Learn Africa urges FG to raise education budget

Learn Africa(LA) Plc, formerly Longman Nigeria Plc, has urged the Federal Government to increase its  budgetary allocation for education to address deficiencies in infrastructural facilities, instructional materials and teacher training. In a congratulatory message to the National Examinations Council (NECO) as well as the candidates that sat for the June/July 2014 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) on the great success recorded in the examinations, the publishing firm stated that  provision of conducive learning environment and impressive compensation package for teachers, among other initiatives, will help in preparing students for success in all examinations and their future careers. All hands must be on deck to accelerate the human capital development of Nigeria to enable us to compete effectively in this knowledge-driven global arena,” the company said in a statement. On the NECO results, it explained that with results showing 72.58 per cent credit pass in English Language and 69.49 percent credit pass in Mathematics, it is, no doubt, a remarkable improvement on last year’s results. And as a leading educational book publisher that is strongly committed to the human capital development of our great country through consistent and timely provision of effective learning resources, we take great pride in aligning and identifying ourselves with this success. It is also heartwarming to note that only 0.44 percent of the candidates that sat for the examinations were involved in any form of malpractice; this is a clear testimony that NECO is winning the war against this monster.

Sun Newspaper

Customs implements new auto policy ahead of January deadline

The introduction of the new rate on new vehicles also pitched Customs agents against officers at the Port Terminal and Multi-purpose Service Limited, PTML, when agents withdrew their services to protest the introduction of the new rate on new vehicles. Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command; Comptroller Folorunsho Adegoke told newsmen yesterday that his command is only collecting 35 per cent on used vehicles. He also confirmed release of  HS Codes for imported used vehicles and  advised licensed customs agents to use the appropriately. Note that the new levy is NOT applicable for now until 31/12/2014”, he said in a message. According to the CAC, HS Code for used passenger vehicles are: 8702. 1020.20, 8702. 1020.29 and 8702. 9020.97. He added that the HS Code for cars/ Four Wheel Drive vehicles are: 8703.2422.00, 8703.2429.00 and 8703.3121.00. Comptroller Adegoke also gave the HS Code for Dumpers/Lorries as: 8704.2125.00, 8704.2219.28 and 8704.2320.00. He told our correspondent that, once this HS Code is used, it would be impossible for any officer to classify the used vehicles as new, even as he added that these HS Codes are well known to the clearing agents. He also confirmed that he had personally sent the same message to the leadership of the freight forwarding associations, a claim that was later confirmed when it was forwarded to Vanguard. It will berecalled that, on Tuesday, the PTML Command allegedly began the collection of 35% duty and 35% levy on imported vehicles.

Vanguard Newspaper

Patients buying survivors’ blood from black market –WHO

The World Health Organisation has raised the alarm that desperate patients of the Ebola Virus Disease are buying the blood of survivors of the virus from the black market. Blood from survivors, referred to as convalescent serum, is said to have antibodies that can fight the deadly virus, hence the rush for the blood of survivor in the worst hit countries. Though unproven, it has provided some promise in fighting a disease with no approved drug to treat the dreaded disease. The current Ebola outbreak, said to be the deadliest in history, has killed at least 2,400 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The three West African countries have been the most affected by the virus. New cases have also emerged in Nigeria and Senegal, though authorities in Nigeria said the country had successfully battled the scourge. The WHO on Thursday said, Studies suggest blood transfusions from survivors might prevent or treat Ebola virus infection in others, but the results of the studies are still difficult to interpret. It is not known whether antibodies in the plasma of survivors are sufficient to treat or prevent the disease. More research is needed. Convalescent serum has been used to treat patients, including American aid worker Rick Sacra, who is hospitalised in Omaha, Nebraska. He got blood from Kent Brantly, a fellow American who survived Ebola. Both got infected when they were helping patients in Liberia.

Punch Newspaper

Ebola Survivors Visit Fashola, Recount Ordeals

Five survivors of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) last night visited Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, at the State House, Alausa, recounting their ordeals and how God saved them. Of the visiting survivors, three of them – Dr. Morris Ibeawuchi, Dr. Adaora Igonoh and Dr. Akinniyi Fadipe – are medical practitioners with the First Consultants Medical Centre, the Lagos-based hospital that treated the index case, the late Patrick Sawyer, who imported the virus into Nigeria from his home country, Liberia. The two others were Mr. Dennis Echelonu, who lost his two-month pregnant wife Mrs. Justina Echelonu Obioma to the virus and Mrs. Kelechi Enemuo, whose husband died from the disease in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Recounting his experience, Ibeawuchi acknowledged that he was the doctor, who received the index case, Sawyer, when ECOWAS officials brought him to First Consultants. He said: I was the person who received Patrick Sawyer the day he was rushed to First Consultants Medical Centre. It was like a joke, I did not know what came upon me that day. Unlike me, I was so reluctant to attend to him.  But I was compelled by my colleagues to do so. When I got there, I was just talking to him. It was very unlike me. Being a doctor, you must examine your patient. After due examination, I asked him some questions. But Patrick Sawyer lied to me. Even the ECOWAS protocol officer who sat there, kept quiet. I asked him why he was in First Consultants. He lied to me saying that he was at a conference and felt so weak. As a result, people now rushed him to First Consultants not knowing that he had collapsed at the airport. On that very day, the ECOWAS protocol officer was there and did not say anything.

Thisday Newspaper

Striking oil workers cut off gas supply to power plants

The nation may be in for dark days as striking oil and gas workers have cut off gas supply to five major thermal plants in the country. The affected power stations include Egbin, AES, Olorunsogo, Geregu and Sapele. But the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has called on the workers to call off the industrial action in the interest of the nation. In a statement yesterday, Nebo said the effect of the workers’ action on gas supply to the power plants was massive. He noted that the actions taken by members of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the course of their ongoing strike have cut off gas supply to major power stations including Egbin, AES, Olorunsogo, Geregu and Sapele. The minister regretted the adverse effect of this development on power supply at a time when government had recorded substantial progress in solving the gas problem, thereby raising peak generation in recent weeks to an average of 4,500MW, with a spinning reserve of about 300 MW. He, therefore, decried the current setback arising from the oil and gas workers’ action, curtailing supply of gas to power stations, and reducing power generation, saying that this has inevitably led to a drastic reduction in power supply across the country.

Guardian Newspaper

Troops capture Boko Haram leader, kill 60 others in Konduga

Nigerian soldiers, on Wednesday, proved their ability to contain the insurgency in the North East when they moved against the Boko Haram sect, killing about 60 of their members during repeated attempts to enter Konduga, about 70 kilometres to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. In a statement, the military said the icing on the cake of Nigerian troop’s victory of the day was capture of a high ranking terrorists’ leader who was seriously wounded and is currently being treated in a military medical facility. Meanwhile, the blast that happened at the Federal College of Education, Kano has been described by the Federal Government as a great challenge for all Nigerians, revealing that government would re-strategize security plan in schools across the nation. This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, when he led the Federal Government’s delegation to the college and Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, where some of the victims were admitted, yesterday. Shekarau stated that security of schools and the society at large is not a one-sector practice, urging members of the community to always beef up their watch against anything they consider threat to their security. The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, also paid a visit to the victims at the hospital. He prayed for the reposed souls of the departed ones. He also urged the injured victims receiving treatment to go back to school when they are discharged from hospital.

Guardian Newspaper