Day: April 26, 2024

The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) with support of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, renovated and donated learning materials to China-Assisted Model Primary School Nyanya, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution of the learning materials was done at the inauguration of the upgraded primary school in Abuja.

Mr Zhou Hao, Managing Director, CRBC Nigeria, whole handing over the materials to the school, said that the items would promote and strengthen education in Nigeria.

Hao emphasised the need for a better learning environment for teachers and students as education was important.

He added that among peoples of different continents, there was a common ground that transcends ethnicity and nationality which is children, who fill the world with hope and brightness.

‘ Children represent the future’s expectations and aspirations, and they rightfully deserve a better life.

‘ We believe that improving children’s educational conditions and environments is a shared goal among
people from all sectors both China and Nigeria.

‘ Thus, as a Chinese company operating in Nigeria, we are very eager and honored to contribute our part to the educational efforts in Nigeria,’ he said.

He noted that looking at the developmental needs of the Nigerian government and people; CRBC was committed to serving the socio-economic development and improved the livelihood of Nigerians.

‘ With nearly 10 projects being implemented in Nigeria, covering areas such as roads, railways, flood control, terminals, and chemical industries,

‘ We will fully utilise our own resources to continuously promote the development of infrastructure and boost economic in Nigeria through our actions,’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Zhang Yi, Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria said that CRBC among others are actively fulfilling their social responsibilities by giving back to the local people.

Zhang said the company does this while carrying out production and operation activities in Nigeria.

‘After learning about the
aging of some of the school’s office desks and chairs, classroom, blackboards and bathroom facilities, CRBC took the initiative to ask the Chinese Embassy for instructions.

‘ They expressed their willingness to undertake the repairs of the school and provide learning materials for students so as to provide a better learning environment for all,” he said.

Also, Dr Alhassan Sule, Executive Chairman, Education Bureau of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) commended Chinese Government for their continuous support towards improving the quality of education in the country.

He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment towards strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

On his part, Mrs Dada Galadima, the acting Headmistress of the school expressed gratitude to CRBC and the embassy for their unrelenting efforts to contribute to the growth and development of students.

NAN reports that the learning materials includes notebooks, pencils, erasers, rulers, sports equipment, desks, chairs among others.

Sourc
e: News Agency of Nigeria

Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), says Mangroves are best sequesters of carbon which mitigate climate change.

Zabbey spoke with newsmen on Friday in Abuja while showcasing HYPREP’s efforts in combating climate change in the country.

According to him, mangrove system is crucial in addressing climate change.

‘Our mangrove restoration project is the world’s largest in an oil degraded environment; we have environment vanguards provided with catalytic funds to plant mangrove seedlings.”

He said that the mangrove system of restoring spillage areas was the best globally and five times better than tropical rainforest.

‘HYPREP is committed to enhancing the capacity of the local people; we build the capacity of the local people which we refer to as environment vanguards.’

Zabbey said that the cleaning up of Ogoni land comprised 2000 hectares of both the medium risk site and a complex high risk site oil degraded area.

He said there was a pilot proj
ect of 560 hectares in which the community people was fully involved in planting more mangroves.

‘As part of our broad livelihood programme at the moment, we have also trained no fewer than 5,000 youth and women because we want to create a sustainable livelihood for them.

‘We are at the same time, restoring the environment in order to resuscitate the traditional livelihoods of the people which is basically fishing and farming,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Dr Danjuma Adda, the immediate past President of the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), has called on the Federal Government to incorporate hepatitis B testing into antenatal, maternal, and child healthcare services.

Adda made this plea on Friday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 2024 Biennial Conference organised by the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) in Abuja.

He stressed the importance of Nigeria investing in and integrating hepatitis B testing into antenatal, maternal, and child healthcare, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to bolster the country’s health system and immunisation program.

According to him, currently, hepatitis B tests are not part of maternal and child healthcare programs.

Adda, who lost his mother to hepatitis, emphasised the necessity for the government to include hepatitis B surface antigen testing in antenatal care and maternal child health programs, ensuring that all women undergo testing.

He asserted
that hepatitis B is preventable with the right vaccine, highlighting two key measures to reduce liver cancer deaths.

‘Liver cancer often develops among those infected early, especially in childhood.

‘Other factors contributing to liver cancer include aflatoxin exposure, alcohol consumption, and herbal medication misuse.

‘Pregnant women, according to WHO recommendations, should undergo screening for hepatitis, enabling early identification and intervention.

‘If a woman tests positive, she should receive prophylactic prevention treatment until delivery. Additionally, all newborns should receive universal vaccination’.

Adda emphasised the importance of attending antenatal care for hepatitis screening and vaccination opportunities.

He urged pregnant women to advocate for themselves and demand hepatitis B testing during antenatal visits.

Furthermore, Adda encouraged pregnant mothers to request ‘back dose vaccination’ for their newborns within 24 hours of birth, noting its potential to protect infants from h
epatitis infection.

‘Hepatitis virus is the primary cause of liver cancer, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Early detection through testing and prompt treatment is crucial in preventing its spread’.(NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Rwandan Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Christophe Bazivamo, has called on African leaders to unanimously create a visa free policy to guarantee seamless travels and boost tourism within the region.

Bazivamo made the call during the 48th Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), held on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, Rwanda has implemented a visa free policy and has been able to boost its economy through this.

He said due to the nation’s visa free tourism policy, Rwanda’s MICE industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) recorded a significant growth of 48 per cent in two years, from 2022 to 2023.

‘Africa is full of breathtaking natural tourism sites but in spite of such vast assets, the economy is not as vibrant as it should be.

‘We need a visa free Africa to facilitate investment, trade and tourism within the region.

‘In Rwanda, our visa free tourism policy has boosted our economy. As Africans, we should not be bothered about security
issues, we have the population and the resources to unlock our economic potential.

‘MICE industry in Rwanda has risen by 48 per cent in the last 2 years due to our visa free tourism policy. This can be replicated across the region,’ he said.

Also, Mr Ikechi Uko, a tourism development expert, said it was high time Africans took advantage of their huge population to grow their economy by opening the borders within the region.

According to Uko, trade will be impossible without travels and the major factor to facilitate seamless travels is to have open skies across Africa.

Mr Nkereuwem Onung, National President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), said: ‘by promoting travel within the continent, we pave the way for deeper cultural exchanges, stronger business collaborations, and increased investment flows.

‘Let us envision a future where Nigeria can work hand in hand with other countries to create a seamless and interconnected travel experience.

‘The potential benefits are immense. I
ncreased tourism will not only lead to job creation and economic growth but will also foster a sense of unity and understanding among us as a nation.

‘It is through travel and tourism that we can truly appreciate and celebrate our common heritage.’ (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has commended the World Bank for disbursing 2 million dollars to the FCT.

The fund is for the implementation of the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in the territory.

Mahmoud gave the commendation when the World Bank ACReSAL project Task Team Lead, Dr Joy Agene, visited her in Abuja on Friday.

She said that the partnership with the World Bank would foster environmental sustainability and agricultural prosperity for residents of the FCT under the ACReSAL project.

She said that the project aligned with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly in addressing environmental degradation and the impact of climate change.

The minister said that Abuja, as Nigeria’s capital city in the past 48 years, had lost its tree covers and land degradation due to physical developmental projects.

According to her, part of the goals of the ACReSAL project is to restore the l
ost trees through afforestation and other climate change adaptation activities.

‘We will do all that is possible for ACReSAL project to be sustained, maintained, and achieved by God’s grace.

‘We will try and provide all that is necessary from our own side. All the requirements necessary to take FCT to the next level will be done to access the entire 10 million dollars.’

Earlier, Agene said that the visit was to brief the minister on the performance of the project so far in the FCT.

Agene added that the visit was also to thank the minister for her support and solicit for more, to ensure the success of the project in FCT.

She said that so far, the World Bank had disbursed about 2 million dollars to the FCT.

She explained that ACReSAL,being a community-based project, was designed to enable communities to access the fund through a community revolving fund.

The task team lead commended the FCT for the formation of 250 community interest groups (CIGs,) through which the fund would be disbursed.

She said tha
t the CIGs would be trained on how to access and utilise the funds.

She explained that each benefiting community would access 25,000 dollars to carry out afforestation, irrigation, and some climate change adaptation activities.

‘The project is here to help communities to adapt to the shock that will come from climate change and to do that, one of the approaches is this revolving fund where communities will get about 25,000 dollars each.

‘Beyond that, we have some investment in gully erosion, flood control and large afforestation at the FCT and we will need your support to do this,’ she told the minister.

Agene also said that the visit was equally to infirm the minister what the FCT Administration needed to do to access more funding amounting to about 10 million dollars.

She identified the conditions as project design, environmental and social instrument, and catchment management plan.

‘Once these three instruments are in place, be assured that the 10 million dollars will be sent to the FCT under the pro
ject.

‘However, there is no way the FCT team can do this without your support and frequent checking and monitoring,’ she added.

Mr Lawan Geidam, Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA, said that a robust framework had been established to ensure the success of the project.

Geidam, who is also the Chairman of the Technical Committee, assured the World Bank team of active community participation in the implementation of the project.

‘Also, the construction of boreholes in various communities, land restoration initiative, knowledge building programmes and the planned provision of critical agricultural inputs to farmers will improve the livelihood of our communities,’ he said.

The National Coordinator of the project, Mr Abdulhamid Umar, explained that the project was being implemented in 19 states and the FCT, to tackle the challenge of landscape degradation and promote effective watershed management. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government says it plans to create 2.5 million jobs through the Labour Employment Enhancement Programme (LEEP) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said this at the pre-inauguration ceremony for the LEEP in Abuja.

She said that the programme was aimed at actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative.

”The LEEP vision is to train and equip 2.5 million people.

‘In Nigeria, youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, with over 13 million young people currently unemployed.

‘According to recent statistics, initiatives like LEEP play a crucial role in providing young people with access to training, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurial support.

‘This will address the challenge of youth unemployment and promote social inclusion.

”The initiative is a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing key challenges facing our workforce such as job creation, skills development, and migration control,” s
he said.

She said that in a rapidly evolving global landscape, it was imperative to ensure that the Nigerian workforce was equipped with the necessary tools and opportunities to thrive in the digital age.

She said that the LEEP targeted zero hunger, zero poverty economic growth and decent jobs through six strategic initiatives.

She said this included digital skills initiative, vocational entrepreneurship skills programmes, infrastructure upgrade and NELEX upgrade for employment acceleration.

Onyejeocha said that others were global remote work initiatives and labour compliance enhancement.

She urged development partners such as the World Bank, GIZ, the European Union, UNIDO and the Bank of Industry to support the drive.

She said that the support was imperative for the current administration to mitigate the hardship being faced by Nigerians due to the removal of fuel subsidy.

‘We cannot do it alone and so we need to partner with you to help us succeed in the country,’ she said.

Ms Luri Aganetto, the EU
Programme Manager, pledges the readiness of the union to support the initiative for the good of the Nigerian people.

‘We are optimistic and looking forward to cooperate with the Nigerian government on Labour market information system,’ she said. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria