Lagos to commence 2016 immunisation campaign January 28

The Lagos State Government said it would commence the 2016 Measles Follow-Up Campaign on Thursday, Jan. 28, to run through Monday, Feb. 1.

Dr Jide Idris, the Commissioner for Health, stated this on Tuesday in Lagos during a media briefing. He said that healthcare providers at all levels had been trained to ensure the success of this year’s campaign.

Idris said that the measles campaign would last for five days in wards and communities.

“We have mounted 521 fixed posts in health facilities and 2, 216 temporary posts in public/ private schools, churches, mosques, town halls, bus stops, motor parks and markets, where immunisation will be provided.

Lagos primary, secondary pupils to get Personal Information Numbers

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it was set to introduce Student Personal Identification Numbers in primary and secondary schools for proper data system and policy formulation.

Dr Idiat Adebule, the Deputy Governor, who oversees the state Ministry of Education, made the disclosure at a news conference to highlight the strategic focus on the sector in 2016.

Adebule said that the ID would enable the government know the number of pupils and students in the state, to aid proper policy formulation on education.

She said it would help the government to meet the dynamic needs in the education sector.

FG, states, LGs share N387.8bn for December

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Tuesday in Abuja said that N387.8 billion was shared among the federal, states and local governments as revenue for December, 2015.

Adeosun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, announced this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

She said that the shared amount comprised the month’s statutory revenue of N315 billion. “Also, there is the exchange gain of N4.5 billion which is proposed for distribution.

ThisDay newspaper editor, Ademola Adeyemo dies of heart attack

The deputy political editor of ThisDay newspaper, Prince Ademola Adeyemo died of heart attack on Sunday after driving for a long distance.

According to a news site, Orijo Reporter, the circumstances surrounding the death of the 58-year-old journalist was made known by his wife, Mujidat Adeyemo.

Appropriation Bill 2016 passes 2nd reading in House of Reps

The Appropriation Bill 2016 passed the second reading in the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

The bill extensively debate by the lawmakers, was referred to the Committee on Appropriation and its relevant sub-committees by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

Leading the debate, Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Leo Ogor, described the budget as incomplete According to Ogor, the budgets of some government agencies are conspicuously not in the document.

He said Nigeria was confronted with economic challenges, “there is therefore the need to give Nigerians a budget that will stand the test of time.’’

New viral disease rivals Ebola, Lassa fever

On January 14, the World Health Organisation declared that West Africa was free of the deadly haemorrhagic fever, Ebola. West Africa was the disease’s stronghold so the news was welcomed by all. It was as good as saying the world was Ebola free.

However, barely 24 hours after WHO’s declaration, the organisation made another announcement that there was a new probable case. The new case was in Sierra Leone and it came 43 days after the last known case. It was a sad report but the WHO, Center for Disease Control and all concerned authorities got to work.

Though Nigeria had promptly fought the war against Ebola when it found its way in, the country had started battling other life-threatening diseases almost immediately. The Avian Influenza, commonly known as Bird flu became the next headache. Though it is typically a poultry disease, the strain N5H1 found in Nigeria can be transmitted to humans. Then, as if that wasn’t enough Lassa fever, another type of viral haemorrhagic disease, reared its head. This time monkeys are not the key carriers as in the case of Ebola, but rats.

Maximum dose of vitamin C tablets may be harmful – Physician warns

A German physician on Tuesday in Hamburg warned against taking the maximum dose of Vitamin C supplements as given on the tablets’ label.

Dr Klaus Schaefer, a general practitioner, argues that the ranges of risks from long-term use of the highest dose have not been adequately studied. He insisted that with the study so far, medium doses are safer.

“When it comes to guarding against illnesses, many people swear by vitamin C – and rightly so. “We need it for our body’s defences, because it stabilises immune system cells,’’ he said.

OAU Suspends Student Union Leaders

Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, have suspended three student union leaders for allegedly assaulting a professor.

 The affected student leaders are; the SU President, Omotayo Akande, who bagged six semesters (three years); Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojedokun, four semesters (two years); and the Secretary General, Seun Oketooto; four semesters (two years).

The union leaders are all final year students and would have started their examinations in the next two months.

The students however have a different reason for the suspension, saying their leaders were suspended due to the recent agitation for better welfare conditions on campus and not the alleged assault.

Kaduna station market gutted by fire

No fewer than 700 make-shift shops at the popular Station Food Stuff Market in Kaduna have been burnt down in an early morning inferno. The fire incident, which was attributed to a power surge, occurred at about 12 midnight when the traders had retired from the day’s business.

An eyewitness told Channels Television that two people, who were sleeping inside one of the shops, also lost their lives in the fire while goods worth millions of Naira were completely destroyed.

According to reports efforts by the State Fire Service could not save the situation, as the fire razed all the shops and destroyed food items. Only zinc and iron protectors in some shops were the only things in sight at the market, as some owners of the shops gathered, with agony on their faces.

Two Men Pretending To Be Mad Caught With Rotting Human Head, Blackberry Phone, ATMs In Osun

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Osun Command, has arrested two suspects, who pretended to be mad, for being in possession of a decomposing human head.

The suspects, Alaba Folawiyo and Mutiu Lawal, according to Mr. Wale Folarin, the state’s NSCDC Public Relations Officer, were hiding in an uncompleted building near Apomu Junction in Ikire, headquarters of Irewole LGA, when they were arrested.

Some APC members among those who stashed $200bn loot in UAE – Sani

Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central Zone) has said that over $200 billion was being stashed away in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, specifically, its global financial hub, Dubai, by corrupt Nigerians.

Senator Sani is the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, as well as Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Sani, who was fielding questions from journalists after women supporters from his political ward paid him a solidarity visit at one of his campaign offices in Kaduna, told reporters that any corrupt person running to President Muhammadu Buhari for cover would be exposed, investigated and prosecuted.