Day: June 20, 2024

The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has commenced the construction of 9,600 bed space ultramodern students’ hostels to cost N16 billon, under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to be completed in September 2025.

Mr Philip Uzouku, the Chairman/Managing Director, Philkruz WA Ltd., disclosed this during the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of the students’ hostels on Thursday in Abuja.

Uzouku said that the company would build and manage the hostels for over 30 years, recoup their money before handing it over to the university.

‘We have been on this journey for over eight years, pushing through thick and thin.

‘This project will not stop until we finish it, so that by next year September, we will start taking new students to live in it.

‘The 9,600 bed space will cost N16 billion and I have six slots in the University of Abuja that will cost about N48 billion to complete it.

‘The landmark is 10 hecters per slot; each slot is 1600 beds spaces.

‘When we build and manage it for over 30
years and recoup our money before we hand over to the university,’ he said.

He said that the company’s motivation to embark on this project was not only to make profit and enrich their pockets.

According to him, the motivation is borne out of the desire to partner with the university to contribute in their efforts to provide modern, affordable and state of the arts students’ hostels.

Uzouku appreciated the Vice-chancellor, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, for giving him the opportunity to be among the investors that have been selected to help alleviate the accommodation problem facing the university.

On his part, Na’Allah urged wealthy citizens to come and build facilities in the university, adding that public universities should not be a government business alone.

He said that the university could accommodate any PPP arrangement that would like to come and build hostels, staff quarters, and canteens among others in the university.

According to him, with enough hostels the university will make a policy that all
students’ will be in the hostels, so that anyone who wishes to stay off campus will need to apply for exemption.

The Registrar, Yahaya Mohammed said that at the moment, the university could only accommodate 6,000 out of the 26,000 regular students.

Mohammed said that the hostels when completed would be a big relief to the students who were off campus.

‘If there are enough hostels, many students will like to stay as this will help to ease the stress of coming from outside the campus.

‘This will be a good market also for other investors to come and invest as they will recoup their money within a short period of time.

‘It will not be a project that any investors would lose or regret partnering with the university,’ he said.

He said that the university has over 63,000 regular and non-regular students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UniAbuja and Philkruz signed the hand-over certificate and the project was officially handed over to the company.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Move Against Cancer Africa (MACA), a volunteer-based NGO has called for increased awareness to ensure early detection and treatment of kidney cancer.

MACA champions campaigns and education on cancer-related issues across Africa,

Mr Caleb Egwuenu, Project Officer of MACA, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2024 Work Kidney Cancer Day (WKCD).

NAN reports that every year, the World Kidney Cancer Day is observed in June to raise awareness about the disease, its causes, symptoms, and available treatments, and this year’s WKCD is June 20.

According to Egwuenu, adequate awareness on cancer-related issues, including risks, treatment, survivorship, palliative care, and prevention, was important in combating the scourge.

‘To mark this year’s World Kidney Cancer Day, the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC) and its affiliates, including Move Against Cancer Africa, have chosen a theme: ‘We need to listen
.’

‘It is an important reminder to listen to our body and educate ourselves about kidney cancer, its symptoms, the steps we can take to reduce our risk and support those affected by the disease.’

‘Note that there are no obvious symptoms of kidney cancer, but when there are symptoms, they can include blood in the urine, a lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs, or in your neck.

‘Other possible symptoms include pain between your ribs and waist that does not go away, loss of appetite or loss of weight, consistent tiredness or no energy, persistent fever or excessive sweating , including at night.

‘This is why routine checkups are very crucial, and healthcare professionals are advised to listen to their patients.

‘Patients should have the right to be heard, and If you feel you are not being listened to, seek a second opinion for symptoms that do not improve’.

‘Patients with kidney cancer, are advised to listen to healthcare professionals who provide them with advice and support, and have open conve
rsations to ensure access to enough information for informed health decisions,’ he said.

According to Egwuenu, open communication between a patient and a healthcare provider is needed in handling cancer-related issues to ensure shared Decision-Making (SDM).

He added that early detection of kidney cancer significantly improves treatment outcomes and, therefore, called for regular health check-ups and screenings, especially for individuals with a family history of kidney cancer or other risk factors.

He noted that adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, managing high blood pressure, and avoiding exposure to harmful chemicals, can reduce the risk of kidney cancer.

‘By raising awareness and promoting early detection and treatment, we can strive towards better outcomes for individuals battling kidney cancer,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) is engaging with stakeholders to review and validate the 2023 Annual Progress Report (APR) of Nigeria’s extractive industries.

Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, said this at a Stakeholder’s Consultation/Validation Meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was centred on the 2023 Annual Progress Report (APR) of the Nigeria Extractive Industries, which covers the oil, gas, and mining sectors.

Orji, represented by a Director in NEITI, Mrs Jane Onwumere, said that stakeholders engagement in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process was important.

‘The global EITI requirement of 1.5 under its 2023 standard mandates all implementing countries, including Nigeria, to document their review of the impacts and outcomes of the EITI implementation in an APR.

‘This can also be done through other means as may be agreed by Multi-Stakeholders Group (MSG).

‘It requ
ires that all stakeholders, companies, government and civil society involved in the EITI process, including those not on the MSG, should participate in reviewing the impact of EITI implementation.

‘They are required to also provide feedback and have their views reflected in the annual progress report.’

Orji said the programme, therefore, aimed to reflect the stakeholders’ views in the 2023 APR of the NEI in line with the requirements of the global EITI.

He said the event served as an opportunity to evaluate and celebrate the progress, milestones, and achievements recorded in Nigeria’s extractive sectors in the year under review.

Orji called on stakeholders to share their contributions to the sector to enable NEITI to report and celebrate them through the instrumentality of the global EITI.

According to him, the APR is not solely the business of the NEITI Secretariat but a collective effort by all parties working towards achieving EITI objectives in Nigeria.

‘While we acknowledge that there are still man
y issues to be addressed in the sectors, we must document, report, and celebrate our efforts and progress.

‘Addressing those issues will build trust, earn citizens/investors’ confidence, and attract the desired investment into our extractive sectors and economy.’

Also speaking, a former member of the EITI International Board, Mrs Faith Nwadishi, decried the regular dissolution of the board by successive governments.

Nwadishi said,’ the fact that each time a new government comes into office, it dissolves the EITI Board in the country is a concern.

‘This is because it can lead to the country’s suspension from the international body, but we are lucky that the Board was eventually put together.

‘I am sure that if the NEITI Board had not been put together, the EITI International Board meeting happening right now in Geneva would have been a serious concern.

‘We had a similar issue in 2016. Therefore, we must understand the role of the Board.’

Nwadishi, while commenting on the draft report, also observed that
not many Civil Society reports had been captured in the APR.

She urged them to send their reports, saying it was why it is a country work plan comprising inputs of all stakeholders, civil societies, government, and companies.

NAN reports that the meeting brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from companies, government agencies, civil society organisations, and other entities involved in the EITI process.

The participants contributed and expressed their concerns, which the NEITI pledged to address accordingly.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN), has called on the Federal Government to address infractions in the constituted governing councils of tertiary institutions, before their inauguration.

The President of SSUCOEN, Danladi Msheliza made the call in a letter addressed to the Federal Ministry of Education and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

A copy of the letter was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

Msheliza observed that, in the list of the constituted councils released by the federal government, there were omissions and wrong inclusions of schools while some colleges were listed as universities.

‘We observed that some Colleges which are all listed in the First Schedule of the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023, are omitted from the composition of the list of Councils.

‘As such, no Governing Council was constituted for any of them, even in the recently published list of Councils,’ he said.

He listed the colleges as, Federal College of Education
(FCE), Technical, Ekiadolor, Edo state, FCE, Odugbo, Benue state and FCE Jama’are, Bauchi State.

Other are FCE Isu, Ebonyi State and FCE Gidan Madi, Sokoto State.

SSUCOEN president added that there were appointment of governing councils for some FCEs not listed in the FCE Act, 2023, as they were yet to take off with members of staff or students.

He expressed dismay that FCEs that had been in existence with members of staff and students in their campuses, we’re not captured in the list of governing councils.

‘In the same vein, we also observed that some FCEs (FCE Kano, FCE Zaria and Alvan Ikoku, FCE Owerri), whose names were, in the past, changed to Universities of Education were listed as Universities.

‘Pro Chancellors/Chairmen and members of Councils were constituted for them.

‘These FCEs are by mere official pronouncement without any law establishing them, and are not known to the law, as Universities.

‘It should be noted that the above-mentioned Federal Colleges of Education are currently listed in
the First Schedule of the FCEs Act, 2023.

‘Therefore, one wonders how they would be regarded as Universities when there is no law establishing them as Universities,’ he said.

On membership of councils, he noted that the FCEs Act provided for a Chairman and four members, for each College, out of which, one shall be a female.

He, however, said that from the list released, some Colleges have all male nominees, without a female nominee, which was in contravention of the Act.

‘Unfortunately, we are aware that the Governing Councils may be billed for inauguration soon.

‘However, we strongly stand on our earlier advise that the observed anomalies be corrected before the inauguration.

‘Or better still, the inauguration be put on hold while the observed anomalies are corrected within the shortest time possible,’ he said.

He assured that the union’s intentions and concerns were in the best interest of the colleges of education subsector and of industrial harmony.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Army on Thursday, put to operation two new Bell UH-1 Helicopters to herald its aviation unit and to strengthen its counter-insurgency operations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two helicopters arrived the Nigeria Police Air wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 4:37 p.m.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said the journey to realising the dream of army aviation had come to reality with delivery of the two helicopters.

Lagbaja said the renewed drive to have an aviation wing started in 2014 when the former COAS, retired Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, established and operationalised the army aviation coordination office with a 10-year implementation plan segmented into three phases.

‘I am glad that, as conceptualised 10 years later, we have today, taken delivery of our first set of platforms.

‘The journey, as predicted by the initial dreamers, has not been easy but here we are today by the grace of God, realising ou
r dream.

‘We are new to this business, and as newcomers, we must acknowledge our forerunners like the NAF, NN, and the NPF.

‘We are on our learning curve in the aviation business, and we hope it will be a pleasant experience that will enhance our operational successes,’ he said.

Lagbaja said the new helicopters would be a game-changer for the army in its operational activities, adding that the platforms would be used for casualty evacuation, reconnaissance and surveillance.

He said new platform would ensure flexibility in providing support to troops in the field in terms of casualty evacuation, supply and insertion of troops in critical areas.

The Coordinator of Nigerian Army Aviation, Brig.-Gen. Musa Alkali, said the introduction of the advanced air platforms marked a new chapter in the army’s operational readiness and ability to respond swiftly and effectively to diverse security challenges.

Alkali said the platforms were not just an addition to army fleet but a leap forward in its quest for excellenc
e and efficiency toward getting its aviation unit operational.

He said the journey had been defined by rigorous planning, meticulous execution, and unwavering support of the Nigerian army leadership and partners.

According to him, the acquisition of these air platforms is a clear demonstration of our resolve to continuously improve and adapt in the face of evolving security landscapes.

‘These platforms will significantly bolster the reconnaissance, surveillance, and air mobility capabilities, thereby enhancing our overall operational effectiveness.

‘As we integrate these platforms into our operations, let us also remember that the true strength of our aviation lies in the skilled and courageous personnel who operate and maintain these machines.

‘Their professionalism, dedication, and expertise are the bedrock upon which our success is built,’ he said.

The Consultant, retired Maj.-Gen. Emeka Onwuamaegbu, commended the leadership of the Nigerian army for making the aviation unit a reality.

He said the Ni
gerian army invested in him so much to become an aviation professional but could not render the service to the army because of the absence of aviation unit until his retirement.

‘The army invested so much in me in this aspect of military operations but unfortunately, I didn’t use those skills when I was in service.

‘It was a great pleasure a few months ago when I heard that the Nigerian army was about to operationalise the aviation corps, and I met the Chief of Army Staff, and he trusted me to be involved.

‘These platforms will form the foundation for the growth of the Nigerian army,’ he said.

NAN reports that the COAS had in 2023, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu, had approved acquisition of the initial 12 MD 530F Cayuse Attack Helicopters for actualisation of army aviation.

He said the acquisition of the new attack helicopters was part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to boost operational capabilities of the army aviation to appropriately respond to contemporary and emerging security t
hreats.

The attack helicopters are still being expected.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), says the Federal Government has not abandoned the issue of salary harmonisation in the civil service.

Yemi-Esan made the disclosure during a chat with media executives on Wednesday in Abuja, being part of activities to mark 2024 Civil Service Week.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the theme for 2024 celebration is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa’.

Yemi-Esan said salary harmonisation would go through gradual processes because it would be a difficult task to bring down those who were already receiving higher pay.

NAN reports that civil servants in some federal parastatals agencies have been agitating over higher salaries being received by some civil servants in some other government agencies.

The situation had caused some civil servants to demand harmonisation, so as to balance the gap, esp
ecially looking at the economic realities and the fact that they all go to the same market.

The HOCSF explained that in addressing the issue, the first step they took was the approval of peculiar allowance, which was being paid to civil servants, receiving low salary.

‘It is going to be a continuous thing because, it is difficult to bring down people that are already receiving higher salary.

‘What we will continue to do, is to increase the take home of those on the lower rank untill we have the very needed balance.

‘We have started working on this, that was why the 40 per cent peculiar allowance was given, in an effort to close that gap, ‘ she said.

NAN recalled that there was an increase in salary, tagged ‘Consequential Allowance’, that led to a 40 per cent rise in the pay of certain low income earners in civil service during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has felicitated his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on his birthday.

‘Mr Onanuga is one of Nigeria’s finest journalists with a string of accomplishments in the media and beyond to show for his efforts,’ the president said in a statement on Thursday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

‘He was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy struggles in Nigeria and, at various times, had to endure indignities over his progressive beliefs and pursuits.

‘He co-founded The News Magazine and was the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of PM News,’ Tinubu added.

The president noted that Onanuga previously served as Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria.

He commended the ace journalist for professional excellence, and described him as a dependable and resourceful adviser.

The president wished Onanuga many more years in good health as well as renewed strength in his service to the nation.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria