokunbo George-Taylor, Expert PR Consultant; Omokunb
i Adeoti of Leadway Group; Dr Olayinka Jibunoh and CSP Lasisi Nurudeen.

Edgar emphasised that the issue of sexual relations in the workplace had rapidly escalated into a significant threat to corporate existence.

He said unfortunately, many business leaders often failed to recognise its severity until it became too late, by which time the organisation’s structure might have been damaged, sometimes beyond repair.

Edgar further explained that, although some aspects of workplace relationships might seem positive, the overwhelming negative impacts, if not properly managed, pose threats in four key areas.

See also Yiaga Africa tasks Tinubu on electoral reform

He said those areas were: legal, human capital, brand reputation, and structural integrity.

He noted that these effects could weaken an organisation, making it incapable of achieving its corporate goals.

‘This session is expected to attract Chief Executive Officers, business owners, corporate leaders, brand and reputation management experts, and HR pro
fessionals.

‘The goal is to not only discuss the various facets of this issue but also to develop practical solutions and preventive measures that can be embedded into corporate culture to eliminate this harmful trend.

‘The Duke’s masterclass is a uniquely designed platform aimed at empowering corporate leaders through targeted engagements that strengthen corporate institutions and promote sustainable growth.

‘Previous masterclass speakers include notable figures such as General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), Emir Mohammed Sanusi II, Kola Adesina, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, among others,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria