Sabinews Daily Nigeria/World News Update for August 7, 2014
FG seeks US assistance in tackling Ebola
The Federal Government has disclosed that it is trying to collaborate with the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, U.S., to contain the outbreak of Ebola virus in the country, even as it assured that it is doing everything possible to contain the spread of the ailment.
This was revealed by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, while speaking to newsmen in Abuja on the death of a nurse who treated Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian and American citizen who died of the disease in Lagos late July. Chukwu explained that Government was in touch with the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Atlanta, to see if they can extend the experimental drug being administered to the two Americans infected in Liberia. Read more
Sierra Leone faces malaria
As the death toll rises in West Africa amid the worst Ebola outbreak on record, a separate threat is compounding the problem: the rainy season and the malaria cases that come with it.
In Sierra Leone, with the most Ebola cases in the epidemic, a fearful population is failing to seek medical attention for any diseases, health officials say. If they have malaria, the feeling is they don’t want to go near a hospital with Ebola cases. If it’s Ebola, they don’t believe the hospitals can help them anyway. Read more
Nurses: We will Not Allow Our Members to Sign Death Warrant
In response to the death of the nurse who contacted the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Lagos, the immediate past National Deputy President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mr. Olufemi Rasheed Tonade, has said nurses are not ready to sign a death warrant. Read more
Retired civil servants protest pension cuts
Federal Government Pensioners under the auspices of the Association of Retired Senior Public Officers of Nigeria, ARFESPON, have rejected the report of the Presidential Technical Committee on the Review of the Federal Public Service Pensions.
In particular, the association expressed its disappointment with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, (represented on the committee, by Dr. Peter Ozo Eson) for not living up to expectations and allowing impunity and total disregard of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, with regard to pension administration in Nigeria. Read more
Customs denies sharing expired rice to woo voters in Osun
The Nigeria Customs has refuted allegation that it collaborated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to distribute seized expired rice to the electorates in Osun State ahead of the August 9 gubernatorial election.
It would be recalled that the ruling party in the State, the All Progressive Congress (APC), recently accused the PDP of working with the management of Customs warehouse in Ikeja to induce voters with expired bags of rice. Read more
Eight Nigerian Health Care Workers Catch Ebola
Patrick Sawyer, who contracted Ebola while working in Liberia, then collapsed after he got off a plane to Nigeria and died July 25. Sawyer, 40, was a naturalized American citizen who lived in Minneapolis and was working as a consultant for the Liberian finance ministry. Now Patrick Sawyer’s doctor has the disease. Read more
PDP, minister decry threat of parallel government
THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Minister of State for Works, Mr. Adedayo Adeyeye, Wednesday described the threat by All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to form a parallel government if the 2015 general elections are rigged as not only treasonable but part of the party’s design to destabilise the country.
Addressing a press conference at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the leadership of the APC was in collaboration with some people from foreign countries to cause a situation similar to the Arab Spring in Nigeria with the sole aim of forcefully taking over government after losing out in the 2015 general elections. Read more
Kwara APC Sure Of Victory, Wants Saraki In Presidential Race
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has expressed confidence that it will sweep all the elective offices in the 2015 general elections.
This is just as the three senatorial districts in the state have urged the leader of APC and former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki to contest the 2015 presidential elections. Read more
Iyanya, Sean Tizzle, T Billz And More Rock ‘Jimmy Jatt Remy Martin Tour’ In Lagos
The teeming fans and well-wishers were thrilled to the best of fine champagne cognac and music from DJ Baggio and Cool DJ Jimmy Jatt himself. Celebrity guests include T Billz, Ehiz(MTV VJ), Denrele, Mercy Omo London, Olisa Adibua, Matthew Ohio, DejiAwokoya, D’Tunes, Chuchu Lee, DjSpinall, Dj Exclusive and many more. The tour had taken place in Abuja, Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Benin respectively. Read more
Burundi: UN envoy says 2015 elections will be ‘litmus test’ for democratic processes, stability
While noting Burundi’s efforts to ensure an inclusive political climate ahead of elections in 2015, the United Nations envoy for the country warned today that the socio-political situation there remains characterized by “deep-rooted divergences and persisting mistrust between the Government and opposition parties, and between and within opposition formations as well. Read more
Retired soldiers protest in Abuja over non payment of pension
Retired armed forces personnel yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Abuja over the non-payment of their pension by the Federal Government from 2010 till date.
The retired soldiers carrying placards with various inscriptions were however prevented from having access into the presidential villa by armed soldiers and police men who mounted a road block on the road leading to the Presidential Villa. Read more
Registration: National Council of States has no power to stop states
An Uyo-based legal practitioner and Chairman, Governing Board of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Uwemedimo Nwoko, has faulted the directive of the National Council of States to stop state governments from registering non-indigenes living in their states for the purpose of identification. Read more
Sawyer knew he was infected before coming –Minister
Liberian Diplomat Patrick Sawyer, the man credited with ‘importing’ Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria, ‘knew he was sick’ with the virus before entry to Nigeria.
He was also advised by the Liberian Health Ministry not to travel out of the country but he ignored the instruction, flew to Nigeria and died here transmitting the virus to Nigerian medical personnel who offered medical services to him. Read more
Be proactive in handling health sector, NMA urges govts
The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), on Wednesday, harped on the need for governments at all levels to be proactive and not be reactive in handling matters relating to the health sector,
The association blamed the over one month old strike embarked upon by doctors nationwide, which has crippled the health sector, leading to the several loss of lives and avoidable deaths in the country, on the government’s irresponsibility to the sector. Read more
Osun Guber Poll: APC Seeks Inventory of Unclaimed PVCs
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) urgently circulate to all political parties the Voters Identification Numbers (VINs) of all unclaimed Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) before Saturday’s governorship election.
The party also demanded that the commission should publicly declare that anyone in possession of any PVC with any of such numbers is an impostor who must be arrested if he or she tries to use it. Read more
Adamawa Ex-deputy Governor Asks Court to Declare Him Gov
A former Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Bala Ngillari, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to order that he be sworn in as the governor of the state and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting a fresh election to elect a new governor in the state.
In an originating summons filed on his behalf by the Mr. Festus Keyamo, Nggilari said his purported resignation in the wake of the impeachment exercise that led to the removal of Murtala Nyako as governor, was null and void. Read more
Michelle Obama Calls on African First Ladies to Fight for Chibok Girls
United States First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama, has called on her fellow presidential spouses from across Africa to “fight for our girls,” saying no girl should fear getting an education.
Obama alluded indirectly to the plight of schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, at a panel discussion with former first lady, Mrs. Laura Bush on the closing day of a US summit with African leaders. Read more
S’West Governors Lament Danger of Illegal Borders
For the first time since the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, the governors from South-west geopolitcal zone yesterday decried the proliferation of illegal borders in the region.
The governors also urged to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to call off its four-week-old industrial action, asking its members nationwide to resume work on humanitarian grounds. Read more
Impeachment: D’Gov, Speaker Absent as Panel Begins Sitting
The seven-man panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the embattled Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, by the House of Assembly yesterday held its inaugural sitting with the assembly Speaker, Eugene Odoh and Onyebuchi conspicuously absent. The panel presided over by Mr. Franklin Oraekeyi however, announced a ban on media coverage of its proceedings. Read more
Oyinlola Blames Jonathan for His Exit from PDP
Former Osun State Governor, Mr. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, yesterday said the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan were responsible for his exit from the party.
Oyinlola had on Tuesday defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Read more
Defecting Lawmakers Yet to Notify Us, Says Anambra Govt
The Anambra State Government yesterday denied the report that some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from the state in the House of Representatives have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it is a mere speculation because the defecting legislators have not notified it.
Penultimate weekend, the quartet of Hon. Uche Ekwunife representing
Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia in the House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene (Ogbaru Federal Constituency) Hon. Azubuogu (Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo) and Hon. Egwuatu (Onitsha North/South) all elected on APGA platform into the House of Representatives, announced their defection to the PDP in Awka. Read more
