Tag: General News

The Federal Government has secured over six million doses of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine and other essential supplies for the public.

The government also said it is prepared for the rollout of the vaccination for girls aged nine to 14 years on October 24, 2023.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib disclosed this on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja.

Shuaib said the vaccine will help to prevent HPV infection and reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that has a silent harbinger of several types of cancers, including cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women aged 15 to 49 years. Nigeria contributes an estimated 12,075 new cases of global cervical cancer annually.

HPV infection has been identified as a high-risk factor, implicated in 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases. With 12,000 new diagnoses and 8,000 lives claimed each year, it translates to 33 new cervical cancer cases and 22 deaths every day in the country.

HPV is caused by a DNA virus belonging to the family Papillomaviridae. The virions are non-enveloped and contain a double-stranded DNA genome.

Dr Faisal noted that while vaccination is the most potent prevention measure against HPV, women are encouraged to undergo regular screening tests for early detection and treatment.

“Over the past several months, the NPHCDA, in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and our dedicated partners, has diligently executed a comprehensive plan to introduce the HPV vaccine.

“We have bolstered the capabilities of our frontline healthcare workers, ensuring they are adept in administering the vaccine. Alongside our partners and donors, we have secured over six million doses of the HPV vaccine and essential supplies.

“We have conducted numerous forums to raise awareness among stakeholders, including parents and caregivers regarding the pivotal importance of HPV vaccination.

“To address any concerns or misconceptions, have engaged with communities and established a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to measure the impact and progress of the vaccination campaign.

“This vital vaccine introduction will occur in two phases. The first phase will encompass 16 states, including Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The second phase is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024 and will encompass the remaining states: Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyl, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara,” he said.

The Gardasil HPV vaccination has been granted approval by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration to be distributed as a one-shot vaccine.

In her statement, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye emphasised the agency’s dedication to guaranteeing the safety, quality, and effectiveness of the Gardasil vaccine within the country.

Adeyeye explained that Gardasil is a vaccine designed to safeguard against HPV and is suggested for girls and boys between the ages of 11 and 12, but it can also be administered as early as nine years old or as late as 26 years old.

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A civil society organisation (CSO), Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has cautioned the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government on the country’s rising debt profile.

The Federal Government is in talks with the World Bank to secure a fresh $1.5bn loan.

Addressing journalists on Monday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said that the Federal Government has approved an application for $1.5 billion in financing from the World Bank.

He also disclosed that another $80 million loan from the African Development Bank was approved for the financing of the Ekiti Knowledge Zone Project (EKZ) in Ekiti State.

According to the Minister, EKZ aims to empower young individuals by facilitating their engagement in the knowledge economy and the technology sector, adding that the project will enable training, employment opportunities, and participation in the ever-growing technological landscape in the country.

“Nigeria has been able to make the kind of macroeconomic moves, has been able to take the tough decisions to restore balance in the economy in the government’s finances that has warranted support, that has agenda and has elicited even support from the multilateral development bank.

“And is on the basis of that, that the World Bank is willing to consider and to process on our behalf $1.5 billion of concessional financing, relatively cheap financing and financing that will be dispersed relatively quickly,” Edun had said.

But reacting to this development in a statement on Tuesday, CACOL Chairman, Debo Adeniran, decried the country’s rising debt profile, and called on Tinubu and his cabinet members to find solutions to various problems facing the country.

Adeniran said, “The decision of the federal government to continue borrowing amidst the rising debt burden already imposed on the country by the past administrations and the seemingly unsustainable nature of the loans has made us to break the silence of the day on this serious issue. We want to emphatically say that we expect this administration to dare to be different from past administrations; we expect the president and his cabinet members to think out of the box in finding solutions to the myriads of problems confronting the nation.

“If a country that can afford Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), allegedly worth N130 million to its lawmakers but still go cap in hand begging Bretton Woods organisations for funds needed to finance its budget, then something is wrong somewhere. If the government must borrow at all, it should not be for servicing recurrent expenditures, but must be targeted on capital projects that would later generate income or grow our gross domestic product (GDP) sporadically.

“We hope the President and his advisers know the implications of these incessant borrowings on our economy, the value of the naira, the enormity of the debt service burden, the current size of our debt, and our very limited capacity to service both domestic and external debts. Those given us loans also have their stringent conditions attached to it which must be met by the government and most often, some of these conditions are not made public, hence imposing the burden on even unborn generations.”

He urged Tinubu and members of his cabinet to reduce the cost of governance, adding that aside addressing the challenges hampering growth in the oil and gas industry, other revenue sources should be explored by the government.

“We would like to call on the President and his cabinet members to try as much as possible to cut down on our excessive borrowings as a country, they must also strive to reduce the cost of governance and the amount of forex that we send out to other nations through the imports of petroleum products, brand new cars or SUVs, etc. The challenges being faced in the oil and gas sector which had impacted negatively on the country’s earnings should be permanently tackled so that government revenue from that sector can be fully maximized.

“Other sources of revenue should also be explored like the blue economy, bringing more rich people into the tax net, exploration and exportation of more mineral resources which nature has richly blessed us with, empowering more people to practice mechanized farming which has the potential of not only ensuring food security within the country but also earning foreign currencies through exportation, etc. The administration should be reminded that relying solely on borrowing to finance our budget especially recurrent expenditures is a recipe for impending disaster,” the CACOL boss said.

Nigeria’s public debt – federal and state governments – increased by N3.60 trillion in the first quarter of 2023 from the sum of N46.25 trillion recorded at the end of December 2022, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO). This does not include the N22.7 trillion loans that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) advanced to the Federal Government under its Ways and Means policy.

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The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has hit back at the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, saying he’s still licking the wounds of seeing his candidate, Peter Obi of the Labour Party being defeated by president Bola Tinubu.

The APC through a statement issued on Tuesday evening by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said there was no iota of truth in what Lawal said regarding the outcome of the February presidential election.

Lawal had in a statement he issued on Tuesday said Peter Obi of the Labour Party won the election based on available data, charging the president to resign for courting controversy regarding his age, name, academic records among others.

The former SGF further urged Tinubu to resign so he could take proper care of his failing health.

But the APC took a swipe at the former senior member of the party saying he failed spectacularly when he was made an SGF and equally saw his dream of flying a joint ticket collapse hence his attack on the president and the exalted position he occupies.

The statement read, “Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, emerged from his hibernation slinging incoherent aspersions on the person of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the exalted office he occupies.

“After a long hiatus licking his wounds from the monumental electoral loss of his candidate in the last presidential election, Mr. Lawal unabashedly is out again, peddling gibberish, rather than learn from his political misadventure with equanimity.

“Clearly, the defeat of his principal, Peter Obi, at the poll has done incalculable damage to Mr. Lawal’s psyche and his capacity for rational thought as evident in his analysis based entirely on the figment of his warped imagination rather than on hard facts and figures. A clear sign of his disconnect from reality was his reference to the election held in May 2023, rather than February.”

The statement added, “We challenge Babachir Lawal to give a detailed breakdown of his so- called ‘aggregated facts sourced from independent sources’, which he claimed proved that Obi won the election or forever remain mute.

“That he did not provide these facts to help Obi prove his case before the Presidential Elections Petitions Court is a massive disservice if not betrayal of his political principal.

“Babachir Lawal ought to have known that running a jaundiced commentary on a matter before the Supreme Court is the height of irresponsibility.

“But he is still nursing bitterness and vindictiveness over his failed dream of running on a joint ticket with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

The party further said, “Indeed, Babachir Lawal is in dire need of professional counselling and deserves our collective pity.

“It is obvious he may never get over the pain of being tossed into the dustbin of political ignominy by President Bola Tinubu who, against all odds, defeated Mr Peter Obi who exploited our religious and ethnic fault lines in his campaign for the nation’s highest office.

“Thankfully, Nigerians across all ethnic and religious divides, saw through Babachir Lawal’s and Peter Obi’s shenanigans and voted for the best candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“Furthermore, it is very uncharitable for Mr. Babachir Lawal to call to question the professional competence of President Tinubu’s appointees, some of whom he cannot hold a candle to their political and professional accomplishments.

“Babachir Lawal is one lightweight politician who thinks himself a heavyweight. He failed spectacularly as a politician in his State of Adamawa where in three election circles he could not deliver his ward and local government in his Hong Local Government.

“Despite his legendary failure as a politician, former President Muhammadu Buhari in deference to diversity appointed him to the high office of SGF where he was unceremoniously sacked on account of very poor performance and dishonourable conduct.

“A man like Babachir Lawal is in no position to offer an opinion on the competence of President Tinubu’s appointees.

“We are convinced that these appointees would justify the confidence reposed in them by the President by delivering on the promises of the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration.

“And while they are at it, we would admonish Babachir Lawal to concentrate on managing his farm and stop constituting himself into a needless distraction unbefitting of his age and status,” the statement added.

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“The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness,” wrote the French Renaissance philosopher, Michel Eyquem, Seigneur de Montaigne, commonly known as Michel de Montaigne. This is true of Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, Governor of Cross River State, who turns 64 on October 18.

There is a certain certitude about the governor who bears the sobriquet, The Sweetest Prince, that is putting smiles on the faces of those he serves.

His coming to this appellation bears testimony to his innate belief that all men should be happy in the hope that it sends a ripple effect in service to people and community.

As the 18th Chief Executive of Cross River State, Otu came at a time of great economic challenge, social dislocation and near-despondency occasioned by several factors, chief of which are the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and removal of fuel subsidy, low revenue generation, infrastructural deficit and an aging, less-motivated workforce.

Like the wartime prime minister of Britain, Sir Winston Churchill, Otu, fully aware that it was at a time such as this that he was called forth from near-political eclipse, rallied citizens of the state on May 29, 2023 when he said: “We are excited to be here at a time like this; for champions are made in trying moments. We are confident and determined to restructure our huge debt stock while strengthening our fiscal pasture.

“I commit to you and my God, to, at all times, put you first in all consideration as we begin a journey of a prosperous and glorious future.”

This clarion call echoes Churchill’s rallying cry to the British people at the House of Commons on June 18, 1940 when he said; “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for a thousand years men will still say, ‘this was their finest hour’.”

Indeed, the finest hour for Cross River State is nigh as Prince Otu, without any illusion of an easy ride, has set about laying a firm foundation on which to build a state that works for all with his People’s First Agenda.

As a politician, the governor lives the conviction of his belief, “I am in politics to serve humanity.” And owing to this, he was bestowed the endearing appellation, “The Sweet Prince,” and would later take a notch higher to “The Sweetest Prince.”

As it is often said, “Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics many times,” so has it been with Prince Otu. First elected into the House of Representatives in 2003 to represent the good people of Calabar Municipality/Odukpani, an office he occupied until 2011), he set about serving diligently and putting not just his constituents first, but the whole of Nigeria.

As chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) Rep Otu led the agenda in revolutionising the petroleum sector by strengthening the Petroleum Technology Development Fund as a more effective vehicle to develop local content in the oil and gas industry.

He would further deepen indigenous participation in that sector when he was elected senator in 2011 to represent Cross River South Senatorial District by drafting and sponsoring the Nigerian Content Development Act that gave birth to the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB).

While working to give Nigerians a chance in the lucrative oil and gas industry, he remained a man of the streets, and there was always a carnival-like atmosphere when he visited his senatorial districts. For the people, his mere presence was an elixir to hope and expectation that all will be well.

In spite of his deep sense of commitment to his people and constituents, political machinations would deny him the opportunity to return to the Upper Chamber in the next elections, while the political establishment would find him useful in other areas.

But as man fated for a greater thing, destiny conspired with the former Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade, and Prince Otu was anointed as the worthy bearer of the rallying cry for political stability and equity in the Back-to-South Movement, counted for great gain for the state. And like Nathaniel Bassey will sing, “See what the Lord has done!”

For the common man on the street, nothing could be sweeter than having him on the ballot as governor above and more than the senatorial ticket that was denied him. His popularity acceptance was unmistakable as he swept through the state in 15 out of the 18 local governments and could have taken all but for some electoral abracadabra. Like they say, “the rest is history”.

As governor, Otu has placed agriculture and tourism as lynchpins of the state’s economic revival and is investing resources and manpower in this regard. His assemblage of a blend of technocrats, politicians, and private sector driven individuals in his various appointments speak to his broad vision not to allow any sector suffer, insisting that each should complement the other.

Since his assumption as Governor of Cross River State, Prince Otu has embarked on bridge building, cross-cutting tours across the state to take stock of projects and infrastructure and meeting with diverse groups and peoples to have first-hand experience of their needs and concerns. For instance, during a fire outbreak at the popular Hausa quarters, Bogobiri, in the Calabar metropolis, he was there to commiserate with the traders and made a donation of N20million to cushion their losses.

In fidelity to his People’s First Mantra, Cross River State was the first to announce conditional cash transfer to all civil servants before the federal government borrowed a leaf and announced same. This is beside other incentives in the face of fuel subsidy removal palaver.

A firm believer in God as a practising Christian, all state meetings are not without prayers –opening and closing. For a man who has seen the ups and downs of life and bears witness to God turning it around, this is not surprising.

For many a Cross Riverian, the hope remains that he will remain efferent, conducting sweetness and like Churchill, always bear in mind, “I felt as if I were walking with Destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour”.

Happy Birthday, Your Excellency!

– Ogbeche is the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of The Whistler.

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