News Rider

FG Implements Cooking Gas Imports Tax, Price Jumps By 100% The federal government has implemented a 7.5 per cent tax on imported Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly called cooking gas, as the cost of the commodity leap by over 100 per cent within a period of eight months. It was gathered on Sunday that the government implemented the VAT on LPG imports about three weeks ago and some dealers were also mandated to pay the tax for commodities imported several months ago. Operators told our correspondent that Nigeria imports about 70 per cent of the commodity, while the rest was mainly supplied by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company. It was also gathered that the cost of a 12.5kg of cooking gas that sold for about N3,500 in December 2020 had jumped to as high as N6,800 in parts of Abuja. A resident along the Lagos-Ibadan road said she bought the commodity on Sunday at N7,200 in Lagos, as dealers projected that the cost might hit N10,000 in December this year. Operators stat

Insecurity: Zamfara Gov Orders Closure Of Markets     Matawalle The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has announced the closure of all weekly markets in the state as part of measures to address worsening security situation in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Matawalle announced this after receiving 18 kidnapped students of the State’s College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Bakura. The Governor also said the state government banned the selling of petrol in jerrycans as part of the measures to stop supplying fuel to the bandits. He said, “Filling stations in the state should also sell only N10,000 fuel to each vehicle and should be vigilant of vehicles or motorcycles coming for repeat purchases immediately. “No commercial motorcycle riders are allowed to carry three persons at a time". “We also reduced the operations of commercial motorcycle and tricycles between 6:00am and 8:00pm in the state capital, while outside the state capital is be

Cubana, Ikegwuonwu, Others Honour Late Matriach, Nwabunike  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Anambra  Chairman of Cubana Group, Obinna Iyiegbu (M) and other guests at the funeral of late Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike in Ozubulu yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE.  The Chairman of Cubana Group, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana and Chairman/CEO of St. Aloy’s Oil and Gas Limited, High Chief Aloysius Nnamdi Ikegwuonu (Bishop Ozubulu) were part of the dignitaries that bid farewell to the late Matriach, Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike (Iju Wagon) nee Chukwuma. The event attracted political associates, friends and well-wishers of Nwabunike's family yesterday in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State. National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon Iju Tony Nwabunike (2nd L) and other dignitaries at the funeral of late Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike in Ozubulu yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE  Nwabunike, who is the mother of National Pr

EHORECON Seeks Tie With NCDC On Disease Control  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  R-L: Registrar of Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), Dr. Baba Yakubu Mohammed presenting an award to the Director-General, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu in Abuja, recently.  As part of its commitment towards addressing the scourge of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) has requested for active collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) in ending cholera outbreak across the country.  Registrar of EHORECON, Dr. Baba Yakubu Mohammed stated this in Abuja yesterday during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).  Mohammed sought the establishment of environmental and public health department in NCDC for easy coordination of activities between the two agencies.  According to him, "We wa

Olu of Warri, Atuwatse III Reverses Grandfather’s Curse On Nigeria      Atuwatse III The 21st Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has reversed an ancestral curse placed on Nigeria by his grandfather, Olu Erejuwa II, as a result of alleged injustice meted to him. Erejuwa II was the paramount leader of the Itsekiri who was Olu of Warri from 1951 to 1964 and from 1966 to 1986. He was the 18th Olu of Warri Kingdom with the title Ogiame Erejuwa II. The new Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, reversed his grandfather’s curse on Saturday during his coronation. He said, “As the spiritual, cultural, political, and traditional ruler of this land, I, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the 21st Olu of Warri, the first son of Olu Atuwatse II, the grandson of and direct descendant of Olu Erejuwa II, who was offended on this throne, hereby reverse the curse placed over this land". Atuwatse III however blessed the federal government.  “In its place, I release forgiveness and healing to the federal go

Paul Okoye’s Wife, Anita Files For Divorce Anita Okoye, the wife of Nigerian singer, Paul Okoye aka Rude Boy, one half of the defunct music group P-Square, has filed for divorce. Anita requested the dissolution of her marriage with Paul, as per a partly redacted court document that surfaced and went viral on social media platforms yesterday. According to the petition filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Anita cited “irreconcilable difference” as her reason, asking her man to challenge it if he feels disgruntled. Anita first sparked divorce rumours in April when it was reported that she relocated with their three children to the United States of America. In 2019, she was accused by a popular aphrodisiac vendor of buying items to keep her marriage together. The vendor later took down the story from Instagram. The couple met in 2004 during their undergraduate days at the University of Abuja and got married on Saturday, March 22, 2014 in Port Ha

Jonathan, Atiku Attend Buhari Son’s Wedding In Bichi Former President Goodluck Jonathan; former President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Isoufou and President Muhammadu Buhari watch as the representative negotiate the Bride Price during the wedding of son of the President, Yusuf and daughter of Emir of Bichi, Zahra, in Bichi, Kano State yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN Yusuf, who is the Talban Daura, married Zahra Nasiru Bayero, daughter of the 2nd Emir of Bichi. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, after the representative of the groom, Alhaji Mamman Daura, paid the sum of N500, 000 to the representative of the bride, Alhaji Aminu Dantata as dowry. The wedding ceremony, which took place at the Emir’s Palace in Bichi, attracted Governors, Ministers, traditional rulers, captains of industries, politicians as well as members of the diplomatic community. President Muhammadu Buhari congratulating his so

850, 000 Nigerians Risk Death Over Mercury Poisoning -WHO BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja              isotu The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that about 850, 000 Nigerians risk death over mercury poisoning that emanates from Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities in 12 States.  National Consultant, Public Health and Environment (PHE) of WHO, Dr Edwin Isotu Edeh disclosed this in Abuja over the weekend during the Expert Panel Discussion at the just concluded maiden National Summit on Environmental Health, organised by Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) with the theme, "Rebranding Environmental Health Practice: Breaking Barriers, Unlocking Opportunities".  Speaking on, "Positioning Environmental Health for Sustainable Development in Nigeria", he said that 29 percent of national disease burden is linked to risk factors from the environment.  While lamenting that 46 million Nigerians still practice o

'Communicable Diseases Account For 75% Outbreak In Communities'  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja                               Baba The Registrar of Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), Dr Yakubu Baba has said that communicable diseases account for more than 75 percent of diseases ravaging communities across the country.  He stated this in Abuja over the weekend during the Expert Panel Discussion Session at the just concluded maiden National Summit on Environmental Health, organised by the council with the theme, "Rebranding Environmental Health Practice: Breaking Barriers, Unlocking Opportunities".  The session was designed to engage with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) saddled with the responsibilities of financing human and social development needs of Nigerians, with a view to exposing Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) to monetary and technical interventions of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

FG Hopeful Environmental Health Sector "II Transform Nigeria's Economy  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  The federal government has expressed optimism that the environmental health sub-sector would transform Nigeria's economy since its globally acclaimed as a tool for sustainable development.  Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar said this in Abuja over the weekend during the Expert Panel Discussion Session, at the just concluded maiden National Summit on Environmental Health, organised by Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) with the theme, "Rebranding Environmental Health Practice: Breaking Barriers, Unlocking Opportunities".  The session was designed to engage with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) saddled with the responsibilities of financing human and social development needs of Nigerians, with a view to exposing Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) to monetary and technical interventions

EHORECON Moves To Reintroduce Rebranded Sanitary Inspectors  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Okeke   L–R: Representative, Association of Provosts, Colleges of Health Science and Technology of Nigeria, Comrade Nuhu Solomon Anyegwu receiving the Academic Curricula on National Diploma in Public Health Technology and National Diploma in Epidemology and Disease Control from Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar; while Deputy Director of Health Programmes, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Kaduna, Yusuf Bello Yakubu; Registrar of Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) Dr Yakubu Baba; National Consultant, Public Health and Environment, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Edwin Isotu Edeh and others watch with keen interest at the maiden National Summit on Environmental Health in Abuja over the weekend. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE.  Worried by the outbreak of communicable diseases especially at the grassroots, the Environmental Health Officers

Environment: FG Lists Gains As Nigeria Moves To Head PAGGW BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja        Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar, addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE  The federal government has drummed support for the numerous achievements recorded in the environment Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), just as Nigeria prepares to take-over the Presidency of Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW). This is even as 11 countries in the GGW corridors such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Sudan have already endorsed Nigeria for PAGGW presidency. Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar stated this in Abuja yesterday while briefing newsmen on, "Recent Positive Developments Within the Environment Sector".  He noted that during the 7th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of PAGGW last week in Nouakchott, Mauritania, that the partic

TEDI Blames Organ Failure On Chemical Fertiliser  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja A non-governmental organisation, Transparency and Economic Development Initiative (TEDI) has linked organ failure in humans such as liver and kidney as well as cancer to the rampant application of chemical fertilisers on plants.  This is even as chemical fertiliser closes the nutrient capillary of soil due to the presence of limestone, while affecting the microbiome of animals, a situation that leads to shrinked immune system, after the consumption of grasses laced with chemical fertilisers.  The Executive Director of TEDI, Mr Emeka Ogazi disclosed this over the weekend during an online presentation on, “Biofertiliser Mitigation in Methane on Animal and Wetland”. Methane is an odourless, colourless and flammable gas with hydrogen sulfide that produces rotten egg smell, which is produced through an anaerobic breakdown of organic matter in wetland rice soils and ruminant animals. He stated that the affect

NDCs: FG Captures Emission Reduction As New Sector  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja In its determination to implement the Paris agreement on climate change, the federal government has captured emission reduction as a new sector in the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).  Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammed Mahmood Abubakar disclosed this over the weekend while submitting the 2021 final report of Nigeria's NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  The updated report, which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, replaced the interim NDCs that was submitted in May this year.  Abubakar emphasised its unwavering commitment towards the implementation of the Paris agreement, adding that Nigeria also increased the conditional contribution from 45 to 47 percent while retaining the unconditional target of 20 percent. A statement made available to newsmen by the Director of Press in the ministry, Mr Saghir el Mohammed, revealed that t