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The federal government has mandated all chief medical directors and medical directors of federal tertiary hospitals to procure needles and syringes solely from NAFDAC-approved local manufacturers. The new directive was stated in a circular addressed to all medical directors signed by the Minister of State for Health, Tunji Alausa, on Friday. The minister said that the directive aimed to boost domestic production and shield the country’s manufacturing sector from the influx of foreign goods. The circular also mandated NAFDAC to stop issuing licences for importing foreign-manufactured needles and syringes. Alausa said the health sector had dented local pharmaceutical industries, which produce needles and syringes and were in serious trouble because of the practice. He also sa...

A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly trafficking 120kg of cocaine disguised as frozen chicken products, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Friday. The man is alleged to have been involved in an attempt to move the drugs from Melbourne to Sydney in a van loaded with frozen chickens in 2022, the AFP said in a statement. On Friday, the man was set to be charged in a Brisbane court on one count of trafficking in commercial quantities of a controlled drug. The alleged offence attracts a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. AFP said that the man was one of two Queensland residents charged in 2022 with involvement with a money laundering syndicate responsible for laundering 4.5 million Australian dollars (three million U.S. dollars). At the time, he was char...

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) during the inauguration of a 16-man caretaker committee in the FCT council. By Joan Nwagwu The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has inaugurated a 16-member caretaker committee to pilot its affairs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Friday in Abuja, Suleiman Abdulkadir, Acting General Secretary of the National union announced that “the caretaker committee earlier appointed by Alh. Najeem Yasin led faction, is illegal and dissolved”. “In view of the fact that nature abhors vacuum, a caretaker committee comprising of 16 members has been constituted,” he said Abdulkadir announced Ajibola Ashimolowo as the Chairman, Abdulkarim Shuaibu as Deputy Chairman, Saidu Musa ...

The Nigeria Police on Thursday announced the arrest of the alleged mastermind of the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna rail. Scores of passengers were killed while many were abducted in March 2022. The mastermind was identified as Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known by the ominous moniker of Mandi. Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, also disclosed that the suspect had also participated in the abduction of students from Greenfield University in 2021. Adejobi also added that 48 AK-47 rifles were seized during Mandi’s arrest and efforts were underway to identify his sponsor and supplier of weapons. He said, “On 12th January 2024, police operatives attached to an anti-kidnapping unit of Kaduna State Criminal Investigation Depart...

Executive Director, Operations NSITF Modu Gana,Coordinator from the office of Secretary to the Government of Federation, Chioma Nzewi, MD/CE NSITF Maureen Allagoa, Rep of Special Adviser to the President on Delivery Coordination, Esege Ebei Esege, Executive Director, Administration NSITF and Executive Director, Finance and Investment, Adegoke Adedeji at Stepdown workshop at the Headquarters of the NSITF, Abuja By Joan Nwagwu Mrs Maureen Allagoa, the Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF) says the fund is committed to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s social investment agenda. Allagoa said at a workshop in Abuja on Thursday that NSITF remained committed to the realisation of the president’s agenda on health, education and agriculture. The theme of the w...

…For Any Meaningful Development, There Must Be Research The Honourable Minister of Defence, H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON, mni, has charged the University of Abuja to partner with the Ministry of Defence through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in the local production of defence equipment. The Minister stated this when the Vice-Chancellor of University of Abuja, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah paid him a courtesy visit in Ship House, Abuja. The Minister noted that the University being a center for research, can partner favourably with DICON in the production of Military weapons; drones, guns and other hardwares we need in the country. The Minister opined that UNI- Abuja is a research driven University that offers various Engineering Courses and that i...

The House of Representatives has reassured the public that the long queues at filling stations across the country will soon fizzle out. Ikenga Ugochinyere, chairman of Petroleum Downstream, said this at a joint news conference in Abuja on Wednesday. “We hereby express our concerns over the temporary presence of fuel queues in petrol stations across the country. However, we are convinced that this is temporary based on our investigation, and in a couple of days, we shall get over it,” Mr Ugochinyere said. Flanked by Henry Okojie, the chairman of Petroleum Midstream, Mr Ugochinyere said investigations had revealed that the scarcity was artificial. “We have discovered that there is availability of petrol products. We have it on good authority that we have in our storage facilitie...

The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will host a Justice Reform Summit with the theme “Enhancing the Administration of Justice for Economic Growth, Investment Protection and Security in Lagos State” on May 27 and 28. Ms ShittaBey-Jeje said that Mr Sanwo-Olu would be the chief host at the summit billed for the Marriott Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos. She said the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, would be the chairman, with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, serving as the special guest of honour. Ms ShittaBey-Jeje said the Lagos State government had become a pathfinder for justice reform following its various landmarks and innovative achievements over the years. She, however, noted that, being th...

By Joan Nwagwu The National Union of Market Traders Employers of Nigeria (NUMTEN) has pledged to end illegal price fixing and exploitation in Nigerian markets Mr James Chukwuma, NUMTEN President made the pledge while receiving the union’s Certificate of Registration from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday in Abuja. The NUMTEN is the newest affiliate of the NLC. Chukwuma said that the unstable market prices was worrisome to Nigerians and one of the objectives of the union is to ensure market reform. “We are going to work with the market traders, distributors, manufacturers and even government to ensure that prices are regulated,” he said He added that the union would protect traders from persistent exploitation and victimisation by unscrupulous elements hidin...

President Bola Tinubu has extended his sympathy to the victims of the gas explosion at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North LGA, Ogun. This was disclosed in a statement by the president’s media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday. The explosion from a solitary gas truck rippled through the community, resulting in the loss of life and property. The president also sympathised with the Ogun government and residents over this tragedy. Mr Tinubu commended Governor Dapo Abiodun on his efforts to arrest the situation and immediately restore calm to the community. The president assured the people of Ogun, particularly the victims, of his fervent support in this moment of grief.

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has approved emergency work on the Dogon Gida road, nearing collapse. Felix Abuah, the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) coordinator, stated this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday. The FCT Emergency Management Department had, on April 7, barricaded the box culvert to avert the loss of lives. The culvert was on the access road that linked over 3,000 residents of Lokogoma village, popularly known as the Dogon Gida community, to Ring Road II. Also, the community members lose their loved ones to flooding while trying to cross the culvert during the rainy season, due to the low elevation of the culvert. Mr Abuah explained that the minister’s approval was in response to the call to renew the hope of the affected commuters in line with Preside...

Governor Ademola Adeleke has sent a letter to the state House of Assembly seeking confirmation of Isiaq Awotunde as the new auditor-general for local government. Speaker of the assembly, Adewale Egbedun, disclosed this while reading the letter at the plenary on Tuesday in Osogbo. Mr Egbedun said the appointment of the new auditor-general was sequel to the impending retirement of the incumbent, Emmanuel Kolapo. He directed Mr Awotunde to submit copies of his curriculum vitae and other relevant certificates to the assembly on or before May 2 and appear for screening on May 7. In another development, the speaker introduced and read a private member-sponsored bill entitled ‘Public Political Office Holders Enumeration Package 2024’. The bill, according to him, seeks to improve t...

Oyo State Government's efforts towards containing HIV/AIDS in the State, has not gone unnoticed The Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Temitope Ilori stated this during a familiarization tour to the State Ministry of Health. Dr. Ilori commended the State Government and Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDs, for being good partners in the National Response to the eradication and elimination of HIV/AIDS. She stated that Oyo SACA is one of the leading Agencies in the Federation, owing to its past community and media engagements, in terms of Jingles, documentaries to enlighten the people. “I know as far back as I was the Commissioner for Health in Osun State which is over 10years now, Oyo SACA has been active. There's always one jingle or the other a...

The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25% and 35% in salary Increase for Civil Servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures The Salary Structure are Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research andAllied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), ConsolidatedIntelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS). It will be recalled that those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors had already received their increases which involved Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS)fo...

By Joan Nwagwu The Federal Government said it was imperative to develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks and protect workers in the face of global warming. Mrs Lauretta Adogu, Director Occupational Safety and Health Department, Ministry of Labour and Employment said this on Tuesday in Abuja at a symposium to commemorate the 2024 World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The symposium was themed ”Impact of Climate Change on Workers’ Health. According to her, the event is to create awareness and sensitisation on the need for safe and healthy working environment. “This is in order to promote the safety, health and well-being of workers, as well as prevent work-related accidents, injuries, diseases, dangerous occurrences and deaths. “The theme is a fallout from the glob...