The Kwara State Government on Friday in Ilorin inaugurated the Maternal, Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response committee to tackle the high cases of maternal and child mortality. The wife of the state governor, Dr. Olufolake Abdulrazak, inaugurated the committee at the Stakeholders Meeting on ending preventable deaths of mothers and newborns in the state. Mrs. Abdulrazak said that the maiden meeting was coming at a very important time when the present administration was leaving no stone untouched to ensure all citizens access to quality and affordable healthcare services. The governor’s wife, who stressed the need for ending preventable death of…
Author: Temitope N.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged leaders of all countries to vaccine at least 10 percent of their population by September. The WHO DG said this on Friday in his opening remark at the media briefing on COVID-19. Speaking at the virtual briefing, the WHO boss said that this would protect health workers and those at most risk, effectively ending the acute stage of the pandemic and saving a lot of lives. “I have urged leaders across the world to work together to ensure that by this time next year, 70 percent of all…
South Sudan is experiencing a rapid decline in oil output, with its oilfields yielding less crude after reaching maturity, a senior government official said late on Thursday. At least five blocks “have already reached their peak and are on the decline”, Awow Daniel Chuang, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Petroleum, told Reuters. The country’s crude output now stands at 154,000 barrels per day (bpd) compared with 180,000 bpd in 2019. Crude reserves in the African nation are also declining, Chuang said, adding that the government and companies need to find ways to increase oilfields’ recovery rates to sustain the country’s…
The federal government has projected a rise to 4.2 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said this at the Public Consultation on the Draft 2022 to 2024 Medium Term Fiscal Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTFF/FSP) on Thursday. Mrs Ahmed said the GDP projected in 2021, to close at three per cent, had been adjusted downwards to close at 2.5 per cent. “In 2022, we are expecting an uptake to 4.2 per cent, then a dip to 2.3 per cent in 2023 and up to…
Nigerian lawmakers are calling for a future amendment to the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), recently passed by the national assembly for presidential assent. The executive bill was passed with some contentious issues bordering on funds for ‘frontier exploration’ and the host communities. Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf and Hon. Henry Nwawuba who spoke on Channels TV said while the bill may get the nod of the executive because it initiated it in the Ninth Assembly, it would be good to have the bill reworked to meet the aspirations of all the people, especially its critical stakeholders, in this case, the host communities.…
The Federal Government will, on Oct. 13, arraign the Managing Director (MD), Dana Air, Hathiramani Jacky Ranesh, in a Federal High Court, Abuja on allegations bordering on fraud. Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after counsel to the defendant, Ade Adedeji, SAN, told the court that the absence of his client in court was to the knowledge of the prosecution. Newsmen report that the arraignment of Ramesh and two others, in suit number CR/101/21, was in the cause list for Wednesday’s proceeding. The MD of Dana Air is the first defendant in the suit. Although other defendants in the matter…
Oyo State Government has approved the construction of an aviation fuel facility at the Ibadan airport, at the cost of N1.2 billion. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Seyi Makinde, on Thursday in Ibadan. The statement said that the facility would enable airline operators to use Ibadan as their operational base. The facility, when constructed, will also ensure that the airport serves as an immediate alternative to the Lagos airport in case of weather or other challenges. The statement said that the approval for…
OPEC+ is moving towards gradually adding about 2 million barrels per day (bpd) to the oil market from August to December, an OPEC+ source told Reuters as the group eases back on output curbs amid a recovering global economy and an oil price rally. Monthly increases would be 0.4 million bpd under the plan, the source said, adding that an OPEC+ ministerial committee had proposed this to the wider group. Another source said Saudi Arabia and Russia, the biggest producers in the OPEC+ alliance, had reached a preliminary agreement. Responding to oil demand destruction caused by the COVID-19 crisis, OPEC+…
The minister of state for petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, says the federal government’s decision to acquire equity in private refineries is to prevent fuel scarcity. He said this on Thursday in Abuja while receiving an award from a group called “Corruption Reporter.” The group said the award was conferred on him for his achievements in fighting corruption and the pursuit of transparency and accountability in the petroleum industry. On Tuesday, Mele Kyari, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), confirmed that the federal government would acquire a 20 percent equity stake in the Dangote Refinery. The corporation…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned Nigerians against consuming Pure Tassie organic apple and blackcurrant imported from Australia, noting that it contains patulin, a dangerous toxin. The agency noted that the products are certified harmful for human consumption. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Tuesday, noting that the “Centre for Food Safety of Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department warned against the consumption of Pure Tassie Organic Apple and Blackcurrant juice originating from Australia. “This was due to an unacceptable level of patulin (a mycotoxin) which had exceeded the…